China's August box office rides wave of historical films to top $200 million

China's box office for August has surpassed 1.5 billion yuan (approximately $208.8 million) in total revenue, including pre-sales. "Dead To Rights," a film about the Nanjing Massacre, leads the summer box office, exceeding 1.5 billion yuan in revenue just 10 days after its release.

A wave of historical films

The blockbuster performance of "Dead To Rights" is part of a broader trend of historical films released to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. This wave of new historical works includes the documentary "Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness" and "Dongji Rescue," which premieres in August.

War epic "Dongji Rescue" tells the story of how Chinese fishermen rescued over 300 British prisoners of war in October 1942 after the Japanese transport ship "Lisbon Maru," secretly packed with more than 1,800 prisoners, was torpedoed and left to sink. The same historical events were previously explored in Fang Li's 2024 documentary, "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru."

Another historical film titled "731," which revisits the horrific human experiments conducted by Japan's notorious germ warfare unit, is slated for a September 18 premiere.

A diverse summer lineup

Beyond historical dramas, the 2025 summer movie season is proving to be diverse, with over 60 Chinese and international films scheduled for release. Covering a wide array of genres, the lineup includes comedy, mystery, animation, sci-fi and action.

Domestic productions are notably strong in comedy, mystery and animation. "The Lychee Road" is adapted from a novel by Ma Boyong, a novelist who won the Mao Dun Newcomer Award. The story is set during the Tang Dynasty and follows an official on a near-impossible 2,500-kilometer journey to transport lychees, offering a sharp satire of bureaucratic absurdity. Comedy film "You are the Best," tells the story of a young man who overcomes numerous hardships to pursue his musical dream.

As of August 6, the total box office revenue for the entire summer movie season (June through August), including pre-sales, has exceeded 7.5 billion yuan.