China's box office hits 12.5 billion yuan ahead of Labor Day holiday

China's box office has reached 12.5 billion yuan (about $1.7 billion) in 2026 as of 12:08 p.m. on April 14, according to data from online ticketing platforms.

With more than 10 days to go before the Labor Day holiday, the film market is already picking up. A total of 17 new releases are set to open around the holiday period, spanning a wide range of genres and drawing strong early interest.

This year's lineup includes patriotic dramas, crime and action films, comedies, thrillers, animations and imported titles, offering a broad mix for moviegoers.

Among the domestic releases are Blood-Spattered Cliff, inspired by stories from Red Army history, and Cold War 1994, a crime drama centered on competing forces. Family-friendly animation is also well represented, with titles such as Red Boy and GG Bond: Race Through Time.

One of the most anticipated releases is The Devil Wears Prada 2, which brings back the original cast members, including Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. The sequel shifts its focus from the fashion industry to the digital age and is set to open on the Chinese mainland on April 30, one day ahead of its North American release.

The cluster of new releases has fueled a pre-holiday buzz, pointing to continued momentum in China's recovering film market.