China Box Office: ‘Pegasus 3’ Climbs to $530 Million But Holiday Market Lags Far Behind 2025

Hollywood Reporter

by Patrick Brzeski

March 2, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

China’s box office landscape continues to show mixed results as 2026 progresses. While the racing comedy *Pegasus 3* has solidified its position as the top-grossing film of the year so far, with a cumulative haul exceeding $529 million, the broader market is struggling to match the heights achieved in previous years. The film’s latest weekend take of $49.5 million highlights its dominant performance, but overall ticket sales remain sluggish, dropping nearly 56% compared to the same period in 2025. This decline underscores a challenging environment for China’s film industry, which last year relied heavily on the unprecedented success of *Ne Zha 2*, a film that not only set global records but also revitalized the sector. The star power behind other films is evident, with *Blades of the Guardians* and Zhang Yimou’s *Scare Out* both crossing the $100 million mark. *Blades of the Guardians*, adapted from a popular manhwa, continues to draw audiences with its ensemble cast and strong word-of-mouth, while *Scare Out* delivers a contemporary espionage thriller that resonates with Chinese viewers. However, neither film

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Originally published on Hollywood Reporter on 3/2/2026