Hoppers Tops China Box Office as 2026 Revenue Drops 52%
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- Hoppers debuted at #1 in China with RMB66.3M ($9.3M) over the March 20-22 weekend, per Artisan Gateway data
- Project Hail Mary opened at #2 with $6.9M in its first China frame, the weekend's other major Hollywood debut
- Pegasus 3 slipped to #3 but added $5.7M for a cumulative $606.6M; the Han Han-directed racing franchise stars Shen Teng as veteran racer Zhang Chi
- Blades of the Guardians held #4 with $2.9M, pushing its cumulative to $195.6M; directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse, and Jet Li
- Scare Out rounded out the top five with $2.2M, bringing its cumulative to $186.6M; Zhang Yimou's espionage thriller stars Jackson Yee and Zhu Yilong as National Security agents
- Mainland China's 2026 year-to-date box office revenue stands at $1.63B, down 52.1% from the same period in 2025, with the overall weekend gross at $32.4M
Why it matters: Two Hollywood tentpoles topping the chart couldn't offset a market running 52.1% behind 2025 — roughly $1.74B in lost YTD revenue. Local franchises like 'Pegasus 3' ($606.6M cumulative) are doing nearly all the heavy lifting, exposing just how hollow the overall slate remains.
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