China Box Office: ‘Once Upon a Time in the Middle East’ Crosses $300 Million — SkimNews
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- "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" retained the No. 1 spot for a fourth straight weekend with RMB82.6 million ($12.1 million) from Sept. 4–6, pushing its cumulative China gross past $305.6 million since its Aug. 11 nationwide launch, per Artisan Gateway data.
- Wen Muye ("Dying to Survive") directed the war comedy-drama, which stars Shen Teng as a debt-ridden Chinese chef in the Middle East who transforms his eatery into a safe haven for civilians and orphans amid regional conflict.
- Pearl River Film Group's crime thriller "V" held second place with $7.9 million in its third weekend for a cumulative $75.4 million, with Tony Ka Fai Leung and Zhu Yilong among the cast.
- Universal's "The Odyssey" took third in its fourth frame with $5.5 million, lifting Christopher Nolan's Imax-shot Homer adaptation to a $97.4 million China cumulative.
- Pearl Studio's animated "All Wishes Come True!" added $4.8 million in its eighth weekend for a stellar $277.5 million cumulative since opening July 18.
- Capstone Pictures' "Fall 2: Deadpoint" debuted in fifth with $3 million over its opening frame and $3.2 million including early screenings.
- Mainland China's overall weekend hit $41.9 million, while its 2026 year-to-date revenue stands at $4.21 billion — down 27.8% from the same period in 2025.
Why it matters: Even with 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' crossing $305.6 million after four weekends at No. 1, mainland China's 2026 year-to-date box office sits at $4.21 billion, down 27.8% from the same period in 2025 — a roughly $1.6 billion deficit. The story isn't one hit's success but a market where even a durable blockbuster can't reverse a structural double-digit contraction for exhibitors and distributors.
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