Wandering Earth Success Fails to Stave Off China Box Office Decline
Chen Hanci
DATE:  Apr 09 2019
/ SOURCE:  yicai
Wandering Earth Success Fails to Stave Off China Box Office Decline Wandering Earth Success Fails to Stave Off China Box Office Decline

(Yicai Global) April 9 -- Chinese box office takings fell by 8 percent in the first quarter of this year despite the success of several hit releases including The Wandering Earth, which is the second-best performing domestic movie in the country's cinematic history. 

Some 406 million tickets were sold at Chinese movie theaters in the first three months as income fell 8 percent to CNY186 billion (USD27.7 billion), according to data from Alibaba Group Holdings cinema analytics app Lighthouse Pro. 

Sci-fi epic The Wandering Earth was the best-performing release of the quarter raking in more than double the takings of second-placed Crazy Alien. The movie brought in CNY2.2 billion while another comedy Pegasus made CNY1.7 billion at the box office. Transformers spin-off Bumblebee ranked fourth and led takings in January, while Captain Marvel was the most popular film of last month. 

A lack of focus on quality overall contributed toward the decline, according to Ling Ping, an angel investor in the film and television sector, adding that rising ticket prices and falling audience numbers were other drivers. 

Cinemas and film management companies dictate ticket prices in China and some regions saw double-digit growth in fees during the Spring Festival period as they stopped receiving subsidies last year.

Movie-goers during this year's Spring Festival fell more than 10 percent to 130 million.

Editor: William Clegg

Follow Yicai Global on
Keywords:   Box Office,Wandering Earth