Zootopia 2 Overtakes Endgame in China’s Box Office Race
A Disney animation has unseated a Marvel blockbuster as China’s top-grossing Hollywood film. Discover which franchise now leads the charge and what this means for the global box office.
Disney’s latest animated release has managed what few thought possible: it’s toppled a Marvel juggernaut from its perch atop China’s box office. Zootopia 2 has now edged past Avengers: Endgame, collecting RMB4.251 billion (about $607.82 million) in Chinese cinemas, just nudging ahead of Endgame’s RMB4.25 billion ($607.67 million). These figures, drawn from the Maoyan ticketing platform, mark a significant shift in the pecking order of Hollywood imports.
Over the first weekend of January, Zootopia 2 reclaimed the number one spot in Chinese cinemas, outpacing James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. During the 2nd to 4th of January, the animated sequel brought in $17.1 million, a figure that underscores its enduring appeal. Notably, the film managed to surpass the $100 million mark in a single day—a feat previously achieved only by Endgame. With a production budget of $150 million, Zootopia 2’s global takings have soared to $1.59 billion, a remarkable return by any standard.
Franchise Power and Local Appeal
The original Zootopia, released in 2016, was no slouch either, raking in $1.025 billion worldwide and $236 million in China alone. The sequel’s success, however, has been attributed to more than just brand recognition. According to cultural researcher Zhang Peng,
The core advantage of Zootopia 2 lies in its franchise momentum combined with precise localization. The first film built a strong reputation, and the sequel extends its social allegory through a mystery-driven narrative that aligns with Chinese audiences’ growing preference for story-driven content.
Peng also observed a shift in audience tastes, noting that
The market is not fixated on spectacle alone. Strong storytelling and emotional resonance are now the real keys to long-term box-office success.
On the ratings front, Zootopia 2 has scored an impressive 8.4 on Douban, based on over 645,000 user reviews. The voice cast is a veritable who’s who, featuring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, Alan Tudyk, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, Jenny Slate, Danny Trejo, and Dwayne Johnson.
Hollywood’s Top Earners in China
With Zootopia 2 now leading the pack at $607.8 million, Endgame slips to second place. The Fate of the Furious, starring Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, holds third with $392.8 million, followed closely by Furious 7 at $390.9 million and Avengers: Infinity War at $359.5 million. These figures highlight the enduring popularity of action and superhero franchises among Chinese audiences.
Marvel’s dominance in the region is clear, with Endgame, Infinity War, Venom, Age of Ultron, and Spider-Man: Far from Home all making substantial gains. DC’s fortunes have been more mixed; Aquaman leads their charge with $298.3 million, but other titles like Justice League and Batman v Superman have lagged behind. Superman’s latest outing managed a modest $8.9 million.
What’s Next for the Box Office?
Avatar: Fire and Ash is inching towards the $100 million milestone, though its predecessors have already made a mark—Avatar and The Way of Water both pulled in over $245 million each. Meanwhile, Marvel fans are looking ahead to Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to feature Robert Downey Jr. in a new role as Doctor Doom. His reported $100 million contract has certainly raised eyebrows, and expectations are high for the film to cross the $2 billion threshold globally.
As the dust settles, the question remains: will Marvel reclaim its box office crown, or has a new era of animated dominance begun?