‘Stand By Me’ Still Clings to the Box Office Throne

Oh, the melodrama of the Chinese box office! Hollywood Hrishita here, ready to spill the tea on the latest box office saga from our friends over in China. Buckle up, folks!

So, "Stand by Me" has managed to cling onto the top spot at the Chinese box office. It’s a poignant tale about two kids who are left to fend for themselves and somehow find solace in each other. Awww, how sweet! Karry Wang, the heartthrob from TFBoys, stars in it. 🥰

But let’s not get too sentimental. The real drama is in the numbers, darling. Despite the Mid-Autumn Festival’s supposed box office boost, the Chinese cinema scene is still in a slump. Can you believe it? A country with 1.3 billion people and 90,000 cinema screens only raked in $25.1 million over the weekend! That’s like finding out your favorite actor’s latest movie is a flop—shocking but not entirely surprising. 🙄

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the box office brought in RMB389 million ($55.2 million). Now, if you’re thinking, "That’s a lot," think again! It’s less than half of the RMB803 million they made in 2019. And mind you, that was with a record-breaking 1.36 million screening sessions. Ouch.

Let’s break it down, shall we?

"Stand by Me" took home RMB38.2 million ($5.4 million) in its second weekend. That brings its total to $29.2 million since its release. Not bad, right? But hold your applause.

In second place, we have "Like a Rolling Stone." No, not a Bob Dylan biopic, but a drama about a 50-year-old woman who decides to hit the road. It made RMB26.3 million ($3.7 million), bringing its total to $11.2 million after eight days. You go, girl! 🚗💨

Then there’s "The Wild Robot," which debuted in third place with RMB22.7 million ($3.2 million). So far, including previews, it’s at $3.7 million. Meh.

In fourth place, "A Frozen Rage"—a crime comedy-drama that sounds like a bad Tinder date—earned $2.6 million. Its total after eight days is $10.9 million. Not exactly a blockbuster, but hey, it’s trying.

And rounding out the top five is "Enjoy Yourself." It’s about a divorced couple fighting over an embryo. (Talk about dramatic!) It earned $1.8 million, with a total of $6.8 million since its release.

So, where does this leave the Chinese box office? Artisan Gateway says the year-to-date total is $4.86 billion, which is over 22% lower than last year. Yikes. 😬

The Plot Thickens

The next few weeks will be crucial. "Transformers One" is getting a Friday release, but it has a mere three-day window before it’s sidelined by a slew of Chinese films vying for National Day holiday crowds.

First up on Sept. 30 is Chen Kaige’s "The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death," the second part of a war trilogy. Then, on Oct. 1, brace yourselves for a cinematic avalanche: Ning Hao and Xu Lei’s "The Hutong Cowboy," Lu Chuan’s "Bureau 749," Liu Jiangjiang’s "Give You A Candy," Oxide Pang’s "High Forces," Wu Bai’s "Tiger Wolf Rabbit," Zhang Luan’s "Panda Plan" (starring Jackie Chan, no less), "New Happy Dad and Son 6: Shrunk," and "A Tapestry of a Legendary Land."

Moral of the Story:

When life gives you a box office slump, release more movies!

So, there you have it. The Chinese box office is like a Bollywood soap opera—full of highs, lows, and unexpected twists. Stay tuned!

Tags: #ChineseBoxOffice #StandByMe #BoxOfficeSlump #MidAutumnFestival #NewReleases