Mainland Film Market Cold, Average Audience Attendance Per Theater Nationwide Only 1 Person

With the official promotion of the Chinese Communist Party’s highly acclaimed film “Nezha: The Devil Boy Comes to Sea” (Nezha 2) cooling down amidst a buzzing atmosphere, the mainland film market has recently plummeted to a freezing point. Data shows that on weekdays, the average number of viewers per screening in cinemas nationwide is only 1. Netizens lament, “This year’s film market is truly too cold, it’s not an exaggeration to say it’s bone-chilling.”

According to data from the professional version of “Maoyan,” the total box office on weekdays across the country fell below 15 million yuan (RMB), marking a new low for single-day total box office since December 8, 2022. Excluding the abnormal operating periods affected by the pandemic between 2020 and 2022, the single-day box office of Chinese films recently hit a new low since the Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve in 2013.

The data shows that on March 27, there were 10,995 cinemas operating nationwide, with 341,000 screenings and a total of 368,000 tickets sold, averaging only 1.08 viewers per screening. The film ‘Nezha 2’, which has been at the top of the daily box office rankings for 58 consecutive days, has an average attendance of 1.1 viewers per screening, while other films such as “I Will Be Fine” and “Heavenly Travel Group” have an average attendance of less than 1.

Interestingly, on March 28 noon, the newly scheduled film “The Next Typhoon,” originally set to premiere on April 4, announced its withdrawal without specifying a new release date. The statement was addressed to “all families who are concerned about ‘The Next Typhoon’,” with a profound message: “Will there be a way in the sea? When the tide goes out, there will be! Quietly wait for the tide to go out, and we will continue to stand side by side!”

Some analysts point out that the unexpected withdrawal of “The Next Typhoon” came as a surprise, especially considering that the film had a good reputation following its premiere in Beijing on March 26. However, upon closer inspection of the market dynamics post the film’s withdrawal, the surprise diminishes.

In fact, the Chinese New Year film season has already lasted for two months, yet none of the newly released films have achieved a box office revenue of over 100 million yuan. As of March 27, the total box office revenue for March was 1.756 billion yuan, which is a 30% decrease compared to the same period last year. Adding to the grim situation, on March 27, a Thursday, the national cinema data recorded an average of only 1 viewer per screening, indicating an unprecedented crisis in the film market.

The notice of withdrawal for “The Next Typhoon” seems to target the film “Nezha 2,” which has been in theatres for two months and experienced repeated delays. According to analysis from Chinese self-media “Film World,” although the story of “The Next Typhoon” is set on an island, the core of the story revolves around a girl facing sexual assault, a typical women’s issue unrelated to the sea.

The article suggests that the phrase in the film’s statement, “Will there be a way in the sea? When the tide goes out, there will be,” implies that there is no way in the sea, and one must wait for the tide to recede before proceeding with the release. The final message, “Quietly wait for the tide to go out, and we will continue to stand side by side,” naturally refers to the films releasing in the same period. In other words, “The Next Typhoon” does not regard the films crowding the “Qingming season” as enemies but rather bluntly sees “Nezha 2” as the antagonist, believing that this film “sea” has left no way out for “The Next Typhoon” and other films releasing alongside it.

Of note, after the announcement of the withdrawal of “The Next Typhoon,” the film’s director Li Yu reposted with the caption, “Continue to speak up! Continue to stand side by side!” When questioned by netizens about the reason for the film’s withdrawal, Li Yu cryptically replied, “You understand.” However, Li Yu has since deleted these two words.