“The Temperature of the Heart”: Only 2 audience members on the first day of release in mainland China, box office earnings just 91 yuan.

On August 3rd, the mainland Chinese film market saw the release of 6 new movies, however, the box office results were quite dismal. Among them, the film “The Temperature of Heart” had only 2 viewers on its opening day, earning a mere 91 yuan (RMB) in box office revenue. It is expected that this film will become the biggest flop of August in the 2024 summer season.

According to data from “Maoyan,” as of 10 pm on August 3rd, the top three films of the day in terms of box office revenue in mainland China were “Claw Machine,” “Decryption,” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

Starring Shen Teng and Ma Li, “Claw Machine” grossed over 79 million yuan on that day. Despite being in theaters for 19 days since July 16th, the film still held a screening share of 27.5% and a box office share of 37.3%.

Reported by “Sohu Entertainment,” in July this year, the mainland Chinese film market lacked strong releases, with only “Silent Killing” and “Claw Machine” holding up the box office. “Silent Killing” accumulated a box office revenue of 1.263 billion yuan in 29 days of screening, while “Claw Machine” reached 2.42 billion yuan in 16 days, collectively occupying 68.5% of the market share. Following these were three imported films: “Despicable Me 4,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and “Inside Out 2,” with box office revenues in China of only 305 million yuan, 241 million yuan, and 160 million yuan respectively in July, all falling short of expectations.

Among the new releases on August 3rd, the most prominent was the big-budget film “Decryption” directed by Chen Sicheng. The film grossed only 40.99 million yuan on its opening day, holding a screening share of 23.6% and a box office share of 19.3%, showing an inverse relationship between screening and revenue.

Reports indicate that even including the previous week’s preview results, “Decryption” only accumulated a box office revenue of 134 million yuan. At this rate, the film is estimated to reach a final box office revenue of around 600 million yuan. Media analysis suggests that “If the box office performance does not improve, Chen Sicheng’s 500 million yuan budgeted film is truly at risk.”

Apart from the major productions not meeting expectations, smaller budget films are also struggling. “Campus Detective” only earned 454,000 yuan on its opening day, while “We Are Forever Us” garnered a mere 69,000 yuan.

Of particular note is “The Temperature of Heart,” which started production in 2023 with a reported cost of 30 million yuan but lacked star power and promotional activities. Statistics show that on the opening day, the film was only screened in 236 theaters nationwide, with only 2 viewers purchasing tickets, resulting in a meager 91 yuan in box office revenue. Most screenings had zero attendance, making it unlikely for the film to surpass even 1,000 yuan in total box office earnings.

Data reveals that this year’s summer box office in mainland China is notably lower than last year. In June, the nationwide box office revenue was 2.231 billion yuan, a 46% drop from the same period last year’s 4.134 billion yuan. In July, the national box office revenue was 5.377 billion yuan, down 38.4% from last year’s 8.725 billion yuan during the same period. Last August saw a total monthly box office of 7.771 billion yuan, and this year’s August box office is estimated to surpass last year’s, presenting a significant challenge for the industry.