Live-action animation "Monster Hunt" has become the most successful Chinese film of 2015, grossing more than 1 billion yuan (163.5 million U.S.dollars) in the country's cinemas since its release on July 16.

It has also set opening-day and single-day records for a local film, raking in 171 million yuan on July 16 and 190 million yuan on July 18 respectively.

The film was directed by Raman Hui, the Hong Kong animator known as the father of Hollywood blockbuster series "Shrek".

The prospects for "Monster Hunt" did not look good after its original lead, Taiwanese actor Kai Ko, was involved in a drugs scandal.

Producer Bill King, the veteran best known for co-producing "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", said the budget for "Monster Hunt" was originally 280 million yuan. But when Kai Ko was arrested along with Jackie Chan's son Jaycee Chan for taking narcotics in August 2014, Kong decided to put in another 70 million yuan and re-shoot the movie with a new leading actor.

"Monster Hunt" tells a story of a young man who creates a monster by accident. Its star-studded cast includes Jing Boran, Bai Baihe, Yao Chen, Tang Wei, Eric Tsang and Sandra Ng.

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