10 highest-grossing films in China in 2018

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, January 14, 2019

8. Venom

The anti-hero blockbuster "Venom" swept the Chinese box office in November 2018 after a prolonged lukewarm period for the domestic market, with most films during this time performed badly and audiences were hungering for something explosive to entertain them. The film, developed from Sony Pictures' Marvel Cinematic Universe, therefore, came at just the right time and broke a number of domestic box office records, eventually making US$271.74 million, even higher than its North American gross. It was Sony's best showing in the market, and the opening week gross of "Venom" was nearly the total theater run of the latest film of Venom's main rival Spider-Man. Chinese audiences obviously were not deterred by the poor reviews of American critics for Ruben Fleischer's film, and actually they liked the setting of the character, being half human and half evil alien. The overwhelming triumph of "Venom" should also be credited to the sizable investment and marketing muscle of its Chinese partner Tencent, the internet giant that promoted the film on its various platforms.

Release date in China:Nov. 9, 2018 (Sony Pictures)

China gross:1.87 billion yuan (US$271.74 million)

North America gross:US$213.42 million

Worldwide:US$855.56 million