"Alien: Romulus" has soared to become Hollywood's second-highest-grossing film of the year in mainland China's bustling box office, bolstered by a robust second-weekend performance. According to figures from Artisan Gateway, the extraterrestrial thriller amassed an impressive RMB140 million ($19.7 million) over the Friday-to-Sunday stretch, surpassing its opening weekend haul of $26.2 million and racking up a cumulative total of RMB523 million ($73.7 million) since its August 16th debut.
Among the Hollywood imports in 2024, "Alien: Romulus" trails only the Sino-backed juggernaut "Godzilla vs. Kong," which amassed a colossal $134 million. In less than two weeks, the "Alien" sequel has effortlessly vaulted over a pack of other Hollywood franchises, shattering the $50 million ceiling that had been a stubborn barrier for many. It's left titans like "Kung Fu Panda 4" with $52 million, "Despicable Me 4" at $56 million, "Dune 2" with $49.7 million, and "Inside Out 2" at $48 million in the dust.
Imax highlights the film's impressive showing, revealing that it generated $2.75 million on its giant screens over the latest weekend, contributing to a ten-day tally of $11.6 million—a formidable 16% of its overall China earnings.
Meanwhile, the heartwarming drama "The Hedgehog," helmed by acclaimed director Gu Changwei, opened in second place, weaving a tale of friendship between a rebellious, stammering youth and his mentally challenged uncle. The film boasts a star-studded cast, featuring beloved actor Ge You (of "Let the Bullets Fly" and "If You Are the One" fame) and Karry Wang (real name Wang Junkai), a member of the phenomenally popular TFBoys boy band. "The Hedgehog" raked in RMB74.4 million ($10.5 million).
Hot on its heels was another Chinese newcomer, the crime thriller "Untouchable," directed by Wang Daqing and starring Shen Teng, Zhang Yuqi, and Jack Kao. The film garnered RMB73.4 million ($10.3 million), solidifying its position as a box office contender.
In its second weekend, the Chinese crime-actioner "Go for Broke," a tale of vengeance against drug dealers, slipped to fourth place but still managed to collect $7.1 million over the weekend, bringing its ten-day total to $33.4 million.
Japanese animation "Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram" also continued its steady run in its second weekend, adding $4.8 million to its coffers. After ten days, it has amassed $29.2 million.
Locally, the Thai comedy-drama "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies" opened outside the top five but garnered an estimated $4.4 million over three days, indicating strong word-of-mouth buzz.
Nationwide, the weekend box office totaled $70.8 million, pushing the year-to-date figure to $4.62 billion—a commendable achievement, albeit 21% below the comparable period in 2023.
