In 2023, director Zhang Yimou is having a fantastic year in China’s movie scene. His latest movie, Under the Light, opened big during the Mid-Autumn Festival, earning $62.6 million. This success follows his earlier hit, Full River Red, which raked in a massive $673 million during the Lunar New Year.
Local experts predict Under the Light could make between $250 million and $300 million, potentially pushing Zhang’s total ticket sales in 2023 close to $1 billion.
Other movies had their moments during the Mid-Autumn Festival as well. The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan and The Volunteers: To the War made strong debuts with $54.3 million and $34.7 million, respectively. Meanwhile, the U.S. release Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie had a quieter start in China, opening with $5.3 million, but is expected to do better in the coming days.
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is still making sales after a month in theaters, with a total of $63.7 million.
Overall, it’s been a remarkable year for Zhang Yimou at the Chinese box office. Source
