Over the weekend, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts made $40 million, making it the second-biggest opening for a Hollywood film in China this year. This was evidence of Chinese moviegoers’ undying devotion to the Transformers franchise.
The new Transformers movie from Paramount, the seventh in the series, has received positive social ratings of 9.1 from Douban, 9.1 from Maoyan, and 6.3 from Douban, indicating that it will have a respectable career run. Current projections in China see the film getting done with around $85 million.
Artisan Gateway data indicate that Sony’s Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse moved up to second place and gained $8.9 million in its second frame. Maoyan anticipates a final revenue of just over $45 million for the film, which has a China total of $34.1 million.
$3.4 million was added by Universal’s Fast X, which holds the record for Hollywood’s biggest opening in China in 2023 ($51.1 million). Following a month in films, the film has gotten $131.8 million.
Although both Rise of the Beasts and Fast X have performed well in China’s current, limited release environment for American films, their earnings are modest in comparison to those of previous installments in their franchises. Destiny of the Angry acquired $392 million in China in 2017, and Transformers spin-off Honey bee got $171 million of every 2019. Analysts in China say that moviegoers in recent years have become significantly more discerning, and that U.S. blockbusters need to deliver something truly sensational rather than merely a “good enough” sequel to a franchise in order to attract a large audience in China.
Godspeed, a 45-day Chinese road movie, came in fourth place in China for the weekend with $3.1 million, bringing its total to $157.6 million. With a $2.5 million weekend haul, a reissue of Studio Ghibli’s classic anime Castle in the Sky rounded out the top five. Over 35 years after its initial international release, the movie has made $15.5 million in China to date.
On Friday, Disney/Pixar’s Elemental and Warner Bros.’ The Flash open in China.
Rise of the Beasts opened to a promising $60.5 million domestic box office receipt. It also did a lot of business in other international markets, making $110 million offshore for an initial $170.5 million global boom.