Warner Bros.
- The Chinese box office has become an essential part of the success of some of Hollywood's biggest movies.
- Movies that underwhelmed in the US, like "Rampage," rebounded in China. Others, like "Aquaman," dominated the global box office thanks to huge box office in China.
- China is projected to dethrone the US as the world's biggest theatrical market by 2022.
The US box office broke records in 2018 thanks to blockbusters like "Black Panther" and surprises like "A Quiet Place." But the international box office, primarily China, is still essential for Hollywood, and 2018 proved that.
China has approved an unexpected number of Hollywood movies this month in an effort to reach its 2018 box office goal of $8.7 billion by year's end, Bloomberg recently reported. China still relies on many imported movies, but it's fast catching up to the US in terms of its box office. The country is projected to surpass the US as the world's biggest theatrical market by 2022, according to a report from Ampere Analysis released in November.
READ MORE: The 10 highest-grossing movies in the US of 2018, from 'Black Panther' to 'The Grinch'
Movies that underwhelmed in the US, like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's "Rampage," rebounded in China. It grossed $101 million in the US, but $156 million in China. "The Meg," another monster movie, made $530 million worldwide, boosted by its $153 million take in China.
"Venom," Sony's Spider-Man spin-off, overcame terrible reviews to become a global hit, propelled by its Chinese box office. Despite a 28% Rotten Tomatoes critic score, "Venom" is the fifth highest-grossing movie in the world in 2018 with $855 million. $270 million of that came from China.
But another huge comic-book movie could swim past "Venom" any day now. Warner Bros.' "Aquaman" is currently at $750 million worldwide, and is eyeing over $900 million before it leaves theaters. It's grossed nearly $190 million in the US, but $232 million in China, thanks to a rare early release ahead of its domestic debut.
Chinese audiences love monster movies, Exhibitor Relations senior box-office analyst Jeff Bock told Business Insider earlier this year, and some of China's top Hollywood movies fall into that category, like "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," "Aquaman," "Venom," "The Meg," and "Rampage."
"Monster movies are bonafide box-office gold in China," Bock said.
But Chinese audiences also flocked to the theater for the likes of "Mission: Impossible — Fallout," showing that it's not all about monster mayhem.
Nine Hollywood movies entered the top 20 at the Chinese box office this year, according to Box Office Mojo. We've rounded them up, including the Chinese, domestic, and worldwide box office for each.
Below are the nine biggest Hollywood movies in China in 2018, ranked by Chinese box office (all numbers are according to Box Office Mojo unless otherwise stated):
9. "Ant-Man and the Wasp"
Marvel Studios
Overall ranking at Chinese box office: 18
Chinese box office: $121,203,074
Domestic box office: $216,648,740
Worldwide box office: $622,674,139
Estimated production budget: $162 million (source: Variety)
8. "The Meg"
Warner Bros.
Overall ranking at Chinese box office: 16
Chinese box office: $153,033,208
Domestic box office: $145,443,742
Worldwide box office: $530,243,742
Estimated production budget: $130 million
7. "Rampage"
Warner Bros.
Overall ranking at Chinese box office: 15
Chinese box office: $156,381,897
Domestic box office: $101,028,233
Worldwide box office: $428,028,233
Estimated production budget: $120 million
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- 13 of the biggest movie flops of 2018 that failed dramatically at the box office
- 5 trends that could shake up the movie business in 2019
- The 10 highest-grossing movies in the US of 2018, from 'Black Panther' to 'The Grinch'
SEE ALSO: 13 of the biggest movie flops of 2018 that failed dramatically at the box office
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