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Chinese animated film ends record theatrical release as country's animation industry surges

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published July 4, 2025 at 11:27 AM EDT

Workers places accessaries on a rack from boxes of stock near a cartoon character figure from the Chinese popular animated blockbuster movie "Ne Zha 2" in Beijing, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Andy Wong/AP)

Animated film “Ne Zha 2” just ended a record theatrical release in China, grossing more than $2 billion. That makes it the biggest-ever box office for an animated movie. The Chinese animation industry is also surging on platforms that cater to fans of Japanese anime.

We discuss how China built this growing cultural juggernaut with Jinying Li, professor of modern culture and media at Brown University.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Here & Now Newsroom