‘Ne Zha 2’ Becomes Highest-Grossing Animated Film Ever, Smashes $1.7B Box Office Record

TDT | Manama
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The animated epic Ne Zha 2 has shattered global box office records, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time with a staggering $1.7 billion in earnings. Surpassing Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out 2, the film has marked a historic moment in cinema as the first non-English-language animated film to achieve this milestone.

Directed and written by Jiaozi, Ne Zha 2 is the much-anticipated sequel to the 2019 hit Ne Zha. Loosely based on the classic Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi), the film premiered on January 29, 2025, coinciding with Chinese New Year, and quickly became a cultural and box office phenomenon.

Breaking Records at Lightning Speed

With a production budget of $80 million, Ne Zha 2 didn’t just break records—it obliterated them. It became:
✔ Fastest-grossing animated film—crossing $1 billion in under three weeks.
✔ Highest-grossing film ever in China, surpassing all previous blockbusters.
✔ Highest-grossing non-English-language film, the first to reach $1 billion.
✔ The highest-grossing film of 2025 and the 8th-highest-grossing film of all time.

A particularly astonishing feat was achieved on its 11th day of release, when Ne Zha 2 became the highest-grossing film in a single box office territory, overtaking Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which took 165 days to reach $936 million in North America.

A Story of Myth and Magic

Ne Zha 2 continues the tale of Ne Zha and Ao Bing, two legendary figures bound by destiny. After a celestial lightning strike destroys their bodies, they embark on a perilous journey to reclaim their forms and battle against treacherous forces threatening their homeland. The film blends breathtaking animation, heart-pounding action, and deep emotional storytelling, captivating audiences worldwide.

A New Era for Chinese Animation

Following the success of Ne Zha (2019) and Jiang Ziya (2020), Ne Zha 2 cements its place in Enlight Pictures’ Fengshen Universe, proving that Chinese animation can dominate the global stage. With its unprecedented success, Ne Zha 2 has set a new standard for animated filmmaking, leaving fans eager to see what’s next for the franchise.

Will Ne Zha 2 climb even higher? Stay tuned as this animated masterpiece continues its record-breaking run