Stephen Chow's The Mermaid enjoyed a successful week, topping Marvel's Deadpool in the process. (Photo : Getty Images/Keith Tsuji )
"Deadpool" has proven to be a massive hit in the US box office, registering an income of $47.3 million in its opening day last weekend; however, somewhere across the Pacific, another Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle¸Shaolin Soccer) film set the bar higher and made a new record on a global scale, edging "Deadpool" in the process.
Stephen Chow's latest film, "The Mermaid," nabbed a new milestone in the history of film and helped China's box office top a world record set barely six weeks ago. Earning a respectable $40.7 million on its opening day, "The Mermaid" enjoyed a strong seven-day run and raked in $276.7 million in its first seven days since its opening on Feb. 8, the Washington Post reported.
On the other hand, Marvel's latest superhero movie made $163.8 million in its first five days. Chinese New Year holiday and Valentine's Day celebrations contributed to the huge numbers of moviegoers flocking to the cinemas. In total, China generated $548 million in total ticket sales in just seven days, with Chow's "The Mermaid" spearheading the pack.
The achievement broke the record set in the North American region just six weeks ago, when revenues from theaters in the United States and Canada combined for a total of $529.6 million from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
According to Forbes, that particular movie week was anchored on the success of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which earned $261 million in that period. Other films that contributed to the strong sales from China's momentous cinematic run are "The Man From Macau 3" ($119 million), "Monkey King 2" ($116 million), "Kung Fu Panda 3" and a couple of Valentine openers.
"The Mermaid" is also poised to break Chinese box office records set by "Monster Hunt" ($391 million). Observers are also positive that "The Mermaid" will likely become the first Chinese film to reach the $500-million mark.
The recent success of "The Mermaid" and China's cinema, in general, projects the nation's potential to become a big player in the global movie industry, experts say. It should be noted that many Hollywood studios have already forged partnerships in movie productions and created deals with China's producers to cash in on the country's booming film industry.
Emily Rauhala of Forbes wrote in her column that the key for US film productions to succeed in the Chinese market is to understand the Chinese audience is the key.
Check out the Deadpool cinematic trailer below.
