Hollywood’s film industry continues to gain massive earnings in Hong Kong, as last 2016’s top 10 box-office hits include seven English films, two Chinese-language releases, and one zombie movie from Korea. This year, it is expected that more films from the U.S. will dominate as popular movie franchises are set to roll out new installments in the coming months.
According to China Entertainment News, “Captain America: Civil War” was the highest grossing film in Hong Kong in 2016, earning a total of HK$112.7 million. The Marvel film leads by a wide margin as the next highest grossing film, Korea’s “Train to Busan,” earned HK$68 million.
Hong Kong-Chinese crime thriller “Cold War 2” came in third in the box office as it earned HK$66.2 million last year. The film is the sequel to 2012’s “Cold War” and stars Chow Yun-fat.
Another Chinese film which made it to the 2016 top 10 Hong Kong box office list is “The Mermaid,” a fantasy romantic comedy about a playboy businessman who falls in love with a mermaid. The movie reportedly made HK$55.2 million and is number 7 on the list.
Other films included in the 2016 hit list are “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Doctor Strange,” “Deadpool,” “Zootopia,” “Finding Dory,” and “X-Men: Apocalypse.”
Meanwhile, 2017 is already shaping up to be a great year for cinema. According to The Hollywood Reporter, things kicked off in China in December with the release of the Matt Damon-starrer, “The Great Wall.” The film reportedly debuted with earnings of US$67.4 million. The movie will be making its U.S. debut on Feb. 17.
Films that are slated to gain huge earnings worldwide this year include “The Lego Batman Movie,” Disney’s live action remake of “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Power Rangers.” The next installment in “The Fast and Furious” franchise, “The Fate of the Furious,” is also expected to do well in the box office.
U.S. summer releases “Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Baywatch,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Wonder Woman,” “The Mummy,” “Transformers: The Last Knight,” “Despicable Me 3” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” are likewise expected to do well in Hong Kong.