How the world's highest-grossing film of 2025 with $2 billion gross ended up as the biggest box office flop in USA
This animated film broke box office records globally but shockingly flopped hard in USA, opening to a meagre $1.5 million.
It is an animated film that delivered a sensation at the summer box office globally. Not any Marvel release or Superman, but the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 broke records and earned more than $2 billion worldwide. It is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time as well as the highest-grossing film of 2025. But there is a catch! Ne Zha 2 had a shocking box office report upon its US release on August 24. The English-dubbed re-release earned $1.5 million last weekend despite massive hype, becoming a box office bomb.
Ne Zha 2 bombs at the US box office
The point to note here is that the animated action-comedy-fantasy Ne Zha 2 was re-released in US theatres by A24 with a voice-cast that was led by Michelle Yeoh. The English-dubbed release minted a mere $1.5 million last weekend, which expectedly did not earn a spot on the top 10 grossers. Till now the film has managed a total of $16 million.
A detailed report on Deadline pointed out the demographics of how the film has been perceived. “A24 is handling this English re-release which isn’t making a dent at $1.4M at 2,228 theatres or $628 per screen. A 91% general audience and 8% family turnout. Overall, audiences gave it 85% positive and a 61% definite, while kids under 12 awards it 86% positive, but a lower 43% definite recommendation. Friday was $696K,” it said.
On Ne Zha 2's failure in USA
{{/usCountry}}A detailed report on Deadline pointed out the demographics of how the film has been perceived. “A24 is handling this English re-release which isn’t making a dent at $1.4M at 2,228 theatres or $628 per screen. A 91% general audience and 8% family turnout. Overall, audiences gave it 85% positive and a 61% definite, while kids under 12 awards it 86% positive, but a lower 43% definite recommendation. Friday was $696K,” it said.
On Ne Zha 2's failure in USA
{{/usCountry}}It must be noted that the film released last week with 14 other movies released on the same date, including Honey Don't!, Relay, Trust, Splitsville, Eenie Meanie and Eden. The failure of the English-dubbed release states that the Chinese market is no longer a big revenue indicator in Hollywood. The English-subtitled version released earlier this year and earned much more than the re-release, which shows that Americans were more interested in the film in its original Chinese-language form.
{{/usCountry}}It must be noted that the film released last week with 14 other movies released on the same date, including Honey Don't!, Relay, Trust, Splitsville, Eenie Meanie and Eden. The failure of the English-dubbed release states that the Chinese market is no longer a big revenue indicator in Hollywood. The English-subtitled version released earlier this year and earned much more than the re-release, which shows that Americans were more interested in the film in its original Chinese-language form.
{{/usCountry}}Ne Jha 2 is based on the Chinese mythological character and Xu Zhonglin's 16th-century novel Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi). It is directed by Jiaozi.
