Mainland China’s theatrical market is hitting a quiet post-holiday stretch. The Oct. 30–Nov. 1 weekend grossed $18.2 million, according to data from Artisan Gateway. The steeper number sitting behind that result: China’s 2026 year-to-date box office stands at $4.73 billion, down 29.0% from the same period in 2025.
Top five, by the numbers
Resident Evil, from Constantin Film and Sony Pictures, held the top slot for a fourth straight frame with $4.3 million, lifting its China total to $71.3 million since its Oct. 5 Golden Week debut.
New Classics Pictures’ procedural drama Traces of Justice kept second place with $3.9 million in its fifth weekend. The film has now collected $98.5 million since Oct. 1.
- Resident Evil: $4.3M weekend; $71.3M cume
- Traces of Justice: $3.9M weekend; $98.5M cume
- John Wick (2014): $2.3M opening
- Mr. & Mrs. Pardon: $2.0M weekend; $59M cume
- Once Upon a Time in the Middle East: $900K weekend; $356.9M cume
A 12-year-old action import finally arrives
Lionsgate’s original John Wick opened in third place with $2.3 million, landing 12 years after its 2014 global release. The path to cinemas was not ordinary. China Film Group handled the release, but in 2014 it told original rights buyer Huayi Bros. that the film was too violent for the market, and regulators rejected it in 2015. Keanu Reeves was later removed from Chinese streaming platforms after joining a 2022 benefit concert. John Wick: Chapter 4 and Ballerina did reach Chinese cinemas in 2025, though Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 still have not.
That is a useful long-tail case for release teams. An older title can finally clear regulatory and political hurdles and still deliver a modest opening number, but only if its rights and censorship history align.
Why the 29% slide matters
A weekend chart with a franchise on top can look healthier than the market actually is. The top five spans franchise horror, local star-led crime drama, a legacy Hollywood import, a family body-swap comedy and a summer war dramedy with 12 weeks of legs. But the overall weekend slipped to $18.2 million, and the year-to-date decline means the market is running nearly a third behind last year’s pace.
For media planners and film marketers, the chart tells you where money is clearing right now, but the 29% figure tells you the base you are planning against. Track both: don’t let a No.1 finish stand in for recovery.
Source: Variety
