The 2024 Spring Festival movies have broken box office records in film history, according to data from Maoyan Professional Edition. The total box office has reached 8.051 billion yuan, with “Hot” and “Flying Life 2” leading the pack with over 2.7 billion yuan and 2.4 billion yuan, respectively.
Behind the success of the Spring Festival movies, there are also controversies and some disappointments. “Hot and Spicy,” which became the highest-grossing film, relied on the selling point of Jia Ling losing 100 pounds. Meanwhile, Lianrui Pictures, the producer of “Bear Infested” and “Let’s Shake the Sun Together,” tied the demand for film scheduling ratios collectively boycotted by theaters.
Furthermore, the Spring Festival period also saw the largest withdrawal event. Four films, including “Let’s Shake the Sun Together,” “Mr. Red Carpet,” “Huang Pi: The God of Wealth Cat,” and “Bajie: The Lower World of the Canopy,” were withdrawn due to box office failures. Only “Let’s Shake the Sun Together” was announced to be re-released on March 30.
Additionally, traditional film giants experienced disappointing outcomes during this Spring Festival, with films from major investors such as Huayi Brothers, Wanda Films, and Bona Pictures facing setbacks.
Despite the record-breaking box office of the Spring Festival movies, there have been polarizing reviews. Some moviegoers expressed disappointment in the plot of “Hot and Spicy” and questioned the need to go to the theater. While “Flying Life 2” garnered success with a higher Douban score of 7.7, compared to its previous release.
It is worth noting that half of the withdrawn films were met with resignation among audiences, causing a decrease in the richness of films shown during the festival. However, while the withdrawal may have a small impact on the market in the short term, it could lead to resentment among audiences and affect the industry’s healthy development in the long term.
Overall, the success and pitfalls of the 2024 Spring Festival movies reflect a reshuffling of the film market, with newer companies gaining momentum while traditional giants face challenges in turning around their performances.