The global box office has expanded in recent years, with some of the biggest movies in the world coming from non-American studios and filmmakers. While most of the highest-grossing movies of all time have come from Hollywood, other studios and regions have recently contributed to this list in some surprising ways.

Amidst the highest-grossing franchises like Despicable Me, Avengers, and Avatar, followers of the box office have begun to see more and more films produced in other languages reaping similar figures in their worldwide grosses. This shift has seen movies in languages other than English, like Parasite, becoming a more significant part of global pop culture.

Within this cultural shift, the biggest new contributors to the box office have come from China. The Chinese box office used to add significantly to American films, but as the nation built up large studios of its own, that landscape has changed. Notably, reporting on these films is done differently, which has caused larger discrepancies in total figures.

10

The Mermaid

The Mermaid, or Mei Yen Ru, was a co-production between China and Hong Kong that went on to become the highest-grossing non-English international feature ever upon its release in 2016, holding that тιтle until 2019. A harbinger of future success from Chinese cinema, the film tells the story of a Chinese businessman who falls in love with a mermaid ᴀssᴀssin.

Blending fantasy, comedy, and romance, the film did an adept job at drawing audiences to the cinema, where it grossed between $523-553 million at the worldwide box office. The film is remembered favorably and was directed by Stephen Chow, who is best known in the western world for his 2004 film Kung Fu Hustle.

9

Detective Chinatown 2

Despite not making much of an impact in America, the Detective Chinatown movies are a huge moneymaker in China. While the first movie only pulled in an estimated $120 million, 2018’s Detective Chinatown 2 was a huge hit, earning $544 million, making it one of the highest-grossing Chinese movies ever.

Set in New York City, the second film in the series saw Qin Feng and Tang Ren teaming up to solve a murder, with a large sum of money hanging in the balance. With sharp wit and great style, this buddy cop comedy was an enormous success and was quickly followed by another sequel.

8

Detective Chinatown 3

Improving on the success of its predecessor, Detective Chinatown 3 is currently the highest-grossing in the franchise after earning at least $570 million, with some sources listing the film’s total as closer to $686 million. Either way, this Mandarin-language comedy was a huge hit.

Bringing back the characters of Tang Ren and Qin Feng, the movie’s action shifted to Tokyo. With style, charisma, and humor, the movie captured the hearts of Chinese audiences and has since been followed up with a spinoff film enтιтled Detective Chinatown 1900.

7

Full River Red

Full River Red is an excellent period-set thriller and comedy from filmmaker Zhang Yimou. Taking place in the 12th century, the film tells a fictionalized story about the origin of a famous Chinese poem. With humor, intrigue, and stylish costuming, the film went on to become the highest-grossing Chinese movie of 2023.

Full River Red lured in many different audiences, and it wound up earning $581-670 million. The movie used suspense and charismatic characters to tie in with historical mystery, which helped the film connect especially well with patriotic sensibilities.

6

The Wandering Earth

Based on a novel by Cixin Liu, the mind behind the immensely popular Three-Body Problem novel and subsequent Netflix series 3 Body Problem, The Wandering Earth saw a scientifically-grounded story about astronauts attempting to move their planet. As the sun expands in the story’s distant future, moving through the solar system becomes necessary.

Tense, exciting, and filled with great visuals, the film was a mᴀssive hit in China, earning between $610-699 million. This was China’s first big science-fiction blockbuster, and is worth seeing for its creativity, its performances, and its incredible design. Bolstered by a smart script, the film has since launched a franchise.

5

Ne Zha

Ne Zha is an excellent animated feature from 2019 by Jiaozi that would go on to become a worldwide sensation. At the time of release, it represented a sea change in Chinese animation by crafting a high-quality animated feature specifically for Chinese audiences, with a unique blend of humor, heart, and folklore, alongside strong and creative imagery.

Despite only pulling in $3 million in the West, Ne Zha was a huge hit in China. The movie made an incredible sum, with reports indicating a gross of between $726-742 million, making it China’s biggest animated film ever at the time. It has since been followed by a spinoff enтιтled Jiang Ziya and a sequel released earlier this year.

4

The Battle At Lake Changjin

With a budget estimated at around $200 million American, The Battle At Lake Changjin is the most expensive Chinese movie ever made. Fortunately, the film’s earnings, between $808-902 million worldwide, justified this cost, making the war drama into one of the most successful movies the country has yet produced.

With a fictional story structured around the real-world Korean War events of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, the film was an inspiring story with some historically dubious choices. While it connected strongly with patriotic audiences, it also received some criticism and controversy for its historical inaccuracies.

3

Wolf Warrior 2

Wu Jing is a humongous star in China, and the success of films like Wolf Warrior 2, which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in, attests strongly to his appeal. The film is about Leng Feng, a retired Chinese soldier, who is drawn back into his violent life when innocent people are put in danger.

The 2017 movie was enormous, grossing $815-870 million worldwide. Featuring strong action and a familiar setup, Wolf Warrior 2 delivered an exciting experience that resonated well with international audiences, despite earning less than $3 million in the US and Canada.

2

Hi, Mom

Hi, Mom is among the biggest films China has yet released, telling the story of Jia Xiaoling as she travels back in time from 2001 to 1981 following her mother’s tragic death. Upon arriving in the past, she strikes up a sisterly friendship with her younger mother, attempting to set her up for a better life.

The film begins as a charming comedy, but moves into huge emotion, bolstered by powerful performances. This fun premise and substantial script allowed the film to become one of the highest-grossing movies of 2021, earning more than $839 million at the global box office.

1

Ne Zha II

There are so many great reasons to watch Ne Zha II, which is now reported to be among the biggest films of all time. With a total gross reported between $1.9 and $2.15 billion, the film has certainly become one of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time. Having earned only $20 million domestically, this is a staggering feat.

Ne Zha II‘s new English dub will certainly allow the new film to add even more to its earnings. Telling a fantasy story about Ne Zha, who is brought back to his physical form to fight against a new threat, the film’s heart, humor, and incredible visuals have endeared it to audiences.

While most of the movie’s box office success has come from China, international territories have begun to pay attention. Ne Zha II is now among the most discussed films of 2025 in addition to its box office, and for good reason: it is a fun and accessible film that feels new, exciting, and fresh. Hopefully, more like this will follow.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, The Numbers