What if I told you there was an animated family movie about to cross the $2 billion mark at the box office that most Americans have never heard of?

It’s called Ne Zha 2, and it’s an animated sequel to a 2019 international Chinese hit (which made over $700 million itself) that has been doing gangbusters everywhere except in the United States. In fact, only 1.2% of its box office has come from here.

While it has been expanding to 2500 theaters in the United States, the money it is making overseas puts it among the highest-grossing movies of all time. It currently stands at $1,901,425,268 worldwide and counting.

So let’s dissect this hit.

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Where Did This Hit Come From?

Ne Zha 2 was released in China on January 29, 2025, to coincide with the Chinese New Year. An English-dubbed version was later released in the United States by distributor A24.

The director, Yu Yang (commonly known as Jiaozi), is famously meticulous. He and his team at Coloroom Pictures spent years crafting the sequel to meet the sky-high expectations set by the first film, focusing on intricate storytelling and pushing the boundaries of their animation.

How Did It Make So Much Money?

So, this movie was part of a culture war in China, where some people believed that if you didn’t go see it in theaters, you were unpatriotic. That drove people by the millions to see it, and it really helped the box office.

This movie made a lot of money in China and then traveled well. It’s a four-quadrant movie that was dubbed in many languages, and now has added Michelle Yeoh’s voice for its American release.

We often think about Hollywood selling abroad, but we’ve seen recently that international movies can go anywhere, including here.

And this movie didn’t even need America to make money. We’re the icing on the cake.

Filmmaking Lessons

The first big lesson is to find a way to get buzz, like the unpatriotic thing, because, like Sound of Freedom made big business out of buying tickets for other people, this movie made big business out of cultural loyalty.

The film’s estimated $1.2 billion haul in China proves that resonating powerfully with one massive market is more lucrative than resonating weakly with many.

Another lesson is that a good, universal story can make money no matter where it goes, as long as it’s accessible. This is a four-quadrant movie that families can see anywhere. They were smart enough to dub it into many languages, so it’s also easy for kids to watch.

This is a sequel that expanded on another hit, but that hit came six years ago. Don’t rush the cinematic universe. Audience trust is the most valuable asset.

Unlike franchises that announce a five-year slate of films before the first one even succeeds, Ne Zha 2 took its time being made, wasn’t rushed, and was able to build on the brand organically.

Summing It Up

Ne Zha 2 demonstrates that the future of blockbuster filmmaking isn’t about creating a single, homogenized product for the entire world.

It’s about telling powerful, culturally rich stories with unforgettable characters, which in turn can become global phenomena on their own terms.

And marketing it as much as possible to everyone.

Let me know what you think in the comments.