Ne Zha: The Devil Boy Conquers the Dragon King tops the global animation film box office, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo: CFP)
A leading Singaporean film distributor, Encore Films, officially announced on February 22 that "Ne Zha: The Devil Child Conquers the Dragon King" (Ne Zha 2) will premiere in theaters across the island on March 6.
Earlier on February 14, Encore Films' Instagram posted, "China's highest-grossing blockbuster of all time, Ne Zha 2 is coming to cinemas in Southeast Asia!", noting in advance that it will bring Ne Zha 2 to Singapore.
Also, following the Singaporean fans, Malaysian audiences will have to wait a week to see the Chinese animation hit. Malaysian cinema chain giants GSC Cinemas and TGV Cinemas announced on Feb. 21 that Ne Zha 2 would finally be released in Malaysian theaters on March 13.
"Both critically and commercially, Ne Zha 2 has been a massive success. On March 13, 2025, head to the cinemas and experience Ne Zha's fiery legend," the two cinema chains posted on their respective Instagram accounts on Saturday night.
In addition, the film is tentatively scheduled to premiere in the Philippines this April, according to a reliable source.
A movie poster of Ne Zha: The Devil Boy Conquers the Dragon King in Macao and Hong Kong, Feb. 22, 2025. (Photo: CFP)
Since its debut in China on January 29, Ne Zha 2 has continued to break box office records.
As of February 23, the blockbuster has grossed 13.5 billion yuan, beating Disney's Inside Out 2 to become the world's highest-grossing non-English film and the world's highest-grossing animated film. The box office has also contributed to Ne Zha 2 being the eighth highest-grossing film worldwide.
Following its premiere in Singapore and Malaysia in early March, the film will be gradually released in the Southeast Asian market. The box office is expected to continue to rise. There is a chance it will surpass the Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home, which ranks seventh with US$ 1.92 billion.
It is the only Chinese film to exceed 10 billion yuan and has firmly secured the top spot on China's highest-grossing film and highest-grossing animated film list.
Directed by Sichuan-born director Yang Yu, also known as Jiaozi, Ne Zha 2 is the sequel to the first episode of the series "Ne Zha: The Devil Boy Comes into the World," which debuted in 2019.
The series is based on the 16th-century Chinese classical mythological novel "The Investiture of the Gods," dating back to the Ming Dynasty.
Ne Zha 2 narrates how the protagonist—a young boy called Ne Zha—cultivates as a powerful deity under the supervision of his master Taiyi Zhenren in the Taoist pantheon.
During his cultivation, Ne Zha fights Ao Bing, the Dragon King of the East Sea, and his army to protect his home, Chentang Pass, and the local people there.
Reporter: Zhang Ruijun
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
