Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Soccer Surges to $214 Million in China Box Office After Second Weekend
Stephen Chow’s return to the soccer comedy genre has proven to be a remarkable success, as his latest film, Kung Fu Soccer, continues to perform impressively at the Chinese box office. The film, a spinoff of the iconic Shaolin Soccer, grossed $73.7 million (RMB 501.1 million) during the weekend of July 17-19, bringing its total earnings to $214.3 million (RMB 1.46 billion) within just nine days of its release, according to Artisan Gateway.
Strong Performance in a Competitive Market
In a market where films often see a significant drop in earnings during their second weekends, Kung Fu Soccer managed to surpass its two-day debut of $73.6 million (RMB 500.3 million), despite the latest figures being spread over three days. After crossing the $147 million (RMB 1 billion) mark in its first week, ticketing giant Maoyan has revised its full-run forecast for the film to $441 million (RMB 3 billion), an increase from the initial estimate of RMB 2.5 billion made during the opening weekend. The film is on track to approach Chow’s personal box-office record of RMB 3.39 billion (over $500 million), set by the fantasy comedy The Mermaid in 2016.
A Unique Approach to Filmmaking
At 64 years old, Chow took on the roles of writer and director for Kung Fu Soccer, marking his first directorial effort since 2019’s The New King of Comedy. Notably, he does not appear in the film, having stepped away from acting after 2008’s CJ7. Released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Shaolin Soccer and to capitalize on the excitement surrounding this summer’s FIFA World Cup, the film reimagines the original’s premise through the lens of an underdog, all-female soccer team. This squad integrates martial arts into their gameplay as they strive for victory in a tournament known as the Supreme Invincible Cup. The cast features Zhang Xiaofei as the team captain, with Dilraba Dilmurat as the star striker and Lay Zhang as the kung fu coach. The film also includes appearances by Hong Kong star Carina Lau, Japanese actor Takeru Satoh, and U.S. comedian Jimmy O. Yang.
Minimal Marketing, Maximum Impact
Chow’s ability to generate blockbuster success is further exemplified by the film’s release strategy, which involved minimal conventional marketing. The release date was announced through a casual social media video on his birthday in late June, and the film reached theaters less than three weeks later with little advance promotion.
Future Releases and Competition
A North American theatrical release is anticipated later this year, although a specific date has yet to be confirmed. Encore Films, based in Singapore and known for handling the international rollout of China’s record-breaking animated film Ne Zha 2, has acquired worldwide rights to Kung Fu Soccer outside of mainland China and is currently negotiating territory-by-territory distribution deals.
In its second weekend, Kung Fu Soccer faced increased competition from All Wishes Come True, an animated film from Pearl Studio, formerly known as Oriental DreamWorks. This new release, which opened on Saturday, earned $30.6 million (RMB 207.8 million) over two days, contributing to an early total of $39.6 million (RMB 269 million) including previews. The film, directed by Mu Zhengyang, reinterprets the classic folk tale of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, focusing on ordinary individuals who outsmart the gods to achieve legendary status. A global rollout for All Wishes Come True is set to begin on August 13 in Australia and New Zealand, with subsequent releases in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and other markets starting August 14.
Box Office Landscape in China
The remaining titles in the weekend box office rankings trailed behind the two leading films. Enlight Pictures’ A Part of Me, a female-friendship drama starring Zhang Ruonan and Jin Jing, opened in third place with $13.6 million (RMB 92.4 million). Universal and Illumination’s Minions & Monsters held fourth in its third weekend with $3.7 million (RMB 25.1 million), bringing its total in China to $40.3 million (RMB 274 million). The fifth spot was claimed by Triangle, a 2009 time-loop thriller directed by Christopher Smith, which earned $3.7 million (RMB 25 million) after its release in mainland theaters, 17 years after its original debut.
As of now, China’s box office for 2026 stands at $2.97 billion, reflecting a 35.3 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. This decline is partly attributed to the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2, which grossed over $2 billion in China during the first half of 2025. However, the gap has narrowed significantly from the nearly 56 percent deficit recorded in early March, as Chow’s latest film has invigorated the summer moviegoing season.
Upcoming Releases and Industry Trends
Curry Barker’s horror film Obsession, which has grossed over $400 million worldwide since its mid-May release, is set to premiere in China on Friday. This release will serve as a critical test for the new wave of young filmmakers from the internet era, as they seek to rejuvenate the fortunes of studios in China, where audiences have shown signs of fatigue towards U.S. franchise films.
As reported by www.hollywoodreporter.com.
Explore the latest digital editions of FAME Delivered in the Magazine section: https://famedelivered.com/magazine/
Published on 2026-07-20 07:40:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk