2025's biggest movie is Chinese!
'Nezha 2' has earned $1 billion in 11 days, and has yet to be released outside of China.
I’m not an animation fan but some are done so well they’re essential viewing. China’s ‘Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child’ (2019) jumped into my favourites, so I’m pleased that its sequel, ‘Nezha: Mo Tong Nao Hai (2025)’ is setting records.
‘Ne Zha 2’ is the simplified name for English audiences. It’s actual title has radically different translations so let’s go with ‘Nezhha: The Devil Boy Conquers the Dragon King’ i.e., this isn’t standard Disney fare, and the culture shock and crudeness makes it more loveable.
Compare it to ‘Inside Out 2’ (2024) which astoundingly overtook ‘The Lion King’ with $1,7 billion earnings in 7 months. ‘Nezha 2’ took $1 billion in only 11 days, overtaking all the ‘Toy Stories’ and outpacing ‘Moana 2’. It’s the #1 highest grossing movie in a single territory, and it has yet to be released to the world.
Then there’s the massive return after very different budgets:
‘Inside Out 2’ - $200 million
‘Moana 2’ - $150 million
‘Nezha 2’ - $80 million
‘Nezha 2’ is also the biggest non-English earner, defeating the war epic, ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’ (also Chinese).
Will ‘Nezha 2’ become the biggest animation in history, and will its success have Western audiences boosting the sales of the first movie? Enjoy the trailers for both.
Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child (2019)
The Primus extracts a Mixed Yuan Bead into a Spirit Seed and a Demon Pill. The Spirit Seed can be reincarnated as a human to help King Zhou establish a new dynasty, whereas the Demon Pill will create a devil threatening humanity. Ne Zha is the one who is destined to be the hero, but instead he becomes a devil incarnate, because the Spirit Seed and a Demon Pill are switched.
Nezhha: The Devil Boy Conquers the Dragon King (2025)
After the heavenly lightning, although Ne Zha and Ao Bing survived by becoming Spirits, they would soon dissipate completely. Taiyi plans to rebuild Ne Zha and Ao Bing's mortal bodies with the Seven-colored Precious Lotus. However, during the process of reconstruction, numerous obstacles arise. What will become of the fate of Ne Zha and Ao Bing?