Disney scores double at Chinese box office: 'Cinderella,' 'Big Hero' on top 

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“Cinderella” waltzed its way to the top spot at the mainland China box office last week, taking in $24.3 million after opening the same day as its U.S. debut.

China's Huayi Bros. studio plans 18 films with unnamed U.S. partner

The fairy tale was part of a one-two punch for Disney in China last week; the studio’s “Big Hero 6” was a close second, with nearly $22.5 million in earnings, according to data from film industry consulting firm Artisan Gateway.

“Big Hero,” which opened Feb. 28, has shown remarkable staying power in China, and its total gross now stands at nearly $66 million. The film now looks likely to challenge “Ice Age 4” as the second-biggest animation title in Chinese history, behind only “Kung Fu Panda 2,” which earned $96 million in 2011, said Rance Pow, president of Artisan Gateway.

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“Cinderella” opened in about 30 international markets this past weekend, and the China earnings for “Cinderella” represented about 39% of the film’s total earnings outside the U.S. and Canada. In the North American market, the movie earned about $70 million over its opening weekend. Overall, the film’s global total stands at about $132 million.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ “Jupiter Ascending” continued to lure Chinese audiences last week. The sci-fi film starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum pulled in another nearly $17 million in the seven days ending Sunday, good enough for third place. The movie has now grossed over $40 million in China, and could by next week surpass its disappointing North American earnings of about $45 million, said Pow.

Bona Film’s “Man From Macau 2” fell to fourth place in the seven days ending Sunday. The casino comedy starring Chow Yun-fat has now crossed the $150 million mark in China.

Rounding out the top 5 was the 3-D Sino-French co-production “Wolf Totem” directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. The ecological tale set in Inner Mongolia in the 1960s has now earned $108 million in China. 

China’s Huayi Bros. studio said late Monday it had reached a deal with an “unnamed American partner” to jointly invest in, shoot and release “no fewer” than 18 films before the end of 2017.

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