Ne Zha 2 is returning to North American theaters this August, and this time the blockbuster film will be available to watch with English dubs. The CGI fantasy action-adventure film, written and directed by Yang Yu (aka Jiaozi), was initially released in Chinese theaters in January of this year. A global rollout began in Spring, which included a limited release of the original Mandarin version in North America.
Ne Zha 2 was met with incredible success at the domestic box office in China where it earned approximately $2.13 billion of its $2.19 billion total box office haul. It became the first movie ever to cross the $1 billion mark in just 12 days, and surpassed $2 billion worldwide in just over a month, the second-fastest movie to do that behind Avengers: Endgame.
The animated movie would go on to gross approximately $2.19 billion (about ¥15.91 billion) worldwide, making it the most successful animated and non-English-language film ever. It also became the fifth-highest-grossing movie of all-time globally, in spite of the fact that it was released globally in Mandarin. Even with its limited release in the United States, where it was shown in Mandarin only and on just 700 screens, the film grossed approximately $20.9 million.
Now, thanks to A24, Ne Zha 2 is returning to theaters across North America, and this time with English dubs. The blockbuster film will open in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand on August 22, screening in Imax, 3D and other premium large formats. Ahead of its highly anticipated re-release, A24 has shared the first English-language trailer.
A rebellious young boy, Ne Zha, is feared by the gods and born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrolled powers. Now he's faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity, he must grow up to become the hero the world needs.
The English-language voice cast features previously announced Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh, who is joined by Crystal Lee, Vincent Rodriguez III, and Aleks Le.
“I’m honored to be part of Ne Zha 2, a landmark in Chinese animation and a powerful reminder of how universal our stories can be,” Yeoh said in a previous statement. “Sharing this with audiences in English is such a joy, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, heart, spectacular artistry, and magic of this film on the big screen.”
Ne Zha 2's box office success was fueled by rave reviews. It sits at a near-perfect 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an even more impressive 99% Audience Score.
"A truly all-encompassing sequel best served alongside its predecessor, Ne Zha 2 is a technical and narrative triumph that exceeds expectations and further immortalizes the Chinese legend," the audience summary reads.
With over $2.2 billion in global ticket sales, Ne Zha 2 already ranks as one of the highest grossing box office movies of all time, trailing only Titanic ($2.26B), Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.32B), Avengers: Endgame ($2.80B), and Avatar ($2.92B). With the film just $43 million shy of Titanic, there's a good chance it could supplant the 1997 James Cameron-directed blockbuster.