Suzume Scores US$50 Million Opening in China

Makoto Shinkai‘s Suzume anime movie has earned a notable US$50 million in its opening weekend at the Chinese box office.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Suzume‘s performance marks the biggest opening gross for Shinkai in China. The 2016 hit Your Name had an opening gross of $41.3 million while 2019’s Weathering With You earned $22 million. 

The supernatural adventure movie is also projected by the Chinese ticketing service Maoyan to achieve a total gross of around US$90 million, which The Hollywood Reporter notes would be the highest gross for an anime film in the country. Your Name made US$83.7 million during its run, while Weathering With You barely passed the US$40 million mark.

China’s Xinhua news agency reported that the movie topped the local box office on its third and fourth day of screening. Its gross for Monday was 18.44 million yuan (~US$2.68 million).

In Japan, Suzume has made 14.31 billion yen (~US$108.9 million) in total so far, making it the 14th highest-grossing film there (directly above Weathering With You). The film premiered in Japan on November 11 and had its international premiere in February this year at the Berlin International Film Festival (“Berlinale”). The movie will begin its run in some European countries and the United States next month. 

Crunchyroll describes the film as: 

Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu (located in southwestern Japan) when she encounters a young man who tells her, “I’m looking for a door.” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly drawn by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob… Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter