A24 is bringing China’s biggest box office hit in history to America

Indie studio A24 is joining forces with China's state-backed distributor CMC Pictures to bring hit animated film Ne Zha 2 to the North American box office in English for the first time, both companies announced yesterday.

Or in other words: two unlikely heroes are teaming up against all odds to save the world make loads of dough.

Ni hao, Ne Zha

The fantasy epic, based on a 16th-century Chinese novel, is the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, with a reported global haul of $2.2 billion since Ne Zha 2 released in mid-February 2025. But unlike the other films on that list, over 99% of its revenue has come from mainland China, with other markets virtually untapped until now.

• The English-language cast will include Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, though no other voice actors have been revealed.
• The film is set to open in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on August 22 across Imax, 3D, and other premium large formats.

Animated content is having a moment: Anime viewership on Netflix has tripled over the past five years, with 50% of its global users—or 150 million households—now watching the category, the streaming giant revealed at Anime Expo 2025 over the weekend.