The cinema box office in Hong Kong fell short of expectations during the Lunar New Year festivities, despite local films dominating the charts.
Lackluster Box Office Performance
According to data provided by Hong Kong Box Office Limited, a joint venture between the Motion Picture Industry Association (MPIA) and the Hong Kong Theatres Association, movie theater earnings between February 9th and 13th totaled only HK$48.6 million ($6.23 million). This figure marked a 24% decline from last year’s HK$64 million.
Shorter Celebrations in Hong Kong
Unlike mainland China, where Lunar New Year celebrations span a week, Hong Kong observes only three public holidays. This year, one of the holidays fell on a weekend, resulting in a four-day break from work (Friday to Tuesday).
Unique Taste of Hong Kong Audiences
Hong Kong audiences, having regained full Chinese sovereignty since 1997, exhibit different cinematic preferences compared to their northern counterparts.
Top Films in Hong Kong
The highest-grossing film during this period was the newly-released comedy sequel, “Table for Six 2.” It raked in HK$21.1 million ($2.71 million). Following closely behind was the local thriller “The Moon Thieves,” earning HK$11.4 million ($1.46 million). The crime thriller “Rob N Roll,” which had already premiered in mainland China, secured HK$5.12 million ($656,000) during its opening four days in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the Japanese animated movie “Spy x Family: Code White” garnered HK$4.78 million ($612,000) during this period, accumulating a total of HK$12.2 million ($1.56 million) so far. Unfortunately, “Migration,” which debuted a day ahead of the local trio, struggled to make an impact, landing in fifth place with HK$3.32 million ($426,000) in earnings. Lastly, “Argylle,” which had premiered a week earlier, earned only HK$1.56 million ($200,000) during the holiday period and a cumulative total of HK$4.68 million ($60,000).
Contrasting Box Office Success in Mainland China
While Hong Kong experienced a lackluster box office performance, mainland China enjoyed a thriving season. The top film, “YOLO,” collected an impressive RMB1.91 billion ($265 million) in less than five days.
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