China ’s 2025 summer box office season generated RMB11.97 billion ($1.67 billion), up 2.7% from last year, with admissions reaching 321 million — the second-highest in five years, according to a new report from Maoyan Research Institute.
The average ticket price dropped to $5.04, the second lowest over the period, driven by reduced distribution fees and ticket subsidy campaigns. The report notes that flexible pricing helped lift audience enthusiasm, with occupancy rates ranking second-highest among the past five summer seasons.
Two films crossed the RMB1 billion ($140 million) mark, on par with 2024, while the number of titles grossing between RMB500 million and RMB 1 billion increased. Local films slightly increased their market share, while imported films continued a two-year recovery