Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Soccer Debuts at China Box Office with $74 Million Opening Weekend

Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Soccer has made a spectacular return, grossing an impressive $73.6 million (RMB 500.3 million) over its opening weekend in China. The film, which debuted on Saturday, accounted for nearly three-quarters of all ticket sales in the country, making it a dominant force at the box office.

Kung Fu Soccer's Record-Breaking Opening

The film opened across mainland China, including IMAX screens, earning $38.3 million (RMB 260.6 million) on its first day alone, according to data from Maoyan. The film has received a strong audience rating of 9.4 out of 10 on the platform. Projections from Maoyan suggest a potential total gross of $368 million (RMB 2.5 billion) as the film continues its run.

Chow, 64, who wrote and directed the film, has not appeared onscreen since 2008's CJ7. Kung Fu Soccer serves as a reboot of the beloved Shaolin Soccer, this time featuring an all-female cast led by Zhang Xiaofei as the team captain, alongside Dilraba Dilmurat and Lay Zhang.

A Star-Studded Cast and Unique Concept

The film follows the underdog Emei team as they navigate the Supreme Invincible Cup tournament, infusing martial arts into their gameplay. The supporting cast includes notable figures such as Hong Kong's Carina Lau, Japanese star Takeru Satoh, and comedian Jimmy O. Yang.

Chow's return to directing comes after a seven-year hiatus, with the film's release strategically timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shaolin Soccer and the ongoing FIFA World Cup excitement.

Global Release Plans and Box Office Competition

While plans for a global rollout of Kung Fu Soccer are still in development, Singapore's Encore Films acquired worldwide rights outside of mainland China last month. As of now, there is no set release date for the U.S. market.

In terms of competition, Universal's Minions & Monsters fell to second place in its second weekend, grossing $8.1 million (RMB 55.4 million) for a total of $32.4 million (RMB 220 million) thus far. Three Kingdoms: The Beginning and A24's Backrooms round out the top five, with Backrooms having grossed over $330 million worldwide.

As of now, China's box office stands at $2.74 billion, marking a 38.6 percent decrease from last year. However, Chow’s anticipated return is expected to help improve these figures in the coming weeks.