The China box office recorded a total of $24.6 million over the weekend of September 26–28, contributing to a year-to-date total of $5.81 billion for 2025 — a 21.2% increase compared to the same period last year. The weekend featured a diverse lineup of films dominating the top spots, from historical dramas and action thrillers to animated fantasies and documentaries.

Leading the box office for the second consecutive weekend was Zhao Linshan’s “Evil Unbound,” a Changying Film Group release that dramatizes the atrocities of Japan’s Unit 731 during World War II. Starring Jiang Wu, Wang Zhiwen, and Li Naiwen, the film earned RMB109.0 million ($15.1 million) over the weekend, pushing its cumulative gross to $205.1 million.

In second place, “The Shadow’s Edge,” directed by Larry Yang and starring action superstar Jackie Chan, continued its strong run. The iQIYI Pictures action thriller added $2.9 million, bringing its cumulative total to $170 million.

Third place went to “Nobody,” an animated fantasy by Shanghai Animation Film inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. The film earned $1.5 million over the weekend, with a cumulative gross of $229.3 million, highlighting the continued appeal of animated features.

China Film’s thriller “Dead to Rights” took fourth place, adding $700,000 to its substantial earnings. Directed by Shen Ao and co-written by Shen Ao, Zhang Ke, and Xu Luyang, the film is set during the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. It follows A Chang (portrayed by Liu Haoran of the Detective Chinatown franchise), a postman who assumes the identity of a photo developer to survive the Japanese occupation. Operating secretly within a Japanese-controlled studio, he shelters Chinese soldiers and civilians, embodying acts of quiet resistance. The film’s cumulative total now stands at $417.6 million.

Rounding out the top five was China Media Group’s “Shenzhou 13,” a documentary chronicling the Shenzhou-13 crewed mission to China’s Tiangong space station. Directed by Zhu Yiran, the film features actual footage captured by astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu. After four weekends, the documentary added $600,000, bringing its cumulative earnings to $5.7 million.