China Box Office: ‘Vanishing Point’ and ‘Cold War 1994’ Lead Rebounding May Day Weekend as ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Debuts in Third

May 3, 2026 11:56pm PT China Box Office: ‘Vanishing Point’ and ‘Cold War 1994’ Lead Rebounding May Day Weekend as ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Debuts in Third

By Naman Ramachandran

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Naman Ramachandran

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Zhonghe Qiancheng’s suspense thriller “Vanishing Point” claimed the number one position at the China box office in its opening weekend, earning RMB164.7 million ($24.2 million).

Written and directed by Cheng Wei-hao and starring Zheng Kai and Liu Haocun, the story begins with the unexplained disappearance of a young boy within a residential compound on the winter solstice. This inciting incident gradually links together other dark threads in the building, including a gambling addict attempting to hide a corpse and a woman living alone who is the victim of an assault.

Securing the second spot, the prequel “Cold War 1994” debuted with $21.2 million. Produced by Jiaxiong Pictures and directed by Longman Leung, the latest installment in the acclaimed Hong Kong police franchise features a top-loaded cast including Daniel Wu, Terrance Lau, and Wu Kang-ren, with appearances by Aaron Kwok and Chow Yun-fat. Set before the 1997 handover, the narrative unspools a tale of power and betrayal as young officers M.B. Lee and Peter Choi are drawn into a covert power struggle following a high-profile kidnapping.

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In third place, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” earned $6.1 million for the weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $8.5 million since its April 30 debut.

As One Production’s emotionally driven drama “Being Towards Death” took fourth place with $5.4 million. Written and directed by Chen Sicheng and starring Jiang Long and Qi Xi, the story follows a man who survives a suicide attempt and becomes a caregiver in a cancer ward, eventually helping terminally ill patients fulfill their deepest desires.

Rounding out the top five, the drama “No One Is Closer Than We” earned $3.8 million. Directed by Li Xin and produced by Changying Times, the film stars Zhang Yu and Amy Chen. The plot centers on Li Weiyang, a man struggling to secure compensation for his girlfriend’s medical treatment after a motorcycle accident leaves her without her front teeth.

The China box office saw a significant resurgence during the May 1–3 weekend, with total grosses reaching $74.5 million as the market entered the lucrative May Day holiday period. This performance marks a sharp rebound following a sluggish April; the previous weekend’s collective take of $16 million was the one of the lowest of 2026 to date, capping a month of consistent declines. The arrival of the holiday slate effectively broke this slump, more than quadrupling the market’s output in a single frame.

Mainland China’s 2026 year-to-date revenue stands at $1.97 billion, down 48.6% from the same period in 2025.

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