Chinese blockbuster posts largest opening weekend ever in a single market after being delayed for a year by COVID-19
One year after theaters throughout China were closed by COVID-19, the box office has exploded thanks in large part to the long-awaited “Detective Chinatown 3,” which earned a record-breaking $393 million opening based on early estimates by Maoyan. That start is the highest-ever opening weekend earned by a film in a single market, topping the $356 million earned by “Avengers: Endgame” in the U.S. on its opening weekend in 2019. “Detective Chinatown 3” also took the single-day record with $160 million earned on Friday, topping the $157.4 million earned on opening day by “Endgame” in the U.S. While “Detective Chinatown 3” is not likely to challenge the all-time global record of $2.79 billion for “Endgame,” it is well on pace to pass the Marvel blockbuster’s Chinese total of $679 million.
