"Dumpling Queen" reigns amid China's soft May Day box office

"The Dumpling Queen," a fact-based drama about a street food vendor's rise to frozen food mogul, took the top spot at China's 2025 May Day holiday box office, though overall market performance fell short of industry expectations.

The five-day frame from May 1 to May 5 brought in 747 million yuan (about 103.74 million U.S. dollars), down 51 percent from the same holiday in 2023 and 2024, per data from ticketing platform Maoyan.

The underwhelming figures have prompted industry observers to examine the shifting dynamics of China's film industry.

"Are people not watching movies, or are the May Day films just not good enough?" mused one Weibo user. This sentiment points to deeper challenges -- demand for higher-quality content, evolving consumer habits, and mounting competition from other leisure activities.

"The performance of the May Day slate was cooler than anticipated," said Lai Li, a Maoyan analyst. "Without strong tentpole titles, interest was limited even before the films opened." He noted that single-day box office figures never exceeded 200 million yuan throughout the five-day stretch.

Out of 10 holiday releases, only the top two films earned more than 100 million yuan.

Starring comedienne Ma Li, "The Dumpling Queen" led the pack, raking in 192 million yuan during the holiday.

In second place was "A Gilded Game," a financial crime thriller from Hong Kong director Herman Yau starring Andy Lau and Oho Ou. Centered on high-stakes fraud and market manipulation, it grossed 135 million yuan.

Third went to Studio Ghibli's 1997 environmental epic "Princess Mononoke," which earned 70 million yuan in its first theatrical release in the Chinese mainland. The animated fantasy is widely regarded as Hayao Miyazaki's breakout international hit.

The weak May Day turnout comes on the heels of the blockbuster Chinese New Year season, which was dominated by "Ne Zha 2," the animated sequel that has grossed 15.8 billion yuan worldwide, including presales, and shattered multiple global records.

The Maoyan Research Institute noted that while the holiday lacked a runaway hit, it also reflected shifting audience behavior. "The market needs fresher, younger, and more discussion-worthy content to rekindle enthusiasm and draw people back into theaters," its report said.

Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, also sees structural shifts reshaping the industry. "The market is undergoing irreversible changes," he said. "Short-form dramas, concerts, and travel are competing directly for moviegoers' attention. Artificial intelligence is transforming how films are made and consumed. The audience is evolving -- and so must the cinema."

Still, there are signs of resilience. Chen Jin, a data analyst at film platform Beacon, drew attention to China's shining year-to-date ticket sales figures.

By Monday, the 2025 box office had already reached 26.34 billion yuan, up 32.3 percent year-on-year, "which is well ahead of other global markets," Chen said. Much of that growth is thanks to "Ne Zha 2," which continues to break the global record as the top-earning film in any single territory.

Rao, for his part, remains optimistic. "We must stay confident," he said. "By improving our artistic capabilities, enhancing creativity, and better understanding audience shifts, Chinese cinema can remain a vital and adaptive force." ■