With $1.2 billion in box-office revenue so far, “Ne Zha 2," released Jan. 29, has outpaced American films that used to be a staple of the Chinese entertainment scene. It beat the record held by the 2015 “Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens," which reaped $936.7 million in North America.

The runaway success of “Ne Zha 2” is another sign that Chinese audiences are choosing domestic movies over Hollywood blockbusters.

Animated Chinese blockbuster "Ne Zha 2", based on traditional mythology, has smashed multiple box office records on its way to becoming the country's most successful movie ever.