China Box Office: ‘Once Upon a Time in the Middle East’ Dominates With $70 Million Weekend as Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Debuts Second

by | Aug 17, 2026 | Entertainment

China Box Office: ‘Once Upon a Time in the Middle East’ Dominates With $70 Million Weekend as Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Debuts Second

Dirty Monkeys’ war comedy-drama “Once Upon a Time in the Middle East” led the mainland China box office during the most recent weekend, earning RMB477.9 million ($70.3 million) across the three-day period. Directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng, the film follows a Chinese chef who relocates to the Middle East to establish a restaurant to settle family debts. When armed conflict emerges in the region, the business becomes an unexpected refuge for local civilians and children. The production, which began its release on August 11, has accumulated a total of $134.1 million since its initial rollout and previews.

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” from Universal entered the market in the second position, generating $28.4 million during its official three-day opening weekend. The film received significant promotional support with a high-profile Beijing tour and secured an extensive Imax presence throughout the country. Including preview screenings, the production has reached $35.9 million in total and achieved the largest opening weekend for a Nolan film in the territory, both in absolute Imax box office performance and Imax indexing metrics.

Pearl Studio’s animated fantasy “All Wishes Come True!” maintained third place in its fifth weekend of release, collecting $13.1 million. The mythological comedy has earned $235.9 million since its July 18 debut and depicts eight ordinary individuals who use their ingenuity to defeat celestial deities and claim the status of the Eight Immortals. Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” secured fourth position, adding $9.9 million and bringing its cumulative total to $209 million since launching on July 29.

Enlight Pictures’ animated fantasy romance “To Your Island” held fifth place, earning $2.6 million in its second weekend for a combined $15 million. The broader mainland China market generated $132.9 million for the weekend period, while year-to-date revenue reached $3.79 billion, representing a 30.4% decline compared to the corresponding period in 2025.

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