Kung Fu Soccer, a comedy from director Stephen Chow based on his 1994 film Shaolin Soccer, accumulated $214.3 million at China’s box office over nine days. The film added $73.7 million during its second weekend across July 17-19, matching its two-day opening frame total despite spreading across three days. Industry analysts at Maoyan adjusted their full-run projection upward to $441 million, citing the film’s sustained performance.
Chow, 64, wrote and directed the project, marking his first feature film behind the camera since 2019. The comedy centers on an underdog all-female soccer squad that incorporates martial arts techniques into their gameplay while competing in a tournament. The ensemble cast includes Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang in lead roles, alongside appearances by Carina Lau, Takeru Satoh, and Jimmy O. Yang. The film was released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Shaolin Soccer and capitalize on summer World Cup interest.
Chow released the film with minimal advance marketing, announcing the specific release date through a casual social media video in late June. Industry observers noted this approach reflected his established track record of commercial success. The film is expected to receive a theatrical release in North America later this year, with Singapore-based Encore Films having acquired worldwide rights outside mainland China and negotiating individual territory deals.
Kung Fu Soccer faced stronger competition during its second weekend from All Wishes Come True, an animated film from Pearl Studio that opened with $39.6 million including preview screenings. The latter reimagines a classic Chinese folk tale and will receive a global rollout beginning in August. Other releases that weekend included A Part of Me with $13.6 million, Minions & Monsters in its third frame, and Triangle, a 2009 thriller arriving in mainland China 17 years after its original release.
China’s year-to-date box office reached $2.97 billion, reflecting a 35.3 percent decline compared to the equivalent point the previous year. The comparison reflects the performance of the prior year’s major animated blockbuster. Industry observers attributed the recent narrowing of the year-over-year deficit partly to Kung Fu Soccer’s performance during the summer season. Upcoming releases include Curry Barker’s horror film Obsession, which has exceeded $400 million globally since its mid-May debut internationally.