China Box Office: ‘Once Upon a Time in the Middle East’ Crosses $300 Million
"Once Upon a Time in the Middle East," a war comedy-drama from Dirty Monkeys, has topped mainland China's box office for a fourth straight weekend and passed $300 million in cumulative earnings. The film, directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng, follows a debt-ridden Chinese chef in the Middle East whose restaurant becomes a refuge for civilians and orphans amid regional conflict, and its sustained run underlines the strength of homegrown productions in a Chinese market that is otherwise trailing last year's takings.
The film earned RMB82.6 million ($12.1 million) over the 4–6 September weekend, taking its total to $305.6 million since its 11 August release. It was followed by Pearl River Film Group's crime thriller "V" ($7.9 million weekend, $75.4 million cumulative), Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" ($5.5 million weekend, $97.4 million cumulative), animated feature "All Wishes Come True!" ($4.8 million weekend, $277.5 million cumulative) and newcomer "Fall 2: Deadpoint" ($3 million debut). Overall weekend takings reached $41.9 million, while China's 2026 year-to-date box office stands at $4.21 billion, down 27.8% on the same period last year.
In short
- "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" tops China box office for fourth week
- Film's cumulative gross now stands at $305.6 million
- China's 2026 box office revenue down 27.8% year-on-year
Explained simply
China releases most of the films shown in its cinemas and has one of the world’s largest film markets. Box-office figures track ticket sales, and a film’s earnings in China can be a major part of its overall commercial performance.
Once Upon a Time in the Middle East is a Chinese war comedy-drama directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng. It follows a Chinese chef whose restaurant becomes a refuge for civilians and orphans during conflict, bringing together a personal story and a setting shaped by regional war.
The film’s performance comes as China’s cinema takings are lower than they were at the same point last year. Its long run at the top offers one example of how domestic films are performing in a market that also shows international releases.
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