Chinese blockbuster 'Changjin' now top earner of 2021 globally

Patriotic Chinese blockbuster "The Battle at Lake Changjin" on Saturday beat out domestic comedy "Hi, Mom" to become the highest-grossing title so far this year, both in China and globally.

The historical epic's cumulative total since September 30 has surged past 5.41 billion yuan (about US$846.54 million), the amount earned by "Hi, Mom," the maiden directorial project of comedian Jia Ling, according to data from box office tracker Maoyan.

Approximately 115 million moviegoers have so far watched "The Battle at Lake Changjin" in cinemas across China.

The war film is currently the second-highest-grossing title of all time at China's box office, trailing only the 2017 Chinese action film "Wolf Warrior 2," which raked in 5.69 billion yuan.

In its newly upgraded estimation, Maoyan predicts "The Battle at Lake Changjin" will complete its Chinese box office run with over 5.6 billion yuan.

Set during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) and starring Wu Jing and Jackson Yee, the three-hour movie tells the story of Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers fighting bravely in freezing temperatures in a key campaign at Lake Changjin, or Chosin Reservoir.

The story of how the young warriors were willing to risk it all to defend their motherland from the world's best-equipped army, despite their lack of food and warm clothing and amid the bitter coldness, has moved many moviegoers to tears.

The film was helmed by three top directors – Chen Kaige, Hark Tsui, and Dante Lam.

According to an official announcement made via social media on Thursday, "The Battle at Lake Changjin" is set to have a sequel called "Water Gate Bridge," which will see the return of stars Wu Jing and Jackson Yee, as well as other principal members of the original cast.

The new film, for which a release date is yet to be announced, follows CPV soldiers of the same company as they take on a new task. And this time, their battlefield is a crucial bridge on the retreat route of American troops.