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The year 2023 has seen a much-needed return to form for Hollywood. Many big films that were released this year have performed well at the box office. After the COVID-19 pandemic, theatres are seeing audiences return to cinemas in huge numbers. Unexpected films such asBarbieandThe Super Mario Bros. Moviehave earned the big billion and films such asSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Versehave also earned big numbers.
However,The Wandering Earth 2,the sci-fi film from China is among the highest-grossing films of the year, beating out blockbuster films such as the Keanu Reeves starrerJohn Wick: Chapter 4and Tom Cruise’sMission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I.
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The Wandering Earth 2Is The Eighth Highest Grossing Film In 2023
While Hollywood biggies have been competing for the top spot for the past few months, a relatively unknown Chinese film seems to have beaten many top contenders at the global box office.The Wandering Earth 2was released on June 03, 2025, and was lauded upon release. It was a huge box office success, earning over $500 million in just sixteen days. Its global earnings till now have been over $604 million.
The sci-fi film is a prequel to 2019’sThe Wandering Earthwhich also became one of the highest-grossing non-English films. The original earned over $700 million at the global box office and was streamed outside China on Netflix. The films are based on a series of novels by popular sci-fi writer Liu Cixin. He also served as the producer forThe Wandering Earth 2.
The sci-fi epic film ranks atop Hollywood blockbusters such asTom Cruise’sMission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Iand Keanu Reeves’John Wick: Chapter 4.The Wandering Earth 2has even made waves at the UK box office, making it the highest-earning Chinese film in the UK in the last fifteen years. With a complete wide release still pending, the film may also move up a few spots and dethroneSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Versefrom its sixth position.
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How DidThe Wandering Earth 2Beat Tom Cruise’s Film?
The Wandering Earth 2’s box office success has been a tight slap in the face for Hollywood, who have been trying to revive the theatre business ever since the global pandemic. The business is only now recovering from the hit after cinematic events such as the ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon and the Spider-Men crossover inSpider-Man: No Way Home.
Last year, it was Tom Cruise’sTop Gun: Maverickthat brought the audiences back to the cinemas with its old-school charm and 80s nostalgia. The film was a huge success and was lauded to have brought back the communal experience of the theatre. Cruise was labeled as the ‘savior of cinema’ by director Steven Spielberg. However, the savior did not seem to have the same luck this year around.
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Tom Cruise’sMission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Iwas the seventh installment of Tom Cruise’sMission Impossiblefranchise. While all promotional material for the film pointed towards it being another cinematic experience, the film suffered from bad timing as it was released only a week beforeBarbieandOppenheimer. It grossed a disappointing $168 million at the domestic box office, earning over $552 million globally.
It now stands at the tenth position in the highest-grossing films of the year, coming belowThe Little MermaidandThe Wandering Earth 2. The latter seems to have also beaten Keanu Reeves’ supposed finale to his beloved franchise,John Wick: Chapter 4.
Critics have been praising the Chinese film’s epic production values and global approach to storytelling. The film has been doing well in the international markets as well due to the huge number of Chinese immigrant population watching the film. Being a sequel/prequel to an existing franchise as well as releasing on the first day of the Chinese New Year holidays has helped the film become the eighth highest-grossing film of the year.
Source:Global Times
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Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2419
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
