The 2026 Chinese New Year box office has kicked off and initial numbers are in as of the cutoff at 9:30pm on February 17, 2026. The hit film franchise Pegasus returns for its third installment (飞驰人生3), which is once again directed by Han Han and brings back Shen Teng, Yin Zheng and Johnny Huang. Despite mixed reviews, the film has made around 612 million RMB on its opening day, pulling ahead of the competition and setting the tone for the Spring Festival holiday season.
Coming in second with 230 million RMB is Zhang Yimou’s Scare Out (惊蛰无声) starring Best Actor winners Jackson Yee and Zhu Yilong in a film about national security. Animated franchise Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector (熊出没·年年有熊), a yearly entry during the holiday box office, secured third place with 167 million RMB.
Blades of the Guardians (镖人：风起大漠), directed byYuen Woo-ping, comes in fourth with 126 million RMB, which is lower than expected. The film brings together three action stars, Wu Jing, Jet Li, and Nicholas Tse with popular actor Yu Shi also joining the cast. Meanwhile, Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe (熊猫计划之部落奇遇记), featuring Jackie Chan and Ma Li grossed 59.6 million RMB, while the sci-fi film Per Aspera Ad Astra (星河入梦), starring Dylan Wang and Victoria Song, earned 34.3 million RMB.
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Melisa Penman
Go see Ad Astra Per Aspera. My friends say it is beyond amazing and are planning to see it again!