Since its September 30th release in China, "The Battle at Lake Changjin", has earned $769 million.
The state-funded movie shows outgunned Chinese troops beating their American counterparts in a Korean War battle.
China has the largest box office in the world. This means that this film is also the most popular in the world.
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China's propaganda movie about the defeat by US troops is poised to be the highest-grossing film of all time.
"The Battle at Lake Changjin" is a story about a group Chinese soldiers fighting against the US and its allies at what is now China's border to North Korea. They do so despite freezing conditions, staggering odds and terrible circumstances.
Variety reported that the film was released in Chinese cinemas on September 30, the day before China's National Day holiday. It has grossed $769 million so far, according to data from Artisan Gateway.
The Chinese box office is the largest in the world. This means that "The Battle at Lake Changjin", the current biggest film, is at the moment the most popular in the world.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that it is also the most expensive movie ever made by China. It cost more than $200 million.
Beijing made concerted efforts to incite nationalist sentiments on the 100th anniversary the founding of China's Communist Party.
It seems to be paying off. According to the state-run Global Times newspaper, "The Battle at Lake Changjin", is expected to surpass all previous records.
"Wolf Warriors II" is currently the most popular film to be released in China. It earned $882 million in 2017. Wu Jing is the star of the film and plays an important role in "The Battle at Lake Changjin."
It could, however, be closer.
Deadline reported that Maoyan, a Chinese ticketing portal, has calculated that "The Battle at Lake Changjin” will make $843 million. This could mean it loses to Wolf Warriors II. This would still make it the highest-grossing movie in 2021, beating only China's "Hi, Mom".
"The Battle at Lake Changjin," a Chinese film, will soon compete with "No Time To Die" and "Dune," both James Bond films.
The Chinese government has always had a tight control over movie releases. They often ban or censor movies that could jeopardize their morals or hold on to power.
