How is it possible that an animated movie managed to become one of thehighest-grossing titles ever, and yet we barely heard about it? Up until now, very few people were aware of the hit animated movieNe Zha 2, but that is about to change thanks toA24and CMC. The companies announced today that they have teamed up to release the Chinese movie in theaters across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The movie will debut inIMAX, 3D, and other premium formats — and its release date is set to August 22.
The English-language version ofNe Zha 2will feature a voice cast led byMichelle Yeoh(Everything Everywhere All At Once), who celebrated her participation in the animated phenomenon and the fact that the hit movie helps showcaseChinese cultureto the rest of the world. Yeoh wrote in an official statement:
“I’m honored to be part of ‘Ne Zha 2,’ a landmark in Chinese animation and a powerful reminder of how universal our stories can be. Sharing this with audiences in English is such a joy, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, heart, spectacular artistry, and magic of this film on the big screen."
Ne Zha 2has so far grossed the whopping amount of $2.2 billion — the first animated movie to do so. The number makes the Chinese flick reign supreme as thehighest-grossing movie of 2025with a comfortable lead that is pretty difficult to beat. The #2most popular movie of the year, Disney’sLilo & Stitch, has grossed $974 million worldwide so far.Among the highest-grossing movies ever,Ne Zha 2is in fifth place, losing only to heavyweights likeAvatar,Avengers: Endgame,Avatar: The Way of Water, andTitanic. Depending on how the movie fares in Western cinemas, it may even climb a couple of positions higher on the coveted list.
What Is ‘Ne Zha 2’ About?
Ne Zhais the name of the title character, a boy who is notably rebellious and has a witty attitude that makes him adistinct protagonist. Born to mortal parents but with unmatched (anduncontrolled powers), Ne Zha is feared by the gods. He’s also humanity’s only hope of resisting the attack of an ancient force that threatens to destroy the whole planet — meaning that the boy has to learn to take responsibility in orderto be the hero that the world needs.
Ne Zha 2is directed byYang Yu, and back when it premiered in China and after getting screened at film festivals, the movie managed to landa near-perfect 96% scoreon Rotten Tomatoes. It has been praised as a visual masterpiece, and you can have an idea of its spectacle by watching the trailer above.
A24 and CMC releaseNe Zha 2in theaters on August 22.
