Dunkirk has made its debut at China’s box office, bringing in significant numbers.
The acclaimed WWII drama by Christopher Nolan has been performing well above expectations in various markets around the world. This includes $180 million in the US.
Having to sit out the China summer blackout like all western films, Dunkirk has at last been able to make its debut in the world’s second biggest movie market, bringing in $30 million this past weekend.
Winning the weekend on its debut, this is a solid opening for Nolan’s latest effort in China, a market he has been historically popular in. The $30 million debut, however, is behind Nolan’s previous effort Interstellar ($42.6 million), but due to Dunkirk’s nature as a WWII drama outside the Pacific theater, this isn’t all that surprising.
WB certainly isn’t down on the numbers, noting that for an artful Hollywood drama this is indeed a solid showing, with Dunkirk being in shot of previous award-contending dramas like Gravity ($35.8 million) and The Revenant ($31 million).
The $30 million from China has increased Dunkirk’s impressive total to $461 million globally. Dunkirk is now in sight of becoming the all time highest grossing WWII film, a slot currently held by Saving Private Ryan ($481 million).
This is a mark Dunkirk will almost certainly achieve with the film still to open in Japan and more cash coming in from other markets such as the US and of course China.
It will be a close shot to see if Dunkirk can make it to the $500 million mark, it will likely have to bring in another $30 million from China to do so, or make it past $200 million in the US.
Dunkirk opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in.”
Dunkirk sees Christopher Nolan directing a cast that includes Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, Jack Lowden, James D’Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney and newcomer Fionn Whitehead.
Originally published September 5, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
