Promotional material of NeZha 2 Photo: Courtesy of Wang Jing

Chinese animated film Nezha 2 will begin screening in the UK and Ireland on Friday, and will be released in 37 European countries in the following weeks. In its first week of screening in Europe, the film is expected to reach 100 cities across the UK and Ireland, showing in over 250 theaters, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

According to Chinese box-office tracking platform Maoyan, as of Thursday afternoon, Nezha 2 had grossed 14.959 billion yuan ($2.07 billion) globally, ranking sixth on the all-time global box-office chart. It is expected to surpass Star Wars: The Force Awakens (15.019 billion yuan) shortly, moving into fifth place.

"Overseas audiences' appreciation for Nezha 2 is largely due to the film's exceptional artistic quality and its core message of resilience," Zuo Heng, director of the Film Culture Research Department at the China Film Archive, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Zuo noted that the film's exquisite animation, stunning visuals, and deep cultural heritage have successfully captured the attention of global audiences, while its underlying message of perseverance has elevated it to a higher level.

Nezha 2 has expanded its reach to international markets, including North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The film was officially released in Thailand and Malaysia on Thursday.

Regarding the global influence of Chinese animated films, Zuo pointed out that in the last century, a series of classic works from the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, such as Havoc in Heaven and Nezha Conquers the Dragon King, gained widespread popularity among Chinese audiences and drew international attention. However, due to technological limitations, the industry faced bottlenecks after its initial success.

"Today, with the development of China's economy and society, advancements in ­science and technology, the prosperity of the cultural ­market, and the accumulation of talent in the film industry, the Chinese animation ­industry has gained new resources and strength," Zuo noted.

Nezha 2 is an imaginative twist on Chinese mythology and a famous 16th-century novel. The film is a sequel to what was previously China's top-earning animated film. In the original Nezha (2019), the namesake hero is born an underdog, the reincarnation of a demon who must overcome his fate to save his village. The sequel strikes a similar tone and traces a familiar trajectory, as Ne Zha faces new trials as he challenges the corrupt gods and demons who oversee the heavens.

According to Zuo, the massive popularity of Nezha 2 is inseparable from the emotional resonance that audiences have with it. People connect the struggles in the film to their own experiences, feeling the power of overcoming difficulties and creating a shared future. "This resonance is not only present in China, but many overseas audiences have also been deeply moved by the spirit conveyed in the film," he added.

While the mythological and fantastical elements may seem otherworldly in animated films, Zuo said to win over and captivate the audience, they ultimately need to be grounded in a realist spirit and empathetic, relatable emotions.

Now, with Nezha 2 entering the European market, it offers more Western audiences the opportunity to experience Chinese film art and culture, he said.