Chinese Movies Box Office: Detective Chinatown franchise RANKED by Worldwide Gross

The Detective Chinatown franchise remains a powerhouse at the Chinese box office. Here's a ranking of the series by worldwide gross, highlighting its expanding global appeal.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 05, 2025 | 04:43 PM IST | 6.4K

Picture Courtesy: IMDb

The Detective Chinatown franchise is continuing its box office dominance with its latest installment, Detective Chinatown 1900, which premiered on January 29, 2025, the first day of the Chinese Spring Festival. The film has already crossed USD 300 million and is expected to exceed USD 500 million by the end of its run, further solidifying the franchise's reputation as a powerhouse in the Chinese film industry.

Since its debut in 2016, the film series has followed the eccentric detective Tan Ren, played by Wang Baoqiang, and his capable assistant Qin Feng, played by Liu Haoran/Tubo Liu, as they solve complex and often bizarre criminal cases across different global Chinatowns. Blending comedy, action, and intricate mysteries, the films have gained a massive fan following, with each installment surpassing the popularity of the previous one in scale and earnings.

The highest-grossing entry in the franchise remains Detective Chinatown 3, which came out in 2021 and asserted dominance worldwide by amassing USD 625.1 million globally. This particular installment is said to have benefitted from pent-up audience demand for good cinema after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Detective Chinatown 2, released in 2018, grossed USD 544.1 million and expanded the series’ international appeal. The original Detective Chinatown film, which premiered in 2016, started the phenomenon with an assuring $115.5 million.

With Detective Chinatown 1900 already showing strong legs at the box office, the film has the potential to become the second-highest or even the highest entry in the franchise. Given the enthusiasm surrounding its release and the traditionally high footfall in Chinese cinemas during the Spring Festival, the film exceeding expectations won’t come as a shock. As the numbers climb, the film’s success further cements Detective Chinatown as one of the country’s most beloved and lucrative franchises.

Meanwhile, other impactful films released in China during the New Year holiday include Ne Zha 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Ne Zha, as well as Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force, Legends of the Condor Heroes, Boonie Bears, and Operation Hadal.