Production company/distribution studio A24 announced Wednesday that it will bring the biggest international box office hit of 2025 to theaters, now in a new English-language version. NE ZHA 2, the sequel to the 2019 animated film Ne Zha, tops the 2025 global box office with nearly $1.9 billion in theatrical receipts. It is the most profitable animated film of all time, one of the top 10 highest-grossing animated films of all time, and the highest-grossing non-English-language film in history. However, these profits were earned almost entirely in the film’s home country, China.
Image: CMC Pictures
The film’s previous American release in February grossed just $20 million, due in part to a limited release, minimal advertising, and American audiences’ unfamiliarity with the characters and story. A24, the eclectic boutique distributor responsible for distributing films ranging from Everything, Everywhere to Hereditary and Midsommar, is banking on the film being a significantly bigger hit in the West with more mainstream support.
The company’s announcement says it will return NE ZHA 2 to “theaters across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand,” in 3D and IMAX releases, starting August 22. The voice cast for the English version has not been revealed, aside from Everything Everywhere at Once star and Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh in an undisclosed role.
NE ZHA 2 is based on characters from Chinese legend who have been reimagined countless times in different stories across different eras: the demonic boy Ne Zha and the elegant dragon warrior Ao Bing, conceived in this story as two immensely powerful figures with infinite potential, born from the same mystic artifact. Ne Zha saw them pitted against each other in their youth and eventually becoming allies as he fought a plot against Ao Bing’s ancient Dragon father. The sequel picks up the story right after the first film left off, with the two young warriors juggling new bodies, new intrigues, and a mission crucial to the survival of one of them. It’s part epic drama, part comedy, with tremendous superpower-driven cosmic battles sharing the screen with crude jokes and fart jokes.
Here’s the synopsis from A24:
A rebellious boy, Ne Zha, feared by the gods, was born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrolled powers. Now he faces an ancient force intent on destroying humanity. He must grow to become the hero the world needs.
NE ZHA 2 is a spectacular film, best seen on a big screen: it’s an intense experience for fans of martial arts fantasy and supernatural combat. But it’s also distinctly the second chapter of a rather complicated story. If you want to go in prepared, Ne Zha is currently streaming on Peacock , streaming for free on Tubi with ads , and available for rent or purchase on Amazon , Apple TV , and other digital platforms.
