People watch a movie in a cinema in Huizhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on January 16, 2026. Photo: VCG

The 2026 Spring Festival film season, China's most lucrative box-office window, has kicked off with a robust start. Pre-sales for the eight confirmed titles surpassed 100 million yuan ($14.4 million) by 2:55 pm on Tuesday, the second day of ticket sales, signaling strong early audience interest for the extended nine-day holiday period, according to a press release issued by Chinese ticketing platform Beacon on Tuesday. 

Film data analyst Chen Jin told the Global Times that unlike the 2025 season dominated by a single blockbuster, the 2026 lineup of eight films marks a clear shift from "one dominant and multiple strong" to a "multi-power competition" situation, with diverse genres and targeted audiences setting the stage for a balanced yet fierce battle.

Promotional material for Pegasus 3 Photos: douban.com

Diverse lineup  

Scheduled to kick off on February 17 (Chinese New Year's Day), the core of the 2026 Spring Festival lineup consists of six major titles, with two additional films joining later in the holiday period. 

Promotional material for Scare Out

The headliners are Scare Out, Pegasus 3, and Blades of the Guardians, which lead the "want-to-watch" rankings and pre-sales.

Director Zhang Yimou's first venture into the national security genre, the film Scare Out follows a rapid-response national security team racing to apprehend spies after classified information about China's latest fighter jet is leaked, promising a tense, silent game of trust and betrayal.

"Shooting Scare Out is a brand-new attempt… It is not only the first time that contemporary national security themes have been brought to the big screen, but also the first time I have shot a contemporary spy film. I hope this freshness can also be conveyed to the audience," Zhang Yimou said at the 2026 Spring Festival film lineup conference hosted by the National Film Administration in Beijing on Monday.

Joining Zhang's thriller is the highly anticipated threequel Pegasus 3, the latest installment in the massively popular racing series. The franchise has proven itself a holiday powerhouse: The first film grossed 1.728 billion yuan ($248.57 million) during its Spring Festival run, while the sequel accelerated to 3.361 billion yuan, according to data from Maoyan. 

The new chapter continues the story of former champion driver Zhang Chi, who, after achieving his dream, faces a new reality with old team members departing and new technological challenges emerging.
 

Promotional material for Blades of the Guardians

Meanwhile, the wuxia (martial heroes) genre aims for a robust return with Blades of the Guardians. Directed by legendary action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping and featuring A-listers such as Wu Jing, Jet Li and Nicholas Tse, the film bills itself as "the last grand feast of martial arts." 

Blades of the Guardians follows a desert escort entrusted with transporting a mysterious person back to Chang'an, the capital city of the Sui Dynasty (581-618), encountering sieges along the way, while the fetters of fate are gradually uncovered. 

Gathering four generations of martial arts filmmakers, the film presents an exciting martial arts feast.

"I hope the audience can find their own martial arts feelings in the film," Wu shared at the conference.

Zhang Peng, a cultural researcher and associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, told the Global Times that Pegasus 3 is poised to lead the box-office race, backed by Chinese comedy actor Shen Teng's strong audience appeal and the franchise's established reputation, making it a prime contender to cross the 2-billion-yuan mark. 

He noted that Zhang Yimou's national-security-themed Scare Out may face some tonal dissonance with the festive season, leaving its earnings somewhat unpredictable. 

The biggest dark horse, according to Zhang Peng, could be Blades of the Guardians. With its high production value, hardcore action sequences, and ensemble of martial arts stars, it also has the potential to reach the 2-billion-yuan threshold. 

Strategic global releases

A defining feature of the 2026 season is the concerted push for synchronized global premieres, underscoring the growing outward focus of China's film industry. 

Two of the headline productions, Scare Out and Blades of the Guardians, have announced day-and-date releases across major international markets including North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.

Shi Wenxue, a veteran cultural critic based in Beijing, told the Global Times that the ultimate test will be whether this diversified, globally-minded strategy can collectively sustain audience enthusiasm and deliver a successful season that highlights both the vitality of the domestic market and the expanding footprint of Chinese cinema abroad.

Promotional material for Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe

Besides the above three films, families have multiple options: Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe, Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector, and Per Aspera ad Astra. Each film seeks to secure niche audiences with distinct genres. 

The comedy-adventure Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe brings back the beloved panda "Huhu" alongside Jackie Chan for a tribal treasure-hunting caper. 

"I want to use pandas as a carrier to bring more Chinese beautiful scenery and culture to the world, allow the world to see Chinese stories, and pass on the love for Chinese national treasures," Chan said during a promotional event for the film.

On the animation front, the perennial Boonie Bears series returns with its 12th feature, Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector, which introduces Chinese mythological elements and elemental powers for its core characters. Adding a touch of science fiction is Chinese director Han Yan's Per Aspera ad Astra, starring Wang Hedi and Victoria Song. The film explores a virtual dream system and a reality-bending conspiracy.

Rounding out the lineup are the re-release of the documentary Return To The Wolves, which is set to hit Chinese theaters on February 19 and the Hong Kong action film Night King, debuting only in South China's Guangdong Province and South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on February 20. 

Industry insiders note that the six opening-day films will most likely drive the majority of box-office returns.