Promotional material for It's OK

As the Qingming Festival holidays (April 4-6) approach, China's movie industry is gearing up for a record-breaking release schedule, with nearly 20 new films set to debut over the holiday period. 

According to domestic ticketing platform Maoyan, as of Wednesday, Qingming pre-sale ticket revenue had exceeded 42.8 million yuan ($6.2 million). The top five films in early screenings and pre-sales are It's OK, Now I Met Her, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Sunshine Women's Choir, and Game of Identity. Among them, It's OK leads with a box-office surpassing 26 million yuan.

The lineup spans multiple genres, including family dramas, comedy, suspense, and animation, catering to a wide range of audience tastes.

This year's Qingming film lineup is marked by warm, realistic storytelling alongside a variety of genres. Among nearly 20 new releases, mother-­daughter and mother-son stories take center stage, exploring contemporary family relationships from different angles, according to Zhang Peng, an associate professor at Nanjing Normal University.

"These films not only resonate with the reflective spirit of the Qingming Festival, but also refresh traditional narratives through innovative approaches like reverse education and diary-based time journeys," noted Zhang.

Directed by Yang Lina and staring Wen Qi and Qin Hailu, It's OK is a contemporary family comedy that explores mother-daughter dynamics. The film follows Xu Ke, a young woman facing a gynecological procedure whose plans are upended by the sudden arrival of her assertive mother, Hu Chunrong. Through humorous and heartfelt moments, the daughter embarks on a "reverse education" approach, encouraging her mother to embrace life's challenges in a new way.

The movie has maintained a strong performance during this year's pre-holiday run-up, with its daily box office showing several rebounds during early screenings, Lai Li, an analyst with Maoyan, told the Global Times. "It has garnered positive word-of-mouth and attention ahead of its wide release, suggesting it could see solid market results during the holidays."

Now I Met Her tells the story of Zhang Shiyi (played by Huang Minghao), a rebellious teenager raised solely by his father after his mother's early death. On his 18th birthday, he discovers his mother Dongyu's old diary, prompting a journey of understanding involving her vibrant past.

Domestic thrillers are also a highlight this year. The Qingming slate features several low-budget suspense films, including The Caged Butterfly, the sequel to the 2024 hit Yuyang Lou, which earned 130 million yuan at box office. Other upcoming thrillers like Blood Embroidered Shoe, The Horror Elevator, and Mid-Night Four cater to audiences seeking suspense.

According to Zhang, the combination of emotionally resonant family films, animated IPs, and suspense thrillers creates a complementary strategy: High-interest family titles generate social buzz, while genre films expand the audience base. This approach is expected to boost market activity ahead of the May Day holidays and cultivate broader movie-going habits.

In addition, the Amazon MGM science fiction film Project Hail Mary, which opened simultaneously with North America on March 20, is expected to continue its momentum. As of April 1, the film has been in Chinese theaters for 13 days and earned 146 million yuan at the box office. Hoppers has also performed well, grossing 123 million yuan, and is expected to continue contributing to overall ticket sales.