Posters for the movies, which are set to hit the screens during the Dragon Boat Festival, are seen in a cinema in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang Province on June 15, 2026. Photo:VCG

China's upcoming Dragon Boat Festival film slate has reached a 10-year high with 20 scheduled releases, as total pre-sale and advance screening box office revenue surpass 30 million yuan ($4.4 million), signaling strong early summer audience enthusiasm for cinematic outings, according to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.

Industry analyst Lai Li told the Global Times on Tuesday that the diverse lineup blends domestic productions and imported franchise titles, covering sci-fi, animation, romance, action, family and thriller genres to cater to broad viewer preferences. 

The Dragon Boat Festival holiday coincides with Father's Day this year, further boosting demand for family-oriented films, creating a favorable market atmosphere for the seasonal box office run, China Film News reported.

Four headlining titles dominate audience interest, with their cumulative "want-to-see" counts approaching 300,000 on Maoyan. 

Leading the pack is the sci-fi romance The Boy Who Counted Cars, followed by Pixar's highly anticipated sequel Toy Story 5, crime and romance film Invictus and Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's spy drama I Know Who You Are.

The Boy Who Counted Cars centers on a young man's obsession that he lives in a simulated world populated by system-controlled characters, as he searches for glitches in the perceived virtual reality. The film delivers a high-concept meditation on digital existential crisis, balanced by a tender romantic storyline with the arrival of a mysterious girl, making its abstract philosophical themes more accessible to mainstream audiences.

Going after a different kind of reality, Toy Story 5, releasing day-and-date with North America on Friday, asks what is emotionally real. The Pixar sequel picks up with Bonnie hooked on a tablet computer, leaving Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the gang facing collective neglect. The film projects global anxiety about screen addiction onto the beloved toys, spinning a parable about reclaiming face-to-face connection when pixels steal attention. Industry tracker Box Office Pro predicts the film could outperform Toy Story 4's $120 million North American opening weekend record.

Film critic Dong Wenxin told the Global Times on Tuesday that Toy Story 5 is the most bankable family-friendly option in the lineup and will likely drive major box office gains throughout the three-day holiday film period.

Another notable release is Invictus, which, like the current hit Dear You, was filmed in the Chaoshan region in South China's Guangdong Province and incorporates elements of local intangible cultural heritage, specifically the distinctive Yingge dance. The story focuses on the struggles and dreams of small-town youth. Starring Wang Anyu and Wang Yuwen as a pair of young lovers, it follows their determination to fight against injustice and wielding anger as their weapon in the face of adversity.

Another highlight is Feng's period drama I Know Who You Are, scheduled for release on Friday. Adapted from the landmark police literature work No Regrets, the film stars Lei Jiayin and Hu Ge. ­Spanning four decades of China's ­development, it follows a police officer's long-term surveillance of a suspected spy neighbor, weaving personal family feuds with profound social changes. The storytelling captures decades of historical evolution through intimate human dramas, a hallmark seen in his previous hits Assembly and Youth.

Industry analyst Lai said two recently released titles continue to bolster the seasonal market. The action thriller The Furious has grossed over 100 million yuan thanks to its authentic hand-to-hand combat scenes, while Steven Spielberg's new sci-fi work Disclosure Day has raked in more than 20 million yuan in four days, impressing viewers with its innovative alien narrative and immersive audio-visual effects.