China Market Intelligence on Animated Film 2017

This is what I gathered from my recent trips to China. I started going to China 2 to 3 years ago. (All numbers below is in USD.) 

Typical Animated Feature Film Budget is below USD$2M. Especially those animation coming from TV series. (This is on the safe side to recoup.) 

For those with budget close to 7M probably targeting at higher quality and aiming for a box office at least close to 60M. 

Those who dare to push the budget at 10M need to have past track record of box office beyond 100M like Monkey King: Hero is back. USD$153M 

Current there are about 100 animated films in China in production or raising funds. They are paying a lot of attention to IP and globalisation. How many will make it to the cinema, still a question. Guess the bubble will eventually burst. That is why opportunities is in the next 2 to 3 years.

Reference: 

40M to 60M is considered to be decent box office. Below this number means performance not too good. 

Potential box office is close to US. Which is close to USD$400M. 

In 2016 - there seems to be a chance to hit 40M to 60M 

In 2017 - the numbers seems to drop. Average about 6M 

E.g China Animated Films (Targeted China Market) Boonie Bears: Entangled Worlds - Box Office $76,630,780 (Has done well on tv series) 

GG Bond: Guarding - 

Box Office $6,503,093 

Foreign Animated Films (Probably requires huge marketing dollar) http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/china/yearly/… 

Zootopia - Box Office $235,591,257 

Kung Fu Panda 3 - Box Office $154,304,371

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/china/yearly/… 

Sing - Box Office $31,379,920 

The LEGO Batman Movie - Box Office $6,372,757 

Kubo and the Two Strings - Box Office $6,114,589 

A lot of interest in Anime content. Tencent is investing a lot in such IP. 

Your Name did very well in China. Box Office $83,678,210 

Other potential investors include Alibaba Youku, Wanda, QiYi, Alpha etc

Most people feel safer to target at pre school content for feature. Which is very different approach in US. Most of these films are of lower quality and lower budget. It is tapping on their tv series publicity.

6 to 12 not easy as most kids are busy studying. 

They do have an interesting market where it is not easy to do it overseas. This is the youth market. From 13 to 26. Your IP should probably involve life style, music and computer games market. 

One unusual thing in China. I thought the stereoscopic 3d market is dead. There still seems to be a demand in Chinese Cinema. Until when, I do not know. For now, it still seems quite hot. Every movie must be in 3d.