Guangdong's Spring Festival box office makes a strong comeback, with Shenzhen enjoying a one-stop experience of movies, dining, shopping, and entertainment, achieving a great start.

Guangdong’s Spring Festival box office has once again taken the top spot after five years of absence! As of 3 p.m. on February 23, Guangdong’s 2026 box office reached 913 million yuan, with two films surpassing 500 million yuan each. Guangdong’s Spring Festival film box office has overtaken Jiangsu and is temporarily ranked first.

It is understood that since February 15, the Shenzhen film market has maintained a high level of activity, ranking among the top cities nationwide in box office revenue, with an average theater occupancy rate of over 45%, higher than the national average; the average ticket price across the city’s cinemas is 49.8 yuan, a slight decrease from 2025.

Among them, “Silent Insect” directed by Zhang Yimou, created under the guidance of the Ministry of State Security and supported by the Shenzhen Municipal Propaganda Department, co-produced by Shenzhen Radio, Film and Television Group and Shenzhen Film Studio, was filmed entirely in Shenzhen. As of 12 p.m. on February 22, its box office exceeded 720 million yuan, ranking second in the Spring Festival box office; “Boonie Bears: Yearly Bears” remains a top choice in the family segment, with a box office of 585 million yuan as of 12 p.m. on February 22, ranking fourth in the Spring Festival box office, with the series IP continuing to break new ground.

Meanwhile, cross-border consumption during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday between Shenzhen and Hong Kong remains hot. Passenger flow in port commercial districts and core commercial districts is expected to increase by 30% year-on-year. The proportion of Hong Kong and Macau audiences has significantly increased, with cross-border movie viewing and check-ins becoming new consumption trends for the Spring Festival. This shift from “single viewing” to a combination of movie watching, check-ins, shopping, and cultural tourism integration has led to new trends such as reusing tickets, check-ins at filming locations, and IP peripheral consumption. During the holiday, opening the Shenzhen “Bay Travel Notes” mini-program offers multiple movie-watching benefits provided by China Construction Bank Shenzhen Branch, including popular commercial districts along four themed routes—K11, One Avenue City, Huaqiang Malls—where users can swipe Dragon Card credit cards for discounts of up to 66 yuan. Tourists from other places praise: “Follow the movies to tour Shenzhen, watch the screen and the city, connecting attractions and stories, leaving a deep impression.”

On the other hand, derivative consumption related to movies (IP licensing, merchandise) has greatly enhanced brand value. Huaqiang Fangte, leveraging its mature diversified industry foundation, organically combines special effects movies, digital animation, theme performances, cultural technology theme parks, and cultural derivatives. It actively develops “Boonie Bears” cultural derivatives through independent creative design, brand licensing cross-industry collaborations, and market sales channels. Products include toys, stationery, audiovisual books, clothing, home furnishings, electronics, food, sports goods, mobile games, and more, totaling over 20 categories and approximately 20,000 varieties, significantly increasing brand value. A store manager of cinema merchandise outlets stated that “Boonie Bears” new spring products sell over a thousand units daily, with family groups purchasing sets, often selling out quickly. Shenzhen also encourages scene-based direct consumption by setting up IP pop-up stores, merchandise counters, and blind box machines in cinemas and shopping malls, creating a closed loop of “viewing—grass planting—purchasing.”

Additionally, Shenzhen has been selected as the only “Film+” comprehensive consumption pilot city in Guangdong and one of the first nationwide. In early February, the national event “Travel with Movies” was launched in Shenzhen. Using this platform, Shenzhen introduced four “Silent Insect” themed Citywalk routes connecting waterfronts, technology districts, commercial areas, and landmarks. “Shenzhen Eye” at Gangxia North Metro Station, Shenye Shangcheng, Qianhai, and other locations have become popular check-in spots, with daily visitor numbers increasing by over 50%. A total of 247 cinemas, commercial districts, and scenic spots across the city are offering joint discounts, forming a one-stop consumption loop of movie viewing, dining, shopping, and entertainment. During the 2026 Spring Festival, key monitored scenic spots in Shenzhen saw a 21.5% increase in visitors year-on-year; star-rated hotels experienced a 10.6% rise in revenue, with room revenue up 8.5%.

(Author: Shenzhen Special Zone Daily & Read Special Correspondent in Guangzhou Yan Junwei)

【Source: Shenzhen Special Zone Daily】