2010 Chinese box office surges to $1.5 billion

[January 10, 2011]  HONG KONG (AP) -- Chinese box office takings surged 64 percent to $1.5 billion in 2010. Film officials say the figure still lags more developed markets and urged local filmmakers to make better movies that can compete with Hollywood blockbusters like "Avatar" and "Inception."

China's Film Bureau also said in a report issued late last week that the country added 313 movie theaters and 1,533 new screens last year for a total of just over 6,200 screens.

The box office figures were boosted by the huge success of "Avatar." The James Cameron 3-D sci-fi epic was the biggest hit in China last year with a total take of $204 million. The top-grossing Chinese film in 2010 was the Feng Xiaogang disaster movie "Aftershock," which earned $100 million.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.