According to data from Artisan Gateway, New Classics Pictures’ crime drama “Traces of Justice” took the top spot at the box office in mainland China on the weekend of October 2-4, grossing RMB 208.9 million ($31.2 million) in the three-day frame.
Also known as “China’s Sherlock,” the feature grossed $41.8 million following its October 1 release to kick off the Golden Week holiday corridor. Directed by Chen Sicheng (“Detective Chinatown”) and co-written by Ji Zhang, the production stars Zhang Yi, Li Ma, Li Xuejian, Karry Wang, Fan Chengcheng and Chen Feiyu. Spanning decades, this period procedural follows a legendary detective who, along with his private team, solves complex crime cases while chronicling the evolving apparatus of China’s public security forces.
Beijing Joy Fun Pictures’ comedy “Mr. & Mrs. Pardon” came in second, pulling in $17.3 million over the weekend, bringing the cumulative total since its Oct. 1 release to $24.5 million. Directed by Shen Chunyang and written by Ma Duo, the satirical family film stars Jia Bing and Yu Yang, as well as real-life comedy couple Shen Chunyang and Xiao Shenyang. The story is about a middle-aged couple who have been married for a long time, struggling with domestic monotony and the increasing marital crisis; This couple’s routine existence turns into playful chaos after an unexpected body-swapping incident.
Dirty Monkeys’ war comedy-drama “Once Upon a Time in the Middle East” ranked third in its eighth weekend, boosting its cumulative gross by $4.4 million to a whopping $349.9 million since its Aug. 11 release. Directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming, Aarif Rahman and Omar Sherif, this enduring summer hit tells the story of a Chinese chef whose overseas restaurant in a fictional Middle Eastern city becomes a vital civilian shelter after the outbreak of armed conflict.
Pearl Studio’s animated fantasy comedy “All Wishes Come True!” It finished fourth, collecting $4.3 million in its 12th weekend. Directed by Mu Zhengyang, the film has surpassed the RMB 2 billion milestone, grossing $302.2 million since its premiere on July 18.
Rounding out the top five is CMC Pictures’ crime action thriller sequel “Go for Broke 2,” which debuted with $4.2 million in its two-day opening frame. Since its release on October 3, the film has grossed $4.2 million, including preview screenings. Written and directed by Marc Ma (“Go for Broke”), the gritty revenge action film stars Isabella Leong, Wen Junhui (of K-pop boy band Seventeen) and martial arts icon Sammo Hung. This story follows a grieving mother who teams up with another grieving parent to track down a ruthless criminal organization responsible for sacrificing children.
With theatrical activities ramping up due to the National Day holiday, Mainland China’s overall weekend box office reached $74.1 million. Year-to-date box office revenue is $4.52 billion, down 29.7% compared to the same period in 2025.