China’s Box Office Bombs Despite End of ‘Zero Covid’

China has recorded its lowest box office takings for a New Year holiday since 2016 — despite abandoning its harsh “zero-Covid” policy — as a limited number of premieres left moviegoers with few options.

During the three-day break, which ended Monday, the country’s movie theaters raked in 553 million yuan ($80 million) in ticket sales, representing a year-on-year slump of 45.8%, according to statistics from the National Film Industry Development Special Fund Management Commission (NFIDSFMC).