Stephen Chow’s latest film, Kung Fu Soccer, has demonstrated remarkable strength at the Chinese box office during its second week of release. According to data from Artisan Gateway, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the film earned 501,1 juta yuan (approximately Rp1,32 trillion) between July 17 and July 19. This performance brought its total revenue to more than 1,46 miliar yuan (approximately Rp3,86 trillion) in just nine days.
Maoyan Projects Kung Fu Soccer Revenue Targets
The film’s commercial success is notable for defying the typical market trend in China, where box office earnings usually drop by half during the second week. Instead, Kung Fu Soccer surpassed its opening week performance, which recorded 500,3 juta yuan. This success was achieved despite competition from other titles, such as the animated film All Wishes Come True, which earned 207,8 juta yuan in its first two days after debuting on July 18, reaching a total of 269 juta yuan including preview sessions.
The film’s rollout was unconventional, as it proceeded without a massive, traditional marketing campaign. Stephen Chow announced the release date through a social media video in late June, with the film arriving in theaters less than three weeks later. Following this momentum, the platform Maoyan has increased its total revenue projection for the film to 3 miliar yuan, up from an initial estimate of 2,5 miliar yuan. This figure approaches the record set by Chow’s 2016 film, The Mermaid, which earned 3,39 miliar yuan.
For more on this story, see Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer Spinoff Projected to Earn $350M; US Release Planned.
Zhang Xiaofei and Dilraba Dilmurat Lead the Shaolin Soccer Revival
Kung Fu Soccer revives the concept of Shaolin Soccer but centers on an all-female team. The story follows a women’s soccer team on a journey to win a championship. The cast features Zhang Xiaofei as the team captain, Dilraba Dilmurat as the star striker, and Lay Zhang as the team’s kung fu coach. While this is the fourth feature film directed by Chow, he does not appear as a lead actor, having moved his focus entirely to filmmaking. The supporting cast and guest appearances include Hong Kong icon Carina Lau, Japanese star Takeru Satoh, former Chinese national women’s team goalkeeper Zhao Lina, and American comedian Jimmy O. Yang.
Seo Kyung Duk Criticizes Ewha Women’s Soccer Team Depiction
Controversy has also emerged regarding the film’s depiction of a South Korean women’s soccer team. The film features a team called the Ewha Women's Soccer Team,
which is viewed as a direct reference to Ewha Womans University in Seoul. In the film, the team is portrayed as using hard fouls and deceptive tactics. Critics, including online reviewers cited by The Korea Herald, have noted that the players are depicted with negative stereotypes, such as wearing large contact lenses and prioritizing makeup over the match. Furthermore, the Korean dialogue was criticized for sounding awkward and exaggerated.
Professor Seo Kyung Duk of Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul has been among the most vocal critics, arguing that even as a work of fiction, such depictions can reinforce misunderstandings and stereotypes. He linked the case to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, noting that a short film titled Fly! Light on the Ice also faced criticism for depicting Korean athletes committing repeated fouls.
This follows our earlier report, Singapore’s Encore Films Secures Global (Ex-China) Rights to Shaolin Soccer Sequel-Chow Yun-fat’s Directorial Debut Since 2019 Starring Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat & Lay Zhang!.
Following its success in China, international distribution is being handled by the Singapore-based company Encore Films. The scheduled release dates are as follows: Singapore on August 6, Malaysia on August 13, the Philippines on August 19, and Thailand on August 20.
Sources: Cnnindonesia, Kompas.com.
Worth a look