Liongate's Now You See Me 2 has set an opening day record in China for the studio. The sequel to the 2013 original raked in $14.8 million on the first day of its release in the Middle Kingdom.
The film's two-day total was reported to be around $36.4 million with many industry analysts expecting the movie to easily surpass the $50 million mark after the weekend. Lionsgate's biggest ever opening in China was recorded in 2013 when Escape Plan scored $22.8 million.
Unofficial estimates reveal that Now You See 2 is the number one movie in China, easily beating Independence Day: Resurgence, which recorded $28 million on Saturday.
Now You See Me 2 is directed by Chinese-American director Jon M. Chu. The film features some Chinese-speaking characters and a handful of scenes set in China. Many agree that this might have helped propel the movie's popularity in the country. Moreover, as part of the film's promotion, director Chu and star Mark Ruffalo attended the red carpet premiere of the movie at the Beijing Wanda Theater.
The original Now You See, which was released in 2013, earned about $2 million during its opening day in China. The success of Now You See Me 2 is an important milestone for Lionsgate. The company claims that foreign sales have already covered nearly two-thirds of the films total production cost.
Now You See Me 2 features returning stars Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, and Lizzy Caplan.
The success of Now You See Me 2 shows just how important it is to have a local marketing partner in China. The film includes scenes shot on location in Macau. Lionsgate's local partner Leomus Pictures also did a pretty impressive promotional campaign.
