Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 — the highest-grossing animated film of all time — has begun screening in cinemas across the Middle East, captivating audiences with its universally resonant storytelling, mythic grandeur, and cutting-edge visual craftsmanship.

At its Dubai premiere on Tuesday, nearly 200 moviegoers gathered to experience modern animation, presented in Chinese with both English and Arabic subtitles.

"I saw incredible visuals that surpass even Hollywood's standards. I hope it can become No 1 at the global box office," said Mohamed Al Mubarak, as his two children gave enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Though I don't understand Chinese, the subtitles helped me fully engage with the story."

Starting from Thursday, an Arabic-dubbed version — blending standard Arabic with Saudi, Egyptian and other regional dialects — will hit major cinemas across the United Arab Emirates.

"It's truly a family-friendly film," Mubarak said, adding that he plans to watch it again with his children in the Arabic version. "We can focus more deeply on the plot."

Ne Zha 2 draws from a beloved mythological figure, Nezha, a revered protective deity. Its screenplay is adapted from the 16th-17th-century classic The Investiture of the Gods, one of the earliest major literary works to weave Taoist and Buddhist concepts of "deities" and "demons".

Written and directed by Yang Yu, known professionally as Jiaozi, Ne Zha 2 has already claimed three historic titles: The highest-grossing animated film ever, the fifth-highest-grossing film of any genre globally and the top-earning non-English-language film in history.

Since hitting the big screen during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday in January, it has shattered multiple box office records, becoming the first film to cross $1 billion in a single market.

It has so far made $2.2 billion at the global box office, including $20 million in the United States and Canada alone.

As a teenager who is studying Chinese, Munzer Al Malkani said he had eagerly awaited the film after hearing friends rave about it all year. "Ne Zha 2 is absolutely in high standards. I cannot wait to watch Ne Zha 3. If possible, if I get the chance, I'd love to visit China and see its majestic scenery in person."

Shared value

"There is a line in the movie that goes, 'My fate is determined by my own hands, not by heaven'," said Ou Boqian, China's consul-general in Dubai. "This perfectly embodies the Chinese spirit — a refusal to submit to fate — and it's a value the UAE shares. I hope the film will spark broader interests in Chinese culture."

Distributed by Dubai-based PBA Entertainment and backed by Chinese embassies, consulates and cultural centers, the movie opened in Saudi Arabia last month and has also rolled out to Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar this month.

"We've seen Chinese products expand abroad in waves. Now it's time for cultural exports," said PBA Chairman Shi Kejun. "The Middle East is very supportive of Chinese industries and full of promotional potential. I'm confident we'll soon see more Chinese films not only screening here but even being filmed here."

Saudi animation veteran Malik Nejer, who supervised the Arabic version, said selecting different dialects for rival clans helped newcomers navigate a world rooted in Chinese folklore.

"Many Arab viewers don't know Chinese mythology," he told Xinhua News Agency. "So we matched each on-screen tribe with a distinct Arabic dialect. It guides the audience through the plot and mirrors the linguistic diversity of our own region."

He also said that when concepts had no exact equivalent, the team searched for cultural parallels, "letting viewers feel an instant connection".

*The content of the above article is from China Daily, which was updated on July 17, 2025.