[imagesource: Mahua Funage]

A Chinese sci-fi comedy about an astronaut who believes he’s the last human alive has sent China’s box office to new heights.

Moon Man, directed by Zhang Chiyu of the hit-making comedy troop Mahua FunAge, had box office sales rocket to $130 million over the weekend.

That makes it the biggest movie in the world right now, according to Business Insider.

In comparison to the US, DC’s League of Super Pets came nowhere near that, topping the US box office with $23 million over the weekend, or $41 million when accounting for international markets.

Variety reported that Moon Man pretty much “helped the China box office to escape gravity”:

One of the most anticipated Chinese blockbusters of the year, more than 1.4 million movie fans rated Moon Man as a “want to see” on China’s online ticking platforms prior to its release…

Film crews laid 200 tons of sand and gravel across a 6,000-square-meter space spanning 15 studios and built a full scale model of a lunar base. Approximately 95% of “Moon Man” shots use special and visual effects.

The sci-fi hit is about an astronaut who figures he’s “the last human in the universe” after being stranded on the moon and watching an asteroid wipe out life on Earth.

Here’s the trailer with English subtitles:

Apparently, there’s a kangaroo and a love interest that comes into play at some point, too.

The film has delighted both Chinese critics and international moviegoers, earning social scores of 9,4 from Maoyan and 9,5 on Taopiaopiao.

Edwin Tan, CEO of IMAX China, said that Moon Man “marks a critical milestone in the recovery of the film industry this year as well as a major step forward in the production of Chinese sci-fi blockbusters”.

The Chinese film industry has been hindered by all kinds of COVID-19-related roadblocks.

Artisan Gateway also revealed that China’s year-to-date box office total, which stands at $3,09 billion now, is still lagging behind 2021 by 33%, but the stellar start by Moon Man will help the market course correct quite nicely.

[sources:businessinsider&variety]