Bi Gan’s “Resurrection” tops China’s box office with $16.5M, beating “Demon Slayer.”
China’s box office saw a rare arthouse victory over the weekend as Bi Gan’s hypnotic drama Resurrection opened at No. 1 with an impressive $16.5 million (116.8 million RMB).
The film, starring Shu Qi and Jackson Yee, surpassed strong competition, including the anime juggernaut Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which finished second with $15.6 million.
The achievement marks a significant moment for arthouse cinema in a market largely dominated by commercial blockbusters and nationalistic tentpoles. Resurrection, Bi Gan’s third feature, has been surrounded by growing anticipation since its acclaimed premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film earned glowing reviews from critics and received a rare “special prize” from the Cannes jury led by Juliette Binoche. Following the festival buzz, Janus Films acquired North American distribution rights and is set to release the movie in U.S. theaters on December 12.
Resurrection’s strong opening shows that Bi Gan maintains a passionate young fanbase despite previous controversy surrounding his 2019 hit Long Day’s Journey Into Night. That film debuted with a record-breaking $37.9 million on New Year’s Day but faced backlash after its marketing campaign sold it as a romantic date movie, despite its challenging arthouse style.
The uproar triggered a major debate about film marketing in China, but it didn’t diminish Bi Gan’s status as one of the nation’s most celebrated auteurs.
This time, however, the box office numbers reflect genuine enthusiasm for Bi Gan’s unconventional storytelling. Ticketing platform Maoyan currently projects the film to surpass at least $30 million in China — a strong figure for a director known for dreamlike pacing, evocative visuals, and nonlinear narratives.
Meanwhile, holdover Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle continues its successful run in China, earning $79.3 million to date since premiering November 14. The Lionsgate release Now You See Me: Now You Don’t placed third over the weekend, adding $7 million for a local total of $34.1 million.
Bi Gan, who emerged globally with his 2015 debut Kaili Blues, has earned comparisons to auteurs like Andrei Tarkovsky thanks to his exploration of time, memory, and dream logic.
His films are known for long takes, fluid camera movements, and poetic structures that blend reality with imagination. With Resurrection, critics say he has reached a new level of ambition.
The film is divided into six chapters, each representing a different human sense — vision, sound, taste, smell, touch, and mind. The story follows a supernatural entity called “the Phantasm,” portrayed by Jackson Yee, who moves through different cinematic eras, from silent film to noir to contemporary realism.
Shu Qi co-stars in a luminous performance that anchors the film’s emotional core.
Upon its Cannes premiere, critics praised Resurrection as a bold love letter to the art of filmmaking. Many highlighted its sweeping visual metaphors, daring structure, and deep reverence for cinema’s past and future.
With its successful debut in China, Bi Gan’s latest achievement reinforces that artistically daring films can still resonate widely — even in an increasingly commercialized marketplace.
