Since its release, Ne Zha 2: The Devil’s Rage Over the Sea has shattered box office records, grossing over 13.7 billion yuan (approximately $1.9 billion) worldwide as of February 24, including earnings from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas markets. This places it 8th on the all-time global box office chart and crowns it the highest-grossing animated film in history. Remarkably, the film surged from 10 billion to 13.7 billion yuan in just 10 days！
While the majority of its revenue comes from mainland China, Ne Zha 2 has also captivated international audiences. After debuting in the U.S., Australia, and other countries, the film earned rave reviews, prompting cinemas worldwide to expand screenings to meet soaring demand.
According to projections by DeepSeek and other analysts, if the current growth rate holds, Ne Zha 2 could gross between 15.2 billion and 17.3 billion yuan globally, potentially securing a spot in the top five—or even top three—highest-grossing films of all time.
What’s the Story of Ne Zha 2?
A sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Ne Zha: Birth of the Demon Child, Ne Zha 2 adapts characters from the 16th-century Chinese classic Investiture of the Gods. The story follows the supernatural hero Ne Zha as he battles to protect his homeland, Chen Tang Pass.
In The Devil’s Rage Over the Sea, Ne Zha and his friend Ao Bing survive a heavenly calamity but are left with crumbling physical bodies. The deity Taiyi Zhenren attempts to rebuild their forms using a mystical Seven-Colored Lotus. However, the villain Shen Gongbao unleashes the Four Sea Dragon Kings, plunging the Eastern Seas into chaos. To save Chen Tang Pass, Ne Zha confronts the Dragon Kings while also embarking on a quest to the Jade Void Palace to obtain the Nectar of Immortality, which could restore Ao Bing’s body. Amid clashes with foes like the Infinite Immortal Elder, Ne Zha grows stronger, ultimately harnessing the power of Samadhi True Fire to complete his physical form and embrace his destiny as humanity’s protector.
Why Has Ne Zha 2 Achieved Such Success?
1. Storytelling Excellence
A film’s success hinges on its content, and Ne Zha 2 delivers. It boldly reimagines Chinese mythology while preserving its core themes. Characters—heroes and villains alike—are richly developed, driven by complex motives that blur traditional lines of good and evil. The film’s focus on rebellion against fate, familial bonds, and self-determination resonates deeply in today’s world. Director “Jiaozi” (Yang Yu) poured his own defiance into the project, echoing Ne Zha’s iconic line: “My fate is mine to command, not heaven’s decree”—a rallying cry for those pushing against life’s pressures.
2. Family Fun Galore
Ne Zha 2 transcends age boundaries and is a hit with audiences of all ages. Whether young or old, everyone finds it captivating. In fact, numerous families head to the cinema as a unit, making it a perfect outing for the whole clan.
3. Exquisite Craftsmanship
Whether it's the music, the characters, the special effects, or the plot and visuals, Ne Zha 2 seamlessly integrates traditional Chinese culture with modern aesthetics. It is imbued with the charm of Eastern aesthetics, presenting the audience with an ultimate audio-visual extravaganza.
The film boasts over 2,400 shots, including 1,900 VFX sequences—triple the number of characters from the first installment. Scenes like the underwater chain system, involving real-time rendering of 3,000 dynamic chains, and the multilayered “magma fluid” effects (painstakingly refined over 60 iterations) showcase the team’s technical brilliance.
4. Brand Power
Building on the massive fanbase and critical acclaim of its predecessor, Ne Zha 2 entered the market with sky-high anticipation.
In an era of rushed sequels, director Jiaozi and his team prioritized quality over speed. They didn't rush to release the second installment just because "Ne Zha 1" achieved remarkable success. Instead, they took their time to meticulously polish the work. With an attitude of perseverance, grit, focus, and a pursuit of perfection, they delved deeply into their work day after day and year after year. In the end, they brought us new surprises with the film Ne Zha 2 and wrote their own legend.
Behind-the-Scenes Stories of Ne Zha 2
The Making of the "Heart Extraction Curse"
Director Jiaozi explained that Ne Zha’s iconic scene of "cutting flesh and returning bones" is a classic moment in Chinese mythology. To reinterpret it with modern artistic sensibilities while preserving its essence, the team overcame numerous creative and technical challenges.
The VFX artists revealed that the director’s vision was to make the Heart Extraction Curse "viscerally painful at first glance," with the curse "growing and spreading outward from his heart." Their inspiration came from security glass shards embedded in walls—jagged, dense, and eerily glimmering.
When depicting Ne Zha’s body being torn apart in the film, executive producer Liu Pan faced a unique dilemma: "If Ne Zha splits open, what’s inside him? He’s made of lotus roots!" Director Jiaozi’s solution was to visualize his core as flowing lava—a blend of beauty and raw power.
The sequence required over 1,000 motion controllers, 600 fragmented flesh simulations, and realistic tearing effects for hair, skin, and clothing. This 10-second scene in the film took the team nearly a year to perfect, resulting in a groundbreaking visual spectacle.
The Nightmare of Animating "A Million Demon Beasts in Chains"
The director said that millions of demonic beasts should be bound with iron chains. These iron chains should be chaotic yet orderly, not intersecting with each other in the model, and also look good, fluttering in the air like strands of hair in the wind.
The executive producer Chen Changjiang tried to refuse, saying, "Once these iron chains are added, we can't guarantee the production cycle." However, the superior team said, "There are still many difficult parts besides the iron chains."
The production team was very helpless, so they gritted their teeth and said, "Then let's do it!" They embraced the task, painstakingly animating each chain frame by frame to avoid clipping and ensure fluid motion. And finally presented us with such a stunning visual scene in the film.
If you want to know more behind-the-scenes stories, you can directly search for its documentary online: 《哪吒2》幕后纪录片《不破不立》.
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