Dear You Tops China Weekend Box Office

China’s box office shifted gears after the May Day holiday, and Dear You seized the lead.

Data cited by Artisan Gateway shows the Jinant Film & TV family drama earned RMB62.6 million, or about $9.2 million, over the May 8–10 weekend. The film opened on April 30 as part of the crowded May Day holiday lineup, and its climb to the top spot suggests it kept drawing audiences even after the holiday rush cooled.

The result matters because post-holiday weekends often reveal which releases have real staying power. Holiday periods can lift many films at once, but the days that follow tend to favor titles with broader word-of-mouth appeal. In that environment, a family drama taking the top position stands out, especially against imported franchise competition and a market that can change quickly from week to week.

The post-holiday frame often strips away the holiday boost and shows which films can keep audiences coming back.

Mortal Kombat II arrived in the same frame, adding a high-profile new option for moviegoers. The available signal does not provide its weekend total here, but its debut gave the market a clear contrast: a local family drama with momentum versus a globally recognized action brand entering fresh. That split offers an early read on audience taste as the holiday slate gives way to a more regular release pattern.

The next few days will show whether Dear You can turn a strong weekend into a longer run. Its cumulative total has continued to build since release, reports indicate, and exhibitors will now watch for weekday resilience and any shift caused by new arrivals. For China’s film business, this stretch matters because it tests whether local dramas can hold attention beyond a holiday spike and anchor the market on their own.