Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year box office takings flop with veteran filmmaker blaming residents travelling outside city for holiday

Ticket sales from the Lunar New Year’s eve on Friday to Tuesday amounted to nearly HK$49 million, a 24 per cent decline compared with last year

Veteran filmmaker predicts more gloom for sector, says lacklustre result is a warning that industry needs more self-reflection

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Movie-goers at a cinema in Causeway Bay. Hong Kong’s box office earnings for the Lunar New Year recorded a 24 per cent decline compared with last year. Photo: Sun Yeung

Published: 10:35pm, 14 Feb 2024Updated: 2:01am, 15 Feb 2024

Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year box office recorded a 24 per cent decline compared with the same festive period last year, with a veteran filmmaker blaming the lacklustre result on residents leaving the city for the break and predicting more gloom for the industry in the year ahead.

Revenue for all films from Lunar New Year’s Eve on Friday to the fourth day of the Lunar New Year on Tuesday amounted to HK$48.6 million (US$6.2 million), according to figures from Hong Kong Box Office Limited on Wednesday.

The earnings reflected a 23.98 per cent drop compared with the holiday period last year, which recorded a total revenue of HK$63.9 million.

This year’s top-grossing film over the holiday period was the ensemble comedy movie, Table for Six 2, a sequel to the 2022 hit film, which earned over HK$21 million from Friday to Tuesday.

Mirror member Keung To (left) in a scene from The Moon Thieves, which shot up to No 2 over the Lunar New Year.

Taking the second spot was the crime thriller The Moon Thieves, which raked in HK$11 million over the same period.