The total box office for the 2026 Chinese New Year film season (including pre-sales) has surpassed 1 billion yuan ($144.7 million) on Tuesday, the first day of the Chinese New Year, with Pegasus 3 temporarily ranking first on the holiday box office chart, followed by Scare Out and Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector, according to CCTV News on Tuesday.

The lineup for the 2026 Chinese New Year features a diverse mix of genres and themes, including comedy, action, animation, and science fiction.

Currently, Pegasus 3 leads with over 400 million yuan at the box office. The film, starring Chinese actor Shen Teng, continues to focus on the challenges faced by a race car driver. At the same time, it resonates with contemporary anxieties and dilemmas in an era of rapid AI development.

The film Scare Out, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Jackson Yee (Yi Yangqianxi) and Zhu Yilong, has so far earned 152 million yuan. The film tells the story of a national security team investigating a major intelligence leak, as tensions escalate during the investigation.

In addition, the much-anticipated martial arts film Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert, starring Wu Jing, has garnered more than 85 million yuan. Jackie Chan's Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe has grossed over 43 million yuan at the box office.

Many Chinese netizens shared photos of their movie tickets on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Sina Weibo, saying that watching films on the first day of the Chinese New Year, families went together to the cinema to enjoy festive films and welcome the Year of the Horse.