'Captain America must die in China': Nationalism fuels Ne Zha 2 fans

A chorus of praise is being sung around Ne Zha 2, the Chinese film about a mythical boy who battles demons, which has been newly crowned the world's highest-grossing animated film.

The box office triumph of the film - which has raked in 12.3bn yuan ($1.7bn; £1.4bn) - triggered a huge swell of national pride across the country.

But as patriotic Ne Zha 2 fans set their sights on further success, they are also keeping a close eye on critics of the movie, accusing them of being clout-chasing, paid "haters".

Also in the crosshairs of this nationalism is Captain America: Brave New World, the fourth movie of the superhero franchise, now seen as Ne Zha 2's rival.

"I don't care if Ne Zha 2 can survive overseas, but Captain America 4 must die in China," reads a popular slogan that has been repeated on multiple posts on social media.

In Chinese news outlets and social media, people are gloating over the lacklustre performance of the American blockbuster at China's box office. Of the $92m the film has made outside the US, only $10.6m has come from China, Hollywood's largest overseas market.

"It's not Captain America that's dying, but America that's dying," reads the title of an essay on an online forum analysing the movie's lack of appeal in China.

The author goes on to argue: "In reality, the US does not have superheroes and the US is not a peace-loving, peace-defending beacon for humanity."

One cinema in Sichuan province reportedly decided to hold off screenings of Captain America 4 in its theatres "in order to support Ne Zha 2".

Meanwhile, some are critical that Ne Zha 2, which premiered outside China this month, did not get enough screenings in North American cinemas. They have also accused American cinemas of showing other movies rather than the Chinese film.

Ne Zha 2 hit the screens in China on 29 January, among a string of high-profile movies designed to capture an annual surge of cinemagoers during the Lunar New Year holiday.

It quickly towered over the competition, crossing the $1bn milestone in less than two weeks - even more impressive considering China's sluggish economy.

Ne Zha 2 is being hailed as a symbol of progress in Chinese film and a sign that domestic productions can rival Hollywood blockbusters at the box office.

Previous domestic box office hits have tended to be patriotic, action films such as The Battle of Lake Changjin, a 2021 propaganda film about the 1950s Korean War, which held the record for China's highest-grossing film until Ne Zha 2 broke it.

While Hollywood films usually see their revenues spread across different regions, more than 99% of Ne Zha 2's box office earnings are coming from China - where the animation has become a litmus test for patriotism.

On social media, people say they have bought tickets to watch Ne Zha 2 multiple times. And those who have not watched the movie say they have to deal with snide remarks.

"A friend told me I was not patriotic, just because I did not watch Ne Zha 2," a social media user posted on Douyin, China's TikTok.

As cinemagoers took to social media to share their reviews of the movie, criticisms - from the lack of plot continuity to its awkward humour and anti-feminist undertones - were met with a barrage of dismissive comments.

"People like that are either clout-chasing, or are being paid," read one comment on Xiaohongshu, China's Instagram-like app.

Insults of this nature are not new, a Chinese social media user who has posted criticisms of Ne Zha 2 and experienced such backlash first-hand, tells the BBC. But the defensiveness surrounding the film is more pronounced because of its meteoric success, which has turned it into a proxy for the Chinese film industry.

In the eyes of these fans, who only see things in black and white, to criticise the movie is to side with Hollywood, they say.

"Everyone beware, there's currently a wave of haters swarming Ne Zha 2 with criticism online," another Xiaohongshu user commented, adding that the "premeditated" criticisms came from jealous individuals in either foreign or domestic film industries.

"With such a great movie, people are using their feet to vote. So they are turning to panic and slander. How despicable!" they wrote.

Ne Zha 2's huge success is helping introduce characters from Chinese mythology to new audiences around the world, and it's been praised for its script, special effects and the quality of animation. But the fact it has become a focal point for nationalist sentiment has led to some in China raising concerns about the growing political significance the film has taken on.

"Ne Zha 2 has become a cultural phenomenon, but I don't think this is entirely a good thing," reads a Xiaohongshu post reflecting on the sharpening debate over the movie.

"Criticising the plot flaws is equated to being unpatriotic; unreservedly condemning other films released in the same period; replacing deep discussion with a war between fans and haters ... This is definitely not a good cultural environment."