"The Dumpling Queen" leads China's May Day box office

BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- China's May Day holiday box office revenue, including presales, had surpassed 400 million yuan (about 55.54 million U.S. dollars) as of Saturday morning, according to film data platform Maoyan, with Andrew Lau's "The Dumpling Queen" topping the chart.

The five-day holiday, running from May 1 to 5, is being led by this fact-based drama starring popular comedienne Ma Li. The film traces the journey of a Hong Kong street food vendor who becomes the founder of a household frozen food brand.

"The Dumpling Queen" has already grossed around 100 million yuan, and is projected to finish with earnings of approximately 387 million yuan in the Chinese mainland, according to Maoyan forecasts.

Second spot was filled by "A Gilded Game," a financial crime thriller from prolific Hong Kong director Herman Yau -- starring Andy Lau and Oho Ou. Centered on high-stakes fraud and market manipulation, the film has taken in roughly 70 million yuan so far.

Completing the top three on Saturday morning was Studio Ghibli's "Princess Mononoke," marking its first-ever theatrical release in the Chinese mainland. Originally released in Japan in 1997, this environmental epic is widely regarded as Hayao Miyazaki's breakout international hit.

While 2025 May Day box office growth is lagging behind the same period of the past two years, its diverse lineup has drawn varied audiences. ■