The long-awaited Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 will make its debut in Singapore’s cinemas on Mar 6, film distributor Encore Films announced in an Instagram post on Saturday (Feb 22).

“Nezha returns and it’s breaking Chinese film box office records! Nezha 2 officially hits cinemas across Singapore on Mar 6,” said Encore Films in their caption.

Ne Zha 2, released on Jan 29 in China, overtook Pixar's American animated coming-of-age film Inside Out 2 to become the highest-grossing animated film globally, making more than 12.3 billion yuan (S$2.2 billion) to date, according to ticketing platform Maoyan. 

“It is now the highest-grossing non-English film, the highest-grossing animated film, and the 8th highest-grossing film worldwide!” said Encore Films. 

The film is a sequel to the 2019 film Ne Zha which depicts a demonic child, Nezha, cursed to live only three years. He is shunned by society but ends up saving his village from being destroyed. 

Encore Films added: “(Ne Zha 2’s) story follows Nezha and Ao Bing (the Dragon King’s third son from Ne Zha 1) as they struggle against formidable enemies after surviving the catastrophe.”

The films are loosely based on the 16th-century novel Investiture Of The Gods.

Encore Films also posted a screenshot of Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Chow Stephen Chow’s Instagram post where he recently dressed as Nezha in anticipation for Ne Zha 2 and tagged him. 

They said in the post in Mandarin: “We would like to invite you to Southeast Asia to watch Ne Zha 2. If you say yes, we will buy plane tickets and book the hotel now.”

Ne Zha 2’s director Yang Yu, also known as Jiaozi ("dumpling" in Mandarin), said in a past interview that he was a longtime fan of Chow.

He said that Chow’s films had also inspired several comedic scenes in Ne Zha 2.