Dirty Monkeys' war comedy-drama "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" maintained the No. 1 position at the mainland China box office during the Aug. 21-23 weekend, according to data from Artisan Gateway. The film earned RMB298.8 million ($43.9 million) in its second weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $232.2 million since its Aug. 11 nationwide release.
The film, directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming, Aarif Rahman, and Omar Sherif, follows a Chinese chef who relocates to the Middle East to manage a restaurant and pay off family debts. The venue becomes a refuge for the community when armed conflict erupts across the region.
Pearl River Film Group's crime drama "V" debuted in second place, collecting $18.9 million over the three-day weekend. The film reached $30.7 million in cumulative earnings, bolstered by early screenings following its Aug. 19 premiere. Directed by Han Yan, the film features an ensemble cast led by Tony Ka Fai Leung, Zhu Yilong, Tan Jianci, and Kara Wai. The narrative depicts an ambitious figure who uses determination and enterprise to rise to success before facing dark consequences and long-buried conflicts that threaten his position.
Universal's epic "The Odyssey" took third place in its second weekend with $15.9 million, bringing its total to $68.7 million. Pearl Studio's animated fantasy "All Wishes Come True!" moved to fourth in its sixth weekend with $9.8 million, accumulating $255.7 million since its July 18 debut.
Sony's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" rounded out the top five with $4.6 million in its fourth full weekend, lifting its China total to $219.9 million. Mainland China's overall weekend grosses reached $103.1 million, while 2026 year-to-date revenue stands at $4 billion, down 28.6% from the same period in 2025.
