For the fifth consecutive frame, Dirty Monkeys' 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' remained the undisputed champion at the mainland China box office. The film, directed by Wen Muye ('Dying to Survive') and starring Shen Teng, Jiang Qiming, Aarif Rahman, and Omar Sherif, added RMB52.9 million ($7.8 million) over the September 11–13 weekend. This late-summer hit, which premiered on August 11, now boasts a cumulative gross of $318.4 million. Its compelling narrative follows a Chinese chef who travels to the Middle East to open an eatery, only for it to become a crucial sanctuary for civilians and orphans amidst regional armed conflict.

Taking second place was Pearl River Film Group’s crime thriller 'V,' which secured $4.7 million in its fourth weekend of release. Directed by Han Yan ('Love Never Ends') and featuring an all-star cast including Tony Leung Ka-fai, Zhu Yilong, Tan Jianci, and Kara Wai, the gritty production has accumulated $84.1 million since its August 19 debut.

In third, Pearl Studio’s animated fantasy comedy 'All Wishes Come True!' demonstrated remarkable longevity, pulling in $4 million in its ninth frame. Directed by Mu Zhengyang, this family favorite has now amassed a cumulative total of $283.4 million since its July 18 premiere.

Universal’s 'The Odyssey' landed in fourth place, marking a significant achievement by crossing the $100 million threshold in China. The film added $3.5 million over the weekend, pushing its cumulative total to $102.9 million. This milestone places 'The Odyssey' comfortably ahead of Christopher Nolan's other releases in China, including 'Oppenheimer,' 'Tenet,' and 'Inception.' It now stands as Nolan’s second-highest-grossing film in the territory, trailing only 'Interstellar,' which earned $122 million.

Rounding out the top five was Phoenix Legend Films’ time-bending fantasy romance 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday,' which debuted with $1.7 million over its first two days. Directed by Xiang Guoqiang and adapted from Takafumi Nanatsuki’s Japanese novel, the film stars Bi Wenjun as an architectural restorer who falls for medical student He Landou, only to discover their timelines flow in opposite directions, leaving them with a fleeting window of shared time.

Overall, mainland China’s weekend box office reached $28.8 million. The year-to-date box office for 2026 stands at $4.26 billion, reflecting a 27.6% decrease compared to the same period in 2025.