MUMBAI: The Magic Gourd, Walt Disney Company’s first locally produced full length motion picture in China has recorded a stellar performance at the Chinese box office taking in excess of $2 million as it enters its third week, making it the second highest grossing Chinese language picture for the year thus far.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group president Mark Zoradi said, “The overwhelmingly positive response to our first locally produced Disney branded picture in China reinforces the importance of the ongoing development of culturally relevant and appealing stories we can turn into Chinese language movies going forward.”

“We are thrilled with the performance of The Magic Gourd at the Chinese box office. By tapping into the local expertise of Centro Digital and China Film Group, Disney has brought to life a film that is clearly a hit with kids and families in China,” added The Walt Disney Company, Greater China executive vice president and managing director Stanley Cheung.

Disney’s The Magic Gourd, is a contemporary adaptation of a classic Chinese novel written in 1958 by one of the most celebrated authors of children’s literature in China – Zhang Tian Yi. The Chinese language film shot in live action features extensive special effects from Centro Digital (Hong Kong) as it tells the story of a boy who encounters the title character and embarks on a journey of self discovery.

“The second weekend drop was only 16 per cent, more importantly on its second Tuesday, the half price ticket day all across Chinese cinemas, our drop was less than 1 per cent from its first Tuesday. All these suggest a good buzz on the street about the movie and the first week audiences recommending more people to go out and see it,” added Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Asia Pacific senior vice president, sales, co-productions and acquisitions Jo Yan.

“We are looking forward to the rollout of the film to its second market, Hong Kong, in August,” said Yan.