File photo shows Hollywood sign. (AFP Photo)
BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- As the homegrown live-action animation "Monster Hunt" hit the record for highest-grossing film in China, Hollywood felt the pressure from Chinese locally-made movies.
At the weekend, "Monster Hunt" had overtaken "Fast and Furious 7" to hit No. 1 on the all-time list in China. The fantasy has been a runaway hit in the world's most populous nation, sitting atop the box-office charts for four weeks in a row and breaking numerous records, including the fastest film to hit 1 billion yuan.
The Chinese flick has taken in 2.428 billion yuan (380.95 million U.S. dollars) since its July debut, overtaking Furious 7's 2.426 billion yuan, making it the first local film in two decades to hold the top spot.
According to the Guardian, the film's success comes at a sensitive time for Hollywood, which now expects to see its home North American box office overtaken by China's in 2018, a full two years earlier than expected.
At the same time, American-made movies have made more than 1.5 billion dollars at the Chinese box office in 2015, providing a welcome boost for the world's most famous film industry.
