Animated films - fertile ground

To date, Vietnam's only animated film is "Wolfoo and the Mysterious Island," which was released in theaters in 2023.

This film only grossed just over 5 billion VND, not enough to attract investors' attention and encourage them to confidently invest in animated films.

"Nezha 2: The Devil Child's Uproar in the Sea," directed by Shui Gao, was released in Chinese theaters during the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake and, as of February 19th, had grossed over 12.3 billion yuan (over 1.68 billion USD). This film surpassed "Inside Out 2" (which grossed 1.46 billion USD globally), becoming the highest-grossing animated film in the world to date.

Hollywood was stunned.

"Nezha 2: The Devil Child in the Sea" is an impressive work of Chinese animation, surpassing a series of Hollywood animated films – something few people thought would happen. This is because Hollywood has many large animation studios, owning famous brands that are loved by audiences in many countries.

The film "Nezha 2: The Devil Child Causes Havoc in the Sea". Photo: Xinhua News Agency

Prior to "Nezha 2: The Devil Child in the Sea," Chinese animation had successfully built the "Kung Fu Panda" brand, featuring characters and set in China. "Kung Fu Panda" was released in 2008 and achieved massive global box office success. Then, in 2015, "Monkey King: Hero is Back" was released, grossing $153 million.

However, these were just isolated glimmers of hope, as subsequent highly anticipated films failed to make an impact. Chinese audiences had to wait until 2019 to enjoy "Nezha: The Devil Child Reborn," a film that grossed $742.5 million. By 2025, "Nezha 2: The Devil Child's Uproar in the Sea" will elevate Chinese animation to new heights in terms of revenue, astonishing Hollywood.

Notably, "Nezha 2: The Devil Child in the Sea" garnered high revenue, with 99% coming from the domestic market, raising great expectations for the country's animation industry. Revenue is expected to continue to increase as the film continues to be shown in domestic theaters and is screened more frequently in international markets.

Beyond the meticulously detailed special effects, the two films about Nezha feature captivating and creative storytelling, conveying a humanistic message. Part 1 tells the legendary tale of Nezha – a boy who rose up against imposed fate and prejudices when people refused to live peacefully with those considered different. Part 2 continues Nezha's story, successively overthrowing rules and prejudices, affirming that good or evil is not related to race. The films also address other contemporary issues.

Great potential, abundant resources.

The success of the two Nezha films in particular, and the breakthrough of Chinese animation in general, shows that animation holds a significant place in world cinema. In Vietnam, many viewers also love animation, but until now they could only enjoy films from foreign countries such as Hollywood and Japan.

At the "Investment and Commercialization of Animation" workshop – part of the 1st Animation Film Festival "Aspiration" series in 2024 – Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hai, Content Director of CJ CGV Vietnam, regretfully stated: "Hollywood considers Vietnam the land of animation, because all Hollywood and European films released in our country achieve very good revenue. We are losing opportunities in our own country, despite having a market recognized by Hollywood."

Vietnam has great potential and no shortage of material, possessing a treasure trove of folk tales, myths, and history, with many characters capable of creating impressive animated stories. Vietnam also has a young, skilled workforce with animation techniques that are on par with foreign countries. Many production companies even undertake subcontracting for large Hollywood projects.

Unfortunately, to date, Vietnam's animation industry has only had its first film, "Wolfoo and the Mysterious Island," released in 2023. This film grossed just over 5 billion VND, which wasn't enough to attract investors and reassure them to invest in animated films.

Explaining this, many opinions suggest that Vietnamese animation is still limited in many aspects, such as a lack of investment funding, uncreative scripts, and a lack of collaboration between producers. Many insiders believe that Vietnamese commercial animation is still in its early stages and needs more time to produce "Nezha" or "Journey to the West" like China.

At the recent launch of the "Vietnam Association of Visual Effects and Animation" (VAVA), Mr. Doan Tran Anh Tuan - Director of Colory Animation Studio and Vice President of VAVA - stated that the success of the film about Nezha is the sweet fruit of many years of cultivation. Animation is a part of cinema, and while Chinese cinema is thriving, it has a diverse ecosystem and a wealth of talent.

"Vietnam has the skills to make animated films, but lacks the necessary cultivation. Production companies mainly develop individually, without much investment. To achieve a breakthrough, there needs to be closer collaboration and coordination between units. You have to sow the seeds before you can reap the sweet fruits," Mr. Tuan said, using an analogy.

Both Nezha films took five years to produce. "Nezha 2: The Devil Child in the Sea" cost 600 million yuan and involved over 4,000 people. Producer Liu Wenzhang stated that the number of characters in this film is three times that of the previous installment. The film has over 2,400 scenes, including more than 1,900 scenes with special effects. For such grand animated productions, requiring such significant manpower and resources, only teamwork can create the overall strength and deliver an impressive product.

According to experts, Vietnamese animation is in its early stages. The establishment of VAVA is expected to create a forum for connecting, sharing, and promoting cooperation between domestic and international experts; protecting the rights of studios and individuals in the industry; and supporting the resolution of issues related to copyright, contracts, and quality standards. Everyone hopes that this will be a stepping stone, creating momentum, strength, and confidence for Vietnamese animation to develop further in the future.

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