The highly anticipated animated film Ne Zha 2 is set to premiere in theaters across the United States starting February 12. The film, which has generated significant buzz, will gradually roll out in multiple locations, bringing Chinese mythology to international audiences.

In the heart of New York City, the film's striking billboard in Times Square has drawn attention from passersby, highlighting the global appeal of Chinese animated productions.

The global total earnings of Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2, including presales and overseas revenue, have surpassed 10 billion yuan (about $1.39 billion), according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan as of Thursday evening.

This milestone comes on the 16th day since the film's release during the Chinese New Year on Jan 29.

This achievement adds to a growing list of records for the film, which became the first film to gross $1 billion in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.

No film in history has delivered a bigger gross in a single country. The record was previously held by Star Wars: Episode VI - The Force Awakens, which made $936 million in North America around a decade ago. According to Maoyan, Ne Zha 2 could hit the $2 billion milestone in China alone. These kinds of numbers are truly unprecedented.