The film Pegasus 3 from China is quickly ascending the popularity rankings.
The latest film is a continuation of the series that began with Pegasus in 2019 and was followed by Pegasus 2 in 2024. All three films in this live-action series have been both directed and written by Han Han, featuring Teng Shen as the racing protagonist Zhang Chi.
According to Deadline, as of Saturday morning, Pegasus 3, the sequel to the Chinese racing series, is projected to rake in $400 million over a 6-day opening in China during the New Year holiday period. This impressive figure will establish it as the first film of 2026 to cross the $400 million mark globally, significantly surpassing the year’s earlier top performer, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, which accumulated $125.8 million.
The success of Pegasus 3 means it is on track to surpass the total earnings of its predecessor in less than a week. Despite Pegasus 2 being the 16th highest-grossing film worldwide in 2024 with a total of $423.2 million, it did not outperform other notable films such as Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ($452 million), the first part of Wicked ($757.9 million), and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 ($1.699 billion).
This achievement signifies another consecutive year where the Chinese New Year has generated a historic surge in box office revenues.
In 2025, the release of Ne Zha 2 during the holiday frame brought in $430.3 million and became the first film ever to gross over $1 billion in a single market. Its total earnings of $2.26 billion made it the top-grossing animated film in history and the fifth highest-grossing film globally.
Whether Pegasus 3 can emulate the success of Ne Zha II is still uncertain. However, if it follows a similar path, it might potentially amass $2.1 billion globally by the end of its theatrical run. Even with a potential slow down in earnings, it looks poised to become the second film ever to exceed $1 billion in a single market.
The total earnings for Pegasus 3 are still to be finalized, but it might be a while before this film faces serious competition from any major English-language releases of 2026. Although there are several anticipated blockbusters on the horizon, including Toy Story 5, a live-action remake of Moana, and Minions & Monsters, none are expected before The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premieres in April.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
