As the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" gains unprecedented popularity across the country, its merchandise, from popcorn buckets to plush toys to figure dolls, caused a shopping frenzy, with many popular items selling out as soon as they hit the shelves.
The film, which was released during the Spring Festival holiday, has shattered multiple box office records, becoming the first film to cross 1 billion U.S. dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.

As the box office for "Ne Zha 2" continues to climb, many businesses have seized the opportunity to capitalize on the film's popularity through its merchandise.

At a cinema in Shanghai, popcorn tubs, beverages, and other products featuring characters from the animated movie are in high demand, with many of them sold out within days of their release, according to a cinema staff member.

"We have launched several products, such as cups featuring characters Ne Zha, Ao Bing, and Taiyi Zhenren. These products have all sold out and are in short supply," said Zhang Guoqiang, deputy manager of the cinema.

At a Beijing store of Pop Mart, a Chinese toy brand known for its blind boxes, resin figure dolls based on the film characters were prominently displayed. Because of their high popularity, these products are now flying off the shelves, and the next batch won't be available until July.

Jiang Chuan, leader of the figure doll design project, said that product development began long before the film's release, and the products were made with advanced technology and best production lines.

"We started working with the movie's creative team over a year in advance, so we can launch the final products at the same time the film was released," said Jiang.

To meet the surging demand, a figure doll factory in south China's Guangdong Province is now operating at full capacity to produce "Ne Zha 2" merchandise. Thanks to newly upgraded production lines, the factory is able to produce dolls with better texture and details.

"Previously, our dolls were spray painted just once, but this time, they were painted for multiple times. The dolls are carefully inspected under a magnifying glass to ensure there are no flaws, and there is a significant improvement in detail and smoothness of dolls," said Huang Wanmao, head of the factory.

Currently, the development of new merchandise for "Ne Zha 2" is in full swing, with more co-branded products set to hit the market soon.