The massive physical sets and production facilities built for domestic blockbusters are becoming destinations, drawing visitors to filming locations and turning film infrastructure into an engine for local spending.

China's summer box office for 2026 had surpassed last year's total, crossing 12.44 billion yuan (about 1.85 billion U.S. dollars) as of 00:00 on Monday, according to online platform data. This marks the second consecutive year of growth for the summer season.

Among the standout titles is the Chinese anti-war film "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East," which follows a Chinese man working as a chef at a Chinese restaurant in the Middle East in the 2000s when war breaks out. The film has garnered widespread acclaim through solid word of mouth and robust box office performance.

Many viewers initially assumed that the war-torn Middle Eastern town, vast desert landscapes, and bustling restaurant seen on screen were filmed overseas. In fact, over 95 percent of the production was completed domestically.

Part of the film's immersive setting was shot in Shizuishan City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, while another portion was built as a full-scale physical set on the China Movie Metropolis in Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province.

Seventy percent of the film's scenes were constructed across the studio park, utilizing 14 sound stages and nine set construction workshops. Over four months, the production team built a 1:1 replica of nearly 200 buildings with Middle Eastern architectural styles, covering more than 100,000 square meters.

"The vehicle you see here is the one driven by the character 'Xu Fu' during filming. It was modified right in our sound stage," said Zhu Zhijie, a staff member at the China Movie Metropolis.

Following the film's release, the studio park has attracted a growing number of visitors.

"Our country's industrialized film production system is really powerful. I think this is a real demonstration of our progress in film industrialization," said Ren Yi, a visitor to the studio park.

The city of Qingdao has invested 210 million yuan to support film and television projects in playwriting, shooting, and distribution, promoting the development of a full-chain industry encompassing content creation, distribution, and merchandise development.
Local authorities have also rolled out initiatives such as the "ticket-stub economy," allowing consumers with film ticket stubs to enjoy discounts or unlock other benefits to boost consumption in the city.