It’s already made over $1 billion in China, but the animated fantasy epic Ne Zha II is finally coming to movie theaters in the U.S. The smash hit of 2025 has been the number one movie in the world for a while now, but now, with a new version of the movie, complete with an English vocal dub, Ne Zha II is about to get even bigger. In fact, its current Rotten Tomatoes score is shockingly high.
Ne Zha II Rotten Tomatoes score
As of this writing, one day before it hits theaters in the U.S., Ne Zha II has a 94 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. The vast majority of the reviews come from American movie critics in the past few days. Although the film has been out in China since the beginning of 2025, it’s not until recently that studio A24 partnered with Beijing Enlight Pictures to bring the film to the States. This explains why the audience score is 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes; the hype for this movie is very, very big.
Wait, do I need to see the first Ne Zha movie?
That’s right, technically, this massive Chinese blockbuster is a sequel, which might make U.S. audiences wonder if we need to see the first one, the 2019 movie Ne Zha. The short answer is, no, you’ll be fine. That said, the first film is totally streaming right now on several easy-to-use services, including Tubi, and Peacock.
Both Ne Zha movies are based on a 16th-century novel called Investiture of the Gods, which draws heavily from Chinese mythology. The titular Ne Zha is a boy who is possessed by dark powers from an ancient demon orb. Much of the background of the ancient gods and prophecies is recounted in Ne Zha II, so even if you don’t watch the first one, you won’t be too lost.
Ne Zha II Release Date
Ne ZhaII hits theaters in the U.S. on Friday, August 22, 2025. Technically, this is the second U.S. release for the movie. Back in February, the Chinese-language version of the movie did have a limited U.S. theatrical run. But this version, complete with English-speaking voice actors, will be much bigger, including IMAX screenings.
