CHINA BOX OFFICE: Paramount’s Transformers: Age Of Extinction has become the highest-grossing film of all time in China, taking $222.74m in its first ten days, and breaking the $221.9m record set by Avatar in 2010.

After grossing $101.86m in its opening weekend, Michael Bay’s sci-fi sequel took a further $120.61m in the week from June 30 to July 6, according to EntGroup, outstripping its performance in North America.

Set up as an assisted rather than full Sino-US co-production, the film was partly shot in China and features Chinese promotional partners, product placement and stars.

However, some of the promotional partners have not been happy – Pangu Investment nearly pulled out of a partnership over the way that its hotel had been presented in the film, although later reached an agreement with Paramount. Chongqing Wulong Karst National Park now says it is considering a lawsuit, alleging that the film didn’t flag up the location of the scenic spot.

Despite Transformers’ dominance, local romantic comedy The Break-up Guru still managed to gross $40.67m over the week for a cumulative gross of $65.48m after ten days. Maleficent took a further $4.54m for a cume of $43.48m after 17 days.

Two openers managed to take fourth and fifth positions in the chart: Chinese-Korean horror sequel Bunshinsaba 3 grossed $3.59m in its first three days, while American Hustle took $1.44m.

Godzilla came in sixth with a weekly gross of $400,000, taking its cume to $77.63m. At the bottom end of the chart, A Noble Spirit took $380,000 for a cume of $750,000; Grace Of Monaco grossed $250,000 for a total of $4.08m; Edge Of Tomorrow took a further $180,000 for a cume of $65.66m; and Tibetan drama Phurbu And Tenzin took $80,000 for a total of $93,000.

Transformers may face some local competition in coming weekends with the opening of Old Boys: The Way Of The Dragon, based on a Youku internet sensation, on July 10 and the third installment in the Tiny Times series on July 17.

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