Monster Hunt breaks Chinese box office record

Photo taken on July 26, 2015 shows Huba, a monster in the film "Monster Hunt", at a cinema in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning province.According to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Monster Hunt had raked in more than 1.268 billion yuan in box office by Sunday, just ten days after its public launch on July 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

Live-action animation "Monster Hunt" has become the most commercially successful Chinese film of all time, the country's entertainment watchdog said on July 26.

According to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), Monster Hunt had raked in more than 1.27 billion yuan ($205 million) in box office by July 26, just ten days after its public launch on July 16.

Previously, China's box office record was held by "Lost in Thailand," a 2012 low-budget comedy directed by local director Xu Zheng, followed by Hong Kong writer-director Stephen Chow's 2013 adventure comedy "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons."

A sequel to the new blockbuster is already in the works.

Director Xu Zheng on Sunday congratulated "Monster Hunt"'s success, posting on his Sina Weibo microblog a picture showing a crowned Huba - the name of the monster in the new box office champion - dancing on top of his iconic shaven head.

"Records are set to be broken," the posting read, "Go ahead, Chinese movies."