Moviegoers wait in a movie theater in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. Photo: VCG

As China's film industry gears up for the upcoming five-day May Day holiday (May 1-5), the market is buzzing with anticipation as 10 new releases are set to hit Chinese theaters during this period. 

Spanning comedy, action, suspense and animation, the 2025 lineup marks a record-high number of films for the relatively shorter holiday window, reflecting both the film period's ambition and its lingering challenges in balancing quantity with quality, data analyst Lai Li told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Leading the charge is The Dumpling Queen, a grassroots empowerment comedy directed by Hong Kong director Andrew Lau and starring box-office powerhouse Ma Li. 

The film, which follows a working-class woman's journey to culinary entrepreneurship, has already topped the most-anticipated list by amassing over 128,000 "want-to-see" clicks on Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.

Its April 30 release date puts it head-to-head with Marvel's Thunderbolts. Notably, the antihero ensemble film - featuring Sebastian Stan and Florence Pugh - will debut in China two days ahead of its North American rollout. 

Also vying for primacy on the opening day is A Gilded Game, a financial crime thriller starring veteran actor Andy Lau. Directed by Herman Yau, the film's blend of high-stakes heists and moral ambiguity has drawn comparisons to The Wolf of Wall Street. 

Meanwhile, May 1 is set to bring a wave of socially conscious comedies, including The Open Door. Directed by Yi Xiaoxing, the satire targets influencer culture and livestreaming excess - a theme that resonates with China's Gen Z moviegoers.

There is no shortage of films featuring personalized expression during diverse May Day film market. 

Among them, The One is a drama that explores themes of family, friendship, and self-growth. Adapted from the heartwarming French-Belgian coming-of-age comedy-drama film La Famille Belier, the film focuses on the growth story of a hearing-impaired family.

Three animated features - Bear Kid: Super Hero, Happy Heroes: Rebel Rescue, and Octonauts: Crisis of the Tsunami - cater to the family demographic, though their same-day release tactic risks the mutual cannibalization of ticket sales. 

"The overlap underscores a persistent issue: Studios still default to holiday crutches rather than nurturing year-round demand," said Lai.

Despite the record number of releases, concerns linger over the quality of films flooding secondary holiday windows. 

The recent Qingming Festival holiday, which saw over 10 films debut to a dismal 378 million yuan ($51.5 million) box office, highlights the industry's struggle with overcrowding and underwhelming content. 

Analysts argue that the trend reflects both the lack of everyday releases and an overreliance on peak holiday periods.  

Still, this year's May Day lineup shows signs of improvement. 

Films like The Dumpling Queen and A Gilded Game blend crowd-pleasing genres with socially relevant themes, while star power from Andy Lau and Ma Li, along with family-friendly animations, offers a promising mix. 

According to Lai, the May Day holiday market is already heating up, with diverse genres and strong IP backing generating optimism. The year 2024's May Day holiday grossed over 1.52 billion yuan, ranking the third in box-office film history.  

"With a five-day holiday, we're optimistic the May Day box office can sustain the momentum from the Spring Festival and set the stage for a strong summer season," film critic Chen Jin told the Global Times.