1st January 2026 – (Shanghai) The highly anticipated film Back to the Past opened yesterday across Hong Kong, mainland China, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore and the United Kingdom, drawing robust audience turnout. By yesterday afternoon, cumulative box office takings in mainland China had surpassed RMB 20 million, marking a promising debut.
Reviving a beloved classic, the film reunites the original cast from the hit television series A Step into the Past after a 24-year hiatus, fuelling considerable pre-release excitement. Before the premiere, advance ticket sales on the mainland exceeded RMB 10 million, securing the top spot across major ticketing charts and making it the pre-sale champion among new releases in the New Year period.
Early audience feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Mainland cinemagoers praised the film for defying expectations that it would merely trade on nostalgia, calling it gripping from start to finish with no dull moments. Viewers in Macau echoed the sentiment, describing the storyline as consistently engaging, while audiences in Malaysia highlighted the tight pacing from the opening scenes. The reception to date suggests the film has met—if not exceeded—longstanding fan expectations.