Beijing (AP) -- Director Zhang Yimou's martial arts epic "Hero," about China's legendary first emperor, has become the country's highest-grossing domestic film after just a month in theaters, its distributor said Monday.
"Hero" has raked in $24 million at the box office, said Qin Lixin, deputy general manager of Beijing New Picture Film Co. Ltd.
The movie, which opened in mid-December, depicts Emperor Qin Shihuang's campaign to unify China more than 2,000 years ago.
Helping lure audiences is a cast that includes martial arts star Jet Li of "Romeo Must Die," Zhang Ziyi of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung of "In the Mood for Love."
Zhang is famous for such films as "Red Sorghum" and "Raise the Red Lantern."
The biggest moneymaker ever in China is the Hollywood blockbuster "Titanic," which took in $38.6 million. The three-hour movie was shown in two parts, with some audiences required to buy separate tickets for each half.
The previous record for a Chinese movie was held by "Live or Die," an anti-corruption propaganda film released in 2000 as part of a crackdown on graft. It earned $14.5 million, though it benefited from being shown to officials and government workers who were organized to go to theaters, Qin said.
"Hero" cost $31 million to produce, making it the most expensive Chinese film ever.
It's competing this Sunday at the Golden Globe Awards in the foreign-language category, and it's China's submission for best foreign-language film at the Academy Awards. Miramax plans to release "Hero" in the United States later this year.
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