Warcraft: The Beginning proves a monster hit in China

Warcraft: The Beginning, the adaptation of the video game World of Warcraft, has proved a massive hit in China, with a first-day take of 46m ( 31.8m), the second biggest in the country's history after another Hollywood hit, Furious 7, which took 63.1m in its first 24 hours in 2015. Warcraft's impressive results put it on course to challenge Furious 7's 150m opening instalment in China – and thoroughly dwarfs the projected result for its domestic release in the US, which is currently tracking for around 25m when it opens on Friday. Warcraft's success in China has been ascribed partly to the game's popularity there – according to the International Business Times (IBT), an estimated half of the world's players are based in the country – and partly to the favourable position the film acquired in the release calendar due to the participation of a number of powerful Chinese enterprises in Warcraft: notably the purchase of production outfit Legendary Pictures by conglomerate Dalian Wanda. However, box-office analysts don't expect Warcraft to trouble any Hollywood-import grossing records, such as Furious 7's total of 390m, let alone domestic record holder The Mermaid, which finished with 526m earlier this year. Related: A bigger splash: how did The Mermaid become China's biggest ever film?