Reference Desk
Martial Arts Cinema Statistics
A sourced snapshot of theatrical box-office milestones, from wuxia crossovers to contemporary martial arts spectacle.
Last updated September 21, 2026
What this covers
Ten films. One useful record of reach.
These figures show selected worldwide theatrical totals for films that helped martial arts stories travel across borders and formats. They are not a ranking of the genre, a measure of artistic quality, or a calculation of profit.
Each figure links to its underlying box-office record, so readers can check the number before quoting it.
$177.4M
Hero (2002)
$53.7 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $123.7 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$104.8M
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
$17.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $87.7 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$73.9M
The Grandmaster (2013)
$6.6 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $67.3 million internationally, including later re-releases.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$176.3M
Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)
$4.0 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $172.4 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$193.7M
The Monkey King 2 (2016)
$0.7 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $193.0 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$432.2M
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
$224.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $207.7 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$665.7M
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
$165.2 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $500.4 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$359.1M
The Karate Kid (2010)
$176.6 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $182.5 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026$547.9M
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
$193.6 million in the U.S. and Canada, plus $354.4 million internationally.
Source: Box Office Mojo ↗Figure checked September 21, 2026A closer look
The pattern behind the numbers.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero show how wuxia could cross into major English-language theatrical markets. The Grandmaster, Kung Fu Hustle, Ip Man 4, and The Monkey King 2 show a different route: the largest share of their recorded grosses came from outside the U.S. and Canada.
The Karate Kid, Kung Fu Panda 2, Shang-Chi, and Kung Fu Panda 4 show how martial arts ideas continue to reach big audiences through family, superhero, and animated storytelling as well as live-action fight films.
Methodology and sources
How to read these figures.
Worldwide box office means recorded theatrical ticket sales across the U.S., Canada, and international markets. It does not show profit, home-video sales, streaming audiences, or inflation-adjusted value.
All ten figures come from the individual film records at Box Office Mojo and were checked on September 21, 2026. Reported totals can change if distributors add or correct receipts, so this page will be refreshed when its source records materially change.
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) box-office record
- Hero (2002) box-office record
- Kung Fu Hustle (2004) box-office record
- The Grandmaster (2013) box-office record
- Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019) box-office record
- The Monkey King 2 (2016) box-office record
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) box-office record
- Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) box-office record
- The Karate Kid (2010) box-office record
- Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) box-office record
Cite this page
Cinema Kung Fu. “Martial Arts Cinema Statistics: Box Office Milestones.” Updated September 21, 2026.
https://cinemakungfu.com/martial-arts-cinema-statisticsKeep exploring