According to Box Office Vietnam, an independent box office observer, domestic box office revenue (including foreign films) reached 3,017 billion VND in the first six months of the year, an increase of nearly 270 billion VND compared to the same period last year. "This figure represents the biggest boom for Vietnamese cinema since the pandemic," said Nguyen Khanh Duong, founder of Box Office Vietnam.

The contribution of blockbuster filmmakers has helped the film market grow significantly. Released during the Tet holiday, “Bo Tu Bao Thu” is the highest-grossing film so far this year, with over 332 billion VND. Tran Thanh has become the director with four films in the top five highest-grossing projects of all time, following “Mai,” “Nha Ba Nu,” and “Bo Gia.” Ly Hai also attracted attention with “Lat Mat 8,” earning 232 billion VND and becoming one of the best-selling installments of the franchise he produces.

However, directors Tran Thanh and Ly Hai no longer hold a monopoly. Last year, “Mai” faced no major competition, reaching over 520 billion VND. This year, competition with “Nu Hon Bac Ty” led to “Bo Tu Bao Thu” having its screenings split. After 10 days of release, Thu Trang's film took the lead, causing its competitor to quickly cool down. “Nu Hon Bac Ty” reached 211 billion VND, making Thu Trang the first female director to join the "100 Billion Club" with her debut film.

Similarly, “Tham Tu Kien” outperformed “Lat Mat 8” during the 30/4-1/5 holiday. Box Office Vietnam representatives initially thought Victor Vu's film would struggle to surpass “Lat Mat 8,” as Ly Hai's work belonged to the more accessible family-drama genre. However, thanks to a compelling script and solid acting, “Tham Tu Kien” generated strong word-of-mouth, consistently exceeding the remaining film's screenings. After half a month in theaters, the film surpassed its competitor's revenue, becoming the most commercially successful project in Victor Vu's career.

Detective Kien (Quoc Huy) and Hai Man (Dinh Ngoc Diep) in the film directed by Victor Vu. Photo: Provided by the film crew

Alongside these box office stars, Bui Thac Chuyen and “Dia Dao” created a phenomenon in the war film genre. Released in April, the film earned 172 billion VND, a record for this genre. The film is praised for its realistic story, revolving around a group of guerrillas stationed in Cu Chi after the American Cedar Falls operation (1967). The director stated that the revenue exceeded his expectations, as the team initially only hoped to recoup enough funds for investors to continue projects with similar themes.

Spiritual films have dominated the market. “Nha Gia Tien,” a family film with horror elements directed by Huynh Lap, became a surprise hit in the first half of the year. The film marks Phuong My Chi's first leading role and revolves around the story of My Tien, a Gen Z content creator who sees the ghost of her brother who died 10 years prior. Despite lacking cinematic quality and a somewhat cluttered ending, the film conveys a meaningful message about young people's gratitude towards their ancestors. Creating a strong emotional impact, “Nha Gia Tien” earned 242 billion VND, entering the top 10 highest-grossing Vietnamese films of all time.

Many other horror films have caused a stir in Vietnamese cinemas despite predictable storylines and script flaws. “Vuot Ma Da” (2024) and “Quy Nhap Trang” (produced by Nhat Trung) broke box office records in this genre with nearly 150 billion VND. “Den Am Hon,” the debut film by director Hoang Nam, earned over 100 billion VND, drawing inspiration from “Chuyen Nguoi Con Gai Nam Xuong” from Nguyen Du's “Truyen Ky Man Luc.”

However, the flood of horror films in theaters risks creating a "bubble burst," according to film critic Nguyen Phong Viet. Many recently released films have not attracted audiences. For example, “Duoi Day Ho,” a film set in a stone lake and released in early June, only earned over 27 billion VND, much lower than director Tran Huu Tan's previous works like “Ke An Hon” and “Cam.”

Similarly, “Tim Xac,” starring Tien Luat and Hong Van, earned 48 billion VND. The film had to be withdrawn from theaters and rescheduled to avoid competing with “Lat Mat 8” and “Tham Tu Kien” in April. According to Phong Viet, audience curiosity for this genre is declining, making it difficult for lower-quality projects to attract viewers.

The latter half of the year is predicted to be less exciting, with fewer major releases. In early July, Avin Lu and Hoang Ha, the actors from “Em and Trinh,” return with a youth-themed film, “Dieu Uoc Cuoi Cung.” Hong Dao, Tuan Tran, Juliet Bao Ngoc, and Korean actor Jung Il Woo will star in “Mang Me Di Bo,” a Vietnamese-Korean collaboration, releasing in August. The duo Hoai Linh and Tuan Tran will return in “Lam Giau Voi Ma 2” during the September 2nd holiday.

The end-of-year season is expected to see the arrival of horror films like “Heo Nam Mong” and “Hoang Tu Quy.”

Mai Nhat