5. "The Battle at Lake Changjin II"
The sequel to China's highest-grossing film of all time, officially titled "The Battle at Lake Changjin: Watergate Bridge," was one that could not be ignored. Starring the original iconic cast of Wu Jing and Jackson Yee as well as its crew, including producers Huang Jianxin and Yu Dong, the movie was shot back-to-back with the first film before being divided into two parts due to the abundant content shot variously by three directors. Hong Kong film wizard Tsui Hark directed 90% of the content and earned sole directing credit for the sequel, while the previous installment's collaborating directors, Chen Kaige and Dante Lam, take credit as executive producers this time around. The latest film picks up where its record-breaking predecessor left off, telling even more heroic stories and the final fate of the Chinese soldiers in their journey after the epic battle at Lake Changjin. While no less explosive and emotional, "Watergate Bridge" is smaller in scale, focusing on a single vital battle. Nevertheless, it inspired audiences once again via the retelling of their forefathers' patriotism with sacrifices, eventually grossing a stunning 4.07 billion yuan, making it the no. 1 film in 2022 and the eighth highest-growing film ever in China. Combined with the first film, this two-part story has now grossed more than 9.84 billion yuan, a milestone in Chinese film history.