Latest figures show China's box office total in 2017 soared to 55.9 billion yuan ($8.59 billion), up 13.45 percent year on year, according to State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

Statistics from the country's top movie regulator also show that domestic productions earned 30.1 billion yuan, accounting for 53.84 percent of the total revenue.

With 9,597 screens newly installed in 2017, China's giant screens have hit a new record number at 50,776, since it overtook the United States to become the world's top owner of big screens earlier last year.

Similar to 2016's annual output, China produced 798 dramas, 32 animated movies, 44 documentaries and 68 scientific and education films, as well as 28 films made by special technologies in 2017.

Urban visits to theaters rose to a total of 1.62 billion, up 18.08 percent compared to 1.372 billion in 2016, signifying more Chinese flooding to cinemas last year.