Blood Paradise, Vietnam’s first major film centered on international scam operations involving Vietnamese citizens, has emerged as a box office sensation. In its second week, the film surpassed the VND 100 billion ($4.1 million) milestone, continuing its dominance of Vietnam’s weekend box office.

Starring Quang Tuan, Quach Ngoc Ngoan, Thanh Huong, and Hoai Lam, the film draws from real-life incidents and resonates with audiences through its fresh and topical storyline. This relevance has been a key factor in sustaining its box office momentum.

As of 7:00 AM on January 12, Blood Paradise had officially crossed the 100-billion-VND threshold. Over the past weekend alone, it grossed nearly VND 20 billion ($820,000), double that of Avatar 3, which earned VND 10.9 billion ($450,000), according to Box Office Vietnam.

Despite its steady hold, James Cameron’s Avatar 3 has already grossed more than VND 270 billion ($11 million) in Vietnam and remains a strong draw after three weeks in theaters.

Meanwhile, Thu Trang’s Who Loves, Who Cares maintained its third-place spot over the weekend with VND 3.7 billion ($150,000), bringing its cumulative gross to VND 26 billion ($1.07 million). Though not a flop, it pales in comparison to the top-grossing titles.

Fourth and fifth places went to the Hollywood animation Zootopia: Wild Chase 2 (VND 2.5 billion) and South Korea’s action comedy Big Brother Hahaha (VND 2.1 billion).

In stark contrast, Love In Vietnam - a Vietnam–India co-production starring Kha Ngan - had a nearly invisible theatrical debut. Released over the same weekend, the film sold so few tickets it barely registered at the box office, grossing only VND 52 million ($2,100), landing near the bottom of the weekend rankings.

The rise and fall of familiar names

Director duo Thu Trang and Hoang Nam were once hailed as breakout names in Vietnamese cinema. Their directorial debut early in 2025 achieved massive commercial success, breaking the VND 100 billion mark. But their sophomore effort has not been as fortunate, drawing criticism and lackluster turnout.

Likewise, the abysmal performance of Love In Vietnam raises questions about the effectiveness of star power alone in driving ticket sales. Even with a known lead like Kha Ngan and the novelty of a cross-border collaboration, the film failed to generate buzz or foot traffic in theaters.

The stark divide between Blood Paradise’s success and the underwhelming results of other Vietnamese films reflects a clear trend: audiences are gravitating toward content that feels timely, grounded, and socially relevant.

My Anh