Thien duong mau (Blood Paradise) blends psychological drama, romance, and action in a gripping narrative about Vietnamese citizens lured into scam operations overseas - a story inspired by real-life events. The film quickly captivated audiences with its fresh, timely plot and intense emotional beats.

Starring Quang Tuan, Quach Ngoc Ngoan, and Thanh Huong, Thien duong mau premiered on December 30 and immediately shot to the top of the holiday box office.

By 7 a.m. on January 5, the film had grossed 60 billion VND (about 2.5 million USD), including 31.4 billion VND (about 1.3 million USD) over the three-day weekend alone - surpassing Avatar 3, which earned 28.6 billion VND (around 1.2 million USD) during the same period, according to Box Office Vietnam.

This unexpected surge placed Thien duong mau ahead of the James Cameron blockbuster in both showtimes and ticket sales - a remarkable feat for a local production.

Still, Avatar 3 remains a juggernaut, having accumulated more than 250 billion VND (approx. 10.4 million USD) in Vietnam, making it one of the highest-grossing Hollywood films in the country’s box office history.

Meanwhile, Ai thuong ai men (Who Loves Whom), despite strong promotion and a popular cast, fell short in the box office battle. As of the same reporting time, the film had earned just 16.7 billion VND (about 695,000 USD), a significant drop compared to Thu Trang’s previous success with Nu hon bac ty, which grossed 211 billion VND (approx. 8.8 million USD) during the 2025 Lunar New Year.

Over the weekend, Ai thuong ai men generated just one-third of Thien duong mau's earnings - marking a notable setback for Thu Trang, often dubbed the “100 billion VND director.”

Rounding out the top five were two animated Hollywood films: Zootopia: Big Mission 2 earned 8.1 billion VND (337,000 USD), while Tom & Jerry: The Mysterious Compass brought in 4.7 billion VND (195,000 USD).

Looking ahead, the coming week is expected to remain steady, with Thien duong mau continuing to ride a strong wave of word-of-mouth praise for its storytelling and production quality.

My Anh