Terror in space

The new sci-fi film Life, about six astronauts' space nightmare, takes the second slot of the box-office charts in its opening weekend in China thanks to the film's theme as well as its star-studded cast. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A Swedish film called Life－a Nordic version of the 1979 space thriller Alien is making waves on China's screens.

In its opening weekend over May 19-21, the sci-fi horror movie knocked Marvel's superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 off the second slot of the box-office charts, even as the top slot remained held by the Indian hit Dangal, a biographical sports drama, according to live tracker Cbooo.cn.

So far, the $58 million Swedish movie has already earned 25 percent of its budget in China, with its box-office takings from the Chinese mainland surpassing 100 billion yuan ($14.51 million) by Monday.

The Sony Pictures' movie was released in North America on March 24, but Chinese fans had to wait for nearly two months to see it.

For most Chinese viewers, the film's theme as well as its star power were a major draw. And sci-fi horror fans have more to cheer about as Ridely Scott's Alien: Covenant, the sixth movie of the Alien franchise, will release on the Chinese mainland in mid-June.