Both films were released simultaneously, with cinema schedules fairly balanced across the country, but "Jinling Thirteen Cai" had slightly more screenings than "Dragon Gate Armor".
However, there was a slight difference in first-day box office numbers.
"Dragon Gate Armor" had a first-day box office of about 26 million, while "Jinling Thirteen Cai", which was released four hours later, had about 17 million.
Considering "Dragon Gate Armor" is a 3D film with higher ticket prices.
Also, since "Jinling" was released a bit later, it's hard to say "Jinling" is worse than "Dragon Gate".
There's another factor to consider.
That is, "Dragon Gate" is star-studded with a cast that can be called top-tier.
Even if Li Lianjie's box office appeal has diminished, he remains a leading figure in Chinese-language films.
"Dragon Gate Armor" sold well in overseas rights too.
Basically, it's all thanks to Li Lianjie.
Zhou Xun is a powerhouse big flower.
