Top 10 Chinese films in 2025

9. 'Detective Chinatown 1900'

A poster for "Detective Chinatown 1900." [Image courtesy of As One Production]

The latest installment in Chen Sicheng's "Detective Chinatown" franchise exceeded expectations. Set in 1900s San Francisco, the story follows the murder of a white woman in Chinatown, where a Chinese man is the prime suspect, forcing two amateur sleuths to race against time to uncover the truth.

More than a mystery-comedy, the film explores the origins of Chinatown and historical burdens like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the everyday discrimination faced by overseas Chinese. Its drew audiences with its elaborate 200,000-square-meter 1:1 replica set of century-old San Francisco landmarks.

The film has grossed 3.6 billion yuan domestically.