娱乐英语新闻:Stephen Chow's blockbuster continues box office conquest

BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," a period adventure comedy created by writer-director Stephen Chow, had raked in more than 1.1 billion yuan (176.7 million U.S. dollars) as of Sunday, the film's production company announced.

The film took in 80 million yuan when it debuted on Feb. 10, the biggest opening ever for a domestic film. It pulled in a combined 1.08 billion yuan throughout February, the Huayi Bros. Media Group said.

Chow's 3-D action comedy, based on the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West," follows the adventures of a young demon hunter.

China's current box office record is held by "Lost in Thailand," a low-budget comedy that has earned more than 1.26 billion yuan since it debuted last December. However, many believe Chow's movie will break that record before it leaves theaters.