Pre-sales for the Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" -- now the highest-grossing film of all time in China -- are skyrocketing in North America, with theater occupancy exceeding 90 percent and many popular showtimes already sold out.

Formally known as "Ne Zha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea", the film is the sequel to the 2019 animated blockbuster "Ne Zha", drawing inspiration from the tale of a mythological figure of the same name from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel "Fengshen Yanyi", or "The Investiture of the Gods".

The film will kick off special screenings in North America on Wednesday, ahead of its official release on Friday.

Additional showtimes in major cities like New York and Los Angeles will be available for purchase starting Monday via local cinema websites.

Besides, "Ne Zha 2" held its North American premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on Saturday, drawing hundreds of fans and industry professionals from both China and the United States.

The film has already shattered numerous records.

According to Chinese ticketing platform Beacon, the film grossed over 8.085 billion yuan (about over 1.11 billion U.S. dollars) as of 21:00 Beijing Time on Sunday, surpassing the box office earnings of "The Dark Knight Rises" and becoming the first Asian film to enter the Top 35 of the global box office chart.

Having surpassed the box office of "Despicable Me 3", an American comedy 3D animation released in 2017, the film is now the first non-Hollywood film to enter the Top 10 of the global animation box office list.