BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The "Ne Zha" animated film franchise has reached another historic milestone for the Chinese film industry, with its total box office revenue surpassing 20 billion yuan (about 2.79 billion U.S. dollars).

The latest installment, "Ne Zha 2," has grossed over 15.3 billion yuan as of Sunday afternoon, while its 2019 predecessor contributed an additional 5.035 billion yuan.

This remarkable achievement has made director Yang Yu the first filmmaker in Chinese cinema history to helm a franchise with a combined box office exceeding 20 billion yuan.

The "Ne Zha 2" screening has been extended on the Chinese mainland to April 30.

The Chinese blockbuster has also made waves globally, currently ranking fifth on the worldwide box office chart, including pre-sales and overseas earnings.

Released on Jan. 29 during Chinese New Year, "Ne Zha 2" soared to the top of China's all-time box office chart within just nine days, later becoming the highest-grossing animated movie of all time globally on Feb. 18.