Image copyright AP Image caption Point Break star Luke Bracey has been promoting the film in Beijing this week

China's box office takings have gone up by 48% this year, with total sales now in excess of 40 billion yuan ($6.3 billion / £4.1 billion).

The country has seen a huge boost in attendances in recent years, boosted by new cinemas opening every week and its vast population's increased affluence.

Fantasy Monster Hunt was the year's top earner, having made 2.43 bn yuan ($379m / £250m) since opening in July.

Chinese films have accounted for more than 59 percent of 2015's box office.

Monster Hunt is now the highest-grossing film ever in China, having overtaken the seventh Fast and Furious film in September.

US action and fantasy films currently make up half the titles on China's all-time top 10.

The country's appetite for US action fare partly explains why the new remake of Point Break will open in China and Hong Kong this weekend, three weeks ahead of its US debut.

China is the world's second-biggest film market after the US and is expected to overtake it within three years.