The Vietnamese film industry is experiencing unprecedented competition.

Many Vietnamese films have already finalized their release dates for the second half of 2026. Amidst a series of box office failures, the race for the box office is predicted to become increasingly fierce.

Doan Minh Anh in the film The Red Thread - Photo: DPCC

From July until the end of this year, Vietnam ticket office We're about to enter a phase where dozens of domestic films will be released consecutively. Just considering the films with announced release dates, audiences will constantly witness clashes between various genres.

However, in a market where the percentage of films losing money is increasing, a large theatrical release doesn't necessarily mean a chance of big success.

"Long and snake" hit the theaters.

Following the success of Demon Possession 2, Quang Tuan Returning with another horror movie. "The Soul-Capturing Demon ," scheduled for release on July 17th, revolves around an ordinary family besieged by supernatural phenomena following a terrifying spiritual curse: "On the exact day of the month, the soul follows the demon."

Following the horror movie craze, on August 14th... Red thread It will also officially premiere. The film is directed by Ham Tran. A deadly aerial battle . Devil's Diner - He took the helm, making the film one of the most anticipated titles of the year-end movie season.

Director Ham Tran incorporates body horror elements into The Red Thread - Photo: DPCC

Red thread Director Ham Tran chose a highly distinctive approach by combining local cultural elements with modern horror language, while also exploring the hidden aspects of human instinct. He also incorporated "body horror" into the film, creating an intensely haunting experience.

August 21st, Huynh Lap Returning, bringing Vietnamese humor, family, and spirituality to the big screen with Summer vacation makes me afraid of retirement .

The film revolves around a Gen Z grandson and his grandfather, a veteran who fought to defend his country.

The most anticipated historical martial arts film of 2026. Guardian Spirit of the Valiant Warrior: The Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb Scheduled for release on September 2nd, the film features a star-studded cast including Johnny Trí Nguyễn, Tự Long, Như Quỳnh, Đỗ Thị Hải Yến, Tuấn Trần, Trần Thiên Tú, and more.

The film "Guardian of the Spirits: The Mystery of King Dinh's Tomb" attracts attention despite only having a teaser released - Photo: DPCC

Set after the assassination of King Dinh Tien Hoang, the film tells the story of seven valiant guardians on their final mission. They must race against time, confront hostile forces, and guide the king's 99 coffins in seven different directions, outsmarting enemies plotting to desecrate the mausoleum, believed to be the source of the nation's prosperity.

Entering the fourth quarter, the box office race is becoming even more intense with a series of films lined up waiting to be released, such as A near-perfect murder (October 2nd) Flying dairy cow (November 6th) The chosen one (November 6th) Happy Prison (November 20th) and "closing the books" for 2026 with Bad mother (December 31st).

Crowded doesn't necessarily mean fun.

In 2025, Vietnamese cinema witnessed a powerful surge with total revenue exceeding 3,770 billion VND, marking the first time Vietnamese films dominated approximately 61.4% of the nationwide box office market share, far surpassing all previous expectations.

In 2026 there will be up to 70-80 Vietnamese films are being released in theaters, the highest number ever. The simultaneous release of so many films at the box office demonstrates the vibrancy of the Vietnamese film market. However, the rapid increase in the number of films released does not necessarily mean that the opportunities for big wins are also much greater.

Red Rain achieves box office miracle in Vietnam with revenue exceeding 714 billion VND - Photo: DPCC

Looking back at the second half of last year, the market only recorded about seven films that surpassed the 80 billion VND revenue mark, including Take the mother away and abandon her . Get rich with ghosts 2, Red rain A deadly aerial battle . Grandma's golden nugget . Searching for Ambergris and Blood Paradise . Most of the remaining films struggled to break even or quickly lost momentum after just a few days of release.

This trend continues to repeat itself this year. In just the last two months, domestic films have consistently faced sluggish sales, with some even having to be hastily withdrawn from theaters, such as: Double happiness in peril (over 14 billion VND) Bus: One-way trip (over 1.7 billion VND) , Underworld Beauty Salon (over 12 billion VND) There was a time when we were in love. (nearly 2 billion VND) Oyster King (over 17 billion VND)...

Private "The Shellfish Boss ," a film that premiered on April 30th at the same time as four other Vietnamese films, found itself at a disadvantage from its first week of release as screenings were fragmented and its appeal quickly waned compared to its contemporaries.

The efforts of director Duc Thinh and his wife were not enough to save The Snail King - Photo: DPCC

Faced with lower-than-expected box office revenue, director Duc Thinh's wife, actress Thanh Thuy, had to constantly livestream, urging audiences to go to the cinema to "rescue" the film, creating an initial wave of support on social media.

However, this media hype wasn't enough to sustain the film's appeal at the box office. According to director Duc Thinh, the film needs to earn 80 billion VND in revenue to have a chance of breaking even.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/duong-dua-phim-viet-dong-chua-tung-thay-3409395.html