Previously, the summer of 2025 was seen as a promising sign for a segment once considered weak, with the film market booming with numerous "made in Vietnam" animated projects. Many producers at the time expressed hopes of building Vietnamese film brands for children that could compete with foreign products, creating a relatable form of entertainment for Vietnamese children. Several animated projects inspired by folklore, local culture, or the world of childhood, launched in the summer of 2025, garnered attention and raised hopes for a new market. However, after only a year, the picture has become bleak again.
The animated film Cricket: The Adventure to the Muddy Village grossed over 21 billion VND at the Vietnamese box office in the summer of 2025.
PHOTO: DPCC
It's worth noting that this "silence" doesn't stem from a lack of audience demand. On the contrary, summer is always a time when children have long holidays, and parents tend to seek out more family-friendly entertainment. This explains why international animated films and foreign teen movies continue to dominate the Vietnamese box office. Blockbusters from Hollywood, Japan, and South Korea easily draw Vietnamese families to theaters with familiar brands, iconic characters, and well-planned marketing campaigns. A prime example is the blockbuster Doraemon : Nobita and the Castle Under the Sea (New Version), which recently surpassed 190 billion VND in revenue during its release in Vietnam this summer.
According to some producers and directors, making films for children requires long-term investment. From the script, character design, special effects, music to educational elements, everything must be carefully considered. Especially with animation, the high production costs and uncertain return on investment make many investors hesitant.
In addition, there's the mindset of making films that prioritize "safety and stability." Looking at the Vietnamese box office in recent years, it's clear that producers prioritize easily profitable genres like horror, comedy, or thriller. Many domestic horror films have achieved consecutive high box office success, inadvertently creating a bandwagon effect and causing a strong influx of investment into this genre. When the market is driven by short-term revenue, genres requiring sustainability, such as films for children and young adults, are easily left behind.
The reality is that Vietnamese cinema has yet to truly build an ecosystem for children's films. Many projects have emerged, but they are often short-lived and lack a long-term strategy for developing iconic characters. While children internationally grow up with familiar cartoon characters, movies, comics, toys, and even theme parks, Vietnamese children still rarely have a true domestic "screen idol." This makes it difficult for Vietnamese children's films to achieve lasting success, even with seriously invested projects.
The summer of 2026 therefore not only shows a "thirst" for children's films, but also raises a big question for Vietnamese cinema: When will children truly become a target audience that receives serious investment? Because to build a sustainable film industry, we cannot just focus on serving adults or chasing short-term box office trends while neglecting the children's market.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khat-phim-danh-cho-thieu-nhi-he-2026-185260621214347617.htm
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