Los Angeles, Oct 4 (IANS): China's 'The Battle at Lake Changjin' was the highest grossing film anywhere in the world over the past weekend, with $203 million, according to variety.com.

That score was fractionally lower than the combined total earned by 'No Time to Die' ($119 million in international markets) and by 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' ($90.2 million in North America).

The film was the far away winner in mainland China, where it was released on Thursday, a day ahead of the October 1, National Day holiday.

Over four days on release, it earned $234 million, according to consultancy Artisan Gateway.

Additional data from local provider Ent Group showed that 'Battle' enjoyed a massive 157,000 screenings per day.

That put it ahead of 'My Country, My Parents,' which earned $70.6 million over the weekend proper and a Venom'-like $90.4 million total over four days.

Both films are examples of the patriotic triumphalism that has come to typify the Chinese box office since it re-opened, after the pandemic in July last year, and both capitalise on the sentiment stirred up around the annual celebrations of the country's birth, some 72 years ago.

'Changjin' earned $12.9 million of its total from Imax giant screens, making it the third biggest Imax opening weekend of all time behind sci-fi title 'The Wandering Earth' and Chinese New Year comedy 'Detective Chinatown 3'.

Made with a production budget reported to be over $200 million, the film has three of China's top directors: Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam.