Netflix bought a Chinese sci-fi movie that could become the country's biggest box-office hit of all time

Beijing Culture

"The Wandering Earth"

• Netflix has acquired the rights to Chinese sci-fi movie, "The Wandering Earth."
• The movie has grossed $610 million at the Chinese box office, and is on its way to becoming the country's biggest movie of all time.

Chinese audiences can't get enough of new sci-fi movie, "The Wandering Earth," and now even more people will be able to see it thanks to Netflix's global reach.

Netflix announced on Thursday that it had bought the rights to the blockbuster to stream it in over 190 countries, and translate it into 28 languages. The movie follows mankind's efforts to move Earth out of its solar system because the sun has expanded to the point where it will destroy the planet.

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Directed by Frant Gwo and based on the novella of the same name by Liu Cixin, "The Wandering Earth" has earned $610 million in two weeks at the Chinese box office, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It's currently the second-biggest movie in the country of all time, behind 2017's "Wolf Warrior 2," which grossed $850 million.

"The Wandering Earth" could surpass that movie at the pace it's going, though, to become China's highest-grossing movie of all time.

Netflix doesn't operate out of China, but it has found success in other regions by acquiring exclusive streaming rights to popular content outside their local region. A good example is the UK, where various kinds of licensing arrangements Netflix has made have led to hits like "Bodyguard" and "The Last Kingdom."

Netflix has recently been focusing on Asia more than ever before in the hopes to increase its presence there. Late last year, Netflix announced 17 new Asian originals, including eight new Indian original movies.