[Photo provided to China Daily]

So the figures make it easy to understand why most industry watchers believe that panda's stronger nod to its Chinese roots has more to do with profits than any other reason.

China's movie market is the only one continuing to grow as the world's other major markets continue to see flops or struggle.

China's current movie policy has a quota for foreign movies, allowing only 34 to be imported every year. Producers usually get a share of around 25 percent of the Chinese mainland's box-office takings, but a coproduction - not limited by the quota - is entitled a much higher share of up to 43 percent.

Meanwhile, as far as cultural conflicts go, when the first and second Kung Fu Panda movies were released in 2008 and 2011, respectively, many Chinese artists boycotted the films and called the franchise "a cultural invasion".

The co-production, however, skirts that conflict.

As Oriental DreamWorks' Chairman Li Ruigang, quoted by Xinhua News Agency, says: "It (the new film) makes the panda on big screen seem more authentic ... The cooperation between China and the United States marks a turning point - the panda is coming back home."

Separately, those who had a sneak preview of the movie in Shanghai - the city that hosts Oriental DreamWorks - on Tuesday feel that the franchise has never been so tightly bound to the Oriental world.

From brush-painting like landscapes and martial arts fights to ancient customs, all the scenes are faithful to Chinese reality.

Nelson says that the American team's visits to Shanghai were welcomed by Chinese colleagues wearing costumes of different dynasties. They also showed the US team ceremonies about tea, incense, martial arts and weddings.

"That level of commitment to detail is something that we will never get in the United States," she says.

"We certainly have no access to that amount of enthusiasm from so many people who want to show us their culture."

Support was also forthcoming from China's showbiz sector.