This article is part of a global monthly series on film revenue in different regions. Read about film activity in Europe here and in Latin America here.

Asia-Pacific box office revenues fell 85% year over year in the first two months of 2020, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence and OPUSData, as the coronavirus caused theater closures and a sharp drop in the number of releases.

China was the worst hit, seeing an estimated 96.2% decline year over year in January and February. Cinemas in the country closed at the end of January to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Just over 500, or 4.5% of the total, reopened in late-March, although audience numbers reportedly remain below pre-virus levels.

Blockbuster releases planned for the long Lunar New Year weekend were postponed, with just 24 films being screened for the first time in January and February, according to the data.

The number of releases across APAC fell 49.2% year over year in February to a 13-month low.

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Cinemas began to close in South Korea in February, reportedly leading to a revenue boost for drive-in theaters. The country's box office grossed US$124.8 million in January and February, down 58.7% year over year. Film releases fell 28.6% year over year.

Japan posted US$125.9 million in box office revenue, a 41.1% year over year drop. The country screened 24 new films, down 11.1% on the prior-year period. Australia box office revenues fell 12.0% year over year to US$82.7 million. Movie releases fell just 5.9% in the first two months of 2020 compared to the prior-year period.

A dearth of new releases in February saw January titles dominate the film market in the first two months of 2020. Universal Pictures scientific fiction thriller "Extinction," released in China Jan. 18, topped its box office with US$23.1 million. South Korea saw domestic production "Namsaneui Bujangdeul," a political drama also known as "The Man Standing Next," continue its box office lead with US$34.5 million after its Jan. 22 release. The 2019 Oscar-winning black comedy and thriller "Gisaengchung," or "Parasite," has topped Japan's box office since its release there on Jan. 10. DreamWorks Animation LLC.'s epic war film "1917" continued to lead in Australia, where it was released on Jan. 10.

Action and adventure remains the most popular genre in APAC. Despite this, box office revenue from this genre decreased nearly seven fold to US$126.2 million in the two-month period, from US$773.3 million in the prior-year period.