BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese blockbuster "The Battle at Lake Changjin," the highest-grossing title in China and the world so far this year, is scheduled to land in the North American box office next week.

The news, broken by CMC Pictures, a distributor that has brought many Chinese films abroad, comes as the war epic's Chinese box office total since Sept. 30 has exceeded 5.6 billion yuan (about 875.71 million U.S. dollars).

"The Battle at Lake Changjin" is set for release in the United States and Canada on Nov. 19, and in Australia on Dec. 2, according to an announcement by CMC Pictures via social media.

Jointly directed by Chen Kaige, Hark Tsui and Dante Lam, the film is set during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) and tells the story of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers fighting bravely in freezing temperatures in a key campaign at Lake Changjin, or Chosin Reservoir.

The story of young warriors willing to risk it all to defend their motherland against the world's best-equipped army, despite the lack of food and warm clothing amid the bitter cold, has moved many moviegoers to tears.

The historical movie is currently the second-highest-grossing title of all time at China's box office, trailing only the 2017 Chinese action film "Wolf Warrior 2," which earned 5.69 billion yuan.

It is set to have a sequel called "Water Gate Bridge," for which a release date is yet to be announced, according to an official announcement via social media in late October.

The new film will follow CPV soldiers of the same company as they take on a new task. And this time, their battlefield is a crucial bridge on the retreat route of American troops. Enditem