BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- American sci-fi action film "Pacific Rim: Uprising" raked in 135 million yuan (about 21.3 million U.S. dollars) at the box office on its first day in theaters on the Chinese mainland.

The movie, sequel to the 2013 blockbuster "Pacific Rim," has earned about 232 million yuan since hitting Chinese screens on Friday, according to latest statistics released by Maoyan, a major Chinese film database and ticketing platform.

Set in 2035, it tells the story of a new generation of Jaeger pilots, who are better armed with more advanced technology, fighting against a new Kaiju threat.

Directed by Steven S. DeKnight, the movie stars "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" actor John Boyega, "The Fate of the Furious" actor Scott Eastwood, as well as Chinese actress Jing Tian.

Rated 7.6 by viewers on Maoyan, the film's box office sales are expected to exceed 896 million yuan.