Refer China: China’s Niu Lai Animation ： From ¥7,000 to ¥720K Box Office in 2026

This Chinese animated film went viral for its awkward 3D style, jumping from ¥7,000 to over ¥720,000. Made by a mother-son duo over five years, it’s now a curious hit. No weekend surcharge, but screenings are limited.

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China’s Niu Lai Animation ： From ¥7,000 to ¥720K Box Office in 2026

China’s "so bad you have to see it" animation went from ¥7,000 to millions at the box office

If you’ve been on Chinese social media this week, you’ve probably seen clips of Niu Lai – a new animated film that’s become the summer’s strangest box‑office miracle.

The movie opened on August 5 with zero hype and earned just over ¥7,000 in its first nine days. It was showing in about 245 cinemas at the start, but by August 14 only four were still screening it.

Then something weird happened: people started posting hilarious clips online, mocking the stiff 3D animation, awkward character movements, and the huge gap between the beautiful ink‑wash poster and the actual film.

The mockery backfired – in a good way. Curiosity drove people to buy tickets just to see how bad it really was. Cinemas added screenings again, memes went viral, and the box office jumped from a few thousand yuan to over ¥720,000 (and climbing).

The story behind it is even more surprising

The director, Xin Yumeng, spent five years making the film with his mother, Sun Lifang, who wrote the screenplay, learned animation on the go, handled multiple production roles, and even sang the ending song. They had no big studio or investment – just a mother and son “hand‑crafting” everything themselves. The company listed as the “studio” actually used to do interior decoration.

Even the distributor reportedly tried to talk the director out of releasing it, but he insisted on putting five years of work on the big screen.

Why is it resonating now?

Besides the sheer comedy of it, some viewers are actually defending the roughness – for one very 2026 reason: at least humans made it. In an age of polished AI‑generated video, a mother‑son duo spending five years on a deeply imperfect cartoon feels almost rebellious. It’s not “good” in the traditional sense, but it’s real, and that’s part of the charm.

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Yes, the film got official approval and passed China’s technical review (which checks for playback issues, not artistic quality), so it’s legally in cinemas. But the real draw isn’t the plot – it’s the bizarre, genuine human effort behind it, and the collective online joke that turned a flop into a hit.

If you’re in China and want a laugh, you might still find a screening near you. Just don’t expect Pixar – expect a potato‑shaped leopard, a plank‑like cow, and 86 minutes of pure, unforgettable awkwardness.

Source: 浙江新闻

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