An independent Chinese animated film, Niu Lai, has staged an unexpected box office comeback during the summer season, fueled by its notoriously poor animation quality. Initially earning a mere 7,000 yuan upon its August 5 release, the film has now surpassed 5 million yuan in ticket sales, with projections estimating a total of 18 million yuan. This viral trend, driven by internet memes, has even spilled over into the capital markets, causing unusual movements in A-share stocks with "bull" in their names.
For its first nine days, Niu Lai accumulated only 7,169 yuan in box office revenue, with a single-day low of just 188 yuan. The turning point came on the tenth day when early viewers posted clips highlighting its crude 3D models, clunky movements, and disjointed narrative, which starkly contrasted with the film's elegant watercolor poster. This sparked a wave of online ridicule and creative edits, drawing curious audiences to theaters. According to Lighthouse Professional Edition data, the film crossed 1 million yuan in box office revenue by August 15, and Maoyan now forecasts a final total of 18.37 million yuan.
As ticket sales soared, rumors of money laundering or subsidy fraud emerged. However, industry analysts clarify that the film was produced by Dalian Jingyuan Culture, a small company transformed from a renovation firm, with a team of just two: director Xin Yumeng and her 60-year-old mother. The project was a personal, five-year effort, with no external capital involvement, making it an unlikely vehicle for such schemes. The director's mother even sang the end credits song. The distributor had advised against a theatrical release, but the director insisted. There is no evidence of the film applying for local subsidies.
The film's title, Niu Lai, which phonetically sounds like "bull comes," resonates with Chinese investors' hopes for a "bull market." This has led some to view watching the movie as a superstitious ritual for good luck. This sentiment has directly impacted the stock market, with "bull-name" stocks surging. On the Flush platform, Jinniu Chemical topped the hot list, while Bull Group and Copper Bull Information entered the top five. Despite no business connection to the film, stock forums are abuzz with "buy bull, get rich" chatter. Financial experts warn that this type of rally is purely emotional speculation with weak sustainability, posing significant risks for investors chasing gains.
Amid the hype, unverified screenshots circulated online claiming the film would be pulled from all national cinemas from August 17 due to quality concerns. However, investigations by media outlets show that theaters in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou continue to screen Niu Lai without any official removal notice. However, in Dalian, the film's hometown, it has been completely removed from all local cinemas. Staff at several Dalian theaters cited "controversial content" or "unclear reasons" for the removal. Unofficial reports suggest the removal was due to concerns about "impacting the city's image," though this has not been confirmed by authorities.
From obscurity to a subject of nationwide memes, this low-budget, two-person animation has created the most astonishing commercial spectacle of the summer season.
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