Niu Lai animation film becomes viral box office hit due to poor quality

The Chinese animated film ‘Niu Lai’ has become an unexpected box office phenomenon due to its extremely low production quality. After earning only 7,711 yuan in its first ten days, the film saw a massive surge in interest following viral social media discussions criticizing its crude 3D modeling, stiff character movements, and nonsensical plot.

As a result of this ‘reverse popularity,’ daily box office revenue spiked by nearly 1,000 times, with single-day earnings reaching approximately 800,000 yuan. The film’s sudden fame has also extended to the cryptocurrency market, where a namesake meme coin on the BNB Chain reached a market capitalization of nearly $30 million, though officials noted no affiliation with the film’s creators.

The production is notable for its minimal scale; the film was created over five years by only two people: director Xin Yumeng and his mother, Sun Lifang, who served as screenwriter and voice actor. The production company, Dalian Jingyuan Culture Film and Television Media Co., Ltd., was previously involved in interior decoration before transitioning to the film industry in 2021.