Sanxingdui: Future Past faces poor box office performance

Sanxingdui: Future Past, China's first feature-length film to receive a theatrical distribution permit using full AI production processes, has experienced a disappointing box office debut. Produced by Bona Film Group, the 100-minute science-fiction film combines the ancient Sanxingdui civilization with futuristic themes involving super-intelligent algorithms.

Despite a production period of two years and an investment exceeding 10 million yuan, the film has grossed approximately 1.16 million yuan within its first three days of release. Data indicates a low seat occupancy rate of roughly 1%, with an average of only 1.1 viewers per screening. Analysts project total earnings may only reach between 2 and 2.6 million yuan, suggesting significant financial losses for investors.

Audience feedback has been largely critical, with viewers citing an unnatural “AI feel,” including awkward character movements and facial expressions that lack human emotion. Critics and netizens have also noted technical issues such as frame stuttering and audio-visual desynchronization when viewed on large cinema screens. Bona Film Group CEO Jiang Defu noted that while the film is “breaking barriers” as a first-of-its-kind experiment, the transition from small-screen AI content to theatrical features presents unique technical and narrative challenges.