In China, a modestly produced animated feature titled Niulai has become a surprising box‑office hit. The film, which follows a calf dreaming of growing up with family support, was initially ridiculed online for its rudimentary 3D animation and eerie character designs.
According to the movie‑tracking platform Maoyan, the film earned only about 10,000 yuan ($1,480) in its first ten days after its August 5 release, with some days bringing in as little as 200 yuan ($30). However, a wave of sarcastic reviews and meme‑driven promotion sparked a dramatic turnaround. On a recent Monday, the movie grossed 8.2 million yuan ($1.2 million) with nearly 300,000 admissions, bringing its total box‑office to 17.1 million yuan ($2.5 million).
Production background
Red Star News, a local outlet in Chengdu, reported that the film was created over five years by just two people: director Xin Yumeng and his mother, Sun Lifan. The Associated Press was unable to verify the details directly with Xin.
Posters displayed in theaters feature a hand‑drawn, colorless calf alongside slogans such as “Come on over if you’re into the bizarre” and “No refunds.” On Douban, a popular Chinese movie‑review site, users posted mocking comments like “unbelievably terrible and eye‑opening,” “a symbol of the new internet troll culture,” and a tongue‑in‑cheek recommendation for stock‑market investors, referencing the film’s title, which literally means “the bull is coming.”
Public reaction
Du Mingxi, a 19‑year‑old college student in Shanghai, said his original intent was to prank friends. He admitted recommending the film as “good” to lure them into watching, noting that one friend fell asleep during the screening. Du compared the phenomenon to the “six‑seven” craze in the United States, suggesting that many young people are drawn to odd or humorous trends without fully understanding them.
Not all viewers dismissed the film. Zhong Jiaming, a vocational school teacher in Guangzhou, praised it as a rare find in an era of visually polished movies that often lack engaging stories. He described the film as “simple and honest, like a bedtime story for children,” and said it appeals to the “young at heart.”
Why the surge matters
The unexpected box‑office surge illustrates how internet memes and viral criticism can translate into real‑world revenue, especially when curiosity drives audiences to experience the subject of the jokes firsthand. It also highlights the potential for low‑budget, family‑driven productions to find commercial success despite limited resources.
While the film’s artistic merits remain debated, its financial performance underscores the power of online culture to influence consumer behavior, even across borders.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
