Overview
- Niu Lai, which was released on Aug. 5, earned just 7,705 yuan in its first 10 days before online ridicule began to change its fortunes.
- Short viral clips and mocking posts on Weibo and Douyin drove a rapid box‑office surge tracked by Maoyan, with published cumulative figures ranging from about 11.4 million to reports as high as roughly 17.1 million yuan.
- The 86‑minute film is credited largely to a two‑person mother‑and‑son team, Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang, and regional reports say it was made on an extremely small budget under a company that formerly did interior design.
- As ticket demand spiked, cinemas added screenings, staff and fans drew homemade posters, and audiences filmed and laughed during shows while some viewers praised the film’s handmade, non‑AI aesthetic.
- State and industry commentators have warned that programming driven by viral curiosity risks eroding exhibition standards and audience trust, a debate that could affect how cinemas choose titles and how DIY or low‑budget projects are received.