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A film that looked very much like one that could easily be forgotten has suddenly turned out to be a box-office hit. This is not one of those films that had a slow start and went on to gain success at the box office through positive word of mouth. But it’s a film that became popular for its negative reviews. In fact, it was called the worst film of the year by the few who saw it in its initial days of release. This is what happened in the first half of August at the Chinese box office with the local animated film Niu Lai. So, how did it go from being called the worst to becoming a competition for Hollywood biggies Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey?
The Chinese animated film, when translated into English, reads The Cow Is Coming. The 86-minute film about a newborn calf undergoing a bizarre coming-of-age process was released in China on August 5. In its first 10 days at the theatre, the film earned a little over $1,000. However, it suddenly changed the game at the box office and went on to cross $1.5 million, creating history.
Tracking Niu Lai’s Box Office Performance
According to reports, Niu Lai earned as little as 200 yuan ($30) in a single day in the first 10 days of its release. It earned just $1,140 until August 14. Suddenly, interest in the film rose sharply. And what caused that? It was social media. Clips from the movie went viral online, attracting audience interest. It was one of those “so bad that you cannot ignore” situations with the film.
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Viewers called it “worse than AI” and a “contender for the worst movie of 2026,” citing stiff graphics, uneven animation, and unusual voice acting. Soon, the online mockery turned into curiosity, leading people to head to theatres to watch the film. Reportedly, viewers found the film so bad that it turned out to be a hilarious experience in cinemas.
What Do Audiences Have To Say About Niu Lai?
A user wrote on X, “A newly released animated film called “Niu Lai” (牛来) is going viral for all the wrong reasons in China. People are calling the visuals “disaster-level” , the entire production team was basically just two people: the director and the screenwriter. After 9 days in theaters, the box office still hasn’t even crossed 10,000 RMB. However, over the last day or two, Niu Lai’s reputation has been turning around a bit. Many people feel that in the age of AI, having filmmakers who still stick to “handcrafted” animation and genuine effort is both honest and far more powerful than polished yet empty productions. Today, its box office sales grew by 500,000RMB! a massive single-day jump from previous days”
Another person wrote, “Niu Lai” is a movie made by a young guy and his MOM!!!
Its animation (100% done by the artist) was what made it go viral.
With so much AI out there, this kind of stuff even starts to feel interesting HAHAHAHA”
Another person called it a new low for 3D graphics. “Chinese animated film called Niu Lai just set a new low for 3D graphics this year. But after the internet caught wind of it, thousands rushed to cinemas to witness the masterpiece for themselves – and the movie is making bank. It’s so bad it’s good”.
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