{
  "id": 16155393,
  "title": "China’s first AI-generated film hits cinemas amid weak sales",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/chinas-first-ai-generated-film-hits-cinemas-amid-weak-sales",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-23T06:02:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/chinas-first-ai-generated-film-hits-cinemas-amid-weak-sales/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "China launched its inaugural AI-generated feature film in theaters on Friday, facing an uncertain box-office outlook as advance ticket sales remain disappointingly low. Over 10,000 screenings of the sci-fi thriller \"Sanxingdui: Future Past\" are slated for Friday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan. However, public response has been far from favorable. As of Friday morning, presale revenue totaled 80,000 yuan ($11,980), and total box-office projections were expected to fall short of 150,000 yuan, representing a mere fraction of the reported production cost, according to Maoyan. Ticket prices vary between 20 and 90 yuan, resulting in a few thousand tickets sold at most. Jiang Defu, CEO of the production company Bona Film Group, admitted to the lukewarm reception during a recent interview but emphasized that the film was pioneering new territory. \"We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience,\" Jiang stated to Chinese film industry outlet Yuli. \"I think that is not easy at all.\" The film, which required nearly 100 individuals to work on it for more than two years, cost over 10 million yuan ($1.5 million). Despite all actors, their voices, and backdrops being AI-generated, the film revolves around the theme of humanity in an AI-dominated future. Nevertheless, it failed to captivate Iris Yang, who attended a free preview screening of the film on Thursday for acquaintances of the production team and industry workers. Yang said she wouldn't have paid for a ticket, stating that the movie's quality did not justify the price. \"If AI generation can match the theatrical experience of 'Avatar', I think I would be willing to pay for it,\" Yang remarked, referring to the US franchise known for its animation quality. AI-generated video has gained traction in China's second-largest economy, with AI-generated short dramas amassing over 200 billion views on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) in September alone. However, AI-generated films like \"Sanxingdui: Future Past\" face a significant challenge: audiences are unlikely to pay for tickets solely based on the novelty of AI generation. Independent AI director Zhang Jun told AFP, \"the audience won't automatically pay for the tickets just because it's an AI-generated film.\" Social media users in China also expressed skepticism towards the launch of AI films in cinemas. One Weibo user commented, \"If it's free to watch on streaming platforms, it could become legendary. But paying to watch? People are not going to accept it at this stage.\" In Hollywood, the emergence of AI has sparked concerns among film workers about potential job losses. An AI-generated sci-fi feature titled \"Gods Don't Give Gifts\" is slated for US release on December 4, and a virtual Hollywood actor named Tilly Norwood, whose viral interviews have fueled job fears, is set to appear in an upcoming movie called \"Misaligned.\"",
  "summary": "China’s first fully AI-generated feature film, “Sanxingdui: Future Past”, has opened in cinemas to a lukewarm reception and poor advance ticket sales. Read More: https://punchng.com/chinas-first-ai-generated-film-hits-cinemas-amid-weak-sales/",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Sanxingdui: Future Past\" is China's first AI-generated feature film.",
    "Ticket presales totaled 80,000 yuan, far below box-office projections.",
    "Production cost exceeded 10 million yuan, despite AI-generated elements."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The poor box-office performance of China's first AI-generated feature suggests that technological novelty alone cannot overcome audience skepticism regarding production quality and the value of a theatrical experience.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "China's first AI film hits cinemas but ticket sales lag",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/chinas-first-ai-film-hits-cinemas-but-ticket-sales-lag",
        "published": "2026-10-23T05:39:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}