{
  "id": 1626225,
  "title": "A Chinese animated film mocked as ‘terrible’ becomes a box-office hit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/a-chinese-animated-film-mocked-as-terrible-becomes-a-box-office-hit-1626225",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T03:53:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/china-movie-animation-niulai-80a25ad38005f5c6200715a37b704bea"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In China, an animated film called “Niulai” has been dismissed as “terrible” by some viewers but has become a box-office hit. The film, which tells the story of a calf who dreams of a better life with its family, was released on August 5, 2026. Initially, the movie generated minimal revenue, with some screenings earning as little as 200 yuan ($30). Despite this, the film saw a significant surge in its box office after garnering attention from online reviews.\n\nRed Star News reported that the film was a five-year project created by director Xin Yumeng and his mother, Sun Lifan. The low box office numbers initially puzzled many, but it soon skyrocketed to 8.2 million yuan ($1.2 million) within days, totaling 17.1 million yuan ($2.5 million) in revenue. Online reviews on sites like Douban were filled with mocking and bewildered comments, with viewers joking that it was “unbelievably terrible” and a “must-watch for Chinese stock market investors.” The film’s name, “Niulai,” means “the bull is coming” in Chinese, hinting at a bullish market. A 19-year-old college student in Shanghai confessed that the movie’s makers intended to play a prank on their friends.",
  "summary": "The new sensation among some Chinese moviegoers is an animated film whose characters appear to have been created with rudimentary 3D animation and have been described as “ugly” and “eerie.” But it…",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Niulai\" animated film mocked as \"terrible\" by some viewers.",
    "Released on August 5, 2026, with minimal initial revenue.",
    "Box office surged to 17.1 million yuan ($2.5 million) after online reviews."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The film's unexpected success suggests that intentionally courting mockery can be a viable marketing strategy, at least for some Chinese audiences, as seen with Niulai's surge in box office revenue.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}