(ECNS) -- The animated film Niu Lai has become an unlikely sensation after its daily box office of just 7,352 yuan ($1,020) sparked a trending hashtag and drew audiences curious to see “how bad it could be.”
By Wednesday afternoon, the film had grossed 25.72 million yuan, with the ma jor Chinesefilm data and box-office tracking platform Lighthouse raising its projection to more than 89.34 million yuan.
Created over five years by director Xin Yumeng and her mother Sun Lifang without professional training or outside support, the 86-minute film features crude animation and stiff movements that became its biggest draw. Clips shared online fueled viral exposure, sending Maoyan’s “want to see” count from 300 to 57,000 in a single day.
The title Niu Lai — a pun on “bull market coming” — resonated with investors amid stock market volatility. A scene of a calf tripping and smiling oddly was turned into a meme linked to “semiconductors,” making the character a mascot for traders. Some investors even coordinated seat purchases to spell out the Chinese character for “bull” in cinemas.
The film’s popularity illustrates how audiences are increasingly buying into an online cultural phenomenon rather than simply a movie. Niu Lai is also reportedly preparing for overseas release, with Singapore expected to be its first international market.
(By Gong Weiwei)
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