A Chinese animated film reportedly made by just two people on a tiny budget has unexpectedly become a box office sensation, drawing attention even alongside major Hollywood titles such as The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The film, Niu Lai, translated as The Cow Is Coming, is an 86-minute animation about a newborn calf and a skylark, with their relationship unfolding through a strange and dream-like story.
Released in China on August 5, the film initially looked like a complete failure.
In its first 10 days, it reportedly earned only 7,700 yuan, roughly Rs 1.04 lakh, with fewer than 300 people buying tickets across the country.
There was no major promotion, no publicity tour and not even a proper trailer.
Then social media changed everything.
Clips from the film started going viral, with viewers making fun of its crude computer graphics, stiff animation, awkward voice acting and confusing story.
Some compared it to a badly made student project, while others described it as “worse than AI” and even called it one of the worst films of 2026.
But instead of killing the film, the trolling made people curious.
Audiences began buying tickets simply to find out whether Niu Lai was really as bad as social media claimed.
That curiosity turned into business.
The film has now reportedly collected more than 14.9 million yuan, or around Rs 20 crore, according to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.
Its sudden rise has pushed the small film into box office discussions alongside much bigger productions.
What makes the story even more surprising is that Niu Lai was reportedly made by only two people over a period of five years.
Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang, believed to be a mother-and-son team, are credited as the film’s writers, directors, producers and voice actors.
The film’s only known advertisement was a stylish poster featuring traditional ink-wash artwork. Interestingly, the polished poster reportedly looked very different from the rough animation seen in the actual film.
Even the distributor was reportedly advised not to release the film because of its quality. However, he went ahead with the release because he was a friend of the director.
While many viewers have criticised the film, some have also found its handmade and imperfect visuals strangely refreshing at a time when AI can create polished images within seconds.
One industry professional reportedly described the film as poor in almost every department, including story and special effects.
Ironically, that criticism has now become the film’s biggest marketing tool.
People are not buying tickets because they expect a great movie. They are buying tickets because they want to see for themselves just how bad it really is.
