A little-known Chinese animation film called Niu Lai has found an unlikely audience after viewers began sharing clips and memes about its unusual story and rough animation. The low-budget film had almost no publicity when it arrived in cinemas earlier this month but conversations around its confusing plot and poor graphics have turned it into an internet sensation.
According to movie tracking platform Maoyan, the film had earned only 7,705 yuan (approximately Rs 1.08 lakh) in its first 10 days. Its collections then surged into the millions as the online buzz around the film continued to grow.
Why Is Niu Lai Going Viral?
Niu Lai has attracted attention for reasons that would normally work against a film. Social media users have been sharing clips from the animation while commenting on its unusual visuals and difficult to follow storyline.
Major news outlets have described the animation as “broken,” “unpolished,” “jarring” and “noticeably crude.” But instead of keeping audiences away, however, these reactions appear to have encouraged more people to find out what the film is actually like.
One popular social media post summed up the curiosity surrounding the film by saying, “You may regret for 80 minutes if you watch it, but if you don’t, you’ll regret it for life.”
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… pic.twitter.com/l7RM9ZER67
— Tong Bingxue 仝冰雪 (@tongbingxue) August 15, 2026
The meme driven attention has helped turn Niu Lai into one of the more unexpected talking points at the Chinese box office.
How Much Has Niu Lai Earned At The Box Office?
The film’s box office journey has changed dramatically since its release. After earning just 7,705 yuan during its first 10 days, Niu Lai saw its collections rise sharply once online discussions took off.
According to Maoyan, the film had crossed 11.4 million yuan (Rs 16 crore) while another update from the platform put its earnings at more than 14.9 million yuan or around US$2.2 million (Rs 22 crore). Maoyan is also projecting that the film could reach around 18.4 million yuan (Rs 26 crore) within 30 days.
The sudden rise has put the low-budget animation in the same box office conversation as major Hollywood releases including The Odyssey and Spider Man: Brand New Day.
Why Are People Calling Niu Lai The Antidote To AI Animation?
Another reason behind the film’s popularity is its connection to the ongoing debate around AI generated content. Some viewers have embraced the film’s visibly handmade animation style as a refreshing alternative to highly polished or AI generated material appearing across social media.
People have been sharing clips from Niu Lai and praising what they see as its “hand-crafted” approach, with some using the rough visuals as evidence that the film was made without AI.
One Weibo user wrote, “That’s some serious craftsmanship.”
Another described the film as “pure handmade” and called it the biggest “dark horse” of the summer movie season.
What Is Niu Lai About?
According to the South China Morning Post, Niu Lai follows a young calf and a skylark who develop a friendship through a series of dream sequences. Their journey explores themes including love, courage and perseverance.
Who Made Niu Lai?
Niu Lai was reportedly created by just two people, a mother and son team consisting of director Xin Yumeng and screenwriter Sun Lifang. Sun Lifang also handled all of the voice acting.
The film was produced under their production banner which was reportedly an interior decoration business before the duo began working on Niu Lai in 2021. The production’s extremely small scale has added another layer to the film’s growing internet appeal.
Why Are Chinese Audiences Supporting Niu Lai?
The film has also gained attention for a rather unusual connection to the stock market. Some viewers are supporting Niu Lai because they hope its “bullish” name will bring good luck to the market. The joke comes from the fact that the Chinese character used for “bull” is also associated with “cow.”
One Weibo user wrote, “If the index reaches 4,000 tomorrow I will go to the cinema to support this movie.”
Another social media comment connected the film to stock investments, saying, “It is a terrible movie but has a great name.”
