Business

A low-budget movie roils China box-office

By Sohail Khan 20 August 2026, 1:10 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty24,247.15168.86

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
23.26 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›Industry›Media/Entertainment›Entertainment›How a low-budget fever dream sparked a Chinese box office revolt

Read Today's Paper

How a low-budget fever dream sparked a Chinese box office revolt

Synopsis

The indie animated film 'Niu Lai' has captured the hearts of audiences across China, achieving unforeseen box-office success. About an endearing baby cow, this low-budget production has inspired a surge of merchandise sales. Its success stems from its heartfelt authenticity, steering clear of excessive marketing tactics, thus resonating with viewers who long for real connections.

How a low-budget fever dream sparked a Chinese box office revolt — A hand-drawn poster for the Chinese animated film Niu Lai at a cinema in Beijing.

BEIJING: A crudely animated, homemade movie about a baby cow has become China's most unlikely box-office smash, generating merchandise and memes and a national conversation about the joyful rejection of slick marketing and artificial intelligence by a younger generation.

Made on a shoestring budget and with hand-drawn posters and a reported cost in the thousands of dollars, "The Bull Comes," or "Niu Lai" in Chinese, ‌grossed the equivalent of ⁠more than $4 million ⁠as of Thursday.

In China's daily box-office rankings, it placed immediately behind "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," a Marvel Studios sequel that reportedly cost some $225 million to produce.

"I can't believe the theatre is full!" one audience member shouted, triggering cheers and laughter from the crowd.

"Other ⁠than envying ‌how much money this piece of junk has made, I have no complaints," said a popular movie blogger on Weibo, a social media platform. The embrace of the movie has become a kind of inside joke for the young, the blogger ⁠added.

Also read | Ramayana: Rs 4,000-crore epic starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi bets on global audiences beyond the Indian diaspora

"And I say – let them laugh. There aren't that many things left that we can joke about." 'DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO'

The DIY project tapped into a kind of rebellious mood of the moment, said Remo Zhu, a Chinese director.

"It's a mood of … don't tell me what to do, to watch or eat – I'll decide that for myself," he said.

"In a packed theatre full of strangers, it becomes a genuinely interactive, immersive communal experience."

The movie tells the story of a frail and exhausted newborn calf who struggles to stand up. It is a tale of friendship, courage and loss as the herd faces danger on its journey to find greener pastures. Spoiler: It also may – or may not – be a dream.

The dialogue is slow. ‌Action sequences are clunky. The animation is heavily pixelated.

"It's not even a movie," said one reviewer on Weibo. "To call it bad is an insult to bad movies."

Movie or not, it has become a cultural touchstone and sparked a frenzy of people trying to cash in on its unlikely appeal. ⁠There are Niu Lai toys, Niu Lai-masked robots, social media memes and cosplays.

Companies with the word "bull" in their names also saw an increase in their share prices on Monday, drawing an unusual warning from China's central bank against meme stock investing.

"Going to the movies for a bit of fun is harmless enough, but … pinning one's hopes on the word 'bull' is not rationality – it is wishful thinking," a journal run by the People's Bank of China said on Tuesday.

Aspiring animators hoping to repeat the low-budget flick's success might also be out of luck.

"These are usually low-probability events: hard to predict and impossible to replicate deliberately," said Liang Xia, an animation producer based in Shanghai.

"More often, they are driven by a swell of public emotion rather than the content itself. The content may simply serve as the spark that ignites."

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The .)

…moreless

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
The Bull Comesniu lainiu lai movieniu lai movie chinachinese moviesNiu Lai merchandise

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The .)

…moreless

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year