In a surprising turn of events, the Chinese animated film “The Arrival of the Cow” has become a phenomenon of the summer box office in 2026 due to its hollow plot and poor production quality. Initially seen as a flop, the film has now reversed its fate, with box office earnings skyrocketing from a mere 7,000 yuan in the first ten days to an astonishing 20 million yuan as of the afternoon of August 18th.
“The Arrival of the Cow” quietly premiered on August 5th with 251 screenings and a meager attendance of 122 viewers, generating only 3,420 yuan in box office revenue on its first day. In the following days, the daily box office numbers continued to plummet, reaching a total of 7,711 yuan with a mere 278 viewers by 4:00 PM on the 14th.
Criticism of the film spread widely on social media platforms, citing low-quality animation, choppy movements, repetitive scenes, and poorly constructed visuals. On August 14th, the hashtag “The Arrival of the Cow with box office of 7,352 yuan” trended as the top search term on Weibo, sparking public interest as audiences flocked to theaters with a curiosity to witness just how bad the film truly was.
On August 15th, the film dominated Weibo with 72 trending topics, amassing a daily box office revenue of 717,000 yuan, marking an over 200-fold increase from its debut. By August 16th, the daily box office earnings surged to around 6.09 million yuan, followed by a milestone on the 17th when total revenue exceeded 10 million yuan.
According to real-time data from Lighthouse Professional Edition as of 4:35 PM on August 18th, the cumulative box office revenue for “The Arrival of the Cow” surpassed 20 million yuan.
On the same day, various topics related to the film continued to dominate discussions on Weibo.
Renowned author and Weibo influencer “Basketball Classic” questioned the frenzy surrounding the film, stating, “Is the world going crazy? ‘The Arrival of the Cow’ features rough animation and stiff movements, with the only sophistication being the promotional posters. The stark contrast has driven the public’s curiosity to witness just how bad it is. With the play on words in the Chinese title suggesting a bullish market, investors flocked to buy tickets in hopes of a windfall, even extending the hype to the stock market!”
Professional investor “Zhang Yixuan” shared his astonishment online, describing “The Arrival of the Cow” as a marvel in the history of Chinese cinema. He noted the increasing number of screenings in Shenzhen cinemas and Cat’s Eye’s forecast predicting box office earnings to exceed 90 million yuan. The unexpected popularity surpassing established films and franchises was truly surreal. He emphasized that while one may not watch bad films, extreme cases like this warrant a viewing experience.
Internet technology influencer “Constantine” mused on the film’s unexpected success, likening it to a large-scale performance in the algorithmic world. He observed that amidst industrialized mass production leading to aesthetic fatigue, this handcrafted, poorly animated film that has become a subject of ridicule online has ironically offered audiences an outlet to express their emotions. Instead of paying for perfection, audiences now seek novelty and opportunities to critique, reflecting a form of retaliatory consumerism against mediocrity in the content market.
However, he cautioned against celebrating this lesson learned, as when the appreciation for absurdity becomes a driving force for engagement, algorithms could further promote similar “junk food” content. As the director retreats amid the frenzy and foreign media spectates this absurd spectacle, it serves as a reminder that if the market only rewards sensationalism while disregarding sincerity, all that may be left is a pile of feathers. In a world where the allure of technology diminishes, whether in AI creations or film productions, returning to genuine emotions and thoughtful storytelling is crucial to avoid becoming mere puppets of data.
According to a report by the “Xiaoxiang Morning News” on August 16th, insiders revealed that “The Arrival of the Cow” was created by just two individuals, a mother born in the 1960s dedicated to fulfilling her child’s dream. Produced by an ordinary family with no external investments, the film was painstakingly handcrafted over five years, with even the end credits song performed by the director’s mother. Audience reviews criticized the film’s outdated animation techniques, nonsensical plotline, and errors in the subtitles, deeming it a torment to watch.
The director of “The Arrival of the Cow,” Xin Yumeng, also served as the producer, voice actor, and extensively contributed to the writing process, essentially overseeing multiple critical aspects of the production. The screenplay was penned by Sun Lifang, with the two individuals serving as the core creators of the film.
Surprisingly, the film’s production company originated from a firm specializing in indoor and outdoor decoration projects, the “Dalian Jingyuan Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd,” which only transitioned into the film industry by renaming itself in July 2021. With a registered capital of 100,000 yuan and a single individual listed as an insured employee in the annual report, Xin Yumeng acts as the legal representative, while Sun Lifang holds the position of financial officer.
Reportedly, in 2024, the film secured a screening permit under the “Film Review and Approval of the Radio, Film, and Television Authority [2024] No. 33.”