Bona Film Group’s Sanxingdui: Future Past, China’s first fully AI-generated cinema release, flopped after opening on October 23, earning about $181,000 against a $1.5 million budget as audiences stayed away.
TL;DR
- Sanxingdui: Future Past earned about $181,000 through Monday, October 26, after its October 23 opening.
- Bona Film Group says it cost more than RMB10 million ($1.5 million).
- Human-made Niu Lai, mocked as “worse than AI”, has grossed nearly $10 million.
- London-based Particle6 is still developing AI-led film Misaligned, with no release date set.
How badly did Sanxingdui: Future Past perform?
According to Cartoon Brew, the film earned RMB1.21 million ($181,000) through Monday, based on estimates. Bona said it cost more than RMB10 million and needed nearly 100 people working for over two years.
More than 10,000 screenings were scheduled for opening day. Even so, presales stood at just RMB80,000 ($11,980) on release morning, according to AFP.
The sci-fi thriller follows an archaeologist who must save a future world enslaved by AI, according to Chinese state media cited by Fortune.
The “fully AI” label comes with caveats. Caixin reported that the film was made with ByteDance’s Jimeng AI tools under human creative direction. It also reported that actors’ expressions were AI-synthesised, and that the film was approved under the title Sanxingdui: Future Memories.
| $181,000 | $1.5 million | RMB64.29 million |
| Sanxingdui gross to Monday | Sanxingdui reported cost | Niu Lai total gross |
Why Niu Lai makes the comparison so stark
Niu Lai opened on August 5 and earned roughly RMB7,700 in its first 10 days, according to Cartoon Brew. Director Xin Yumeng made it with his mother, screenwriter Sun Lifang.
Clips of its crude animation then spread online, and some viewers called it “worse than AI”, Dexerto reported. The mockery drove ticket sales, and the film has now grossed nearly $10 million.
Cartoon Brew cautioned against reading too much into the contrast. Niu Lai benefited from memes and curiosity as much as affection, so it proves no universal rule about AI.
What experts say about AI films in cinemas
Bona’s chief operating officer, Jiang Defu, acknowledged the lukewarm reception. He told the outlet Yuli that the film was a first on three counts: the attempt, the release permit and the audience test, according to Fortune.
Stanley Rosen, a University of Southern California professor who specialises in Chinese film, said the public is “highly skeptical” of AI in major features. Rosen added that such films may suit streaming better, and that the loss will make other producers more cautious.
Short-form video tells a different story. Over 95% of the more than 120,000 Chinese microdramas released in the first quarter were AI-generated, according to Caixin figures cited by Fortune.
In Hollywood, director Ben Affleck said he used AI for many tasks on Netflix thriller Animals, Fortune reported. Affleck said he was reluctant to specify them.
The UK angle: Particle6 and Misaligned
British interest in AI film runs through London. Particle6, the studio behind AI performer Tilly Norwood, announced in July that it is developing Misaligned with her in the lead, according to CBS News.
Founder Eline van der Velden said the film will use traditional directors, writers and editors alongside AI specialists. Van der Velden said AI can support premium storytelling only with substantial human craft.
No release date or schedule has been announced, according to The Express Tribune.
Meanwhile, human-led British productions keep rolling. Netflix has started filming The Gentlemen season 3 in the UK and Morocco, according to our earlier report.
What happens next for AI features
The next test is in the US, where AI-generated sci-fi feature Gods Don’t Give Gifts is scheduled for release on December 4, according to AFP.
Studios will also watch how audiences respond to human-made spectacle. Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is set for a February 12, 2027 cinema release.
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed 28 October 2026.
