The domestic "phenomenal" animated film "Niu Lai" is suspected to have been removed from theaters. Director Xin Yumeng stated on social media that the theatrical run of "Niu Lai" has officially concluded. Acknowledging both praise and criticism, she expressed that all feedback would be carefully considered. She sincerely thanked the audiences who visited the cinemas and promised to reflect and continue striving in future creations.
Recent online rumors claim that major cinemas have been asked to stop adding new screenings for "Niu Lai," effectively implementing a soft removal. According to media reports, "Niu Lai" has been removed from several cinemas in Dalian. A check of multiple ticketing platforms by reporters revealed no screenings of the film in the Dalian area. However, cinema managers and investment staff in Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, and other regions stated they had not received any notice of removal.
According to Jiupai News, the producer of "Niu Lai" is based in Dalian. A cinema in Dalian stated that it received notice to remove "Niu Lai" from its schedule. A staff member at a Dalian cinema told reporters, "That movie is so bad, why do you want to watch it? Dalian doesn't allow it to be shown because it was made by people from Dalian, and they fear it will damage the city's image."
The film "Niu Lai" gained popularity online due to its unique art style. Netizens who watched it joked: "In an era dominated by AI, it takes courage for someone to persist in creating at this level manually." Records show that "Niu Lai" had only two cast and crew members, with director Xin Yumeng taking on multiple roles, including director and voice actor. The project was registered in 2021 and received a public screening license from the China Film Administration in 2024.
Reportedly released on August 5, the film earned only 342 yuan on its opening day. After nine days, its cumulative box office reached just 7,169 yuan, with a total of 236 attendees, setting the lowest box office record for theatrical animated films in 2026. Later, as online buzz grew, screenings increased significantly. According to data from Maoyan Professional, as of 13:00 on August 16, the cumulative box office for "Niu Lai" had reached 3.44 million yuan.
Following the success of "Niu Lai," director Xin Yumeng has already begun production on her next feature film: "Yang Gao."
