“The Bull Is Coming” Becomes a Cult Hit in China’s Theaters

A low-budget animated feature titled “The Bull Is Coming”—directed by first-time filmmaker Xin Yumeng—has turned into one of China’s top-grossing movies of the year. The film, which follows a young calf named Niu Lai through a surreal dream sequence, opened in August with virtually no publicity and sold fewer than 300 tickets in its first ten days. Within weeks, the movie’s crude, pixelated animation sparked a viral fan movement, especially among younger audiences, driving attendance to the point where it has earned over 20 million yuan (approximately $3 million) at the box office.

New York Times

Xin Yumeng, a 34-year-old landscape artist, created the film as a passion project over five years, working alongside his mother. The animation style—described by viewers as “disaster-level” and likened to a PowerPoint presentation—features characters that resemble sponges with eyes and legs. Despite the modest production values, the film’s unconventional aesthetic has been celebrated as a refreshing contrast to the polished, AI-driven animations dominating Chinese cinema.

New York Times

Fans have turned screenings into participatory events, wearing cow masks, recording reactions, and sharing memes and homemade posters online. The enthusiasm has spurred a market for Niu Lai plush toys and other merchandise, even though the production company has not released an official poster. The city of Hefei’s police department incorporated the calf’s image into a traffic-safety announcement, illustrating the film’s penetration into public messaging.

New York Times

Former Global Times editor Hu Xijin posted on Weibo that he attended the film “to join the fun,” noting that the theater was filled with continuous laughter from start to finish. State-run media commentators also expressed a desire not to miss the phenomenon, underscoring the film’s rapid rise from obscurity to cultural touchstone.

New York Times

The success of “The Bull Is Coming” highlights a growing appetite among Chinese audiences for low-budget, creator-driven content that deviates from mainstream, high-tech productions. It suggests that viral grassroots promotion can propel unconventional works to commercial viability, potentially encouraging more independent filmmakers to pursue experimental projects despite limited resources.

New York Times