China’s first entirely AI-generated feature to secure a theatrical release has struggled at the box office. Sanxingdui: Future Past, a science-fiction thriller produced by Bona Film Group, took an estimated $180,000 through Monday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan, against a reported production budget of $1.5 million.
The story centres on an archaeologist tasked with saving a future world enslaved by AI. Acknowledging the lukewarm reception, Bona’s chief operating officer, Jiang Defu, nevertheless defended the film as a significant experiment. He emphasised its pioneering role in obtaining theatrical approval and submitting a fully AI-generated feature to audience scrutiny.
Reactions on social media ranged from strong criticism to enthusiasm about AI filmmaking’s low costs and creative freedom. The film’s commercial difficulties contrast sharply with the technology’s dominance in Chinese microdramas, short narratives designed for social platforms. According to Caixin, over 95% of more than 120,000 microdramas released in the first quarter of 2026 were AI-generated, compared with almost none a year earlier; production costs have fallen to as little as $3,000.
Stanley Rosen, a University of Southern California specialist in Chinese film and society, says people generally accept short-form films but are skeptical about AI use in major features. He doubts audiences will attend AI-generated films in cinemas unless their quality matches productions such as Avatar or Nezha 2, suggesting streaming platforms may offer an alternative outlet.
The debate also extends to Hollywood, where concerns about AI helped drive the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. Director Ben Affleck has acknowledged using AI extensively in his Netflix crime thriller Animals, released on 9 October, although he was reluctant to identify the specific applications.
