Film That Turned Trolling Into Box Office Gold

If luck is on your side, even negative publicity can work in your favor. The same has happened with a Chinese animated film, Niu Lai. The film, which was made on a budget of around 1,680 yuan, initially earned only a few thousand yuan at the box office.

Made by just two people over nearly five years, Niu Lai had a very slow start. Things changed when viewers began trolling the film’s animation on social media. Some even compared its visuals to AI-generated content.

But this negative publicity unexpectedly started working in the film’s favor. As the trolling increased, more people became curious about the film and wanted to see what had created so much discussion online.

The growing attention eventually translated into more theatrical screenings. The film’s earnings have now crossed 6.8 million yuan, taking it close to the $1 million mark.

What started as criticism over poor animation has now turned into free publicity for Niu Lai. Sometimes, all it takes is a little luck for negative attention to become a film’s biggest advantage.