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How a ‘rough’ and ‘crude’ Chinese cartoon ox went from box office zero to hero

Fadingcorroborated13 outlets reported this themselves in 20 reports over 7 days - more reporting than echo.
After publishing: 2 headlines quietly rewritten, 1 description edited, 1 URL changed4 changes
  1. aol.co.ukseen 19 Aug, 19:38headline rewritten

    Niu Lai: derided animated film rivals blockbusters at Chinese box office‘Bad in every aspect’: derided low-tech animation Niu Lai rivals blockbusters at Chinese box office

  2. theguardian.comseen 19 Aug, 23:17headline rewritten

    Niu Lai: derided animated film rivals blockbusters at Chinese box office‘Bad in every aspect’: derided low-tech animation Niu Lai rivals blockbusters at Chinese box office

  3. nbcnews.comseen 20 Aug, 11:35description edited
    what the description said, before and after

    “Niu Lai,” which seems to have been made with rudimentary 3D animation, has seen a surge in ticket sales after scathing reviews drew interest from moviegoers.

    “Niu Lai,” which seems to have been made with rudimentary 3D animation, has had a surge in ticket sales after scathing reviews drew interest from moviegoers.

  4. Der Spiegel (Germany)seen 20 Aug, 20:01URL changed

    now resolves towww.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/china-animationsfilm-flopp-niu-lai-wird-zum-megaerfolg-weil-er-so-schlecht-ist-a-bfceaadb-66e5-4ede-b25f-e4ef246d67b1#ref=rss

original reportingcopies
Sun, 16 August 2026peak 4 reports on Mon, 17 August 2026Mon, 24 August 2026

What it is about

Christopher NolanChinaMao YanHollywood, California, United StatesNiu LaiSun LifangXin YumengChineseSun LifanZhong JiamingAssociated PressGuangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaMaoyan, Jiangsu, ChinaShanghai, Shanghai, ChinaMingxi, Fujian, ChinaChengdu, Sichuan, ChinaChinese cinemasOdissea di NolanGuardianCina

Who published it, and when

original reportcopyedited after publishingfirst to report
aol.co.uk1 original report - edited after publishing
theguardian.com1 copy echoing aol.co.uk - edited after publishing
Channel News Asia1 copy echoing South China Morning Post1 original report
nbcnews.com1 original report - edited after publishing
Der Spiegel (Germany)1 original report1 original report
shootonline.com1 original report
Le Figaro (France)1 original report
comingsoon.net1 original report
globaltimes.cn1 original report
17 Aug, 16:30over 6 days23 Aug, 09:27

9 reports left out of the cascade - too little in common with the story to place

How it spread - 16 original reports, 4 reprints

  1. Sun, 16 August 2026

    1 report
    • South China Morning Post14:02
      How a ‘rough’ and ‘crude’ Chinese cartoon ox went from box office zero to hero

      A raw, handcrafted Chinese animation has become an unlikely box-office sensation despite being widely panned by critics and social media users. Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox, has been criticised for its “rough” and “broken” style and a plot that many viewers found hard to follow. But the film has generated some of the loudest online discussion in recent days, despite the competition from two Hollywood blockbusters: Christopher Nolan’s epic version of The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New...

      1 reprint

  2. Mon, 17 August 2026

    2 reports

  3. Tue, 18 August 2026

    3 reports

  4. Thu, 20 August 2026

    4 reports
    • South China Morning Post01:30
      Why Chinese film-goers are flocking to a movie they hate

      This past week, another unlikely film went viral in Chinese cinemas. On its August 5 debut, the animated film Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox, only earned 3,420 yuan (US$507) at the box office. About 10 days later, it suddenly saw a spike in viewers and generated six figures of revenue. On Saturday, its box office climbed to 717,000 yuan and reached more than 11 million yuan on Monday. Its accumulated earnings placed it in the top 10 of China’s domestic animated film box office charts for...

    • South China Morning Post02:20
      Meme magic: how a crude Chinese animation reshapes country’s viewing habits

      A crudely made animated film has emerged as an unexpected cultural flashpoint in China, sparking debate over how memes and online virality are reshaping audience perceptions of what is worth watching. Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox, premiered in China on August 5, following a young calf’s dreamlike journey to becoming a warrior. Its rudimentary visuals quickly invited ridicule: snakes resemble spring-loaded strips, grass is depicted as yellow blocks labelled “grass,” and leaves appear as...

    • Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy)09:56
      “È brutto in ogni aspetto, compresa la storia e gli effetti speciali”: l’incredibile caso del film animato “Niu Lai”, sbanca al box office e sfida l’Odissea di Nolan

      Le recensioni lo hanno stroncato. Scrive un professionista del cinema, che come riporta il Guardian ha chiesto di rimanere anonimo, “brutto in ogni aspetto immaginabile, compresa la storia, gli effetti speciali e quasi ogni elemento che un film dovrebbe avere”. Eppure in Cina, la pellicola di animazione “Niu Lai” (Here Comes The Cow) sfida al […] L'articolo “È brutto in ogni aspetto, compresa la storia e gli effetti speciali”: l’incredibile caso del film animato “Niu Lai”, sbanca al box office...

    • Channel News Asia21:58
      Commentary: This bad movie is a good guide to China’s stock market

      Niu Lai, which translates as Here Comes the Bull, is an ironic name in a nation that is perpetually waiting for one, says Shuli Ren for Bloomberg Opinion.

  5. Fri, 21 August 2026

    3 reports

  6. Sun, 23 August 2026

    2 reports

  7. Mon, 24 August 2026

    1 report

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