China’s first fully AI film hits cinemas, but ticket sales lag

The film's release represents a technical first, being the initial fully AI-generated feature to receive a theatrical permit and audience test, as stated by Bona Film Group CEO Jiang Defu. Despite this technological precedent, the film's commercial performance has been notably low, indicating a significant disparity between its production investment and audience revenue.

Audience feedback suggests the film's perceived quality contributed to its limited appeal. Iris Yang, who attended a free preview, indicated she would not have paid for a ticket, citing the movie's quality and setting a benchmark of "Avatar" for a theatrical experience worth paying for. Online social media users similarly expressed reluctance to pay for AI-generated movies in cinemas at this stage.

This lukewarm theatrical reception contrasts with the popularity of AI-generated video content on platforms like Douyin, where short dramas amassed over 200 billion views last month. This suggests that while AI-generated content can attract a large viewership, the willingness of audiences to pay for it as a premium cinematic experience remains tied to current production quality and their expectations for value, especially when compared to free online alternatives.