2 People Made Chinese Film for Just Rs 1 Lakh – Now Beating Spider-Man & Odyssey!

Story Content

Niu Lai (The Cow Is Coming), an 86-minute Chinese animated film about a newborn calf and a skylark in an abstract dream sequence, was created entirely by just two people – Xin Yumeng and his mother Sun Lifang – over five years. Released on August 5, 2026, with almost no promotion, it earned a mere 7,700 yuan (about Rs 1.04 lakh) in its first 10 days, with fewer than 300 tickets sold nationwide.

Crude graphics, stiff animation, awkward voice acting and a confusing plot sparked online ridicule, with many calling it “worse than AI” and the worst film of 2026. The mockery backfired spectacularly. Curiosity drove audiences to theatres, turning the film into a “so-bad-it’s-good” phenomenon. It has now grossed over 14.9 million yuan (around Rs 20 crore) and is ranking alongside major releases like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. A true underdog story powered by viral internet fame.