BEIJING, China: China’s first fully AI-generated feature film, Sanxingdui: Future Past, opened in cinemas on Friday, marking a technological milestone despite disappointing advance ticket sales and mixed audience reactions.
More than 10,000 screenings of the science-fiction thriller were scheduled nationwide for Friday, according to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.
However, advance ticket sales reached just 65,000 yuan ($9,700) by Thursday evening, with total box-office earnings projected to remain below 100,000 yuan.
The forecast represents a fraction of the film’s reported production budget of more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million).
AI Filmmaking Faces Audience Test
Bona Film Group CEO Jiang Defu acknowledged the film’s lukewarm reception but defended the project as an important experiment in filmmaking.
“We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience,” Jiang told Chinese film industry publication Yuli.
Nearly 100 people spent more than two years producing the film, according to Bona.
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Despite the technological achievement, some viewers questioned whether the production justified cinema ticket prices.
Iris Yang, who attended a free preview screening on Thursday, said she would not have paid to watch the film because of its quality.
Independent AI director Zhang Jun told AFP that audiences would not necessarily purchase tickets simply because a film was created using artificial intelligence.
AI Video Popularity Continues to Grow
AI-generated entertainment has gained significant popularity in China, particularly on short-video platforms.
On Douyin, AI-produced short dramas attracted more than 200 billion views in September alone.
However, the film’s weak advance sales suggest that popularity online may not automatically translate into cinema revenue.
The development comes as Hollywood faces growing concerns about artificial intelligence potentially replacing jobs in the entertainment industry.
Another AI-generated science-fiction film, Gods Don’t Give Gifts, is scheduled for release in the United States on December 4.
Meanwhile, virtual actor Tilly Norwood is expected to appear in the upcoming film Misaligned, further intensifying debate over AI’s role in filmmaking.
