China's first fully AI-generated feature film faces weak ticket sales

China’s first feature film made entirely with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) will be released in cinemas on Friday, putting the rapidly growing industry to the test, AFP reports.

However, reactions to the AI-generated film are expected to be mixed, as ticket sales have fallen short of expectations, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

On the release day of Sanxingdui: Future Past, a sci-fi thriller, more than 10,000 screenings are scheduled, according to ticketing platform Maoyan.

As of Friday morning, advance ticket sales had reached only 80,000 yuan (approximately €10,700), equivalent to just a few thousand tickets at most, depending on their varying prices.

Total box office revenue is also forecast to remain below 150,000 yuan (€20,000), a tiny fraction of the film’s production cost, according to Maoyan.

Jiang Defu, general manager of production company Bona Film Group, recently acknowledged in an interview that the film had been met with skepticism, while also insisting that it pushes the boundaries of what is possible.

“We are the first to attempt this, the first to obtain approval for a theatrical release, and the first to face the judgment of the audience,” Jiang Defu told Yuli, a publication specializing in China’s film industry. “It is by no means an easy task,” he added.

Nearly 100 people worked on the project for more than two years, which cost over 10 million yuan (€1.3 million), according to Bona Film Group.

However, this was not enough to convince Iris Yang, who attended a free preview in Beijing on Thursday organized for film crews. She told AFP that she would never have paid for a ticket, given the film’s quality.

“If an AI-generated production could match the cinematic experience of a film like Avatar, then yes, I would be willing to pay,” she said, referring to the famous American franchise known for the quality of its animation.

AI-generated video content is rapidly gaining popularity in China. On Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, AI-created mini-series accumulated more than 200 billion views in September alone.

However, as independent filmmaker Zhang Jun, who uses AI, told AFP, “audiences will not buy tickets simply because a film was generated using artificial intelligence.”

Users of Chinese social media platforms also appear skeptical about the theatrical release of AI-created films.

“If it were free on streaming platforms, it could become a cult film. But paying to watch it? People are not ready for that yet,” one user commented on Weibo.

In Hollywood, the rise of AI has sparked concern among film industry professionals. An AI-generated sci-fi feature titled Gods Don't Give Gifts is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 4.

Meanwhile, a virtual actress named Tilly Norwood, whose interviews have gone viral and fueled fears about job losses in the industry, is set to appear in an upcoming film titled Misaligned.

Photo: Beijing International Film Festival / X.com