The summer box office season is bustling with activity as usual. Setting aside live-action films, domestic animations and classic IP sequels are dominating half of the market. The lineup includes the 10th-anniversary IMAX re-release of the classic Big Fish & Begonia, the Pixar franchise entry Toy Story 5, and the summer's biggest dark horse, Eight Immortals!, which has achieved both strong box office and critical acclaim. Oh, and there's also The Ox Arrives.

Never heard of it? That's not surprising, as the film has maintained a very low profile. Calling it "zero promotion" isn't quite accurate, as the Beijing Film Association's official account did recommend it before its release. The description at the time stated it uses a "light and agile episodic narrative" with a "national aesthetic," offering a healing experience that caters to children's curiosity and adults' need for stress relief. Keep that review in mind. Fast forward to August 5th, when The Ox Arrives premiered, achieving a "staggering" box office total of 7,352 yuan over nine days. That's correct—no missing zeros or missing the "W" for ten thousand; it's exactly 7,000-plus yuan in real revenue.

Is this abstract box office figure due to the film's low-key nature? No, it's because the animation itself is even more abstract than its earnings. While animated films should be grounded, this one doesn't need to be grounded in the underworld. The Ox Arrives has burst into public view with its extremely rare, rough-around-the-edges approach, "forcefully" entering the spotlight. It has garnered a torrent of criticism, earning the nickname "performance art in cinemas" due to its remarkably low industrial standards and absurd market performance, a rarity for 2026.

The Ox Arrives tells the story of a young calf and a lark who, under the influence of multiple forces, confront life and death and embrace responsibility. The concept seems decent, but viewers report that the actual experience is a chaotic plot with unclear themes. The dialogue lacks emotional impact, leaving audiences feeling confused after watching. The poor storyline is compounded by terrible production. The poster suggests a watercolor national style, but the actual footage feels like a strange wind, epitomizing low-precision 3D animation. The visual quality is disastrous, the modeling is excessively rough, and the character movements are awkward and stiff. Regardless of luck, viewers encounter numerous "clipping" errors in the scenes. Netizens can't help but marvel that, in the age of AI, there are still old-school artists crafting by hand, yet it's surprising to see such low-quality work in a theater.

Despite its complete critical failure, The Ox Arrives has gained attention for its "so-bad-it's-good" novelty factor. Some netizens are now eager to try it, as while bad movies are common, one that hits rock bottom is worth a look. True fans dare to face the harsh visuals, curious to see just how bad it is. However, this curiosity hasn't translated into real box office success. In nine days, the film had only 200-plus total viewers, with a single-day peak of just over a dozen people, setting a record for the lowest annual box office for a theatrical animated film. In some regions, only one theater scheduled a single screening per day.

While The Ox Arrives has rough production, it is a fully compliant theatrical film, verifiable on the National Film Bureau's website. It was registered in 2021 in Liaoning Province, with the filing entity being Dalian Jingyuan Culture Film Media Co., Ltd., and obtained a public release permit in 2024. Curious about the production team? It's even more surprising than the film. Public records show the crew consists of just two people. Director Xin Yumeng handles multiple roles—director, producer, voice actor, and actor. The other member, screenwriter Sun Lifang, also does voice work. Incredible? It gets more bizarre. Netizens have discovered that the filing company, Dalian Jingyuan Culture Film Media Co., Ltd., was founded in 2016 with a registered and paid-in capital of 100,000 yuan. Its annual report shows only one employee on social insurance. Even more surprising, the company had a former name; from March 2016 to July 2021, it was called Dalian Jingyuan Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd. Yes, an interior and exterior decoration company rebranded and ventured into the film industry.

Additionally, netizens speculate that the emergence of The Ox Arrives may be linked to a policy document, "Several Measures to Promote the High-Quality Development of the Film Industry in Liaoning Province," issued by the Liaoning Provincial Film Bureau in July of last year. The policy aims to use "real gold and silver" in the form of support, rewards, and subsidies to boost cultural originality, create high-quality works, and accelerate the development of a high-quality cultural, sports, and tourism integration demonstration area. It offers up to 1 million yuan in rewards for excellent small and medium-budget films registered and released in Liaoning. Despite the box office of just over 7,000 yuan, the maximum possible reward is 1 million yuan. Finally, the ultimate question: The Ox Arrives—are you going to watch it?