A film produced using artificial intelligence (AI) technology has struggled to find an audience in China, earning only a fraction of its production costs in its first three days of release.
According to the Singapore-based Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, the sci-fi animated film 'Sanxingdui: Future Past' (三星堆：未來往事), which premiered nationwide on October 23, had a cumulative box office revenue of 900,000 yuan (approximately $180,000) as of October 25.
This amount is less than one-tenth of its production budget, which exceeds 10 million yuan (about $2 million). On its opening day, the film was screened approximately 11,000 times across the country, but pre-release ticket sales only reached around 140,000 yuan (about $28,000).
'Sanxingdui' is the first film created with AI technology to receive official approval for theatrical release in China. While AI-generated content has gained popularity in the country, audience reactions to 'Sanxingdui' have been lukewarm.
The film, running for about 100 minutes, is set against the backdrop of the ancient Shu civilization discovered at the Sanxingdui archaeological site in Sichuan Province, dating back over 3,000 years. It tells the story of a future humanity facing a crisis due to excessive reliance on AI, seeking solutions from the ancient Shu civilization.
The production team reportedly spent two years creating over 1.2 million base images and revising the film more than 100 times. While AI was used to generate characters and backgrounds, human creativity and artistic judgment guided the overall vision. The team noted that producing a live-action version would have cost between 800 million and 900 million yuan.
This disappointing box office performance highlights the distinction between the ability to produce films using AI technology and the challenge of creating content that resonates with audiences. Analysts suggest that even as AI video production technology advances, a compelling story, quality, and effective marketing are essential for commercial success.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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