Play store
China released its first fully artificial intelligence (AI)-generated film on Friday, but the science fiction thriller is facing a tough box-office test amid limited audience interest.
Titled ‘Sanxingdui: Future Past’, the film is scheduled to be screened in more than 10,000 cinemas across the country.
However, advance ticket sales have been weak. According to ticketing platform Maoyan, the film had generated just 80,000 yuan ($11,980) in advance bookings by Friday morning.
The film’s total box-office revenue is expected to remain below 150,000 yuan, far short of its production costs.
Bona Film Group, the production company, said a team of around 100 people spent more than two years making the film, with costs exceeding 10 million yuan ($1.5 million).
The film’s actors, voices and backgrounds were all generated using AI. Its storyline explores the influence of artificial intelligence and the future of humanity.
Speaking in a recent interview, Bona Film Group chief executive Jiang Defu said that despite limited audience interest, the film was opening up new possibilities for the industry.
He said the company was among the first to attempt such a production and that the film was also facing its first major test with audiences.
AI-generated videos have gained considerable popularity in China, the world’s second-largest economy. Short AI-generated dramas on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, recorded more than 200 billion views in September alone.
