AI Film Gets 10,000 Cinema Screenings but Just Two Viewers Per Showing

China’s first fully AI-generated theatrical feature has suffered a disastrous opening, averaging just two viewers per screening on two consecutive days despite receiving more than 10,000 scheduled showings on its opening day.

Sanxingdui: Future Past, produced by Bona Film Group, opened on 23 October 2026 after more than two years of development and a reported budget exceeding 10 million Chinese yuan, approximately 1.5 million US dollars.

By 28 October, its box-office takings had reached only around 1.35 million yuan, with criticism focusing on unnatural performances, disappointing storytelling and whether AI-generated entertainment was worth paying to watch in cinemas.

Thousands of Screenings but Almost Empty Cinemas

The 100-minute science-fiction film received approximately 11,000 scheduled screenings across China on opening day, yet attendance averaged just two viewers per showing on 24 and 25 October.

On 26 October, the film had 8,469 scheduled screenings but a reported occupancy rate of only 0.1%, demonstrating the difficulties it faced attracting audiences despite widespread availability.

The disappointing results followed weak advance ticket sales, suggesting the film was struggling to generate interest even before viewers began sharing their experiences.

What Did Audiences Think of the AI Film?

Audience reactions have been divided, although criticism of the performances and storytelling has featured prominently in reviews and online discussions.

Some viewers complained that the characters lacked natural expressions and convincing emotional performances, with facial movements, dialogue and character interactions failing to create the connection expected from a feature film.

One online reviewer described the experience as mentally exhausting, while another questioned why audiences should purchase cinema tickets for AI-generated entertainment when similar short-form productions are freely available online.

A viewer who attended a free preview said the visual quality fell short of what they would expect from a theatrical production and indicated they would only consider paying if AI filmmaking could deliver an experience comparable to Avatar.

However, the response was not entirely negative, with other viewers praising the film’s elaborate environments, historical imagery and ambitious concept, even while acknowledging limitations in the technology.

The criticism suggests that audiences were judging the film on its entertainment value rather than simply celebrating the fact that artificial intelligence had been used to create it.

Producers Admit No Money Was Spent on Paid Promotion

Another possible explanation for the disappointing opening emerged when Bona Film Group executive Jiang Defu discussed the production’s release strategy at an event on 25 October.

He acknowledged that the company had not invested in paid publicity or promotional campaigns for the film, unlike its conventional commercial productions.

Jiang also recognised that the finished production had shortcomings and indicated that the company intended to use the experience to improve its next AI film.

The lack of paid promotion may have contributed to weak awareness and advance ticket sales, although there is no evidence establishing how much it affected the box-office result.

Nearly 100 People Spent Two Years Making the Film

Despite being described as fully AI-generated, Sanxingdui: Future Past required nearly 100 people working over more than two years, producing approximately 1.2 million base images and completing more than 100 rounds of revisions.

Its story combines China’s ancient Shu civilisation with a futuristic crisis involving humanity’s dependence on artificial intelligence, while human filmmakers remained responsible for creative direction and assembling the finished feature.

The producers have acknowledged that AI-generated performances remain difficult to perfect, particularly when maintaining natural expressions and emotional consistency throughout a full-length production.

For a company attempting to demonstrate the potential of AI cinema, the opening has exposed a fundamental challenge: creating an entire feature through artificial intelligence is a technological achievement, but convincing audiences that the finished film deserves their money is a separate test.