Bona Film Group’s AI-generated film flops at the Chinese box office

China’s first fully AI-generated feature film to reach cinemas has had a rough debut. Sanxingdui: Future Past, produced by Bona Film Group, brought in an estimated $180,000 through Monday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan. The film reportedly cost $1.5 million to make, according to AFP. Audiences, it turns out, did not line up to watch a movie about AI enslaving humanity that was itself made by AI. The numbers behind the flop The sci-fi thriller follows an archaeologist tasked with saving a future world that AI has enslaved, according to Chinese state media. It premiered in cinemas on October 23. By October 26-27, cumulative ticket sales had reached about 1.21 million yuan, or around $181,000. The production budget exceeded 10 million yuan, which works out to approximately $1.5 million. Distribution was not the problem. The film had more than 10,000 screenings scheduled on its opening day. Attendance was the problem. Reports indicated an average of just two viewers per screening, with occupancy rates falling to 0.1%. The warning signs arrived early. Presale figures came in under 80,000 to 100,000 yuan, which suggested limited audience appetite before the film even opened. Vie...