At the 27 August cutoff
BOX-OFFICE TIMELINE
From RMB 7,711 to RMB 63.8433M.
Follow Niu Lai's reverse-viral rise by date, with realised box office kept separate from platform forecasts.
Checked 27 Sep · not a final total
Blue Whale News · 20 Aug
All retain dates and sources
THREE PHASES
Over twenty-three days, the box office moved through three distinct phases.
Low-attention theatrical phase
The film was in cinemas, but public coverage had not yet formed a continuing narrative.
The abnormal starting point becomes visible
The RMB 7,711 snapshot enters reporting; attention starts converting into screenings and purchases.
Growth and reporting amplify each other
Realised cumulative gross crosses RMB 14.8887M, 21.7646M, 27.211M, 29.370M, 31.80M, 33M, and 34.178M, passes RMB 40M on 22 August, tops RMB 42M (1.5M+ admissions) on 23 August, reaches RMB 47.03M late on 24 August, RMB 47.871M (1.722M admissions) on 25 August, then passes RMB 50M with 1.798M admissions and reaches RMB 52.820M at 20:10:52 CST on 27 August.
Theatrical release
The Maoyan listing gives a 5 August release and an 86-minute runtime. Film listing ↗
Early box office and sparse screenings reach the news
Caiwen News cited Maoyan Pro: RMB 7,711 and 278 admissions after 10 days; its check also found no listed screenings in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, or Hangzhou and one cinema in Beijing. This is a dated snapshot, not a later live status. Report ↗
Curiosity drives interest and screenings
Dayoo's 15 August report cited Maoyan Pro: 37K marked interest and box office above RMB 170K including presales; it also described screenings rising from single digits to about 600. Read every figure with this publication date. Report ↗
A report gives a RMB 2.567M snapshot and local screening news
A Caiwen repost of Jiupai News cited a Lamp snapshot of RMB 2.567M that morning and reported a Dalian cinema's proposed removal. Its RMB 5.98M and RMB 18.37M figures were forecasts, not actual totals, and do not establish a nationwide removal. Report ↗
Cumulative gross reaches RMB 14.8887M; several Dalian cinemas restore screenings
A 09:46 report cited a Maoyan live total of RMB 9.46M. At 22:54:39 CST, the China Film Box Office page then showed RMB 14.8887M cumulative and RMB 8.0735M for the day, both including service fees. A 17:57 report also found several Dalian cinemas listing the film again; the earlier local removals were not nationwide. Morning report ↗ · Rescreening report ↗
Cumulative gross reaches RMB 21.7646M as Associated Press covers the reverse-viral rise
At 22:33:18 CST, the China Film Box Office page showed RMB 6.7486M for the day and RMB 21.7646M cumulatively, both including service fees. Associated Press used an earlier publication cutoff of about RMB 17.1M; the two figures are preserved with their respective timestamps rather than treated as conflicting. Live box-office page ↗ · Associated Press report ↗
Cumulative gross reaches RMB 27.211M; today's realised gross reaches RMB 5.3187M
At 20:48:45 CST, Maoyan Pro showed RMB 5.3187M for today and RMB 27.211M cumulatively on release day 15, with a 1.9% box-office share, 5.2% screening share, and 4.2% seat share. The figures include service fees. This is a timestamped live realised snapshot, not a final forecast. Live box-office page ↗
Cumulative gross reaches RMB 29.370M; RMB 1.8364M realised by 11:45 CST
At 11:45:12 CST, Maoyan Pro showed RMB 1.8364M for the day and RMB 29.370M cumulatively on release day 16, with a 3.7% box-office share, 5.6% screening share, and 4.5% seat share. The figures include service fees. This is a timestamped live realised snapshot, not a final forecast. Live box-office page ↗
Box office crosses RMB 30M; distributor revenue exceeds RMB 10M
Dengta Pro live data showed box office crossing RMB 30M at 14:06 CST, confirmed by a 14:18 Wallstreetcn flash and then echoed by Sina, NetEase, TMTPost, and Jiemian; Blue Whale News the same day reported distributor revenue above RMB 10M. This snapshot and the 11:45 Maoyan Pro total of RMB 29.370M come from different platforms and cutoffs, so each retains its own source. Dengta data flash ↗ · Blue Whale News ↗
Cumulative gross passes RMB 31.80M at the 20 August close; about RMB 4.27M on the day
At 00:26 CST on 21 August, a NetEase report said cumulative gross passed RMB 31.80M by the 20 August close, with about RMB 4.27M on the day, down about 24.2% from the prior day. This is a reported realised snapshot at the close, later than the 14:06 Dengta Pro RMB 30M crossing on the same calendar day. NetEase report ↗
Total gross passes RMB 33M by 11:00 CST; the director's WeChat-posts promotion sparks the 'zero-marketing' dispute
At 14:02 CST Sohu News reported total gross passing RMB 33M by 11:00 CST on 21 August, with Maoyan interest near 200K; it also noted viewers had found director Xin Yumeng posting promotional material on her personal WeChat moments since the 1 August release-date announcement, challenging the 'zero-marketing' claim. A 12:28 Phoenix report recorded a 20 August Maoyan-scope cumulative of RMB 30.581M and a Maoyan forecast near RMB 59.93M, and estimated the director could take home about RMB 10M after tax based on that forecast (a forecast and an estimate, not realised). The RMB 31.80M 20-August-close figure is kept as that day's latest close snapshot. Sohu report ↗ · Phoenix report ↗
Dengta Pro data shows cumulative gross reaching RMB 34.178M
Jiemian reported, citing Dengta Pro, cumulative gross of RMB 34.178M as of 21 August. This is that day's verifiable realised snapshot; Sohu News earlier recorded gross passing RMB 33M by 11:00 CST, using a different platform and cutoff. Jiemian report ↗
Total gross crosses RMB 40M
Jingwei reported, citing Dengta Pro live data, total gross passing RMB 40M by 23:16 CST on 22 August; Phoenix News covered the same milestone that evening. This is a timestamped realised snapshot, not a final forecast. Jingwei report ↗ · Phoenix report ↗
Maoyan Pro: RMB 41.55M cumulative with a RMB 57.665M forecast; director interview shares production details
Guancha.cn reported Maoyan Pro data showing RMB 41.55M cumulative by 9:21 CST on 23 August and a RMB 57.665M mainland forecast (a forecast). The report also compiled the director interview: five years of solo production, no AI elements, and second-hand equipment bought on Xianyu. The realised snapshot and platform forecast use different bases. Guancha report ↗
Cumulative gross tops RMB 42M with 1.5M+ admissions; filmmakers confirm next film 'Yang Gao'
Lianhe Zaobao and Gamersky reported live platform data topping RMB 42M with over 1.5M admissions as of 23 August, and confirmed a next film 'Yang Gao' in preparation — previously flagged as unconfirmed, now acknowledged by the filmmakers. Zaobao ↗ · Gamersky ↗
Total gross passes RMB 45M; Maoyan forecast raised to RMB 120M
A NetEase account reported total gross passing RMB 45M on 24 August, with Maoyan's forecast raised to RMB 120M (a forecast). The cited audience profile (61% of buyers over 35, 57% from tier-3/4 cities) is the outlet's own claim without a stated source. A forecast is not realised gross. NetEase report ↗
Maoyan Pro puts cumulative gross at RMB 46.282M, above Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 in mainland China
Gamersky reported at 15:31 CST, citing Maoyan Pro, that Niulai had reached RMB 46.282M, above the RMB 44.290M mainland-China total it cited for Evangelion: 3.0+1.0. RMB 46.282M is a realised snapshot, not a forecast or final theatrical total. Gamersky report ↗
Douban rises to 6.0; cumulative gross reaches RMB 47.03M with RMB 2.4973M on the day
Sina reported at 22:37 CST that Douban had risen to 6.0, with RMB 47.03M cumulative and RMB 2.4973M on the day, plus a RMB 62.6M mainland final forecast. RMB 47.03M is the evening's realised snapshot, newer than the 15:31 Maoyan-scope RMB 46.282M. Sina report ↗
Cumulative gross reaches RMB 47.871M with 1.722M admissions; Maoyan forecasts RMB 62.605M
Sina Entertainment (Metropolitan Live) reported at 12:29 CST that Niulai had reached RMB 47.871M cumulative with 1.722M admissions; Maoyan forecasts a RMB 62.605M mainland total (a forecast). Douban sits at 6.0 from over 40K ratings. RMB 47.871M is that publication-time realised snapshot, not a final theatrical total. Sina Entertainment report ↗
Maoyan Pro: cumulative gross passes RMB 50M and reaches RMB 50.189M
Maoyan Pro's live page showed RMB 50.189M cumulative on day 22 and RMB 928.9K for the day, with a 2.6% box-office share, 4.4% screening share and 3.4% seat share; service fees were included. This is a timestamped realised snapshot, not a final forecast. Maoyan live page ↗
JRJ: gross passes RMB 50M with 1.798M admissions; Maoyan forecasts over RMB 64M
JRJ.com.cn reported, citing Maoyan Pro, that Niulai passed RMB 50M at 10:47:31 with 1.798M admissions. The figure above RMB 64M is a platform final forecast. Its estimate that the producer's after-tax share could exceed RMB 20M is based on projections, not realised revenue. JRJ report ↗
Maoyan Pro: cumulative gross reaches RMB 51.178M; RMB 1.9169M for the day
Maoyan Pro's live page showed RMB 51.178M cumulative on day 22 and RMB 1.9169M for the day, with a 1.7% box-office share, 4.4% screening share and 3.4% seat share; service fees were included. This is a dated realised snapshot from 26 August, not a final forecast. Maoyan live page ↗
Maoyan Pro: cumulative gross reaches RMB 52.820M; RMB 1.5954M for the day
Maoyan Pro's live page showed RMB 52.820M cumulative on day 23 and RMB 1.5954M for the day, with a 1.9% box-office share, 4.1% screening share and 3.3% seat share; service fees were included. This is a historical timestamped realised snapshot, not a final forecast. Maoyan live page ↗
GLOSSARY
Five terms decide whether figures can be compared.
- Cumulative gross
- The amount realised by a stated cutoff; our curve uses only traceable realised snapshots.
- Gross today
- The amount realised so far on one calendar day, not necessarily that day's final figure.
- Final forecast
- A platform estimate based on current scheduling and attendance, not realised revenue.
- Including presales
- Some reports count tickets sold for future screenings and must be separated from purely realised snapshots.
- Including service fees
- Some pages include ticketing service charges; the basis must stay attached when comparing sources.
ORIGINAL INTERPRETATION
This curve looks more like attention diffusion than a conventional word-of-mouth climb.
The initial base was so small that reporting, memes, and added screenings amplified one another: news created curiosity, curiosity created purchases, and purchases created new headline numbers. That loop explains short-term acceleration but cannot establish durable word of mouth by itself.