A rough, low-budget Chinese animated film called Niu Lai has become the most profitable movie ever made relative to its production cost, overtaking the recent record holder Obsession. The film, reportedly made for just $200 by a mother-and-son duo, went from an obscure release with barely any ticket sales to a viral sensation once clips began circulating online, turning it into a genuine box office phenomenon in China.

Niu Lai opened in Chinese cinemas on 5 August with almost no promotion and took in only around $1,145 in its first 10 days, selling fewer than 300 tickets. After footage spread online, curious audiences flocked to see it, pushing its total takings to roughly $4.3 million (RMB 29 million) and prompting cinema staff to hand-draw their own posters in lieu of a marketing budget. The film follows a newborn calf overcoming its fears in an "abstract" dream sequence, and was created over five years by Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang; it surpasses Obsession, which was made for under $1 million, as the most profitable film relative to budget, though it remains unclear whether it will reach cinemas outside China.