A low-budget Chinese animated film titled 'Niu Lai', created by director Xin Yumeng and producer Sun Lifang, has achieved unexpected commercial success after becoming a viral curiosity. The film, which tells the story of a calf befriending a leopard and was produced for approximately $1,000, initially struggled at the box office but gained traction through social media attention focused on its notably poor animation quality and narrative construction, drawing comparisons to cult-classic cult films.

Despite—or perhaps because of—its crude artistic execution, 'Niu Lai' has grossed over $4 million at the Chinese box office, generating returns more than 4,000 times its original budget. This makes it one of the most profitable films relative to production cost in cinema history. The film's popularity prompted some regional cinemas to withdraw it from their screens, citing concerns about potential damage to their reputations, though the filmmakers have expressed gratitude for the creative opportunity the viral success has provided.