China's first AI feature film 'Sanxingdui: Future Past' set for Oct 2026 release

September 27 — The first AI-generated, hyper-realistic theatrical film, Sanxingdui: Past and Future, has been officially scheduled for release in cinemas nationwide on October 23, 2026. With a total runtime of 100 minutes, the film is China’s first feature-length movie produced using AI technology to receive a public screening license from the National Film Administration. The film brings the ancient Shu civilization and a futuristic world to the big screen through hyper-realistic imagery, creating a new sci-fi genre that interweaves ancient civilization with visions of the future.

According to a report by International Online citing foreign media, cities including Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing are attracting AI film and television enterprises and creators by building industrial clusters and offering computing power and rental subsidies, accelerating the transition of AI-generated content from an emerging technology to an industrialized sector.

The report notes that China’s current approach to promoting the AI video industry shares similarities with the development paths of industries such as new energy vehicles, solar photovoltaic panels, and robotics — local governments leverage industrial parks, funding, and infrastructure support to attract enterprises and talent, fostering the formation of a complete industrial chain for new technologies.

AI Accelerates Transformation and Upgrading of the Film and TV Industry

Previously, AI-generated film and TV content was largely confined to short-video platforms, appearing in lightweight formats such as short dramas and concept films, and had yet to break into mainstream content circles.

Following the broadcast of the AIGC ancient-style TV series The Tale of Peach Blossom Pond on Anhui Satellite TV, Journey to the West: The Later Chapters aired during prime time on Hunan Satellite TV in late August 2026. The transition of AI-assisted productions from online platforms to mainstream television screens reflects the film and TV industry’s full embrace of AI, bringing the results of industry transformation into public view.

According to Yicai, AI is reshaping the logic of film and TV production, but established studios, production companies, and veteran professionals are not passively responding. Xi’an Film Studio has developed a vertical large model for the film industry and launched an XR cinema. TVB has aired an AI short drama Survival Guide for Office Workers 101 and built an IP-based business model. These traditional film studios and production companies are already innovating in the AI + content production赛道 based on their respective strengths. Meanwhile, AI film and TV production platforms have been successfully incubated, and veteran visual effects directors have launched projects adapting classic Hong Kong comic IPs into AI-animated films.

CICC (China International Capital Corporation) analysis points out that AI directly addresses two major pain points in the film and TV industry: trial-and-error costs and communication costs. Since production accounts for 70%–80% of total industry costs, AI’s potential for cost reduction is significant. Virtual shooting bases can cut set construction costs by up to 85%, and the cost of original modeling for digital human actors can be reduced by 80%. As supply-side tool and technology capabilities continue to break through, the commercialization of AI in film and TV is expected to accelerate markedly.

Research and Markets, a global industry research firm, forecasts that the global AI film and TV market will reach $35.77 billion in 2026 and grow further to $87.74 billion by 2030.

Seven Concept Stocks See Significant Increase in Trading Activity

According to data from Securities Times · Data Bao, as of the close on September 24, the total A-share market value of AI film and TV concept stocks stood at RMB 215.5 billion. Since the beginning of the year, these concept stocks have fallen by an average of 15.46%. Four stocks have dropped more than 30%: Wondershare Technology, Beijing Enlight Media, Happy Blue Ocean, and H&R Century.

• H&R Century continues to advance the application of AIGC technology across various stages of film and TV content production, including scriptwriting, storyboard design, content creation, post-production, and promotional distribution. The company is enriching content production methods, improving efficiency, and leveraging its proprietary IP resources to expand diversified monetization channels.

• Happy Blue Ocean is actively exploring and applying relevant film and TV technologies, including AI. The company’s AI micro-drama Su Xiaoyou: A Journey Through the Stars was released in March 2026.

• Beijing Enlight Media has internally launched an AI tool application platform developed by its technical team, with over ten self-developed AI tools now in use. These tools are primarily applied to project development, film promotion, media management, and human resources. Some tools have already applied for software copyrights.

• Wondershare Technology launched the “Wanjuchuhai” (Global Content Incubation) Investment Plan in July this year, aiming to empower high-quality AI film and TV projects for overseas markets through funding incubation, tool platforms, content co-creation, and monetization. The overseas version of its Wondershare Filmora (Wanjuchang) has already been launched.

In terms of trading activity, as of the close on September 24, seven stocks saw their average daily trading volume in September increase by more than 30% compared to the previous month. These include Mango Excellent Media, H&R Century, Bona Film Group, Liujin Technology, and Haikan Shares.

• Mango Excellent Media recorded an average daily trading volume of RMB 2.681 billion in September, a month-on-month increase of 783.69%, ranking first. The company’s “Mango Lingchuang” platform deeply integrates Mango TV’s years of film and TV production experience with cutting-edge generative AI technology. It is an AIGC creation platform designed for professional film and TV content, offering full-process intelligent solutions for professional content production.