Chinese animated film "Niu Lai" pulled from theaters in Dalian; BNB Chain meme coin "Niu Lai" spikes

ME News reported that on Aug. 16 (UTC+8), cinemas in Dalian—the hometown of the producer of Chinese animated film "Niu Lai"—halted all screenings and removed the title from theaters. Local venues said they were notified the film's poor quality could damage the city's image. The film has not been withdrawn nationwide. Most cities are still screening it as usual, and multiple cinemas said they have not received any official instruction to pull the movie. Tickets also remain available on major booking platforms for several days, with some showtimes listed up to a week in advance. Screenshots circulating online claim new screenings nationwide will stop from Aug. 17, while already-scheduled showings may continue. This has not been confirmed by official sources or most major theater chains. "Niu Lai" is still in broad release, and box-office receipts have jumped from only a few thousand yuan at launch to several million yuan. Data from Lantern Professional Edition show the film has entered the top 10 for China's 2026 domestic animated box office, with revenue at RMB 4.648 million, ranking ninth behind "Shuke and Beita: The Miniaturized Humans" at RMB 6.732 million. On the crypto side, GMGN data show the BNB Chain meme coin "Niu Lai" remains highly active, with 24-hour trading volume at $37.5 million. Its market capitalization is $16.4 million, up 223% over 24 hours, though nearly 45% below today's intraday peak of $29 million. BlockBeats cautioned that meme coins typically lack real utility and can be highly volatile, urging investors to be prudent. (Source: BlockBeats)