What happened
A-share影视 sector stocks have been active recently, with multiple AI影视 concept stocks surging. The AIGC long drama '后西游记' launched on Mango TV, and the first AI-produced theatrical animated feature '三星堆：未来往事' is set for nationwide release, produced by Bona Film Group.
Since August 31, the影视院线 sector has shown a strong rebound. Mango Excellent Media rose over 56%, Huanrui Century nearly 50%, and Bona Film and iReader Technology each gained over 20%, with Bona hitting the daily limit on September 7.
AI is deeply involved in film creation, offering lower costs, higher efficiency, and lower entry barriers, enabling high-cost genres and global distribution. AI dramas like '归墟' have gained popularity, with one creator handling all production steps.
Why it matters
The integration of AI in filmmaking is shifting from experimental to commercial, as evidenced by the upcoming theatrical release and the success of AI-generated dramas. This trend could reshape production economics and content creation.
The strong stock performance reflects investor optimism about AI's potential to boost profitability and expand market reach, especially overseas, where related companies' revenue hit a five-year high in the first half of the year.
Key facts
The AIGC long drama '后西游记' launched on Mango TV on August 31, with 100% AI-generated visuals and no real actors or location shooting.
The film '三星堆：未来往事' is produced by Bona Film and was filed with the National Film Administration on September 4, 2025.
The AI sci-fi short drama '三星堆·未来启示录' Season 1, which aired on Douyin in 2024, achieved 160 million total views.
DataEye Research projects the domestic AI drama market to reach 40 billion yuan in 2026, up 138% year-over-year.
In the first half of the year, 62 AI video concept stocks saw overseas revenue growth, with total overseas revenue exceeding 17.8 billion yuan, a five-year high for the period.
What to watch next
Monitor the box office performance of '三星堆：未来往事' upon its theatrical release, as it will be a key test for AI-produced feature films.
Watch for continued institutional interest in AI video concept stocks, as nearly 30 have been surveyed this year, with some attracting over 100 institutions.
Track the growth of AI drama market size and the success rate of new releases, as only 0.48% of new AI dramas on Douyin surpassed 100 million views in the first half of 2026.