- Bona Film Group set an October 23 nationwide theatrical release for Sanxingdui: Future Past, described as China’s first hyper-realistic AI-involved theatrical feature.
- Earlier Caixin and RADII reporting confirmed the film was made in collaboration with ByteDance’s Jimeng AI video platform, though today’s TechNode report does not mention ByteDance.
- A team of more than 100 people at Bona’s AIGMS division retained creative control, using AI for image generation and content production rather than autonomous direction.
- The production took two years with over 1.2 million source images and 100+ full-film iterations, targeting theatrical standards including 4K and HDR.
Nationwide Release After Official Approval
Bona Film Group announced on Sunday that Sanxingdui: Future Past will receive a nationwide theatrical release on October 23, 2026. The film has secured an official Chinese screening license, distinguishing it from earlier AI-generated video projects limited to online or short-form formats.
The feature combines the ancient Shu civilization of Sanxingdui with a futuristic science-fiction setting. Iconic artifacts such as the Bronze Sacred Tree, Bronze Standing Figure and protruding-eye bronze masks appear in a narrative centered on mysterious binary code concealed within Sanxingdui bronzeware and a future crisis triggered by human dependence on super AI.
ByteDance’s Jimeng AI in the Production Pipeline
According to earlier reporting by Caixin and RADII, the film was made in collaboration with ByteDance’s Jimeng AI video platform. Caixin stated the project used “AI video tools from ByteDance Ltd.,” while RADII described Bona working “in collaboration with ByteDance’s Jimeng AI” and “using ByteDance’s cutting-edge AI video platforms.” Today’s TechNode report attributes production to Bona’s AIGMS division without mentioning ByteDance.
All characters are original digital creations with no digital replicas of real actors. According to the TechNode report, AI was used primarily for image generation and content production, while creative concepts, narrative direction and final artistic decisions remained under the control of a professional team of more than 100 people at Bona’s AIGMS division.
Engineering Consistency at Feature Length
The production took two years and consumed more than 1.2 million source images across over 100 full-film iterations, according to the TechNode report. Maintaining consistent characters, environments, lighting and visual language across a feature-length runtime proved far more demanding than generating individual shots. The team manually calibrated details such as characters’ micro-expressions frame by frame to reduce AI generation uncertainty.
Boka Film Cloud’s Infinite Canvas system integrated scripts, storyboards, characters, sets, lighting and other audiovisual assets into a unified creative environment. The TechNode report frames 4K resolution, high dynamic range color and multi-channel surround sound as production goals rather than confirmed specifications.
The film previously appeared at the Cannes Film Festival and the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market. Earlier Caixin and RADII coverage referred to the film as Sanxingdui: Future Memories with a 90-minute runtime, while today’s TechNode report uses the title Sanxingdui: Future Past with a 100-minute duration.
Sources & context
Go to the original material. Company claims remain attributed to their sources.
01
