Hong Kong filmmaker shares six Instagram posts showing ticket irregularities, sparking industry-wide debate over “stolen票房” practices
Stephen Chow, the legendary Hong Kong filmmaker and comedian, took to Instagram late Tuesday to sound the alarm over suspected box office manipulation affecting his latest directorial effort, “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer.” The film, which hit mainland Chinese theaters on April 11, has already surpassed 1 billion yuan (approximately $140 million) in ticket sales within its first week—a remarkable commercial achievement now overshadowed by accusations of fraud.
In a series of six Instagram Stories posted overnight, Chow—affectionately known as “Sing Yeh” to fans—shared screenshots from multiple moviegoers who reported receiving handwritten tickets or irregular receipts when purchasing tickets for his film. Each repost was accompanied by three question marks (“???”), signaling his bewilderment at the apparent irregularities.
One image shows a ticket originally printed for the animated film “Eight Immortals!”—with the title crossed out and “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer” scribbled in by hand. Another depicts a single handwritten slip listing 11 seat numbers, issued to a customer who had bought 11 tickets for “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer.” Social media users quickly flagged the anomalies, with one commenting: “Is this 11 people being stolen from?” Another wrote: “I came to see ‘Kung Fu Women’s Soccer’ and got a handwritten ticket.”
The practice, known in China’s film industry as “tou piao fang” (stolen票房), involves cinemas secretly diverting box office revenue from a high-demand film to a less popular or self-distributed title. Theaters typically print tickets for the lower-performing film—sometimes even altering them by hand—and pocket the difference. The goal is to artificially inflate the box office numbers of the smaller film, generating buzz or meeting contractual obligations.
The incident implicates “Eight Immortals!,” a mythological comedy based on the Chinese legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea. The animated feature is scheduled for a full theatrical release on April 18 but began limited advance screenings on April 14. As of Wednesday afternoon, its presales and preview screenings had collectively earned over 80 million yuan (about $11 million).
Chow’s public airing of the issue has reignited a larger conversation about transparency in China’s box office reporting system. While the country’s film regulators have previously cracked down on ticket fraud—including a high-profile 2018 investigation into “ticket-splitting” and false data reporting—industry insiders say the practice persists in smaller and regional theaters.
For Chow, who last directed 2019’s “The New King of Comedy,” the controversy threatens to tarnish what is otherwise a triumphant box office run. “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer,” which combines the director’s trademark slapstick humor with martial arts and female empowerment themes, had been widely expected to become one of the highest-grossing Chinese films of the year.
What happens next may depend on whether China’s National Film Administration launches an investigation. In previous cases, theaters found guilty of box office fraud faced fines, license suspensions, or permanent closure. For now, Chow’s legions of fans are calling for accountability—and for movie tickets to be printed, not scribbled, at the box office.
