Hanoi [Vietnam], April 8: In the Vietnamese box office landscape during the first few months of 2026, alongside films that grossed hundreds of billions of VND, there were also lackluster films with poor revenue such as " The Godfather Returns," "Chien Nam: The Cicada Sheds Its Skin," "Legend of the Night Marsh," and " Bus: A One-Way Trip."
According to data from Box Office Vietnam , The Godfather Returns only grossed approximately 1.84 billion VND, while The Southern War: The Cicada Sheds Its Skin stopped at 324 million VND - a figure far too low compared to the previously announced investment of around 30 billion VND. The Night Love Story had revenue of less than 500 million VND, and Bus: The One-Way Trip only earned over 1.6 billion VND after 10 days of release.
A common thread is that these films were released during seemingly "easy" periods, not directly competing with too many big blockbusters. However, the advantage of timing couldn't save a product lacking appeal. Just a few days after release, many films experienced a sharp drop in screenings, or even disappeared from the box office charts.
The root cause lies in the content and filmmaking style. For example, "Mysterious Love in the Night Marsh," despite exploiting legendary and folklore elements-a seemingly "gold mine" for the Vietnamese box office -was criticized for lacking depth and a script that wasn't tightly woven enough to create emotional impact. Meanwhile, "Bus: One-Way Journey" sparked controversy due to its disjointed, illogical story and unconvincing narrative. Similarly, " War of the South: Cicada Shedding Its Skin," while action-oriented, lacked climaxes; and " The Godfather Returns " failed to differentiate itself from familiar motifs. When a story isn't fresh enough or doesn't resonate enough, audiences almost immediately turn away.
Besides the script, the human element is also a weakness of these films. The cast lacks faces capable of attracting media attention or generating box office buzz, while the current market operates on a "guarantee" formula: a director or actor with sufficient appeal can create initial trust among the audience. Without these elements, the film almost loses its competitive advantage from the very start. The director lacks a personal touch, and the storytelling lacks individuality, further diminishing the film's appeal.
Furthermore, in an era where social media largely determines the success of a film, weak and unstrategic promotion causes many projects to fail from the outset. Failing to generate curiosity before release and lacking word-of-mouth after initial screenings, these films quickly fall into a vicious cycle: low viewership, reduced screenings, and plummeting revenue. This is the vicious cycle that causes many Vietnamese films to be swept out of the market before they even have a chance to make an impact.
From a broader perspective, the aforementioned films are not just isolated failures but also reflect a significant number of filmmakers lacking audience targeting, content strategy, and still clinging to outdated formulas. High-grossing films released at the same time demonstrate that audiences are willing to spend money on products that are sufficiently engaging, emotionally resonant, and unique. Conversely, as audiences become increasingly demanding and the market increasingly competitive, films that fail to touch viewers' emotions will quickly fade into oblivion.
Source: Thanh Nein Newspaper
