Stephen Chow has returned to the big screen after a seven-year hiatus with Kung Fu Soccer. While the film has become a major box office success, the Hong Kong comedy legend is now calling for help after reports of widespread ticket fraud allegedly affecting the movie’s revenue.

According to QQ, Kung Fu Soccer, directed and produced by Stephen Chow and starring Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang (Zhang Yixing), has enjoyed a remarkable theatrical run. The film surpassed 1 billion yuan within just four days of release, breaking multiple box office records. However, Chow recently addressed an issue on Instagram, revealing that the production has been targeted by fraudulent ticketing practices.

Several moviegoers reported suspicious experiences at cinemas. Instead of receiving official printed tickets with QR codes, some customers said they were handed handwritten tickets or were told that ticket printers and network systems were temporarily unavailable. They were then asked to pay staff members directly. Such transactions are allegedly not recorded in the official ticketing system, allowing theaters to pocket revenue that should have gone to the film’s distributors and producers.

Authorities are also investigating claims that certain cinemas issued so-called “ghost tickets.” In these cases, audiences purchasing tickets for Kung Fu Soccer allegedly received tickets printed under the name of another film, All Wishes Come True, causing ticket sales to be credited to the wrong movie. Some theaters reportedly bundled ticket payments with food and beverage purchases to conceal actual ticket revenue, reducing the amount shared with the filmmakers.

Beyond the revenue fraud allegations, All Wishes Come True has also drawn criticism for its similarities to Stephen Chow’s classic works. Viewers noted that several lines of dialogue closely resemble those from Chow’s iconic films. While the director of All Wishes Come True stated that the project was intended as a tribute to the legendary filmmaker, critics argue that the movie has benefited from releasing alongside Kung Fu Soccer while allegedly profiting from misleading ticket sales and leveraging Chow’s reputation despite having no official connection to him. The controversy has prompted many fans to call on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the film’s reported box office earnings.

In response, Stephen Chow’s team has introduced a revised version of Kung Fu Soccer that includes embedded tracking codes capable of identifying unauthorized screenings and detecting irregularities in theater operations. The production has also launched a dedicated hotline encouraging moviegoers to submit evidence of suspected fraud, which will be used in legal proceedings if necessary.

Box office fraud has surfaced repeatedly in China’s film industry. Previous blockbuster releases such as Ne Zha 2 and Creation of the Gods I also reported concerns about missing ticket revenue and alleged manipulation during their theatrical runs.

Kung Fu Soccer reached the 1 billion yuan milestone on July 17, with industry forecasts recently raising its projected final box office from 1.8 billion yuan to as much as 3 billion yuan. The film is also expected to set several new summer movie attendance records.

According to data cited by Sina, around 60% of the film’s audience consists of men aged 35 and older, many of whom were born in the 1970s and 1980s. For these viewers, Stephen Chow’s name alone remains a powerful draw.

Many Chinese moviegoers say they “owe Stephen Chow a movie ticket.” Because many of his classic films from the 1990s were not widely released in mainland China, audiences often watched them through pirated VHS tapes or DVDs. Now, they see purchasing tickets to his latest films as a way of supporting the filmmaker whose work shaped their childhoods. That enduring loyalty also explains why Stephen Chow’s recent releases continue to perform strongly at the box office, even when critical opinions remain divided.

Sources: kenh14