Photo: Screenshot from online

The first Chinese film to expose the inner workings of overseas online fraud, No More Bets, has become a major hit, taking the lead in terms of screen share and box office.

After the film earned a record of 420 million yuan ($58.2 million) in the Chinese mainland in pre-screenings from Saturday to Monday, the film moved up its release date from Friday to Tuesday. As of Tuesday afternoon, the film had already crossed the 600 million yuan mark.

"The theme (of the movie) is quite commendable. A significant reason for the high box-office earning is the current prominence of telecom fraud as a hot topic in China. Hopefully, it can raise everyone's awareness," said a Beijing-based movie insider surnamed Lu.

Based on tens of thousands of actual fraud cases in China, No More Bets was produced by famed director Ning Hao and his studio and directed by Shen Ao. 

Unveiling the sinister overseas online fraud black market, the narrative follows characters like programmer Pan Sheng and model Anna who are lured to overseas by high-paid job offers, but they only find themselves falling into the trap of an overseas fraud factory. In the lead up to its premiere, the film garnered over 8 billion views on Douyin, which boosted audience anticipation toward the movie. 

The movie witnessed a rapid surge in its "want-to-see" list on ticketing platforms Maoyan and Taopiaopiao, surpassing 1.6 million users that ultimately translated into ticket sales, said media reports.

Shen shared the original intent behind making the film at the premiere ceremony in Shanghai on August 2, stating that while smartphones have made our lives more convenient, they have "also inadvertently opened the door to online fraud." 

He hopes the film will raise awareness among moviegoers, emphasizing that crimes are taking place and urging friends and family to remain vigilant. 

Zhou Jie, a Shanghai-based policeman, praised the film's authenticity during the premiere. 

He said that cases depicted in the movie such as online gambling, investment scams and click farming are day-to-day realities for them. 

The film also portrays details of criminal activities like bank card trafficking and overseas criminal exploitation, all sourced from real-life incidents.

The film's release coincides with an announcement from Chinese government at the end of July, where plans were revealed to crack down on overseas telecom fraud in accordance with the law and intensify investigations into and disruption of criminal gangs colluding with foreign forces, in a move to safeguard the interests of the public.