Duc Thinh's "Big Boss" leaves theater.

TPO - With a revenue of 17.5 billion VND before leaving theaters, director Duc Thinh's "The Shell King" has become one of the losing projects of Vietnamese cinema in 2026.

According to data from Box Office Vietnam, the movie "Trùm sò" (The Boss) The film grossed 17.5 billion VND after more than a month in theaters. The film's screenings ended on May 29th. On May 28th, "Trùm sò" had only about 6 screenings left, earning an additional nearly 4 million VND.

Previously, director Duc Thinh shared that the project needed about 80 billion VND to break even. With the current results, "Trùm Sò" (The Snail King) is almost certainly on the list of films that will lose money in 2026.

This is Duc Thinh's portrayal in the film "The Shellfish Boss," which he directed.

Released during the April 30th holiday, the film quickly lost momentum due to pressure from two horror films, "Phi Phong" and "Heo 5 Cong" (Five-Toe Pig ). Despite the continuous promotional efforts and fan meet-and-greet events organized by Duc Thinh and Thanh Thuy to boost revenue, ticket sales did not improve significantly. In the last two weeks, the film has completely dropped in rankings with meager box office revenue.

The film "Trùm Sò" brings together a cast of familiar actors including Đức Thịnh, Quang Minh, Phương Nam, Mai Phương, Doãn Quốc Đam…

The film was criticized for its unoriginal script, attempting to reinterpret the old folk tale of Nghêu Sò Ốc Hến (Clams, Snails, and Mussels) , but the execution was clumsy, with many predictable situations and a lack of climax. The characters lacked depth, while the comedic elements were theatrical and lacked originality, making it difficult to generate genuine laughter.

Despite its impressive setting and visuals, the film's weak plot and outdated storytelling quickly caused "The Shell Man" to fall short in the fierce competition of horror and action films in theaters.

Speaking to Tien Phong newspaper , film critic Nguyen Phong Viet commented that this year's April 30th film season shows a clear shift in audience tastes. According to him, the success of Phi Phong and Heo 5-toed ( a Vietnamese film) stems from its novel themes, modern storytelling style, and distinct local flavor.

"Audiences now prefer strong stories with psychological depth, but they must also be relatable to Vietnamese life. The big-hit films all have a very unique style, unlike any other motif in the world ," he said.

The failure of "The Shellfish King" is not an isolated case. Several projects by directors of previous generations have also struggled commercially due to outdated approaches, a lack of innovation, or a failure to suit modern viewing habits.

Today's audiences react very quickly to film quality. If the content is unengaging, the dialogue is awkward, or the characters are unconvincing, negative reactions will immediately spread on social media, leading to a reluctance to go to the cinema.

"Don't blame the audience. The market operates on the law of supply and demand. If a film isn't appealing enough, viewers won't spend their money," the critic remarked.

Besides content quality, marketing strategy is also considered a decisive factor. Recent blockbusters have all had well-planned promotional campaigns, generating positive discussions and a strong viral effect on social media. In contrast, many failed films lacked curiosity or received negative feedback due to unsatisfactory quality.

Experts also noted that Vietnamese cinema is witnessing a strong rise of young directors such as Luu Thanh Luan, Duong Minh Chien, and Do Quoc Trung… They are the force behind recent box office successes thanks to their fresh, energetic filmmaking approach and their connection with young audiences.

"In the next 3-4 years, the wave of young directors may overshadow the older generation, except for those who have already established strong brands like Tran Thanh, Victor Vu, or Ly Hai. This is a good sign for the market because never before has Vietnamese cinema had so many young directors generating hundreds of billions of dong in revenue as it does now," shared film critic Nguyen Phong Viet.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/trum-so-cua-duc-thinh-roi-rap-post1846696.tpo