China Entertainment's whatever you want

The group of young people from the popular TV show "Divas Hit the Road" in Riyadh are embarking on a wondrous journey to a foreign land thanks to a phone call from Gu Wei.

The program originally planned for them to experience the life of local Arabs, but they ended up getting a super upgrade and experiencing the life of Arab royalty.

Even though these individuals are all celebrities with incomes and living standards far exceeding those of ordinary people, they are still worlds apart from the true princes of the Omani royal family, whose land is practically overflowing with US dollars.

The penthouse of Wanliu Academy in Beijing.

The sound of running water came from the kitchen, and soon a beautiful figure came out carrying a plate of washed fruit.

Unlike when they were eating, Jing Tian had changed into a loose-fitting set of home clothes, all light yellow, with a top and shorts, cool and comfortable.

Jing Tian is truly fair-skinned. After returning home, she washed up and removed her makeup. Even without any cosmetics, her skin remained fair and radiant, and her features were sweet and delicate. She is a completely natural beauty.

Walking over to Gu Wei, Jing Tian naturally sat in his lap and picked up a strawberry from the fruit plate next to him to feed him.

"It's so late, and you still have to work?"

Gu Wei took a bite of the strawberry, put one arm around Jing Tian's slender waist, and placed his hand on her fair and smooth thigh. The cool and delicate touch felt very comfortable.

"I just received an email from North America. Let me open it and take a look."

Because of the time difference, it's late at night in Beijing but daytime in the US.

"Is it urgent?"

"That's not true.

One document contains recent sales data for "Extreme Rescue" merchandise in North America.

There's also a new scenario for "John Wick 5".

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian became interested.

"Is there going to be a fifth installment in this series, and will you and Keanu Reeves star in it again?"

Gu Wei nodded: "Of course."

With the fourth installment being such a box office success, and the popularity of the spin-off story "Extraction," it's certain that Lionsgate will continue the pairing of Keanu and me.

They hope to develop "John Wick" into a super IP like "Fast & Furious"!

"With the Fast and Furious franchise already having its tenth installment, will there be just as many John Wick movies in the future?"

"Haha, it's hard to say."

I'm fine, but Keanu isn't young anymore. I'm just worried he won't be able to keep up in a few years."

"With 'Extraction' doing so well at the box office, Lionsgate must be in a hurry to make a sequel to 'John Wick'."

Gu Wei nodded with a smile.

Lionsgate and Jon's side are in a real hurry.

He had received the script for "John Wick 5" a long time ago, but he rejected the initial version because he felt the plot wasn't good enough.

After that, Lionsgate kept sending him new scripts.

Some were modifications to previous versions, while others were completely rewritten from scratch, creating a new story.

In any case, their only goal is to finalize a script that satisfies Gu Wei as soon as possible, so that they can start preparing for filming.

After all, Gu Wei is incredibly popular right now, and Hollywood film companies are increasingly seeking projects from him. Lionsgate is also worried that their cash cow-like partner might be poached by other companies.

"By the way, I saw on the news today that Wu Ershan, the director of 'The Investiture of the Gods,' mentioned you during the promotional tour."

Gu Wei asked curiously, "What did he say?"

"They contacted you when they were preparing to film 'Investiture of the Gods,' but unfortunately we couldn't work together."

The box office performance of "Fengshen" is not ideal, and director Wu Ershan said it's because "Fengshen" doesn't have any superstars joining the cast.

It seems to have a deeper meaning than the movie "Extreme Rescue".

Gu Wei raised an eyebrow: "Ursan is right. They did contact me when they started preparing for [Investiture of the Gods]."

He asked me to play "Ji Fa", but it didn't seem realistic.

The first part of the "Investiture of the Gods" series is called "The Rise and Fall of Chaoge," not "The Legend of King Wu Ji Fa." How could I possibly accept that role?

Moreover, his so-called domestic fantasy epic, which he claimed to have prepared for many years and invested 30 billion yuan in, was actually just average, not much better than "Painted Skin".

I'm not optimistic about Wu Ershan's "Fengshen" series. The first film only grossed around 20 billion yuan, and the next two films are likely to be even worse than the first one.

If you want to see the classic tale of "Investiture of the Gods," you have to watch the animated film produced by my company!

Jing Tian's eyes lit up: "You mean the second part of 'Ne Zha' directed by Jiaozi? Is it coming out soon?"

Gu Wei reached out and closed the notebook in front of him, then picked up Jing Tian and sat him on his lap.

Looking at Da Tian Tian's fair and tender skin, Gu Wei couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her, from her collarbone, neck to the side of her face and the base of her ear.

"It can't be that fast."

After completing "Ne Zha", the dumpling team went on to create "Yang Jian: Searching the Mountain to Subdue Demons".

Then came the second part of "Ne Zha", "Ne Zha: The Demon Child Conquers the Dragon King".

I estimate it won't be completed until next year at the earliest.

"Once this film ends, the animated version of 'Investiture of the Gods' will begin, and Nezha and Yang Jian will reunite from their respective films."

“Similar to [The Avengers].” Jing Tian’s breathing quickened slightly from the kiss, and a blush crept onto her pretty face.

"That's right, the animated version of the Fengshen Universe!"

The summer movie season lasts for two months, July and August.

In July, "Extreme Rescue" stood out from the crowd, dominating fires both domestically and internationally, and overwhelming all opposition.

By August, the hype surrounding "Extraction" had cooled considerably, and the market had shifted to a battleground of several blockbuster films.

The film "Fengshen" grossed 12 billion yuan in August, bringing its total box office to 22.4 billion yuan.

The film "Hot" directed by Da Peng and starring Huang Bo and Zeng Shunxi grossed 9 million yuan at the box office.

"All or Nothing" bet on the anti-fraud theme, and although it was overtaken by "Extraction" for viewership, it still grossed 22.8 billion yuan at the box office.

"The Octagon" benefited from the positive word-of-mouth accumulated during its long preview screenings, and its box office soared to 28.9 billion yuan, making it the biggest winner in August.

As for the co-production "The Meg 2: The Abyss," many people were originally looking forward to it, thinking that the combination of Wu Jing and Jason Statham could replicate the glory of "John Wick: Chapter 4" starring Gu Wei and Keanu Reeves.

As a result, The Meg 2 did not perform as well as expected at the box office.

It grossed 8 million RMB in China, 6600 million USD in North America, and 3.12 million USD worldwide.

Based on the production cost of $1.2 million disclosed by the producers, this box office performance barely broke even.

They didn't lose money, and the "Megalo" series can continue, but Wu Jing's dream of going international has been shattered.

Hollywood also recognized that among Chinese movie stars, Gu Wei was ultimately an exception, and the fame and box office appeal of others were far inferior to his.

On September 10th, Teacher's Day, the total box office of "Extraction" finally reached 10 billion yuan after 66 days in theaters.

It ranks 18th on the all-time box office chart, ahead of Black Panther and Super Mario Bros. Movie.

After the official account of "Extreme Rescue" released a poster announcing that the film had grossed 10 billion yuan, the internet erupted in jubilation.

Many netizens believe that Chinese-language films have reached a new level starting with "Extreme Rescue".

[Guan Ming Tianxia], Gu Wei sat quietly working in his office.

Since the release of "Extraction," he hasn't joined any film crews for over two months. After the global roadshow ended, he stayed at his company in Beijing, taking on more of the responsibilities that a boss needs to bear.

He was very happy that the box office of "Extreme Rescue" exceeded 10 billion yuan, but compared with the optimism of netizens, Gu Wei was much more sober.

In his view, Chinese films have indeed made some progress in recent years, such as domestic animated films and science fiction films.

But there is still a long way to go before we can go global.

The success of "Extreme Rescue" was largely accidental. On the one hand, action movies were hot again after "John Wick: Chapter 4", and on the other hand, it was a realization of Gu Wei's personal fame over the years.

Other filmmakers in China simply do not have the necessary qualifications; even Wu Jing has failed to make a splash in the international market.

After signing the last document, Gu Wei glanced at the time, called his assistant in, gave him some instructions, and then got up to change his clothes and prepare to leave.

Beijing Airport.

A plane that took off from Reykjavik, Iceland, finally landed at Beijing Capital International Airport after a long 8-hour flight.

The members of "Divas Hit the Road Season 5" have finally returned to their homeland after a 22-day trip through Saudi Arabia, Croatia, and Iceland.

At the airport exit, a group of people pushed their suitcases out. Dilraba hugged Qin Lan, Xin Zhilei and others goodbye with some reluctance.

The reality show "Divas Hit the Road" is a mixed bag, with one season being amazing and the next being terrible. When you encounter difficult people, the 20-plus-day trip becomes torture, and you wish you never saw them again after it ended.

But if they find good travel companions, the group can forge a deep friendship during the trip.

[Divas Hit the Road 5] is obviously like this, all 7 people are the kind of people who are easygoing and have few problems.

During our 22-day trip to a foreign country, we helped and took care of each other and have become close friends.

"Baba, go back and get some rest."

I'll call you later, come over for dinner in a few days!

After hugging Reba, Qin Lan gave a hoarse explanation.

Before Dilraba could respond, Xin Zhilei chimed in, "Why didn't you invite me? I want to come to your house for dinner too!"

"You're such a glutton, I haven't even had a chance to tell you yet."

"How could you possibly go without a bite to eat?"

Dilraba found it amusing to watch the two bickering.

After saying goodbye to everyone, she walked to the parking lot with her assistant and staff, where the car that was supposed to pick her up had been waiting for a long time.

After tossing her luggage to her assistant, Dilraba got into the van and saw the figure she had been longing for day and night.

"So, did you have a good time on this trip?"

Gu Wei had just asked a question with a smile when, unexpectedly, Reba jumped into his arms and kissed him as soon as she got into the car.

"Woo~"

Although somewhat caught off guard, Gu Wei fully embraced Dilraba's enthusiasm. While embracing and kissing her, he gently pressed a button on the car seat, and the electric partition between the driver's seat and the back seat slowly rose.

"Miss me so much?"

After kissing for a while, Dilraba let go of Gu Wei, and the lipstick on her lips flew off.

Gu Wei chuckled and pulled out a tissue to wipe her face.

"I was under the camera the whole time during the month of filming 'Divas Hit the Road,' so I couldn't call or text you."

"I started by hitting one."

"I only did it because the production team asked me to, that was the one time."

When this was brought up, Dilraba asked curiously, "How did you meet the Arab prince?"

You have no idea how surprised we were that day.

Our experience of traditional Arab life was actually in a place resembling an Arab royal palace.

The program planned for us to experience the lives of ordinary Arabs, but we ended up experiencing the lives of Arab royalty!
This huge publicity stunt has the director absolutely thrilled!

"We met at a party."

Arab princes are nothing special. As far as I know, the current King of Saudi Arabia has more than 40 princes, and if you include princes from other Arab countries, the number is even greater.

"No matter how many there are, they are still princes."

Moreover, their lifestyle is truly luxurious.

According to the prince's butler, Prince Amanthus's weekly living expenses are $300 million, which is simply unimaginable.

"My paycheck for filming a whole movie is less than someone else's weekly living expenses!"

Gu Wei smiled and said, "They have a lot of money buried underground, so it's normal for them to be a little extravagant."

"By the way, after the show was recorded, Prince Amanthu asked me to send you his regards and hopes you'll have the chance to visit him."

He seems to be a fan of yours.

I saw your poster at his place.

Gu Wei gently stroked Dilraba's hair, looking down into her watery eyes: "Really? I really didn't know that."

I don't usually have much contact with Omantu, but he took the initiative to invite me to visit Saudi Arabia after the release of "Extraction".

However, even without troubling him, you can find people in Riyadh to help you.”

"Do you know any other princes?"

Gu Wei smiled and said, "No, not at all."

The Riyadh Tourism Board has been contacting my team, hoping to invite me to be their city's tourism ambassador.

Although this matter is still under negotiation.

But it shouldn't be difficult for me to get them to do me a small favor..."

Although Dilraba's participation in "Divas Hit the Road 5" is a trip, it is essentially still a job.

After working continuously for nearly a month, constantly under the camera's lens, Dilraba was quite tired and rested at her home in Beijing for a few days.

It was evening, inside the luxury apartment building 【Van Yue 108】.

Dilraba, dressed in a pink, girly pajama set and wearing black-rimmed glasses, nestled in Gu Wei's arms watching TV.

"Sister Lan invited me to her house for a get-together. Would you like to come with me?"

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to attend your get-together, would it?"

"It's alright, they're just a few people from this 'Youth Over Flowers' trip. You know quite a few of them, and I promised my little sister I'd introduce you to them when I get back."

Everyone wants to thank you for what happened in Riyadh.

Dilraba mentioned that Gu Wei knew Xin Zhilei and Hu Xianxu. Xin Zhilei goes without saying, but Gu Wei had met Hu Xianxu backstage when he attended a gala before, and Hu Xianxu also starred in "The Wandering Earth 2". Gu Wei had also met him when he visited the set.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Two days later, Gu Wei accompanied Reba to Qin Lan's house for a meal.

His appearance was a pleasant surprise for the members of "Divas Hit the Road".

When Zhao Zhaoyi saw Gu Wei, her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened; her face was filled with shock.

"Hello, Brother Wei, I am your idol!"
Oh, no, you're my fan!
Bah Bah!

My name is Zhao Zhaoyi, and I'm a fan of yours. I especially love your movies and TV series!

Upon seeing Gu Wei at Qin Lan's house, Zhao Zhaoyi was so excited that she became somewhat incoherent.

Gu Wei gently extended his hand and shook hands with her: "Hello, I'm Gu Wei, thank you for your kind words."

"Zhaoyi? Your name is interesting, and you're quite lovely."

"Brother Wei, just call me Zhao Zhao. You're so handsome in person, much more handsome than on screen!"

Zhao Zhaoyi was a little embarrassed by the praise and scratched her head sheepishly.

Wang Anyu, who was also meeting Gu Wei for the first time, was a little better off than her, but she was still visibly nervous.

Wang Anyu had previously mentioned meeting Gu Wei at the Weibo Night event, but at that time he was just an unknown artist sitting in the back row, while Gu Wei was the Weibo King in the front row, the focus of the entire event. The two were from completely different worlds and there was no way they could have had any chance to meet.

Seeing the two of them like this, Hu Xianxu, who was standing to the side, started to laugh at them.

Zhao Zhaoyi and Wang Anyu were naturally unconvinced, and the three young people in their early twenties started playfully fighting.

Qin Lan's family dinner was hot pot. Although Gu Wei's arrival initially made the atmosphere a little awkward, he was very approachable and had a gentle personality, able to chat with anyone. By the time they started eating the hot pot, the atmosphere had become very comfortable.

Everyone raised their glasses to thank Gu Wei for his help in Riyadh.

Then we started talking about what we saw and heard on the trip, as well as the interesting things that happened along the way.

They then talked about their respective work plans after the variety show ended.

Gu Wei picked up a slice of lamb roll, dipped it in the sesame sauce in his bowl, ate it in one bite, and looked at Xin Zhilei: "The filming of 'Joy of Life 3' will start in a few days, don't be late~"

"I know, I've already calculated the start date of filming for the drama and the recording schedule for 'Divas Hit the Road,' so that after I finish filming here, I can go back to China for a few days of rest and then join the crew."

Gu Wei nodded.

Their conversation piqued everyone's interest.

"Joy of Life" is the number one male-oriented historical drama IP in recent years, with the first two installments being extremely popular.

You asked a lot of questions, one after another.

Gu Wei smiled and replied, "I can't reveal the specifics of the third part, but I can tell you that it is indeed the final part—the grand finale of 'Joy of Life'!" (End of Chapter)