China Entertainment's Standout

Chapter 1015 Recruiting Another General, the Truth Comes to Light

Meanwhile, Mahua FunAge has a new movie coming out.

Having learned from Shen Teng's success, they followed suit and promoted Allen, resulting in another film with a box office of over 20 billion.

That was incredibly imposing.

Success is as easy as breathing.

Both industry insiders and outsiders have already bestowed the title of the number one domestic comedy brand upon Happy Twist, and have firmly placed it on their heads.

The repeated successes have given the management of Happy Twist unprecedented confidence, and they are preparing to take it a step further. Next, they will launch another stage with a movie adapted from a stage play, "Li Cha's Aunt".

This book was originally adapted from a British comedy, and the Chinese stage play premiered at the Mahua Theater three years ago.

At that time, the national tour was sold out every time, receiving rave reviews and rave word-of-mouth, with tickets being extremely difficult to obtain.

It was a blockbuster on par with "Earl of Mount Wulong" and "Goodbye Mr. Loser," and it was one of Happy Twist's signature films.

Happy Twist is now a money-printing machine, and many eyes are watching it closely.

"Hello Mr. Billionaire" received a lot of attention at the Shanghai International Film Festival, but its release date remains uncertain, which has sparked much discussion.

"To capitalize on the popularity of 'Produce 101,' why not release it in August?"

Chen Xi had her own ideas about the schedule, and Zhou Yutang, after a moment's thought, nodded in agreement.

"August is fine too."

If you think about it, back then, after watching "Dying to Survive," audiences would have been looking for a comedy to unwind.

It was just a pity for Huang Bo, whose directorial debut, "The Island," did not escape its fate.

Since we've all met by chance, there's no room for sentimentality. We all have to be responsible to the company, so it all comes down to our individual abilities.

After browsing around the Mahua store, Zhou Yutang turned around and prepared to check out the book "White Snake" by Zhuiguang Studio.

On the way, Chen Duling followed closely beside Zhou Yutang, and suddenly said mysteriously, "Boss, don't you feel that Shen Teng and Mary are acting strangely?"

"What's strange about it?"

"It's just strange, we rarely communicate."

"Your focus is a bit strange."

Zhou Yutang thought for a moment, and since Mary hadn't really spoken to Shen Teng much, she asked curiously, "Mary seems to have gotten married this year?"

"Yeah, I even sent you an invitation back then. Mary's husband is eleven years younger than her!"

It's not just that when a man becomes rich, his girlfriend is still in elementary school; the reverse is also true.

When Mary graduated from university, her husband was still a primary school student wearing a red scarf.
The secretary is wide awake when gossip is mentioned.

Hearing her say that, Zhou Yutang really felt that there was a problem in the relationship between Shen Teng and Mary.

After the movie "Goodbye Mr. Loser" became a huge hit, the on-screen couple became so deeply ingrained in the hearts of many viewers that they were bound together by the characters.

In reality, both of them have partners, which makes the situation quite awkward.

Shen Teng's wife was once in the news for being forced into marriage, but he got married first.

Mary got married in April this year; her husband is a member of the Mahua FunAge family.

At the time, Governor Zhou was filming "Aquaman" in a global location, so he couldn't be on set, but he sent his blessings from afar.

The two of them are now together to promote the movie, and it looks a bit unnatural.

“Go and tell Chen Xi to suppress any attempts to stir up trouble.”

Zhou Yutang didn't really take it to heart and just casually gave an order.

We are all mentally mature adults and know what we should do.

Besides, the quality of the finished film speaks for itself, and there's also multi-channel marketing support, so there's no need to use the two people's relationship to create hype.

Wang Wei wasn't present today. After Governor Zhou announced that he would use his superpowers to invest in Light Chaser Animation, he immediately gathered the company's shareholders for a meeting to discuss the matter.

The people overseeing things here at this time are the film's director, Huang Jiakang, and Zhao Ji.

The former is also a well-known figure in the animation industry, with twenty years of experience in 3D animation production, guidance, and management.

He previously worked at Imagi Animation and Ciki Animation, and participated in works including but not limited to several Hollywood animated film series such as Astro Boy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Green Lantern.

The latter, Zhao Ji, is a graduate of the Communication University of China and is said to be a rising star in the animation industry.

It seems Wang Wei gave them advance notice, and while they wouldn't exactly say they were all eagerly awaiting his arrival, they were certainly looking forward to it.

The entourage of reporters also brought a surge of traffic to the White Snake's side.

Huang Jiakang and Zhao Ji were still a little unaccustomed to it.

I've been sitting here since the opening ceremony. There have been media interviews, but since neither of them is particularly well-known, I haven't felt the exaggerated enthusiasm from the media.

"The Grand Commander is still too much like a supermodel."

Huang Jiakang couldn't help but sigh as he left after finishing an interview.

Zhao Ji was also very happy, because it was better to have someone paying attention than to be idle and picking his toes.

"Mr. Zhou, our General Manager Wang said he'll be here as soon as possible."

"Forget it, it's just a movie, no need to make a fuss. I have things to do later."

Zhou Yutang followed them into the small screening room, his expression gradually becoming serious and focused.

To be honest, Wang Wei is indeed a talented person. He was almost a god when he was running Tudou, and now he is doing a pretty good job managing animation projects.

"Jiangdong needs talents like this!"

Zhou Yutang, who watched the entire movie "White Snake" on set, nodded slightly and gave it a very high rating.

The ink-wash style opening and the 3D long shot of Baoqingfang were a refreshing surprise.

Of course, it's not without its flaws; the overall story content wasn't polished enough, which held it back a bit.

Overall, however, its merits outweigh its flaws.

It's worth noting that this is only Wang Wei's second project with Light Chaser Animation, and achieving this level of completion is truly remarkable.

There's no news from Wang Wei yet.

Governor Zhou lived a very comfortable life in Shanghai.

He ignored all the invitations to exchange ideas and forums with renowned directors at the Shanghai International Film Festival, and he had his own pace of doing things.

The so-called exchanges in these situations are nothing more than empty talk on stage.

Afterwards, listening to a group of people praising each other, Zhou Yutang couldn't absorb anything of value whatsoever.

It would be better to plan and arrange the strategic direction of your several companies.

Xiaohongshu, Yusheng, Bilibili, and Xingchen are all having endless meetings.

Xiaohongshu and Yusheng's future plans revolve around the fashion and cultural tourism of China.

Starry Sky Games will first stabilize its core market, then wait for Black Myth to emerge, coordinate with the overall strategy, and steadily and surely promote Chinese culture overseas through games as a form of entertainment.

The most important thing is still Bilibili, after all, Zhou Yutang started his career in the entertainment industry.

This year, Bilibili aims to further promote film and television dramas and expand into overseas markets while maintaining its core user base in China.

So these past few days, not only has Chen Xi been extremely busy, but Jiang Xuerou, as the head of the Jiangdong TV drama business department, has also been working non-stop.

Having just landed in Shanghai, I rushed over to report to Governor Zhou.
"Mr. Zhou, the filming for 'The Silent Truth' won't wrap up until at least September. Should we wait for Lao Su's schedule?"

Everyone says Jiangdong Entertainment is well-equipped and powerful, but even with several projects running simultaneously at full capacity, it's still struggling to keep up. For example, right now, the only directors in Jiangdong's roster who specialize in managing crime and suspense film and television projects are Lao Suan and Xin Shuang.

One of them is currently filming "The Silent Truth," and the other is busy teaching children; they simply don't have time to spare.

Observing Zhou Yutang's expression, Jiang Xuerou carefully spoke:

"Or, could we let Chen Zhengdao give it a try?"

This person is a famous director from Taiwan Province who has collaborated with Jiang Dong on several projects.

The most noteworthy of these is Da Meiyuan's "My Dangerous Wife," which became a sensation in China and even garnered significant attention throughout Asia.

Japan and South Korea each purchased the copyrights, preparing to adapt the films to their respective local contexts.

"Does Director Chen have the availability?"

"There is a project under construction now, and I expect to be able to free up my time by mid-July."

"Then let's use him."

Zhou Yutang's eyes flickered, and he suddenly thought of something. He said directly, "Let Shen Ao go over there as an assistant director. He can get a chance to work with him."

This drama's content is undoubtedly excessive, practically challenging the bottom line of Chinese film and television.

Therefore, when it was broadcast on Bilibili's overseas platform, the domestic audience turned a blind eye.

It was, after all, a multinational film and television project orchestrated behind the scenes by Governor Zhou.

If things don't go well, then nothing will happen. If it's a big hit, then there's no need to report it extensively, since the impact is within a controllable range.

Chen Zhengdao is a seasoned veteran with a proven track record, and he can keep things under control when it matters.

The Olympic bidder can take this opportunity to get hands-on experience and accumulate valuable lessons for the future.

Jiang Xuerou, who was in charge of the overall situation, quickly understood Governor Zhou's thoughts and kept them in mind: "I understand."

"As for 'Squid Game,' let's wait until Mosquito's game is over."

The patriotic film "My People, My Country," directed by Zuo Shandiao, is actually a compilation film made to celebrate next year's National Day.

Coordinating the schedules of several top directors and celebrities for such a large project is no easy task.

The segment overseen by Wen Muye, one of the three great generals of Jiangdong, is expected to begin filming after November. Zhou Yutang called Master Han.
"Mr. Han, could you move up Mosquito's availability? The company's projects are waiting for him."

"There's really no way to adjust this."

Han Sanping's voice was quite helpless: "The founding ceremony is handled by Lu Yang. Vision is doing the special effects. As for Wen Muye, I don't have the final say. We need to coordinate with the Air Force. The earliest we can get the results is November."

Such patriotic films involve the interests of various parties, and the entire preparation period is often longer than that of ordinary films.

"Then let the mosquitoes start playing 'Squid Game' first, they should have enough time."

Zhou Yutang's mind raced, and an idea came to her.

Is this an attempt to steal people's attention with mere words?

Jiang Xuerou's expression twitched slightly, and she lowered her head, pretending that she hadn't heard.

With the phone on speakerphone, Zuo Shandiao on the other end indeed started firing off like a machine gun.

"Old Han, Old Han, I still have your little cotton-padded jacket in my hands."

"Dying to Survive" is the anchor of the Shanghai International Film Festival, and Han Jianu is also a member of the main creative team. These days, she has been attending various social events with Chen Xi.

Perhaps the signal in Shanghai was not very good, because Zhou Yutang only gave Zuo Shandiao a few perfunctory words and quickly hung up the phone.

Anyway, since the project was established at the beginning of the year, the set construction for "Squid Game" has been implemented.

The cast is in place, with the lead actor Wolf Warrior ready to strike, and the other actors have also reserved their schedules in advance.

"Boss, is there any deeper meaning behind your role?"

Chen Duling had read the script and was very curious about it.

The Grand Commander of Jiangdong himself even makes a cameo appearance in this drama, where he beats up Wolf Warrior in the subway station and sends him into the game.

The character is very mysterious, and although he only appears in a few scenes, he carries a lot of weight, leaving plenty of room for the audience's imagination.

"you guess."

Zhou Yutang raised an eyebrow at Chen Duling and said mysteriously.

This look was incredibly irritating. The cunning Chen Duling clenched her little fists, but quickly relaxed them again because she couldn't win.

This year's Shanghai International Film Festival, in addition to being more lively than in previous years, also carries a deeper significance.

The reason why Ren Zhonglun, who was carrying the flag, went to great lengths to invite Governor Zhou to come out of retirement and support the event was because this year's Shanghai International Film Festival had an important mission.

That is, the establishment of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance.

Since the opening ceremony, representatives from nearly 30 film festivals have gathered in Shanghai to officially participate in the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance led by Southeast University.

Officially, the goal is to jointly establish an information-sharing mechanism, promote film co-productions, and explore cooperation in other areas.

Actually, the brothers came as a group to beg for his help.

There are always some clever people who hedge their bets, seeking to profit from the gaps in the rivalry between major powers, which is understandable.

When the higher authorities set out an important strategy for the future, important leaders will be present, and naturally, someone of sufficient influence will be needed to endorse it.

Aside from Ren Zhonglun, the head of Shanghai Film Group, Zhou Dudu's international influence is also undeniable, as the person in charge of the entire Chinese entertainment industry and the helmsman of Jiangdong Entertainment's super aircraft carrier.

During the film festival, Zhou Yutang was nowhere to be seen at any of the film weeks or forums.

However, for necessary official events, Governor Zhou could always be seen attending in person, highlighting a grand vision.

Wu Jing, on the other hand, attended the China Film Industry Upgrading Forum during the Shanghai International Film Festival. A reporter asked him about the recent rumors surrounding his involvement in a military-themed film.

"Ever since Mr. Zhou's investment in the Wolf Warrior series was a huge success, investors have been chasing after me to make military films."

"They don't even use their brains! The script is like a ridiculous anti-Japanese war drama, it's unwatchable, how are they going to film it?!"

"Mr. Zhou is absolutely right; we should focus our efforts on the overall storyline."

This guy was as straightforward as ever, which drew laughter from the audience.

Zhou Yutang is undoubtedly a trendsetter in China's film and television industry.

They started by making youth films, and dozens or even hundreds of youth film projects were launched in a rush. Later, crime films became popular, and everyone tried their best to squeeze into the crime film track.

Last year, "Wolf Warrior 2" became a phenomenal hit, followed by "Operation Red Sea," which sparked widespread popularity and ignited the entire military-themed film genre, attracting countless imitators.

Where there is profit, there will be capital entering the market; this is an old saying in the entertainment industry.

Zhou Yutang noticed that Huayi had been promoting the final dance of "Detective Dee" in a big way a few days ago, but things had quieted down a bit in the last two days.

This is because the well-known host has started another verbal battle with Xiao Gangpao on social media.

"As expected of someone with a background in hosting, their words are truly sharp. Xiao Gangpao was thoroughly criticized, and even Liu Zhenyun wasn't spared."

Ning Hao, always eager for a good show, gloated.

"God has his way."

Zhou Yutang smiled calmly and said, "He acted without any sense of morality, and now he is getting his just desserts."

To talk about the feud between these people, we have to go back to 2003 when Huayi Brothers was at its peak, and the movie "Cellphone" directed by Xiao Gangpao.

The movie and its protagonist, Yan Shouyi, are basically based on this famous host, who was thoroughly outmaneuvered.

"Tsk tsk, a dual contract, I heard it's been reported directly to the State Administration of Taxation, and a special task force is about to be set up to investigate. This is going to be really interesting."

(End of this chapter)