China Entertainment's Standout

Chapter 1057 The Foolish White Lotus Ex-Wife, Beach Water Gun Bikini
A movie can generate profits through pre-sales of its copyrights even before its release.

In the film and television industry, this is simply an incredible miracle.

Teacher Fan has personally managed film and television projects and knows the difficulties involved. Countless film and television projects are registered in the industry every year, but only a very small number of them can ultimately make money.

In the vast Chinese entertainment industry, only the men around him have the Midas touch.

Thinking of this, amidst her envy, a hint of pride also appeared in Teacher Fan's beautiful eyes. "By the way, didn't you sell the overseas rights to Zhang Yimou's 'Shadow' at the same time?"

"Zhang Yimou wants to take a gamble and release the film simultaneously worldwide."

The director has considerable influence abroad, and he himself has high expectations for the overseas box office of "Shadow," so Zhou Yutang did not try to dissuade him.

As for "She Kills", the core team of Soochow Pictures finalized the project in a special meeting from the early stages of its inception.

The domestic market relies on box office revenue, streaming revenue sharing, and merchandise sales for long-term profits, while the overseas market maximizes profits by quickly recouping funds through one-off copyright transactions.

If "She Kills" hadn't won both the Best Actress and Best Screenplay awards at the Venice Film Festival, even with Zhou Yutang's influence, the overseas rights would have only fetched a maximum of three to four million US dollars.

The price has now increased several times over, which is quite an unexpected surprise.

Jiang Dong is guaranteed to make a profit, and according to the contract, director Cao Baoping will also receive a bonus in addition to his share of the box office profits, making it a win-win situation for everyone.

At that moment, Zhou Yutang was in a great mood and got up to open a bottle of 1998 Romanée-Conti.

She poured two glasses with a gulp, handing one to Teacher Fan. This voluptuous and charming beauty, her eyes sparkling, raised her glass to him from afar.

"By the way, Mr. Zhou, there's something else I need to report to you."

Chen Xi's voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with regret: "Many foreign media outlets are quite interested in 'The Wandering Earth'."

"White Snake" and "Ne Zha" have also been generating considerable buzz on TikTok recently, with several foreign film companies expressing varying degrees of interest. However, they all preferred a revenue-sharing model, and ultimately no agreement was reached."

For this Venice Film Festival, she was instructed to bring several of her own film archives to test the waters.

Zhou Yutang's self-directed film "The Wandering Earth" has reached an agreement with Warner Bros. and is scheduled for global release.

More importantly, it's about promoting the Jiangdong family's animated mythology universe.

Since Jiangdong invested in Light Chaser Animation, Wang Wei has become a member of the Jiangdong group. This time, he specially brought "White Snake" to Venice for screening.

As for "Ne Zha," it was the pioneering work of the Fengshen animation, a treasured secret of the Jiangdong family.

It is currently in post-production, but Zhou Yutang's goal is to enter the global market.

However, realistic art films like "She Kills" have the backing of the Venice Film Festival and a fixed audience in European and American art cinemas, so film companies are willing to spend money on them.

The myths and legends that are popular in China are virtually unknown abroad.

Chinese mythology-themed films have never been validated in overseas markets, so it's understandable that foreign film companies are taking a cautious approach.

Film producers, in the end, are still businessmen who won't get up early without making a profit. No matter how eloquently you exaggerate, when it comes to their own pockets and paying with real money, they will have their own thoughts.

"Forget about box office revenue sharing."

Having planted his flag in Hollywood, Zhou Yutang knew all too well the tricks foreigners used to manipulate accounts.

You can even see a movie that's a box office hit, but through various means such as inflated marketing costs and shady revenue sharing with theaters, the partners don't get the profits they deserve. You can't be too careful.

The voluptuous beauty took the initiative to embrace him. Zhou Yutang tasted the imported wine that her lips lightly touched, and felt that her mouth was full of sweetness. She said softly, "There is plenty of time in the future. Let's wait until we can continue to produce for a few years before we talk about it."

The global media landscape has undergone tremendous changes.

The older generation of foreigners have deeply ingrained stereotypes about China and find it difficult to change them. But which of the younger generation of foreigners doesn't have a TikTok account?

With TikTok and Bilibili, two powerful overseas platforms, the Jiangdong faction can guarantee its dominance among young people.

With China's growing national strength and continuous output in various aspects, it is not impossible that narratives told from a Chinese perspective will become mainstream hits in the future.

As they were talking, Zhou Yutang suddenly remembered something and said, "In a couple of days, you can go to the premiere of Section Chief Jia's 'Ash Is Purest White' in my place."

"Okay, boss."

Chen Xi, who had become accustomed to taking the blame, replied helplessly.

Now, Governor Zhou rarely attends other film premieres; she and Li Shuang usually attend on her behalf.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Zhou Yutang is even not planning to appear at the domestic premiere of her own film, "She Kills".

With a number two figure in Jiangdong and the president of Dongwu Film Industry, this lineup certainly exudes prestige.

After finishing their business, Chen Xi vaguely heard Teacher Fan's coquettish laughter coming from the other end of the phone, and quickly added tactfully:
"Congratulations to Sister Binbin on winning the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival. Your dress this time is really beautiful and it's going viral on overseas social media platforms."

"It's all thanks to your boss's good judgment; he made the choice."

Teacher Fan gave Zhou Yutang a flirtatious wink and said warmly, "Let's find some time to have dinner together when we get back to China."

Chen Xi, the head of Dongwu Film Industry, is a trusted and beloved general of the Grand Commander of Jiangdong.

She has lofty ambitions, so naturally she wants to win over some people.

"Okay."

These were all old acquaintances, and Chen Xi knew their relationships well, so there was no need to hide anything, and they started chatting on the spot.

Zhou Yutang simply handed the phone to Teacher Fan, but the two women inevitably started gossiping when they met.

Teacher Fan asked curiously, "What was the meaning behind that short essay you posted on your WeChat Moments last night?"

"Well, that's a long story."

Chen Xi sighed, indignantly saying, "It's all because of Teacher Pan's stupid, hypocritical ex-wife. Grandpa Dingding is sick and hospitalized, but she refuses to let the child visit him, saying she has no obligation to."

Despite being a woman, Chen Xi is actually very loyal and righteous.

She and Pan Yueming are old friends. It was Chen Xi who strongly recommended that Zhou Yutang sign Pan Yueming.

"Is there such a thing?"

Teacher Fan frowned slightly and then retorted, "Is she even human?"

Pan Yueming's divorce was on the front page for a long time. No one expected that his ex-wife, who was said to be pure and beautiful, would have an affair with a male star who was not good-looking, or even somewhat ugly.

They cheated on him and then turned around and blamed him for everything.

Pan Yueming, who barely made it into the third tier of the entertainment industry, instantly became a laughing stock and his acting career plummeted.

If it weren't for Governor Zhou's intervention, Pan Yueming would probably have been completely forgotten.

Later, Xue Xiaolu starred in the "Finding Mr. Right" series and the later "Day and Night," which solidified her status as a top-tier celebrity among the older generation.

Ultimately, this is a family matter for other people, and outsiders naturally shouldn't interfere.

Zhou Yutang had no intention of getting involved; his mind was entirely on his god-sister, Nazha. They say beauty, combined with any other asset, is a winning hand.

With her stunning looks and the background of the Grand Commander of Jiangdong, Gulnazar has a double advantage, making her a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.

Even though Nazha sometimes speaks without thinking, others will still praise her for being frank and straightforward.

Moreover, Nazha herself is not a difficult person to get along with.

Since she participated in the reality show "Divas Hit the Road" with the long-legged beauty Jiang Shuying last year, the two have been teasing and revealing each other's shortcomings in a very down-to-earth way, which has won them a lot of fans. Netizens have even given them the nickname "Spicy Sauce Couple".

Jiang Shuying is also a smart woman, and she actively tried to get closer to him. Before long, they became best friends who could talk about anything.

In early September, to celebrate her best friend's birthday, Gulnazar took a break from her busy schedule and accompanied Jiang Shuying on a trip to Switzerland after a fashion event abroad.

Switzerland is also a popular tourist destination, with its snow-capped Alps and boat trips on Lake Lucerne going viral on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform), attracting over a million Chinese tourists to visit and take photos.

These two beautiful women are eye-catching wherever they go, and were naturally recognized by passersby, making it to the trending topics several times during their trip.

After a short but enjoyable holiday, Jiang Shuying had a TV series filming commitment, so she returned to China ahead of schedule.

Naza, however, quietly arrived at Milan Airport.

A pair of sunglasses almost covered most of her face, and her dark, beautiful hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head.

The black cropped tight-fitting T-shirt is the latest summer style from Yu Sheng Jia. Paired with high-waisted denim shorts, it shows off Nazha's slender waist and long, straight legs.

Wearing a pair of white sneakers, she exuded an indescribable youthful beauty.

Given the intense scrutiny surrounding Governor Zhou's trip to Italy, quite a few domestic reporters have been stationed at Milan Airport these past few days.

Among them was Afei, an old acquaintance from Jiangdong Entertainment.

Now, Afei can be considered a successful person. After his studio was acquired and incorporated by Jiangdong Entertainment, it has become a regular force and has a deeper business cooperation with Jiangdong Entertainment.

This time, Afei personally led a team of five to Venice to follow up on the awards ceremony for "She Kills".

Now that the film festival has ended and he had spent two days in Milan, he was preparing to head home when he unexpectedly bumped into Nazha at Linate Airport.

"Hello Nazha."

Afei's toad-like eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly followed. Nazha's female bodyguard was very vigilant and stepped forward to stop him.

"My own people, my own people."

Seeing the sharp-looking female bodyguard scrutinizing him, Afei quickly pulled out his name tag and introduced himself: "I'm from Afei Studio under Jiangdong. I even interviewed Gulnazar for 'The Meg.' Would you mind taking a few minutes for a brief interview?"

"Okay."

Naza recognized the reporter she had worked with a few times, but couldn't remember his name. Only then did the expressionless female bodyguard let him pass.

"Let's talk as we walk. Nazha, are you here in Milan for vacation?"

"No."

As she walked toward the waiting van outside the airport, Naza explained, "I have a brand event to attend here."

"Is this the autumn product launch event that Jiangdong is collaborating with Armani on? Are you planning to stay a few more days?"

"You're very well-informed. You'll be staying for about three days, and there will be announcements back home after that."

"It seems like the rest of the year's fall fashion show is coming up soon."

Afei's eyes lit up: "Oh right, it seems that President Zhou himself is still in Italy."

"what?"

Naza paused slightly, smiled in a good mood, revealing shallow dimples on her cheeks, but her tone was a little surprised: "Is he still there? I'm not sure about that."

It is completely reasonable and absolutely flawless.

She wouldn't tell anyone that she came for her brother.

How could you not know?
A Fei on the other side rolled his eyes inwardly.

As a seasoned veteran in the industry, how could he not know about the relationship between the two?

Brother and sister during the day, husband and baby at night, right?

Of course, Ah Fei was quite perceptive; he only thought these words to himself, but on the surface, he still tried his best to cooperate with Nazha in her performance.

I asked a few more simple questions, and then, before boarding my flight back home, I quickly transmitted the content of the impromptu airport interview back to China.

As expected, it quickly became a trending topic that day, generating a huge amount of online traffic.

The domestic film industry has been somewhat sluggish recently.

With the summer blockbusters "Dying to Survive" and "Hello Mr. Billionaire" having finished their theatrical runs, the domestic film market has lost a pillar that once held up the sky and a beam that once supported the sea.

Faced with a barrage of imported blockbusters, we are utterly powerless to resist.

They were completely wiped out!

Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" received a phenomenal response after its release in China, thanks to its thrilling special effects and fast-paced plot.

The total box office has now exceeded 13.95 billion yuan, just one step away from 14 billion yuan, setting a new record for the series' best box office performance in mainland China!
While Marvel's superhero blockbuster "Ant-Man and the Wasp" didn't receive the same critical acclaim as its predecessor, it still grossed 850 million yuan at the box office thanks to the popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe IP.

The strong performance of these two blockbusters almost monopolized more than 60% of the screenings during the same period, firmly occupying the top two positions among Chinese films during that time.

As soon as you finish your performance, I can't wait to take the stage.

Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" has made a strong start, raking in 250 million yuan at the box office in its opening week. In the next few weeks, films such as "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "War for the Planet of the Apes," "The Invisible Guest," and "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation," which have already surpassed 80 million yuan in pre-sales, will be released in the Chinese film market.

In just half a month, a bunch of imported blockbusters were released, it was a breathtaking pace.

As for Tony Leung's "Europe Raiders," it was originally highly anticipated, but after its release, it suffered a critical flop and its box office plummeted, barely surpassing 1.5 million yuan in total box office revenue. It even had to be pulled from theaters before the end of its theatrical run.

Those low-budget films that desperately tried to survive between the National Day and summer movie seasons became the biggest victims.

Youth films such as "Yesterday's Sky" and "Take My Brother Away" had less than 5% of screenings on their opening day and were quickly pulled from theaters, with total box office revenue barely reaching one million yuan, a dismal performance.

The entire domestic film market is in despair.

La Peikang, the head of China Film Group, naturally became the target of public criticism.

He also received the same treatment as Han Sanye, who was given the nickname "Mountain Eagle," and was inevitably criticized behind his back for relying on foreign powers.

It's hard to know what La Peikang is thinking at this moment, but the Grand Commander of Jiangdong is very busy.

After all, it's not just Leonardo DiCaprio who understands the joy of beach water guns and bikinis.
(End of this chapter)