China Entertainment’s rescue plan is hard to come by

After Chapter 878, clap your own hands! [Two-in-one]

Beijing time, 8 a.m., Renren Entertainment, editorial office.

A routine morning meeting is underway.

Wu Hanlin, the section editor, sat at the head of the table and instructed word by word, "Each group should hurry up and compile the first-week box office data for 'Edge of Tomorrow,' not only in China, but also in Japan, South Korea, Europe and the United States."

"Then quickly add a comment and post it as soon as possible."

After saying that, he tapped the table with his marker, looked around, and emphasized again: "Compared to Sina and Sohu, Renren Entertainment is indeed a rising star. They have been deeply involved in the entertainment industry for many years, and their channels are naturally wider than ours."

“In the past, we were always one step behind, which I could barely accept. But this time, no. Let me be frank from the start: I think everyone knows what the relationship is between the company and Starry Sky Image.”

"If anyone lets me down this time, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Wu Hanlin's harsh words silenced the editorial office, but at the same time, a hint of enthusiasm appeared on everyone's faces.

Regardless, Sun Yi is the company's second-largest individual shareholder, so calling him "boss" is perfectly acceptable.

Although they are just one of many sections on the Renren.com portal website, they are still in the entertainment industry.

I was naturally closer to Boss Sun.

What if Mr. Sun sees one of my reports or comments?

Even if things don't go well, if a website editor decides to quit and switch to Starry Sky to focus on the entertainment industry, they'll at least have some notable achievements.

Seeing the fighting spirit of the group, Wu Hanlin was very satisfied.

Actually, he had the same thought in his mind.

After all, Renren.com isn't exactly a platform for people with specialized skills.

"Alright, get back to work."

At Wu Hanlin's command, everyone scattered and went about their assigned tasks: some wrote film reviews, while others collected box office data from various regions.

"Edge of Tomorrow" has only been in theaters in China for three days, but according to box office statistics, it has been in its first week as of this morning.

In other words, its first-week box office results will be available today.

At this point in time, it's estimated that China Film Group and Starry Sky Entertainment already have specific box office figures internally, but various media outlets still need to wait for the official announcement.

As for which company can obtain accurate box office data first, that depends on their methods.

At 8:30 AM, thanks to the hard work of our editors, the first box office news for "Edge of Tomorrow" in its opening week was released on the entertainment section of Renren.com.

On December 25th, Christmas Day, the science fiction film "Edge of Tomorrow," produced by Starry Sky, directed by Sun Yi, and starring Liu Yifei and Tom Cruise, was released nationwide.

Despite having preview screenings in 100 cities across the country for a week before its official release, the film still managed to ignite the enthusiasm of moviegoers.

On the contrary, the positive word-of-mouth from movie fans attracted even more people to watch it.

On its opening day, the film grossed 1.48 million RMB with a 48% screening rate, breaking Sun Yi's own record for the highest single-day box office gross for a Chinese film.

On its second day of release, the box office soared to 1.68 million RMB, breaking the record once again.

On the last day of the opening weekend, box office revenue continued to climb, reaching 1.85 million RMB, breaking the record for the highest single-day box office for a Chinese-language film for the third consecutive day.

It also brought the record for the highest opening weekend box office for a Chinese-language film to 5 million yuan, and with an opening weekend box office of 5.01 million yuan, it won the title of the highest-grossing film in history.

This report caused a sensation online.

Renren.com's click count quickly surpassed ten million.

No one, including movie fans and industry insiders, expected that the opening weekend box office record for Chinese-language films would reach 5 million yuan so quickly.

Although everyone had a general idea that, given the rapid development of the Chinese film industry, a box office of 5 million yuan was not far off, the most optimistic estimate was that it would probably be two years from now.

Unexpectedly, it was achieved by the end of 12.

In particular, at the same time, another film, "Lost in Thailand," which had already grossed over 5 million yuan, was still showing in theaters.

Moviegoers celebrated, posting photos of their ticket stubs on Weibo and WeChat Moments, expressing their gratitude for contributing to the 5 million yuan box office record for Chinese films.

Industry insiders are beginning to re-evaluate the role of high-quality content in boosting the overall film market.

It's not that there are no moviegoers in China, nor that moviegoers are unpatriotic or don't watch domestic films; it's precisely because there are no excellent Chinese-language films.

Now, Sun Yi and Xingkong have proven to everyone that as long as there is high-quality content, movie fans will contribute even the most miraculous box office figures.

Sun Yi's film "Edge of Tomorrow" has made a fortune for all parties involved in the film thanks to its strong box office appeal.

First of all, there's Starry Night itself. The box office revenue alone is incredibly lucrative. The first week's box office is almost enough to cover the film's production costs, and the rest is pure profit.

Yang Fan was already considering how much the company's year-end bonus should be today.

Giving too little would seem stingy. The company earns so much from just one movie; how can they be so miserly?

But if I post too much, I'm afraid it will provoke my competitors. After all, we're all in the same circle, and we see each other all the time.

This is difficult, it's really a headache!
Then there are the major cinema chains. Although they went through more than half a month of "friction" with the production alliance and were ultimately forced to give up 2% of the revenue share, good things come to those who wait. "Edge of Tomorrow" can earn them double the profits.

The general manager of Hengdian Film and Television was commended by the CEO of Hengdian Group.

We not only took a cut of the box office revenue from the theatrical release, but we also made a good profit from the preview screenings.

Indeed, choice is more important than effort.

The rest, including the film's main actors and supporting actors, also benefited greatly.

Wang Qianyuan, Gao Ye, and Luo Jin suddenly became incredibly wealthy, and Duan Yihong received a flood of film offers.

When interviewed by reporters, Gu Tianle said, "I am a mecha fan myself. I participated in this movie just to fulfill my dream. I didn't expect that Director Sun Yi would not only be so kind to me, but also help my career reach new heights. If I have the opportunity to go to Hong Kong Island, I will definitely thank Director Sun Yi properly."

Not only these people, but even the media in the entertainment industry felt like they had a very prosperous year.

Lately, Sun Yi and "Edge of Tomorrow" have been a hot topic, with daily reports and red envelopes (cash gifts) pouring in.

Of course, moviegoers also gained a lot. They spent a little money and experienced an unprecedented audio-visual feast, feeling that the money in their pockets was well spent.

That's why they say when it comes to domestic films, you still have to watch Starry Night and Sun Yi!
Sun Yi is also keeping track of domestic box office data in the United States.

Besides running promotional roadshows with Liu Yifei and Tom Cruise every day, he also takes time to communicate with Yang Fan by phone about the situation in China.

When Liu Yifei heard that the domestic box office had broken records again in the first week, she jumped for joy.

Moved by the moment, he even gave Sun Yi a high-altitude passionate performance during the roadshow.

That day, their journey involved transferring from the west coast of the United States to the east coast.

There was plenty of time; otherwise, with Sun Yi's current strength, the plane would have landed before the foreplay was even finished.

However, it wasn't without its advantages; the media at the roadshow praised it that day.

"Miss Crystal is radiant, like a goddess descended to earth~" This made the celestial being blush deeply. After the event, she chased after Sun Yi all over the backstage, insisting that it was all his fault.

Sun Yi felt incredibly wronged. While being beaten, he still couldn't resist making sarcastic remarks, saying things like, "My mom always told me that in a fight, both sides are responsible. It takes two to tango!"

Enraged, Liu Tianxian raised her fists and began to punch and pound.

"Then you can clap your own hands from now on!"

"!!!"

This won't do!
Time flies, and the opening weekend box office figures for North America will be released soon.

Besides the time difference of more than 20 hours between the two places, the US also lacks a unified digital cinema system like China Film Group, so the aggregation of box office data is relatively slower.

It must be said that in this respect, China has already surpassed Hollywood.

Sun Yi led his team on a two-day roadshow along the East Coast of the United States. They were only halfway through the trip when he suddenly received a call from Alan.

He said that on behalf of Warner Bros. Pictures, he and Ms. Liu Yifei were formally invited to visit Warner Bros. headquarters.

Generally speaking, Hollywood's Big Six film studios are open to the general public for visits, and their headquarters are also open to the public.

However, a formal invitation carries a very different meaning.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei looked excited and pulled Sun Yi aside to ask, "Did the script for 'Superman' pass Warner Bros.' review?"

Sun Yi nodded. "The fact that an invitation was suddenly sent out during this time of our promotional roadshow suggests that it's most likely related to the 'Superman' project."

"I estimate that the first-week box office figures are out, and Warner Bros. is very satisfied."

"We didn't even know, how did they get the news first?" Liu Yifei frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction on her face.

"Don't frown, it doesn't look good." Sun Yi gently smoothed the fine lines between Liu Tianxian's brows with his fingertip, then said softly, "After all, we're on their turf, so our news definitely won't get as fast as theirs."

"These snobs are all money-grubbers. They must have invited us because of our good box office results."

Liu Yifei was still somewhat indignant and looked down on Warner's actions.

"Oh, it's not that bad. It's a mutually beneficial relationship." Sun Yi spread his hands. "They want our profitability, and we need their global channels and influence. It's a win-win situation."

"I know, but I still feel a little uncomfortable," Liu Yifei pouted and said softly.

To match, he even added a tiny bit of hand gesture, which made Sun Yi burst into laughter.

"Sisi, if that's what you think, then actually I'm also a snob to you."

"Oh?" Liu Yifei's eyes widened in surprise. This was the first time she had heard such a statement from Sun Yi.

There's a saying that it all starts with looks. The first time I saw you, I was deeply moved by your beauty. In that respect, I guess I'm a bit materialistic~

Sun Yi said in a very serious tone.

Liu Tianxian thought Sun Yi was going to say something profound, but it turned out to be just some playful, romantic remark.

However, I am indeed a little happy.

I feel sweet in my heart.

But they would never admit it verbally.

"Pah~ You were just lusting after someone."

After saying that, he smacked Sun Yi on the forehead.

Two cries of agony rang out simultaneously.

"Hey~ How come your head is so hard!" x2
On December 30, fifty cameras were set up in front of the Warner Bros. Pictures press room, which was crowded with media reporters wearing various signs.

Sun Yi, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, and Liu Yifei, in a starry gradient color dress, walked hand in hand into the venue, and the flashes from the cameras rained down like a storm.

Warner Bros. Pictures' new CEO, Kevin Tsujihara, personally came down to greet them and warmly embraced the two in front of a group of reporters.

The three then went up on stage together at the press conference.

Kevin Tsujihara simply removed the curtain from the large screen behind him.

A number 11 followed by seven zeros.

Then, he took the lead in applause, saying, "Today, I am very pleased to share with all the media friends that the film in which our company invested, 'Edge of Tomorrow,' has grossed over $1.1 million in its opening weekend in North America."

"At the same time, it surpassed the $8600 million gross of 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' and the $6700 million gross of Disney's animated film 'Wreck-It Ralph' to secure the top spot at the North American box office this week."

"Here, on behalf of Warner Bros. Pictures, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to our director Sun Yi and our leading actress Crystal Liu."

Kevin Tsujihara shook hands with Sun Yi and Liu Yifei again in front of a crowd of reporters' cameras.

Alan Horn, who was standing next to the podium, took on the role of a waiter and ostentatiously brought over a bottle of champagne tied with colorful ribbons.

The champagne was delivered directly to Liu Yifei.

“Beautiful lady, I believe this moment is your moment of glory.”

Liu Yifei pursed her lips, accepted the champagne, and popped it open with a bang in front of everyone.

The splashes of beer spilled out in front of the flashlight.

The four of them toasted together to commemorate this historic moment.

The reporters at the scene watched the four people intently, waiting for what would happen next.

At this moment, Kevin Tsujihara raised his glass again, and Alan took a contract from his assistant and handed it to him.

The reporters' attention was all focused on the contract text.

There are no secrets in the entertainment industry. Anyone who follows the entertainment industry even a little knows that Warner Bros. is planning to reboot the Superman series.

However, the director of the film has not yet been decided.

Countless Superman fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement, while speculating about their favorite candidate.

No, that's right.
!!!

"Director Sun Yi has once again proven to us that science fiction narratives from an Eastern perspective can also conquer audiences worldwide."

"It is my great honor to announce—"

With that, Kevin Tsujihara opened the contract and handed it to Sun Yi, saying, "On behalf of Warner Bros. Pictures, I would like to invite Director Sun Yi to become the Chief Creative Officer for our next film."

"At the same time, it was announced that Warner Bros. is rebooting its superhero franchise, and the first installment will be Superman."

"We'll name it 'Superman: Man of Steel'!"

(End of this chapter)