It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1346 The Lunar New Year Film Season is another resounding success!
"After 6 days of release, 'Sheep Without a Shepherd 2' has surpassed 9 million yuan in total box office revenue, and has already secured the top spot on the New Year's box office chart!"

"On its opening day, the patriotic film 'Cliff Walkers,' produced by China Film Group and directed by Zhang Yimou, accounted for 32% of the screenings."

"The romance film 'Love Myth,' produced by Matt Pictures, Zhenledao, and Shanghai Film Group, and starring Xu Zheng and Ma Yili, has officially hit theaters today."

"More shocking revelations have emerged in the TST pyramid scheme scandal, with Xu Zheng and Tao Hong suspected of embezzling hundreds of millions of yuan..."

On the 24th, six films, including "Cliff Walkers" and "Love Myth", were officially released online.

Thanks to Zhang Yimou's fame and box office appeal, coupled with the support of China Film Group, "Cliff Walkers" had a pretty good number of screenings on its opening day.

Next, we'll see how it fares.

If things can stay stable, then the movie will naturally be a success.

But if it can't be stabilized, then it will naturally be a complete failure.

The odds are 50/50, but quite a few people are still hoping for it.

However, the drama "Myth of Love," starring Xu Zheng, attracted a lot of criticism because the protagonist was involved in a pyramid scheme.

Inside a luxury apartment in Lujiazui, Shanghai, a crystal chandelier casts a cold, desolate glow in the living room.

Xu Zheng's knuckles turned white as he gripped his phone. The trending topic "Xu Zheng and Tao Hong involved in pyramid scheme" on the screen stung his eyes.

It's not just online media; even the newspapers scattered on the coffee table are covered with all sorts of negative reports, making it almost suffocating!

"Didn't you say TST was fine?" He slammed his phone on the coffee table, the loud thud startling Tao Hong. "Now the whole internet is cursing me! The screenings of 'Love Myth' have been cut in half, and investors are calling my phone non-stop!"

Tao Hong huddled in the corner of the leather sofa, sobbing uncontrollably: "I...I really didn't know it would turn out like this...At the time, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang said it was just a normal business model, and the products were selling well. I never imagined it would involve pyramid schemes..."

"Good product sales? Aren't there enough complaints about skin problems?" Xu Zheng loosened his tie, his temples throbbing.

His distorted reflection was shown in the floor-to-ceiling window, creating a bizarre contrast with the movie trailer playing on a loop on the television.

In the trailer, he plays the romantic painter "Old Bai" and smiles at the camera, but in reality, he paces back and forth in the living room like a caged beast.

"What do we do now? The PR company says that unless Zhang Ting comes forward to clarify, the public opinion can't be suppressed at all." Tao Hong suddenly pounced on him and grabbed his arm. "Honey, I can stop filming, I'm not planning to continue in this industry anyway, but you can't! You still have to develop your career in the entertainment industry, I can't let this affect you!"

Xu Zheng's head was getting more and more throbbing as he listened, but he couldn't complain too much to Tao Hong.

After all, the couple did make a lot of money by following TST, and this luxury house in Lujiazui was bought with that "dirty money".

The problem now is that public opinion and criticism are all directed at the couple and Zhang Ting's couple, since their families have been involved in the most TST marketing.

"We need to find a way to suppress the public opinion as soon as possible, keep a low profile for a while, and slowly clear our name. After all, we are not the masterminds; in the end, we are also victims."

“That’s right!” Tao Hong quickly chimed in, “I don’t know anything, we are victims too!”

"Find a PR person..."

Before Xu Zheng could finish speaking, the cell phone on the coffee table suddenly started buzzing loudly.

Upon seeing the words "Wang Dong of Shanghai Film Group" on the screen, his Adam's apple bobbed sharply.

Tao Hong hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe her face, her eyes fixed on him, her fingers unconsciously picking at the leather of the sofa.

The trouble seems to be getting bigger and bigger; people are coming to demand an explanation!

Xu Zheng took a deep breath, pressed the answer button, and before Wang Jian'er could speak, he said, "Chairman Wang, I'm truly sorry this time..."

"It's too late to say anything more now." Wang Jian'er's voice was cold and businesslike. "The 'Mozart in Outer Space' project team just had a meeting. The male lead has to be replaced. You know, the project is about to start, and we can't afford to delay it."

These words struck Xu Zhengtian like a blunt object.

He staggered and grabbed the sofa armrest, but didn't feel anything when his lower back hit the corner of the coffee table.

Last year, in order to win this role, he turned down three variety shows and even spent two months studying child psychology.

But now, all those efforts have come to naught, and all that echoes in his ears are Wang Jian'er's light words: "The letter of intent is hereby voided, and the legal department will contact you."

"Okay, I'm so sorry..."

Xu Zheng mechanically repeated the process until he heard a busy tone from the receiver, only then realizing that his palms were covered in cold sweat.

The phone suddenly slipped from my fingers and bounced twice on the carpet.

Tao Hong rushed over and picked up the phone. Looking at the black screen, her face turned ashen: "Honey? Did the movie get cancelled?"

Xu Zheng slumped into the sofa, staring blankly at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

The cut surfaces refracted tiny fragments of light, making his eyes burn.

When they were decorating, Tao Hong insisted on installing this light, saying it was a "standard feature of luxury homes." Now it feels like countless tiny knives are slowly carving out his heart.

"It's nothing." He tried to smile, but it looked worse than crying. "At worst... I'll just switch to working behind the scenes. Anyway, that's my plan and goal."

That's what he said, but he knew in his heart that after this incident, his future path would likely become increasingly narrow.

Meanwhile, Wang Jian'er, on the other end of the phone, immediately convened an emergency meeting after hanging up.

Once the entire crew of "Mozart in Outer Space" had arrived, he stated frankly, "Xu Zheng has been confirmed to be unable to star in the film. We need to find a replacement as soon as possible; the start date cannot be delayed."

Producer Qian Chongyuan suggested, "How about we try Wang Baoqiang? He has a wide range of comedic roles and experience acting with young actors."

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the production manager shook his head and denied it: "How could Baoqiang possibly come? His new movie, which he wrote and directed, is currently auditioning and is about to start filming."

Someone else chimed in, "What about Shen Teng? He's worked with us before, so the comedic effect is guaranteed."

"Shen Teng is currently filming Happy Twist's own project, 'Walking Alone on the Moon.' I heard that the crew is working through the night every day to catch up on the special effects shots, and they simply can't spare any people."

The conference room fell into dead silence, with only the sound of breathing echoing through the room.

Suddenly, Chen Sicheng looked up sharply: "Looking for Huang Bo! Isn't he taking a break recently? Many of the comedies he starred in before were hits. He's popular with audiences and his acting skills are solid!"

These words seemed to ignite a fuse, and everyone immediately started discussing it amongst themselves.

"Huang Bo is indeed suitable. He has a knack for mentoring newcomers. He previously worked with Zhang Yixing and brought out his best performance."

"That's right! And his image is down-to-earth, so he wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi comedy. He even starred in 'Crazy Alien' before."

"I also think he's quite suitable..."

Listening to the discussions, Wang Jian'er rubbed his chin, the image of Huang Bo smiling with his eyes narrowed flashing through his mind, and decisively grabbed the red pen on the table and circled it on the script cover.

"It's Huang Bo! You guys contact his team right away, sound him out first, and if it's a good fit, I'll go talk to him personally."

He stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound: "The project absolutely cannot stop, everyone stay alert! Get it done quickly, I still have to go to the capital."

Everyone readily agreed and got to their respective tasks, getting busy once again.

Meanwhile, online ratings and reviews for "Cliff Walkers" have also been released.

Maoyan and Taopiaopiao still have high scores of 9 or above, which is the effect created by China Film Group.

However, it only scored 7.4 on Douban.

"Zhang Yimou truly deserves to be called a leading figure in the 'color theory of Chinese cinema.' The colors of black, white, and blood red create a world, and the dawn covered by heavy snow is extremely precious! It is not intense or unrestrained, but full of restraint and forbearance, which creates the temperament of the film. At 70 years old, he is still the Zhang Yimou who makes people look at him with new eyes."

"After 'The Message,' this is another good spy film. I think it's quite good."

"The first half was quite fast-paced, but why did it suddenly fall apart in the second half?"

"I feel like the filming of this movie was rushed. The parts that should have been relaxed were rushed. It's strange. Was it really necessary to be in such a hurry?"

"The actors' performances were really good, which covered up a lot of loopholes and problems. I also felt a bit rushed, and the filming period of this movie seems to be quite short, which may not fit the style of slow and meticulous work."

Looking at the comments from netizens, Jiao Hongfen didn't know whether to be happy or regretful.

There were indeed many positive reviews, but just as many negative ones, with most people saying the film was rushed and the pacing felt disjointed. The main reason for this is, of course, that he rushed the project too much, failing to give Zhang Yimou enough time for preparation and post-production.

"Now we'll see how the box office goes. Hopefully it will be high enough to help me cover the losses."

At this point, Jiao Hongfen was no longer thinking about continuing to hold his position, but rather how to extricate himself unscathed.

He no longer asks for anything; he only hopes for a smooth landing.

The industry is paying close attention to the Lunar New Year film season, hoping to use this opportunity to assess future project plans.

For example, Bona Film Group, after reviewing the box office results during the National Day holiday, became very confident that patriotic films had great potential and immediately launched the "Jiaolong Action" project.

The same applies to other companies.

Everyone wants to infer which genre of film will be more suitable for the market next year based on the box office performance of each film during the Lunar New Year season.

However, at this moment, Chen Fei's attention was entirely focused on Hollywood.

With the official release of "Cliff Walkers," "Spider-Man: No Way Back" also followed suit and landed in major North American theaters.

With no competitors, the number of theaters showing the film soared to 5200 on its opening day!
What is this concept?
No. 1 in the same period!

Twitter is already flooded with positive reviews from North American viewers:
"Tom Holland's performance this time was absolutely amazing! He perfectly portrayed Spider-Man's growth and struggles, and it got my blood pumping!"

"The multiverse concept is so cool! All the crossovers and Easter eggs really bring out the nostalgia factor. This is what a superhero movie should be like!"

"The special effects were so stunning that I was speechless, especially the final battle scene. It was absolutely amazing to watch on the big screen, and definitely worth the ticket price!"

"I highly recommend the MAX-3D version, the visuals are amazing! Marvel is simply the god of the movie industry!"

With these overwhelmingly positive reviews, Spider-Man: No Way Back home saw its box office soar.

The film easily surpassed $2 million at the North American box office in its opening weekend, unsurprisingly topping the box office charts and even exceeding many people's expectations.

This achievement not only broke the opening weekend record for the Spider-Man film series, but also ranked among the top in the North American box office charts for the opening weekend, becoming a strong boost to the recovery of the Hollywood market.

Meanwhile, the film's reputation continues to grow on social media, with a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a consistently high audience score, and an IMDb rating that remains above 9.

Professional film critics spared no praise, calling it "another pinnacle of the Marvel Cinematic Universe" and "not only the best in the Spider-Man series, but also a new benchmark for superhero movies."

Audiences spontaneously shared their viewing experiences on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, showing off their movie ticket stubs and merchandise. The popularity of related topics continued to rise, driving the film's discussion level to remain high. The film's original soundtrack also sparked a listening frenzy on major music platforms.

As the film was released globally, its influence became increasingly apparent.

In the UK, it grossed over ten million dollars on its opening day, breaking several local box office records.

In Asia, cinemas in South Korea, Japan, and other regions were also packed with people, with tickets in high demand, resulting in astonishing box office success.

The global box office has surpassed $5 million in just two weeks, and is heading towards an even higher goal!
It not only brought huge profits to Walton Pictures and Marvel, but also reignited the global audience's enthusiasm for superhero movies, allowing Hollywood to see once again the powerful money-making ability and commercial potential of super IPs!

On the last day of December, Natasha called Chen Fei, excitedly expressing:

"Fei, Walton Pictures is still number one on this year's Hollywood Big Six performance rankings!"

Chen Fei held his phone, a satisfied smile curving his lips: "Well done, Natasha. Announce it: double the budget for the celebration banquet, and pay the year-end bonus at the highest standard."

However, don't let your guard down. The projects for Marvel's Phase Five next year must be even more outstanding, and Walton must ensure that they continue to lead the market.

The sound of papers turning could be heard on the other end of the phone. Natasha's tone was slightly teasing: "Don't worry, Fei, our box office results have already left the second place two places behind."

At this point, she suddenly added with a hint of schadenfreude, "But over in DC... it's a complete disaster."

The Justice League film series was completely canceled, Black Adam suffered huge financial losses, and they can barely afford the marketing and distribution costs for Joker 2.

Chen Fei chuckled, not feeling too surprised.

After all, as far as he knew, DC was still dealing with the same old problems.

The character development is too disjointed, and the world-building is not well established.

Last month's industry report showed that DC suffered a loss of more than $5 million for the year, and none of the six films released in 2021 broke even.

This shows that DC has fallen far behind Marvel.

If it weren't for the Aquaman series, they probably would have gone bankrupt by now.

On the other end of the phone, Natasha continued, "I heard that Warner Bros. executives are already laying off staff. The DC division has cut a third of its workforce, and even the streaming platforms are barely surviving by re-airing old shows. All the newly developed shows are all hype and no substance."

"Have the marketing department closely monitor DC's movements." After a moment's thought, Chen Fei wrote the words "DC crisis" on the memo. "If there are suitable IPs, we can also consider buying them."

"it is good!"

With a large sum of money in hand and the stock market soaring, Natasha was wondering where to spend it.

Targeting the copyrights held by DC is undoubtedly a good choice.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Fei turned his attention back to China.

The total box office of "Sheep Without a Shepherd 2" has exceeded 15 billion yuan, and the weekly box office of "Cliff Walkers" has exceeded 5 million yuan.

"Mystery of Antiques" had to be pulled from theaters early due to exhaustion of its box office potential, with a total box office of only 2.18 million yuan.

As for films like "The Lion Boy" and "The Myth of Love," they almost all disappeared from the audience's sight in a very short time.

Overall, Feiyue Films was once again the biggest winner of this Lunar New Year film season!
I turned my head and looked online again.

"Embrace You Through the Cold Winter," starring Huang Bo, Jia Ling, and Zhu Yilong, was officially released, accounting for 22.7% of screenings on its opening day.

"Li Mao as the Crown Prince" is also poised for release, and will officially launch after midnight tonight.

The competition for films during the New Year's Day period is quite fierce.

However, netizens are not currently focused on the film's box office, but rather on the 34th Golden Rooster Awards ceremony held last night.

In order to mitigate the impact of the Dragon Soaring Film Festival, the Golden Rooster Awards organizing committee specially postponed the awards ceremony by a month, to the end of December.

Even so, the award results were still heavily criticized by the audience!
It's understandable that "Cliff Walkers" won Best Director.

However, the Best Feature Film award was given to a film called "The Island Keeper".

Meanwhile, the Best Actress award was surprisingly given to Jia Ling!
Liu Mintao, who was competing, was actually defeated by Jia Ling?!

This also means that Zhang Yimou and Liu Mintao have both helped others by carrying their sedan chairs, becoming stepping stones for others to step on.

When the results were announced, the internet was in an uproar!

But the Golden Rooster Awards continued to do as they pleased, acting as if they wouldn't listen to any criticism.

Netizens naturally couldn't do anything about it, but at the same time, the prestige of the Golden Rooster Awards was also plummeting, and criticism was almost completely overwhelming it!

"Ha, if you don't court death, you won't die."

Chen Fei curled his lip, completely blacklisting the Golden Rooster Awards.

For the past few years, the Golden Rooster Awards organizing committee has been sending invitations to Feiyue Film & Television, but he has completely ignored them.

The other party sounded very sincere and assured that there would be a big prize to be won if you went there.

But given the current situation, if he goes there, he'll definitely fall into their trap. He's not stupid!
After shutting down the computer, Chen Fei stood up and went straight downstairs.

Today is the last day of 2021, and the impact of the pandemic has almost disappeared without a trace, so the annual meeting can naturally be held.

Since he, as the chairman, is rarely at the company this year, he could at least make an appearance and give out bonuses to the employees.

Then, I can go home and spend New Year's Eve with my wife and son!

(End of this chapter)