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

Chapter 1392 Wanda finally couldn't hold on any longer!

Back when the "If You Are the One" series first came out, it was incredibly popular.

The first film was released in 2008. Ge You played Qin Fen, who used a "disagreement terminal" to find a spouse. Along the way, he encountered Liang Xiaoxiao, played by Shu Qi, and the film captured the twisted yet tender feelings of urban men and women in a funny and heartwarming way.

When the final snow scene of Hokkaido was revealed, many people's eyes welled up with tears.

The film's box office soared to 3.2 million yuan, making it a true box office dark horse back then.

The lines from the show, such as "You're so outstanding, you must have a lot of suitors" and "I'd rather be a bachelor my whole life than marry a woman I don't love," have become common sayings on the streets.

In 2010, "If You Are the One 2" received slightly less favorable reviews, but thanks to the foundation of the first film and the "farewell party" of Li Xiangshan played by Sun Honglei, it still generated a lot of buzz and the box office exceeded 4 million yuan.

Everyone agreed that Feng Xiaogang was truly gifted when making comedies back then, and Ge You's acting was both down-to-earth and stylish.

Therefore, this series has almost become a "must-see" for the Lunar New Year film season.

But who would have thought that after more than ten years, a third installment would be rebooted?

Looking at this news circulating online now, netizens can't help but feel skeptical:
"The initial excitement has long since faded, and it's questionable whether we can even get all the actors together. Can we really recapture that feeling from back then?"

It's important to understand that rebooting a classic IP is no easy task.

If it succeeds, it's a matter of sentiment; if it fails, it becomes just "consuming memories."

Feng Xiaogang is probably under a lot of pressure taking on this responsibility.

However, amidst the ongoing controversy and frequent doubts from netizens, Dongyang Meila Pictures suddenly released a bombshell announcement!
"Ge You, Shu Qi, and Fan Wei will officially return for 'If You Are the One 3'!"

The announcement was accompanied by a Reuters photo of the three of them together.

Ge You still had that familiar look with a slightly roguish air. Shu Qi smiled and looked at the camera, while Fan Wei stood to the side nodding with pursed lips. The three of them didn't seem to have changed much from back then.

The news caused an uproar online!

Netizens who were initially complaining that "IP reboots are bound to fail" instantly changed their tune:

"My God! Qin Fen and Liang Xiaoxiao are really back?!"

"Wow, Fan Wei is here too! This is the real 'If You Are the One'!"

"With these three in the cast, my expectations are already at the top! Just based on this lineup, I'll definitely go see it when it's released!"

The previous doubts were almost completely drowned out by the jubilant discussions.

In no time, the hashtag #IfYouAreTheOne3OriginalCastReturns# immediately topped the trending searches, with comments section filled with exclamations of "My youth is back!"

After all, the scenes between these three back then were the most classic memories in the series!
The fact that they can reunite on screen now is enough to make the audience temporarily put aside their concerns and look forward to more news about the film.

Just then, iQiyi seized the opportunity and began to exert its strength, turning around and pushing the popularity of "Hachi: A Dog's Tale" starring Feng Xiaogang to the top.

Suddenly, there were many more press releases about this film online.

Some people dug up clips of Feng Xiaogang experiencing life in old alleys before taking on the role, while others posted behind-the-scenes footage of him interacting with Akita dogs. Even a clip of an interview where director Xu Ang praised him for "acting more immersively than professional actors" was edited out and circulated.

This move definitely sparked a lively discussion among netizens, with the comments section filled with curiosity:

"Feng Xiaogang usually sits behind the monitor and yells 'cut,' but suddenly he's standing in front of the camera as the lead actor. Can he really pull it off?"

"Looking at the way he's with the dog in the behind-the-scenes footage, he seems like an ordinary old neighbor. I'm kind of curious to see what's going on."

“I used to always see him filming other people, but this time it’s his turn to be filmed. Just for the novelty, I’ll have to go see it when it’s released.”

My attention, which was originally focused on "If You Are the One 3", has been diverted quite a bit.

Meanwhile, the hashtag #FengXiaogang'sFirstStarringMovie# quietly climbed to the top of the trending topics list.

iQiyi's move to leverage this momentum was quite clever.

……

Dongyang Meila Film Industry.

While browsing online news, Feng Xiaogang didn't mind iQiyi using the opportunity to promote "Hachiko: A Dog's Tale." Instead, he chuckled and immediately called over the head of the company's public relations department.

He leaned back on the sofa, tapping his phone screen with his fingertips, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"iQiyi is promoting 'Hachiko,' so let's work together. Not only that, but 'If You Are the One 3' just announced the return of its main cast and is currently generating a lot of buzz. Also, the drama 'Echo' should start its pre-release promotion as well."

"Connect the promotional rhythm of these three parts, prepare more materials to release, including press releases, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews."

The person in charge was taken aback: "Director Feng, these three films are quite different in subject matter. Won't it be chaotic to release them all at once?"

"What's all the fuss about?" Feng Xiaogang laughed. "Hachiko: A Dog's Tale is about me crossing over into acting, If You Are the One 3 is about selling nostalgia, and Echo is about suspense. Each one has its own appeal."

By putting together a powerful effort now, we can actually make the audience remember that I have had a lot of work related to me recently, creating a chain reaction of popularity – that's what we call a win-win situation.

The person in charge nodded in agreement and was about to leave when he was stopped again:
"By the way, don't just cut me out of the behind-the-scenes footage of 'Hachiko: A Dog'. Give the dog more screen time. Audiences love the empathy for pets. Remember to make sure the warmth of companionship is fully realized."

"okay."

The head of the public relations department nodded in agreement and went out to get to work.

Soon enough, online discussions about these three works intensified.

Some people speculated about the plot of "If You Are the One 3", some analyzed the relationships between the characters in "Echoes", but most people were still pondering the interaction between Feng Xiaogang and the dog in "Hachi: A Dog's Tale".

This joint promotional campaign has truly made him an unavoidable name in the film and television industry recently.

Suddenly, topics like Feng Xiaogang's official return to the film industry and Dongyang Meila's potential relisting emerged.

Meanwhile, as Feng Xiaogang continued to make moves, the "Let's Shake the Sun Together" project also attracted the attention of many people.

Especially the female lead, Li Gengxi!
Since the production company officially announced the cast, a large number of press releases about her have suddenly appeared online.

Some praised her for having a "sharp eye for scripts and choosing realistic themes to hone her acting skills," while others posted photos of her on set with makeup on, saying that "her bare face looks great and fits the character's vulnerability." Even old interviews of her from a few years ago when she acted in a campus drama were dug up, making her popularity rise exceptionally high.

This concentrated publicity campaign couldn't be kept secret, and discussions about her within the industry began to circulate.

Her relationship with Xu Jinglei, in particular, has become an unavoidable topic.

An insider privately said: "Li Gengxi is an artist signed by Xu Jinglei's company, and his resources have always been connected through Xu Jinglei's side."

Some people have dug up old photos of the two of them together, speculating whether they are related, otherwise how could they have received so many good scripts so early in their careers?
The controversy gradually spread online...

Some netizens believe that good resources are not enough; one must also have the ability to play the role. The roles she played before were indeed quite good.

However, some people complained that the press releases were too frequent and seemed like an attempt to promote someone unnecessarily. They argued that if it was really based on connections, it would be unfair to other newcomers.

What was originally a quiet project has become the subject of much discussion because of this incident, and the attention given to "Let's Shake the Sun Together" has also increased amidst the controversy. In the company's conference room.

Xu Jinglei pushed a publicity schedule in front of Li Gengxi and tapped the paper with her fingertip: "In the coming period, the team will focus on boosting your popularity. Press releases, interviews, and roadshows are all scheduled. There will definitely be pressure, but you have to hold on."

Upon hearing this, Li Gengxi quickly sat up straight and nodded: "Auntie, I understand. Don't worry, I can handle it."

She lowered her eyes, her fingers secretly clenching the hem of her clothes. Her face showed a compliant expression, but her heart was filled with joyful anticipation.

After leaving the meeting room, she returned to the lounge, tidied her hair in front of the mirror, and couldn't help but drift off into thought.

If I can win Best Actress or even Best Newcomer Award for this role when "Let's Shake the Sun Together" is released, what will that be like?
However, what she wants most right now is to outshine Zhang Jingyi.

Both being young actresses, Zhang Jingyi has gained considerable popularity in the past two years through her roles in several films and television dramas produced by Feiyue Film & Television.

She always felt that her acting skills were no less than her opponent's; all she lacked was a respectable award.

Thinking further ahead, she even secretly compared herself to Zhou Dongyu and Zhou Xun!

Those two are the only three Golden Horse Award-winning actresses in mainland China. Only by catching up with them one day can one truly establish a foothold in this industry.

Thinking of this, she picked up the script on the table and turned two more pages, a hint of determination appearing in her eyes.

No matter how much pressure we're under, we have to seize this opportunity!
……

Feiyue Films.

In his office, Chen Fei had just finished signing a stack of documents. He moved his fingertips to click the mouse and lit up the screen, glancing at the densely packed trending news articles that had just refreshed online.

Seeing the news of the original cast returning for "If You Are the One 3," and glancing at the discussion about Li Gengxi next to him, he subconsciously muttered to himself, "Whisper and the actress who made pre-cooked dishes?"

The "Whisper" mentioned here was a nickname maliciously assigned to Shu Qi when she was embroiled in controversy in her early years.

Back then, Feng Xiaogang publicly criticized many people in support of her.

Many people were puzzled as to why Feng Xiaogang was so supportive, but now that they see the news of the two continuing their collaboration, everyone, including Chen Fei, finally understands.

It seems that these two are truly inseparable in private, otherwise they wouldn't be willing to help each other out during this period of great opportunity, even after so many years.

As for Li Gengxi...

Chen Fei's gaze lingered on the relevant press release for only two seconds before he looked away.

The domestic film awards have long been corrupted by various underhanded practices, and in his eyes they have no weight whatsoever.

He vaguely remembered that in his previous life, Li Gengxi also rose to the top through a similar method of "paving the way with resources and operating through awards".

Judging from the current situation, it seems they've gone back to the old ways.

Chen Fei shook his head, not thinking about it any further, and continued to work on the preparations for "The Three-Body Problem".

……

February flew by, and Chen Fei's days were also very busy.

In addition to keeping an eye on the progress of several projects at Feiyue Films, he also frequently took time to go to the editing room to help Liu Yifei oversee the editing of "The Room Next Door".

This film is Liu Yifei's first attempt at directing, so it must be taken seriously.

Chen Fei accompanied her through the footage again and again, sometimes pointing to a certain shot and saying, "This part was cut too fragmented, let's leave a long shot to let the emotions sink in," or reminding her, "Don't let the background music steal the show, this film relies on the blank spaces outside the dialogue."

Liu Yifei listened attentively, occasionally offering a rebuttal, saying, "But I think this better reflects the character's panic."

The two huddled together in front of the monitor, discussing things in hushed tones, displaying a greater sense of understanding than if they were simply busy with work.

Meanwhile, new changes have quietly taken place in the film and television market.

After its release, "China's Ping Pong: The Last Stand" experienced a slump at the box office, failing to even last for half a month before its box office revenue stopped at 1 million yuan, failing to even recoup a fraction of its production costs.

This film, which carries the passion and hope of sports, originally intended to make waves in the film market by taking advantage of the popularity of the national sport and the appeal of stars such as Deng Chao and Sun Li, but reality dealt it a heavy blow.

The poor quality significantly dampened audience expectations.

In addition, sports-themed films are inherently difficult to shoot, making it hard to translate the tense and exciting competition scenes into smooth cinematic language, leaving the audience confused. It was no surprise that both critical acclaim and box office success were unsurprising.

The film "The Venomous Lawyer," which was released on the 24th, also failed to make a splash in this stagnant market.

Despite its outstanding box office performance in Hong Kong, which broke a series of records.

But once they got to the mainland, it was like punching cotton!
Mainland audiences did not buy into the film, and the box office did not make much of a splash, while the word-of-mouth gradually declined from its initial high score.

The seemingly clever "off-the-books tactics" in the legal dramas of the film are completely detached from the actual situation of the mainland judicial system to mainland audiences, making it difficult for them to resonate with the audience.

However, the "exciting moments" that get Hong Kong audiences excited seem somewhat out of place in mainland China.

The consecutive failures of two new films have cast a shadow over the entire film and television industry.

Although the release of "The Wandering Earth 2" and "Man Jiang Hong" has been postponed, their box office performance continues to rise.

But they will eventually be taken off the shelves!

What will happen to the mainland film and television market once these movies are no longer showing?

There are still about six months until the summer and National Day film seasons, which can take over and carry box office revenue.

During this long lull in the market, we can't rely on the meager profits earned during the Spring Festival season to fill the hole in the daily operations of cinemas, can we?
State-owned cinema chains have government subsidies to back them up, so it's not difficult for them to stay afloat.

But it's difficult for private cinema chains!

Rent, labor, equipment maintenance—all of these cost money. If box office revenue slumps, cash flow immediately becomes very tight.

Wanda was the first to give in.

They own a large number of cinemas, have a wide business network, and therefore face the most significant pressure.

After several rounds of meetings overnight, management finally made the announcement: "We will sell a portion of our cinema business shares to raise funds and weather this downturn."

When the news spread, people in the industry were surprised, but they also understood the helplessness behind this move.

After all, rather than stubbornly holding on until the cash flow breaks down, cutting losses in time and holding onto cash while waiting for the market to recover is a more practical choice.

Zhou Shouzi and Ye Ning, who had been preparing for this day, immediately pounced on him.

Meanwhile, Ruyi, controlled by Tencent, is also poised for action...

(End of this chapter)