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

Chapter 1407 The Chinese Version of Disney!

"During the Children's Day holiday, several animated films, including Castle in the Sky, Doraemon: Nobita's Ideal Land in the Sky, and Spider-Man: Into the Universe, will be released in major theaters."

"The Hollywood import 'Transformers: Rise of the Beast Warriors' will be released in Chinese theaters on June 9th. Stay tuned."

"The Film Bureau has announced the latest list of approved scripts. 'Article 20' has successfully passed the review and will be directed by Zhang Yimou, with Chen Fei serving as producer..."

"The film 'Let's Shake the Sun Together,' co-produced by Lianrui and China Film Group, directed by Han Yan, and starring Peng Yuchang and Li Gengxi, has successfully started filming."

"Yang Ying's first urban/romance drama after her comeback, 'Twilight Romance,' is scheduled to premiere on Tencent Video on June 29."

"The comedy/action/fantasy film 'The Monkey King,' produced by Stephen Chow, will be released in North American theaters on August 18..."

As June arrived, imported films once again dominated the cinema market.

Spider-Man: Into the Universe swept the box office with its dazzling visual style, while Transformers: Rise of the Beasts was a hit even before its release, leading the way in pre-sale data.

This phenomenon of "imported films dominating the screen" has long been the norm, and audiences and industry insiders are used to it, just waiting for domestic films to make a strong comeback during the summer season.

In contrast, the information about "Article 20" in the latest batch of approved scripts announced by the Film Bureau has attracted more attention.

The fact that "Zhang Yimou is the director" in particular immediately sparked controversy online.

"Zhang Yimou? Forget it. The formula of 'Man Jiang Hong' is disgusting. Forced sentimentality and unrealistic plot. Don't ruin 'Article 20' as well."

"Seriously? They're casting him for realistic dramas? All he does these days is create big scenes and pile on colors. I doubt he can handle a delicate subject like self-defense."

"Warning: The shadow of 'Man Jiang Hong' hasn't faded yet. Is this project going to resort to the 'traffic + nostalgia' tactic again?"

Online criticisms are mounting, given the polarized reception of "Man Jiang Hong," leading many viewers to seriously question Zhang Yimou's storytelling abilities.

However, when everyone saw the full list of production team members, the tide turned.

"Wait, I almost forgot, the production companies are Enlight Media and Feiyue Films? Those two are reliable representatives!"

"The producer is Wang Changtian. He has a sharp eye. He was in charge of producing 'Under the Light,' so the script will definitely not be too outrageous."

"Most importantly, the producer is Chen Fei! Projects he oversees should be of guaranteed quality, right? Look at how meticulous he was with the details of 'The Wandering Earth'."

The tone in the comments section gradually softened, and some even began to look forward to it:
"It seems alright from this perspective? Chen Fei is the producer and Zhang Yimou is the director. One focuses on details and the other controls the overall picture. Maybe they can create some sparks."

"The previous film, 'Under the Light,' was quite good, and I hope to replicate its success."

"If we could film the entire Article 20 of the Criminal Law, that would be pretty good..."

Some even compared Huanxi Media's current lineup with that of their predecessors:

"This team is much better than those teams from Huanxi Media! The previous ones they made either had terrible scripts or were poorly produced. They were a complete mess. Unlike Enlight Media and Feiyue, they always have top-notch teams."

Industry insiders also find this combination quite intriguing.

With Zhang Yimou's ability to direct scenes, Chen Fei's precise control over realistic themes, and Enlight Media's distribution capabilities, "The Twentieth Article" is a "top-tier, safe bet"!
In contrast, when news broke that Stephen Chow's "The Monkey King" had a release date, the entire internet was briefly silent.

Many viewers were momentarily confused.

Looking back a few years ago, "The Mermaid" raked in 33 billion yuan at the box office, and "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" and "Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back" were also phenomenal hits. Back then, Stephen Chow was still the golden brand of "one film emperor a year, Stephen Chow for a hundred years".

There are even rumors that he has already secretly prepared "The Mermaid 2" and wants to give the audience a surprise at the right time.

Who would have thought that, with the passage of time, Stephen Chow would have fallen so low as to become a producer for an animated film?
Outsiders are completely confused and are all wondering why Stephen Chow no longer makes live-action movies.
But those in the industry know all too well the twists and turns involved.

It all stemmed from the "abortion" of "The Mermaid 2"!
When filming began for "The Mermaid 2", Stephen Chow defied public opinion (for being greedy) and chose Kris Wu as the male lead.

At that time, the other party was at the peak of their popularity, and the team also confidently guaranteed "zero negative publicity".

But who would have thought that before the movie was even finished filming and post-production was complete, Kris Wu was arrested by the police on suspicion of rape, and overnight went from a top star to a prisoner.

This big-budget production, with an investment of hundreds of millions, instantly became a hot potato!
Reshooting? That would mean all the previous shots would be wasted, and hundreds of millions more in costs would have to be added.

Release it? Using footage of disgraced celebrities will not only fail to pass censorship, but will also be condemned by the audience.

Ultimately, "The Mermaid 2" had to be shelved, the project collapsed midway, and Stephen Chow's company not only lost everything but also incurred huge debts.

He was overwhelmed by debts owed to investors, to the production crew, and to the venue rental fees.

In the past two years, he has rarely made public appearances and has been quietly paying off his debts.

To put it bluntly, taking on the production of "The Monkey King" was also a way to make money to fill the financial hole.

"It's quite a sad story," Wang Changtian remarked at a dinner party. "Back when he made 'The New King of Comedy,' he was criticized for 'exploiting nostalgia' and 'losing his talent,' but at least he still had capital supporting him. Now, to pay off his debts, he's even taken on the role of producer for an animated film."

Chen Fei curled his lip and said, "He's not making money here. He's clearly atoning for his sins! He's atoning for the sin of deceiving the audience with bad movies back then, and for the sin of being careless in casting and cheating the investors."

Zhang Yimou was somewhat embarrassed, burying his head in his food and remaining silent.

He felt he needed to be more careful going forward; if his reputation continued to decline, he might be blacklisted by the audience.

Although Chen Fei's words were harsh, they reflected the views of most people.

When "The New King of Comedy" was released, many viewers felt that the plot was perfunctory and that it was just rehashing old material, and criticized him for "living off his past achievements".

The mess left by "The Mermaid 2" only worsened his reputation.

The announcement of the release date for "The Monkey King" prompted comments from fans wishing Stephen Chow good luck, but many more from casual viewers wondered: "Why isn't he making 'The Mermaid 2'?"

No one knows that behind those questions lies the helplessness of a filmmaker being ground down by reality.

Stephen Chow probably never imagined that after decades of dominating the film industry, he would ultimately fall because of a sequel film, and even have to rely on the production fee of an animated film to pay off his heavy debts.

As for "Let's Shake the Sun Together" and "Twilight Romance," these two films were more of a celebration for fans within a small circle and failed to achieve a mainstream impact.

However, the marketing teams behind both sides are poised to launch a major marketing campaign at the right time.

On June 9th, "Transformers: Rise of the Beast Warriors" was released.

Box office surpasses 100 million on opening day!

At the same time, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which was released last month, officially ended its theatrical run, grossing 11.66 billion yuan in China and 9.63 million US dollars worldwide.

Marvel Studios has achieved another huge success!

Correspondingly, Walton Pictures' stock price surged again, with many bullish on the company.

On the afternoon of the 10th, Chen Fei took a rare half-day off to spend time at home with his wife and son.

In the living room, the little one was lying on the carpet playing with building blocks, while Liu Yifei sat beside him reading a book... Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere; it was a rare moment of peace and quiet. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Chen Fei got up and opened the door, only to find Han Jianu and Wen Muye standing there.

"Director Chen, sister-in-law," Wen Muye greeted with a smile, carrying a gift in his hand.

Han Jianu, standing next to her, was not as cheerful as usual. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her eyes were a little evasive, and she showed a rare hint of shyness.

"Come in and have a seat." Chen Fei stepped aside to let them in, and Liu Yifei also stood up and greeted them with a smile, "Jia Nu, Director Wen, what brings you here?"

The group sat down on the sofa and chatted for a while about their recent work.

Wen Muye, on the other hand, was very poised and generous. He took out two gold-embossed invitations from his bag and handed them to Chen Fei and Liu Yifei: "Director Chen, sister-in-law, we are planning to hold our wedding at the end of the month, so we came here to deliver these invitations. You two must come."

"Congratulations!" Chen Fei took the invitation, opened it, and saw their names printed on it. His smile widened. "This is great news! I'll definitely be there."

After saying this, he turned to look at Han Jianu and teased her, "You little girl, you're finally getting married. It's a wish of Third Master's."

Upon hearing this, Han Jianu couldn't help but mutter, "That's right, he's even happier than me. The other day he was on the phone and his voice was so loud it almost ruptured my eardrums. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was getting married."

"Haha, now that Third Master is retired and has nothing to do, I'm just hoping to find you a good home."

Chen Fei couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Liu Yifei smiled and poured water for the two of them, saying, "By the way, is there anything I can help you with? If you need more people for the wedding, just let me know."

Upon hearing this, Han Jianu's eyes lit up, and all her shyness vanished. She chattered, "There really is! I've been struggling to choose a wedding dress and a toast dress these past few days. Wen Muye's taste is completely on a different wavelength from mine. Yifei, you have good taste, could you come with me to pick one out sometime?"

"No problem," Liu Yifei replied with a smile. "I'll clear my schedule in the next couple of days and I can contact you anytime."

The group chatted for another ten minutes or so, mostly about the details of the wedding.

Chen Fei and Liu Yifei, having been through similar experiences, offered them a lot of useful advice.

After a while, Wen Muye checked the time, stood up and said, "I won't disturb your rest any longer. We still have to go to other places to deliver invitations. We have to make a trip to many elders in person."

"Okay, go get busy."

Chen Fei and Liu Yifei got up and saw them to the door.

Before leaving, Han Jianu reminded her, "Yifei, don't forget about picking out your wedding dress! I'll contact you anytime."

"Do not worry."

Watching their car gradually disappear at the intersection, Liu Yifei took Chen Fei's arm and sighed, "To be honest, I thought Jia Nu would be single forever. She always said marriage was troublesome, but I didn't expect her to get married now."

Chen Fei wasn't too surprised and said with a smile, "In this life, everyone needs a companion to lean on and walk forward together."

Many people don't not want to get married, they just haven't met the right person yet. Wen Muye is reliable and has a good personality, which complements Jia Nu perfectly..."

An afternoon of leisure passed in the blink of an eye.

The following morning, Chen Fei went to Shanhe Film and Television City again.

The main highlight of this event was the opening ceremony of the "Fantawild Adventure Park," a collaboration with Fantawild.

Just like when the "Fantawild Adventure Oriental Mythology Theme Park" opened last year, the scene was as lively as a grand festival.

The red carpet was packed with reporters from hundreds of media outlets, with cameras and flashes flying everywhere.

Local cultural and tourism officials also attended the event and stood with Chen Fei and Rong Zhigang at the ribbon-cutting platform.

As the red ribbon was lowered and cannons roared, the gilded characters "Fantawild Flying Over Cinema Park" shone brightly in the sunlight, and enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

As soon as the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended, children and adults who had been waiting outside the park rushed in, cheering and exclaiming in amazement.

In the park, long queues formed in front of the space capsule experience hall themed around "The Wandering Earth," while the Bangkok street scene replica area from the "Detective Chinatown" series became a popular spot for taking photos. Staff members were dressed in costumes of classic characters from the movie, creating a truly immersive atmosphere.

After a short stay, Chen Fei, along with a group of leaders and Rong Zhigang and others who had come from Fantawild, went to the "Three-Body Base" deep inside the park.

This area will become the core exhibition area of ​​the park in the future, but for now it will be used as a filming location for the movie "The Three-Body Problem".

Although it is currently under construction, many areas have already been marked with signs.

"This is the Red Coast Base control room, recreated at a 1:1 scale. The equipment on the walls was custom-made based on the descriptions in the original work, and even the layout of the buttons has been carefully researched..."

Chen Fei pointed to a room filled with instruments and introduced it to Ye Wenjie. Inside, there were many manuscripts and props, with densely written formulas on the yellowed pages.

As you walk forward, a huge model of a radio telescope stands in the center of the square, its metal support reaching into the sky!
"The famous scene in the original novel where Ye Wenjie sends a signal to the Trisolaran world will be filmed here..."

As they continued forward, the group seemed to be merely taking in the sights.

Chen Fei led his group to the first completed "Three-Body Planet Pavilion".

The "three suns in a row" phenomenon, simulated using special effects technology, is unfolding on the dome. The scorching light seems to penetrate the screen, and combined with the ground vibrations and temperature changes, everyone present can't help but hold their breath!
"This is an immersive system we developed in collaboration with Industrial Light & Magic's technical team. It allows actors to directly experience the extreme environment of the Three-Body world, and the footage projected onto the screen has an excellent effect..."

Rong Zhigang couldn't help but exclaim, "This is amazing! It's like bringing the scenes from the book into reality!"

The other leaders nodded in approval and exclaimed in admiration, unable to hide their surprise at what they were witnessing.

On the other hand, press releases from the media were issued almost simultaneously after the opening ceremony.

"Fantawild Adventure Park officially opens today!"

"Come to Fantawild Adventure Cinema this summer and experience a different kind of wonderful moment."

"A playground suitable for both adults and children..."

The accompanying text and images—featuring the sci-fi feel of the space capsule from "The Wandering Earth," the fantastical dreamscape of the underwater world from "Ghost Blows Out the Light," and the smiling faces of children cheering in an amusement park—instantly went viral online.

"Holy crap, this amusement park looks so cool!"

"I just saw an aerial video, and the whole park looks like a movie museum, with elements from movies like Detective Chinatown, The Wandering Earth, Ghost Blows Out the Light, and A Writer's Odyssey. Is this going to be the Chinese version of Disney?"

"I think it's a good idea! Feiyue Film & Television's IP is more than enough..."

The slogan "China's version of Disney" immediately became a trending topic among netizens.

However, compared to Hollywood movies, domestic films are still somewhat weak and urgently need a big-budget film to stand out!
Many people have set their sights on "The Three-Body Problem," full of anticipation...

(End of this chapter)