Entertainment tycoon who started out as a director

Chapter 188 Live up to expectations
of course.

It's not big, that's relative.

Compared to those films that often cost hundreds of millions to produce, with promotion costs starting at 5000 million, and easily reaching hundreds of millions.

The premiere was a little small.

but……

Don't look at the monk's face, look at the Buddha's face. Just because a director like Gu Ming, who can win the Oscar winner and win two awards and box office, is here, everyone is willing to give him face.

After all, it only lasts one night. Participating in premieres and other events is a familiar task for celebrities.

Looking around, there were quite a few guests, and they were very star-studded.

Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, half of the top young male stars are here.

Not to mention Chinese movie stars.

Jackie Chan and Li Lianlian, two big names in Hollywood, all came over to support me.

Go up and thank the guests.

After another awkward conversation with the host.

Gu Ming walked off the stage and came to his seat.

Because of the issue of casting, none of the actors of "Now You See Me" are near Gu Ming.

On the right is Will Smith.

On the left is the undisputed number one Chinese movie star, Jackie Chan.

Looking at the curtain that started to play the factory logo, Jackie Chan couldn't help but asked Gu Ming in a low voice, "I heard that the main actors in your film are Huang Xiaoming, Chen Kun, Li Bingbing and others?"

"They are really well-known in the country."

"But in Hollywood, Li Bingbing is the only one who has appeared in "Hero"."

"Isn't it a bit risky?" Jackie Chan sounded slightly worried.

He was really afraid that Gu Ming would break down and sink into the sand.

There is an awesome director who is also Chinese, so I will have one more chance of failure no matter what I do in the future.

If Gu Ming is finished, then he will have to move forward alone.

Li Lianjie can't help. It would be good if the two of them don't compete for resources from each other.

"I can't do it either!"

Gu Ming shrugged.

"Every movie has to take risks. How can there be a movie that is [-]% profitable?"

"All I can do is try to minimize the risk."

"So I chose a magic and special effects film that doesn't rely on actors very much, and no one has made it before. When people come to the cinema, they see the scene, not the actors!"

"If I choose someone who has a good reputation in Hollywood..."

At this point, Gu Ming couldn't help but chuckle, "For example, if you and Li Lianlian were invited, the cost would be 4000 million US dollars for the two of you. How much would it cost? At least 8000 million!"

“I didn’t have North American distribution capabilities at that time.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to recoup the cost in the end.”

"That's true."

"Let's watch the movie. It's already done. It's too late to say anything. After three days, it will be clear whether it was a success or a failure."

"Yes." Jackie Chan nodded thoughtfully, his eyes falling on the screen again.

At this point, the movie has officially started.

The screen went dark, and there was a tapping sound of "ta-da-da".

It was like a hammer hitting everyone's heart.

Gradually, a long page of densely packed paper appeared, and the "click" sound turned out to be a typewriter.

What’s even stranger is that there are actually four hands in front of the typewriter!
The screen turns.

The character played by Chen Kun, who has long hair, stands in front of a mirror, eyes closed, playing cards skillfully.

It is accompanied by a bewitching voice-over.

"Get closer, get closer."

"Because you think the more you see, the easier it is to be deceived."

"Because look what it is?"

“You’re seeing with your eyes, but what you’re really doing is filtering information, interpreting it, looking for meaning.”

"My job is to accept the most precious gift you gave me."

"Your attention!"

"And use him to deceive you!"

When he said the last sentence, Chen Kun in the video quickly did a little magic trick to change the face of the cards.

It makes people feel their hearts tightening.

This film has a different texture.

"Obviously it's a little magic trick that's not worth mentioning, but when it's shown in a movie, it has a different feeling!"

"cool!"

The audience who attended the premiere had their eyes lit up and couldn't help but sit up straight, looking forward to the next scene.

Next is the English name of Hong Kong Island, and a bird's-eye view of Victoria Bay.

The camera zooms in, and Chen Kun performs a card trick, turning the building into a seven of diamonds to seduce girls.

Los Angeles, also a bird's-eye shot, continues to advance and falls on a ship.

Huang Xiaoming performed a spoon magic trick, but was discovered by someone. The person got the one hundred dollars, but Huang Xiaoming got the other person's watch.

Shenghai is naturally the most famous landmark building, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower on the riverside!

Viggo Mortensen demonstrates mind reading.

London, after the camera passes over Big Ben, it is Li Bingbing demonstrating escape magic.As a result, the lock couldn't be unlocked for a while.

Watching helplessly as the time is up, the piranha enters the tank and its blood surges.

For a moment, the audience, like the magic audience in the movie, all covered their eyes and exclaimed!
At this time, Li Bingbing walked out of the crowd again and shouted wantonly!
Four cities, four magic!
A simple and direct introduction to the members of the protagonist group!
But when the four protagonists perform magic, there is always a man in a hoodie with his back to the camera.

Immediately afterwards, these four people all received a card!
Before the audience could breathe a sigh of relief.

The plot became tense again.

After a special effects screen of a hologram.

The four of them put on a big magic show together.

Robb the bank!
Three spectators were randomly asked to draw seat numbers, and finally one spectator was allowed to experience robbing a bank!

With the clatter of the euro falling.

All the audience present couldn't help but cheered.

This is just one of those big magic tricks!
There is also a magic trick in which bank accounts are changed, the boss of an insurance company is punished, and money is flying in the sky when he jumps into the air.

One every half hour.

In addition, there are alternative fighting scenes of the FBI arresting a group of four, using cards as darts, and so on.

The entire film is two hours long.

But everyone did not feel that this film was long at all.

I just feel exciting and dazzling!
It turns out that magic movies can still be shot like this!

As the film ends.

"Bah bang bang." There was a round of applause.

Jackie Chan beside him was so excited that his face turned red.

"awesome!"

"Director Gu, you spent more than 4000 million yuan to make a real blockbuster!"

"very nice!"

"Thank you!" Gu Ming nodded slightly, "Thank you for coming to support us."

"Hi, you're welcome. By the way, my film "Around the World in Eighty Days" is about to be released. Don't miss it then!"

"Don't worry, I will definitely be there when the time comes!"

Although the box office of Jackie Chan's film was not high, it was not distributed by Big Dipper.

Just attending the premiere, this face must be sold.

Gu Ming agreed very readily.

……

The premiere is over.

When each audience member received the questionnaire, they were quite excited and still had some unfinished thoughts.

"A, because this is not my favorite kind of movie that is more literary and artistic, such as "Green Book" and "The Intouchables". I still hope that Gu will make more movies like that instead of this kind of blockbusters. But I also I’m not allowed to lie, this is an excellent blockbuster! It’s a pleasure to watch!”

"A, there are some problems with the plot, but I come to the cinema just for the scenes. This movie meets my needs. The scenes are so beautiful. I never thought a magic movie could be made like this."

"A+, I've thought about it, there will definitely be other magic blockbusters coming out next! I'm not talking about the sequel to "Now You See Me", but a brand new magic movie, bigger investment, bigger stars, but first After watching this movie, I don’t think that movie can be better than this one!”

"A+, as a guy, I have to give it an A+." A man with dreadlocks danced and expressed his opinion as if rapping, "I'm from "Green Book" and "The Untouchables" Movie fans, when I saw that Dylan actually wanted to capture the protagonist group, I thought that Gu was going to be like those directors and set up the bad guys as bad guys, as if all the bad guys were bad guys, until the twist later, I forgive him, it’s a good movie!”

"C, as long as Gu is not making literary and artistic films, I would give him a C. There are too many commercial films in the world, and he does not need to be a commercial film director. He should make more films that will make people happy in 50 or 100 years. It’s a movie that I watch back, not a special effects film. As the special effects get better and better in the future, in a few decades, people may feel childish and want to laugh when they look at today’s special effects films.”

The bad reviews of individual people cannot affect the overall situation.

After excluding the ratings from professional audiences, "Now You See Me" received an average "A" rating.

This is pretty good for a commercial film.

It proves that the audience can still accept this film in which most of the protagonists are Chinese.

The box office the next day also proved all this!
It grossed $800 million at the box office.

And there is also a big production "Van Helsing" ahead.

But it can't stop "Van Helsing" from getting a bad reputation from audiences and film critics.

It's okay that there are no other movies. After "Now You See Me" was released, there were comments on the Internet such as "Don't watch Van Helsing anymore. If you don't buy the disc and watch it several times, you won't know how many monsters appear in it. It's too much." If it’s a mess, let’s go watch Gu’s “Now You See Me” or something like that.

Relying on his own good reputation and the support of his opponents.

"Now You See Me" directly beat the Universal masterpiece "Van Helsing" on the second day, taking in $200 million at the box office.

Another 700 million on Sunday.

Monday, $500 million.

Tuesday, $550 million.

Wednesday, 470 million.

500 million on Thursday.

After a full week of release, it had grossed $700 million at the box office.

Breaking [-] million is just around the corner!

Looking at the daily box office figures, Chen Kun, Huang Xiaoming, Li Bingbing and others here in the United States were all laughing from ear to ear.

Especially Li Bingbing.

When exchanging film experiences with Gu Ming, his mouth turned into an "O" shape.

"Director Gu, you are really amazing."

"I actually starred in a movie that made more than [-] million yuan in North America?"

"Don't get excited, continue." Gu Ming made a downward movement with his palms, "I want to emphasize that this is a series that has exceeded [-] million in North America. I plan to make this film into a series."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh..."

(End of this chapter)