During my years at China Entertainment

Chapter 853 In 1949, Professor Wei joined the Guo Army and imparted his knowledge and skills.

Just two days after the Golden Globe Awards gossip, Wanda's signing ceremony has once again sent shockwaves through the Chinese entertainment industry, attracting widespread attention.

This morning, Wanda Group and Legendary Pictures held a merger and acquisition signing ceremony in Beijing. Mr. Wang Jianling, Chairman of Wanda Group, and Thomas Tull, CEO of Legendary Pictures, were both present.

A Wanda Group spokesperson stated that the group intends to acquire 100% of Legendary Pictures' shares for a cash price not exceeding US$35 billion (approximately US$230 billion).

The acquisition is expected to be completed within six months. Thomas Tull, the former founder and CEO of Legendary Pictures, will continue to serve as CEO, pending further appointment after the acquisition is finalized.

In an interview, Mr. Wang, Chairman of Wanda Group, stated that the acquisition of Legendary Pictures aims to expand Wanda Pictures' global influence and enhance its core competitiveness and voice in the film industry.

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The news immediately topped the headlines of major portal websites and trended on Weibo, causing a stir in the entire film and television industry, entertainment circle, and performing arts world.

Because no one expected Wanda to be so generous, directly acquiring a top Hollywood production company with a 100% stake.

But everyone knows that once this acquisition is completed, Wanda Pictures, which already owns the second largest theater chain in the United States—AMC Theatres, will become a true top giant in Hollywood and the global film industry.
Whether in the two major markets of China and the United States, or globally, they will further control the discourse power in the film and television industry, and their influence will be greatly enhanced!

Even compared to Summit Entertainment, which is controlled by Wei Jin Holdings, Wanda, as a fully-fledged entity, has a greater advantage in the global market.

—This is because Wanda has built a completely closed system from production and distribution to theaters!
At this moment, the entire film and television industry is pondering how to get along with Wanda in the future.

In the past, Wanda's only business was its cinema chain, which was something the film production industry was unwilling to offend.

But in the future, one should perhaps be more respectful, even obsequious.

After all, while Legendary Pictures may not be as powerful as the six major Hollywood studios, it is still one of the top ten established giants, and its strength is beyond doubt.

And looking across the entire Chinese-language film industry, which company or celebrity is unwilling to go global?

The answer is: None!

After a scene was finished on the set of "The Wandering Earth," Wei Jin called Ye Ning.

Although he had heard rumors from Hunter a couple of days ago, since it involved trade secrets, he could only pretend not to know until Wanda made it public.

Now that the news has been announced, as a staunch ally, he naturally has to offer his congratulations.

Wei Jin never expected that Wanda would be making great strides, even reaching its zenith, yet Ye Ning, one of its veterans, was leaving!

"Mr. Ye, you're not joking?"

Wei Jin went to a corner and confirmed again, while Ye Ning's voice on the other end of the phone was also a little hoarse.

"President Wei, I'm not joking about something like this. I submitted my resignation before New Year's Day, and the group will probably announce it after the New Year."

"May I ask, what is the reason?"

"."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. After a long while, Ye Ning's voice finally came through, "The big boss is very rich, but he's too stingy with his subordinates."

I've been with the company for over ten years, and besides my annual salary and bonuses, I've received nothing—stock options, shares, nothing at all. Haha.

Wei Jin opened his mouth, wanting to say something comforting, but he couldn't say anything.

Under Ye Ning's management, Wanda Pictures and Wanda Cinemas have been thriving and growing steadily over the years.

Especially after Wanda Cinemas went public early last year, even though it failed to become the first listed cinema chain due to Shanhe Cinemas, its current market value is still over 30 billion.

In short, Ye Ning played an absolutely crucial role in the development of Wanda's entertainment division, and it is no exaggeration to call him a major contributor.

Putting yourself in Ye Ning's shoes, if Wei Jin were in Ye Ning's position, he probably would have quit his job as soon as the movie theater listing was completed and he didn't get the quota.

"So, the destination has been decided?"

Wei Jin recalled a scene he had witnessed at the Shanghai Film Festival and had a general idea of ​​what was going on, but he still asked a question.

Sure enough, the next moment they heard Ye Ning's affirmative answer.

"It's settled, it's Huayi. To be honest, I was actually thinking of coming here to work for President Wei, after all, you're known for being very generous."

I've thought about it, but I'd better not cause you any trouble. Otherwise, Old Wang might complain that you're poaching our allies, haha."

Hearing Ye Ning's slightly joking words, Wei Jin was at a loss for words. This person was really easy to get along with.

However, what he said also made a lot of sense. Even if he really sought refuge with the Wei and Jin dynasties, it would be difficult for them to accept him, because it would be too dishonest.

"However, Mr. Wei, we have been cooperating for nearly ten years, and I am very grateful for your continued support. I hope we will have the opportunity to continue our cooperation in the future."

"I'll definitely take the opportunity. I wish Mr. Ye all the best."

"Yes, Mr. Wei too."

After exchanging a few polite words, Wei Jin hung up the phone, his feelings inexplicably complicated.

In fact, both he and Ye Ning knew that since their positions were different in the future, there was basically no possibility of cooperation, and polite formalities would be nothing more than formalities.

Moreover, although Huayi currently appears to be thriving, its future is destined to be tragic under such intense pressure.

Is Ye Ning's joining Huayi Brothers considered a move to join the Kuomintang army in 1949?

All I can say is that everyone has their own ambitions, and we should respect other people's fates.

"Boss, everything is ready."

Chen Xi's words dispelled Wei Jin's sentiments. He nodded, turned around, went behind the monitor, picked up the megaphone, and issued instructions.

"Attention all units, 30 seconds countdown, prepare."

"Scene 110 of The Wandering Earth, Shot 1, Action!"

Compared to Mr. Wei, who is open-minded and respects the fate of others, Huayi Brothers are currently experiencing a series of misfortunes.

Looking back on the past month or so, the two brothers felt that everything was going wrong.

Previously, when Wanda poached its senior executives, they weren't worried at all; in fact, they were prepared for a clash.

After all, while Wanda may be wealthy, its overall strength and influence in the film and television industry are still far behind Huayi!
But the situation is different now. After acquiring Legendary Pictures, Wanda Media, in terms of raw power, is in no way inferior to Huayi Brothers, and may even surpass them in terms of prestige and influence within the industry!

This is something Huayi, which is destined to become Wanda's rival, absolutely does not want to see.

"Brother, Ye Ning should know about this, why didn't he let us know?"

“Zhong Lei, this is a good thing. It shows that Ye Ning has professional ethics and is also sentimental. It is meaningful and worthwhile to recruit such a talent; moreover, it also shows that he really doesn’t want to stay in Wanda anymore.”

Wang Zhonglei agreed with his brother's words, but he was still somewhat uneasy. "That makes sense, but what do we do next?"

"What can we do? We've already done it, so we can only deal with whatever comes our way."

Wang Zhongjun, as expected of someone destined for great things, quickly regained his composure and began making arrangements with a serious expression.

"Zhong Lei, there's only about a month left. You need to hurry up and finish up what you're doing, understand?"

"Brother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Wang Zhonglei nodded. One of the conditions Huayi offered to recruit Ye Ning this time was the position of general manager, which meant that he himself had to vacate his position.

However, some of the traces of his previous actions while in office must be erased so that Ye Ning can't notice them, otherwise it might cause unforeseen complications.

"In addition, we need to make contingency plans and preparations in advance. If Old Wang really has a problem with this, we're not going to take it lying down!"

It must be admitted that once Legendary Pictures became "one of their own," they truly enjoyed extraordinary treatment.

No sooner had the merger agreement been signed than Legendary Pictures and Blizzard Entertainment officially announced the release date for Warcraft in China, specifically during the summer season!

In an instant, countless game fans were looking forward to the release of this top-notch special effects blockbuster, and related topics on the internet surged, reaching an explosive level of popularity.

In contrast, many film and television companies in the industry are not so happy.

After all, there are only so many prime-time slots. If imported films get a piece of the pie, domestic films are destined to get a piece less, or even nothing at all.

Moreover, according to data disclosed by Blizzard Entertainment, Warcraft has tens of millions of fans, making it a veritable abyss crocodile!
Fortunately, perhaps because China Film Group was criticized so harshly over the past year, they learned their lesson this time.

The release date of "Warcraft" was set for June 8th, which did not fully cover the summer season, leaving some room for the industry to operate.

Unfortunately, their joy came too soon. Just one day later, another super monster movie officially announced its release date, giving the industry a wake-up call!

"Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Summit Entertainment, Shanhe Media, China Film Group, and Wanda Pictures, and directed and written by Wei Jin."

The highly anticipated Sino-US co-production sci-fi blockbuster "Pacific Rim 2," with a budget of $150 million, has announced its release date of June 24th, aiming for the summer blockbuster season!

"Zhong Lifang, Vice President of Shanhe Media, stated that 'Pacific Rim 2' will be released simultaneously in 52 countries and regions worldwide; and will be produced in different versions such as 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D to meet the viewing needs of audiences, with box office revenue expected to reach new heights!"

Chinese actors Fan Bingbing, Bai Bin, Zhang Jin, and others immediately reposted the Weibo post, wishing the film a box office success.

"."

Six months later, this sci-fi blockbuster with an investment of 1.5 million US dollars has once again entered the film and television industry's field of vision.

The media has also given extensive coverage to this film series, which broke the box office record in China during the summer of 12.

Looking at the news online, people in the industry feel both anxious and helpless.

Because this is a Sino-US co-production, it enjoys the same treatment as domestic films, and the choice of its release date is beyond reproach!

In light of this, many production companies that intended to release films during the June and July summer season have already made decisive adjustments to their release dates.

Obviously, no one wants to go up against a blockbuster series like Pacific Rim 2 with its incredible track record!
Amidst all the commotion, the 15th arrived. Early that morning, news of the Oscars dominated the headlines of film and entertainment news across the internet.

Compared to the Golden Globes five days earlier, the Oscars are attracting significantly more attention.
Putting aside the prestige and global recognition of the awards, the fact that three Chinese-language films were nominated for Oscars is enough to draw the attention of the entire film industry!
"The nominations for the 88th Academy Awards were officially announced at noon Hollywood time on the 14th, which is 3:30 a.m. Beijing time."

"The Taiwanese films 'The Assassin' directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien and 'To the Fore' directed by Dante Lam were unfortunately not selected and failed to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film."

"Written and directed by Wei Jin, and starring Gao Yuanyuan, Lei Jiayin, and Reyizha, the film 'Gone Girl' has been nominated for three Academy Awards at this year's Academy Awards: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay!"

"Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the film 'The Revenant' has received 12 nominations, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actor, making it the biggest favorite to win at this year's Academy Awards!"

“第88届奥斯卡金像奖，将于2月28日晚间，即京城时间2月29日在好莱坞杜比剧院举行颁奖典礼。”

"In an interview, Leonardo DiCaprio said he looks forward to reuniting with director Wei Jin in North America."

"."

After the news reached China, the comments section under Wei Jin and Gao Yuanyuan's Weibo posts was incredibly lively and crowded for the entire day.

Looking around, there's a sea of ​​congratulations and expectations, including from top celebrities and artists in the industry.

Of course, many people must have very mixed feelings about this, but they have no choice but to do so, which is really difficult for them.

In addition, Lei Jiayin, Zhang Luyi, Reyizha and others also benefited a lot, with many congratulations and jokes appearing under their Weibo posts.

As members of the film crew, they are allowed to walk the red carpet, which is enough to make 99% of the celebrities in the industry envious!
However, when it comes to hype, Zhang Ziyi is the one who should be mentioned. She posted a Weibo post and tagged Wei Jin and Gao Yuanyuan.

The gist of it was congratulations to Wei Jin for winning three nominations, expressing anticipation for their reunion in North America, and stating that they would definitely vote for "Gone Girl."

"She's still in her postpartum period, and she's already so eager to get back to work, haha."

In his hotel room, Wei Jin, who had been busy all day, was enjoying Sun Qian's attentive service, but he couldn't help but laugh while scrolling through Weibo.

However, it's understandable. After nearly a year of retirement, let's not even mention how many appearances and endorsements he lost, or how much money he lost.
The key issue is that the entertainment industry is highly competitive, and even for a top actress like Zhang Ziyi, returning to the public eye is not an easy task.

The Oscars are indeed the best opportunity, even one that other female stars in the industry rarely get!

After making a comment, Wei Jin politely liked Zhang Ziyi's Weibo post, and then sent a message to Hunter.

According to the previous plan, Wei Jin only thought about getting Da Meiyuan nominated, without considering himself.

But now that there's an additional nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the competition doesn't seem too strong, it might be worth a shot.

"Well, it would be best if we didn't get a zero, at least we could save face."

Putting down his phone, Wei Jin patted the girl's flushed face beneath him, ready to enjoy the moment.

~~~
(End of this chapter)