Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 629 Journey to the West Universe
At 9:30, Zhang Chen entered Xingchen Entertainment carrying soy milk and steamed buns.

"Hello, Director Zhang~"

Good morning, Director Zhang!

The two pretty young ladies at the front desk immediately greeted me respectfully.

Zhang Chen waved his hand in response and walked straight towards his office.

"Hmm, these steamed buns are really good!"

Zhang Chen was eating juicy food in his office when there was a knock on the door.

"Please come in~"

The person outside the door is Xiao Lin, one of the two receptionists at the entrance: "Director Zhang, Mr. Wang from Enlight Media has arranged to visit you at ten o'clock."

"Oh, I almost forgot~"

Zhang Chen glanced at his watch; it was already 10:10. He quickly ate the bun in a few bites and threw the rest into the trash can.

Did Mr. Wang say what it was about?

Xiaolin shook his head: "It's not recorded here, and I wasn't the one who recorded it that day."

Xiao Lin is not Zhang Chen's full-time assistant. Zhang Chen does not have a dedicated assistant; he usually uses whoever he can find.

"Okay, I see."

Xiao Lin made a move to leave, but hesitated for a moment before reminding him, "Director Zhang, this is..."

As she spoke, she pointed to her mouth.

After Xiaolin left, Zhang Chen suddenly realized what was happening. He looked in the mirror and, sure enough, there was a piece of chive stuck to his front tooth.

Luckily I was reminded, otherwise it would have been embarrassing.

Zhang Chen simply went to the bathroom and tidied himself up.

At 10:00 sharp, Wang Changtian arrived on time.

"Director Zhang, I didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?"

"Mr. Wang is really punctual!"

Wang Changtian was dressed in a gray casual suit, carrying no briefcase, but holding a beige envelope with gold-embossed edges, and wearing a gentle smile on his face.

Zhang Chen reached out to shake his hand, then pointed to the sofa beside him, "Please sit down~"

The two sat down, and Xiaolin brought in two cups of hot tea. After she left, Zhang Chen asked, "What's the matter? Why did you go to all this trouble?"

We have a good relationship, and we usually discuss things over the phone. It's rare for someone to make a special trip like this.

Wang Changtian handed the envelope to Zhang Chen, pointing to the "Enlight Media" logo printed on it: "I came here specifically to deliver this."

Zhang Chen opened the envelope and found it was an invitation to the premiere of "Mysterious Island".

"So soon? It's about to be released?"

"Yes, Enlight Media's first film is finally going to be released, so I came here to extend a special invitation. Director Zhang and Manager Dong, you must do us the honor of attending!"

"You're too kind. Our two families have such a good relationship, I definitely have to attend Mr. Wang's opening show!"

"This is Enlight Media's first film after all, and I'm really hoping Director Zhang can give us some valuable feedback. Everyone knows you're a golden touch in the film industry; no matter what the film is, you can turn anything into gold!"

"You're too kind, you're too kind~"

Star Entertainment and Enlight Media have a good relationship; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to guide him in making "Far Cry."

In the past two years, Enlight Media has played an indispensable role in the distribution of every film produced by Star Entertainment.

Star Entertainment reciprocated by including Enlight Media in every film they made; Star Entertainment profited, and Enlight Media got a share of the profits.

But drinking soup can't compare to eating meat yourself.

As the saying goes, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier.

Enlight Media is one of the top film and television companies in China, but it has never ventured into the field of film production.

Far Cry was an attempt at filmmaking.

I consulted Zhang Chen about the script, and even the female lead was recommended by Zhang Chen.

Wang Changtian's thinking was very clear: for his first film, he didn't expect it to make a fortune, just to break even. He considered it a "stepping stone" for Enlight Media to enter the genre film market.

After seeing Wang Changtian off, Zhang Chen called Xiao Lin over and asked him to put the premiere on his schedule, while also sending another invitation to Dong Jianqiang's office.

"Remember to call Manager Dong and let him know."

Dong Jianqiang has been busy with variety shows lately and is not in Beijing at all.

After Xiaolin left, Zhang Chen realized that it was really inconvenient not having a full-time assistant, so he picked up the phone and dialed Zhong Lifang.

"Mr. Zhong, it's really inconvenient for me not having a dedicated assistant here."

"You're only just realizing this? I thought you never cared~ Don't worry, we've been recruiting for a while now, and we've already completed the first round of screening. I'll bring you the materials later, and you can choose for yourself~"

"You really know how to get things done, it's very reliable!"

Zhang Chen felt he had indeed struck gold; poaching Zhong Lifang was a wise choice.

Just as I was about to continue praising him, my phone suddenly showed a new call coming in. I looked at it and saw that it was Chen Xi.

"Okay, that's enough, Chen Xi is looking for me~"

Zhang Chen hung up the phone and connected with Chen Xi. Immediately, a familiar voice came from the other end: "Director Zhang, I'm thinking of scheduling 'Kung Fu Jungle' for the Lunar New Year holiday season. Could you help me check if the release date is okay?"

Chen Xi maintained her decisive and efficient style, getting straight to the point without uttering a single wasted word.

The Lunar New Year film season, from the end of November to February of the following year, is one of the two best golden periods of the year and a highly competitive period.

This has resulted in a large number of films being released during the Lunar New Year holiday, turning it into a "battleground" for the film industry.

Film studios are scrambling to get in, and even getting just a small slice of the pie can double the box office revenue compared to a regular release period.

He casually clicked on the "2010 Lunar New Year Film Schedule" on his computer, and soon the schedule information appeared before his eyes:
In November, the films "My Tang Dynasty Brothers", "Kung Fu Panda", "Mars Is Fine", "Mulan", and "Twilight" were released.
In December, the films *The Treasure Hunter*, *Storm Riders 2*, and *Pacific Rim 2* were released.
In January, the films and television series "Avatar", "Confucius", "Armor Hero: Emperor Warrior" and "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf: The Tiger's Might" were released.
Zhang Chen read the schedule to Chen Xi one by one: "Pacific Rim 2 is in December, and Avatar is in January. Neither of those are films you can handle. If you absolutely have to participate, then choose November."

Chen Xi on the other end seemed somewhat dissatisfied: "November? There are already five films in November, can't we do it in December?"

I know *Pacific Rim* definitely can't beat it, but is *Avatar* really that strong? We're releasing it in December, three weeks apart from your *Pacific Rim 2*, isn't that enough?

Chen Xi clearly underestimated Avatar. He probably thought that Kung Fu Jungle was of good quality and that as long as he avoided Zhang Chen's Ocean 2, he should be the best among the remaining films.

However, Zhang Chen quickly extinguished this spark of confidence: "Why do you think I put 'Pacific Rim 2' in December?"

Chen Xi was taken aback. "Is it really that strong? Can't we differentiate ourselves? After all, action movies have a fixed audience during the Lunar New Year season..."

"Forget it."

She knew the truck driver was impressive; the movie *Big Ship* had long dominated the Chinese box office charts until *Pacific Rim* dethroned it. But she didn't think the truck driver could replicate *Big Ship*'s success; he wasn't God's son.

But judging from Zhang Chen's words, that was clearly the case.

"I'll say it again: if you absolutely must go for the Lunar New Year release, then choose November, or move it to February, December, or January. No matter which month you choose, you're doomed..."

"Ok."

A barely audible sigh came from Chen Xi through the receiver, followed by a sentence: "Okay, I'll talk to the production company and we'll prepare for November as you suggested."

Chen Xi never doubted Zhang Chen's abilities in film.

She witnessed Zhang Chen go from being penniless to achieving great success.

Zhang Chen said that "Kung Fu Jungle" hitting "Avatar" was like an egg hitting a rock, and that's definitely true.

"By the way, filming for 'Ip Man 2' starts in November. Do you want to come?"

"We'll see then. I'll go when I have time."

Zhang Chen will likely stay in China before the release of Pacific Rim 2. He can go and support the film if he has time.

However, when he thought of "Ip Man 2", he suddenly remembered Wong Kar-wai's movie.

"By the way, do you know how far along Wong Kar-wai's 'The Grandmaster' has progressed in filming?"

"Haha, just thinking about this makes me laugh. Our 'Ip Man 2' will start filming in November, and 'The Grandmaster' will also start filming in November..."

"what?"

"I remember when 'Ip Man 1' was being made, they were protesting. Apparently, filming hadn't even started yet!"

“Yes, Wong Kar-wai is too slow. I specifically inquired about it. He started preparing the script for ‘The Grandmaster’ back in 1997. It is said that he registered the script in 2001 and announced in 2002 that Tony Leung would play Ip Man. Then, instead of rushing to film, he spent several years working with screenwriters Zou Jingzhi and Xu Haofeng to polish the script repeatedly. He also spent three years retracing the ‘Grandmaster’s Path’ and visiting martial arts masters from various schools. Then, he kept delaying until this year before finally deciding to start filming.”

Zhang Chen was also speechless.

It is indeed one of the two biggest pitfalls in China.

There's a long-standing rumor that there are two directors in China who are notorious for ripping off investors.

One is Jiang Wen, who turned a Mercedes into a Xiali;
Another one is Sunglasses King, who supposedly made an investor "lose so much money he was hospitalized." That investor was supposedly a big shot named Alan Tang, and it's unknown whether he sent someone to kill him.

The investor in "The Grandmaster" is Sil-Metropole Organisation, which is also a complete idiot.

Further information about the two of them has surfaced in later generations.

It is said that Sil-Metropole was later scared by Wong Kar-wai's delays. In April 2013, Sil-Metropole unilaterally announced the release date of "The Grandmaster" in order to speed up the filming process.

Even so, it was still a month overdue, and it was released on the 16th. It wasn't until the 15th that a group of locals saw the original film for the first time.

When Wang Jiawei is mentioned, another person inevitably comes to mind—Liu Zhenwei.

The two are good brothers.

It is said that when filming "Ashes of Time" took three years, investor Cai Songlin sensed something was wrong and immediately asked Liu Zhenwei to use the original cast to make "The Eagle Shooting Heroes".

As a result, "Ashes of Time" flopped, while "The Eagle Shooting Heroes," which was temporarily added to the cast, became a huge hit, saving Cai Songlin from losing so much money that he had to be hospitalized.

Otherwise, if two gangsters in a row get scammed, Wong Kar-wai would probably be drowned.

"Liu Zhenwei, isn't he the one who starred in 'Metallic Attraction: Kung Fu Cyborg' in August?"

"Yes, the box office was a complete flop. It cost 5000 million to make and only grossed 5000 million. Actually, the movie was alright, but it was unlucky to run into 'Train to Busan.' You know the scale of 'Train to Busan's' publicity. 'Metallic Attraction' didn't make a ripple at all..."

Chen Xi's tone was both regretful and amused.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen realized that if the box office revenue was the same as the production cost, then the company would definitely lose everything.

Generally speaking, directors all have a creative peak period; after that peak, they start to decline.

Liu Zhenwei's peak period should be in the 90s.

92 Black Rose vs. Black Rose, Fong Sai-yuk (screenwriter), A Chinese Odyssey, The Eagle Shooting Heroes, Out of the Dark...

They are all classics.

Then, after the new millennium, the film began to decline. Although he was the producer of "Kung Fu Hustle," the film's success had little to do with him, as it was Stephen Chow's project. "Chinese Odyssey 2002" did have a cast including Tony Leung and Faye Wong, and critics praised its artistic conception, but the box office only barely exceeded ten million, a typical case of critical acclaim but poor box office performance.

Then this guy started relying on his past achievements. He noticed that "A Chinese Odyssey" was popular in China, so he clung to it and made "A Chinese Odyssey" instead. He changed Tang Sanzang into a clueless young man in love, and the plot was pieced together from various sources, which drew a lot of criticism from the audience.

Later, they made "Just Another Pandora's Box," which was full of references to old movies and even brought back Athena Chu for a cameo. But it did nothing but sell nostalgia, and only got a 5.3 rating on Douban.

Both movies, judging from their names and promotions, seem to be sequels to "A Chinese Odyssey," but they are actually completely unrelated and are simply trying to ride on the coattails of the original.

As expected, they all failed miserably.

Isn't this just exploiting the audience's memories?

"I just don't understand, why not continue to explore such a great IP as 'A Chinese Odyssey' and turn it into a Journey to the West universe?"
For example, they could explore the backstories of the Monkey King or create storylines about other pilgrims. Marvel can connect superheroes, so why can't they properly develop such a huge IP as Journey to the West? Instead, they insist on making these shoddy spin-offs that ruin the classic.

"you do not say!"

Chen Xi had long been annoyed: "Those of us in this industry, even if we don't strive for perfection, we can't treat the audience like fools! This kind of behavior of exploiting IP is simply ruining our own reputation."

Zhang Chen suddenly had a flash of inspiration when he thought of all the Journey to the West movies from his original timeline.

"Since he's picking up the sesame seeds while holding the watermelon, and such a great IP like Journey to the West is being wantonly ruined, then we'll take matters into our own hands!"

Chen Xi hurriedly asked, "Could Golden Harvest be the production company this time?"

Star Entertainment has produced far too many film series: the *Taken* series, the *Pacific Rim* series, the *The Descent* series, the *Witch* series…

In comparison, Golden Harvest only has one "Ip Man" series, which is a bit of a disparity.

"Alright, if you want it, then you can do it."

Both Star Entertainment and Golden Harvest are Zhang Chen's companies, so it doesn't matter who he hands them over to.

"So what should our first story be? Should we take a story from 'Journey to the West,' or create something original?"

"The story will definitely come from 'Journey to the West,' but I don't plan to follow the TV series version."

"What do you mean?" Chen Xi was completely confused.

"If you've read the original Journey to the West, you'll know that the novel and the TV series are actually different; the TV series has been embellished in many ways."

"Ah, really?"

Journey to the West is indeed the number one IP in China, but its popularity mostly comes from the TV series. Very few people have read the original novel.

"The first one will be called 'Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons' - we won't rely on old tropes, we'll start with the story of Tang Sanzang fighting demons when he was young, restore the dark feeling of the original work, and add some emotional storylines that modern audiences can understand, it will definitely be better than Liu Zhenwei's version!"

……

It's almost the end of the month, please vote for me!
Just a heads up, it looks like they're going to change the name again.

(End of this chapter)