Huayu became famous overnight

Chapter 230 Extreme arrogance is extreme confidence.

The frenzied atmosphere quickly spread from offline to online.

On various forums, movie fans who had previously been ridiculed finally began to launch a coordinated attack on those accounts that were "worshipping foreign things and fawning on foreigners".

"Speak up! Didn't you say domestic films were no good? What about now?"

"The gap is getting closer and closer, and it's only a matter of time before they overtake us. Isn't box office performance the only measure of success? Just wait and see if they'll be proven wrong."

"I'm treating the whole class to watch 'The Unknown'. That bastard who mocked those who watched Chinese movies as poor losers, get out here."

Among this group were employees from Qiming's online publicity department.

This inspired other netizens to share the same hatred and indignation.

It was noon.

Xu Ming updated his Weibo with a new post.

[Xu Dada Dada Ming: Rise up!]

The accompanying image shows a comparison of the daily box office figures for "The Unknown" and "Transformers 3" over the first four days of their release.

It is clear that the former is catching up more and more closely.

"Rise up!"

"Rise up!"

The comment section was filled with the words "Rise up!"

Sun Honglei forwarded it.

Han Han forwarded it.

Zhao Wenzhuo reposted it.

A number of celebrities who are close to Xu Ming have voiced their support.

The momentum has begun.

At this moment, Xu Ming was completely oblivious to the noise on the internet.

After instructing Zhuo Wei, they intensified their efforts.

After a quick bite of lunch, I immediately started doing roadshows and promotions.

"Let's contact TV stations in different places, do a roadshow there, and do an interview program," Xu Ming said.

Previously, he didn't contact local TV stations simply because he lacked the qualifications and had to ask for favors.

In this situation, the content of the interview program is beyond his control.

Now that "The Nameless" is gaining momentum, these TV stations will be begging him for help, which will make things much easier.

"Understood, should I contact Shanghai TV first?" Xiao Juan asked tentatively.

"Okay." Xu Ming nodded.

That night.

The exhausted cast and crew gathered at Shanghai TV station.

Despite being exhausted after a long day, everyone's faces were still filled with excitement.

"Thank you all for your hard work. I promise to give each of you a big red envelope on the day of the celebration."

Xu Ming paused for a moment, then said, "Every step we take now is making history for Chinese films. I urge everyone to keep up the good work."

He was mainly speaking to Jiang Wen, Bao Qiang, and Qin Hailu.

Unlike myself and Ning Hao, the three of them didn't enjoy a share of the film's profits; the higher the box office, the more they received, and they simply received a fixed salary.

"Don't worry, your uncle still has professional ethics," Jiang Wen said with a smile.

“Me too,” Wang Baoqiang said.

Qin Hailu didn't say anything, but her meaning was clear.

Few people are unmoved by the prospect of setting a record.

Even if they don't get any profit sharing from this film, their salaries for the next film will skyrocket.

The host arranged by Shanghai TV is Cao Kefan.

That's the person who personally tasted the Nine-Turned Intestines.

"Welcome to 'Kefan's Listening'. The guests we have today are quite remarkable. Any one of them could be the subject of an entire episode. They've all come together now."

Cao Kefan introduced the five people with a smile and then asked the first question of the evening: "On the day of the premiere of 'The Unknown,' Teacher Xu shouted the slogan of breaking one billion. Do you still believe it now?"

"Of course we'll admit it! Why wouldn't we? Our box office broke 3.5 million in the opening weekend, which is already one-third of our target. I believe the remaining two-thirds won't be difficult," Xu Ming said confidently.

Regardless of the likelihood, he, as both investor and lead actor, has become quite assertive.

"Hehe, let's talk about a sensitive topic. Your movie is being released on the same day as 'Transformers 3,' is that intentional competition or...?"

Cao Kefan looked at Xu Ming, and even Jiang Wen and the others beside him cast their gazes at him.

They had the same question.

"Half and half," Xu Ming said.

Everyone was confused. What did this mean?
"First of all, good release dates during the summer season are highly competitive. We had already set our date for July 21st. The fact that Transformers 3 was scheduled after us means that it was competing with us, or rather, the studio didn't take us seriously."

"I did consider avoiding 'Transformers 3,' but after my subordinates submitted their request, I rejected it."

Xu Ming shrugged, his expression calm: "I don't believe that Hollywood blockbusters are invincible. We have the best directors, the best actors, and the best scripts. Why should we be afraid before the battle even begins?"

"If we give in this time, what about next time? Do we have to give in every time? This is China, our own territory. Why should I avoid its sharp edge? Ha."

His final soft laugh perfectly captured his youthful arrogance.

Jiang Wen and the others could be heard looking at each other with a complex mix of emotions and pride.

Compared to Xu Ming, who has only been in the industry for three years.

They experienced the era when Hollywood blockbusters completely dominated mainland Chinese films, and they didn't even need Hollywood blockbusters; Hong Kong and Taiwanese films were enough.

Back then, for mainland Chinese films, let alone a billion yuan, breaking 100 million yuan was a cause for celebration.

The entire production cost of the film couldn't even cover the salary of one of the lead actors.

It was under these circumstances that mainland filmmakers felt truly inferior.

For example, the production teams of the Sixth Generation directors, who specialized in producing content for overseas film festivals, once became highly sought-after by actors.

Anything associated with the word "international" instantly elevates its status.

A mere appearance in Hollywood makes a huge difference, turning someone into a star overnight.

At this point, Xu Ming stepped forward and stated that Hollywood is not necessarily invincible.

He did work hard in that direction and achieved some results.

That arrogance, in the eyes of others, is the vigor of the younger generation.

It's time to stand up. It's not good to be kneeling in your own home.

"When do you think it will surpass Transformers 3 in single-day box office?"

Cao Kefan likes guests like Xu Ming who dare to express themselves, because that's what generates buzz.

"Tomorrow," Xu Ming said decisively.

"Oh? What's the reason?"

"No reason, just intuition."

Xu Ming's answer silenced the room for a moment.

Extreme arrogance is extreme self-confidence.

Humility is a traditional Chinese virtue and is generally well-liked.

But when it came to Xu Ming, they felt his arrogance was perfectly justified.

In just three years, he became a top star and single-handedly created Qiming, a powerful figure in the Chinese entertainment industry. If it were them, they would be even more arrogant.

Most importantly, Xu Ming's arrogance was often displayed perfectly.

"When I said that the box office target for 'The Unknown' was to break 1 billion yuan, many people said it was impossible. When I said that domestic films might not be unable to beat Hollywood blockbusters, many people also said it was impossible."

"But one idea has always sustained me..."

Xu Ming said firmly, “Our country has come this far amidst doubts from all over the world. They said that China could not possibly defeat the United States, but we did, and we still won, by 17.”

"They said China could not build an atomic bomb, but we did. They said China could not rise, but last year our GDP officially surpassed Japan's, making us the world's second largest economy."

"Making the impossible possible is never impossible in China."

He might not have been so confident saying this yesterday.

Today, I am full of confidence.

Upon hearing this, Cao Kefan's expression brightened.

It wasn't just because of the other person's inspiring words, but also because of the brilliance of this interview.

He couldn't wait for it to air tomorrow, but unfortunately he can only wait until the weekend.

……

The interview is over.

The group hurriedly boarded the plane and headed to the next city.

There was no need for Xu Ming to give them any more pep talks. After the interview, they were even more united in their determination.

Xu Ming's remarks hadn't yet resonated with the audience, but they had already infected his teammates.

Monday's daily box office figures were released near noon.

"The Unknown" grossed 10511 million, and "Transformers 3" grossed 10394 million.

Offense and defense can easily change!
The online ticketing platform immediately featured this good news on its homepage.

The bright red box office figures are reflected on the faces of every moviegoer.

That's incredible! They really took down Megatron!

For the first time ever, fans of both sides in the online argument fell silent.

For both sides, this scene was equally dreamlike.

The rise of Chinese films is no longer just a slogan; it's becoming a reality.

Xu Ming didn't say much.

As usual, I posted a Weibo message with just two simple words.

Rise up!

Damn, rise up!

It instantly ignited public opinion, and the enthusiasm that movie fans had been building up exploded at this moment.

Many viewers who hadn't seen the movie also came in.

They followed suit and forwarded the slogan "The Rise of Chinese Films" on Weibo.

The competition between "The Unknown" and "Transformers 3" is no longer just a competition between movies.

It became an outlet for the people of mainland China to hold their heads high.

Damn it, it's one thing for you to look down on me when I'm broke, but you still look down on me when I'm rich? Does that mean I've earned all this money for nothing?

For a time, the ticket stubs for "The Unknown" became the most fashionable item on major online platforms.

Even state media joined in the fun.

[From "The Unknown" surpassing "Transformers 3" to witness the rise of China]

The rise of domestically produced films is a symbol of national rise.

Stand up! No kneeling allowed!

Once the buzz started to spread beyond its original audience, Xu Ming instructed Zhuo Wei to stop all promotional activities.

Because he no longer needed to add fuel to the fire, there were people everywhere pouring oil into the fire.

The film itself is no longer important.

Emotional catharsis became the primary purpose for the audience.

Even so, the high quality of "The Unknown" has withstood the test of most viewers.

It contains love, comedy, reflection, and friendship; everyone can find what they want to see in it.

Tuesday arrived.

The box office of "The Unknown" has remained at just over 100 million yuan, while "Transformers 3" has fallen below 100 million yuan, and the gap between the two is widening.

On Wednesday, both films were declining, but The Unknowns remained above them.

The market's potential is being squeezed out at an alarming rate.

"The Unknown" is like a black hole, absorbing the box office revenue of this summer.

Only then did Paramount realize that something was wrong in the mainland market.

Of course, this is also related to the emails sent by Huayi.

Wang Zhongjun was afraid the other party hadn't noticed, so he gave them a special reminder.

Otherwise, his heart would clench every time the daily box office figures for "The Unknown" came out.

During this period, four or five teacups have been broken in the office alone.

They don't even care to get to know the new female artists the company has signed.

When Paramount turned its attention back to the present.

The unreasonable scheduling of films in theaters, the proliferation of pirated resources, and various smear campaigns online left these foreigners completely bewildered.

Xu Ming's remarks, in particular, left them feeling utterly helpless, unable to defend themselves despite their reasoning.

Who the hell looks down on mainland Chinese films?
We don't even see it in our eyes.

Who else wants to compete with you? Isn't that shameless? Trying to get close to someone like that.

The problem is that they've become so persistent, and it just won't end.

Paramount was in a terrible predicament; they had only one impression of Xu Ming—a scoundrel.

What's the difference between these methods and thuggish behavior?

The producer immediately contacted the media to respond.

“We were shocked by the differential treatment of Transformers 3 in the mainland market. The theaters arranged terrible screening times for us, either in the early morning or around mealtimes, with long intervals between them.”

"Furthermore, high-definition pirated resources are readily available online, which I strongly suspect is a dirty trick by competitors."

"I hereby formally declare that Paramount regards mainland movie fans as friends and sincerely wishes that mainland films can develop better, but the premise is fair competition and winning with the quality of films, not crooked methods."

If it weren't for the fact that it was an away game, he would have sworn out a lot.

That's so unfair! They're treating them like they're from Japan!

Although the words do not explicitly name the so-called competitor, it is clear to anyone with discerning eyes that the film is a veiled attack on "The Nameless".

For a time, some media outlets and Chinese people began to reflect on the situation.

Has Qiming gone too far?
All eyes turned to Xu Ming.

The latter responded promptly.

[Xu Dada Ming: I really like the Transformers series. The special effects are excellent, and the scenes are still incredibly cool. A must-see for fans of blockbusters.]

Image of a movie ticket stub for "Transformers 3".

They did not refute any of the producer's accusations.

Instead, they encouraged people to watch it.

The difference between the two attitudes is immediately apparent.

The netizens who initially felt somewhat guilty have now shaken off their unease.

Look at what it means to have a broad perspective and a generous heart.

I must continue to support "The Unknown," Mom, I want to watch it ten times.

Xu Ming smiled as he looked at the support from netizens in the comments section.

He didn't deny that he didn't do these things, he just didn't give a direct answer. That's not deception, is it?
"Xiaojuan, extend the roadshow time and keep Zhuowei's press releases on 'Transformers 3' in full swing. Strike while the iron is hot."

The word "mercy" has never existed in his dictionary.

……

The second weekend has passed.

The total box office for "The Unknown" has reached 820 million.

It has a $100 million deficit in the price of Transformers 3.

As for the topic of domestic film box office records, no one mentions it anymore.

Everyone was aiming at the same target.

That's a billion-dollar box office.

If it succeeds, "The Unknown" will become the first domestic film to break 1 billion yuan, and the second film in the mainland market to break 1 billion yuan, which in a sense can also be considered the first.

After all, the previous one was "Avatar," which took full advantage of the high ticket price of 3D movies.

Even within the entire Chinese-language film industry, this achievement is undoubtedly the highest-grossing film.

The moment he overcame this hurdle, half of Xu Ming's divine nature was formed.

But for Xu Ming, his focus has shifted to filming other movies.

The daily box office for "The Unknown" has dropped to just over 20 million.

And this is still the highest in the same period.

And the downward trend was unstoppable.

He and Paramount squeezed the entire summer movie market's potential to its limit.

All that's left is to work hard and slowly wait for the right time.

Fortunately, Han Sanping helped apply for an extension of the film's run, making it a certainty that it will surpass the 1 billion yuan mark.

Investors such as China Film Group and Wanda Group have prepared a celebratory banquet.

Press releases celebrating the occasion were already prepared.

This lavish feast, though seemingly over, has only just begun.

(End of this chapter)