Entertainment: Who still wants to fall in love when there are cheats?

Chapter 252 Movie Release
Because the special effects for "The Holy Grail War" were completed in advance, the film's release date was set for October, during the National Day holiday, after passing the review process.

On the one hand, it's a fairly good release date, but on the other hand, it also needs to avoid being released at the same time as "Infinite Terror 4".

After all, the Infinite Terror series has been getting better and better, with higher and higher box office returns, especially in China, where each film in the series has been shown for at least two months.

Even if Li Boda is confident in his abilities, the chances of winning against Infinite Terror 4 would be extremely low, not to mention that both of these movies are Li Boda's films. It would be crazy to fight against yourself!
After the release date was set, the focus shifted to promoting the movie "The Holy Grail War".

Actually, promoting the movie was quite easy for Li Boda, or rather for the movie "The Holy Grail War".

One reason is that Li Boda has become very famous both domestically and internationally since he filmed the "Infinite Terror" movie series.

Directors like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, as long as they make a new movie, no matter how bad it is, the box office won't be too low, unless they make a series of bad movies.

As a director, Li Boda's status at this point has almost surpassed that of Zhang Yimou and others. Naturally, Li Boda's movies are undoubtedly excellent, and anyone who hears about them will support them.

In addition, the Holy Grail War itself is a relatively well-known IP.

Therefore, after the news of "The Holy Grail War" was released, aside from other factors, most gamers and anime fans would want to go to the cinema to see how the movie was made.

Of course, this film is primarily aimed at overseas promotional efforts.

After all, this movie is going to be released globally. There's not much to consider in China or even Asia, but we need to put a lot of effort into promotion in North America, Europe, and other countries and regions.

After all, Li Boda's reputation was much lower in those places.

Fortunately, many of the main characters in "The Holy Grail War" are already well-known actors. For example, the actor who plays Harry Potter was even given the name Harry Potter in "The Holy Grail War." Liberty even paid J.K. Rowling, the author of "Harry Potter," a million dollars in copyright fees for this.

It's worth noting that some Hollywood stars in this movie only earned a million dollars each. To ensure that Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter, could wear a wizard's robe, glasses, and hold a magic wand in "The Holy Grail War," this was an essential expense.

In fact, Li Boda felt that the million dollars was well worth it, and even felt like he had made a profit.

Because of the movie "The Holy Grail War," Li Boda could have easily promoted it as "Harry Potter: The Holy Grail War" when it was being promoted overseas.

This was designed to mislead Harry Potter fans worldwide into believing it was a new film in the Harry Potter series, thus luring them into the theaters.

Indeed, Liberty had such a sinister plan when he invited Daniel Radcliffe to make the movie.

Domestically, and even in Asia, the focus of promotion is on director Li Boda and the "Holy Grail War" IP.

In North America and other regions, the posters were all made using Daniel Radcliffe, along with the title "Harry Potter: The Holy Grail War" for promotion.

As for whether he will be criticized by fans for misleading the audience or sued for copyright infringement by the film and television copyright company of "Harry Potter", Li Boda doesn't care.

After all, copyright infringement, especially in an industry like film, isn't that important. Even if he's sued, Li Boda can easily counter with the contract he bought the rights to the name Harry Potter from J.K. Rowling for millions of dollars. Even if he loses the case, it doesn't matter; he can just drag it out for a year or two.

In the end, even if the other party persists for several years and actually wins the case, Li Boda will at most pay the other party some money and that will be the end of it. In fact, the amount of compensation will definitely not be much higher, at most one or two million US dollars.

As for Li Boda's publicity plan, Master Han gave it a thumbs up and absolutely supported it.

Even Legendary Pictures and Lionsgate were absolutely in favor of it.

It would be a real shame not to take advantage of such a good deal.

Therefore, when the movie "The Holy Grail War" was scheduled for release on October 1st worldwide, promotion for "The Holy Grail War" began both domestically and internationally.

Domestically, or rather in the Asian region, things are relatively better; the films promoted are mainly directed by Li Boda.

In North America, Europe, and other regions, the Holy Grail War was transformed into Harry Potter: The Holy Grail War.

On the poster, Daniel Radcliffe is dressed in a wizard's robe, wearing glasses, and holding a magic wand, looking exactly like Harry Potter. Even though the name Harry Potter isn't written on the poster, his image alone is enough to subconsciously lead people to believe that this "Holy Grail War" is "Harry Potter: The Holy Grail War".

By now, a large audience, both domestically and internationally, is eagerly awaiting the release of "The Holy Grail War".

Of course, such promotion in North America and Europe has indeed drawn criticism.

Warner Bros., Sunrise Pictures, and other American and British film companies holding the Harry Potter rights have begun boycotting the film "The Holy Grail War." They have even sent lawyer's letters demanding that "The Holy Grail War" not use this method of promotion. They have also issued statements in newspapers and on television, declaring that "The Holy Grail War" is not a Harry Potter film and urging people not to be misled by "The Holy Grail War's" despicable tactics.

Li Boda and others, however, did not take this seriously at all.

Leaving aside how many people will see their statements published in newspapers or on television, even if they are seen, it will still be another form of propaganda for the Holy Grail War.

Regardless of what Warner Bros. does, the ultimate beneficiary is the movie "The Holy Grail War".

Moreover, whether it's advertising in newspapers or issuing statements on television, these things all cost money; you need to spend money to influence public opinion.

Spending too little money yields little result, while spending too much money only causes distress.

After all, WarnerMedia doesn't make any profit from this kind of thing.

Even their approach pales in comparison to the rivalry between DC and Marvel. Their battles, involving lawsuits for copyright infringement, actually boost the popularity of their comics. What benefits would Warner Bros. gain from suing "The Holy Grail War"?
Boost Harry Potter's popularity? Don't be ridiculous. Harry Potter is already incredibly popular; why would it need to be boosted this way?

Most importantly, the Harry Potter film series has already finished filming. It's simply impossible to continue making Harry Potter films, at least in the near future.

Even if filming were to take place, it would have to wait until J.K. Rowling creates some spin-off.

Of course, they can't remain indifferent to the propaganda model of the Holy Grail War. If they do nothing, people will look down on them and think they are easy to bully.

What should I do?
Naturally, with limited funding, they would issue a statement in newspapers or on television, and then sue the film "The Holy Grail War" for copyright infringement.

The matter has become quite a spectacle, giving outsiders the impression that if you try to infringe on our copyright, we will absolutely not let it go.

However, in reality, this approach doesn't actually have much effect.

At least it won't have much impact on Li Boda. Even when the court hearing actually takes place, Li Boda won't need to be present in person. It would be perfectly sufficient for Legendary Pictures or Lionsgate to hire a lawyer to represent him.

……

"Hey Director Xu, that's enough already. The company is already working hard on the special effects for [Infinite Terror 4], why are you still bothering me?" Li Boda said to Xu Ke in an annoyed tone.

"Who told you to have the best special effects?" Xu Ke said shamelessly.

"But I need to promote my movie, where would I find the time to do special effects for Infinite Terror 4?"

"I think the publicity for 'The Holy Grail War' is enough. You can relax and do some special effects for 'Infinite Terror 4'. After all, you are the biggest investor in 'Infinite Terror 4'."

"I am the biggest investor in Infinite Terror 4, so I am very concerned about it. Most importantly, I believe in the abilities of those people who can do a good job on the special effects of Infinite Terror 4, so I don't need to do anything."

"That's not necessarily true. I mean, you have better technical skills, so you might be able to do a better job with the special effects."

"...Director Xu."

Li Boda was quite helpless; he was being pestered by Xu Ke.

After all, the film "The Holy Grail War" finished filming later than "Infinite Terror 4," and the special effects required for "The Holy Grail War" were no less than those for "Infinite Terror 4." However, the special effects for "The Holy Grail War" were completed earlier, and Tsui Hark even saw the special effects for "The Holy Grail War" with his own eyes, which were incredibly well done.

Therefore, Tsui Hark felt that Li Boda was the one with the best skills, and that having Li Boda in charge of the special effects production for "Infinite Terror 4" would produce the best results.

Then Xu Ke started pestering Li Boda, hoping that Li Boda would do the special effects for "Infinite Terror 4", which annoyed Li Boda to no end.

However, as time went by, October arrived, and the movie "The Holy Grail War" was finally going to be released.

Meanwhile, the special effects for "Infinite Terror 4" were finally completed. Looking at the finished film with the special effects done, Tsui Hark smiled with satisfaction and stopped bothering Li Boda.

As for the promotion of "Infinite Terror 4", Xu Ke, and even Li Boda and others, are no longer in a hurry.

Well, starting with "Infinite Terror 1", the release date for the "Infinite Terror" series of movies has always been December 16th every year.

This has been the case for three consecutive years, and it has almost become a habit for the audience.

Just like every year during the Spring Festival, there's an animated film called "Boonie Bears," which doesn't need any promotion at all.

With a fixed time and a fixed movie, once December 16th arrives, audiences will naturally flock to the cinema to watch the "Infinite Terror" series of films.

Of course, while that's the case, some promotion is still necessary, but it doesn't need to be done with too much effort.

Closer to home.

The movie "The Holy Grail War" is finally going to be released.

At the premiere of "The Holy Grail War," almost half of the entertainment industry attended. Those who didn't come weren't unwilling to come, but rather weren't qualified to be there.

The premiere was naturally exceptionally spectacular and grand. The domestic actors in the "Holy Grail War" crew were somewhat used to it, having experienced such large-scale events once or twice a year since "Infinite Terror 1".

Daniel Radcliffe, Chris Evans, and Trump, however, were all deeply moved by the scene.

The scene was so grand that it made them wonder if it was some kind of film festival.
The Oscars in the US are probably this big, right? No, they're probably not even this big.

In reality, it was hard for them to believe that such a grand event was just a movie premiere.

On stage, Daniel Radcliffe, Chris Evans, Trump, and others stood together with Li Boda, Fan Bingbing, and others, holding microphones, and began to talk about some things they encountered during the filming of the movie, or to talk about their feelings about the movie.

Then, Daniel Radcliffe, Chris Evans, and Trump, who are foreigners, spoke a few words of broken Chinese, which drew cheers and applause from the Chinese audience.

After all the procedures were completed, it was finally time for the movie to start.

The once bustling movie theater fell silent.

The film opens with a seemingly incredibly impressive chant:
Pure silver and iron. The great duke who made a pact with the cornerstone.

The surging winds were blocked by the four walls. The four doors were closed.
Release yourself from the crown and wander at the crossroads leading to the kingdom.

Fill it up. Fill it up. Fill it up. Fill it up. Fill it up.

The cycle repeats itself, and then there are five; however, the moment of fullness is the moment of abandonment.

Announcement.

Your body is under my command, and my fate depends on your sword.

If you wish to follow the call of the Holy Grail, obey this intention, and act in accordance with this principle, then you should respond.

Make an oath here.

I am the one who has accomplished all the good deeds in the world.
I am the one who spreads all the evils in the world.

You are the seven days that the three great spirits of words have entangled you.

O guardian of Libra, who comes from the Wheel of Restraint!
The powerful and rhythmic singing was incredibly catchy.

Even though the movie had just started and the visuals were rather dark, with no specific content yet revealed, this single chanting was enough to pique the interest of the audience.

That's awesome! Absolutely awesome!
The scene keeps changing.

At the same time, the tone of voice is constantly changing.

Different people, in different places, chanting the same song.

The magic circle flickered with light, and one different figure after another appeared within it.

"Tell me, are you my Master?"

The movie officially begins.

Zhao Liying appeared on the big screen, followed by a food vlog.

A variety of delicious foods kept appearing, and Zhao Liying's mouth almost never stopped. Every time Zhao Liying ate, there was even a narration describing what she was eating, what ingredients were used, and what methods were used to prepare it.

Even though it was only a few minutes long, it made many people swallow hard.

Not only in China, but also in foreign countries, in cinemas in North America and Europe, most of the audience members sitting in the cinemas were drooling with envy.

It's fine as long as Zhao Liying herself ate with great relish.

When Li Boda was creating the special effects, he even went so far as to add special effects to the food. The original film was already attractive enough, and with the added visual enhancement of the special effects, it was truly mouthwatering for anyone who saw it.

This can be considered a form of cultural promotion, at least it makes people outside the country curious and yearning for Chinese food culture, so that they can't help but want to learn about Chinese cuisine and, in turn, about Chinese culture.

It can be said that the movie "The Holy Grail War" has played a very significant role in promoting Chinese culture.

In fact, Han Sanye has already begun to push for official media to determine the cultural export attributes of the film "The Holy Grail War" abroad, thereby gaining official recognition and praise.

Once the official stance on this aspect of the film is confirmed, then the movie "The Holy Grail War" will definitely receive more resources and better treatment.

The actors who starred in this film, and even the director Li Boda, were all showered with fame.

In fact, the food elements in the Holy Grail War are not limited to what Zhao Liying ate at the beginning.

There's more to come.

After Zhao Liying encounters danger, she coincidentally summons Su Shi, played by Li Boda.

As the founder of Dongpo Pork, he was blessed and promoted to the God of Cookery. With his superb culinary skills, he truly began to showcase all kinds of delicious food in the movie.

Whether it's meat, noodles, or other dishes, the audience's mouths are watering!
"Something feels off. Isn't this supposed to be a fantasy movie? It feels more like a food movie to me."

"I feel the same way, but the movie is pretty good too."

"Yes, I also think this movie is super good, especially the summoning of heroic spirits from different eras. I didn't expect King Arthur to be a woman. Also, the pairing of Washington, the cherry blossom axe master, and John Wilkes Booth is so much fun. A handsome president and a presidential assassin, with special attack attributes against presidents."

"I really want a King Arthur, she's so cute. Especially since she's such a foodie!"

"Actually, I think it's normal for King Arthur to be a foodie. After all, what kind of food does the British Empire have? Stargazing? They've always eaten that kind of thing. Now that he's been summoned here, he can eat so many delicious foods, so it's only natural that he'd become a foodie."

"Don't you guys think Minamoto no Yorimitsu is really appealing? That physique, that yandere personality, it's just so captivating."

"I also think she's super cool."

"Tch, you guys are just lusting after their bodies, you're so cheap. Unlike me, I just want a Su Shi. His cooking is so delicious, and he's so handsome too. I can enjoy delicious food and also have some good looks on the side—slurp!"

"..."

In the movie theater, most of the audience really enjoyed the movie "The Holy Grail War".

Despite including a significant amount of food-related content in the film, it doesn't detract from its quality; in fact, the food elements become another major highlight.

Foodies, at least, would absolutely not want to miss this movie.

Besides the food, the magical battles between different magicians are also very eye-catching, with a dazzling array of magic spells.

There are also battles between different Heroic Spirits. Every time a Heroic Spirit appears, it is accompanied by a large number of exquisite special effects. Especially during battles, the special effects seem to be given away for free, directly distinguishing Heroic Spirits from ordinary people.

The unique abilities and Noble Phantasms of the Heroic Spirits have inspired countless people to yearn for them.

As the movie's plot unfolds, magicians and heroic spirits begin to disappear one by one.

Putting aside the magicians, every single one of the heroic spirits is outstanding, and each character is exceptionally radiant.

They kept attaching all sorts of excellent qualities to them.

Of course, each Heroic Spirit possesses different outstanding qualities.

Some are bold and unrestrained, some are shrewd and calculating, some are loyal and righteous, and some are heroic and dashing.

Similarly, these heroic spirits themselves also have some problems, big or small, but it is precisely because of these problems that they feel more real, more great, and more attractive.

Therefore, whenever a heroic spirit leaves the stage, the audience in the movie theater feels a pang of sadness and doesn't want them to leave.

And each magician has their own thoughts and desires.

Some people are obsessed, while others harbor lofty ideals, such as world peace and the elimination of all wars in the world.

As one heroic spirit after another departs the stage, one magician after another dies.

In the end, only Zhao Liying, the food-loving girl, and Su Shi, played by Li Boda, survived.

After finally winning the Holy Grail, the food-loving girl made a wish that Su Shi would stay in the real world forever and make all kinds of delicious food for her.

(End of this chapter)