I'm just trying to ride the wave of popularity!

Chapter 119 Damn it! They actually cheated a child out of money!

10 month 26 day.

Saturday.

[Huaying International], [Tianxing Film & Television International], [Fengyu International]...

On Friday, China's three major cinema chains successively announced several major pieces of news.

Starting this Saturday, they opened a brand-new, technologically advanced 3D screening room in Yanjing, built at great expense and capable of accommodating nearly 500 people, exclusively for the screening of "King of the Monsters".

Tickets for the brand-new digital screening room cost around 70 yuan!
It's almost double the 35 yuan of a regular digital hall!
but……

From the evening of the 25th to the morning of the 26th, long queues formed outside major cinemas!

Within just over 10 minutes of the movie tickets going on pre-sale, all the tickets were snapped up, and even subsequent pre-sale tickets were impossible to get if you were even a little late!

3D movies are basically just wearing a thin cardboard box with two red and blue plastic pieces pasted on the left and right sides—that's a pair of 3D glasses. And the 3D elements in *King of the Monsters* weren't actually that many, and while the special effects were advanced, they weren't nearly as terrifying as those in later films…

However, in 2003, when countless movie fans saw the word 3D and thought of the ultimate special effects of the Hollywood blockbuster "King of the Monsters"!

To countless young people, this was an absolute game-changer!

On Saturday morning, the three cinemas in Yanjing witnessed the most frenzied scene in the history of movie watching in China!
The countless media reporters who flocked there couldn't even squeeze into the hall...

Under the lens...

Many movie fans excitedly accepted the interview.

Some of them came from neighboring cities, some even flew in, just to see what a 3D movie was really like...

Some people were frustrated because they couldn't get tickets, and ended up spending more than 2000 yuan on an exorbitantly priced movie ticket from a scalper...

Each of them had an excited expression.

One after another, crazed figures...

A tidal wave of movie fans...

Everything seems to speak to the tremendous impact of "King of the Monsters" in China!

And in this lively atmosphere.

Around 10 o'clock, almost simultaneously, unassuming trolleys were pushed into Huaying International cinemas across the country. Behind the counters, toys and dolls from the film "King of Beasts" were displayed, along with 10-yuan "Guan Yu Martial Spirit Transformation Devices"...

..............................

Another premiere of "The Beast" has ended!

A few days ago, He Jun, who had boasted in class about how amazing "King of Monsters" was, felt an unprecedented sense of loss after watching "King of the Beasts".

His monster!

Surprisingly, he's not as powerful as Guan Yu from "King of Beasts"!
Not only was it not as powerful as him, but it was also beaten so badly that its wings and head were knocked off. Then, it ran to America and became the monster in the movie "King of the Monsters"...

This was a huge blow to him and made him lose face.

Children are actually quite vain, especially when it comes to who is more powerful, your hero or mine!

This is something that children are always comparing...

At school...

As more and more people watched "King of the Beasts," Wang Tao, who was the first to see the movie, has become a popular figure in his class!
He was always surrounded by a group of classmates, and they would all play those hero role-playing games, some playing monsters, some playing heroes...

During breaks, they were playing and fooling around, having a really lively time!

He Jun was initially envious, but then someone said something.

"Our Chinese heroes are more powerful than those American monsters!"

"America's king of monsters is the monster that was driven to America by our Chinese heroes!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, He Jun instantly became excited!

Yes, our heroes are stronger than those American monsters. Look, the American monsters are so destructive, but we actually drove them away!
Immediately afterwards...

Recalling the plot of the movie "King of the Beasts," I gradually became fascinated by the image of Guan Yu, the Martial Spirit, wielding a long sword, exuding a majestic and imposing aura...

If only I had such a knife!

If there were a transformation device, that would be even better!
Not long after this idea came to him, he saw the children in the neighborhood all holding plastic Green Dragon Crescent Blades and swinging them around!

There were even children downstairs, holding the original "Martial Soul Transformation Device" from the movie, imitating the transformation in the film, shouting "Guan Yu, transform!"

He was shocked when he saw it!
Then, I quickly went over and asked where it came from...

When he heard that it was being sold at the movie theater, he quickly grabbed his pocket money, hopped on his bicycle, and rushed to the movie theater!
then……

He saw his classmate Wang Tao there too!

My classmate Wang Tao not only bought the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, but also a toy of Guan Yu, the Martial Soul, as well as a transformation device and sets of cards...

Right now, he's excitedly waving his transformation device and shouting "Martial Soul Transformation!"
And all around were those envious children...

"Don't steal it! Don't steal it!"

Five yuan each!

"Yes, the 'Martial Soul' transformation device costs ten yuan!"

"Fifteen yuan for the [Guan Yu, the Martial Spirit] model. It's detachable; yes, this toy armor can be removed..."

"And there are cards here too!"

"Also, there's a skill book for [Martial Soul Guan Yu]! It tells the story of the birth of [Martial Soul] and the tales of heroes from ancient times. It's 1.5 yuan a book, and it's all in color!"

"..."

When He Jun heard the shouts of the staff, he subconsciously looked towards the counter...

He saw the smiles on the faces of the staff behind the counter!

They took out a series of toys...

He Jun was stunned when he saw all those toys!
He thought he saw the laser water guns used by the Earth Defense Force in "King of the Beasts"!

Correct!
It looks exactly like the one in the movie, and it even has three launch buttons and seven different colors, making it look very high-tech and cool!
Other than that…

And then there's that monster with 15 heads and two pairs of huge wings, Grassra...

"Let's play a monster-fighting game!"

You play the monster!

"..."

Almost everything you see in a movie is here!
this moment……

He Jun became excited!

"I want one, give me one!"

"Give me one too!"

"I also want!"

"..."

……

In 2003, the term "IP" had little presence in China's business world.

However, various toys related to movies and TV series have always been very popular among children in the Chinese toy market.

The special effects in "King of the Monsters" are amazing, and the viewing experience is explosive!
but……

For children, nothing has had as much impact as the birth of a superhero!

Although "King of Beasts" was only shown in theaters nationwide, including Huaying International and a few other theaters, and in a limited number of theaters...

but……

After the first group of children finished watching the movie, they excitedly ran around their group chat, pointing at the posters for "King of the Monsters," which was currently showing in theaters, and at the news reports about "King of the Monsters" on TV. They excitedly shouted how awesome Guan Yu, the "Martial Spirit," was, and that America's King of the Monsters was just some trash who had been driven away by Guan Yu, the "Martial Spirit of China"...

More and more children are hearing stories of the "Martial Spirit Guan Yu" in villages, towns, schools, and other places...

As they listened, they began to beg their parents to let them go to the cinema to watch a movie...

As more and more children excitedly came out after watching the movie and continued to tell their friends how amazing it was, a near-explosive spread of the word finally began!

The more heavily the promotion for "King of the Monsters" goes!
Riding on the popularity of "King of the Monsters", "King of the Beasts" has become even more popular among children!
Unwittingly, "King of the Monsters" became a stepping stone for "King of the Beasts"!
December 10th...

With the appearance of newly released Guan Yu-themed toys and related merchandise at Huaying International counters across the country...

A toy craze originating from the "King of Beasts" is surging wildly...

..............................

On the evening of the 25th.

In the office of [Huaying International].

Dong Qichang, who was usually very calm, paced back and forth repeatedly.

Although the data from various sources is not yet available...

But the tension in my heart just wouldn't subside!
This step is the most crucial step for [Huaying International]!
Over the years, Ultraman, anime, and various related toys from Japan have been booming, achieving sales of nearly several billion yuan in China. He clearly realized just how terrifying the potential of the toy market is!
The key to Huaying International's listing is profitability!

Everyone's watching "King of the Monsters," so if they follow suit, they won't have any decisive advantage!

To stand out from other cinema chains, you have to take an unconventional approach!
Box office performance is secondary for "The King of Beasts"!

The key is the toys behind the box office!

If this time, we can successfully navigate the toy market, then...

In the eyes of capital, this is undoubtedly the biggest plus!
"The tickets for the movies 'King of the Beasts' and 'King of the Monsters' are priced at 12 yuan and 35 yuan respectively. If we can make up the price difference with toys priced at 13 yuan, or even if we can't, as long as we can create a new IP profit point for the cinemas, then we will have found a new path!"

"..."

He closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and finally sat back down in his chair, keeping an eye on the various information while waiting quietly.

Until the early hours of the morning...

Finally, there was a knock on the office door.

The assistant walked in excitedly.

"Come out, come out!"

"how's it going?"

"The market is booming. Many cinemas have already sold out of toys. After just one premiere, the children who come out of the theaters all surround the counter, screaming with excitement!"

"How many have been sold?"

"Specific data hasn't been compiled, but according to the latest news, more than half of the first batch of toys have been sold! Especially the [Bingbing Yang Cola] toys, which are completely sold out in cinemas today! Compared to movie tickets, the profit system that our [Huaying Group]'s cinemas are developing around the merchandise of 'King of Beasts' might actually be a success!"

"..."

..............................

【Tianyu】

Early morning on the 26th.

Deng Hairong took a piece of data!
Those are the latest box office figures for "King of the Beasts," as well as the figures for the merchandise sold yesterday for "King of the Beasts"!
The moment I saw the data!
At first, he was incredulous, then his gaze darkened, and finally, he crumpled the data into a ball and couldn't help but curse!

"Damn it, this bastard is riding our coattails and scamming kids out of their money!"

"Damn it!"

"So you're just watching us smoke, huh!"

"..."

(Could I ask for some monthly votes?)
(End of this chapter)