Huayu: A Commercial Director

Chapter 45 What is a blockbuster? This is it.
"Now this is what a disaster movie should be like."

"Two hundred million US dollars, it's really worth it."

"Chinese romance."

"In stark contrast, people abroad are selfish, while China has secretly prepared a large number of spaceships, not one of them can be missing."

"I am proud of my country."

"After seeing the sacrifices made abroad, I thought all of humanity was doomed and only a few would survive. But after seeing the ending, I realized that we will not abandon anyone."

"Different cultures exist. Western capitalism is self-serving, while China is communist. We will not abandon anyone."

"I heard that the versions are different; the version shown overseas is not like this."

"The special effects are so cool! It has to be 3D, and it has to be on a giant screen. I can't wait for it to be released. I want to watch it again when it's released."

"What is a blockbuster? This is a blockbuster. No one in China can make one like this."

"Upstairs, the film's assistant director, Chen Shouzhe, is Chinese, and the script was also written by Director Chen Shouzhe. I believe that our country will definitely have its own blockbusters."

As soon as the trailer was released, countless people were looking forward to the film's release, and movie fans all over the world were eagerly anticipating it.

On December 21st, the day of the supposed apocalypse, the movie was released simultaneously worldwide. Basically, all the 3D and IMAX tickets sold out instantly from the moment they went on sale. Chen Shouzhe had to ask Wanda for help to get a few tickets.

Once inside the movie theater, there were constant exclamations of surprise. Some people were so frightened that they hid and almost lost their 3D glasses.

A blockbuster is a blockbuster; when the global box office figures came out on the first day, the entire domestic film industry was stunned.

It grossed $1.73 million worldwide on its opening day.

The domestic figure is 200 million, which is approximately 30 million US dollars.

China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Wanda Film Group all bombarded Chen Shouzhe with calls.

When Chen Shouzhe saw the box office figures for the first day, he was stunned for a while. After adding the 3D giant screen, the movie became even more profitable.

If this continues, a billion-dollar box office may not be a problem.

With an investment of 200 million US dollars and a potential return of 500 million US dollars, plus subsequent revenue calculations, Chen Shouzhe could earn a considerable amount, given that he would receive a large share of the copyright revenue.

Moreover, many of the hidden aspects are invisible, which will greatly enhance Chen Shouzhe's reputation and serve as an entry ticket to his resume.

At the China Film Group canteen, Han Sanping, Vice Chairman Wang, Vice Chairman La, and other high-level executives were all present, as were Chairman Ren and two vice chairmen from Shanghai Film Group, Ye Ning from Wanda Group, and Wanda Group's son. Chen Shouzhe brought Tao Le along.

"Ladies and gentlemen, with the film's box office soaring, let's raise a toast to Director Chen." Han Sanping stood up, raised his glass to Chen Shouzhe beside him.

After all, it was Chen Shouzhe who made all of this possible. The film grossed 200 million yuan on the first day of its domestic release, and broke records again on the second and third days, which were Saturday and Sunday, setting a single-day box office record of 270 million yuan.

If this were a foreign film, it would probably be heavily criticized. However, it's a co-production, a major co-production with domestic investment and participation.

With such achievements, Han Sanping didn't wait for a celebration banquet; he directly hosted a dinner at China Film Group, mainly inviting Chen Shouzhe, and also inviting Shanghai Film Group and Wanda Film Group.

Shanghai Film Group was very unhappy, after all, they had originally agreed to take a 200 million share, but ended up losing 50 million.

Wanda was even happier. They never had a chance to get projects like this before, but now they could stand tall. Plus, they were the cinema chain with the most 3D and IMAX theaters in the country, making a fortune. They screened the movies 24 hours a day, and even midnight screenings were always sold out, which shows how popular the movies were.

Many people who had seen the regular version heard from others that the 3D giant screen was a completely different experience, so they lined up to see the 3D giant screen again and joined the ranks of those praising it.

With over 700 million yuan in box office revenue in three days, it's aiming for 2 billion.

Although it cost $80 million, it still made a fortune and was a major achievement, being the only co-production to become a huge hit.

Young Master Wang raised his wine glass as well, looking at this young man who was about the same age as him. He had truly started from scratch, far beyond what he could compare to.

"I also want to thank everyone for their trust in me. I'll drink this first." Chen Shou downed his drink in one gulp and poured the glass over the glass.

The bottle was ordinary, but the liquor was anything but. Chen Shou could down a glass without blushing or skipping a beat. He could hold up one finger when drinking beer and two when drinking baijiu.

One stick means you can drink continuously, two sticks mean you can drink two jin (1 kg).

Faced with the onslaught of blockbuster films, other domestic films were simply no match, almost completely crushed and powerless to fight back. Moreover, no one dared to sabotage them; China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group were not to be underestimated, and with the support of higher authorities, who would dare to act recklessly?

Some self-righteous people jumped out and said that the versions are different, and that the domestic version and the foreign version are completely different things.

But who cares? The higher-ups already knew. If we follow the foreign version, there would be even more people with 50, and they might even use it to make a fuss.

The domestic version is great, and it will also have the opportunity to be released overseas in the future, where it will become a powerful promotional tool.

The authorities turned a blind eye, which allowed two versions to exist.

After leaving the China Film Group cafeteria, Ren Dong, the chairman of Shanghai Film Group, invited him to dinner in Shanghai in a few days, and he would treat him.

I finally managed to get in touch with Chen Shouzhe. What if I could get on his bus again next time?
We need to keep a close eye on Chen now, and prevent him from being tied to China Film Group.

Wanda's Ye Ning also offered to treat everyone and introduced Wang Gongzi and Chen Shouzhe.

Chen Shouzhe was also interested in Wang Gongzi, who liked internet celebrities, and the two chatted about games. They had a good conversation.

There are so many people who want to invite Chen Shouzhe. Besides those companies, Huang Xiaoming, Li Baibing, and others are all calling to invite him to dinner.

This film brought them to the international stage, and Chen Shouzhe was their benefactor. They should be grateful to Chen Shouzhe.

"Why are you here?"

Chen Shouzhe looked at the huge pile of gifts, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"We discussed it and decided that Director Chen might be a bit busy lately, so he came uninvited. We've already spoken to Teacher Yu, and we'll have a BBQ at the horse farm tonight," Huang Xiaoming said with a smile, standing at the door.

The people who came were none other than Huang Xiaoming, Yu Entang, Li Baibing, Zhou Xun, and other actors from "2012," who had arranged to come together.

The horse farm was incredibly lively, and thankfully it was a large place. Despite the cold weather, we had a lot of fun.

Inside a luxury villa in the city center, a couple is having dinner. The housekeeper is placing the dishes on the table, but the woman is clearly distracted.

"Let's forget about that," the man said.

"She's lucky; she hooked up with a nouveau riche," Chen Hong said, putting down her chopsticks and looking up.

"Is it just good luck? Which actress in the industry isn't like that? Others might give you face, but that young man clearly has his own circle. He's at the peak of his career right now, and even if he's just playing around, he still represents his reputation," said Director Chen.

“But what about your reputation? You’re the only director in China to have won the Palme d’Or. He’s just a junior. He should be the one giving you face,” Chen Hong said, dissatisfied.

"There was no conflict between him and me. As for saving face, we probably don't care about that. The only ones who care are you. Okay, let's leave it at that and pretend it never happened."

"I can not be reconciled."

Director Chen looked up at her, and Chen Hong immediately shut her mouth. She knew very well how domineering her husband was, the undisputed leader.

"I understand, I won't target her anymore."

Chen Shouzhe was overshadowed, but in special effects movies, the director's contribution is not significant to begin with. In addition, Chen Shouzhe was not the main director, but only the assistant director and screenwriter, so he was even less valued.

But people in the film and television industry know that Chen Shou is the one who organizes events. What if he has other projects in his hands?
This is what they need.

No matter how glamorous a celebrity is, in front of these bigwigs in the film and television industry, they are nothing more than actors.

Even top-tier actresses can be blacklisted by the wives of famous directors; no matter how famous an actor is, they still have to bow down if they offend the investors.

Chen Shouzhe is neither an actor nor a star, but he has the ability to make money. Among investors, he is highly sought after, and he has already proven his screenwriting skills.

Emperor Entertainment and Star Overseas in Hong Kong were excited, and Bona Film Group, a newcomer to the industry, was also looking forward to it. They had paid double the price for this ticket.

Even if he were to pay double the price to get involved in "2012," all film and television companies across the country would be willing, clearly aiming to make a huge profit.

As the film was released, its box office soared, breaking Chen's record of 15 billion yuan in just ten days, heading straight for 20 billion yuan, or even higher, making countless film companies envious.

(End of this chapter)