This director is so innocent.

Chapter 173: The Thrilling Novel "Mulan"

The project "Red Cliff" was made possible by Zuo Shandiao's ambition.

The goal is to create a film that grosses over $100 million at the box office.

This goal has been far achieved, and it has even doubled.

The film grossed 3.14 million yuan in the first part and 2.6 million yuan in the second part at the mainland box office, for a total of 5.74 million yuan, equivalent to 8473 million US dollars.

The Japanese film grossed $5413 million for the first part and $4808 million for the second part, while the two Korean films together grossed $2288 million.

Even in countries like the UAE, the box office reached $27.

Later, to adapt to distribution in Europe and America, the film was edited into an international version of 2 hours and 28 minutes, which also achieved considerable success in the European film market.

The film grossed $279 million in France and $179 million in Italy, and was also released in almost all other small European countries.

According to incomplete statistics, the global box office of "Red Cliff" reached 2.38 million US dollars.

However, Red Cliff performed poorly at the North American box office.

It hasn't been released yet; it will hit North America on November 18, 2009, with a limited run in two theaters.

North America typically holds limited screenings or restricted regional screenings of imported films and independent productions.

Judging a film's popularity by its box office performance to determine whether to expand its theatrical release is a market-based approach.

With a per-theater box office of only $6552, "Red Cliff" was clearly insufficient to expand its theater reach.

It was shown in as many as 42 theaters and struggled for 14 weeks, but its total box office in North America was only $605174.

Take a look at other Chinese-language movies that have been released in North America.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon grossed $128.07 million, Hero grossed $5371 million, and Huo Yuanjia grossed $2463 million.

Kung Fu Hustle: $1710 million; House of Flying Daggers: $1105 million; Iron Monkey: $1469 million —

From these six films, you can see that the only Chinese films favored by North Americans are kung fu movies.

North American audiences prioritize entertainment; they don't care for anything profound, and they're especially uninterested in epics unless they have a very strong entertainment element.

The success of "Troy" is a prime example, while subsequent imitations like "King Arthur" and "Kingdom of Heaven" were complete failures.

If their own films are like this, what about "Red Cliff"?

In fact, North American media gave "Red Cliff" a fairly high rating.

It received a Metacritic score of 73 and an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, higher than Ghostwriter's 76/79%.

"This is the Chinese version of 'Rome.' Watching this film under the current economic circumstances is incredibly moving."

Wu Baige was once a prominent figure in Hollywood, a guest of honor at the eight major Hollywood studios.

"Hard Target" grossed $3258 million, "Broken Arrow" $7077 million, "Face/Off" $112.27 million, and "Mission: Impossible 2" $215.4 million. The aesthetics of violence played a role in these successes.

His later war films, Windtalkers and sci-fi films, were box office failures.

Among them, "Windtalkers" had a budget of $120 million, but only grossed $3317 million in three weeks.

As we all know, Robert Levin, MGM's president of marketing and distribution, resigned immediately.

Wu Baige played a crucial role in MGM's subsequent bankruptcy and liquidation.

Although the stories and box office performance of domestic commercial blockbusters are contradictory, they still contribute half of the total box office revenue of Chinese films.

They support the billions of dollars in China's film industry, forming a rudimentary but already nascent industrial chain.

Frankly speaking, without these domestically produced blockbuster films, Chinese cinema would still be stuck in the small workshop stage, with no possibility of industrialization.

In the office, Su Jin tossed a large gold brick to Huang Jiaqiang and asked, "Old Huang, how's the publicity for 'The Invisible Guest' going?"

Huang Jiaqiang lit a cigarette, exhaled, and replied, "Everything is going according to plan. Regarding 'The Invisible Guest' online..."

The discussion surrounding it is quite high.

The promotional plan for "The Invisible Guest" is nothing new; like previous films, it's all about throwing money at the problem.

Press releases were issued on major online portals, Tianya, Hupu, Douban, Mtime, Weibo, and other websites.

Offline advertising includes hard advertising on building facades, subways, elevators, radio stations, bus stops, and so on.

There are also interviews with various variety shows and media magazines.

A total of 15 million was spent, including 8 million worth of GG resources exchanged with Hunan TV & Broadcast Intermediary, Shanghai Media Group, and other GG providers.

In other words, it actually cost 700 million.

If the box office response is good, we will invest another 500 million.

How many screenings did China Film Group give us?

"40%."

"So little?" Su Jin asked, puzzled.

Last year's National Day release, "The Coffin in the Mountain," had 50% of the screenings, so there's no reason why "The Invisible Guest" would only have 40%.

It's worth noting that the film stars Gong Li and Sun Honglei, and his own fame has reached new heights compared to last year.

Furthermore, no other films of the same caliber were released on August 1st.

"Well, the main reason is that China Film Group is hoping that 'Red Cliff Part I' will break the box office record set by 'Titanic' in mainland China," Huang Jiaqiang explained.

"Always doing nice things." Su Jin scoffed, then changed the subject, "What about the screening schedule for Li Xiang's 'Perfect Imperfection'?"

"They are few, only 17%."

"What about advertising?"

"The publicity was terrible; it didn't make a splash at all."

"Didn't Li Xiang seek help from Ouyang Changlin?"

"I don't know, but we rarely see their GG online or offline."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Huang Jiaqiang went to get busy.

After finishing signing the backlog of documents, I was about to go to the scriptwriting department to check out "Mulan" and "The Temptation of Going Home" when Shen Haobo came in.

"Old Shen, what brings you here?" Su Jin asked in surprise.

"If I hadn't come, I would have been gone." Shen Haobo said resentfully.

"Hahahaha————" Su Jin laughed awkwardly, realizing it had been a long time since she had seen Shen Haobo.

Although Jianmu Culture is also his company, it is mainly managed by Shen Haobo, and he has basically not been involved.

Unless it's something particularly important, Shen Haobo makes all the decisions on his own.

Of course, not being in charge doesn't mean he has no control over Jianmu Culture; the finances are under his supervision.

It should be said that the finances of Jianmu Culture, Jianmu Media, Seven O'Clock, Jianmu Weibo, and Polaris Magazine are all under the supervision of Junzhen Investment.

Furthermore, he holds the power to appoint and dismiss the management of various companies.

Controlling personnel appointments and dismissals, as well as finances, is tantamount to controlling the lifeline of a team.

Shen Haobo's eyes lit up when he saw the large gold brick on the table: "It's been so long, boss, you've already won a large gold brick!"

He casually took out a cigarette, lit it, and then naturally put the rest into his pocket.

Su Jin didn't stop her, and smiled, "What do you want from me?"

"A cigarette that costs 150 yuan a stick is just different." Shen Haobo exhaled a puff of smoke, a satisfied expression on his face.

He flicked his cigarette ash and continued, "The Jianmu Cultural Museum is about to officially open, and we need you, the big boss, to stand on the stage and cut the ribbon."

"The wooden pavilion is finished? When did that happen?"

"It was all set up a long time ago, and we've been in trial operation for a month now."

Why didn't you tell me?

"I did."

"Did you tell him?"

"I told you, and I even called you to ask you to come with me to the site, but you were busy and said you'd come later."

Su Jin thought for a moment, and it seemed that she had told him.

However, he was too busy at that time, and he forgot about it.

For example, "Running Man" and "The Voice of China".

When will it open?

"July 25th, 10:00 AM."

"Okay, I've got it. I'll be there when the time comes."

"Boss, could we do the magazine interview for our movie 'The Invisible Guest' at Jianmu Museum?"

"Can."

"Then let's set the date for the 25th."

Su Jin was stunned for a moment, then gave Shen Haobo a deep look. He was such a cunning bastard.

He doesn't feel comfortable inviting friends from the industry to attend these kinds of opening events because they require appearance fees.

Although the celebrities themselves may not want the money, their companies will!

Shen Haobo's idea was cunning: on the opening day, Gong Li would show up at the Jianmu Museum, someone would take a few photos, and then he would post them on a website, making it appear as if international superstar Gong Li had attended the Jianmu Museum's opening ceremony.

Whether it's true or not, Gong Li is the key to generating buzz.

"Invite our company's artists over to have some fun when they're free!"

"Um.

"In just over a month, the screenwriters in the scriptwriting department completed their work very well."

Su Jin picked up the script for "The Temptation of Going Home" and started reading.

The plot development is similar to the original, except for the dialogue, but it doesn't matter much.

The appeal of these family dramas lies in their plot.

Of course, classic lines such as "You're so sexy" and "Why are you wearing Pinru's clothes?" have been retained.

He planned to produce this TV series in both China and South Korea, with CJ as the natural partner.

After watching "The Temptation of Going Home", I picked up the script for "Mulan".

This version of "Mulan" is quite different from Ma Chucheng's version, except for retaining a few characters.

No anti-war sentiments, no romantic entanglements, no trivial, unpleasant matters —

The central theme is simply "enjoyment," telling the story of Mulan's growth.

The characters are still the same few: Mulan, the young general, the main villain, the eldest prince of Rouran, and Xiao Hu.

Chen Kun's role as the seventh prince was cut and replaced with a young general.

He plans to either play the role himself or find an actor to play it.

The slave character, Vitas the Dolphin, was useless and was also removed.

The character of the Rouran princess was not deleted, but her character was changed to a major villain who was obsessed with her brother and was also a female general. She was killed by Mulan in the middle of the story.

The original story unfolds from the perspective of the Rouran people, and then switches to Mulan taking her father's place in the army.

This version first explains that Mulan was a tomboy who liked to play with swords and spears when she was young.

Then the scene shifts to a small battle between the Northern Wei and the Rouran, where the two sides fight to the death, depicting the cruelty of war.

This leads to the Rouran army pressing in, the Northern Wei recruiting soldiers nationwide, and Hua Mulan joining the army in place of her father.

The original Mulan didn't have a journey to join the army; she went straight to the military camp.

This version will include a section of the original "Ballad of Mulan," allowing viewers to reminisce about their middle school days.

I camped by the Yellow River at dusk, only to hear the rushing and splashing of its waters.

As dusk fell, we reached the Black Mountain Head, where only the chirping of barbarian cavalry from the Yan Mountains could be heard.

Next comes the journey to the military camp, where Xiao Hu, a fellow villager, makes his appearance. This character is primarily there to cover for Mulan as a woman disguised as a man.

Otherwise, it would be too difficult for a woman living in a dormitory to remain undetected.

The young general is the head instructor of the new recruits, and Mulan will have a romantic storyline with him.

As for why the young general is the head instructor of the new recruits, don't ask so many questions; it's just for the sake of the plot.

This section will depict Mulan's growth and her understanding of the cruelty of war.

The story involves sending Mulan and several new recruits to collect corpses, where they encounter Rouran scouts.

Then a bloody battle ensued, resulting in the deaths of several veterans and new recruits.

Mulan unleashed her full martial prowess, single-handedly killing one scout and capturing another, earning the appreciation of the young general.

The scene of Mulan taking a bath is, of course, indispensable.

Then came his military exploits, including killing the Rouran princess, which led to his promotion to General Pingbei and becoming the deputy of a young general.

In the final decisive battle, the Northern Wei suffered a crushing defeat, and the young general was tragically killed by an arrow, entrusting his army to Hua Mulan.

The young general had to die; after all, this is a female-centric movie, and if he didn't die, how could Mulan rise to power?

The original ending saw Mulan, under the cover of the Rouran princess, disguise herself as a maid and secretly infiltrate the Rouran army camp to ambush and kill the main villain.

This is too petty and childish.

Although the main villain is brutal, he is leading the Rouran army to invade Northern Wei. As a Rouran princess from a privileged background, she could never betray her country.

Moreover, with the main villain dead, who can control Rouran?

No, all the princes were killed by the main villain at the beginning.

In this version, Mulan actively reveals her identity as a woman, delivers a passionate oath, and leads her remaining troops in a desperate battle against the Rouran army using ingenious strategies.

Then, he used himself as bait to fight the main villain, and finally cut off the villain's head.

The woman's identity must be revealed; it's a female-centric movie after all!

If the woman's identity is revealed after the war, how will female viewers still experience climax?

The publicity will focus on the female lead, promoting the rise of women and the idea that women can hold up half the sky.

In general, this version of "Mulan" is all about serving Mulan; everyone is just a tool, and the main focus is on the female lead.

The love story between Mulan and the young general is not explicitly stated, but rather a story of unrequited love and admiration.

The young general also knew that Mulan was a woman; he discovered it while Mulan was taking a bath.

His death served two purposes: to allow Mulan to rise to power and to allow her to mature fully.

After reading the script for "Mulan", I called the screenwriters over and discussed some details with them.

Afterwards, he took the script of "The Temptation to Go Home" and threw it at Huang Jiaqiang, telling him to go to CJ's Jim Casey to discuss the matter of making two films in one book.

In the following days, she participated in three variety shows and gave interviews to three magazines.

Time quickly passed to the 25th.

Su Jin saw the completed Jianmu Culture Museum.

The design is the same as the original, with a bright red exterior, dougong (bracket set) design, grand and magnificent, solemn and majestic.

Integrating Chinese elements, highlighting Chinese characteristics, and showcasing the grandeur of Chinese civilization —

"Boss, how's it going?"

Shen Haobo looked up at the Jianmu Pavilion, his tone revealing a sense of pride.

"Beautiful," Su Jin said earnestly.

When it comes to architecture, the Chinese are truly amazing.

Of all the strange and varied buildings at the World Expo, the China Pavilion was the most beautiful.

"Old Shen, you're awesome!" Huang Jiaqiang stared at the magnificent building, a sense of awe welling up inside him.

This building is not only beautiful in appearance, but also contains profound cultural heritage and artistic value.

Upon hearing this, Shen Haobo's face beamed with a proud smile.

He waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's not that I'm amazing, it's that the boss is amazing. I'm just the supervisor; the exterior design of the stadium was designed by the boss."

Huang Jiaqiang was stunned. He hadn't expected Su Jin to have this trick up her sleeve. Geniuses were indeed beyond the comprehension of ordinary people like him.

"What is that?"

"Which one?"

"Why are the words written on the top two pillars the only ones with them, and not the others?"

"That? That's my name and my boss's name."

Holy crap!

You can play it like this?

Huang Jiaqiang thought that after more than a decade in the system, he had mastered the art of flattery.

Compared to Shen Haobo, this is nothing!

"Was this your idea, or the boss's?"

"The boss's."

Hearing this, Huang Jiaqiang breathed a sigh of relief, and his mind began to wander.

If his name were also included, he would surely be remembered for a century, if not immortalized for generations to come.