Chapter 497

It wouldn't cost much money anyway.

Every year, they still make the audience in front of the TV play a game of "spot the difference," guessing who are the actors and who are the real audience members.

"Audience friends, the guest visiting us today is a true heavyweight. I don't think I need to introduce him much; you all know the miracles he has created in the film and television circles over the past two years. Let's welcome Director Xu Feng and his team with the warmest applause..."

Wang Han shouted in a slightly exaggerated tone, though it was still more restrained than on *Happy Camp*.

It couldn't be helped; after all, they were the two biggest traffic drivers of Mango TV.

Just like how netizens nowadays always like to compare the two pairs of young girls with similar attributes from Xu Feng's own company: Dilireba and Guli Nazha, and Zhao Jinmai and Wang Shengdi. After introducing all the leads of *Cells at Work*, Wang Han asked Xu Feng: "Director Xu, I heard that this film of yours, which is the first to be released in the mainland for the summer season, is a popular science film. Is that true?"

"Yes, I think it's a very interesting subject. Parents in front of the TV, please rest assured, this film is suitable for watching with your children." Facing the camera, Xu Feng even made a little joke.

After all, the *Death Note* he filmed previously was too damn wicked; many adults couldn't handle it, let alone children.

And the first installment of *Initial D*, which previously took second place on the domestic box office chart, wasn't much better.

Damn it, nobody cared about the racing plot at all.

Everyone was playing with the memes of Uncle Mercedes and Xia Shu.

Even now, there are still many people online scolding him because of this plot.

But Xu Feng stated that he wouldn't change it anyway; one must know that this is the essence of the *Initial D* series.

After Xia Shu and Uncle Mercedes exited, the popularity of this series plummeted.

Now you know who the real veteran driver of Mount Akina is, right?

"Since it's not a genre you're good at, will there be a risk to hitting the top of the domestic box office?" another host beside Wang Han asked.

This was also a question many netizens wanted to know.

After all, in the public eye, what Xu Feng is best at should be action, followed by intellectual battles.

Originally, suddenly tossing out a racing-themed *Initial D* had already left the audience a bit stunned.

As a result, this time he took an even bigger step.

Popular science?

Holy crap, be careful not to pull a muscle.

Xu Feng glanced at the other person; it seemed his name was... Qian Feng?

Later, when he got into trouble, Xu Feng decided to stand a bit further away from him, but he still answered: "Actually, I don't want this film's box office to be too high."

"Huh?"

As soon as this shocking statement from Xu Feng came out.

Not to mention the *Day Day Up* brothers, even Reba, Wang Shengdi, and the others beside him were left speechless by his words. "Why?" Wang Han asked hurriedly.

He had a premonition that Xu Feng was about to pull a big move. Xu Feng spread his hands and said: "Because this is just the first film I've brought into the mainland market. If I get too high a box office the first time, the expectations of the media and the audience will be raised too high by me."

"In the future, when I film new movies, it will be very difficult to break the record of the first one, and everyone will say I've run out of talent."

"So I hope this film's box office won't be too high, around 3.5 billion is fine. If this box office reaches 4 billion or 5 billion, then it will be very difficult for my future new films to break this record."

"So I hope this film's box office can just barely break the domestic record at 3.5 billion. That way, my next film can hit 4 billion, then the next 4.5 billion, and the next 5 billion... this way I can keep breaking records."

After hearing Xu Feng's words, not to mention the hosts and leads on stage, even the actors guest-starring as audience members off-stage were collectively stunned.

Good heavens!

Xu Feng is still the same, the King of Pretentiousness!

On the other side, Ou Di, who might only be as tall as Xu Feng's shoulder, was also dumbfounded, not expecting one could be so pretentious.

And the director behind the scenes was stunned for a long time; a few seconds later, he couldn't stop grinning. He had a premonition that the ratings for this episode would definitely explode.

At the end of the program, Xu Feng also revealed that a new film and television drama was also being actively prepared.

This time it was the hot-blooded combat genre he was best at and the audience was most looking forward to.

You can rest assured.

Facts proved that the *Day Day Up* production team's premonition was correct.

After this episode aired, Xu Feng's remarks directly hit the hot search.

The heat of *One Punch Man* finishing hadn't passed yet, and this guy Xu Feng was here to be pretentious again.

【Holy crap! I just said this guy Xu Feng had been quiet lately, and the moment he makes a move, it's a royal flush.】

【I don't hope this film's box office is too high, just barely breaking the domestic film record is enough. Damn, it has that Ma flavor.】

【Seeing Xu Feng being so pretentious, I'm relieved; it shows he is very confident in his own film.】

【Damn, is there no one to stop Xu Feng from being pretentious? I can't watch it anymore!】

【The scene of Xu Feng holding Wang Shengdi on the show is so heartwarming. If this were my husband and daughter, I would wake up laughing in my dreams.】

【Why do I feel like the way Wang Shengdi looks at Xu Feng is a bit off?】

【Our country has a complete set of...】

Another summer season was approaching, and countless students were gradually becoming free, scrolling through their phones endlessly.

And the media naturally wouldn't let go of this period when traffic rises with the tide.

When a highly topical piece of news appears, one naturally has to try every means to seize the heat.

Xu Feng was undoubtedly the protagonist among them.

But unfortunately, Xu Feng was busy taking the little loli Wang Shengdi to the set, or else he was off flirting with girls.

He didn't want to deal with these damn reporters at all.

Consequently, the media could only shift their attention to the artists under Xu Feng.

Some reporters even sought out the completely unrelated Zhou Xingye.

Uh, actually, one couldn't say it was completely unrelated; after all, the current record holder for the highest domestic film box office is Zhou Xingye.

Xu Feng's words sounded as if he could break the record of this pillar of domestic comedy films without even using his full strength.

It felt a bit disrespectful.

"He is a very excellent young man, and I also look forward to his new film. Records? Such things will be broken sooner or later. If it's him, I don't think it's unacceptable." Zhou Xingye managed to pull out a faint smile.

However, in reality, who would be willing to hand over their "number one" title to someone else?

But there was no way around it; his last film, *The New King of Comedy*, was a huge flop.

Originally, he had told the media that this film would take 4 billion at the box office, but in the end... it didn't even reach 20% of the original target.

Under such circumstances, Zhou Xingye didn't dare to say Xu Feng couldn't do it, whether for public or private reasons.

He wasn't like Feng Xiaogang, who would scold the audience as trash when the box office was poor.

And the hype for *Cells at Work* had been stirred up enough.

Xu Feng also began preparing for the casting of *Inuyasha* and *Naruto*.

Of course, what is currently being prepared for *Naruto* is the youth arc.

*Shippuden* will have to wait a while.

At the audition site.

"... Thank you for your hard work, go back and wait for news."

Lu Han, who had just finished his audition, saw the expression on Xu Feng's face and knew he had no chance. But he didn't turn around and leave like a child; instead, he bowed respectfully and said: "Thank you, Teacher Xu. I hope we can have a chance to cooperate in the future." Perhaps he learned that from the Koreans. Xu Feng gave an "un" sound.

To be honest, he himself was a bit surprised; facing Lu Han's destructive-level acting, he actually didn't get angry?

Perhaps it was because he hadn't held any expectations for him from the start.

But honestly, Xu Feng was surprised to see this former top-tier "little fresh meat" and not feel much disgust.

It was all thanks to the contrast provided by his peers.

After all, when Lu Han was being scolded the hardest two years ago, his teammates came along, and netizens all went to scold his teammates. Then, when Kun Kun emerged, everyone went to scold Kun Kun, and even said things like "Fan Fan, I'm sorry..."

Damn it, there's never a shortage of worse ones anyway.

Until later, when Xiao Zhan came along, he brought Kun Kun's reputation back up.

One was worse than the other, to the point that later, when Hua Chenyu had a child, netizens were startled, but after two days, they felt it didn't seem like such a big deal... ===== CHAPTER 499 =====