Chapter 185

#1 on IMDb 250, sweeping various records on the opening day of release.

The villain Joker in it has almost become a cultural symbol.

This is where *The Dark Knight* stands after the weekend.

That's right, while Chen Nuo was still following Luo Rui Eisner on a roadshow in Nanjing and Guangzhou, China, in just three days, among the *The Dark Knight* merchandise prepared by Warner in advance, the T-shirts printed with his portrait sold out first in the European and American markets.

It made Warner's marketing department go crazy with joy. A full 200,000 T-shirts, in just a few days, who the hell expected them to sell out? They immediately called the Yiwu factory in China, demanding another 200,000.

From New York to London, from Paris to Vienna, there are fashionable young people wearing Joker T-shirts everywhere.

Although Chen Nuo's face, covered in chalky foundation and a big red mouth after gaining 20 pounds, is so ferocious.

But they wear T-shirts and walk through the streets, not feeling that there is any problem at all.

Because,

"Why so serious?"

Is destined to be the hottest buzzword among young people this summer.

Undoubtedly, the subtle differences in performance between Chen Nuo and Heath Ledger created this Joker whirlwind that is even crazier than in the previous life.

He faded away the only trace of exaggeration in Heath Ledger's performance and added a more three-dimensional form of expression.

Simply put, if a professional film critic traveled back in time like Chen Nuo, he would find that the Joker interpreted by Chen Nuo this time is a hybrid version of Heath Ledger, the Oscar Best Supporting Actor and Joker actor in *The Dark Knight*, and Joaquin Phoenix, the Oscar Best Actor and Joker actor in the movie *Joker*.

At least in this era, such a villain character with both inner depth and expressiveness, and so personalized, is unprecedented.

This not only left the most demanding European critics speechless, but also completely opened up the market among the most avant-garde and rebellious European and American art youths.

These people have always been the most difficult positions for commercial films to conquer.

The benefits after conquering are also astonishingly large.

So large that the Joker will stand in the same hall as characters like Terminator, Forrest Gump, and ET.

France's *Libération*: "The Cannes jury let Nuo Chen miss the Cannes Best Actor award last May. This undoubtedly shows the rigor and pickiness of Cannes, as well as its well-deserved status as the head of the three major film festivals. When the cultural storm brought by the Joker sweeps the world, let us not forget that it was Cannes that first discovered this new star, Nuo Chen."

Facing the shameless French, the serious Germans almost laughed out loud. Just the next day, the headline on the second page of Germany's *Die Welt* on July 17 was written in super thick bold letters: "55th Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear winner Chen Nuo conquers the world with the Joker role."

Even the subtitle was "The opening weekend box office of *The Dark Knight* breaks records."

After sweeping 71.41 million US dollars on the opening day of the North American market on the 14th, *The Dark Knight* staged a box office trend that can be said to be unimaginable on Saturday the 15th.

This simply made HBO's Raffi Clausen and the box office prediction experts of ABC and NBC drop their jaws, almost feeling whether they were no longer worthy of eating the bowl of rice of box office prediction experts. Because as a part of the fan economy combination of comic book movies, its trend is simply unscientific.

Unless it has jumped out of the framework of fan economy and comic book movies.

Because *The Dark Knight* only showed a negligible downward trend of -3.8% on the second day of release, which is simply smaller than the volatility of the Huaerjie stock market.

Making Mason Collins, who once shouted to hold Warner stock in the *Huaerjie Journal*, now tell his blog readers that they should buy Warner Bros. stock on the dip in the Monday market.

The next day, *The Dark Knight* crazily swept 68.69 million US dollars from the pockets of American movie fans. By the third day, Sunday, its box office trend finally showed a decent decline, and the 28.9% drop also allowed box office experts to breathe a sigh of relief.

However, the 48.33 million on the third day of opening, and the cumulative 188 million North American box office in the first three days of the weekend, not only broke the 151.1 million US dollar opening weekend box office record previously held by *Spider-Man 3*, but this result also refreshed the record for the fastest cumulative North American opening box office revenue.

Everyone who saw this number gasped.

4,367 cinemas, collecting 188 million US dollars in the three days of the summer weekend, just press the calculator and you will know, the average box office per cinema is 43,050 US dollars.

In the entire history of cinema, this is the first time that the weekend box office revenue per cinema has reached more than 40,000 US dollars. This is equivalent to every screening of *The Dark Knight* being in an 8-90% full state.

This is a statistical figure for more than 4,000 cinemas across North America. From the most developed California, New York, to the blue-collar redneck states of Georgia, Montana!

*The Dark Knight* crossed the American land with an invincible posture, firmly grasping the title of the new champion of the opening weekend in film history.

At the same time, *The Dark Knight* also became the new champion of the July summer file and PG-13 level opening weekend in history, and refreshed the fastest to 100 million US dollars (2 days) and fastest to 150 million US dollars (3 days) box office cumulative records to a daunting level. Even the fastest to 200 million US dollars (4 days) is almost a certainty.

Warner executives led by Michael Slane have already opened champagne, Barry Meyer is also smoking victory cigars in the Caribbean, and Nolan, Bale, and others are still running around in various places, working hard for a better box office trend.

Everything seems to be so beautiful, but from the fourth day, the calls to Warner's customer service department have not stopped.

"Hey, I say, do you have any problems? Where is the Joker? I want to see him, understand?"

"Fuck you! Let Bale, that sissy, roll as far as he can, where is that Chinese guy? I want to see what he looks like!"

"Warner, you are a bunch of dog-raising idiots. Are you playing hide-and-seek? I don't have time to play with you, hurry up and let that Chinese guy come to NY, OK?"

"When exactly will you let the Joker appear? What show are you preparing to go on? Give me a time, okay?"

"Tell that old guy Barry Meyer, either he lets me see the Joker, or I'll stab his chrysanthemum!"

Not only calls, but the pressure on Nolan and Bale in their promotion is also getting bigger and bigger. Almost every host and even star they meet will ask the same question, hey, where is that Joker?

When Nolan attended a cinema roadshow and encountered boos from the audience, as well as various strange calls demanding the Joker to appear, he knew that the problem had reached the point where it had to be solved.

In fact, after Michael Slane finished the champagne, he also began to regret, feeling that the habit of opening champagne at halftime is really harmful.

Because the person in charge of the customer service department has complained to him three times here, saying that if he doesn't add people, he should hurry up and get this damn Joker to the United States.

Similarly, colleagues in the media department also came to report that recently there have been some posts on the Internet inciting that Warner is racist and deliberately not letting the Chinese actor who plays the Joker participate in the North American promotion.

There are also some posts saying that maybe Warner Bros. doesn't know everyone's love for the Joker, should they just go to the entrance of Warner Company tomorrow to sit and demonstrate?

But most of the inciting posts say that if you can't see the Joker, don't go into the cinema to watch *The Dark Knight*.

Michael Slane swears that if there is no shadow of other big five film companies behind this, he will eat his fist.

Not only external, but internal pressure also came.

For example, now, Nolan went directly to him and said seriously: "Michael, I don't quite understand. With Chen's performance, being nominated for the Oscar Best Supporting Actor this year is almost a certainty. If he wins, it is also a promotion for the movie. I don't know why you are so repulsive to lobbying for him?"

At the same time, Nolan seemed to say half-jokingly: "Michael, you shouldn't still be holding a grudge against Chen, right?"

When Michael Slane heard this, he immediately understood that the emotions in the heart of this standard British gentleman Nolan were estimated to have reached a point where they were about to explode.

Otherwise, he definitely wouldn't say such things.

But he also had unspeakable suffering.

If Chen Nuo just proposed to lobby for him for the Oscar Best Supporting Actor, it would be simple, but now this guy is also tied to Luo Rui Eisner.

And the culprit who transferred Luo Rui Eisner to Singapore was him. The reason was that he was entrusted by someone in the Eisner family to let this woman stay in Singapore for 5 years.

"No, no, no, Christopher."

Michael Slane thought clearly, drag it out, anyway, the movie box office trend is booming now, and it seems that no strong heart stimulant is needed for a while.

But before he finished speaking, his mobile phone rang again.

Barry Meyer's tone this time was not as good as the last time. The old man's words seemed to have rolling dark clouds over the Caribbean Sea, and the thunder would strike in the next second. "Michael, what did I tell you last time? Why hasn't that damn Joker appeared in Los Angeles yet? Have you read the *Huaerjie Journal* today? That dog-raising Mason Collins said that the Joker hasn't appeared in North America now because we Warner have a conflict with him. Michael, is this a fact?"

Michael Slane stood by the window, looking at the high-rise buildings outside the window, his back faintly sweating, and explained: "Of course not. Just, Barry, as I told you last time, he has some requirements for us."

"What requirements?"

"He requires us to lobby for him for this year's Oscar Best Supporting Actor."

When Barry Meyer spoke, it seemed that the thunder in the sky finally fell: "Oscar Best Supporting Actor? Are you fucking kidding me? Michael? Isn't that what that boy deserves? Don't care if he is black-skinned or yellow-skinned, even if he is blue, if we Warner don't go all out to attack for him this year, how will others look at us in the future? Besides, can we have any other awards that we can take out this year? So shut your mouth and invite him back to Los Angeles for me. OK?"

Michael Slane wiped the sweat on his forehead, "Okay, Barry."

Barry Meyer said coldly: "Remember my words. Don't let me see that dog-raising guy say again on the *Huaerjie Journal* that there is any problem between us and that Chinese boy. Understand?"

Michael Slane sweated profusely: "Okay, Barry, I understand."

July 20, 8:30 PM, Seoul, Korea, outside a high-end restaurant in Gangnam.

News cars were parked on the side of the road, stretching for nearly 50 meters. Reporters and photographers holding long guns and short cannons were waiting in battle array at the entrance of the restaurant.

There was a beautiful female reporter on the side of the road, holding the microphone of the MBC news column, and said to the camera: "Good evening, viewers, I am MBC entertainment news reporter Choi Soo-yeon. Behind me is a restaurant in Gangnam. Tonight, most of the top filmmakers in our country are gathered here. Including Jeon Do-yeon, Bong Joon-ho, Cui Min-sik, Li Cangdong, as well as Song Kanghao, Song Hye-kyo, Kim Tae-hee, Jun Ji-hyun, Li Bingxian, Sol Kyung-gu."

"These stars gathered together to entertain a distinguished guest from afar, the actor who played the Joker in *The Dark Knight*, the Chinese genius actor Chen Nuo xi. We all know that in the past few days, *The Dark Knight* has swept the world, and in our country alone, it has attracted over a million people to watch the movie in the past few days. Chen Nuo xi came to Korea this time precisely to promote this Hollywood movie produced by Warner."

At this moment, in a private room of a barbecue restaurant somewhere in Gangnam, the TV on the wall was also broadcasting this news.

Every time the reporter said a name, several girls in the private room would exclaim together.

"Jeon Do-yeon unnie!" "Director Bong Joon-ho!" "Teacher Song Kanghao!" "Teacher Cui Min-sik!" "..."

"So greasy! I feel like all the top stars in the Republic of Korea have gone." A cute girl with round eyes said.

A girl with golden hair said: "That's for sure, that's the Joker! Lee Soon-kyu, didn't you go to watch the movie?"

"No. Taeyeon, did you go to watch it with Yoona and Sooyoung? Is it good?"

"Super good." Kim Taeyeon looked at the TV and said curiously, "You guys say, he is so scary in the movie, what does Chen Nuo xi look like in real life?"

Choi Sooyoung said carelessly: "I see he is quite fat in the movie, he should have a beer belly in real life."

Im Yoona nodded and said: "It should be the type that will be very scared when seeing it."

"Eh~~" Lee Soon-kyu was startled, "Really? Don't scare me."

Im Yoona said seriously: "Really, he is very scary in the movie. After I finished watching the movie that night, I had nightmares when I went home."

Another yellow-haired girl with big eyes said: "Do you know how popular Chen Nuo xi is in the United States now? I heard from American friends that *The Oprah Winfrey Show* is preparing to invite him!"

Kim Taeyeon was startled, "Really?"

"Otherwise, why do so many top stars in our country go to accompany him to dinner?"

"It's really exaggerated." Choi Sooyoung shook her head, "I feel like all the top actors on Chungmuro have gone. Seohyun, do you also want to go and see?"

A doll-faced girl looked at the TV with full longing and nodded.

Just then, the picture on the TV began to change. One after another big stars or big directors walked out of the restaurant.

"Song Kanghao, Li Cangdong, Song Hye-kyo, Li Bingxian, Cui Min-sik..." Choi Sooyoung, who was most familiar with the Korean entertainment circle, looked at the faces on the TV and reported the names one by one.

And at this time, this temporarily broadcast MBC live news program, the ratings began to climb linearly.

Surrounded by agents and assistants, the stars got into their nanny cars one by one.

Until the end, three people walked out together.

Choi Sooyoung said: "Director Bong Joon-ho, Kim Tae-hee unnie..."

After speaking, her tone suddenly sharpened, "Who is the boy in the middle!? So handsome!"

Her voice immediately attracted the attention of all the girls eating meat.

One by one, they immediately started chattering.

"Really, he is the same type as Won Bin!"

"I think he looks even better than Won Bin!"

"What is he saying to Director Bong Joon-ho? No, he looks so young, I feel like he is about the same age as us."

"Yeah, yeah, could it be Kim Tae-hee unnie's boyfriend?"

"How is that possible! How could Tae-hee unnie attend such a place with her boyfriend and be photographed by reporters."

"Then why is Kim Tae-hee unnie so close to him?"

At this time, Im Yoona suddenly shouted: "Could he be Chen Nuo xi who played the Joker? Chinese. The person next to him seems to be a translator, talking to him and Director Bong Joon-ho."

"What?"

A group of girls were stunned and scrambled to get closer to see clearly. Making Lee Soon-kyu, who was short, have to stand up.

And at this time, the boy on TV seemed to have discovered the existence of the camera, and while listening to what the translator next to Director Bong Joon-ho said, he raised his eyes and looked towards the camera.

The night was like ink, and the stars were sparse.

He was wearing a well-tailored dark suit with smooth lines, setting off his tall and straight posture. The collar of the suit was slightly open, revealing the white shirt inside, and his hairstyle was also well-groomed, with a few strands of hair swaying gently in the breeze, but not messy.

The boy's face was handsome, his features were three-dimensional and deep, his nose was straight, and his lips were slightly raised, outlining a perfect arc towards the camera.

This smile was neither exaggerated nor artificial, just right, in the eyes of these SM trainees who had not yet debuted, as if it revealed a faint halo.

Choi Sooyoung murmured: "Is this really the Joker? Why do I feel like a prince, I'm going to faint."

Including Chen Nuo, no one expected that his one-day-and-one-night trip to Korea hadn't even started, but because of such a smile, he became popular on the Korean Internet!

God is a witness, he didn't even think about showing off at the time, he just felt a little funny listening to what the translator said.

Bong Joon-ho was making an appointment with him for next year's schedule at that time, inviting him to act in his new film, playing a mentally retarded son of a mother.

Chen Nuo felt how is that possible, the language is not even connected, so he just smiled. That's all.

As a result, his expression was screenshotted and made into a GIF, and on Naver in Korea, it was voted by countless people as the most handsome smile in 2007.

(End of chapter)