Chapter 472

Jingcheng, not far from the Olympic Sports Center, on a golf club's course.

Jiang Heng, Du Huan, Li Xiaoping, Yu Dong, Jing Tian and the others were leisurely playing golf and taking a walk together.

A woman in a suit explained the club's specific situation to everyone.

She had just been promoted by the group company and was responsible for operating this golf club.

And this golf club was merely one of the projects of the Cultural Tourism Department of Outstanding Rising Film Company, a subsidiary of the group.

Besides this golf club, the department also operated Gu Bei Water Town, Outstanding Rising Film City Holiday Area, Outstanding Rising Film Park, and many other cultural tourism and sports industries.

Ultimately, it was because the company had too much money, so it kept expanding upstream and downstream in the film and entertainment industry and into related sectors.

Furthermore, given Jiang Heng's current fame and status, such activities are unavoidable; it would be better to create his own, making it more enjoyable for him.

After finishing a round of golf, everyone went to the restaurant to eat, and Yu Dong briefly summarized the achievements of the several films produced and released by the group company during this summer season.

In short, five words: 'Dominating the summer box office'! The mainland final box office of 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber: Return of the King' was 2.643 billion yuan, while 'Ghost Blows Out the Light: Finding the Dragon Veil' has not yet left theaters, but based on current box office trends, it is still expected to reach seventeen or eighteen hundred million.

Adding two medium-low budget films, in the 2013 summer season, Outstanding Rising Film Group's total mainland box office was about 4.6 billion yuan, accounting for more than seventy percent of the entire summer box office share.

Its dominant position in the industry is unquestionable! Therefore, the type and content of Jiang Heng's next work are closely watched by the entire entertainment circle.

Du Huan, Yu Dong, and others were also quite curious.

The latter picked up a piece of watermelon with a toothpick, took a bite, and laughed, asking, 'Director Jiang, have you decided what to shoot next?'

Jiang Heng took a sip of the orange juice in front of him, smiled, and said, 'Science fiction film, then!'

'Science fiction film?' the several people present couldn't help muttering.

Speaking of Jiang Heng's various genre works, the most popular in the global market are science fiction blockbusters.

Because global audiences can understand it, unlike mythological stories, where people from different countries, regions, and ethnicities may have a certain deviation in their sense of immersion when watching.

Du Huan became somewhat excited and asked, 'Are you preparing to film Three Body 2?'

Jiang Heng shook his head, smiled, and said, 'Not yet the time!'

Du Huan sighed, 'Western audiences are eagerly awaiting it!'

He had gone abroad many times, representing Jiang Heng in negotiations with overseas distributors, and was quite familiar with such situations.

Speaking of the Three Body trilogy, after its publication in the West it received widespread acclaim, and many political and business elites in Western countries expressed their fondness for the Three Body series.

Hollywood film and television companies had also extended an olive branch, wanting to co-produce with Outstanding Rising Film Company, but all were rejected.

Jing Tian, standing nearby, curiously asked, 'So what are you preparing to film?'

Actually, given their relationship, Da Tian Tian really could ask at any time.

But Jiang Heng had always said he hadn't decided yet, so she was also unaware.

'Well, this time I want to film something different in science fiction!'

Li Xiaoping laughed, 'Director Jiang saying that means you've already figured it out!' Jiang Heng nodded slightly, smiled, and said, 'Indeed, the rough story is already there!'

Actually, if Jiang Heng wanted to make an ordinary science fiction film, he could have done so years ago with those high-rated Hollywood sci-fi films.

But he didn't feel much for most Hollywood blockbusters, so he just let time pass.

As for this time, he happened to recall a phrase: 'Eight Billion Mad Dogs Charging Out of Earth.'

It refers to aliens mastering space-jump technology, with countless warships clearly hostile suddenly appearing above Earth.

But unexpectedly, the invading aliens' military strength was only at the level of humanity's flintlock era, appearing weak and laughable before Earth's humans who possess missiles and other attack means.

Thus after the war, eight billion Earth humans mastered the aliens' space-jump technology, and like 'mad dogs let out of a cage,' began to carry out reverse invasion in the universe.

This astonishing scene comes from Harry Turtledove's classic short science fiction story 'Strange Alternatives'.

Jiang Heng happened to recall it and thought that if made into a effects-heavy blockbuster, it would definitely have highlights.

If humanity masters hyperspace engines and anti-gravity technology, ushering in an era of interstellar hegemony and colonization, just thinking about it feels grand and sweeping; if done well, producing a good science fiction series film would also be quite simple.

However, the most important thing at present is still to obtain the film and television adaptation rights to the novel.

Jiang Heng has already sent people to the United States to negotiate, and news will return shortly.

It is expected to encounter no obstacles, after all, the influence of film and television works far exceeds that of text.

Given that an international-level director like Jiang Heng is willing to film it, it's unlikely any novel author would refuse.

Thus, two days later, the envoy sent by Jiang Heng returned with news that the film and television adaptation rights to 'Strange Alternatives' had been secured.

Jiang Heng heard the news and was thrilled, also feeling somewhat fortunate; in his view this is truly a excellent subject, yet even when he was reborn in his previous life, no film company had prepared to shoot it—perhaps 'stellar colonization' mirrors the unsavory history of the West over the past few centuries. After obtaining the novel's film and television adaptation rights, Jiang Heng began drafting the script.

Because the novel merely provides a concept and setting, just as Ning Hao's 'Crazy Alien' claims to be adapted from Liu Cixin's sci-fi novel 'The Village Teacher,' yet in terms of plot alone, there is really no obvious connection.

Jiang Heng's new film, however, at least retains the opening plot where aliens suddenly arrive, which is still derived from the original novel.

However, the film's protagonist and subsequent storyline need to be re-conceived and designed by Jiang Heng.

To be able to create in peace, Jiang Heng has not gone to the company these past few days but instead hid at home writing the script, even driving Jing Tian away.

Liu Yifei called to inquire about the situation, and Jiang Heng only said a few words before hanging up.

Meanwhile, in the entertainment circle, it was rumored that Jiang Heng would film a different science fiction blockbuster, aiming to refresh the global box office record.

Upon hearing the news, major film and television companies all felt tremendous pressure; a traditional, star-studded 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber: Return of the King' could already earn over 2.6 billion, so how much would a sci-fi blockbuster have to earn! Audiences' spending capacity on films is limited; the more they watch Jiang Heng's films, the less they naturally watch others'.

Many artists in the entertainment circle, upon hearing this news, showed some excitement.

They constantly inquired about what roles were available and what the casting criteria were.

After all, it is a sci-fi blockbuster costing several hundred million dollars; even playing a minor role in it would be quite beneficial for future development.

As for Jiang Heng's fans, they were truly extraordinarily excited, constantly refreshing online for news, wanting to know exactly what story Jiang Heng would film this time. (End of chapter)