Chapter 133

Thus output: Chen Kaige's remark really isn't baseless.

Because Jiang Heng's special-effects blockbusters have been continuously released, many filmmakers and investors envious of his box office results have gathered to discuss which is easiest to copy successfully.

Sci-fi films similar to The Matrix need not be considered; we truly lack that kind of idea.

One Hundred Million Years BC is easy to emulate, but monster blockbusters lack prestige; domestic commercial directors used to have artistic dreams, even someone like Feng Xiaogang wanted to be a master, and mentally they can't get past making monster movies.

Pacific Rim need not even be mentioned; they've never been exposed to mecha culture.

Wang Jing did produce an Atlantic-themed film, but due to cheap special effects, it was neither properly Chinese nor Western, and he lost a lot of money.

After thinking it over, only mythological special-effects blockbusters are easiest to copy.

Whether from cultural foundation or familiarity with the stories, mythological subjects are the easiest to tackle.

As for special effects, internationally there are many production companies; as long as the money is sufficient, plenty of people are willing to work.

Then he came across the highly thought-provoking novel The Legend of Wukong, and Thus output: Chen Kaige is confident that his new film's box office will surely surpass that of The Lion's Roar Ridge and Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother.

Han Sanping said: "I inquired; it was written by an intern reporter, young people are bold, daring to say anything off the cuff! Even if Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother's box office drops again, it still has over 500 million USD worldwide, and we've made a big profit. For them to write that, it's as if we lost money!"

Jiang Heng chuckled: "Isn't this just falling short of profit expectations? Some people think they'll earn a million this year, then at year's end find they only made seventy, and tell everyone they lost thirty. This film's domestic performance is so strong, everyone thought it could exceed a billion USD, but it's only over five hundred million, so it's natural to feel like a loss."

Han Sanping said: "The Matrix Reloaded will be released in less than two months; won't that have an impact?"

Even some slightly larger newspapers began to reprint it, and indeed sales surged.

Perhaps due to the film's lack of novelty and aesthetic fatigue, besides being a standout in the domestic market and breaking box office records,

In other markets, compared to Pacific Rim's box office results, they all declined to varying degrees.

This article's content is detailed, and it speaks with data, thus fooling quite a few people.

The global box office was 5.75 billion USD, compared to Pacific Rim's 9.39 billion, a drop of nearly half.

Han Sanping, China Film Group, and the sequel have nothing to do with each other; distribution is also handled by Bona.

In the Japanese market, it only earned 13.3 billion yen (about 106 million USD), barely surpassing the box office of Jurassic Park in Japan from 1993.

Domestic tabloid media, seeing this, all chimed in with pessimism, claiming Jiang Heng has lost favor in European and American markets.

Among these, The Lion's Roar Ridge made 260 million USD, and Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother 207 million.

Han Sanping said: "For films, making money on every installment is already remarkable; to expect each to outdo the last? Even Spielberg wouldn't dare say that!"

And judging by the market law that sequels are usually trash, Jiang Heng's Matrix sequel is likely to flop.

Jiang Heng chuckled: "So this kind of article needn't be paid any attention at all!"

At Outstanding Rising Film Company, inside the boss's office, Jiang Heng stood by the floor-to-ceiling window taking a call.

The entire Matrix trilogy was Jiang Heng's sole investment; the only difference is that the first part was produced by "Outstanding" Film Company, while the second and third were by "Love Outstanding".

Jiang Heng filmed the two installments back-to-back, probably for this reason: to reap maximum profit before the series' reputation completely collapses.

Especially since both films' North American box office exceeded 200 million USD, which made him very envious.

Considering Jiang Heng is a very important partner, that's why I asked this.

Jiang Heng smiled: "It's fine, just a little trick; the market confidence cultivated by five special-effects blockbusters isn't shaken by this bit of slander."

Han Sanping thought it made sense: as soon as preview events are held, word-of-mouth from the major box-office cities emerges, and the impact of such criticism disappears.

Only Jiang Heng doesn't dare to hold previews, which indicates the film's quality really has problems.

After chatting a few sentences, they hung up.

He sat back in the boss's chair, rested a moment, heard a notification sound, opened it, and saw it was a message from Liu Tianxian.

After the first meeting when she called him "uncle", Liu Tianxian visited the set two more times.

Because filming was busy, they didn't chat much, and later they just exchanged texts.

Liu Tianxian, following her historical development trajectory, landed the role of Wang Yuyan and joined the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber cast.

Every few days she'd send a few texts, describing her filming experience on set.

"Uncle, the teacher who plays Duan Yu is getting on in years; really someone young and handsome like you should play him. Moreover, you have that aristocratic air—you don't even need to act to have it."

Jiang Heng glanced, smiled with pursed lips, and thought: "Does this girl completely not understand the concept of billing order?"

"If I go act in movies, fans berate me for lowering my worth; if I went to TV dramas, I can't even imagine!"

He typed back: "Duan Yu really is a character I like a lot; it's a shame I didn't get the chance to play him!"

"Uncle not acting is fine too; if you came to act, I'm afraid I couldn't portray Wang Yuyan's aloofness."

Jiang Heng looked and couldn't help laughing, thinking: "This little girl is quite articulate, and not the wooden feeling she has when facing outsiders."

He replied: "Then I mustn't delay your acting even more!"

After a while Liu Tianxian replied: "Uncle, have you still been that busy lately?"

"Not bad; I can rest half a month, then it's the release, rights buying, and promotion of Matrix 2!"

"Another preview tour?"

"Yeah, we have to go through the top ten domestic box-office cities!"

"Then I'll take time off then to go watch!"

"Alright, I'll arrange your schedule then."

Then, the next reply came two hours later.

The content was: So-and-so came to visit the set, and such-and-such had come to visit the set earlier.

Jiang Heng just gave a perfunctory reply.

The next day, Liu Tianxian brought up the matter of visiting the set again.

Jiang Heng realized, "Is she wanting me to go take a look?"

"The problem is, with all the female actresses he's worked with, he's never gone to visit the set."

"This Liu Tianxian hasn't collaborated with him yet; showing up out of the blue might land her in the news!"

"But after thinking it over, is he still afraid of that?"

After some thought, there really hasn't been any work lately, and the time I've spent in Jingcheng has indeed become quite long.

Heavenly Dragon Eight Divisions crew is filming in Crooked River these days; going over to take a look would be good.

Immediately, he ordered tickets booked, and the next day he flew to Crooked River with his assistant, driver, and bodyguard—a group of several people.

Then, he hired a car locally and headed straight for Yongkang Square Rock.

Square Rock is a typical Crimson Glow Landform Area, with perilous peaks, strange stones, beautiful waterfalls, and wondrous caves—very suitable for filming martial arts dramas.

Besides Heavenly Dragon Eight Divisions, the later hit Flower Thousand Bone also filmed here.

(End of Chapter)