Chapter 332: Astonishing Re‑Release Box Office

The re‑screening ceremony for "Lion‑Camel Ridge" was set for Sunday, April 5, and the film's main cast all showed up.

After all, Jiang Heng's fame and status have grown so much that the box‑office results are easy to imagine.

With such a great chance to appear, they'd come even without a promotion budget! Facing the press, the actors each recalled various anecdotes from filming "Lion‑Camel Ridge"; Ding Haifeng, who played Tang Seng, even told the media about his mental journey back then, saying the pressure was so great he often suffered insomnia.

Since the advent of "Journey‑to‑the‑West"‑type dramas, there's never been such a majestic, robust Tang Seng! Although Jiang Heng is very confident, he truly fears the audience might not accept it.

Ding Haifeng also recounted his audition experience, quoting Jiang Heng's line to him: "If the devotee cannot comprehend the Dharma, this humble monk knows a bit of martial arts," which made the journalists and audience burst into laughter.

After the interview segment, the film's creators, attending guests, media reporters, and audience members who bought premiere tickets all proceeded into the theater's IMAX auditorium.

Those willing to pay a premium for the 3D re‑release of "Lion‑Camel Ridge" are almost all Jiang Heng's fans; many even wore matching outfits, making it feel like a concert.

Especially some female viewers, who got so excited at seeing Jiang Heng take the stage for the interview they nearly fainted.

Inside the theater, they excitedly shared their feelings with their companions.

"So excited—I didn't sleep well last night!"

"Me too; when we watched 'Lion‑Camel Ridge' back then, it was truly overwhelming, indescribable!"

"I almost cried to death back then; on TV I hated Tang Seng the most, that dead‑like character was so annoying. But when he voluntarily attained nirvana, my tears just poured out!"

"I cried then too, and when Monkey Brother went on a massive killing spree, it felt so exhilarating!"

"The 3D version should be even more stunning, right?"

"Definitely!"

"I went to see 'Painted Skin'; its effects felt just average!"

"How can those movies compare with Director Jiang's?"

"Exactly!"

While the fans were discussing, the big screen played a trailer ad, featuring Jiang Heng and Liu Yifei starring in the upcoming summer release "A Chinese Ghost Story."

The effect was naturally super‑stunning, instantly catching many eyes.

"Brother Jiang Heng is so handsome!"

"His portrayal of Ning Caichen looks so gentle!"

"Shall we go see it together this summer?"

"Definitely!"

……

"Lion‑Camel Ridge" first premiered on May 1, 2000, and in the blink of an eye nine years have passed.

In those nine years, many have watched it more than once; the plot is already deeply ingrained in their hearts.

Yet when everyone puts on 3D glasses and sees those familiar scenes again, they still get wildly excited. For example, when Tang Seng and his disciples stay in Lion‑Camel Kingdom, push open a tavern window and see countless semi‑blurred demons, helmets and armor clashing, a flying chopping‑blade shot—the 3D effect is simply too thrilling! There's also the sequence where Sun Wukong attacks the Great Lion‑Camel City alone, battling a golden leopard, a white elephant, a blue lion in succession, only to be ambushed by a soaring golden‑winged Roc; no matter how many times you watch, it's exhilarating.

As for Tang Seng's voluntary nirvana and Sun Wukong's massive slaughter, countless viewers first cried then laughed—so moving!

So after leaving the theater, when faced with reporters, they all said the trip was totally worth it, definitely worth the ticket price!

"It's definitely worth it; back in 2000 there was no IAMX version, no 3D, and the re‑release's visual effects are truly superb! I don't think it's inferior to 'The Monkey King's Havoc.'"

"I think it's even better than 'The Monkey King's Havoc.' I've always believed Director Jiang Heng's best work is the 2000 'Lion‑Camel Ridge'; he seemed full of spirit then, whereas his current works feel like assembly‑line products—visually appealing but lacking substance!"

"Detective Dee? Painted Skin? Please don't insult Director Jiang, okay? How can those compare with Director Jiang's works? They're not even in the same tier, okay!"

That night, many online media outlets reported on the grandeur of the "Lion‑Camel Ridge" re‑screening and the audience's reactions, offering unanimous praise! Even worse, some media, eager for a spectacle, also published comments that belittled "Detective Dee" and "Painted Skin," which infuriated the production companies of those two films.

After all, lies aren't the most hurtful; the truth is.

The 3D effects of "Detective Dee" and "Painted Skin" really aren't great; they themselves admit it, but being repeatedly dragged out for criticism ("whipping the dead") is very irritating.

And they can't even refute it, let alone stop people from getting heated.

This led Wang Zhonglei to keep thinking about investing more money—spending real cash to produce a big‑ticket "real 3D" film—but he fears losses and can't bring himself to decide.

He's also frustrated that the "Investiture of the Gods" he produced back then was mediocre; if it were converted into a 3D version, could it earn a huge profit?

But on second thought, "Lion‑Camel Ridge" has been out for nine years—can that many people really go see it again?

Don't be fooled by the hype; if the re‑release only pulls in a few tens of millions, Jiang Heng would look embarrassed.

In this circle of Chinese‑language entertainment, many people share Wang Zhonglei's mindset—they just want to see Jiang Heng get knocked down, so they closely follow any news about "Lion‑Camel Ridge."

By the time the 10th arrived, the 3D version of "Lion‑Camel Ridge" was officially re‑screened, and numerous domestic media outlets sent reporters to the cinema.

Some portal sites even released press releases with video content.

The reports were largely identical: the "Lion‑Camel Ridge" 3D version sparked a viewing frenzy during April's off‑season, causing long queues at cinemas in many bustling commercial districts.

The next day, the opening‑day box‑office numbers for the re‑release were released, shocking the entire Chinese‑language entertainment industry.

74 million! That's insanely exaggerated—this is a re‑release, after nine years; you could say the vast majority of viewers have already seen it multiple times.

Yet they're still willing to spend money to go to the theater and watch it again.

That alone shows the quality is truly solid.

The "China Film Report" column analyzed the phenomenon: blockbuster special‑effects films naturally belong in theaters to capture their essence; low‑resolution TV or small‑screen computers can't compare. Moreover, Jiang Heng's 3D film effects are truly outstanding, and many fans believe the "Lion‑Camel Ridge" 3D effects are not inferior to those of "The Monkey King's Havoc"…

With intensive media coverage and word‑of‑mouth, the "Lion‑Camel Ridge" 3D version's box office surged rapidly—over 100 million in two days, 200 million in three, quickly breaking the 600 million mark.

Industry bosses and directors stared in disbelief—this is just too outrageous.

It's one thing if Director Jiang's new film can't compare, but now even his re‑released films can't hold up!

When the "Lion‑Camel Ridge" 3D version closed, its final box office settled at 1.049 billion yuan, leaving shocked industry peers speechless! (End of chapter)