Chapter 405: with translation of chapter title

In the entertainment industry, it's quite common for actors who excel to become directors; Xu Zheng is a fairly typical and successful example.

He has talent, and also ambition.

His collaboration with Bona is still pleasant, but he wants a larger profit share and more say.

Yu Dong, after Lost in Thailand succeeded, proposed raising his salary and profit share, but it didn't meet Xu Zheng's psychological price.

Coincidentally, Outstanding Rising Film Company came knocking, so Xu Zheng talked with them about a new film.

Just like veteran employees who want a raise, it's easier to switch jobs than to struggle negotiating with the boss.

Speaking of which, after Yu Dong got the news, he was still a little panicked.

After all, Lost in Thailand's box office was too dazzling; many renowned directors haven't even grossed over ten billion!

For this, Yu Dong specially called Jiang Heng to ask for his opinion.

Jiang Heng laughed heartily and said, "Let him go!"

Yu Dong was a bit puzzled: "Outstanding Rising Film Company's Wang Changtian is good at winning people over; if he gets his hooks into you…"

Jiang Heng said: "Ambitious people aren't so easily won over. Feng Xiaogang's cooperation with Huayi is because they're already in the same circle, making many things convenient. Zhang Da signed with Outstanding Rising Film Company because only a few companies have the strength to support his big-budget films, and we are strong and give strong support, so that's why they chose us."

As for people like Xu Ke and Xu Zheng, they just set up their own studios and work with whoever offers the best terms; they can't escape that.

Upon hearing that, Yu Dong couldn't help but ask, "What about this year's new film?"

After Lost in Thailand succeeded, Yu Dong has wanted to do another comedy film, but he never found a suitable script. If Xu Zheng were to leave again…

Jiang Heng laughed: "Simple, I have a story outline here; take it and go find Ning Hao…"

"Ning Hao!"

Yu Dong's tone was doubtful; after all, Ning Hao's commercial-film results are decent now, but they still can't compare to Xu Zheng's.

But since Jiang Heng said that, he definitely wanted to hear it; the next day he went to Outstanding Rising Film Company and got a script outline, seeing only the four words "Heart Flower Road" on the cover.

……

16th, Saturday.

It was supposed to be a day off, but many film and TV companies in mainland China were working as usual.

In Huayi's general manager's office, Wang Zhonglei and Feng Xiaogang were sipping tea and chatting casually.

Feng Xiaogang is currently preparing for 1942; his main work is polishing the script, so he isn't that busy and occasionally comes to the company for a chat.

"Jiang Heng's blockbusters get smoother and smoother!" Feng Xiaogang exclaimed.

Wang Zhonglei took a sip of tea, set down his cup, and said: "Indeed, if I were to talk about the plot, it's just so-so, but the action scenes are really cool!"

Feng Xiaogang chuckled: "He's from Xianggang; his action design philosophy is inherently stronger than mainland directors', and with 3D effects, it's indeed impressive!"

Wang Zhonglei agreed wholeheartedly, enviously saying: "This time he's going to rake it in again—won't the mainland gross exceed two billion?"

"About right—yesterday's box office, if not two billion, it's at least 1.89 billion!"

As they were talking, the assistant knocked and entered, calling out 'General Manager Wang, Director Feng,' then announced that the box office for the first day of *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* had come out: 217 million yuan.

"How much?"

Feng Xiaogang stared, unable to help asking. As a professional, he usually feels his predictions are accurate. In his estimate, the probability of *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* reaching two hundred million on opening day was only about 30%,, with a high likelihood of being around 1.89 billion.

Unexpectedly, it not only passed two hundred million, but also gained nearly another twenty million.

The female assistant jumped in fright, then hurriedly repeated it.

Wang Zhonglei also wore a look of astonishment and envy, then waved his hand, letting the female assistant leave.

"Jiang Heng's fans are really something—over two hundred million in a single day!" Wang Zhonglei marveled.

Feng Xiaogang's smile turned a bit bitter, after all, in literature there's no first place, in martial arts no second.

All being directors, actually the top directors aren't really convinced by each other.

But Jiang Heng's results are too dazzling, far ahead; even if others drink a lot, they dare not rashly claim they'll surely surpass him.

With *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* releasing now, if its opening day can achieve 217 million yuan, then the mainland total box office will be roughly twenty billion.

This is just the first part; there's still a second part to be released this year! Combined, the two parts won't reach forty billion, but they'll surely be over thirty-something billion—how can anyone compete?

Still, let's first offer congratulations!

Feng Xiaogang picked up his phone to call Jiang Heng, naturally finding the line busy as expected.

Yet when the opening day box office of 2.17 billion came out, too many 'good friends' called to congratulate, and Jiang Heng could only pick and choose which calls to answer and respond to.

However, the film's good news doesn't stop there.

In the Japanese market, *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* earned 391 million yen on its opening day, refreshing Jiang Heng's single-day box office record in Japan.

Because of cultural differences, animated films are more popular in the Japanese market. Hollywood blockbusters that sweep the globe often fall flat here; even a great director like Jiang Heng doesn't always get good results in Japan with every film.

But *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* was warmly received; besides Jiang Heng's own fame, mainly because the story of Houyi shooting the suns is already familiar to the Japanese, and secondly, it naturally resonates with their innate 'tragic complex'.

In the film, although Houyi killed the nine golden crows and avenged his great grudge,

he lost his tribe, his lover, and half of his essence-blood magic power, transforming from a vigorous young man into an elderly gray-haired old man.

Moreover, according to the known story, even if Houyi manages to resurrect Chang'e in the sequel, it's likely they still won't be able to stay together.

Such a sorrowful story, combined with such splendid special-effects battle scenes, they naturally love it to no end.

Thus, in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, a movie-watching frenzy was sparked; at the entrances of cinemas in popular commercial districts, one can always see queues of people.

Furthermore, some middle-aged and elderly Japanese film fans began discussing the relationship between the three-legged golden crows and the fusang tree.

Many felt that the fusang tree should be added to the film, as it is the golden crows' resting palace.

Director Jiang deliberately omitted this; he must be engaging in discrimination.

The more the discussion spread, the more media reported it, further fueling controversy and debate, and consequently more people went to the theaters to watch.

In South Korea, *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* attracted 201,700 viewers on its opening day, taking the day's box office crown, sparking widespread discussion among the public, with many agreeing that Chang'e should belong to Korea.

As for many Southeast Asian countries, *The Great Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns* can be said to have broken each nation's opening-day box office record.

After all, most of them are familiar with the Houyi story, and they also know Jiang Heng's great name.

The action and special effects scenes are so flashy, definitely better than Haolaiwu blockbusters! As for Haolaiwu, the film 'The Wilderness: Houyi Shoots the Suns' also got decent box office results, but the audience's attitude there is obviously not as frenzied as that of the Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian peoples.

(End of Chapter)