Chapter 45: Hot Release

Copper Gong Bay, inside his own home.

Jiang Heng stood by the window admiring the night view, thinking about future development.

In the film and television industry, just making movies isn't enough.

Like those big companies in Haolaiwu, in their early years they entrusted all their main revenue to films; as a result, a big blockbuster losing money could push the company to the brink of bankruptcy.

Although Jiang Heng wouldn't face such a crisis, if he only worked as a director, he would still appear isolated and powerless.

Moreover, after earning so much over the years, it can't just sit in the bank; one must spend it to make it meaningful.

Although he won't become a tycoon or a web novel god of wealth, making some normal investments to deepen his influence in the entertainment circle would also be fine!

Hengdian Film and Television City has already been built; otherwise he would really want to create one.

Moreover, a theme park could be created, but considering he currently has few IPs, he is also somewhat hesitant.

He was pondering whether to first build a small dinosaur park, or wait a few years and then build a larger one.

Just as he was thinking, the phone beside him suddenly rang.

He picked it up and saw it was Hong Jinbao.

Jiang Heng couldn't help but be startled; they had just finished eating and dispersed!

"Hey, big brother, why aren't you sleeping so late?"

"Well, this is the thing: Mr. Zou from Excellence Harmony called me, saying he wants to treat you to a meal!"

"Oh, he's treating me?"

In his previous life, when he was in Xianggang, he never made a name for himself; for a long time he was just a nobody.

By the time he gained a little fame, Excellence Harmony had already gone out of business and been sold to Prosperous Heaven!

So in both his past and present lives, he had never dealt with Zou Wenhuai; hearing that the other party wanted to treat him to a meal was genuinely surprising.

Hong Jinbao said: "Don't worry, Mr. Zou is a very nice person; he just wants to chat with you, nothing will be affected. If you're afraid of an awkward silence, I'll accompany you!"

Jiang Heng thought for a moment, "Alright, let's go together!"

Actually, to him, the Xianggang film market's meager returns are no longer important.

Under normal circumstances, the annual champion only brings in thirty to fifty million, and after profit sharing the box-office revenue is only ten to twenty million.

For him, who values the global box-office market, such a proportion is really too low, so there's nothing to worry about discussing anything.

The next day, Hong Jinbao drove to the building's entrance, and Jiang Heng went downstairs and got into Hong Jinbao's Mercedes.

Speaking of this meeting, Hong Jinbao suddenly said: "I think they might ask you to have an advance screening!"

Jiang Heng laughed: "Is that what you think, or what Mr. Zou said!"

Hong Jinbao wore an expression of "how could you doubt me," saying: "Of course it's my guess; big brother, I've also opened several companies! Now everyone knows that your film *Prehistoric One Hundred Million Years* is absolutely the seed contender for the box-office champion of this year's New Year's blockbuster season; those two films lack selling points. If all three films are released together, nobody will make money!"

Jiang Heng nodded slightly, not opposed to this request.

The film *Prehistoric One Hundred Million Years* has global market support; the box office in Xianggang, whether more or less, doesn't matter.

The market for selling rights to *The Glass Bottle* and *The King of Comedy* is much smaller, yet they still value the Xianggang market greatly.

After that, the two traveled in silence and soon arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant.

Zou Wenhuai was very generous, he directly booked an entire restaurant; inside the hall of the antiquated Chinese-style restaurant stood a table.

Three old men sat there, full of aura, somewhat like the three heroes in *The Warlords*.

Jiang Heng, being the junior, took the initiative to greet upon entering.

Only then did Zou Wenhuai rise, clasped his hands, and said: "Mr. Jiang, I've long heard of your great name; today we finally have the fortune to meet!".

Jiang Heng laughed: "Just some empty fame, like floating clouds!"

Zou Wenhuai's expression froze for a moment, he smiled but said nothing.

The five people exchanged pleasantries, then each took a seat.

Zou Wenhuai inquired about the market performance of *Prehistoric One Hundred Million Years* in various countries, and Jiang Heng related everything he knew.

"Heroes emerge in every generation; new talents replace the old!" Zou Wenhuai exclaimed.

Jiang Heng quickly replied: "Mr. Zou, you shouldn't say that; the Xianggang film world still needs your leadership!"

Zou Wenhuai just sighed: "Old, old!".

He really is old; Zou Wenhuai, born in 1927, is now over seventy.

Even with good maintenance, he can't compare to his younger self!

Cai Yongchang said: "Mr. Jiang, from now on the Xianggang film world will entirely rely on you to hold things up!".

Jiang Heng hurriedly said modestly: "Not at all, not at all!"

After mutual flattery, they finally got to talking about this year's New Year's blockbuster season.

Liang Rang expressed the hope for an advance screening of *Prehistoric One Hundred Million Years*, and Jiang Heng showed hesitation, not answering right away.

He was naturally prepared to agree, but then Zou Wenhuai suddenly said: "Mr. Jiang, our Excellence Harmony theater chain also wants to distribute your film *Prehistoric One Hundred Million Years*, what do you think?"

Jiang Heng was overjoyed upon hearing that: "That couldn't be better!"

Being able to release a film simultaneously on all three theater chains in Xianggang is extremely rare; a few years ago, it was unthinkable.

Excellence Harmony offered this condition; Jiang Heng had no reason to refuse, and for a while the glasses clinked and host and guest enjoyed themselves fully.

After the meal, he contacted the New Treasure and Gold Life theater chains, proposing the idea of an advance screening one week earlier.

Those two had no objections and readily agreed.

Afterward, Jiang Heng went to Excellence Harmony, signed a distribution agreement, and the matter was settled.

Immediately, the major films under the three theater chains posted and replaced their latest movie posters; television, radio, and newspapers also reported the news of *Prehistoric One Hundred Million Years* advancing its release.

At the newsstand, a teenager saw the news and was overjoyed.

"It's actually advancing the release, great! If it weren't, I'd have to take my girlfriend to Shenzhen to watch it!"

"Wow, really? Is it that exaggerated? Still need to pass inspection to watch movies?"

It's mainly because her best friend watched it and said the plot was really exciting, so she couldn't stand it—she wished she could see it right away! I really don't get why girls always like this kind of movie.

Women, you know, are just born to like excitement—never let them feel it's too boring, or you'll be the one who suffers!

Ah, what a hassle—might as well play video games!

The boy said helplessly…

On the day the film premiered, the entrances of all major cinemas in Xianggang were packed with crowds coming to watch.

Young men and women gathered together, chattering excitedly without pause.

There were also annoyed parents leading their children, complaining about why the screening was moved up when everything had already been arranged perfectly.

As a result, when the child learned the film's schedule had been moved up, they cried and shouted, insisting on going!

Inside the theater, Xianggang audiences enjoyed the modern scenes of *Prehistoric One Thousand Years* with great interest, because many had read the novel *Search for Qin* and thus had the concept of time travel and returning to the past in mind.

Some Neidi viewers thought the 'nine-star conjunction' triggering time travel was absurd, while here in Xianggang the audience wondered why not, like in *Search for Qin*, just invent a time machine—this damn idea would use a time machine to send a squad of special forces to the Jurassic, bring back some dinosaur DNA, which would be more reliable than using mosquito blood in amber as in *Jurassic Park*!

Then we could also add some dinosaur park scenes, and then build a dinosaur-themed park in Hong Kong, then acquire land and construct buildings—should be profitable, right?

(End of chapter)