Chapter 302: Visit

In his past life, after the mainland market was opened to Hong Kong films, the Hong Kong circle and mainland filmmakers had many frictions in the open and in the dark.

Hong Kong films during this period did have advantages in all aspects, knowing commercialization, having rich shooting experience, Hong Kong stars having more appeal, being sought after by investors, etc. This also led to the arrogant attitude of Hong Kong filmmakers.

Take the co-production regulations among them, which are intended to encourage giving more opportunities to mainland actors in co-produced films. However, the Hong Kong film producers didn't care about this at all. Basically, they were all supporting roles with no weight, and some were even garbage roles.

What, complain that the supporting role is too spicy? Mainland complains? Okay, then I give you the female lead, is that enough?

As a result, many Hong Kong films later implemented a strategy, which is to invite famous mainland actresses to be the female lead, but the fate of these female leads is very miserable: car accidents, kidnapping, miscarriage, being forced, being vegetative, being mentally ill, being drugged, broken legs...

It really became a misery competition, one more miserable than the other! I have to admire these Hong Kong screenwriters for arranging all kinds of miserable methods. Like Gao Yuanyuan in Jackie Chan's *Rob-B-Hood*, female leads with good images and good endings are really rare.

It's not obvious in a short time, but after several consecutive years, you leave the good female roles in every movie to Hong Kong actresses, and let mainland actresses play the miserable roles. Not to mention people in the circle, even the audience has tasted that something is wrong.

Please, it is you who begged the mainland to open the market for you to come north to make money, but now you put on a high-above posture.

Not to mention that besides these, there is the superior treatment of Hong Kong filmmakers, huddling together to grab resources, etc. The more sharp conflicts were the incident of Nicholas Tse and Dicky Cheung beating up the "Little White Dragon," and the later battle between Zhao Wenzhuo and Donnie Yen, which was actually a product of the continuation of this contradiction.

So, you do the first day, don't blame me for doing the fifteenth day. After mainland local films rise, it is a dream for you to want good resources and good roles! Give your young filmmakers opportunities? Go play eggs!

However, with Wu Yuchen here now, the situation is different.

First of all, in the past few years, the commercial films he shot have already proven that mainland stars can also be protagonists. Although Hong Kong stars have halo advantages now, they are definitely not as big as in his past life.

In this case, investors will be willing to give more opportunities to mainland actors who are good and cheap. So after this opening, although Hong Kong films are coming fiercely and still have advantages, they will no longer have the overwhelming advantage over the mainland film circle in his past life. And the time for this advantage to be wiped out is likely to be greatly shortened.

At the same time, Wu Yuchen's status and prestige are here. Whoever comes from the Hong Kong circle has to bow his head obediently. And there is the strong power of Miracle Film and Television and the Bai Xiong Media inserted in Hong Kong. When you arrive at our territory, it is fine if you restrain yourself and do things according to the rules. If you really make things happen and break the rules, then Wu Yuchen doesn't mind killing a few to establish prestige.

After listening to Wu Yuchen's explanation, Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai could also imagine the future of Hong Kong films. However, he then laughed heartily and said:

"It's enough not to starve to death! In the future, making movies, you don't have to worry about being banned, having a gun pointed at your head, being kidnapped by gangs, and worrying all day long!"

Many fans miss the golden age of Hong Kong films in the 80s and 90s, but in fact, many Hong Kong actors don't miss it at all. Because the gangs were too rampant in that era, and they had no guarantee of personal safety.

Not to mention others, just talk about the *East Weekly* incident that broke out last year, the whole Hong Kong artist parade opposed its exposure of Carina Lau's photos of being violated. Think about what Carina Lau and Liang Zhang Jiahui could do when such a thing happened at the beginning? Still swallowing their anger? That group of people still had nothing to do, continued to be at large, and took out photos and videos to sell ten years later.

This kind of thing was not an example in that era. Other things like Jet Li's agent being beaten to death, Andy Lau being forced to kneel, Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai being kidnapped to the Philippines, etc., were really endless.

Seeing Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai being so open-minded, Wu Yuchen also smiled and didn't continue this topic. He turned to ask: "Brother Tony, did you go to see Li Dao when you came to Los Angeles? How is he now?"

Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai shook his hand when he heard this: "Li Dao told me that he will never shoot any superhero movies in the future! The water is too deep, he can't grasp it!"

Wu Yuchen laughed when he heard this: "It's not that the water is too deep, it's that he wants to make the movie too deep! He wants both commercial and connotation, which is not so easy!"

Ang Lee's *Hulk* was indeed a failure after release. This big production with a production cost of 140 million, the global box office has not reached 200 million so far. It definitely cannot return to the cost from the box office alone, because there is a huge promotion fee. Even if the DVD and peripherals are added, it will take several years to slowly return to blood.

However, for Wu Yuchen, this is actually a good thing. It's not that he is gloating over Ang Lee's misfortune, but that it will be more convenient to invest in his next movie. Now that Ang Lee is questioned because of *Hulk*, investors will waver, and Wu Yuchen can let Miracle Film take down his *Brokeback Mountain* at that time.

This movie is super profitable, with a cost of 14 million and a box office of 178 million US dollars. It is ten times again, and it also won an Oscar! Ang Lee's art films can be invested in without brains, basically they are all big profits.

Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai couldn't help but ask: "Wu Dao, then will you still make *Batman*?"

The failure of *Hulk* naturally poured a basin of cold water on superheroes again. And in Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai's view, if Wu Yuchen takes *Batman*, he will definitely not just want box office, but also want connotation. This is what many big directors will pursue. What if he follows the old path of Li's failure?

Wu Yuchen also understood the meaning in Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai's words and shook his head with a smile: "Batman is different from Hulk."

"Hulk's characteristics and inherent impressions are too heavy. The audience's hope for him is to see his violent side, see him transform, see his action scenes, see him smash, smash, smash... So the audience doesn't have that much patience for him. It is very difficult to grasp the scale and balance of giving him delicate emotions and profound connotation while ensuring commerciality."

"But Batman is different. He is a character in the dark himself. He has never relied on any superpowers to fight criminals. He relies on his own brain and flesh and blood. Compared with other superheroes, he is more like an ordinary person."

Wu Yuchen stopped at the point and didn't say too much, but Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai also understood a little. Wu Yuchen has the confidence to balance the commerciality and connotation of *Batman* and achieve what Ang Lee couldn't do.

Liang Zhang Jiahui Ka-fai smiled at Wu Yuchen. He didn't know if Wu Yuchen could succeed. Although Wu Yuchen's words sounded reasonable, everyone was very confident before shooting, and they all had their own logic. However, *Batman* has nothing to do with him. What he has to do now is to shoot *Pirates of the Caribbean 3* well!

In these few months, besides Ang Lee's *Hulk*, several Hollywood big productions were released.

First was the highly anticipated *The Matrix Reloaded*. After its release, it achieved huge success. The global box office has currently exceeded 600 million and is heading towards 700 million. Everyone is looking forward to what kind of grand finale the third part will bring them.

In contrast, another *Terminator 3*, which also has many fans around the world, did not have such a good time. Although Schwarzenegger returned after 12 years, the global box office of this movie is only over 300 million US dollars, which is completely unable to recover its production cost of as high as 200 million US dollars.

Schwarzenegger was happy to take the salary to be his governor, but the producer is estimated to only have a headache, and has to try every means to recover the cost from its peripherals.

Pixar's new animation *Finding Nemo* shone brightly, frantically scraping box office around the world. Now it has created a global box office of over 800 million US dollars, and it hasn't stopped its pace.

This not only made Pixar happy, but also made Disney excited. Relying on its new president, Luo Bote Iger, the "Smiling Mickey Mouse," Disney re-signed with Pixar, and this movie also created considerable revenue for Disney, allowing the stock price to raise its head.

This also made Wu Yuchen have to sigh that this Luo Bote Iger is really a character. Since he took office, Disney has really been revitalized.

Last time he also let Disney help him lobby for the Oscars unconditionally. Although Wu Yuchen said verbally that this was Disney owing him, when he really won the Oscar for Best Director, he had to admit that he had to remember this favor in his heart.

It just so happened that his Miracle Film was going to produce the small-cost project *The Princess Diaries*. This kind of dreamy girl movie is actually what Disney has the most experience in, and its promotion channels are also the most advantageous for this. Therefore, Wu Yuchen planned to let Miracle Film and Disney cooperate to jointly develop it.

His past with Disney, with the stepping down of Eisner and the acquisition of the Oscar for Best Director, can be considered to have turned the page. This is Hollywood; there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

During the crew's filming period, two people from outside the industry came to visit.

Wu Yuchen looked at the "Little Pony" in front of him, who was no longer the green look of a few years ago, and the whole person revealed a mature and steady temperament. And the one following him was Zeng Liqing, who founded Tencent with him.

Wu Yuchen smiled: "If there is anything, can't you just talk about it on the phone? Why do you have to run here from far away?"

Ma Huateng shook his head slightly and responded with a smile: "This won't work. Since the founding of Tencent, we have received so much help from Mr. Wu. Seeing that we are about to prepare for listing, some things must be visited by Mr. Wu in person!"

After passing the internet winter of the first two years of the century, Tencent grasped the SP business and began to turn losses into profits. This year, revenue and profits in all aspects are growing, and conditions for listing have been met in all aspects, so they don't want to wait anymore.

However, before starting the IPO, one thing must be settled internally, and that is shares.

When Tencent accepted the B-round financing of the Bai Xiong Fund, a condition was put forward, which was that before listing, Tencent agreed to buy back 10% of the shares from its hands as an incentive share pool for employees.

The real big boss of the Bai Xiong Fund is Wu Yuchen, and Little Pony knows this very well. Although it was written into the contract in black and white, it would be too offensive to act completely according to the cold contract. They naturally wanted to visit and bring a good attitude to explain this matter in person.

Wu Yuchen actually knew their intentions and smiled at them: "Do you think I would be so ignorant of the overall situation and make things difficult for you at such a time?"

Zeng Liqing hurriedly explained: "No, no! Mr. Wu, it is because the listing is too important to the company, and you are the company's largest shareholder, we must make it clear to you. And establishing a good relationship with the largest shareholder is also the obligation of our management~"

"Hahaha, don't worry, I am very satisfied with your management. Unless necessary, I will not interfere with the company's operations. For these 10% of the shares, according to what you said, 250 million Hong Kong dollars."

During the last round of financing, the Bai Xiong Fund raised 25% of the shares with 10 million US dollars, but the current Tencent has a total asset valuation between 2.5 and 3 billion. Buying back 10% of the shares is naturally based on the current one.

Ma Huateng also thanked him upon hearing this: "Thank you for Mr. Wu's trust and understanding. We will definitely not let you down. This time we will definitely succeed in listing in Hong Kong!"

Wu Yuchen patted Little Pony on the shoulder: "Go ahead and do it boldly, I support you!"

Regarding Little Pony, he is still relatively at ease. What "don't know wife is beautiful" Liu Dongzi, what "nothing" Wang Xiaomubiao, what "regret founding Alibaba" Jack Ma, what are they pretending to be? How can our "ordinary family" Little Pony be mature and steady!

Penguin has developed to this stage, and it is also time to start a new journey!

However, the matter of Tencent preparing to list in Hong Kong did not become the core focus. Who is the most eye-catching in the domestic internet circle now? It is Ding Sanshi of NetEase!

NetEase's stock price has been rising since last year, and it has risen 100 times compared to the low point. Ding Sanshi's net worth has also exceeded 1 billion US dollars, becoming the richest man in the mainland on the surface.

That's right, it's on the surface. In fact, many rich people keep a low profile and don't want to publish their wealth at all, such as Wu Yuchen.

Apart from Ding Sanshi, Sohu and Sina have also risen with this spring breeze, and there is also Shanda, which is preparing to list on NASDAQ. Boss Chen has already shouted a market value of 10 billion. These entrepreneurs in Beijing and Shanghai are the real star players, and they are playing high-end US stocks. The little penguin in the Shenzhen fishing port landing in the Hong Kong stock market, what a big deal!

In fact, Wu Yuchen is happy to see this situation. Low profile is good. The little penguin needs to be low-key, so that there is enough time to develop. After 10 years, it will be full-fledged. ===== CHAPTER 303 =====