Chapter 1079: Only the Cinema Chain is Missing; Release: Splitting Mountains and Cleaving Rocks VS Digging Graves and Excavating Tombs

On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, *Mulan* was still filming as usual; and without exception, the entire crew was in the midst of a heated rush to meet the deadline.

Meanwhile, news from Hong Kong that Maoyan had officially landed on the Hong Kong stock market and continued to show green after the opening, which in turn positively influenced the stock price of Tudou, naturally spread through the crew.

But unfortunately, the creators and lead actors had no time for idle chatter, and even less opportunity to joke and congratulate the great Lin Dao.

It wasn't until 12:00 noon that Lin Nan shouted "Cut!" and announced on the spot that the afternoon would be off to celebrate New Year's Eve together...

"Lin Dao, congratulations. In just one morning, your net worth has risen by another twenty or thirty." Gong Li spoke first, joking.

"Wealth is fleeting, and paper gains don't count. The stock market is the same; short-term fluctuations cannot be taken as truth."

Lin Nan smiled, resolutely shaking his head in denial. Besides, he had never thought about operating on the Tudou side.

"Lin Dao, you are being too humble. As a ticketing platform, Maoyan's greatest function is film distribution. Now that it has officially gone public, it will only continue to grow bigger and stronger;

And looking at all the production links upstream and downstream of the entire film industry, you are only missing the final piece of the puzzle: the cinema chain business, to complete your self-sufficient industrial closed loop." Yuan Heping teased with a playful expression, exclaiming in wonder.

Well, faced with such a sharp, hit-the-nail-on-the-head remark, Lin Nan really couldn't deny it. Because the fact was indeed so; Lin Nan Film Industry was just missing its own cinema chain.

As long as there was another cinema chain of suitable size, the Lin Nan Film Industry system could undoubtedly form its own small ecosystem within the entire major industry system.

"Director Yuan, this is a project with a long and arduous road ahead." Lin Nan took over the conversation without arguing or denying it.

At this very moment, both Gong Li and Yuan Heping heard the subtext in Lin Nan's words—Lin Nan Film Industry indeed had ideas about the cinema chain business!

"Then when I direct a film in the future, I must ask for Lin Dao's care, hahaha..."

Good heavens, Lin Nan really didn't know how to respond to this sentence from Yuan Heping. The "care" the former spoke of most likely referred to screen allocation.

How the hell could he "care" for that? Who knew how long it would take for the Lin Nan Film Industry cinema chain to take shape.

Furthermore, you are the best martial arts choreographer in the world, but do you really have no idea what your level is as a film director?

"Easy to say, easy to say, we are also looking forward to Director Yuan's new film."

While Lin Nan and the others were chatting and laughing, Liu Yifei, who had changed out of her armor and back into her down jacket, also returned.

A faint smile hung on her face, simply because she had just received a wave of compliments.

"Senior Brother Yue Jun sent a text message before boarding the plane; he is starting his Spring Festival holiday; he said if we have anything to do this week, we should find Director Jiang, saying it's Director Jiang's turn to be on duty this year."

"..."

"It seems that is indeed the case." Lin Nan paused, then smiled and nodded.

"Lin Dao, the car is here." At this moment, they heard Guo Fan calling out to a group of people from afar. Everyone could return to the crew's residence to rest and wait for New Year's Eve.

"Director Yuan, Sister Gong Li, let's go back then. The logistics department will clean up the location side."

"Let's go, I'm hungry." Gong Li smiled and nodded, leading her assistant as she took the lead.

A few minutes later, the creators each boarded the cars back to the crew's residence.

Lin Nan and Liu Yifei naturally shared the same RV. At this time, Miss Liu mentioned another matter: "Sister Gong Li and the others were there just now, so I didn't tell you;

Just now, while I was taking off my makeup, I helped you answer a call from the company. Director Jiang said that the application materials for the cinema chain license were all prepared this morning, just waiting for the competent department after the Spring Festival..."

From the afternoon onwards, various news about the Spring Festival Gala and the large number of stars who were going to appear on the Gala began to sweep the internet comprehensively and thoroughly with the blessing of traffic.

It must be said that this phenomenon is truly bizarre: the Spring Festival Gala, which has fewer and fewer viewers, has suddenly been used by traffic stars as a gimmick and selling point for hype in the past two years.

And when fans start fighting, they have an extra very important item to show off and step on others, which is childish and clownish to the extreme:

My brother/sister is on the Spring Festival Gala, your family is not on the Spring Festival Gala, your family has not been on the Spring Festival Gala as many times as ours, those who are not on the Spring Festival Gala are not first-tier, not popular...

That's right, on the afternoon of New Year's Eve, this was the scene on the internet, and everywhere one looked were press releases about newly promoted traffic stars and so-called top-tier stars appearing on the Spring Festival Gala;

But if one were to ask who really cares about what the content of the Spring Festival Gala is? Then without a doubt, absolutely no one cares.

Especially the fan groups of traffic stars who take pride in their idols appearing on the Spring Festival Gala, they are undoubtedly the group that cares the least!

The night in the Western Frontier, a crew of several hundred people, a song and dance troupe of one or two hundred people, a chef team of dozens of people, truckloads of ingredients... an open-air bonfire celebration...

Hmm, and that large-scale fireworks show after being approved by the local relevant departments...

Undoubtedly, the brilliance of the *Mulan* crew's New Year's Eve night was no less than that in the city center.

Even considering the needs of many ordinary staff members, that is, even if they don't watch the Spring Festival Gala, they still need the background sound of the Spring Festival Gala to set off the festive atmosphere, so the crew also set up a big screen in the open air to project the Spring Festival Gala...

Everyone was eating, drinking, and playing noisily... Those who like quiet can return to their tents to rest early, and those who are homesick due to the atmosphere are also calling home...

Look, just like Lin Nan and Liu Yifei, the two of them had a very clear division of labor.

After Lin Nan made a phone call and chatted for a long while, Liu Yifei

took the phone, continued chatting, and greeted Old Man Lin...

Similarly, Lin Nan also took Liu Yifei's phone afterward and accompanied her to talk for a long, long time; who told the woman to have so many relatives on her mother's side, while the great Lin Dao only had one father.

Just past ten o'clock in the evening, Liu Yifei decisively snatched the phone from Lin Nan's hand... because she vaguely heard an embarrassing question from the other end of the phone.

"Mom, whose family asks this on New Year's Eve? Oh, wait a little longer... My time hasn't come this month... It's the last ten days... Don't ask so detailed, okay... I don't have experience..."

Lin Nan watched Liu Yifei, who was poking her head and walking a few meters away, her voice so low it was almost impossible to capture... He really couldn't help but laugh, the Liu Qianqian in his eyes looked just like a silly, honest person.

A year, it really has passed.

Early on the morning of the Spring Festival, the film industry officially sounded the war drums, pulling back the curtain on the conflict:

"Jointly produced by Lin Nan Film Industry, Red Star Dock Film Industry, Aerospace Science and Technology Group, Western Film, Shanghai Film, Enlight Media, and Wanda, produced by Liu Yifei, and directed by Lin Nan;

The first pure domestic hard-core sci-fi blockbuster *The Wandering Earth* officially landed in national cinemas this morning. With a comprehensive screen allocation rate of 41%, it is far ahead in the Spring Festival slot."

"Han Han's new film *Pegasus* follows closely behind, with a comprehensive screen allocation rate of 17.9%; the combination of Shen Teng and Yin Zheng has no small appeal."

"Director Zhou Xingchi's film work *The New King of Comedy* has a screen allocation of 17%. The charm of a great director plus a classic IP has received full respect from the market."

"Also a sci-fi blockbuster, *Shanghai Fortress*, jointly produced by China Film, Northern Film Group, and Huashi Entertainment and directed by Teng Huatao, has a comprehensive screen allocation rate of only 15.6%, far below expectations..."

"Jackie Chan's film work, *The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang*, accounts for 5.8% of the total market, ranking at the end of the list of blockbusters in the Spring Festival slot."

"It is reported that the Spring Festival slot screen allocation market has almost been divided up by 5 blockbusters, and the remaining small and medium-cost films have no room for survival, with a total screen allocation rate of less than 3%;

This extremely unfair treatment has caused more than twenty film production companies and dozens of filmmakers in the industry to jointly protest..."

On the first day of the Spring Festival, the bloody battle in the Chinese film market officially began. And looking at the *Mulan* crew far away in the Western Frontier—hmm, they started filming normally after breakfast!

"Are they really filming? Not even taking a holiday during the Spring Festival?"

"I heard that Director Guo Fan has already taken people to Xiangyang this morning."

Liu Yan said to Xie Nan with implication. Both of them came to pay a New Year's visit to Wang Changtian, and then they ran into each other.

"Xiangyang Tang City Film and Television Base? Then it seems it's really about to wrap up!"

"Yeah, I was originally going to go on the 10th. But I changed my mind temporarily when I went out this morning, and I plan to change my flight in a while. I'll fly to the *Mulan* crew in advance, just as a New Year's visit to Lin Dao and Producer Liu."

"Hmm, you reminded me. I also have to make a video call to our Producer Liu at noon to say Happy New Year."

Xie Nan's laughter had just fallen, and before Liu Yan could tease her, she interrupted the latter again: "Let's go, let's take the small path in the garden, that eyesore is also here."

"Who?"

Liu Yan asked back subconsciously, and then turned her head to see the car of Bao Bei'er's family driving into the manor villa from afar. She decisively followed Xie Nan towards the small path in the garden, neither of them wanting to run into that guy.

It must be admitted that although the box office of *"Big" Shot* was only about 300 million, Bao Bei'er, who played the big villain, really earned a wave of traffic; with his true-to-life performance, it seemed he had great acting skills!

And the result was also obvious, the guy whose nature was hard to change was starting to go crazy again, the kind that was very disgusting.

"What is certain at present is that all IMAX 3D giant screens in the country have been wrapped up by *The Wandering Earth*, and the ticket prices are basically around 150 to 200 yuan;

And the average attendance rate of all cinema sessions opened for *The Wandering Earth* is almost above 98%... In other words, it is basically full."

"Let the market department keep an eye on it. I don't want to see any box office theft. This film is very important. It is the last film personally directed by Lin Nan that Wang Yong and I participated in investing in."

During the Spring Festival, Chairman Ren did not take a holiday. The film and entertainment industry never pays attention to any statutory holidays, especially when the blockbuster they participated in investing in is officially harvesting the box office market.

"Chairman Ren, don't worry. Several producers are watching, and no cinema dares to be presumptuous. After all, the lesson from Edko is particularly conspicuous today, and the cinema is simply unbearable to look at.

I heard that the order of screen allocation from high to low there is Han Han's *Pegasus*, Zhou Xingchi's *The New King of Comedy*, Jackie Chan's *The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang*, and finally *Shanghai Fortress*; other films are not shown at all during the day, they are just the kind in the middle of the night..."

Hearing this, Ren Zhonglun laughed on the spot: "Edko can survive, they have to thank the film market for becoming more and more prosperous in recent years, and the box office market is getting bigger and bigger.

Especially thank the national economy, everyone has money in their hands, so any film can be sold, and there are audiences to pay for it..."

"Especially thanks to the national economy, everyone has money in their hands, which is why any movie can sell, and there are audiences willing to pay for it..."

The landline on the desk rang, interrupting Ren Zhonglun's laughter. He glanced at it and immediately teased: "Look, Western Film is not on holiday today either."

As he spoke, he picked up the receiver of the landline: "Chairman Wang, why, is there anything to say?

If

it's about *The Wandering Earth*, then you don't have to worry at all. Just look at this attendance rate and you know that today's first-day box office will definitely not be bad, it will inevitably be very good..."

With a smile on his face, Chairman Ren hadn't finished teasing when he saw the expression on his face suddenly stagnate, and the next second it immediately became sighing:

"Sigh, when I retire next year, I will definitely not consider how the people behind me will manage it. To put it bluntly, once you retire, it has nothing to do with you, and the person who takes over may not necessarily appreciate your favor.

"Sigh, when I retire next year, I definitely won't consider how the people who follow will manage things. To put it bluntly, once you retire, it has absolutely nothing to do with you anymore, and the people who take over might not necessarily appreciate your efforts."

So, you really don't need to bridge the gap for the person who takes over and disturb Lin Nan. I am very sure that Lin Nan doesn't want to face this either, because he has already learned his lesson from our Chairman La.

To say something more realistic, Lin Nan doesn't owe us anything. Even if there is a favor, it is the favor of a few of us, what does it have to do with the people behind? Why should he continue to bring us along and share the cake... Others can play it completely by themselves, and are deeply bound partners and allies with Enlight and Wanda...

But what about Shanghai Film and Western Film? In today's market, what is the difference between our two companies and eating for free, and the help is negligible... Besides, after we both retire, do you think Wang Changtian and the others will be willing to let Shanghai Film and Western Film, which have changed to new leaders, continue to ride the boat and share the food in their mouths? They are all businessmen, it is absolutely impossible..."

*Mulan* crew, in the lens:

Gong Li, the Queen, received the battle report from other armies of the Rouran tribe—the whole line collapsed and fled in all directions.

And the Wei army had no intention of stopping while they were ahead. Their determination was very thorough, which was to grind away the power of the Rouran royal court to the greatest extent.

"In the ten years of war, more than 200,000 people from the royal court have surrendered to Wei, and nearly a million horses have been captured..."

In military uniform, the Queen, who was originally fierce and domineering, was inevitably lonely at this moment. Her expression was indignant and unwilling.

Just at this time, another soldier ran straight to the front of the tent, his voice hoarse and exhausted: "Queen, the front-line army has collapsed, Wei General Mulan led the cavalry to break through... and is killing her way here!"

"Queen, run!"

"Queen, don't hesitate, we need to evacuate the camp immediately!"

"Queen, go quickly... The Wei army will be here soon..."

"Half of the cavalry, escort the Queen..."

For a time, the camp was in chaos.

The Rouran Queen played by Gong Li was already ferocious, her anger burning.

But she was forcibly surrounded by a group of people

and eventually had no choice but to mount her horse and flee quickly under the escort of hundreds of cavalry. The rest of the troops stayed behind to guard the camp, trying to intercept Mulan.

The lens turned, and Mulan, played by Liu Yifei, led hundreds of cavalry and had already killed her way here. She used a halberd to fly an enemy general, and blood sprinkled directly across the lens...

"Cut!"

Lin Nan held the megaphone and shouted from afar.

Then he instructed the logistics team: "Clean up the scene, let's shoot up to here for today's scenes. Tomorrow and the day after, wrap up Teacher Gong Li's scenes."

"Received."

"Finally, finally... finally there are only a few days left!"

Liu Yifei was the first to run back from afar on horseback, looking like she was finally about to be liberated, shouting at Lin Nan with her mouth pouted. Her appearance was a world of difference from the decisive Mulan who had just killed.

"Yeah, I'm finally about to be on camera again." Lin Nan smiled and walked up, reaching out to Liu Yifei, who took his hand and dismounted handsomely.

"I can finally report the good news too. Lin Dao, Producer Liu, you two should go and see the film reviews on the internet, *The Wandering Earth* is far ahead!" The assistant also came up with a smile.

From the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Chinese film market appeared in a grand scene where both film reviews and box office were sucked in.

Of course, the scolding was also the most boiling in years!

"I only watched two movies today, one is *The Wandering Earth*, the other is *Shanghai Fortress*, how to evaluate it?

The former is splitting mountains and cleaving rocks for pure-blooded domestic hard-core sci-fi films, repairing bridges and paving roads for heavy industrial films; while the latter is following closely behind, digging graves and excavating tombs, blowing up roads and destroying bridges..."

"Appraisal completed, don't buy tickets for *Shanghai Fortress*. I don't scold people, it's better for everyone to donate the money for tickets to Project Hope than to go in and eat shit!"

"Lin Dao Nan is still as steady as an old dog, trustworthy, and can even give you unprecedented new surprises. *The Wandering Earth* is very shocking, looking forward to the sequel..."

"What is certain is that the 500 million production cost of *The Wandering Earth* was really not wasted a single cent. Hmm, Old Li and Matt Damon were both free cameos..."

"To the person above the person above, he is purely slandering. Don't lie to family members, *Shanghai Fortress* is really good-looking, the male and female leads are very well-matched... especially suitable for children to watch, the six-cent special effects are one cent more than the five-cent ones. Say one last sentence, I dare to be sure that the director must have directed low-age animated films before—he is mentally retarded himself!"

"Zhou Xingchi is even more disgusting than Teng Huatao, *The New King of Comedy* compared to *Shanghai Fortress* is one dry shit and one thin shit, crouching dragon and phoenix chick, both are feeding shit..."

"Remember, we never owe Zhou Xingchi a movie ticket, never!"

"Damn it, selling feelings

is not selling well, just serving a plate of shoddily made rice field co, sticking the classic label of *King of Comedy*, and wanting to sell it at the price of Michelin? Have his dog-day spring and autumn dreams, it's simply shameless to the extreme."

"As expected, Big Brother Jackie Chan is really old, and he contributed another money-grabbing bad film called *The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang*..."

"Sigh, still looking forward to *Mulan* starring Big Brother. I think Lin Dao Nan can still save Jackie Chan!"

"The films in this Spring Festival slot are simply one in heaven, one on earth, and three in hell!"

"Strongly recommend *The Wandering Earth*, especially recommend *The Wandering Earth* under the IMAX 3D giant screen, this is really worth the ticket price, your eyes and brain are enjoying it throughout!"

"I strongly recommend 'The Wandering Earth,' especially 'The Wandering Earth' on the IMAX 3D giant screen. It is truly worth the ticket price; your eyes and brain will be enjoying it the entire time!"

... ===== CHAPTER 1080 =====