Chapter 408: Popular Variety Show

Little Zhang Ziyi's operations have become a joke that is being teased and complained about both within the industry and online.

Last September, at the premiere of the film *Dangerous Liaisons*, she made her boyfriend Xiao Sa public.

At that time, it truly shocked the entertainment industry and also received blessings from the entire internet; after all, the man was a recognized talent.

This move of making the relationship public also brought huge traffic to the film, as well as high-level topics and popularity.

Although the film's box office was a bloody loss and flopped in the end, it didn't affect Little Zhang Ziyi reaping a wave of fame and profit at all.

Exactly one year later, the film *My Lucky Star*, in which she starred, was to hold its premiere.

She performed the same operation once again.

It's just that this time, the boyfriend who came to the premiere site to stand for her was replaced by Wang Feng, known as the "great talent" of the music circle.

Unlike the blessings received last year, this year the internet is full of boos and laughter, and there is no lack of disdain in the industry.

Because not long before the media reporters exposed the relationship between these two.

One was still using Xiao Sa for hype, and the other had just ended his second marriage; it can be said to be seamlessly connected.

After Yue Jun returned from the premiere of *My Lucky Star*, the complaints never stopped.

"Little Zhang Ziyi acting in a chick flick always feels weird; that face of hers isn't suitable, giving people a stiff feeling."

"I heard that the original director and production team didn't align with her philosophy, so they were fired by her, the producer, and replaced by a Hollywood team.

As a result, turning around, Fan Bingbing accepted the original director and team and filmed *One Night Surprise*, reaping both box office and word-of-mouth success!"

"Honestly, Little Zhang Ziyi's eye for choosing films is really far worse than Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing!"

"Bona invested over 100 million; I guess Yu Dong will lose money again 99% of the time this time..."

Lin Nan sat there listening to Yue Jun's commentary, and he truly had some feelings; the once-unrivaled "International Zhang" has also started acting in chick flicks.

Back when she was at the height of her popularity, Little Zhang Ziyi had clearly expressed her idea and ambition to surpass Teacher Gong Li.

Looking at it now, Teacher Gong Li still collaborates with big directors and top-tier lineups, and foreign films have never stopped.

But as for "International Zhang" herself? The answer is: she has been going downhill.

"She can't compare anymore. Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, and the others are now capital themselves, having their own companies, teams, artists, and connections; they can create resources and be self-sufficient."

"And Little Zhang Ziyi, who previously held herself in high regard, not only missed opportunities but also couldn't see the reality clearly.

The opportunities for promotion later will only become fewer and fewer, and more and more difficult; in the end, it's possible she might start living off her past glory, who knows, hehe..."

Lin Nan also smiled and joked.

Once internet companies enter, it will be several times or even ten times more difficult for stars and artists to promote themselves to capital than before.

…………

*Silent Witness* has already been released, with a box office of 42.4 million over its first three-day weekend, leading the domestic films of September.

The theatrical releases of films like *Very Lucky* and *A City* will follow closely behind.

But what the audience is looking forward to most is *Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon* at the end of the month, which is also the only work by a big director this month.

Lin Nan took time to perfect the script outline he had done before, and from time to time paid attention to news in the industry.

Feng Xiaogang posted three consecutive posts on Weibo, thanking the Film Bureau and industry peers for their support.

"Didn't win against *Caught in the Web* last year; didn't expect there to be another chance this year?"

The Film Bureau officially determined and announced the film selected to be sent to the Oscars this year to participate in the competition for the Best Foreign Language Film Award.

Namely: Feng Xiaogang's *Back to 1942*!

Countless actors and artists in the industry scrambled to leave comments under Feng Xiaogang's Weibo to congratulate him and suck up to him.

I remember Feng Xiaogang used to always say: "There's no need to care too much about film awards outside; just do a good job with Chinese-language film awards..."

But at this moment, one couldn't see this point of view from Director Feng at all; he was very leisurely and elegant in replying to the comments of people in the industry one by one on Weibo, all with smiley faces.

Quite a few netizens were still joking:

"Director Feng has finally endured the bitterness and become the mother-in-law; he is also going to the Oscars to play around, haha..."

"Who knows, at the Oscar awards ceremony early next year, Director Feng and Lin Dao Nan might be able to meet?"

"If that happens, it would truly be a historic moment."

Facing the joking words of netizens, Feng Xiaogang rarely liked them one by one and publicly stated his attitude:

"Believe that *Back to 1942* can create surprises at the Golden Globes and Oscars..."

Lin Nan put down the script in his hand and also politely liked it in support; after all, this is a good film, and as for the result, it has nothing to do with him.

…………

The Golden Rooster in the mainland is just a few days away from opening, and there is quite a bit of news.

The guest invitation for the Golden Horse has also been mailed from Taiwan to Lin Nan Pictures.

When receiving the assistant's call, Lin Nan was waiting for someone outside the airport.

"I understand, reply to the organizer for me; I will be there."

"Okay, Lin Dao."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Nan sat in the car, continuing to look towards the exit through the car window.

Twenty-some minutes later, he saw the figure of Liu Xiaoli, pulling a suitcase alone.

Lin Nan got out of the car to greet her; it really attracted the attention of quite a few reporters in less than a minute.

"Is that Lin Dao?"

……

"You could have just sent someone to pick me up; you didn't need to come yourself." Liu Xiaoli said with a light laugh.

"I happened to have time, Auntie, give me the suitcase."

Lin Nan took the suitcase from Liu Xiaoli's hand, took the lead by half a step, and walked towards the parking spot.

Quite a few reporters wanted to surround them, but were waved away by Lin Nan, and Liu Xiaoli also nodded to them with a smile.

Having been a "life assistant" for her daughter for many years, Liu Xiaoli knows what kind of attitude to maintain towards the media.

All along, the relationship between Lin Nan and media reporters has been quite good, and it was effective at this moment.

After they understood Lin Nan's meaning, they stopped their steps very consciously and even waved their hands.

"Qianqian has already gone to the film crew for half a month; I don't know where the filming progress is? Every time this girl calls, it's only for a few minutes in a hurry, and she doesn't explain clearly..."

Liu Xiaoli sat in the car and complained about her daughter.

Lin Nan didn't know how to respond to this, because Liu Qianqian clearly left more call time for him.

"Auntie, I will go to visit the set in two days, and then I will know, but I think it shouldn't be filmed slowly.

For this kind of sci-fi film, just talking about the filming part, it is much faster than those plot films; what takes time is the special effects and post-production."

"Mm, that's good. When you go over, if you are not busy, you can accompany her for two more days..."

……

Lin Nan was made a bit embarrassed by the reports of the media reporters for the first time.

"Lin Dao Nan, at the airport this morning, picking up his prospective mother-in-law."

"Liu Xiaoli covered her face with black sunglasses, her temperament not weaker than her daughter's..."

……

"Chairman Wang, so early? Isn't it being released during the New Year's slot?"

After Lin Nan sent Liu Xiaoli back, just as he was preparing to return to the company, he received a call from Wang Changtian.

*The Four 2*, which is only being released in early December, suddenly decided to start promotion two months early.

"You also know, this is our first 3D martial arts film; Gordon Chan and the company both feel that starting promotion early is safer."

Enlight Pictures called Zhao Liying's agent, and the reply received was a refusal.

This was also what the company had instructed before, letting Zhao Liying wait with peace of mind to join the crew and push away all announcements. Furthermore, the promotion time set by Enlight before was not now.

Having no choice, Wang Changtian could only call Lin Nan to borrow someone.

"Ning Hao's *Breakup Buddies* is going to start filming in these few days; the time is too conflicting." Lin Nan's meaning was self-evident.

"How about this, it won't delay much; just let her record a program with the crew for two days, and participate in a few popular variety shows.

She doesn't need to follow other itineraries, and as for Deng Chao's side, who knows if he will join the crew at the end of the month or early next month; the next promotion will be after they both wrap up..."

Wang Changtian persuaded him for ten minutes, and Lin Nan finally agreed.

"We have an agreement in advance; once Ning Hao calls for people here, I don't care what the situation is on the promotion side, she must return immediately."

"Good, no problem."

"Then you contact Yue Jun; he will notify Zhao Liying's agent."

Without chatting much with Wang Changtian, Lin Nan hung up the phone.

He was driving on the road, always feeling that an idea had just popped into his head, but he forgot it in an instant.

Until Lin Nan inadvertently saw the big screen on the shopping plaza.

On it was the promotional short film of the top three of *Super Boy*, as well as the scene where Hai Qing knelt down to a contestant named Ou Hao.

At this time, he remembered the flash of inspiration in his head just now.

"Old Wang, did you just say 'popular variety show'?"

"Yes, it's a popular variety show!"

Lin Nan decisively dialed the phone to Yue Jun, "Damn it!"

Only to hear the familiar voice coming from the other end of the mobile phone: "Please do not hang up; the number you have dialed is currently on another call..."

No need to guess, Wang Changtian is currently on the phone with Yue Jun.

Two minutes later, Yue Jun called back, "Lin Dao? Chairman Wang just said, you agreed to let Zhao Liying run promotion with the crew for two days?"

"That's right, I agreed, but if Ning Hao starts filming here, she will rush back immediately."

"Then your call?"

"There is a matter; you take time in these two days to take people to South Korea..."

…………

Little Zhang Ziyi's *My Lucky Star* had a first-day box office of 10.5 million.

To tell the truth, among chick flicks, this is considered a relatively good opening result, but Little Zhang Ziyi received a large number of bad reviews.

Everyone online is saying that her acting skills are visibly declining, and the "chick" she played gives people a feeling of being affected and pretentious, extremely unnatural.

Whether this word-of-mouth will affect the subsequent box office trend depends on how the audience and fans choose.

However, what surprised the industry most was that film *The Continent*.

You must know that Han Han, like Guo Jingming, is a best-selling author, and the two are often compared; both possess a large number of fans.

Given that the two *Tiny Times 1* and *Tiny Times 2* combined created a high box office of 750 million.

So the industry and the production side also held high expectations for the film *The Continent*, adapted from Han Han's work of the same name, with a box office expectation of 500 million!

But who knew that the higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment!

"Adapted from the work of the same name by young best-selling author Han Han, the film *The Continent* had a first-day box office of 1.2 million, far from the industry's expectations!"

"The screening schedule for *The Continent* is feared to be significantly reduced, and it may even face the possibility of being pulled from theaters."

"Guo Jingming's fans are mocking..."

…………

"Lin Dao, the flight ticket has already been booked; you need to transfer once in the middle."

"Understood."

Lin Nan looked at the news and responded without raising his head.

The Golden Rooster has opened, but this red carpet seems a bit too low-class.

Most of the top big directors in the country are absent, and only those few who were nominated brought their crews.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 409 =====