Huayu, can you be called the best actor if you don’t indulge yourself?

Chapter 672 Movie-Watching Frenzy
"Om."

The elevator doors closed and began to ascend.

"I don't understand."

A deep voice sounded, tinged with a hint of confusion, and said, "Actually, the story structure of 'Lost in Thailand' is very similar to that of a foreign film. Why doesn't Zhang Weiping bring that up?"

Raise a question.

The slightly burly man tightened his grip on the shoulder bag he was carrying.

"Ok?"

The woman standing next to her shook her head slightly and said slowly, "First of all, it's hard to define whether this is plagiarism or borrowing. Secondly, how do you know if this is a flaw that Li Luo deliberately revealed?"

"Even if structural plagiarism does exist."

"Once Zhang Weiping spends hundreds of thousands or millions to create a stir, Li Luo will simply hand over a film and television remake license. Wouldn't that be another slap in the face?"

"Now that Three Guns has already lost so much money, is it still necessary to continue to struggle?"

The man suddenly realized.

He scratched his mustache with a sentimental expression.

Although more than twenty days have passed since the release of the four films, Lost in Journey, A Simple Noodle Story, The Treasure Hunter, and Storm Riders, the scene of bloodshed is still vivid in his mind, and he still longs for it.

No one expected it.

Zhang Yimou's first comedy film was surprisingly overshadowed by Li Luo.

Before "Bodyguards and Assassins" even arrived, it had already been utterly defeated by "Lost in Thailand".

With the release of "Siege".

It was submerged silently in an instant.

While other films like "Lost in Journey" have already surpassed 200 million yuan at the box office, becoming the biggest miracle of domestic low-budget comedies, "A Simple Noodle Story," a highly anticipated comedy film, hasn't even made headlines for breaking 100 million yuan.

Now, not only has it suffered a huge loss of tens of millions of yuan, but it has also completely offended the head of China Film Group.

The changes are happening so fast.

It caught everyone completely off guard.

The burly man's eyes were filled with extreme desire and longing; that kind of magnificent battlefield was where he should fight.

Instead of continuing to be a commercial director.

"Don't say those things later."

The woman standing next to him looked at the constantly changing floor number and her expression quickly turned serious: "Don't say those things again. Li Luo is a vindictive person. He even dares to go against Zhang Yimou."

"If anything gets back to him, you'll be in big trouble."

"know."

The man nodded slowly.

"Ding."

The elevator door opens.

The two walked into the banquet hall amidst the hustle and bustle of the scene.

signature.

Then they took their seats again.

The man looked longingly at the backdrop on the stage, where the words "Celebrating the box office of 'Bodyguards and Assassins' exceeding 200 million" were written in a flamboyant style.

"Please welcome our main actors to the stage."

"Li Yuchun, Hu Jun, Zhen Ziling, Fan Bingbing, Nicholas Tse, Liang Jiahui"

Loud applause erupted continuously.

One after another, glamorous celebrities took to the stage, flashing impeccable smiles under the sweeping lights, and waving and greeting the cameras and fans in the audience.

Such a grand spectacle was intended to generate buzz for the film in preparation for the upcoming impact of "Avatar".

only.

The film's producers, however, are quite confident.

Recalling the interview she saw on TV a few days ago, Chen Kexin said with a relaxed expression that science fiction films like Avatar are not suitable for the tastes of Chinese audiences, and there is no need to worry too much about the box office.

Shift your gaze.

The man looked toward a corner of the banquet hall.

In that inconspicuous spot, Mr. Li, whom they had just been discussing, was smiling and clapping gently.

Be by their side.

Seated among them were a group of bigwigs including Yu Dong, Wang Changtian, Wang Zhongjun, and Chen Kexin.

He pursed his lips.

The man looked away.

He looked intently at the speaker on the stage and gave him a loud and enthusiastic round of applause.

The process is completed.

It's time for dinner and drinks.

The entire banquet hall was filled with merriment, with everyone toasting and drinking to their hearts' content. A man and a woman sitting there ate a little something to fill their stomachs and then sipped their beer while waiting patiently.

Nearly half an hour had passed.

Only then did they take action.

"Walk."

Upon seeing staff waving from a distance, the two quickly stood up.

We arrived at a corner of the banquet hall.

Follow the staff as they walk briskly forward along the corridor.

"Hahaha."

"Mr. Li is definitely not telling the truth. I think your salary for Twilight is definitely more than ten million US dollars. Is anyone willing to bet with me whether he can get a share of the box office revenue?"

"Hey, Mr. Wang, why are you staring at my measly little bit of money?"

"Mr. Li is indeed generous. He can earn 70 million RMB from making a movie and still only make a pittance. We might not be able to earn that much even if we work ourselves to the bone for two or three years."

"Big D, do you think the IRS is just for show?"

"Hahahahahaha."

"Now everyone treats me like a nouveau riche. All sorts of random foundations have been coming to my door lately. You have no idea how much money I've made from film studios and cinemas. My pockets are emptier than my face."

"If it weren't for Brother Yu Dong's celebration banquet, I wouldn't have had the chance to get a share of the profits."

The words fell.

Boos erupted from inside the private room.

Everyone was saying things like, "You're the real big shot, the one with the highest return on investment in this movie, and you're pretending to be poor," and the cheerful laughter almost never stopped.

Take a deep breath.

The two followed the staff to the half-open door of the private room.

Knock on the door.

Then push it away.

"Mr. Wang."

Wang Zhongjun's assistant stepped aside.

The scene inside the private room was immediately revealed to the man and woman, and it was completely different from the exquisite food in the banquet hall outside.

At the large round table.

Several exquisite copper hot pots were placed there.

The variety of dishes is dazzling, including mutton, tripe, cabbage, tofu, and vermicelli.

Aside from the group of big shots we just saw, there were also actors like Leung Ka-fai, Donnie Yen, and Fan Bingbing sitting among them, all enthusiastically enjoying hot pot with mutton, their laughter echoing throughout the room.

Don't tell me yet.

In the freezing winter.

No banquet can compare to the comfort of a few bites of hot pot.

"Hey~"

Upon seeing the two people enter the room, Wang Zhongjun smiled, put down his chopsticks, and greeted them, "Come over here quickly, let me introduce you. This is Wuerhan and Wuershan, a brother and sister who are both in the same industry."

"Wuerhan works at CCTV."

"And Director Wu."

"Mr. Li, Director Wu is your alumnus from the Beijing Film Academy."

"He graduated from the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy and worked as an advertising director, installation artist, and performance artist for nearly ten years. He has won two gold awards at advertising festivals and an American Effie Award."

"And the Times Advertising Award in Taiwan."

"Director Wu made an independent film called Soap Opera a few years ago, which won the International Federation of Film Critics Award at the Busan International Film Festival and the Best Director Award at the Geneva International Film Festival."

"We were shortlisted for the Asian Star Gravity Program some time ago."

"I just finished filming a low-budget martial arts film called 'The Sword and the Smile,' which has a very unique artistic style and is a rare and promising new director."

Following Wang Zhongjun's introduction.

The people inside the room.

They all put down their chopsticks.

Although they had never heard of this name before, it didn't stop them from smiling and responding. It was obvious that Wang Zhongjun had invited them to show off, so even if they didn't want to give him face, they had to give him some.

Although Ursan was a new face.

The resume that can be described by Wang Zhongjun.

This made most of the people present look at this rugged-looking guy with newfound respect.

Starting out by shooting commercials or music videos to gain experience, and then transitioning into directing film and television works is a very common choice in the industry.

Li Luo has worked with many renowned directors, including Ning Hao, Ding Sheng, David Fincher, Zack Snyder, and Michael Bay from Hollywood, all of whom started their careers in commercials.

The reason is actually very simple.

Not everyone can get the opportunity to receive hundreds of millions or tens of millions in investment right away.

Newcomers typically need to shoot a large number of commercials to develop the execution and storytelling abilities required of a director, as well as learn to collaborate with the team and control the project budget.

Master these.

Then we need to find ways to build up our network and experience.

If you're lucky enough to gain the appreciation of a film company boss, you could very well become a well-known film director in the industry in no time.

He was invited to sit at the table by Wang Zhongjun.

It's clear that the other party is close to the final step of becoming famous.

In addition, given the veiled mention of connections with CCTV, everyone should be on high alert.

"I dare not accept the title of 'newcomer'."

Wu Ersan quickly grabbed the Moutai on the table and poured half a pot into the decanter: "I am very happy to meet the industry seniors that I have long admired tonight."

"Let me start by raising a toast to everyone."

Wuerhan, standing nearby, was not idle either; the two siblings each picked up a small half-bottle of Moutai.

He raised his hand and drank it all in one gulp.

Such a generous display elicited thunderous cheers from the private room.

The newcomer wants to make a name for himself.

We need to show some attitude.

Therefore, in the world of fame and fortune, there is no such thing as coercion. If you help someone by drinking alcohol, thinking you are taking care of them, you may end up being resented by them for blocking their opportunity to shine.

Wu Ersan then made frequent gestures, toasting everyone present.

The atmosphere was incredibly lively.

When drinking alcohol.

He also glanced at the person he was targeting.

I was immediately surprised.

The other person's physique was much more exaggerated than it appeared on TV. He was several sizes bigger than Yu Dong sitting next to him, and the muscles on his arms were so large that his shirt was almost stretched taut.

They ate with great gusto.

On the other side, Fan Bingbing unabashedly scooped up the mutton and tripe from the hot pot and placed them on a porcelain plate. She then poured on a dipping sauce made of sesame paste, fermented bean curd, chive blossoms, chopped green onions, and chili oil and mixed it well.

It was just handed out.

The mutton and tripe, still steaming in the air, were devoured by the target in just a few bites.

"Eat slowly."

Fan Bingbing shook her head with a playful smile and continued to put meat into the pot.

This battle.

Ulsan was stunned by what he saw.

First, people were surprised by the other person's lavish eating habits, and second, they were astonished by the incredibly beautiful Fan Bingbing's attentive service. Anyone who saw this scene would be envious and jealous.

"What are you doing standing still?"

Wang Zhongjun winked at him and continued pouring wine into his glass: "Our CEO Li is a natural genius. He can eat as much as three or five of us. By the way, who's the senior or junior here?"

"Mr. Yu."

"I think you're from Beijing Film Academy too, right?"

The intention behind his words to help build connections was so obvious that even a fool could understand it.

And the goal.

It went straight at Li Luo.

"I was somewhat intimidated by Luo Ge's physique."

With a forced smile, Wu Ersan shook his head and then handed over the glass full of Moutai with both hands: "Congratulations to President Yu on the movie breaking 200 million at the box office. Also, Brother Luo, are you building muscle for your new movie?"

"It seems like a satisfying experience."

"Actually, eating like this every day is quite a torment."

"I really admire Brother Luo's dedication. Let me first raise a toast to both of you and Sister Bingbing!"

have to say.

That's a very smooth way of putting it.

Wang Zhongjun could refer to others as seniors or juniors, but Wu Ersan absolutely could not follow suit; he could only take the initiative to bring it up before responding.

Even if they are from the same school.

When the gap between the two sides is too large, it's best not to bring it up lightly.

Otherwise, you'll only be making a fool of yourself.

"Thank you."

Li Luo smiled, raised his glass and took a sip: "It's nice to meet Director Wu. I'm just eating for fun, there's no suffering involved. Bingbing isn't feeling well, so I'm toasting Director Wu on her behalf."

A light kick from the shoe tip under the table made Fan Bingbing's smile deepen.

Hello, junior.

Yu Dong returned the toast, then smiled and put down his cup: "You guys chat first, I'll go to the next private room to make arrangements for Tingfeng and the others."

I know the other person is busy.

He simply made room for him.

As for what happened.

After Wang Zhongjun arranged for Wu Ershan to sit down, he began to speak in a daze. Under Wang Zhongjun's guidance, Wu Ershan frequently offered toasts, displaying a bold and unrestrained spirit, which could be considered as trying to please him. Li Luo, on the other hand, would down any glass that came his way and would cook any meat that was available.

Go ahead and go around if you want.

After eating their fill, they simply patted their butts and left.

"I have something to tell you."

Fortunately, Wang Zhongjun knew his personality, so he grabbed a few plates of mutton and placed them in front of him: "You should eat yours, it won't delay you at all. How about we add a few more plates of meat for you?"

"I promise I won't delay you from getting enough to eat."

With his face flushed from drinking, Wu Ersan quickly put down his cup and looked nervously at his junior from the performing arts department.

Ulhan, standing beside him, also perked up.

"Whoo~"

Li Luo blew on the hot air to cool it down, then put the mutton coated in sesame sauce into his mouth and chewed it carefully:
"Jun-ge, are you implying something?"

Are you busy later?

Wang Zhongjun suggested they find another place to have a serious discussion.

"busy."

Li Luo indicated that he would speak if there was anything to do.

"Okay~"

Wang Zhongjun looked around.

Anyway, everyone at the table was enjoying their hot pot, so there was nothing wrong with chatting about serious matters over dinner.

"First of all, let me state this."

"I absolutely did not mean to overstep my bounds!"

First, Wang Zhongjun told Li Luo not to feel offended, then sat down next to him and said in a low voice, "This isn't the first time we've worked together. You know I'm absolutely thorough in my work."

"Ah."

Li Luo popped a clove of pickled garlic into his mouth.

"Urban stench."

"He is indeed talented."

"And he really liked your novel 'Painted Skin'. When he had nothing better to do, he came up with a story for the sequel. I saw it by chance and thought it was pretty good."

"Anyway, there's been no movement from your side."

“I was thinking that you could take some time to look at the script written by Wu Ersan, or listen to his thoughts on the story.”

"Anyway, there's no real loss, right?"

"If you think the story is well-written, we can discuss it in more detail. Actually, the young man just wants a directing opportunity. No matter how long he works, he won't ask for a single penny in compensation."

"From a cost perspective."

"It's a very good deal."

"If you continue to hire Chen Jiashang as director, it will cost at least seven or eight million, right? You might even have to ask for a share of the box office profits. You'll have to spend ten or twenty million just on that."

The words that reached my ears.

Li Luo listened with a very amused expression.

Just as he had predicted, when he saw Wu Ersan appear, he guessed that it was almost certainly about this matter.

This guy.

They made their fortune by snatching the rights to "Painted Skin 2".

Riding on the excellent reputation of his first film, he raked in 700 million yuan at the box office, instantly becoming a highly renowned commercial film director, and then went on to aggressively promote his cultural philosophy.

Finally, in Fengshen 2, he pooped out a huge pile.

Let's put those aside.

Li Luo would never hand over the "Painted Skin 2" project to Wu Ersan, even if he knew that the project was profitable in Wu Ersan's hands.

I was thinking of a wonderful Eastern fantasy film full of Chinese aesthetics.

However, the sequel was filled with strong Western fantasy and Japanese elements, and Voldemort even had a character who couldn't speak Mandarin properly. If it weren't for the box office success and critical acclaim of the first film, it would have been a disaster.

It won't even sell for 700 million.

Li Luo's extremely amused gaze made Wang Zhongjun chuckle.

None of them are fools.

A good script and it's free.

This is absolutely not a trustworthy bargaining chip. Only a madman would hand over a blockbuster project that would create a box office miracle to a newcomer for such reasons. No one is that shameless.

"listen."

Wang Zhongjun gestured for Wu Ersan to take out the script, and continued to organize his thoughts with a smile: "Of course, it's not just that. What I mean is, you should take a look at the story he wrote first. We can discuss other things amicably."

While speaking.

Wang Zhongjun took the script that Wu Ersan excitedly pulled out.

Ulhan, standing next to him, excitedly raised his glass, his voice trembling slightly: "Brother Luo, our Ulhan really admires you. He put a lot of thought into writing this script."

"of course."

"Of course, this kind of thing needs to be considered carefully."

"To show our sincerity and determination to make this a good film, we are willing to invest—no, not invest, but provide."

He noticed that Wang Zhongjun was looking at him like he was an idiot.

Ulhan hurriedly shut his mouth, causing his rapid words to come to an abrupt halt.

"Feel sorry."

Taking the generous plate of mutton handed to him by Fan Bingbing, Li Luo smiled and nodded to them, saying, "I believe Director Wu's script is good, but I have already signed a contract with Director Chen."

"No one can stand without faith."

Do you think this statement makes sense?

Alright!

Wang Zhongjun pushed the script back directly.

In fact, Yu Dong wasn't the only one eyeing the "Painted Skin 2" project; he was also drooling over it. As long as he could secure a co-producer position, he was sure to make a fortune.

I need your help, friends in Beijing's elite circles.

He brought Urtan to visit.

After reviewing the script written by the other party, Wang Zhongjun quickly realized that it was an opportunity to get involved.

Unexpectedly.

There's even a foul-mouthed idiot.

As long as Li Luo publicly expresses his desire to raise funds for "Painted Skin 2", investors rushing in with their money will likely break down the doors of Spark Cube, allowing them to set up the project without spending a single penny.

It's just talk, who the hell cares about a few bucks!

I wasn't interested.

Let's talk about money.

Do you have the right to ask someone for money?
"Yeah."

Wang Zhongjun laughed heartily, picked up the wine dispenser and poured wine for Li Luo: "Isn't that what it means to be untrustworthy? Come on, let's continue drinking! Waiter, bring ten more plates of mutton!!!"

The sound is loud.

The atmosphere inside the private room remained lively.

The steam rising from the copper hot pot is so comforting to look at.

But some people...

At that moment, it felt like falling into an ice cave.

Spark Cube.

Fifth floor.

Snowflakes fluttered in the cold wind, then drifted into the steaming outdoor bathtub and melted away instantly.

Fortunately, winter snow and wind were taken into account.

The outdoor bathtub is installed in a glass cabin next to the pool.

You can enjoy the snow to your heart's content.

And you don't have to face the wind and frost directly.

Li Luo swirled the glass in his hand, then took a leisurely sip of whiskey. He hadn't been idle during this time; he had even taken the time to record several promotional programs for "Little Big Soldier" with Brother Fang Long.

no way.

The movie's promotional period coincided with my time filming "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse".

We can only pre-record the relevant promotional materials.

"so cold!"

The screams got his attention.

The glass door leading to the living room was pushed open, and Fan Xiaopang, dressed in a white bathrobe, rushed towards him, baring his teeth and brandishing his claws: "They're right, you're a lunatic! Who takes a bath in an outdoor tub at a time like this!"

They rushed into the glass cabin.

Fan Bingbing, shivering, threw her bathrobe onto the chair next to her.

Her skin was snow-white.

Her legs were plump and long.

Her full, round buttocks were encased in a black bikini, trembling like jelly in the cold wind. Li Luo stared intently at the full curves of her body, which were also covered up, while the snowflakes were disturbed even more frantically.

What a beautiful picture of a woman on a snowy night, absolutely stunning.

"Big pervert."

Rolling his eyes playfully, Fan Xiaopang let out a long, deep breath as he immersed himself in the slightly hot water. Then, excitedly splashing water, he snatched the whiskey from his hand:
"You've signed a contract with Director Chen? I know nothing about that. When do you plan to start filming?"

"Liar."

Li Luo smiled as he looked at the chubby boy who had snuggled into his arms.

"Hahaha."

Fan Bingbing grinned, revealing her sparkling teeth, and then took a small sip of the fragrant wine.

"Look at these snowflakes."

With his arms around her waist, Li Luo rested his chin on the girl's chubby shoulder: "Does this remind you of when we were filming 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' in Zhuozhou, when everything was flying around like this?"

"Ah."

With her eyes squinting in happiness, Fan Bingbing lazily asked, "What do you miss most about that time?"

"Ride a big horse."

Li Luo immediately reached up with both hands to support him.

"Yeah~~~"

"You naughty boy, the worst guy in the world, hahaha, don't you dare scratch Fatty! Aaaaaah, you bad Luo-ge, I hate you so much!!!"

Joyful laughter drifted through the night air on the cold wind.

Spinning.

They rushed to the second floor of the Rubik's Cube.

Inside the bright glass curtain wall, twelve trainees dressed in red are attentively attending a training course.

"Please remember this carefully."

"When our company arranges roles, we always put on whoever is suitable and whoever is capable. We consider whether you can get more performance opportunities and more important roles."

There is only one evaluation criterion.

"That means whether your business skills are good enough."

"Therefore, no one should think about doing anything unhealthy or evil; on the contrary, you should also protect yourselves."

"This lesson."

"It's an anti-harassment course."

"Next, I will list some fictional cases to tell you what situations you will face in the future and how to deal with them. Please take this seriously, especially the male students."

"Your chances of being harassed are no less than those of the female students, especially those who are fair-skinned and delicate."

"Hahahahaha."

A burst of laughter suddenly erupted in the classroom.

Amidst bursts of laughter.

Time quickly came to June 4th.

Pandora has suddenly appeared in cinemas across the country.

The epic production, created by a world-class director and Hollywood's top-notch special effects technology, has greatly shocked the world and sparked a viewing frenzy for Avatar on its premiere day.

Filmmakers from all walks of life entered the screening room and watched in despair the spectacular special effects show, which they didn't even know how it was achieved.

They originally claimed to be unafraid of Avatar.

After watching the movie, Chen Kexin looked ashen-faced.

The box office performance of "Bodyguards and Assassins" was promising, but its box office numbers plummeted. The rapid rise of "Bodyguards and Assassins" came to a standstill in the face of "Avatar". Whether it can break 300 million is still unknown.

And the movie fans.

Enjoy the movie experience to the fullest.

Many moviegoers went to the cinema for four consecutive days but still couldn't buy tickets. In many first-tier cities, cinemas were still packed even at 4 a.m.

Braving the frigid weather of minus ten degrees Celsius.

Long queues formed at major cinemas.

Cinemas with IMAX screens have gone even further, making headlines.

Because the ticket price was inflated from the original one hundred yuan to a sky-high price of over one thousand yuan by scalpers, many people are willing to spend half a month's salary to enjoy the most thorough visual feast in the IMAX theater under this movie-watching frenzy.

The first week lasted only four days.

It raked in a whopping 2.8 million RMB at the box office.

With five IMAX theaters, Xingna Cinemas has entered a frenzied money-grabbing mode, based on an average capacity of 400 moviegoers per IMAX theater, an official ticket price of 150 yuan, and five screenings per day.

The IMAX theaters alone generate 1.5 million in box office revenue for StarNavi Cinemas every day.

Data reports.

Yu Dong's fingers trembled as he watched.

He certainly wouldn't be so foolish as to let scalpers make huge profits from the price difference.

In addition to the other theaters.

Add drinks and popcorn.

The money poured into Xingna Cinema's cash registers like a tidal wave, effectively filling the void left by the failure of "Bodyguards and Assassins". The cinema expansion plan was also urgently adjusted in response to the influx of money.

The plan was changed from 20 luxury multiplex cinemas to the construction of 30 cinemas, including an IMAX cinema.

After Li Luo slammed his hand on the table and agreed.

Our CEO, Mr. Yu, looked up at the surging tide of moviegoers and laughed heartily.

January 13th has arrived.

After handling all the company matters.

Li Luo packed his bags.

I embarked on another journey to the United States before the Spring Festival.

(End of this chapter)