Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 696 Pink and Black

Given Hollywood's treatment of blockbuster films, the release date for "Mulan" should have been determined at the very beginning of its development, with all subsequent preparations, filming, and production work proceeding step by step around that release date.

Even if there is a delay, the release date should be announced during the preparation stage to reassure fans.

However, Liu Yifei has been in training for more than two months, but Disney has yet to announce the release date of "Mulan".

It's not that we're unwilling to announce it, it's just that it's difficult to film "Mulan".

The biggest movie season in North America is the summer season, but Disney already has a full schedule for next summer, including Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, Aladdin and Toy Story 4.

It's possible to squeeze "Mulan" into the list, but there's really no need.

Firstly, it would be too wasteful for a company to release five blockbusters in one release window (even if they could be staggered). Secondly, if they were scheduled for next summer's release, there might not be enough time left for the post-production of "Mulan".

Therefore, after discussions with the director's team, Disney has only now announced the release date for "Mulan," which is set for October 25, 2019.

This time slot is not ideal for either China or the US, but it is the result of great coordination between the two sides.

The Christmas season is the second largest movie season in North America, but Disney had already allocated the films for the two-month Christmas season in 2019.

Frozen 2, November 22.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, December 20.

Whose release date did "Mulan" steal? A blockbuster like "Mulan" must be released simultaneously in China and the United States, so after much deliberation, it could only be released in October or early November.

Disney originally wanted to release "Mulan" 20 years ago, but before Guo Fan could say anything, Li Qiutang strongly objected, saying that she would never go 20 years.

Li Qiutang insisted that "Mulan" be released in 19, and demanded that Disney guarantee that "Mulan" would be available in all major film markets worldwide within two weeks of its premiere in the US and China: most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc.

Once the release date is announced, some work needs to be adjusted. For example, should the editing work after filming be done in advance? Should the sound and color teams also be on set?

Hollywood's slow-paced work efficiency, and Guo Fan doesn't have the final cut, who knows what kind of power struggle will occur during the editing process.

The movie will be released in 19 months, so time is indeed a bit tight. Therefore, Guo Fan's requests are not excessive. Why not agree if it can save on post-production?
It's important to distinguish between editing rights and final editing rights here.

Almost all directors have editing rights, and the final editing rights are the deciding factor.

The director and editor work together to edit the film. The production company has the right to ask the director to edit the film according to their own needs. If the director listens to their opinions, they will obediently go back and edit. If they don't listen, they will start to fight with the company to see who can win. However, the production company has the right to bypass the director and ask other editors to complete the version they need.

However, the director still retains the right to a "director's cut".

It's different in China. In China, if a production company cuts the film independently without the director's permission, it means they've fallen out with the director.

The announcement of the release date for "Mulan" at least hooked Liu Yifei's fans.

My sister has already joined the production team, and we only need to wait another 19 months to see her new drama.

But why do we have to wait 19 months?!
Confirming a release date is an important opportunity for a film to gain publicity and exposure in the early stages.

But those who know Liu Yifei's situation in the Chinese entertainment industry understand that even the slightest move she makes easily sparks discussion. Fans are once again celebrating Liu Yifei securing a Disney project and eagerly anticipating the final product in 19 months.

Commentators then accused Liu Yifei of being a "resource-backed" actress: "Liu Yifei has completely proven to all female celebrities that no matter how well you do, it's not as good as marrying well."

"Liu Yifei proves that hard work and talent are worthless in the face of capital. Because she has the backing of the largest film and television company in the country, and her husband is a big director in the industry, Liu Yifei is not afraid of you being talented and hardworking at all, because she will not compete with you fairly."

"I've never thought she was pretty, nor do I think she was a good actress. I really don't understand why she has so many resources."

Liu Yifei was aware of these comments, but she didn't care and didn't mind.

Along with the discussions surrounding Liu Yifei's connections, there were also questions about her academic performance.

Among them, the two "Pacific Rim" movies are naturally the most discussed.

The first film did indeed lose money at the box office, and they've been talking about it for five years now, since 2013. Sometimes you really have to admire their perseverance.

But the second film grossed 23.67 billion yuan in China, so there's no way to criticize that, right?
Innocent!

"According to the producer, the production cost of Pacific Rim 2 still exceeded the budget. Originally planned at 1.9 million, it actually reached 2.1 million. In addition, the cost of marketing and distribution was expensive (the cost of marketing and distribution is not easy to find). The film has not yet broken even."

"Liu Yifei has botched two blockbuster films in a row. According to Hollywood's rules, she's done for in the US. If it weren't for her powerful husband, she wouldn't even be considered by Disney." This also shows how incredibly capable Li Qiutang is.

"Both Pacific Rim films were invested in by Autumn Pictures, but both films lost money. Autumn Pictures is already very dissatisfied with Liu Yifei."

Liu Yifei's fans have extensive experience in fighting, and they quickly found evidence to refute these doubts.

"Fun fact: You can access IMDb without a VPN. As of today, 'Pacific Rim 2' has a budget of $2.1 million, a North American box office of $3.6 million, and a global box office of $9.4 million. Can't find the marketing data? I'll show you. Director Guillermo del Toro just said in an interview last month that Universal and Legendary Pictures invested $1 million in marketing resources for 'Pacific Rim 2.' Do you know how to do the math? 'Pacific Rim 2' is profitable worldwide."

"The president of Universal Pictures praised Pacific Rim 2 as a huge success on Twitter before the new year, saying that Liu Yifei is an international star. Now you're denying it."

"Pacific Rim 2 was released on the same day as Justice League! Although Justice League was ultimately not very good, who dared to compete with it before its release? Pacific Rim 2 was naturally at a disadvantage in terms of marketing and distribution, but it won against Justice League in the global competition. Doesn't that prove its value?"

"I've said it so many times, the second part was already planned when the first part was in preparation, and it has nothing to do with Liu Yifei."

"Yifei hasn't had any public activities since joining the production team for training. Today is just the production team announcing the release date, and it's already attracted so much negativity. It's true that fame brings trouble."

"No matter what you think or say, Liu Yifei is the actress with the best resources in China. Don't you want such great resources?"

"Saying that Yifei married well is pure jealousy. Yifei and Director Li were classmates, and they naturally fell in love and got married. What's it to you? You'd rather Yifei married badly, wouldn't you?"

"At least she didn't marry a man more than ten years older than her!"

Liu Yifei certainly doesn't like fans and haters attacking each other, so she chooses not to watch and continues to focus on training.

Fans eagerly await "Mulan" 19 months from now, but a question suddenly comes to mind:
"Didn't Yifei also have 'The Butterfly Lovers'? Her first art film, how's that movie going?"

(End of this chapter)