Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 417: Death without surprising words

The media was already excited and felt full of inspiration, and they couldn't wait to write a few popular news articles.

But Lin Yuan knew that was not enough.

Compared with his previous films, "The Legend of Tang Dynasty" needs higher attention and more topics, and it should start whetting the audience's appetite from now on.

So he went on to say: "For me, this movie has three 'mosts'."

“The most expensive, the most dangerous, and the most anticipated.”

"The most expensive part isn't just the unprecedented $4 million production cost, but also the fact that I've mobilized the best talent in the entire action film industry. Brother Chen Long and Mr. Li Renjie are both action movie superstars and my predecessors.

I am grateful for their support of this film, and please allow me to express my gratitude to both of them."

After he finished speaking, there was another round of applause from the audience. It could be said that Lin Yuan gave the two of them enough face.

Chen Long and Li Renjie's faces were flushed, and they also smiled and applauded, thanking Lin Yuan.

"To be able to mobilize so many resources to produce a film is a feast in the field of kung fu movies, and it is also a rare opportunity for me. That's why I call it the 'most expensive'."

Hearing Lin Yuan say this, the reporters at the scene all expressed their agreement:

"The production cost of $4 million is too high. If there is a loss, Linyuan Films' cash flow may be in jeopardy, and there may even be a risk of complete collapse."

"Money is only one aspect. The fact that Chen Long and Li Renjie are together in Lin Yuan's film is worth going to the cinema for just this selling point. This 'most expensive' film is truly worth the money."

"The most expensive, but also the best results. I saw the costume and makeup spreadsheets handed out by the staff and realized they rented over 1000 horses alone. That's not counting the thousands of sets of armor, weapons, props, and costumes. It's truly sincere, no wonder the cost was so high."

Lin Yuan smiled and looked at the audience. Most of the time, the best way to tell others how good your product is is to tell them how expensive it is.

In 2003, in Europe and the United States, where consumerism was rampant, the idea that more expensive meant better was deeply rooted in people's minds.

Therefore, Lin Yuan does not need to brag about how good his movie is. He just needs to show the data and say that it is the "most expensive". Everyone will naturally associate it with such an expensive movie, and the effect must be very good.

Lin Yuan continued
"For this film, I've mobilized all my funds and connections. This is another big gamble in my film career. Therefore, I promised the audience that I would present the most sincere and visually stunning action scenes. But for me, this is also the 'most dangerous' one.

Faced with these action scenes, I was also afraid at one point and even doubted whether I could complete the challenge.

I will try my best to overcome these dangers during the filming process. If I succeed, I hope that you, as the audience, will share these miracles with me in the cinema. You will definitely be very satisfied. "

After hearing Lin Yuan's words, the reporters in the audience were also stunned.

This is the first time that Lin Yuan has publicly said that he felt scared during the filming and even doubted whether he could complete the challenge.

This had never happened before. Even when Lin Yuan challenged his physical body to pass through the thunderstorm cloud, he was full of confidence and said frankly that he was not worried at all.

As a result, the curiosity of the reporters at the scene was immediately piqued:
"What kind of dangerous action scene could possibly make Lin Yuan feel terrified and worried that he wouldn't be able to complete it?"

"Given how desperate Lin Yuan is, his life is definitely in danger. I'm so conflicted. I want to see his exciting action scenes, but I'm also worried about him getting into an accident."

"I really want to know the answer, but it's definitely a trade secret. He definitely won't answer if I ask him now. It's so uncomfortable to be left hanging like this!"

Lin Yuan knew that after seeing the news reports, the public’s reaction would be the same as that of the reporters on the scene.

To successfully arouse the audience's curiosity and make them walk into the theater.

It is definitely not enough to rely solely on the oriental elements in "The Legend of Tang Dynasty", because that can only attract a part of the audience, but Lin Yuan wants a sensational effect at the national level.

Then we can only rely on his action scenes.

"Finally, I'm most looking forward to it. After investing the most expensive money and going through the most dangerous filming, I'm definitely most looking forward to the box office performance of this movie."

Having said that, Lin Yuan paused.

Given his understanding of the media, the media must want to hear him talk, and the public will definitely like it too.

So Lin Yuan said, "Let me give you an expectation. I hope this movie can surpass The King of Spy, and ideally, exceed $10 billion at the box office."

As soon as the words came out, the reporters at the scene immediately became excited.

The box office of "The King's Avatar" is more than 23 billion US dollars, which can be called a box office miracle.

Lin Yuan not only hopes to surpass "The King of Spy Wars", but even hopes to exceed 10 billion US dollars!
According to the character of Oriental people, they like to do things first and talk big later.

Before the filming even started, they started bluntly saying that they hoped the box office would set a new record and even exceed $10 billion. If such remarks were made in China, they would definitely cause some people to be disgusted and think that it was outrageous.

Or they feel that it is not steady and humble at all, and even think that this is an act of setting a flag and getting killed.

However, this way of expression perfectly suits the preferences of European and American audiences. They just like someone to talk about plans that sound unrealistic.

As long as you work hard for it and show the possibility of success, they will even be willing to help you realize these exaggerated dreams.

Lin Yuan’s “three mosts” are logically integrated, which can also explain why there are such expectations.

Thunderous applause immediately erupted in the arena. After Lin Yuan finished speaking, the countless news headlines in their minds could no longer be suppressed and began to pop out continuously:
The gamble of the century, success or death, Lin Yuan puts everything on the line!

Three generations of Kung Fu masters gather together, the excitement is beyond your imagination!

A billionaire admits he'd risk his life to please you!

Lin Yuan's ruthless words: I will definitely reach even higher peaks!

……

These news headlines may seem exaggerated, but they are definitely eye-catching.

However, these news stories are not clickbait titles that do not match the content, but the titles and content actually match each other perfectly.

Lin Yuan's speech was intended to provide these ammunitions to the reporters present so that they could give full play to their voices with full confidence.

After seeing the media reports, the audience will inevitably pay more attention to "The Legend of Tang Dynasty".

It can be said that this is a win-win situation for Lin Yuan and the media, and both sides got what they wanted.

After Lin Yuan finished his opening remarks, he officially entered the question-and-answer session with reporters.

"Then let's give the first question to the reporter from The New York Times," said host Meng Tao.

A white male reporter, about thirty years old, stood up and asked, "Mr. Lin Yuan, why did you choose this subject to shoot? Do you have any deeper considerations?"

Lin Yuan smiled and replied, "There's definitely no deep-seated considerations. My original intention was very simple, which was to serve as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and the West."

As the reporters looked on thoughtfully, he continued, "As everyone knows, I am of Chinese descent. I have some understanding of both Eastern and Western cultures. Promoting cultural exchange between the East and the West is an unshirkable responsibility for me, and it is something I personally find very meaningful."

In recent years, I have filmed Hollywood movies such as "Pirates of the Caribbean", "King of Spy", and "Jurassic Park", and brought them to the East.

I also filmed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero to showcase Eastern culture to the Western world."

"My initial inspiration for filming 'The Song of Tang' came one day when I was having dinner with a friend in Chinatown. She asked me why Chinese people are called 'Tang people'. She kept hearing the word 'Tang', but what does 'Tang' mean?"

"Her question made me realize that even though many people in Europe and America are familiar with the word 'Tang', they still don't understand it at all. The Tang Dynasty was a great dynasty and the pinnacle of ancient Eastern culture. I wanted to show everyone this magnificent era in a film. So I came up with the idea of ​​making this film."

The "she" Lin Yuan used was "she", and the person asking the question was of course Taylor Swift.

Of course Liu Yufei heard it, but she smiled and didn't take it to heart.

"In fact, many Chinese filmmakers share the same idea as me. For example, Brother Chen Long's latest film, The Myth, tells the story of another great Chinese dynasty, the Qin Dynasty. Okay, that's all I have to say."

According to the reporter's question plan, the next question should be answered by Chen Long, so Lin Yuan also returned the favor by bringing the topic to him and helped him promote "The Myth" by the way.

After answering the question, Lin Yuan sat down. Meng Tao continued, "The next question is from the reporter from The Washington Post."

"I would like to ask Jackie Chen, as a senior, what do you think of Lin Yuan's rise in recent years? Are you jealous of his success?" the reporter asked.

This question seemed a bit unfriendly, and it seemed like it was meant to sow discord between Lin Yuan and Chen Long, but the truth was clearly not the case.

The first few answers are semi-compulsory essays.

That is, first select which media reporters will ask questions, and at the same time determine who the questions are to be asked.

The selected reporter will then prepare a few questions of interest and let the person being questioned choose in advance.

Therefore, the fact that this question could be asked openly was the result of Chen Long's own choice.

Chen Long picked up the microphone and answered seriously, "I know some people think that among us action actors, there's intense competition and that our relationships are inherently bad. It's as if if he eats one more bite, I'll have one less bite."

"The premise of this idea is that the action movie market is a zero-sum game with a fixed-sized pie."

"But is that really the case? Obviously not! A talented action star like Lin Yuan suddenly appears and soars to fame, making the market much bigger in an instant. We will only benefit from this and won't suffer any losses."

"If it weren't for Lin Yuan's pioneering work in the action film market over the past few years, I might have only dared to reduce the box office target for my new film, The Myth, to one-third. This is Lin Yuan's contribution to all action films."

"Back to your question, I'm very happy to see Lin Yuan's rise, and I'm not jealous at all. I'm very fortunate to have such a talented person continue to carry the banner of action movies as I grow older. That's all I have to say. Thank you."

The reporters in the audience gave another round of warm applause.

Chen Long's answer was quite generous. He expressed his joy for Lin Yuan's rise with an open mind, which naturally won the unanimous favor of everyone.

"Thank you, Brother Chenlong, for your answer. For the next question, we would like to invite a reporter from the Los Angeles Times," Meng Tao continued.

"I'd like to ask Mr. Li Renjie, how do you feel about starring in Lin Yuan's movie?"

Li Renjie picked up the microphone and said, "Great! Shooting a movie with such a generous budget is definitely a great experience!"

"Hahaha~" There was a good-natured laugh at the scene.

Everyone naturally understands the happiness of having money.

"I was just joking. What really makes me happy is that I can learn something."

"People used to jokingly call me the 'Kung Fu Emperor'. At the time, I didn't mind it too much, nor did I take the title too seriously. After all, it was just a joke. I couldn't care less what others called me, and I certainly didn't take it to heart."

"But after meeting Lin Yuan, I felt extremely ashamed if someone called me that again."

"When we were filming Hero together, I was completely impressed by Lin Yuan's martial arts skills. That classic Qin Palace showdown was the best action scene I've ever filmed, far surpassing any previous film."

"I've been looking forward to working with Lin Yuan again. Wouldn't it be awesome if we could have another exciting action scene like this?"

"Speaking of which, I can't help but want to show off a little bit. Here are the props!"

Following Li Renjie's words, the staff pushed the weapon racks that had been prepared long ago onto the stage.

There were two knives hanging on the weapon rack, one long and one short.

The longer knife has a blade that is 1 meters long, and there is a 2-meter-long handle below the blade. The overall length is about 1 meters.

The overall length of the shorter one is about 1 meters.

The reporters at the scene were also surprised that Li Renjie would directly ask the staff to load weapons.

However, the appearance of these two weapons made them unable to help but discuss:

"What kind of sword is this? The longer one is so powerful, it looks like it's used by a fierce general."

"The shorter one looks like a Japanese sword, but the blade doesn't have the curved arc of a Japanese sword."

Li Renjie said: "These two swords are both famous knives from the Tang Dynasty in China. The long one is called the Mo Dao, and the short one is called the Heng Dao. The Mo Dao is an infantry weapon, good for beheading horses. The Tang Heng Dao, on the other hand, is the ancestor of the Japanese sword. The Japanese made local improvements based on the Tang Heng Dao, which gave rise to the Japanese sword."

In fact, there are many different opinions about the data of Mo Dao.

Some say the length is 3.3 meters or even 3.6 meters, while others say it is 1.6 meters.

Some say the weight is 15 kilograms, others say 30 kilograms, or even 40 kilograms.

The reason for the controversy is that, on the one hand, the unearthed cultural relics vary in size, and there are also major discrepancies in historical records.

In Lin Yuan's opinion, weapons have always existed in various versions, including ceremonial objects, handicrafts, special customizations for brave generals, and general standard versions.

This also leads to huge differences in the unearthed cultural relics.

No matter what the archaeological community thinks, for a top warrior like Lin Yuan, he naturally knows what kind of weapon is right as long as it passes through his hands.

After replicating several versions, Lin Yuan believed that the 2-meter version was the most likely standard weapon for ordinary people.

Li Renjie walked to the weapons rack and said to the reporters in the audience, "My greatest passion in life is martial arts. Seeing these Tang Dynasty weapons, I can't help but wonder how they were used to display the elegance described in history books."

"sulfuric acid!"

Li Renjie took off Tang Hengdao, and the sword was unsheathed, shining with cold light, which made people feel chilling, but also with a deadly beauty.

"In my opinion, it is so moving and beautiful, far more attractive to me than a Japanese sword, but unfortunately I don't know how to use it," said Li Renjie.

"I originally thought that these weapons would have been useless by now. But Lin Yuan immediately surprised me! Once he got these weapons in his hands, he immediately mastered them to perfection."

"I begged him to teach me and to deduct my film salary as tuition."

"Hahahaha~" Hearing Li Renjie's words, the reporters in the audience burst into laughter.

But they also deeply felt Li Renjie's love and desire for martial arts.

"Lin Yuan smiled and told me there was no need to deduct money, as he was planning to teach everyone anyway. These Tang Dynasty weapons will appear in the movie."

"When I thought about recreating the Tang Dynasty army, wielding Mo Dao and slashing at enemy cavalry, causing the effect of both men and horses being torn apart, my blood immediately boiled."

"And then I thought about the possibility of myself holding the Tang horizontal sword and fighting a life-and-death battle with Lin Yuan. I was so excited that I couldn't sleep all night. I couldn't wait to start filming the movie."

"So, you asked me what it was like to film Lin Yuan's film? Of course it was awesome! From the inside out, it was all-encompassing and wholeheartedly awesome!"

"I believe you will really enjoy the battle scenes we present in the cinema in the future."

"Okay, I've finished answering this question."

After saying that, Li Renjie sat back in his seat.

After the three reporters finished asking questions, the next step was the free question session for reporters.

Actors present, including Liu Yufei and Zhang Ziyu, answered several reporters' questions, and the atmosphere was quite relaxed and pleasant.

Until a Fox News reporter stood up and said, "I want to interview Ms. Gao Yuanyuan."

"Ah?" Gao Yuanyuan, who was asked a question for the first time tonight, immediately became nervous.

"A few days ago, I watched the short film "A Movie Before Dying" starring you and Lin Yuan. The story is great and I like it very much." said the Fox News reporter.

"Thank you for the compliment." Gao Yuanyuan replied with a smile.

Lin Yuan frowned. Considering Fox News' hostility towards him, it was definitely not the place to say a few nice words.

Sure enough, the reporter continued, "Being able to film such a wonderful short drama with Lin Yuan is an extremely valuable opportunity. You also landed a key role in 'The Heroes of Tang Dynasty,' even more significant than Miss Zhang Ziyu's. How did you land such a golden opportunity?"

Sure enough, it’s another despicable move!
The subtext is: What kind of sex deal did you do to get such good resources?

Lin Yuan frowned even more deeply. Last time, they had used the same question to disgust Liu Yufei.

That time, Lin Yuan chose to answer by directly announcing his relationship, so what should he do this time?
(End of this chapter)