Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 589 Little Liu Joins the Army in Place of Her Husband, "Ball Flash" Reclaims Lost Territory! (Bonus Chapter for Boss Monchhichi)
Since the beginning of June, the global promotional campaign for "Ball Flash" has entered its final, crucial stage.

As the final chapter of the marketing trilogy, the previous chapters "Questioning the Unknown" and "Eastern Science Fiction Aesthetics" have achieved great results (Chapter 576). The final stage is to build up the atmosphere to its climax with the global publisher basically confirmed.

The Wenjie team calls this plan "Incarnation into a Thousand," just like Lin Yun's final self-observation, which collapsed into a quantum state and began to appear omnipresent in this spacetime.

In mid-to-late June, pre-sales for the IMAX and Dolby Atmos versions were launched globally simultaneously.

As China's largest private cinema chain, Golden Harvest Cinema has added nearly 70 IMAX screens, making them its most powerful weapon. The promotional slogan is: "China's first hardcore sci-fi blockbuster, the only immersive experience that matches IMAX." All platforms under Golden Harvest Cinema are offering a "20% discount for early bird pre-sales" promotion, along with a limited edition "quantum state" concept metal bookmark or commemorative card.

The simultaneously released "Ultimate Mission" poster is also breathtaking: Zhou Xun's character, Lin Yun, gradually becomes particles in the eerie blue light caused by "Macro Fusion," dissipating into countless shimmering points of light, vividly interpreting the tragic and sublime nature of "transforming into millions." This poster was posted in every possible outdoor advertising space.

In addition to mainland China, Mr. Lu has begun to make his voice heard frequently, leveraging the resources and connections he has accumulated in the Chinese and American entertainment industries, as well as in the European distribution and expansion efforts over the past two weeks, calling on science fiction enthusiasts and fans worldwide to support this blockbuster.

Meanwhile, Lu Kuan, who had separated from his wife Liu Yifei in Paris, led his team to North America to reunite with the main cast, including Zhou Xun and Xin Baiqing, who had returned directly from Cannes, in Los Angeles, and began a promotional campaign in the week leading up to the North American premiere.

In the realm of traditional print media, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety featured Lu Kuan's directing career and the rise of his empire with cover stories and in-depth interviews, hailing him as "an Eastern force that is redefining the science fiction genre."

Lu Kuan himself once again graced the cover of Time magazine, but unlike the previous time it was the main issue; this time it was the entertainment section of the Asian edition, with the headline still quite striking: "The Red Storm Rises Again: The Chinese Reinventing Science Fiction Films."

In terms of television media, the production team gave an in-depth interview to CBS's flagship news magazine "60 Minutes," which explored the film's creative process, the new model of Sino-US co-production, and interesting anecdotes about filming on the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier. Meanwhile, highlights of the film were also frequently played on mainstream morning programs such as "Good Morning America," impacting the visual senses of ordinary viewers.

Beyond print entertainment media, in light of the unfamiliarity some viewers experienced with the more obscure aspects of hard science fiction during the Cannes screenings, The New Yorker, a major North American cultural commentary magazine, simultaneously published in-depth reviews written by invited theoretical physicists and science fiction scholars.

These articles did not reveal too much about the plot, but focused on the scientific imagination of the core settings such as "macro-electrons" and "quantum states" in the film and the philosophical implications behind them. The scholars discussed the artistic presentation of ball lightning as a scientific conjecture in the film and put it into dialogue with cutting-edge thinking in quantum mechanics.

The scholars, working in close collaboration, reached a highly consistent conclusion: this is a rare work that combines scientific rigor with humanistic depth, marking the maturity of science fiction films as a vehicle for serious thought. Meanwhile, several small-scale, high-level expert screenings were held in lecture halls at MIT and Caltech.

Attendees included Nobel laureate in physics David Gross, several astrophysicists, and heads of leading artificial intelligence labs. During the small discussion following the screening, these scientific giants highly praised the scientific logic and future vision presented in the film. The highlights of their discussion were carefully edited into a short feature film titled "How Scientists View 'Ball Lightning'," released in the second week of June through the social media channels of partner media outlets.

Of course, scientific logic flaws in the film are unavoidable. The physicists present offered humorous commentary from the perspective of combining art and science, without shying away from these issues, and packaged "Ball Flash" as a flawless work.

Including the heavyweight guest, Nobel laureate David Gross, who is not only a top scientist but also actively involved in popular science, adept at explaining profound physical concepts in vivid language, and happy to explore the boundaries and philosophical significance of science. This coincides with the film's ambition to integrate hard science with humanistic philosophy.

This series of actions established its prestigious status as a "hard science fiction masterpiece" among the global intellectual elite before the film's public release, setting it apart from ordinary Hollywood visual blockbusters.

In fact, Harvey and Disney also tried to invite Steven Chu, a Chinese-American who won the 1997 Nobel Prize, but was serving as the U.S. Secretary of Energy, so it wasn't easy to get him to endorse the film.

In terms of online marketing, in the final days leading up to the North American premiere, the long-awaited global social media hashtag "[I will Return In Millions]" exploded on Twitter. This hashtag directly addressed the film's core emotions, encouraging users to share their passion for the film and their willingness to dedicate their lives to it.

Whether it's scientific research, artistic creation, public welfare, or some unique hobby.

The event quickly garnered enthusiastic responses from key opinion leaders across the world, including science fiction writers, scientists, artists, and athletes. Their moving stories had a powerful impact, elevating the discussion beyond the film itself into a global debate about obsession and the value of life, perfectly embodying the film's core message that "the key to a wonderful life lies in what you can be obsessed with."

Offline experiences aim to create memorable physical experiences.

On the giant screen in Times Square, New York, a dynamic video based on the "Ultimate Mission" poster was played on a loop. The process of Lin Yun, played by Zhou Xun, being quantized in a dark blue light shocked tourists from all over the world with its extremely shocking scale.
In Los Angeles, a temporary light and shadow art installation called "Ball Lightning: The Unobservable Shadow" was set up in the plaza of Griffith Observatory. Using advanced laser and holographic projection technology, it simulated the mysterious and unpredictable shape changes of ball lightning, attracting countless citizens and tourists to stop and take photos. Related photos and videos were widely spread on social media such as Facebook.

Meanwhile, North American ticket pre-sales are entering their final sprint. In partnership with platforms such as Fandango, a limited-edition "Sci-Fi Night for Two" package has been launched for midnight screenings in high-end theaters such as IMAX and Dolby Cinemas, and includes a beautifully designed limited-edition "Quantum Rose" fluorescent badge.

This strategy precisely targeted the core sci-fi movie fan base, and after the pre-sale began, IMAX midnight screenings in many cities quickly sold out, creating a situation where tickets were hard to come by on the eve of the premiere.

On June 25, 2010, Los Angeles time, a Hollywood blockbuster, after three months of global marketing, finally premiered at its "old haunt" Grauman Chinese Theatre during the prime time slot usually chosen by Hollywood blockbusters!

The reason it's called "the old place" is because the film "A Home Too Far" premiered here six years ago, achieving the record of becoming the highest-grossing domestic film of the year. This provided the fledgling Butian Pictures with rich project experience and the benefits of technology imports, and also brought the young Chinese director, who had previously only won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, into the sights of Hollywood.

The premiere officially started at 7:30 p.m., but the creative team, Miramax and Disney staff arrived at the venue at 6 p.m. to scout out the location.

Even though Mr. Lu himself is quite familiar with such scenes, many of the other actors in the crew are participating in a premiere event in the United States for the first time. They need to get used to the venue in advance, become familiar with some common English phrases, and be able to handle possible questions during interviews. These are essential skills for professional actors.

A huge poster for "Ball Lightning" was hung above a gatehouse with oriental characteristics. The appearance of the main cast had already attracted the attention of reporters and a number of onlookers who were science fiction fans. Lu Kuan and Zhou Xun were among the few faces that could be recognized.

"Look here for the road!"

"Lin Yun! Lin Yun!"

Fortunately, the pronunciation of the female lead's name, Lin Yun, is easy for English-speaking audiences, and Zhou Xun's character name was able to spread widely in previous marketing campaigns.

The group walked along the long red carpet and arrived at the famous concrete forecourt at the entrance of the theater.

Zhou Xun, Xin Baiqing, and others, who were visiting for the first time, curiously looked down at the special blocks embedded in the terrazzo floor of the Avenue of Stars.

"Are these the legendary celebrity handprints and footprints?"

Mr. Lu, acting as a temporary tour guide, explained with a smile, "Yes, but the stars here are a bit different from those on the sidewalk outside. The Hollywood Walk of Fame outside is an official certification from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, with the first star being left by actress Joanne Woodward in 1960. It's more like a city honor."

He pointed to the concrete blocks under his feet: "This is the private tradition of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, which began in 1927, more than 30 years before the Walk of Fame."

"The theater owner at the time was struggling to make ends meet, so in order to promote the theater, he had silent film star Norma Talmacher leave her handprints and footprints on wet cement. It was a clever marketing tactic, but it unexpectedly became a tradition. The idea for the Walk of Fame was plagiarized from the Chinese Theatre."

Zhou Xun looked around at the names and marks that bear the weight of film history:

Mary Pickford's petite handprint, John Wayne's beloved rifle engraved next to him, Marilyn Monroe's charming signature...

Her gaze finally settled on the prominent mark of Chinese director John Woo, and she jokingly said, "Director Lu, the ground is sparkling with stars, how come I can't find your handprints and footprints?"

"Given the popularity and success of 'Alien Land' back then, why didn't they ask you to stay?"

Surrounded by his own people, Boss Lu joked in a serious tone, "This old bastard snatched the best seats. I'll wait until I can get his name covered in ink so the theater owner will invite me back."

Everyone knew he had reservations about certain Hong Kong directors, especially "washed-up directors" like Pigeon who consistently used mainland stars to promote Hong Kong and Taiwan stars, and they all laughed heartily.

"Just kidding." Lu Kuan explained with a smile, "Actually, both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the theater approached me, but the former requires several thousand dollars in maintenance fees every year. Both places are being trampled underfoot by tourists from all over the world, which is quite disgusting to think about, so I didn't stay."

He looked up and pointed to the exterior of the Chinese Theatre, "And this movie theater sponsored by TCL looks pretty much the same, with upturned eaves, stone lions and dragon and phoenix reliefs, but overall it is still the oriental wonder imagined by Westerners. When we build a landmark theater in North America, please all come and leave your handprints then?"

Zhou Xun quipped, "Do you want money or not? If you do, then forget it."

"It's free, but at least you have to be a movie star to stay, right?" Boss Lu started to belittle people as soon as he opened his mouth.

Zhou Xun scoffed: "Ugh! You probably prepared this for your wife, right? How boring!"

Everyone laughed.

……

At 7 p.m. sharp, the atmosphere in front of the Grauman Chinese Theatre suddenly heated up.

The spotlights on both sides of the red carpet were like a lit galaxy, instantly illuminating Hollywood Boulevard as if it were daytime, and the premiere officially entered the stage of celebrity guests entering the venue.

As a joint production of Miramax and Disney, and directed by Lu Kuan, an international director with both artistic prestige and commercial appeal, the premiere of "Ball Lightning" attracted a star-studded lineup.

Although the Chinese lead actors, such as Zhou Xun and Xin Baiqing, are less internationally renowned, their Eastern faces and unique temperament still attracted a lot of attention on the red carpet.

The former, dressed in a custom-made gown from a top international brand that blended futuristic and oriental charm, calmly faced the cameras of international media. Her portrayal of "Lin Yun" became the focus of many people's conversation that night.

Among the internet celebrities who came to support the event, the first to walk the red carpet were Disney's star lineup.

Johnny Depp, dressed in his signature retro suit and exuding a touch of Captain Jack Sparrow's nonchalance, ignited the entire audience upon his arrival. He warmly embraced Lu Kuan and joked to the camera, "Lu is the coolest director I've ever met. The 'ghosts' in his movies are much more interesting than my skull and crossbones flag!"

Following closely behind were the crew members currently filming "Iron Man 2," led by Robert Downey Jr., who gave an interview praising "Ball Lightning" and stated that he would strive to seek opportunities to collaborate with Chinese directors in his next film, after all, it was the Chinese director who saved him from the margins.

Under the flashing lights, accompanying the Iron Man 2 crew was Victoria's Secret Angel Miranda Kerr, who had previously been officially announced to make a cameo appearance. This was, of course, Boss Lu fulfilling his promise, treating this ambitious American sweetheart as a mere sideline. (Chapter 558)
She wore a daringly tailored scarlet satin deep-V gown that clung to her stunning curves, making her look like a moving flame and instantly stealing the spotlight.

Red carpets are a regular occurrence for supermodels like her. Miranda Kerr walked straight to Mr. Lu, who was shaking hands and taking photos with the media and guests in the middle of the red carpet. Normally, she would have given him a polite handshake or a kiss on the cheek, but she ignored his outstretched hand and opened her arms to give him a tight, unreserved hug.

A warm breeze, a blend of fine perfume and body odor, wafted over him. The touch was incredibly soft and supple. The hot body, hailed by global media as a "masterpiece of God," clung to him almost completely, lasting for far longer than usual.

The surrounding reporters went wild instantly, their camera shutters clicking like a torrential downpour, everyone sensing the explosive nature of the scandal.

Since 2010, Kerr's commercial value has been approaching the top of the supermodel world, and she is almost catching up with Hollywood actresses in the fashion industry.

A reporter eagerly thrust the microphone forward: "Miranda, it seems your friendship with Lou is quite special! Did your collaboration on Iron Man 2 spark anything special?"

Miranda Kerr smiled radiantly at the camera, yet her words were impeccable: "Lo is the most visionary and talented man I've ever met! It would be a tremendous honor to be a part of his company's work, even if it's just a small cameo. His thinking is as profound and fascinating as the universe."

She smiled and waved her hand, facing the camera professionally: "But don't misunderstand, I'm just one of his fans."

After the group photo was over, Miranda Kerr leaned in again before parting for another brief hug.

She pressed her red lips almost against Lu Kuan's earlobe, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear, with a hint of teasing: "Lu... I've always remembered what we didn't finish in the birdcage that night. I'm always here whenever you need me."

The Victoria's Secret Angel, with seductive eyes, said: "I promise, I know better than your Chinese wife... how to make you happy."

The barely audible words tickled the man's eardrums like feathers, his eyes were moist as if he were looking at a piece of Tang Monk's flesh that made his mouth water.

Mr. Lu nodded politely with a smile, his nose itching slightly from the perfume of that slutty American sweetheart, when he was interrupted by Harvey walking down the red carpet.

An Lushan, a Jewish man who happened to witness this sensual farewell, squeezed through the crowd and nudged him with his elbow in an ambiguous manner, his thick face showing his eyebrows raised almost to the sky.

He gave a knowing, greasy smile that mixed envy and "I understand you."

Harvey exchanged a few pleasantries, then turned to introduce the promising new star he had just discovered behind him, Jennifer Lawrence, whom Chinese movie fans would later affectionately call "Big Cousin."

Jennifer Lawrence debuted in 2007 in a sitcom, and this year is a crucial year in her career because she was discovered by Harvey Dufresne, who would later help her win the Academy Award for Best Actress.

The film "Winter's Bone," which was released just two weeks ago, made her a household name. Her role as a woman searching for her father in a poor mountain area will earn her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress next year, which is a remarkable achievement for an actress who has only been in the industry for three years.

What's even more astonishing is that just two years later, Harvey hired a public relations team of the same caliber as Obama's campaign team to campaign for her in "Silver Linings Playbook," which led to her winning the Academy Award for Best Actress.

This was Harvey's golden age in Hollywood, so much so that Jennifer Lawrence claimed in front of the global media: "He helped me get rid of the other actresses."

The "older cousin," nearly ten years younger than Boss Lu, blushed and extended her hand: "Lu, I'm your biggest fan! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Mr. Lu glanced at Harvey, gave him a perfunctory handshake for dinner, and said, "Thank you, enjoy the movie."

The last few guests arrived one after another. An Lushan, a Jewish man who had been waiting on the sidelines, warmly embraced his "Chinese comrade" and led him into the cinema, jokingly muttering in a low voice:

"How about I make the arrangements tonight? It's definitely going to be a winning night, not just for your movie."

Looking at his lewd face, Boss Lu chuckled and said, "What else is there?"

Harvey gave him a "you're still trying to hide it from me" look. "Miranda Kerr probably can't stand up straight after you hugged her, right?"

"Hmm, you guessed right." Lu Kuan smiled and waved his hand, as if to fan away the strong perfume smell on the foreigners in the theater. "First, let everyone see the Quantum Rose, and then I'm going to humiliate your American Rose."

Harvey laughed loudly: "Hahaha! Torture her as much as you want! I can read her eyes, you've already conquered America's sweetheart!"

“When you go to the women, don’t forget to bring a whip.” He raised an eyebrow, misquoting a famous Nietzschean, then covered his mouth and whispered, “Remember the friend I introduced you to last time? After things calm down, we can go to the island for a visit.”

"Wait for my notification."

Mr. Lu smiled knowingly and then went on stage to prepare for the premiere.

After a brief speech by Disney's Iger and several senior film critics and guests, at 8 p.m. sharp, the lights in the Chinese Theatre gradually dimmed, leaving only a spotlight in the center of the stage.

Amidst a brief introduction by the host and enthusiastic applause from the audience, Lu Kuan steadily walked onto the stage.

He glanced around briefly, his steady voice resounding throughout the theater:

"Thank you all for coming tonight. Six years ago, 'A Home Away' set sail here, allowing me to truly feel the pulse of Hollywood for the first time. Tonight, 'Ball Lightning' returns to this old place, which for me feels more like a fresh start after returning to my original aspirations."

"This film explores a core question: when a force beyond our comprehension appears, what choices will humanity make? Fear, conquest, or an attempt to understand and coexist? Ball lightning, this seemingly real yet illusory existence, is like a mirror, reflecting our thirst for knowledge, our ambition, and even our love, hate, and sacrifice."

"It's not just about science fiction, but also about the almost obsessive 'obsession' in each of our hearts—the obsession with truth, the obsession with protecting loved ones. It is this obsession that drives us forward, even if the road ahead is unknown, or even if we need to 'incarnate into a million'."

Finally, he raised his arm in an inviting gesture, his voice firm and full of expectation:
"Here, I would like to thank every member of the crew for their hard work, and thank Miramax and Disney for their strong support. Now, please allow me to invite you all to temporarily set aside your anchors in reality and enter this world built by quantum uncertainty and the unwavering will of humanity. May this film ignite the lightning in your hearts."

Amidst enthusiastic applause, the IMAX screen lit up.

When the oppressive atmosphere of the stormy night at the beginning of the film and the first appearance of ball lightning, its eerie blue light filling the screen, the entire audience was instantly drawn into that mysterious world. The previous quiet conversations ceased abruptly, leaving only breathless awe.

As the plot unfolds, Chen Guang's persistent pursuit of the case of his parents' unsolved illness evokes sighs of melancholy.

Lin Yun's initial display of the ball lightning weapon, with its calm and almost ruthless charm, left the audience both amazed by the visual spectacle and breathless with coldness.

In the latter part of the film, "macro-fusion" is triggered, and the entire battlefield is rendered as a deep blue quantum ocean. The sight of countless substances instantly becoming quantumized, enhanced by IMAX, brings an overwhelming visual and emotional impact.

Uncontrollable gasps and exclamations erupted from the audience, many leaning forward, completely captivated by this unprecedented science fiction concept.

When Lin Yun, played by Zhou Xun, uttered the last words, "Dad, you're too late," and resolutely completed her self-quantization in a tragic moment, the soft sobs of female viewers and the heavy breathing of men could be clearly heard in the darkness. This ending, full of sacrifice and transcendence, moved everyone with its emotional impact.

As the film ends and the credits roll, the pale blue "Quantum Rose" sways alone in the darkness.

A ten-second silence enveloped the entire hall, as if the audience was still immersed in that grand quantum world and unable to break free.

Immediately, applause erupted like a delayed-detonation macro-fusion, quickly transforming from initial hesitation into a sustained and enthusiastic torrent, filled with respect and excitement.

Along with it, the power of Chinese science fiction also soared, leaving a deep imprint on the heart of Hollywood that night.

As the world's most developed film market, film reviews and professional media outlets quickly published articles the following day, which was both a publicity stunt and a public relations effort.

The New York Times believes:
Amid the post-financial crisis era and the weariness of the Iraq War, Ball Lightning offers a completely new narrative.

Unlike Avatar, which leads us to escape to an alien planet, this film, with its calm Eastern wisdom, invites us to confront and re-understand this uncertain world. The concept of "macroelectronics" in the film is much like the smartphones and social media that are emerging in this era and profoundly changing our lives—a disruptive force that exists yet remains elusive. The film shows us that in an era of collapsing old orders, true courage stems from exploring the unknown rather than protecting the known.

……

Another major Hollywood newspaper, Variety, offered a contrasting perspective:

On the eve of "The Social Network" defining a new era of narrative with its sharp editing and incisive dialogue, "Ball Lightning" appears overly solemn and even sluggish.

Its insistence on scientific explanation is reminiscent of the public's general aversion to complex financial derivatives after the financial crisis, which were deemed too obscure and difficult to understand.

While the visual spectacle is undeniable, its emotional impact may not satisfy viewers who have just emerged from the heartwarming nostalgia of Toy Story 3.

Overall, this is a feast for thinkers, but it may not satisfy the appetite of ordinary viewers seeking instant gratification.

……

Coincidentally, The Hollywood Reporter also expressed concerns about the film's overly hardcore style:

Undeniably, Ball Lightning is visually and conceptually ambitious, but its persistent exploration of scientific theories sometimes sacrifices narrative fluency and emotional warmth.

However, some plot developments rely too heavily on academic explanations, which may pose a barrier to understanding for ordinary viewers. The film is more like a brilliant science fiction paper than an adventure story that can be easily immersed in, and its cold tone may alienate some viewers who seek traditional entertainment experiences.

However, in terms of the author's humanistic reflections, I believe that the combination of art and special effects in "The Road" is comparable to Cameron's.

……

Hollywood media outlets offered mixed reviews, but the biggest criticism and questioning was that the film was too "highbrow" and not a pure Hollywood popcorn movie. Surprisingly, however, grassroots moviegoers used data to prove these fair analysts wrong.

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Ball Lightning" has a 95% fresh rating based on over 200 professional reviews, with an average score of 8.8/10, and is certified as "fresh".

This level of novelty is comparable to "Inception," which was co-produced by North American studios last year, and far surpasses most commercial blockbusters of the same year.

Grassroots film critic Consensus wrote: "A visually stunning and thought-provoking science fiction masterpiece, Lu Kuan successfully transforms hard science into a captivating philosophical exploration."

Meanwhile, it achieved a weighted average score of 88 on Metacritic based on 45 authoritative media outlets, falling into the "generally positive" category. CinemaScore's in-theater survey showed that audiences gave it an A+ rating, indicating that while it has a certain viewing threshold, its core audience highly appreciates it.

The aforementioned CS, founded in 1978, is one of the most authoritative box office prediction agencies in North America. As of this year, no more than 20 Chinese films have received an A+ rating on their opening day in the annual statistical sample. Lu Kuan's previous films only received this honor for "A Home Too Far" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

These figures collectively confirm the film's huge success among its core audience, and the box office numbers for its opening weekend are already evident.

$8200!
Hollywood's so-called "opening weekend box office" originated from the era of major studios and is the most direct test of the effectiveness of a film's pre-production marketing investment.

The core objective of investing tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing is to convert public anticipation into actual movie-going behavior during the opening weekend.

In addition, the opening weekend box office is also the most important leading indicator for predicting the final total box office of a film. The industry usually uses "multipliers" to assess its staying power, which is generally around 2.5-3 times. A few films can break through the ceiling and have a very strong long tail effect.

For example, Avatar, which grossed less than $1 million in its opening weekend, ultimately earned more than $7 million in the North American market.

For "Ball Flash," achieving this number with the help of Miramax and Disney's more than 4500 opening weekends is not unexpected. The real test will be when the summer season begins, to evaluate its subsequent performance.

On the evening of July 1, 2010, Beijing time, the entire crew of "Ball Flash," returning home with this encouraging number, were both exhausted and excited as they began the premiere ceremony at the Wenjie Jiahe Guomao Store.

Domestic audiences were really eager for the film after its Cannes and North American premieres, but the current international film market situation requires that such a big-budget production, with a budget of over $2 million including production and promotion, must make a breakthrough in the more developed European and American markets and establish a solid foundation.

But the domestic premiere of "Ball Flash" on this day is destined to go down in history. Just before the premiere, the host Liu Yan suddenly announced a special ceremony before the start of the premiere!
Considering what Mr. Lu mentioned in his Weibo video about the return ceremony of the animal heads, and having already witnessed the overwhelming excitement of the fans, guests, and reporters present today despite the tight security, the scene is truly breathtaking!
The online community watching Zhijie Video was equally excited, with comments flying like snowflakes, almost overshadowing the currently airing drama "My Love from the Star".

Around 8 p.m., the rabbit and rat heads were briefly displayed in a specially made display case in a corner of the red carpet under tight security, covered with a red cloth that symbolizes joy and celebration in China.

The scene was filled with the frenzied cheers and shouts of celebrities, fans, and even reporters. At that moment, they were just ordinary Chinese people, followed by representatives from all three parties—

Liu Yifei from Wenjie, the Pinault family of France, Henri Pinault, president of Kering Group, and leaders from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage took the stage together.

First, the leader gave a solemn speech, expressing gratitude to the Pinault family, Wenjie, especially Director Lu Kuandao himself, and all the friendly people who worked hard for this matter.

He stated that the return of the rabbit and rat heads is not only a fulfillment of the nation's long-cherished wish, but also a manifestation of the country's strength and confidence in its civilization. It also foreshadows the future. Witnessing the return at this moment, in an event that showcases our contemporary cultural creativity, such as the premiere of "Ball Flash," is of profound significance.

Following this was Pinault's commercial presentation, where the French magnate passionately stated: "Art and culture are the common treasures of humankind and should not be obscured by the shadows of history. Returning the item to its rightful owner is not only a sign of respect but also a new beginning for friendship."

"The Pinault family is honored to contribute to the return of this civilization, which is more valuable than any business partnership."

Finally, Xiao Liu, representing her husband, took the stage as a substitute for him, and also spoke as the organizer of today's "Return of the Beast Heads" and the premiere of "Ball Flash".

Dressed in a cool and stylish black suit, Xiao Liu glanced at her husband in the first row and smiled slightly:

"Good morning, everyone. Lu Kuan is exhausted from traveling overseas for the past two months, which has caused him to have a fever and make it difficult for him to speak. He specifically asked me to express his gratitude to Mr. Henry Pinault, who has traveled from afar, as well as all the guests and fans!"

A round of enthusiastic applause was given to the young director in the audience. Lu Kuan, who looked visibly dejected, stood up, turned around, and waved to everyone.

The roadshow was too intense, and he also had to write the script for the film adaptation of "The Shape of Water" overnight, even though he had been ill for several days.

The top female star in the Chinese entertainment industry on stage continued: "Tonight we are gathered here for two extraordinary events: first, the return of a national treasure that has been wandering overseas for over a hundred years; and second, the domestic premiere of 'Ball Lightning,' a film that embodies the hard work of many actors and directors. These two events, seemingly one ancient and one modern, one real and one fantastical, are surprisingly similar in their core: both are about 'return' and 'protection.'"

She turned her gaze to the animal heads in the display case, her voice clear and firm: "The return of the animal heads is to protect the roots of our nation and the dignity of our history; and 'Ball Lightning' tells a story about obsession, exploration and ultimate protection."

"In the movie, Lin Yun sacrifices himself to protect his homeland, transforming into thousands of beings, which is a kind of perseverance that is willing to give everything for his beliefs; in reality, bringing lost national treasures home also requires the unwavering belief and silent dedication of generations."

"This resonance across time and space shows us that whether facing the scars of history or exploring the unknown future, the purest love and perseverance of the Chinese people, which comes from the bottom of their hearts, has never changed."

Liu Yifei paused and then summarized:
"Therefore, on this special night, the return of the national treasure has given our film premiere a deeper historical weight; and the Eastern science fiction imagination and future vision shown in 'Ball Lightning' is a vivid footnote to our confidence in our own civilization and our move towards the future."

"Thank you to everyone who made this wonderful encounter a reality! Let us witness together the brilliant light at which history and the future converge!"

Before the audience and guests, their eyes brimming with tears, could even applaud, Xiao Liu nodded to his left and right, then stepped forward and unveiled the red cloth covering the animal heads—a symbol of celebration for the Chinese.

The rabbit and rat heads, separated from their homeland for a century and a half, gleamed with a calm and warm luster under the lights of a specially designed display case as the red cloth slipped off, revealing every clear mark of history.

The stage lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only two pure white spotlights, like sacred spotlights, shining precisely and solemnly on the two animal heads.

That solemn spotlight seemed not to be light itself, but time, freezing the long night they had endured and the dawn they finally arrived in this solemn moment.

The scene, which was boiling just a second ago, suddenly fell into an almost frozen silence, with only gasps and choked whispers of excitement that could not be contained.

The next second, even more intense and heartfelt applause and cheers erupted like a volcanic eruption, with many people holding up their phones to record this historic moment, their eyes reddening.

At the same time, the comments section of the Zhijie video live stream went into a frenzy of activity:
"I cried! I'm really home!"

"We've waited too long for this moment!"

"I'm an archaeology student, and I burst into tears!"

"Xiao Liu looks so cool! She's beautiful and brings glory to the country!"

"The premiere of 'Ball Flash' paired with the return of a national treasure—this is an unbeatable spectacle!"

"A glorious moment for our nation! Checking in!"

"From the Old Summer Palace to Hollywood and back to the China World Trade Center, this journey is truly legendary!"

"If 'Ball Flash' doesn't surpass 'Avatar's' box office, or at least it does in mainland China, then the entire nation bears the responsibility!"

After stepping off the stage, Xiao Liu hugged her husband and sat down.

Immediately under the protection of security personnel, Henri Pinault solemnly handed the key to the display case containing the animal heads to the leaders of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. This symbolic act marked the official return of the animal heads to China for safekeeping.

After their brief appearance, they were escorted away by armed police officers and will be exhibited at a later date.

At this moment, the screen of Zhijie Video was completely flooded with "Welcome Home" and red flag emojis.

The return of the animal heads and the premiere of "Ball Flash" intertwine at this moment to create a grand symphony about cultural dignity and confidence in the future, with history and the future resonating in unison.

……

On the morning of July 2, 2010, the official website of Wenjie released the film's box office data after its first week of release in North America and Europe, as well as in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, where the film had not yet been released):

The film grossed over $1.3 million in its opening weekend in North America. The $8200 million opening weekend shows that the film’s “hard science fiction masterpiece” positioning has been initially recognized by the market. However, it also reflects that it has a certain audience threshold compared to pure entertainment popcorn movies. Its subsequent performance will depend heavily on the long tail effect of word of mouth.
The UK received $1820 million, France $1150 million, and Germany $1390 million, totaling approximately $6000 million across Europe in the first week.
What shocked netizens and the industry most was the domestic box office figures—

With its unprecedented nationwide marketing campaign, the nationalistic sentiment evoked by being hailed as "China's first hardcore sci-fi blockbuster," the full support of Golden Harvest Cinemas and especially IMAX screens, and the huge social attention generated by the "return of the animal heads" event at the premiere, the box office potential of "Ball Flash" was completely ignited.

The box office reached 7000 million RMB on its opening day!

This figure steadily surpasses Avatar's 4600 million at the beginning of the year, setting a new record for mainland Chinese film box office with a huge advantage.

Before this night, even Wenjie itself did not dare to be confident that it could surpass Avatar, especially considering the completely different science fiction styles, the former's commercial potential was obviously greater.

But what about the mainland market, setting aside overseas markets for the moment?
Will "Ball Flash" have the same success as "A Home Too Far" in 2004, thanks to Boss Lu's top-tier domestic appeal, the addition of nearly 80 IMAX theaters and a large-scale 4K cinema chain to the Golden Harvest Cinema Circuit?

With the return of the animal heads as a backdrop, the film fans' enthusiasm soared, and during the extended summer movie season, it once again reclaimed the mainland box office champion title that it had taken from "The Founding of a Republic".
Grassroots film critic Zhou Liming excitedly shared his thoughts on his Weibo account, which boasts over 800 million followers:

Looking back, before 2004, the top-grossing films in the history of Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean cinemas were long dominated by the same giant ship—*Titanic*. Afterwards, domestic films from each country rallied to catch up:

Japan's first film to surpass the "big ship" was "Spirited Away" directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

Following that, South Korea, relying on the national influence of "Taegukgi," topped the charts domestically.

We were the last to break the record in 2004, thanks to director Lu Kuan's first sci-fi co-production and Leonardo DiCaprio's immense box office appeal.

However, this hard-won situation of "strengthening local films in East Asia" was completely shattered in early 2010.

James Cameron's "Avatar" swept the globe with overwhelming force, causing the markets of China, Japan, and South Korea to collectively fall once again. The box office throne changed hands one after another in a short period of time, shrouded in the shadow of that eerie blue Pandora's light and falling into an unprecedented "Avatar" shadow.

At this moment, although Avatar still dominates the global market, even with its immense momentum, it will be difficult for Ball Flash to shake its global throne in the short term.

But what about in mainland China?

Can this "ball lightning," born locally and imbued with Eastern philosophy and hard science fiction genes, pierce through this heavy shadow and give Chinese-language films and East Asian films a boost?

Zhou Liming directly posted two movie tickets:

We should support whatever we can, even if it's just to get home after seeing the animal heads from last night. Boss Lu deserves it!

This film critic seems to represent only a small fraction of the millions of viewers; the staggering 7000 million on the opening day is just the beginning.

Without much official mobilization, a wave of support spontaneously formed by audiences and movie fans has already surged both online and offline.

On social media, hashtags such as #Adding Fuel to the Ball Flash's Record-Breaking Strike# and #The Prestige of Chinese Sci-Fi# have been trending, with countless viewers sharing their movie ticket stubs and spontaneously becoming enthusiastic advocates, recommending this domestic blockbuster that they say will excite them for days after watching it.

At the entrances of major cinemas, especially in the top-tier IMAX theaters under the Golden Harvest Group, there were even longer queues to buy tickets than for Avatar. Many screenings sold out quickly, and the scene of tickets being hard to come by was just like when Avatar was released at the beginning of the year. Only this time, the sense of pride on everyone's faces was even stronger.

With Avatar's 17.79 billion yuan box office taking over the domestic market, is there any hope for Ball Flash to reclaim lost ground?

Amidst the public outcry, the government has also made a rare public statement, the first time this has happened outside of mainstream films.

On the morning of July 3, the People's Daily published an article titled "The Return of National Treasures and a New Era Footnote to Cultural Confidence," which thrilled countless movie fans!

The day before yesterday evening, the rabbit and rat heads from the Yuanmingyuan, which had been lost overseas for over a century, were officially returned to the motherland in front of countless Chinese people.

This special ceremony, held at the premiere of the film "Ball Lightning," has become one of the most noteworthy cultural events recently due to its profound historical symbolism and spirit of the times.

Perhaps compared to top-tier paintings and calligraphic works like the "Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies" in the British Museum's collection, the rat and rabbit heads are not valued at the highest in the art market. In fact, as some netizens have said, they are essentially hydraulic components from the Haiyantang Hall in the Yuanmingyuan Garden.

But when they returned to their homeland after 150 years away, their value had already transcended the materials and craftsmanship, and even the art itself.

Because they are the participants and witnesses of the nation's history—

150 years ago, the twelve zodiac animals witnessed fire and plunder, and were forced to leave their homeland and wander in foreign lands;
150 years later, they witnessed the great rejuvenation of a nation, basked in the glory of the new era, and finally returned in dignity.

Most importantly, this return is neither a "redemption" nor a passive wait, but rather facilitated by new private enterprises like Wenjie, who actively act as intermediaries and facilitate it through dialogue and cultural exchange.

The Wenjie Bridge carries the entire memory of a nation's journey from decline to rise, marking our spiritual transformation from humiliation and indignation to composure and confidence.

Coincidentally, the premiere of "Ball Lightning," which served as the backdrop for this reunification ceremony, was also a concentrated showcase of contemporary Chinese cultural creativity. With its grand science fiction narrative, profound philosophical reflections, and industrial standards comparable to any top international production, the film proved to the world that Chinese culture is not only adept at inheriting history but also courageous in exploring the future and daring to roam the realms of imagination.

The film explores the core spirit of "transforming into millions" for one's beliefs and being willing to sacrifice for one's country, which is consistent with the sense of cultural responsibility and national cohesion demonstrated in bringing back national treasures.

In this process, Wenjie Holdings has demonstrated the vision and responsibility of Chinese private enterprises in the new era, which are rooted in cultural values ​​while also possessing an international perspective.

From promoting the return of national treasures to creating cultural products with global influence, Wenjie's practices demonstrate that true cultural confidence stems not only from a deep understanding and respect for one's own historical and cultural heritage, but also from an open attitude towards mutual learning among civilizations, and even more so from bold innovation and construction for the future.

As a leader in the field, Comrade Lu Kuan and his team have demonstrated a strong sense of cultural mission, artistic pursuit, and industrial exploration that aligns with the direction of advanced culture. This provides an inspiring example of how to stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation in the new era and promote Chinese culture to the world.

The key to good relations between countries lies in the affinity between their people, and the key to affinity between people lies in mutual understanding.

The return of the animal heads and the debut of "Ball Lightning" together create a concerto that transcends time and space, clearly demonstrating:

When a nation's cultural creativity resonates with its national development, the energy it unleashes is enough to bring lost national treasures home and to illuminate the world with Eastern imagination.

We expect and believe that our outstanding artist, Comrade Lu Kuan, will continue to be rooted in the people, based in our local area, and with a global perspective, creating more excellent works that embody the essence of Chinese culture, reflect the aesthetic pursuits of the Chinese people, and spread contemporary Chinese values, thus making greater contributions to enhancing the influence and reach of Chinese civilization.

"Ball Lightning," this sci-fi light originating from the East, awaits our support and enthusiasm to illuminate its glorious future.

Let's go to the cinema together, witness history, and create the future!
(End of this chapter)