This director is vindictive.

Chapter 190: Premiere as a Trendsetter? You're Only Famous If You Sit There! (End of Month, Requesting Tickets)
Chen Mo's reputation as the god of investment in the film and television industry is almost universally acknowledged, thanks to the solid evidence and brilliant achievements he has made.

Although he has always kept a low profile in this regard, over the years, Shengshi Pictures has almost always been a winner in its investments and has perfectly avoided so many pitfalls, which naturally makes him even more magical.

As his reputation as the "God of Investment in the Film and Television Industry" grew, his fame spread far and wide.

The CEOs of several partner companies also couldn't sit still.

In particular, the CEOs of Wanda, Huayi, and Enlight Media, who had previously collaborated extensively with Chen Mo, immediately set their sights on the projects in Chen Mo's hands.

The original "Mojin: The Lost Legend" was a joint production of Wanda Pictures, Huayi Brothers Media, Enlight Media, and Shengshi Pictures.

Now, several years have passed, and with the blockbuster success of sequels like "The Ex-Files 3: Ex-Files," many movie IPs have released sequels this year. Although they have all been proven to be poorly made and just money-grabbing films, they still made a lot of money despite being criticized as bad movies!
On the contrary, the sequel to the "Ghost Blows Out the Light" series was a huge success, even though Chen Mo's first film, "Mojin: The Lost Legend," was nowhere to be seen. Before, Chen Mo's reputation wasn't that big or exaggerated, so they were still able to sit still. But now, with the media reports and hype, it can be said that Chen Mo's reputation as an investment god has become widely known.

Film investment in the film industry is definitely high-risk, high-return, but for someone like Chen Mo to have a zero-risk, high-return investment perspective is just too outrageous.

Therefore, they naturally wanted to strike while the iron was hot.

Therefore, when Lao Wang from Enlight Media organized a gathering and invited Chen Mo, Chen Mo naturally couldn't refuse.

To Chen Mo's surprise, besides Wang Changtian from Enlight Media and Wang Jun from Huayi Brothers, the person from Wanda's side was actually Chen Sicheng.

"Director Chen, you've been quietly brewing something big! To be honest, if the media hadn't compiled and reported it, I really wouldn't have noticed!" Wang Changtian said with an amazed expression.

"That's right! In all my years in the industry, I've never heard of anyone with such accurate insight as Director Chen, who has never made a mistake. He truly deserves the title of investment god!" Wang Jun from Huayi also exclaimed with admiration.

“I have long admired Director Chen. In fact, I think what is most admirable about Director Chen is not only his accurate investment vision, but also his ability to treat everyone fairly. It’s a pity I didn’t get to know Director Chen sooner.” Chen Sicheng looked at Chen Mo with a sigh.

Chen Mo found it particularly funny.

This guy is blatantly honest; he doesn't even hide that he wants to be a scumbag. Unfortunately, one wrong step leads to eternal regret.

They got married early, but when they tried to have some fun, things went wrong.

Chen Mo actually believed what he said, after all, this man had clearly stated in an interview that Chen Mo was the role model for men.

"Haha! It seems that the two Directors Chen really do share the same view on this matter!" Wang Changtian couldn't help but laugh and joke.

He was clearly well aware of the gossip surrounding Chen Mo and Chen Sicheng.

"You flatter me. I'm just self-aware enough to know I can't control myself, so I haven't thought about getting married, haha!" Chen Mo laughed and made up an excuse.

He really didn't want titles like "investment guru."

Therefore, Chen Sicheng's interruption allowed Chen Mo to change the subject.

"Actually, Director Chen should have guessed the purpose of organizing this event, right?" Wang Changtian said with a smile.

"Ghost Blows Out the Light?" Chen Mo asked.

“That’s right, Director Chen. It’s been several years since Mojin: The Lost Legend. Isn’t it time to start working on the sequel?” Wang Changtian asked.

Chen Sicheng and Wang Jun also looked at Chen Mo.

Despite having only two theatrical films, the Tomb Raider series is currently dominating the online film and web series market, occupying a large share. It's fair to say that Shengshi Pictures is raking in profits from this series alone.

They were naturally envious, but this was a long-term business, and they never thought of getting involved or taking a share. Of course, Shengshi Pictures wouldn't be able to get a share either.

However, theatrical films are different. Theatrical films usually have more than one investor. The reason is simple: the promotion and distribution of a film involves many aspects. Even if there is a complete industry chain, resources will often be exchanged.

Because a movie that grosses billions at the box office is definitely not something that a single film company can monopolize.

When it comes to the theatrical films of the "Ghost Blows Out the Light" series, Chen Mo feels a little strange.

Well, the "Ghost Blows Out the Light" IP is indeed very popular and profitable, but that doesn't include the theatrical films.

To put it bluntly, it's about how to circumvent censorship on one hand, and on the other hand, it's about the IP itself. In fact, when it comes to making movies, "Mojin: The Lost Legend" is already the pinnacle.

In my previous life, several more installments of this series were released, but without exception, they all flopped spectacularly.

Chen Mo originally planned to sell the license to whoever wanted to film it at a high price, but because of the "God of Investment" incident, he changed his mind.

Money can never be earned enough, and there's no need to create an invincible legend for yourself. That's not an invincible legend, but a death warrant.

Because no one can never fail!

So perhaps this time he can break the mold himself and bring the so-called investment guru back to the ranks of normal people.

Moreover, this project is actually just right, because at this moment, if you were to say that the sequel to "Ghost Blows Out the Light" after "Mojin: The Lost Legend" would fail, probably no one would believe it.

After all, if the first one was a success, then even if the sequel is not so good, it is impossible for it to be a complete flop.

Of course, Chen Mo won't direct the sequel, because he doesn't have any particularly good ideas at all.

Moreover, although this thing may seem a bit mystical, in reality, there are patterns to follow in its failure.

On the one hand, it's because the adaptation was poor, and on the other hand, it's because it's no longer original.

As mentioned earlier, IPs like "Ghost Blows Out the Light" and "The Lost Tomb" have already occupied half of the online drama and online film market.

They can release many shows a year, and the ratings and box office seem to be quite good.

However, the problem is that, precisely because of this, it is actually difficult to make any breakthroughs, and the tomb raiding theme is no longer as novel as it used to be.

"If you're interested in a sequel to the 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' movie, I'm all set, but I won't be directing it because my schedule is already full for next year. I really can't find the time to direct this project," Chen Mo said with a smile.

He wasn't just talking nonsense; it was true. Next year is a crucial year, and Chen Mo's plans for next year are already fully booked.

And it was planned long ago.

The global pandemic is expected to erupt at the end of next year, which could be a fatal blow to the film industry.

Moreover, this pandemic lasted for three years, and although there were intermittent periods of reopening, it still dealt a huge blow to theatrical films.

Chen Mo's plans for next year include Project Mist. Through Shengshi Pictures, Chen Mo acquired Zi Jinchen's suspense novels early on, and next year he plans to film the entire trilogy in one go.

The movie "Sunny Sisters" may also be included in next year's filming plans.

Of course, even without these factors, Chen Mo has no intention of directing a sequel to the "Ghost Blows Out the Light" movie.

Everyone was at a loss for words when they heard Chen Mo's words.

Normally, it's safest to have the director of the first film direct the sequel, especially since it's a renowned director like Chen Mo.

Although Chen Mo's salary would be astronomical if he were to direct, he's worth it!
Moreover, they would only feel at ease if Chen Mo directed the film, but now it seems that Chen Mo doesn't want to direct it.

"Actually, I'm not really interested in filming a sequel. Personally, I'd rather try something different and completely new," Chen Mo explained.

This explanation is actually plausible. Although there was a director present, Chen Sicheng, who holds a film series IP, there are indeed directors like Chen Mo who don't make sequels!
"But even if I don't continue directing, do you all lack confidence in this project? If so, that's alright, Shengshi Pictures can handle this project ourselves," Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Director Chen is joking. While it would be best if you directed it, the series itself is still very valuable, and we at Enlight Media would definitely be interested," Wang Changtian quickly replied.

Chen Sicheng and Wang Jun also chimed in.

"Director Chen, you're a god of investment in the film industry. As long as Shengshi Pictures invests, we naturally hope to make this movie together!" Wang Jun said with a smile.

“Wanda is the same!” Although Chen Sicheng was here representing Wanda, his status was still not quite equal to that of Chen Mo, Wang Changtian, and Wang Jun. So most of the time, he was just expressing Wanda's attitude.

“The copyright of ‘Ghost Blows Out the Light’ is held by Shengshi Pictures. We will definitely invest in this project. How about this, we will calculate the investment share based on the copyright, and the remaining three companies can discuss it, how about it?” Chen Mo said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the three of them hesitated.

To be honest, their feelings were quite complicated. On the one hand, they certainly hoped that Chen Mo and Shengshi Pictures could invest more, because this would represent Chen Mo's confidence in the sequel, and Chen Mo's vision was beyond doubt.

However, this would leave them with very little investment space.

And again, it didn't meet their expectations.

However, if Shengshi Pictures invests less, they worry that Chen Mo might not be very optimistic about it either.
"What about directors? Does Director Chen have any recommendations?" Wang Changtian suddenly asked.

Chen Mo shook his head and said, "To be honest, I've been really busy lately. As you all know, the filming of 'Article 20' was rushed, so I really don't have any ideas."

The investment in the project has been roughly finalized. Shengshi Pictures will use the copyright of the sequel to "Ghost Blows Out the Light" as leverage, taking a 20% share of the project.

The remaining three companies will each take 20%, and the remainder will be used to exchange for some resources.

The final result of the discussion was that Huayi would take the lead in this project, and Wang Jun paid a price for it.

Chen Mo hadn't expected that the inertia of history was so strong. In his previous life, it seemed that Huayi also took the lead in the "Ghost Blows Out the Light: Yunnan Insect Valley" project, but unfortunately, it ended up losing a lot of money.

Chen Mo genuinely didn't care; his original intention this time was to break his own "God of Investment" status.

Of course, if it succeeds, then we'll wait for the next time.

However, Chen Mo felt that he would most likely not escape this calamity.

Soon after the project was finalized, Huayi Brothers, Wanda Pictures, Enlight Media, and Shengshi Pictures jointly released a press release.

Actually, fans of the movie are quite looking forward to the sequel.

However, the news that Chen Mo would not be directing the sequel caused some concern among fans.

"Finally, the Ghost Blows Out the Light movie is about to start production again. Do you guys have any idea how long I've been waiting?"

"Theatrical films can never compare to online films! Although quite a few online films have been made, to be honest, they are far inferior to 'Mojin: The Lost Legend,' and even 'Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe'!"

"Of course, you get what you pay for! It's a pity Chen Mo stopped directing."

"Yeah, Chen Mo's 'Mojin: The Lost Legend,' while not perfect, is at least the best tomb raiding film so far, right?"

"Wow, that's fast! The moment news of Chen Mo's reputation as the god of investment in the film and television industry spread, this project was already approved! Are these companies afraid of losing out to him?"

You see, although netizens are worried that Chen Mo won't continue directing the sequel, no one thinks there will be any problems with the sequel.

Huayi moved very quickly. To Chen Mo's surprise, Huayi ultimately chose Fei Xin, the director who had previously directed "Silent Witness"!

Chen Mo immediately stopped paying attention, since Huayi was in charge of the film and Fei Xin was the director, so the result probably wouldn't be much different from his previous life.

Tsk tsk, Chen Mo said, he really didn't do anything, but the inertia of history is just so strange.

It's really hard to say!
If you ask if there's a problem with this director? At least for now, there really isn't. "Silent Witness" grossed over 13 million yuan in 1.8, and its reputation was quite good.

This shows that the director is capable.

From this perspective, there doesn't seem to be any problem, right?
What Chen Mo didn't know was that this matter was actually related to him.

Although Wuersan did not star in "Mojin: The Lost Legend," "Painted Skin 2" was indeed a success, and he is currently preparing the first part of the "Fengshen Trilogy."

However, since Chen Mo directly excluded Wuersan back then, Huayi naturally wouldn't offend Chen Mo because of this, so they excluded him immediately.

Chen Mo paid a brief look, then ignored it.

Because "Article 20" is about to be released.

This is his top priority right now.

On Thursday evening, August 16, the premiere of "Article 8" was held in Beijing.

This film itself has attracted much attention, and recently Chen Mo's reputation as the "God of Investment in the Film Industry" has been spreading like wildfire.

Therefore, the premiere was an unprecedented success.

Moreover, the famous scene from Chen Mo's movie premiere appeared once again.

This has almost become a well-known scene in the entertainment industry.

Many media outlets and netizens even referred to the female celebrities sitting in the front row at Chen Mo's movie premiere as a bellwether for the entertainment industry.

There's no other reason than that almost everyone sitting there is a rising star in the entertainment industry. If you can't even sit in that row, you'd be embarrassed to call yourself a star.

However, every year, at every premiere of Chen Mo's movies, the people in that row have indeed changed again and again.

For example, this year alone, several have been replaced.

Several new actresses have emerged in the entertainment industry, all born in the 1990s.

For example, Dilraba, who is under Yang Mi's management, and Gulnazar, who is also from an ethnic minority group, Guan Xiaotong, who is highly favored by the Beijing circle, as well as Song Zuer, Yang Zi, and so on.

It can be said that many media outlets can't help but sigh that time waits for no one. Although the post-85s actresses are still active on stage, the new generation of actresses are not to be outdone!
The post-90s actresses have already begun their landing campaign.

However, this has inadvertently become another trend indicator in the entertainment industry, and it is quite authoritative, at least as most netizens agree.

Wang Changtian and his friends never expected that what started as a game would turn into a beautiful sight in the entertainment industry.

Of course, this is also closely related to Chen Mo's own development. After all, if Chen Mo had failed, he wouldn't have received such treatment.

However, at least in the short term, Chen Mo is unlikely to fail, and the prestige of the first-row seats at the premiere will become even greater due to Chen Mo's rising status.

Chen Mo glanced at the dazzling array of female celebrities in the front row.

She secretly sighed, thinking that quite a few actresses born in the 90s are quite good, at least their acting skills aren't too bad. But when the 2000s generation takes the stage, perhaps this scene won't be so worthy of the name anymore.

At that time, the Chinese entertainment industry did indeed feel somewhat disconnected.

"Tsk tsk, Chen Mo's premiere has really become the most beautiful sight in the entertainment industry!" Zhou Xiaobin, who was present, couldn't help but say to his old friend Bai Yue.

"Who can argue with that? This level of prestige is comparable to the 'Four Dan Actresses and Two Bing Actresses' of yesteryear! And to be fair, look at all of them, including the up-and-coming actresses—they are indeed incredibly accomplished!"

"Do you think there might be cases of people trying to piggyback on Chen Mo's premiere in the future?" Zhou Xiaobin asked with a slight smile.

"Don't talk about the future, it's already happening now, okay? Do you think the companies behind those young actresses haven't done anything to compete for these spots?" Bai Yue said, clicking his tongue as he looked at the group of pretty young actresses in the entertainment industry.

Actually, this is true. For example, Dilraba is not really qualified this year, after all, she has not yet won the Golden Eagle Award for "Pretty Li Huizhen" with a score of 3.1.

However, he didn't want the good stuff to go to outsiders. Dilraba and Chen Mo were old acquaintances with some kind of connection, and Yang Mi had already put in a good word for him, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.

In fact, the others who were able to sit there had also gone through a fierce, albeit silent, struggle.

That's how the entertainment industry is. Being "Buddhist-like" or not is just a persona. If you were truly "Buddhist-like," why would you even be in the entertainment industry?
If you don't fight when you should, your team and stakeholders will force you to fight!
(End of this chapter)