Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 166 A New Record for Domestic Youth Films
The box office exceeded 100 million yuan on the first day, which is truly an achievement that has shocked the industry.

Keep in mind that tickets for "Take My Brother Away" only cost around thirty yuan each. Its screening share wasn't high either, especially with "Ant-Man and the Wasp" and "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" competing against it.

These special effects films released overseas still have a screening rate of around 20%.

Meanwhile, the domestic film "Hello Mr. Billionaire," which grossed 25 billion yuan and was released on July 27, was not completely withdrawn from the market even in mid-to-late September.

Just like "Ne Zha 2", it has a magnificent long tail effect. It still maintains a 5% market share, and people still come back for a "second viewing" from time to time.

The screening rate for "Take My Brother Away" is only about 15%, so the estimated box office for the first day is just around 90 million.

According to feedback from cinemas, many moviegoers and office workers went to see the film repeatedly in groups yesterday. They brought their friends and family, and the second viewing further boosted box office revenue.

The commercial value of a fault-line cascade is truly difficult to estimate.

In the original timeline, "Take My Brother Away" didn't perform well at the box office on its opening day. It didn't even reach the pre-sale box office figures of the version starring Gu Jingyi.

It was the niche appeal of its subject matter and the subsequent positive word-of-mouth that allowed it to gradually increase its screenings and eventually overtake the competition. It ultimately grossed 3.75 million yuan at the box office and also acquired a film license.

What does it mean for a low-budget film with a budget of 40 million to gross over 100 million on its opening day?

Simply put, it's made a great start, and there's a high chance that the total box office will reach the billion mark.

"Operation Red Sea" grossed 1.29 million yuan on its opening day, but ultimately closed with a total box office of 36.51 billion yuan.

"Detective Chinatown 2" grossed 3.41 million yuan on its opening day and 33.97 billion yuan by the end of the season.

This example clearly illustrates a lot.

Most importantly, the opening day of "Take My Brother Away" was a weekday.

Gu Jingyi's fans mostly watch movies on weekends when they have holidays, but the premiere was on a Friday.

So it seems that the box office will see another surge in the next two days.

However, this is contingent on the quality of the film's plot. Films that rely on fan economy for box office success will inevitably experience a precipitous drop in box office revenue if their plot falls short of expectations and critical reception falters.

Take, for example, the movie version of "iPartment," which used deceptive advertising.

Many viewers who entered the cinema wondered if they had entered the wrong theater after watching more than 20 minutes of tomb raiding scenes.

The phenomenal opening day box office of 3.03 million yuan was wasted, and the word-of-mouth and ratings plummeted like a roller coaster.

It ended with a lackluster box office of 5.55 million yuan, with the opening day's box office accounting for 55% of the total.

As for the reaction to "Take My Brother Away," which had only been released for a day, Gu Jingyi didn't care about any of that.

He only approves of high-quality films.

However, Tian Xiwei was still very worried about this matter, after hanging up Lin Ze's call.

Gu Jingyi's WeChat kept buzzing; Xiao Tian had already sent him many messages.

After clicking through, I discovered that these were reports written by major official media outlets in traditional print media, along with film reviews written by various influential figures on Weibo, which she had meticulously compiled.

First, there was the evaluation from his mainstream official media, represented by the People's Daily:
[The film "Take My Brother Away" uses a fantasy setting to wrap up family warmth, revealing the conflicts and reconciliations in families with two children from the perspective of "sibling swapping." It has the lightness of a youth film while also resonating with the collective experiences of both only children and families with multiple children.]
The Beijing News followed suit, offering the following review of the film:

Director Zheng Fenfen grounded the comic IP in the daily life of "Chinese-style siblings," avoiding the clichéd plots of typical youth films. The younger sister, Shi Miao's, "only realizing the value of something after losing it" growth arc brought tears to the audience's eyes despite the laughter. Zhang Zifeng and Gu Jingyi delivered the most natural sibling interactions; one stubborn and sensitive, the other cunning yet warm-hearted, their playful banter felt so real, like a candid shot of a real family.

Variety International also took notice of "Fast Brother," writing a lengthy review after watching the film:
[Gu Jingyi's performance is far more nuanced than his age; his teasing of his younger sister is so intense it drives viewers crazy. Yet, subtle details reveal a more complex situation. When his sister asks if their parents are getting a divorce, the emotion in Gu Jingyi's fleeting glance at the game console is so intense the heartache in his eyes almost leaps off the screen. He is truly one of the most expressive actors of the new generation, a leading figure among China's post-95 generation of actors.]
Director Cheng Fen-fen was overjoyed. In an interview, she said, "What we want to make is not a fantasy blockbuster, but to make the audience re-examine the neglected love in the hypothetical situation of 'what if one day a loved one disappears'."

On Weibo and Yin Fu, the hashtag #TakeMyBrotherAway# has garnered over 12 billion views, with netizens spontaneously creating jokes about siblings tricking each other and fan-made videos about family affection.

The musical notes also contributed, giving their representatives the greatest support.

They intensified the promotion of "Take My Brother Away," including the line, "Brother, you left something behind!"

Classic lines like "What did I take with me?" and "You left me behind" have become wildly popular.

A short video of less than 10 seconds is so short that anyone passing by will click to watch it because of its short length.

Out of curiosity about this clip, they checked the rating on Maoyan (a Chinese film review website). "Take My Brother Away" has a rating of 9.2, and even on Douban (a Chinese film review website), which is known for its strict standards, it has a rating of 8.1, making it the highest-rated youth film.

Driven by intense curiosity, these passersby sat down in the movie theater to watch the film.

Those sitting in the theater generally agreed that the film had a powerful emotional impact, making them laugh until their stomachs hurt in the first half and cry uncontrollably in the second. After watching it, many took to social media to call it "the most tear-jerking movie of 2018."

@木易movie: "Gu Jingyi moved the audience with his 'unadorned sincerity.' His silly smile while riding an electric bike and wearing a mushroom helmet in the birthday scene became a projection template for only children's ideal older brother."

@Let's Go to France to See the Eiffel Tower: "Gu Jingyi's performance made the audience forget that he is an idol with millions of fans: when Zhang Zifeng shouted 'Take my brother away quickly,' his Adam's apple bobbed and he swallowed tears, showing a physiological reaction. There was also the restrained tension of an adult. This is a milestone in the transformation of Chinese traffic stars. His performance was natural, and I was not distracted at all."

These are all opinions from casual viewers, perhaps not as professional as film critics. However, this eliminates the possibility of bribery; good is good, and bad is bad.

Based on this reputation, it shouldn't be difficult for "Take My Brother Away" to surpass 800 million yuan at the box office.

Whether it can actually reach 10 billion yuan in box office revenue depends on luck.

Positive reviews represent everyone's subjective feelings, and although Gu Jingyi knew they couldn't represent everything, he still couldn't help but feel happy.

While these overwhelmingly positive reviews may have some fan bias, they at least indicate that Gu Jingyi's acting skills have been recognized by most people.

These performances also gave Gu Jingyi a powerful boost.

If they maintain this momentum, reaching 10 billion yuan in box office revenue might not be too difficult.

September 27th, 9 PM.

Zhou Ye and her roommate Zhang Ling arrived in Shanghai by plane. As soon as they got off the plane, they took a taxi and headed straight to the cinema.

She couldn't get tickets for the premiere in Beijing, but she managed to snag tickets for the roadshow in Shanghai.

After the film ends, the main creative team will meet and interact with the audience.

This viewing experience, which allows you to interact with the creative team, is certainly superior to watching a movie in a regular theater.

So the two of them disregarded the fatigue of the journey and booked plane tickets directly to Shanghai.

"Phew, I made it in time."

After checking my ticket and entering the cinema, there were still fifteen minutes before the movie started.

Zhang Ling calmed her breathing and sat down, sipping her water.

Although I managed to snag a ticket, the location wasn't great.

In the corner of the last row, Zhang Ling compromised to ensure her success rate. Even if there were many people vying for the roadshow seats, it was probably the seats closer to the center with the best views that were most sought after.

With this mindset, Zhang Ling only chose from the corner.

It really changed my fate of always being a runner-up, and I finally got it!

Regardless of the location, being able to see Gu Jingyi's good looks in person after the movie is a bonus!

Zhang Ling specifically went to Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace) to rent a Samsung S18 Ultra, which is said to be able to record 4K video and has a 30x telephoto lens that can pinpoint even the mole on her idol's cheek.

This fee alone costs around 400 yuan.

She agreed without even blinking, after all, it was a rare opportunity.

With 10 minutes to go before the movie started, Zhang Ling was excitedly wiping her phone camera lens.

I'm just waiting for the movie to finish so I can record a 4K video and take some handsome photos of Gu Jingyi as soon as he appears.

She'll definitely post it on Weibo and show it off in her fan group.

Of course I have to record it, since she doesn't always have the speed to grab roadshow tickets and unlock the opportunity to meet people in person.

Before the movie even started, Zhang Ling had already taken out her phone. She added a note after her names on all her social media platforms, including WeChat and Weibo: "(Seen the Gu Jingyi version)"

This little bit of fangirl flair is romantic no matter where it is.

We should make good use of this opportunity to take as many photos as possible and share them with our fans on Weibo, so that everyone can share in the joy of meeting Gu Jingyi in person.

Zhou Ye wasn't as excited as Zhang Ling. She picked up her phone and started browsing the reviews of the movie "Take My Brother Away" on Douban.

"Just finished watching it, and this movie is really good. Although it's adapted from a comic, the screenwriter did a really good job. And what surprised me the most was that Gu Jingyi's name appeared in the end credits! He also participated in the screenplay writing, and I give him full marks for his participation and attitude, okay? Don't be put off by the name of the adaptation or the fact that a top star plays the male lead. I cried while watching it in the theater."

"I was laughing throughout the first half, but I cried throughout the second half. I really recommend this movie; it was also very touching for only children! It suddenly reminded me of my cousin; we used to bicker with each other when we were kids."

"Jingyi was so handsome in it, and his acting was far above the average level for youth films. The scene where he grinned mischievously and gave the hot dog to his sister instead was so infuriating; it suddenly reminded me of my brother!"

"This movie adaptation is really good, with a logical flow throughout. The wish under the tree foreshadows the exchange of brothers. It's said that this was also Gu Jingyi's idea; he truly is a genius. How can someone be so versatile, writing songs, revising scripts, and directing movies? Calling Gu Jingyi a 'hexagonal warrior' wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it?"

Just as Zhou Ye was engrossed in watching, the screen suddenly went black.

The familiar dragon head logo appears on the screen, accompanied by a melodious dragon roar, and the movie begins.

Zhou Ye also put down her phone and started watching the movie attentively.

"It's no use, you bitch! I'm definitely going to tell Mom and Dad about you skipping class, lying to the teacher, and stealing money from my piggy bank!!"

When Zhang Zifeng roared in despair, the camera then focused on Gu Jingyi, who was smugly devouring a hot dog.

The audience laughed so hard they almost fell over, and Zhou Ye's lips curled into a slight smile.

When Zhang Zifeng was at the pirate ship restaurant, she wished, "I hope I don't have a brother like you, please take my brother away quickly."

The incredulous look in Gu Jingyi's eyes made Zhou Ye protest in a low voice.

"What? They were just trying to be nice and celebrate your birthday. They even redeemed the cards they collected for an electric scooter and gave it to you, and you still say such hurtful things."

When Zhang Zifeng uttered those words in the movie, everything suddenly started going backwards.

With this hint, Zhou Ye knew without even watching the trailer that Zhang Zifeng's wish had truly come true.

Zhou Ye was engrossed in watching, unaware that someone had somehow taken up the empty seat next to her.

"Waaah," when seeing a touching scene in a movie.

She wiped away her tears with a tissue, her nose slightly red.

She was somewhat at a loss when she used up the last tissue.

A hand with distinct knuckles handed over a tissue.

Zhou Ye was stunned. It turned out that a man had been sitting next to her at some point. He was wearing a hood and a mask.

But those highly distinctive peach blossom eyes still allowed Zhou Ye to recognize who it was.

“Gu…”

Before he could even utter a word, Gu Jingyi whispered a "shh."

"I arrived a bit early, and there was nowhere to sit, so...sorry."

"It's ok"

Zhou Ye smiled sheepishly, not minding at all.

When she shed tears again over the movie plot, Gu Jingyi handed her a tissue.

Just then, the movie on the big screen was transitioning, and she could see the faint crescent-shaped scar on the back of Gu Jingyi's hand by the light.

The scar wasn't particularly unique, but Gu Jingyi had fair skin. This made even slight color differences stand out especially on his wrist.

Zhou Ye's expression shifted, and she asked somewhat anxiously, "How did you get this scar? Do you remember?"

"Why are you reacting so strongly?" Gu Jingyi chuckled.

Do you remember how you got here?

Seeing that he didn't answer, Zhou Ye looked like she was about to cry.

"It was left over from when I was in elementary school."

"Do you hate her?"

Zhou Ye looked embarrassed and asked somewhat awkwardly.

But she kept staring straight into Gu Jingyi's eyes, wanting to get a response from him.

This made Gu Jingyi's initial joking attitude fade, and his expression became serious.

"I stopped hating him a long time ago."

Gu Jingyi said in a low voice, and Zhou Ye could no longer hold back her tears as she heard those words.

(End of this chapter)