The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 136: The Third S-Rank Talent Breaks the Chinese Film History Box Office Record
……

A few days later.

Xin Yukun finally brought good news.

The script is finished.

Lu Zhiyuan took the script, quickly read it, and gave it a positive review.

He looked up at Xin Yukun and smiled meaningfully: "Brother Kun, this script is quite good. You wrote it, didn't you?"

“Your script writing format is different from others, I can tell at a glance.”

Bro, you really know your stuff!

Xin Yukun smiled with a sense of superiority. "Those screenwriters on the market, can they compare to me?"
I'm the top screenwriter who wrote the Palme d'Or-winning film for you.

I've retired from the martial arts world, not died.

Those nightclub models only left a few marks on me, nothing to brag about.

Now that it has returned, it is still invincible!
"In the script, the grandfather's motivation for redemption shifts from making up for what he owed his granddaughter to proving his worth to her. This underlying emotional conflict is well written."

"However, this kind of emotional conflict is too weak; it can only be used as a backup."

"Add another point, which can be expressed visually so that the audience can immediately understand the difference in their understanding of the robot's unrestricted fighting style."

"You can slightly revise the script and focus the emotional conflict on the conflict between the grandfather's old-fashioned traditional fighting spirit and the new era, where the granddaughter uses AI technology to create a new fighting mode. This will be the main emotional conflict you describe."

"Finally, facing the struggle of declining physical function, the grandfather passed on his spiritual legacy to his granddaughter through a series of tournaments. The granddaughter gradually realized that relying solely on AI technology would not get her far, and accepted her grandfather's guidance, thus completing her final transformation."

"The grandfather should be the spiritual mentor who inevitably appears in the hero's growth process."

"The moment the granddaughter defeats her grandfather can be interpreted as a 'parricide plot.' After that, it's equivalent to her fully growing into her complete form and going on to challenge the final boss."

Lu Zhiyuan's movies usually have two main storylines, one overt and one covert.

Regardless of the conflict, a double insurance plan will generally be designed.

Although Real Steel is an action movie, the emotions must be real and delicate, able to withstand scrutiny, and the warmth of family must be felt in these small details.

Don't come up with any disgusting settings.

This is a commercial film, not an art film; it's primarily intended for family enjoyment.

As for spiritual mentors, the various adaptations of the "parricide plot" are incredibly effective.

The Lion King used this method, how classic is it?

The whole world falls for this trick.

"By the way, in the movie, the main characters' [Qin Palace Guards] start out as basic mechs, while the [Planet Ripper], the big boss who remains consistent throughout, needs a dazzling background. From beginning to end, all the features should be maxed out."

"In contrast to the basic mech [Qin Palace Guard], [Planet Ripper] is a complete pay-to-win game. Find a young nobleman from Europe and America to pilot it."

"In this way, the audience can immerse themselves in the movie plot and feel the passion of the grassroots challenging the capitalists and the powerful."

This element appears in "Ready Player One".

In any country, there are always more ordinary people, and most viewers enjoy watching stories of ordinary people slapping capitalists in the face.

"I've written it all down, I'll change it when I get back."

After agreeing, Xin Yukun couldn't help but complain to himself: "This guy, A Yuan, clearly understands the script better than anyone else, yet he insists on having an outsider write it."

I'm just lazy!
However, he had to admit that Lu Zhiyuan was a genius at coming up with ideas.

These are all golden words of wisdom.

Xin Yukun originally designed the operator of the "Planet Ripper" in the script to be a super genius teenager.

He intellectually rivals the female protagonist, engaging in a powerful dialogue.

But after Lu Zhiyuan said that, he felt that it would be more reliable to find a young master from a European or American aristocratic family.

It's so satisfying to slap the faces of those who spend money on in-game purchases!

Since the goal is to attract internet-addicted teenagers, what they hate most is players who spend money on in-game purchases, which disrupt the game's balance.

This feeling, of course, should also be incorporated into this film.

But here is the problem.

Xin Yukun couldn't help but ask, "What about the actor for the role of the young nobleman? It seems quite difficult to find a suitable child star."

"It's easy."

Lu Zhiyuan already had the answer in his heart for this role.

“A few days ago, I emailed Tom Hiddleston and asked him to help me choose one from among British actors. He gave me some options. I think one of them is pretty good.”

"He looks a bit silly, which fits people's preconceived notion of a capitalist's foolish son."

Tom Hiddleston recommended a young actor to Lu Zhiyuan named Tom Holland, who was born in 1996 and has just turned 13.

The name Holland might be unfamiliar to some. He is known as Tom Holland and played Spider-Man in the Marvel series.

Xin Yukun looked at the photo.

Tom Hiddleston's recommendation is definitely worthwhile.

This Holland looks rather silly, but upon closer inspection, he also has a noble air about him.

He certainly fits the description of the noble young master that Lu Zhiyuan described.

Having found the capitalist's foolish son, Xin Yukun asked again, "Since he's a noble young master, shouldn't we also find a butler?"

"good."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded and showed Xin Yukun another photo: "Benedict Cumberbatch, he filmed 'Sherlock' in England. He's still relatively unknown, but he'll probably be a big hit when the TV series airs."

The British entertainment industry is indeed a treasure trove.

You can easily find many excellent actors by digging around.

British actors, unlike American actors who often appear crude and uneducated, always possess an elegant and classic air.

Their acting skills have also become more refined.

They all looked like intelligent people.

Lu Zhiyuan likes actors with this kind of temperament, which is also a better match for his own film style.

"This actor named Benedict is also good."

Xin Yukun looked at the photos and was very satisfied, clicking his tongue in amazement: "The British are quite something, they've contributed a lot of talent to Hollywood."

The two chatted about the script and the actors for a while longer.

At this point, most of the roles have been decided.

The male lead, Harrison Ford, is simply not worth mentioning.

James, the newly appointed CEO of Starlight North America, had a brief chat with Harrison Ford and quickly finalized the matter.

Because the other party just signed a film contract with Universal and is preparing to shoot a Western film called "Cowboys and Aliens" in June.

Lu Zhiyuan's movie will most likely begin filming in March and be completed in three months.

Harrison Ford's role won't be too big; it should be done in a month, and he'll be paid $800 million.

Although it wasn't a high salary, he could earn $800 million for just one month of work, and after considering it, Harrison Ford agreed.

—For "Cowboys & Aliens," his salary was around $2000 million.

—Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, his salary was $35 million plus a share of the box office revenue.

In terms of blockbuster films, Harrison Ford's salary is generally no less than $1500 million.

However, this film was a pleasant surprise, a job I picked up incidentally.

In addition, James pleaded with the old man to lower his salary for the first project of the new company.

If the movie becomes a hit, there might be a second collaboration.

"Everything is ready except for the female lead."

News reports about Lu Zhiyuan's search for a female lead around 12 years old are being discussed repeatedly every day, generating a great deal of buzz.

He himself was happy to see it happen.

The main problem is that he simply can't find anything that satisfies him.

Let the newspapers discuss this further and attract attention from all sides. Then, a suitable candidate will naturally be recommended to him.

All he needs to do is choose the best one.

Over this period of time, he received dozens of nomination lists, but after looking at the photos, he still felt something was missing.

Without this feeling, this project simply cannot begin!
"Brother, don't worry about the female lead. After the New Year, I'll go to Kashgar with you, and we'll surely find someone we like."

"What I really want to know is, how did you and Mr. Zhao negotiate? Did that North American production company really give us 30% of Yuankun Media's shares?"

Xin Yukun was sitting at home when good fortune came from heaven.

During this period, Zhao Shanshan thoroughly dismantled Focus Pictures, digging out everything from the CEO to the staff.

It left Focus Features with an empty shell.

In addition, Yuankun Media acquired a 30% stake in this new production company.

In other words, the final profit distribution of the movie "Real Steel" was roughly as follows...

Under normal circumstances, Starlight Media can receive about 40% of the total profit, while Yuankun Media, as a shareholder, can receive about 12%.

In addition to the company's share, Lu Zhiyuan himself can also participate in the profit sharing as the director. This percentage is slightly lower than that of "Upgrade", but it is still around 8%.

Based on this calculation, Lu Zhiyuan himself can get at least 20% of the profit from the entire project!
Based on the profits from the "Upgrade" project, Lu Zhiyuan alone could earn over 5000 million US dollars.

too exaggerated!

I estimate that even the top Hollywood directors might not be able to earn this much.

The main reason is that Zhao Shanshan and the people in Wanda Group couldn't find anyone else to replace Lu Zhiyuan, so they could only offer him a high salary.

To prevent him from becoming independent after he has gained enough power.

Rather than making things ugly later, it's better to completely bind interests together from the beginning.

They are all people who run big businesses, and box office revenue sharing is actually not much for their big businesses.

"Yes, 30% of the shares. I injected all the profits from the 'Upgrade' project that belonged to me into this new company."

At the time, Lu Zhiyuan told Zhao Shanshan that if Wanda was going to acquire Legendary Pictures, he would put all his assets on the line and go crazy with Wanda.

However, Wanda did not acquire Legendary Pictures.

They changed their approach, forming a new co-production company and signing an exclusive deal with Universal Pictures.

Lu Zhiyuan kept his promise and pledged all the proceeds from the film "Upgrade" to acquire a 30% stake in the new company.

"Bro, you'd better work hard. Whether I can sleep with Scarlett Johansson depends entirely on you."

Xin Yukun didn't care about money.

After making money, he went home and bought several mines, making it so that he truly owned mines and would never be poor again.

He neither buys a house nor gets married; he has absolutely no weaknesses in his life.

Besides, Lu Zhiyuan is rich, would he just stand by and watch him suffer poverty?
"Sleeping with Scarlett Johansson is nothing special. Go sleep with Puff Daddy and you'll have everything."

Lu Zhiyuan uttered a coded phrase that left Xin Yukun puzzled, wondering if there was something wrong with Lu Zhiyuan.
Why did you decide to sleep with that bragging old man?

What a terrible idea!
"By the way, Brother Kun, I've got a good job for you."

"Anyway, you're not going home for the New Year, so why don't you go to Japan and find me a suitable male actor? The Onimusha mecha also needs a pilot."

“You can tell them explicitly that if they participate in this movie, there is a very high probability that they will participate in the next Pacific Rim movie, which is a real heavy industrial mecha battle.”

Japanese directors can't make those kinds of super mecha battles.

Because the cost is too high.

The Japanese market simply cannot recover costs.

But mecha is precisely the kind of thing that Japanese anime popularized.

In order to pilot the mecha, Lu Zhiyuan believed that the Japanese male actors would be willing to participate for free, and even bring their own sponsorship fees.

"Bro, it doesn't have to be a male actor, right? How about giving my future wife [Yui Aragaki] a chance?"

Wouldn't it be foolish not to take advantage of such a good opportunity?
Xin Yukun immediately understood what Lu Zhiyuan meant by a good job, and his eyes lit up instantly.

"Brother Kun, I'm afraid you'll use this excuse to get me a dozen or so wives."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled meaningfully.

How could he not understand Kun Ge's tactics?

"Brother, I was just joking."

"Don't worry, I understand what you mean. I'll go to whoever offers the most sponsorship. This is a mecha battle, and those little devils love that kind of thing."

"Those companies would definitely be willing to provide sponsorship."

"I am a sentimental person and will never forget that our first pot of gold came from Canon's sponsorship."

They hired Japanese actors to pilot mecha, and then demanded payment?
What a joke.

The other party must have brought their own sponsorship fee to qualify for touching the mecha.

Lu Zhiyuan is now not only China's number one commercial film director, but probably also Asia's number one.

After its release in Japan, the movie "Upgrade" became very popular due to its unique AI cyberpunk sci-fi concept and Dilraba's character Alita, whose life is as vibrant as cherry blossoms.

……

"Upgrade" has been in theaters for a month and a half.

The North American box office is close to $2 million.

The film grossed 4.7 million yuan (US$6900 million) in China, breaking not only the box office record for domestic films held by "The Founding of a Republic" but also the previous record for imported films held by "2012".

It became the true number one box office hit in Chinese film!

Although this first one only lasted for two days before being crushed by Avatar and becoming dust in history.

But first place is first place!

If nothing unexpected happens, Lu Zhiyuan should receive a New Year's gift from the system in the next few days.

There's no rush.

The system may be unreliable, but it will definitely reward you if you win first place.

There is no doubt about this.

The two were chatting when Zhao Shanshan called to report a series of good news.

“Ah Yuan, good news! Upgrade has grossed 30 billion yen (US$3400 million) in its first month in Japan.”

"The Japanese audience has a very high opinion of your ruthless and merciless fighting style."

Lu Zhiyuan is a psychopath; he even killed the female lead.

They tied it to a cross and threw it into the sea during a typhoon; it was utterly heartless.

But this thing is also very aesthetically pleasing.

The female protagonist is portrayed as flawless, whether in appearance, personality, or intelligence; she is almost too perfect for a human.

But he ruined such a good leading lady.

Elsewhere, Lu Zhiyuan has faced criticism, with many feeling that he failed Alita in the film.

But in Japan, audiences really love this tragic aesthetic; it has a beauty of decay, fleeting and ephemeral, much like the way cherry blossoms fall.

At that time, Japan was the world's second-largest voting bloc.

China's annual box office is only about the same as that of the UK, both around $15 billion.

Japan's annual box office is approximately $25 billion.

"In addition, the UK box office is also good. Tom Hiddleston is praising it every day there. So far, Upgrade has probably grossed about $2000 million."

"The Germans have a very good impression of you. Upgrade has far exceeded expectations at the box office, taking in $2500 million!"

Britain has Tom Hiddleston.

As for Germany... Lu Zhiyuan could only think of his words from back then.

If bad fathers only raise bad children, then all the British would be Jack the Rippers, and all the French would be perverts in high heels and skinny jeans!

All I can say is that this was an unexpected surprise.

He didn't consider the feelings of ordinary Germans at the time; he just wanted to kill "The White Ribbon" and prevent it from winning an award.

Who says only Chinese directors go to Cannes to compete for awards and film the dark side of China?

How about watching a German director?

They film their own country's dark history, and if you really think about it carefully, they're also a kind of self-reflective oddity.

It's the same all over the world!
"The box office in France is also good. After all, you won the Palme d'Or from the French. It's still a novelty. But the French aren't very enthusiastic about watching the film, and it only grossed around $1500 million."

"In addition to these, the global box office of Upgrade, which includes other countries' revenue, has now exceeded 4 million US dollars!"

"The pre-sales of DVD videotapes are also going well. Many channels have already started placing orders, and 100 million sets have already been pre-sold."

DVD tapes, of course, didn't start being distributed so early; they usually appeared on the market three months after the movie's release.

However, many channels see that the movie's box office performance is good and start pre-ordering.

The production team will also place orders and produce content based on pre-orders.

Based on past experience, Universal Pictures estimates that the DVD sales of "Upgrade" will likely reach around $8000 million.

It's almost identical to District 9.

……

Hong Kong Island.

A group of people were smoking in a private room at a nightclub. In the midst of their pleasant conversation, someone suddenly looked at Wu Yusen and asked, "Brother Sen, have you invited that mainland guy to the Asian Film Awards next month?"

【Mainland Boy】of course refers to Lu Zhiyuan.

These directors in Hong Kong hate Lu Zhiyuan to death.

The main problem is that Lu Zhiyuan is incredibly arrogant and domineering.

"Bodyguards and Assassins" brings together so many Hong Kong stars; it's a super movie that the Hong Kong film industry spent a lot of money to produce last year.

They originally wanted to go to the mainland market to prove the capabilities of Hong Kong filmmakers.

Who knew that "Upgrade" would be so unruly and cut their screenings, causing them to lose even 2.5 million yuan in box office revenue instead of the expected 2 million yuan.

Big loss!

In comparison, "Upgrade" grossed 4.7 million yuan at the box office and a staggering 4 million US dollars worldwide.

Make them so jealous their mouths ache.

"Brother Sen, that mainland guy went too far. He cut all the screenings of 'Bodyguards and Assassins,' almost causing Brother De to jump off a building from the financial loss."

“Send him an invitation to the Asian Film Awards next month, let him experience what it means to go home empty-handed, and embarrass him.”

Someone came up with a crooked idea.

Upon hearing this, some of the others remained silent, while others nodded in agreement, but none of them spoke.

Upon hearing this, Wu Yusen flew into a rage: "You damned bastard, don't talk nonsense! Do you know that he's a big shot now? One word from him and you'll be out of a job."

"You're just guarding your tiny plot of land on Hong Kong Island, and you can't even get enough to eat."

“If we want to make big money, we either need to rely on North America or the mainland… Now, he’s doing very well in both.”

“You’re just a deadbeat, it doesn’t matter if you offend him, you can just go out and sell char siu. But we have so many brothers here, we still need to make a living by filming movies in these two markets.”

John Woo is a big shot in his own right, and he's been to Hollywood before. He knows how difficult it is for a Chinese person to achieve the same success in Hollywood as Lu Zhiyuan.

Having worked in Hollywood and directed "Mission: Impossible 2," he understood just how powerful the major Hollywood studios were.

Universal Pictures, as a major film studio, doesn't treat ordinary directors like human beings at all.

Look at the Mission: Impossible series, how many directors have they had?

They changed directors for almost every film they made.

Paramount is all about having fun.

Let everyone know that here, directors are nobody.

For a big studio like ours, we could put any dog ​​on board and still make a good movie.

After criticizing the other party for a while, Wu Yusen changed his tone: "As the chairman of the jury, of course I will send him an invitation. But I certainly won't deliberately mess with him. If he comes, I will definitely award him the Best Director award!"

"He deserves it!"

"We may compete, but it's not for pride or personal feelings; it's all about making money. If their films are better, more profitable, and superior in everything, you have to accept it!"

"It's like Zhou Yu meeting Zhuge Liang, a classic case of 'Why did Heaven create both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang?' But can you say that Zhou Yu wasn't a hero?"

"The way you just did it was like something a petty person would do."

"Lu Sheng is a big director. From now on, you'd better show me some respect. Otherwise, I'll smash your head in."

After Wu Yusen finished speaking, he left with the words, "I'm sleepy, I'm going home to sleep," and turned to leave.

He always considered himself a big shot.

As a big shot, you can fall down and feel down for a while, but you can't lose your heroic spirit.

In fact, very few people know this.

Back then, Li An was neither very successful nor very unsuccessful. It was he who recommended that Li An try his luck in Hollywood, which led to the Li An we know today.

As the first Chinese director to enter Hollywood, although he has now flopped, John Woo is still a figure on the monument.

Art needs to survive.

For money, he's willing to sell his film style and pander to the audience.

Although we failed, at least we tried.

"Violence is the evil of human nature, and love is the only antidote."

Since being baptized in Christianity, this theme has frequently appeared in John Woo's films.

After watching "Upgrade," he discovered that Lu Zhiyuan also deeply loved this theme. The violent battles and exciting scenes were all about the brilliance of humanity at their core.

The critical reception of "Red Cliff" was so bad that although it barely broke even, investors no longer trusted him. John Woo also knew that it would be too difficult for him to make another blockbuster.

At this critical juncture, if he were to foolishly speak ill of Lu Zhiyuan again, people would only think he was blinded by defeat.

It's so embarrassing.

Investors will only think he's gone mad and is no longer trustworthy.

Therefore, in front of outsiders, he could not speak ill of Lu Zhiyuan; he could only flatter him, indicating that he was willing to accept defeat and that he wanted to learn Lu Zhiyuan's skills.

of course.

Deep down, he was extremely jealous of Lu Zhiyuan!
Young and promising, with boundless popularity, breaking various records from the very beginning of his career, who wouldn't be envious?

Wasn't Li An jealous of him?
Isn't Chen Kaige jealous of him?

Isn't Zhang Yimou jealous of him?

The three of them were definitely jealous of Lu Zhiyuan, but they just acted nonchalantly.

Wu Yusen tried his best to appear calm and collected, not revealing his ugly, jealous face.

However, the bunch of idiots around him started jeering, as if they were afraid others wouldn't know he was jealous of Lu Zhiyuan.
Being in a place like this, surrounded by such low-quality people, is truly disheartening.

"Brother Sen, are you leaving?"

Wu Yusen was feeling annoyed when he saw a bespectacled man with a somewhat familiar face and came over to say hello.

"Xiao Zhuang?"

This person is Chong Man-keung, a top screenwriter in Hong Kong.

Initial D, Overheard, and Infernal Affairs are all works he wrote.

"Brother Sen, it's over so quickly inside?"

Zhuang Wenqiang sensed the commotion inside, so he didn't go in and stayed outside smoking alone.

"It's not over yet, I'm just leaving now."

Wu Yusen didn't think much of it.

He used to dislike Zhuang Wenqiang, thinking that this guy was an oddball among their group, wearing small glasses and looking refined.

Among their group of roughnecks, a scholar infiltrated.

It's as bizarre as it gets.

But now he realizes that people should read more books.

When the book is used, it will be less regretful.

Look at that group of people. When they were young, they were quick-witted and you couldn't tell. But as they get older, they start to become confused.

"Xiao Zhuang, 'Overheard' is a good film. Although it didn't become a box office hit, it received great reviews. I reckon it could be made into a series."

"Congratulations! You can work steadily for the next few years."

Hong Kong cinema is now facing a huge predicament, declining from its peak, with its market share shrinking and unable to support as many employees as before.

Many minor celebrities have changed careers.

They teased each other, asking which supermarket they were currently working at, whether they were selling char siu rice or setting up a street stall.

These days, finding a stable project and starting work on time every day is the greatest happiness for Hong Kong filmmakers.

"Brother Sen, I'm currently writing a script that involves a counterfeit money ring. The male protagonist is a down-on-his-luck art student."

"I've been writing this script for several years, but I haven't found the right inspiration."

"Now, I suddenly realize that director Lu Zhiyuan is a perfect fit for the male protagonist in my movie."

"As a painter, his skills were near perfect, and he was very good at imitating various art movements, but he never developed his own style."

"He was destitute for a long time before finally choosing to change careers."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yusen couldn't help but turn his head and look over: "Your leading actor has also become a director?"

Zhuang Wenqiang laughed along, then quickly shook his head: "That's definitely not going to work. If the male lead in my script also becomes a director, then there's probably no place for us."

Lu Zhiyuan showed everyone how terrifying it is for art students to become directors.

Every frame, color, and composition is flawless.

No matter how you look at it, it's incredibly beautiful.

On the second viewing, one can even discern plot metaphors and character clues in the details of the visuals, as if the ending of the entire film had already been revealed to everyone.

It's really amazing.

Despite being a commercial film, it boasts explosive action sequences and a high level of sophistication, brimming with artistic flair.

Zhuang Wenqiang, as an industry insider, knows how difficult it is to achieve this!
He can't do it anyway.

Zhuang Wenqiang watched the movie "Upgrade" several times with a pilgrimage-like mentality.

He gained a completely new understanding with each viewing, and even wrote a film review online, which attracted a lot of attention.

"My male lead didn't become a director; he chose to make counterfeit money."

"Originally, I was just thinking about what kind of character the male protagonist was, what his background was, and what his motivation was for counterfeiting money. After he was arrested by the police, how would he perfectly tell a lie and fabricate a painter?"

"Now, I'm starting to get a clue."

Zhuang Wenqiang became more and more excited as he spoke, and at the end, he asked Wu Yusen, "Brother Sen, I can finish the script very soon, and I guarantee it will be wonderful. The key issue is the male lead. I'm thinking of getting the renowned director Lu Zhiyuan. Do you think we have a chance?"

That's a perfect match!

painter!

His technique was near perfect, but his paintings lacked soul, forcing him to change careers.

Why did you change careers?
In the movie, the male protagonist made up a story and then started counterfeiting money.

In reality, Lu Zhiyuan made up a story for Jing Tian, ​​saying that he was going to wait for someone on the Xi'an city wall.

The difference is that in movies, in order to kill off the male protagonist, the only way is to handle it artistically, while the villains suffer a terrible death.

In reality, Lu Zhiyuan made up a story about waiting for someone on the Xi'an city wall, and he actually went to wait for them every year.

This kind of obsessive personality, where he lies so much that he even deceives himself, is even more exaggerated than the male protagonist in his movies!

No wonder they succeeded!

"Xiao Zhuang, I think you can give it a try. Good luck. By the way, I have his phone number. You can call him now and ask him."

Wu Yusen couldn't help but burst into laughter, he was extremely happy.

If Lu Zhiyuan were to direct Zhuang Wenqiang's film, regardless of whether his performance was good or bad, Wu Yusen swore to God that he would give Lu Zhiyuan a few harsh critiques from the perspective of a great director.

We're all directors, and we're giving each other critiques, which is kind of like nitpicking.

But if Lu Zhiyuan becomes an actor, and I, as a senior director, offer my critique, wouldn't that be a good thing?
Thank you, Zhuang Wenqiang, for creating this opportunity for me!
Haha!

……

Yanjing.

Dongshan Villa, Lu Zhiyuan's home.

"Ah Yuan, your phone is ringing."

Lu Zhiyuan was taking a shower when a call came in from an unknown number, and Miss Jing Tian immediately became jealous.

What time is it? Another phone call?
It's still an unfamiliar number.

Which little bitch is it this time?

"Could you answer this for me?"

Upon hearing Lu Zhiyuan's words, Miss Jing Tian immediately smiled.

Although those little bitches are clueless, our robot doesn't care about those vixens outside at all. It's so open and honest, with nothing to hide.

It really makes me feel safe.

Miss Jing Tian picked up Lu Zhiyuan's phone and said impatiently, "Hello, who is this? Do you know what time it is? We're already asleep."

"Huh? You said your name is Zhuang Wenqiang? A director who wants to hire our robot to star in a movie as the male lead?"

No.

Did I get a scam call?

Jing Tian was momentarily stunned. Someone wanted to audition for Lu Zhiyuan's movie; it would be more like they wanted to be the male lead for him.

How come there are also those who turn it around and invite Lu Zhiyuan to play the male lead?

This scammer is incredibly daring to fool people.

"What? You directed Infernal Affairs? Oh no, you were the screenwriter. That's pretty impressive."

"Are you really Zhuang Wenqiang? The one from Hong Kong?"

Jing Tian confirmed it several times and finally found out that someone really wanted to invite Lu Zhiyuan to make a movie and even asked him to be the male lead.

Zhuang Wenqiang introduced the character to Jing Tian.

He's a painter with unparalleled skill, but he lacks his own soul. If he doesn't change careers, he'll probably end up as a street artist.

After hearing about the role, Jing Tian couldn't help but laugh.

Isn't this too much of a coincidence?
Isn't that exactly what our robot is talking about?

Especially at the end of the movie, in his conversation with the female supporting character, he said something with absolutely no emotional intelligence: "People like us are lucky to even find a replacement."

Haha!

This lack of emotional intelligence and unbridled arrogance are strikingly similar to Lu Zhiyuan's attitude towards other female celebrities!

"Your idea is good, but it won't work. As for why? I'm afraid it will hurt your pride if I tell you, so I'll keep quiet."

Although she found it very interesting, Miss Jingtian still hung up the phone.

Neuropathy!
Do you know how much money our robot makes from a single movie? How much revenue does it bring to our entire company?

How much publicity traffic did it bring to our hometown?
Make your movie, unless he's crazy!
……

Inside the bathroom.

Lu Zhiyuan is taking a shower.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar mechanical turning sound.

coming!

Since the box office of "Upgrade" became the highest-grossing film in Chinese film history.

It broke the box office records for both domestic and imported films previously held by "The Founding of a Republic" and "2012".

Lu Zhiyuan knew that the system would give an extra reward!
Sure enough!
He was not disappointed.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan turned off the shower and listened quietly to the pleasant system announcement.

—[Roland Emmerich, graduated from the Stuttgart University of the Arts with a degree in painting and sculpture. He is known for disaster films such as *Independence Day*, *The Day After Tomorrow*, and *2012*.]

—[He is one of the most representative masters of disaster films in contemporary Hollywood. His film style is characterized by destructive visual spectacles, incorporating environmental themes, anti-authoritarian tendencies, and utopian fantasies.]

—[He excels at reshaping the audience's perception of the world through subversive visual spectacles. He also uses disasters as a mirror, reflecting environmental crises, political lies, and human nature through extreme scenarios.]

The system went on and on, and the more it talked, the more excited Lu Zhiyuan became.

No need to ask, it's definitely an S-level talent!
Otherwise, the system wouldn't be spouting so much nonsense.

These words were essentially to let Lu Zhiyuan understand the characteristics of the original owner of this talent, serving as a note to help Lu Zhiyuan grasp this S-level talent more clearly.

A few seconds later, the system gave the final answer.

— [Congratulations! You've accomplished an impossible challenge. Your film, *Upgrade*, has broken Chinese box office records, surpassed *2012*, and restored confidence in Chinese-language directors. Your name shines globally, becoming synonymous with genius and a contemporary idol for countless art students who failed their entrance exams!]

—[Reward obtained: S-rank talent - Roland Emmerich's extraordinary destructive aesthetics!]

What is the most memorable aspect of the movie "2012"?
Of course, it's a scene of Earth's destruction!

When such a catastrophe strikes, humanity's insignificance and helplessness are starkly apparent: volcanic eruptions, urban tectonic collapses... Most importantly, the film's design combines exaggerated imagination with scientific logical deduction.

It can be described as a destructive aesthetic!
Following Quentin Tarantino's violent ritualistic style, Lu Zhiyuan has now acquired Emmerich's destructive aesthetics!
"What is meant by extraordinary aesthetics of destruction?"

Lu Zhiyuan closed his eyes and carefully experienced it.

In that instant, he suddenly had many insights and reflections.

such as.

A landmark building in human society was destroyed in an instant.

The Statue of Liberty, the White House, the Eiffel Tower—all were destroyed in an instant, a metaphor for the collapse of human authority.

This is called the aesthetics of destruction!
Having talent means you can do whatever you want!

Previously, Lu Zhiyuan only knew how to film violent scenes full of ritual.

After all, Quentin Tarantino personally demonstrated it for him.

But from now on, he knows how to make disaster movies!

From a certain perspective, isn't Pacific Rim just a disaster movie?

Quentin Tarantino's violent ritualistic style, combined with Emmerich's destructive aesthetics... let's wait and see!

(End of this chapter)