The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 162 The 4th S-level talent, the global box office champion in January!
……

"This is amazing! Guys, has anyone seen the IMAX 3D version of 'Real Steel'? I'm seriously raving about this movie!"

"Especially the first Easter egg at the end."

"The 200-meter-tall mech hunters, towering between the valleys, exude a sense of weight and overwhelming oppression that feels incredibly real."

"Can anyone tell me if there really is a Jaeger hidden inside Muztagh Ata?"

In 2010, IMAX 3D screens were an absolute rarity.

There are a total of 22 screens nationwide.

Apart from a few first-tier cities, there are almost no IMAX 3D screens in second-tier cities.

After the movie "Real Steel" sparked a viewing frenzy, regular 3D theaters were packed every time, but as long as you didn't want to see it right away, you could buy tickets for the next showing or book for tomorrow.

However, the ticket sales for IMAX 3D screens have once again reached the point where tickets were extremely difficult to obtain, just like during the release of Avatar.

It's impossible to buy!
After the movie's release on its first day, the word-of-mouth spread, and the scalpers outside the cinemas were immediately delighted, buying up all the tickets for the following week without hesitation.

The phenomenon of charging an extra 200 yuan has once again appeared at the entrance of the movie theater.

Although this phenomenon has a very negative impact, there are only 22 IMAX 3D screens nationwide, and it's impossible for cinemas to drastically rectify this phenomenon just for the sake of these 22 screens.

Because tickets are so hard to get, it's common to see people who have seen the IMAX 3D version showing off online, praising the movie to the skies.

This positive publicity has brought the film tremendous popularity.

In fact, on a global scale...

The IMAX 3D version accounted for a full 12% of the total box office of "Real Steel"!

This is a true visual spectacle with amazing special effects!

Even if high-definition pirated versions appear online, there will still be many viewers who will go to see the IMAX 3D version specifically to enjoy the ultimate audio-visual experience.

From a certain perspective, the superior audiovisual effects can be considered a moat for cinemas.

Besides, these days, cinemas have just been upgraded with new equipment, so watching a movie like "Real Steel" in a movie theater is really awesome.

Unlike more than a decade later.

There are fewer and fewer visually stunning special effects films, and cinema equipment is getting older and older.

Watching a movie in a third-rate cinema is not as enjoyable as watching it at home on a 100-inch super TV.

There are no unruly or naughty kids.

You can pause whenever you want, and rewind whenever you want.

……

"What a great era."

"I love this feeling!"

"Did you hear that? That's the sound of banknotes jumping into our pockets! Ding-dong, ding-dong... It's so beautiful."

Xin Yukun hardly ever appeared on screen in Lu Zhiyuan's films.

Compared to Lu Zhiyuan, an internationally renowned director, he, as a producer, can be described as relatively unknown.

You can walk freely on the street without worrying about being recognized by paparazzi.

He could even squat at the entrance of a movie theater, drinking milk tea while watching the audience haggling with scalpers.

He really loved this feeling.

Whether it's scalpers or regular moviegoers, buying a ticket is essentially giving them money.

To Xin Yukun, the unpleasant sounds of the other party arguing were like heavenly music.

"Brother Kun, we've been squatting here for three hours. How about we go somewhere else and try something new?"

Sitting opposite Xin Yukun was Su Lun, another assistant director of Lu Zhiyuan.

During the filming of "Real Steel", Su Lun helped Lu Zhiyuan with a lot of dirty and tiring work.

Especially on Muztagh Ata, she endured a lot of hardship on behalf of Lu Zhiyuan. In order to capture the footage that satisfied Lu Zhiyuan, she lived in a tent for a week.

I managed to hold back my period.

Lu Zhiyuan was very generous in treating such a meritorious official who had helped him rise to power, and directly sent Su Lun to find Xin Yukun.

If you have any thoughts, talk to Kun Ge.

Whether you want to make a TV series or a movie, the company will provide full support.

When Xin Yukun called Su Lun out today, Su Lun thought that his project had been approved and that Brother Kun was generously preparing to transfer the money.

"Xiao Su, don't worry, I won't keep you waiting in vain. I'll give you a gift in a little while."

Xin Yukun casually did a stretching exercise at the entrance of the cinema.

Then, he saw a text message on his phone.

He waved to Su Lun and walked towards a coffee shop across from the cinema.

"Whenever Brother Kun shows that weird expression, he's definitely trying to pimp for Brother Yuan again."

Su Lun muttered a few words to himself and then followed.

no way.

Kun Ge is humble and subservient in front of Lu Zhiyuan, but outside he is a big shot who has the final say.

"Real Steel" grossed $2.7 million in its opening weekend.

After the results came out, at least domestically, the entire crew of Lu Zhiyuan's production team experienced a collective meteoric rise in popularity.

As the second-in-command of the crew, Brother Kun can practically do whatever he wants in the entertainment industry.

Whenever he ran into Feng Xiaogang, he would go up and put his arm around his shoulder, teasing him a bit, like asking, "Hey buck-toothed, which place's fun lately? Want to grab a business card?"

Even though Feng Xiaogang was furious inside, all he could do was have his henchmen give Brother Kun a VIP card.

no way.

Real Steel is just too awesome.

The box office is aiming for $10 billion.

The box office and profits of this film are estimated to equal the combined box office of all the films Feng Xiaogang has made in his entire career.

Even the two CEOs of Huayi Brothers were extremely polite to Xin Yukun.

Lu Zhiyuan is indeed a cold and aloof person. Whether it is due to his personality or social anxiety, he rarely participates in industry events and dinners.

At first, everyone thought that Lu Zhiyuan was a bit difficult to get along with, perhaps because he was arrogant or looked down on others in the industry.

People secretly had some opinions about Lu Zhiyuan.

But now that Real Steel has come out, who dares to have any opinions?

So what if a famous director is a bit eccentric?
Even if someone scolds you in front of everyone, you can only smile and say that the director is right and you will change it immediately.

All the minor celebrities in the industry, unable to curry favor with Lu Zhiyuan, all flocked to Xin Yukun.

He kept calling me "Brother Kun," his mouth was so sweet.

If Kun Ge hadn't recently gotten a bit bored with his hobbies and hadn't fasted for a while, he might have ruined his kidneys.

……

5 minutes later.

Across from the cinema, in a corner of a coffee shop by the window.

Xin Yukun and Su Lun sat side by side.

Across from them sat a stunningly beautiful woman wearing a hat and large sunglasses.

This stunningly beautiful woman is incredibly thin, yet possesses an S-shaped figure that is extremely rare among people of Asian descent.

"Sister Mi, long time no see."

When Xin Yukun saw Yang Mi, his tone was inexplicably complicated.

Back then, he and Yang Mi had a pretty good relationship, and they would often go out for hot pot together.

Back then, everyone was just a nobody, and there was no issue of social status.

When he and Lu Zhiyuan made their first film, "The Coffin in the Mountain," the first actress he thought of was Yang Mi.

If Yang Mi had played the female lead for them back then.

Now, Dilraba should have been nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress, and she's been receiving so many commercial endorsements that she's constantly on the red carpet.

The gossip paparazzi in the industry are always chasing after Yang Mi.

And now.

Yang Mi seems to have encountered some trouble.

After filming "Chinese Paladin 3", she gained considerable popularity. As long as her agency puts in some effort, although it might not propel her to stardom, it should allow her to earn a significant amount of money.

But the trouble lies with the brokerage firm.

She left Rongxinda, failed to reach an agreement with Tangren, and inexplicably jumped to Mei Ah Entertainment!
This not only offended Rong Xinda, but also Tangren.

Mei Ya agreed to make a movie for Yang Mi and promote her as a movie star.

However, directors from Hong Kong Island are failing one after another at this critical juncture. Do they really think they can promote Yang Mi instead?
Just hilarious.

They themselves are almost unable to start work.

But Yang Mi had nowhere else to go besides Meiya. Now that the contract was signed, she realized that things were very complicated.

Fortunately, the contract with Meiya is only for two years, so I can just hang in there.

"Brother Kun, you're a big shot now. I can't find you even if I want to."

Yang Mi glanced at Xin Yukun, her heart filled with bitterness she couldn't share with anyone else.

Before she left Rongxinda and was about to sign with Meiya, she pitifully called Xin Yukun to ask if he could take her in.
She went to Yuankun Media to work as Dilraba's assistant, hoping that when the famous director Lu Zhiyuan was making a movie, he would take her along.

I will definitely be very good.

The results of it?
Xin Yukun didn't even answer the phone, but sent a text message saying he was very busy.

That happened in May.

Later, Yang Mi learned that Xin Yukun was indeed very busy during that period, working like a slave for Lu Zhiyuan on set every day.

“Sister Mi, to be honest, we were originally alumni and met when we were both struggling. Our relationship should be better than Liu Shishi’s.”

"It's a pity you're always like this. You consider yourself a smart person, always calculating and scheming, and end up with no true friends around you."

As Xin Yukun spoke, he glared at Zeng Jia, Yang Mi's agent, who was standing next to her.

Why did Yang Mi go to Meiya? It was all because of this guy's encouragement!
This guy switched jobs to Mei Ah Entertainment first, becoming some kind of artist director, but he had no cards to play, so he tricked Yang Mi into joining him.

This time, Zeng Jia took off on her own.

"Brother Kun, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Yang Mi felt that Xin Yukun was in a bad mood today. He called her over, could it be that he wanted to humiliate her and vent his anger?

I've regretted not filming "The Coffin in the Mountain" for two years now.

Kun Ge is still angry.

"Xiao Su, take Manager Zeng to the hotel next door to order food. I need to have a private chat with Sister Mi."

Xin Yukun had Su Lun send Yang Mi's agent away.

Zeng Jia's eyelids twitched, sensing that Xin Yukun wanted to say bad things about her.

However, she really didn't have the courage to offend Xin Yukun, so she could only give an awkward smile and leave with Su Lun.

After everyone else left, Xin Yukun dropped all pretense and began to bitterly berate Yang Mi.

"Honey, I don't even know what to say about you."

"I've always thought you were a smart person, the kind that's extremely rare in the entertainment industry—a top-tier female celebrity who's beautiful, intelligent, and has a great figure!"

"It really breaks my heart to see you like this now."

After signing with Mei Ah Entertainment, the company treated Yang Mi like a top-tier workhorse, making her film eight movies a year, which left Yang Mi looking haggard.

Their appearance has declined somewhat.

The key point is that despite working like a slave, Yang Mi hasn't earned much money.

This job has a really low cost-performance ratio.

"Brother Kun, I've regretted what happened back then for a long time. I originally wanted to treat you to a meal to apologize, or even just beat me up. It's better than you not answering my calls."

Seeing how well Xin Yukun is doing now, while she herself is stuck in the Hong Kong entertainment circle, Yang Mi feels increasingly aggrieved.

What kind of opportunity did you miss by refusing back then?

If I had followed Xin Yukun and Lu Zhiyuan back then, I might have already been filming "Real Steel".

What does Dilraba have to do with this?

What are your plans for the future?

After cursing a few times, Xin Yukun asked a question.

Yang Mi signed with Mei Ya for two years, so even if Xin Yukun wanted to bring her to his company, he would have to wait until two years later.

Yang Mi is really impatient. She just left Rongxinda and, without even taking a break, immediately signed with Meiya.

Even reincarnation isn't this urgent.

Look at Hanikezi on the other side.

They're so popular now, yet they follow Dilraba around all day, only working sporadically. They refuse small jobs, complaining about the low prices. They're too lazy to take big jobs, complaining about the distance.

Ideally, it should be within 5 kilometers of your home. Go there casually, take a few nice photos, sign your name, and you'll get a few million.

Yang Mi could have enjoyed this treatment too.

Unfortunately, it was all due to a single wrong decision.

"Brother Kun, Mei Ya is pretty good to me. In a couple of days, she arranged a suspense movie for me called 'Mysterious Island,' saying she can make it look really beautiful and help me break out of my niche."

Yang Mi stubbornly refused to admit it, not wanting to lose face in front of Xin Yukun.

"You're really overthinking it. Do you think those directors in Hong Kong can make your films look exceptionally beautiful and help you break into the mainstream?"

Xin Yukun chuckled.

Yang Mi's words couldn't fool him at all.

At this moment, he couldn't help but sneer: "Those uncultured directors in Hong Kong, what do they know about beautiful women besides going to nightclubs to find prostitutes?"

"Don't deny it. That's just their low-class aesthetic."

"If you don't believe me, think about it carefully. Besides taking pictures of nightclub girls who pay for sex, flirtatious female secretaries, and maybe a naive rich girl, what else do they take pictures of?"

Seeing that Yang Mi was a little dazed, Xin Yukun laughed and said, "I told you so! Their lives are filled with fantasies about these three types of women! You expect them to make you look like a stunning beauty? You're dreaming."

After making a few sarcastic remarks, Xin Yukun changed the subject: "Have you seen 'Real Steel'? Have you seen 'Upgrade'? What is portrait photography? Let them learn from our Brother Yuan."

Yang Mi was speechless.

You're comparing yourself to a Palme d'Or-winning director.

How can anyone compare to Lu Zhiyuan?
Yang Mi heard that Lu Zhiyuan personally designed the looks for Dilraba and Hanikezi.

In addition, there is a Japanese actress in "Real Steel" named Keiko Kitagawa, whose temperament is somewhat similar to mine.

Keiko Kitagawa even has a nickname: Japanese Yang Mi!
In the movie, Lu Zhiyuan gave Kitagawa Keiko a fox spirit makeup look. Holding a red copper umbrella, she stood at the foot of the shrine steps, her eyes sparkling, and the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, revealing a charming yet cynical expression.

Her stunning beauty made Yang Mi incredibly jealous.

My mouth is starting to ache.

After the release of "Real Steel," Keiko Kitagawa's fame in Japan surpassed that of all her predecessors, and she received countless advertising offers.

Even top figures like Hiroshi Abe and Masaharu Fukuyama were overshadowed.

"Sister Honey, you're the kind of person who doesn't take the main road but insists on taking the narrow path. You're born with good fortune, but you're the type who stubbornly refuses to endure hardship."

"Today, I was in a good mood and didn't want to scold you, but when I thought about how you rejected me, I couldn't help but want to scold you."

"You didn't reject me; you rejected a tremendous opportunity for yourself."

"Do you understand?"

At the end, seeing Yang Mi on the verge of tears, Xin Yukun's tone suddenly softened: "Sigh, I'm just a soft-hearted person. I can't bear to see pretty girls suffer."

"Don't count on the movies from Mei Ah. If you really want to make a movie, come find me. On the condition that you bring your agency contract with you."

"I won't raise other people's children!"

After giving Yang Mi a thorough prank, Xin Yukun told her a cruel truth: Hong Kong directors are completely useless.

They're all failures themselves, how can they possibly carry you to success?

Yang Mi's intelligence is like Schrödinger's cat, belonging to a quantum superposition state. She seems very smart, but she will make mistakes from time to time.

It's hard to tell whether she's being clever or confused at this moment.

"Brother Kun, what do you mean?"

Xin Yukun had just been cursing her, but after that, he seemed to want to take her along to make a movie, which left Yang Mi very confused and bewildered. "What a stupid woman."

"You really think I called you out just to yell at you? Do you think I'd have nothing better to do?"

After hurling a few insults, Xin Yukun handed a business card to Yang Mi: "Xiao Su has a movie project that's missing a female lead. After thinking it over, I've decided to give you another chance."

"If you stand me up again, I'll make you look like a joke even if those people in Hong Kong kill you."

"Remember, those people in the Hong Kong film industry are uncultured; they all started as petty thugs and scoundrels."

"You really think they know how to make movies?"

"They rely entirely on instinct; there's no skill involved at all."

"If you really want to make movies, you have to look to our Brother Yuan."

Yang Mi certainly had no doubt about Lu Zhiyuan's amazing filmmaking skills.

He can win the Palme d'Or for art films.

His commercial films swept the world.

His films seem to transcend cultural barriers, appealing to audiences worldwide.

An experiment was conducted where all of Lu Zhiyuan's films were stripped of their subtitles, leaving only the background music and audio, and then shown to 12-year-old children from different countries.

The other person was still watching with great interest.

This means that he can convey the content that the film wants to express very completely just through the visuals.

This is an absolute visual genius!

"Brother Kun, of course I know, Brother Yuan's movies are awesome. But I'm not going to be the female lead in Brother Yuan's movies."

Yang Mi began to feel sorry for herself, her eyes, like those of a cartoon character, revealing a pitiful expression.

It looks incredibly convincing.

She had already realized that Xin Yukun had softened towards her and seemed to want to help her.

It's likely that Xin Yukun was reminiscing about the bitter past and the sweet present, recalling the days when he and his group often ate hot pot together at the back gate of the school.

"If you do nothing, of course you won't get a turn. Sometimes, if a good-looking woman takes the initiative, men won't refuse her."

Xin Yukun raised an eyebrow at Yang Mi, revealing an ambiguous expression: "You're so smart, you must understand what I was just saying."

What do you mean?
Does Kun want to sleep with me?

wrong.

Those in the industry know that Brother Kun never makes any hints. If he wants to sleep with a woman, he will just take action directly. He won't do it in such a civilized way.

and many more.

Does Brother Kun mean for me to seduce Lu Zhiyuan?

Will this work?

Lu Zhiyuan is so handsome and talented, I don't mind, but I'm afraid I'll end up like Gao Yuanyuan and get a severe scolding from him.

She's not as strong as Gao Yuanyuan; she'll definitely cry her eyes out, her voice hoarse from crying.

"You're such a stupid woman."

Xin Yukun looked at Yang Mi with exasperation: "Don't you know, you used to be his favorite person. Every time you asked him out to dinner, think back, was he ever late?"

there has never been!

Never!

Yang Mi recalled for a moment, then her eyes lit up, and her voice trembled slightly: "No way? Impossible? How could this be..."

Haha!

The famous director used to have a crush on me!

My life has been worthwhile!

"You're so stupid, and you wouldn't admit it. Now you understand, right?"

Xin Yukun raised an eyebrow at Yang Mi with a smile.

What a silly girl.

I can just say a few things to fool you, and you believe everything I say.

Lu Zhiyuan is a very punctual person. No matter who invites him, he will almost never be late if he agrees.

"Brother Kun, please stop scolding me. If there were a pill to undo regrets, I'd eat a ton of it right now."

The famous director actually had a crush on me, and I even turned down his invitation to make his directorial debut.

He must be heartbroken.

No wonder he never contacted me again after that.

Furthermore, he always invites me to his celebratory banquets. No one else at Rong Xinda receives this treatment.

Oh, I see! I was so stupid.

After learning this fact, Yang Mi's vanity exploded, and she couldn't wait to tell the whole world that the famous director Lu Zhiyuan had once had a crush on her.

At that moment, her confidence exploded.

Although her father wasn't a king, and she wasn't a princess, a powerful figure in the Chinese film industry once had a crush on her.

Could it be that she still has a chance to become queen in this lifetime?

If she had the chance to be queen, she'd be out of her mind to go into the Hong Kong entertainment circle and grovel before others!

"Brother Kun, we've ordered."

Su Lun estimated the time and sent a text message to Xin Yukun.

Xin Yukun glanced at it, then said to Yang Mi, "Xiao Su's movie is a true female-centric film, I recommend you take it. Xiao Su should give me face. But the pay won't be too much, I'll give you 50."

"50 US dollars? Isn't that a lot?"

Yang Mi made a joke on purpose.

She heard that Dilraba could get a $200 million salary for filming "Real Steel".

This made her particularly envious.

"If you had been more obedient, you would have had people offering you not just $50, but $500 million. Unfortunately, there's no going back in life."

"The resurrection coin in your hand is from me. I hope you cherish this opportunity. Don't do anything foolish again!"

Xin Yukun had no idea that his tone of voice was becoming more and more like Lu Zhiyuan's, not only assertive but also extremely confident.

"Brother Kun, is Xiao Su okay? I don't mind if the pay is a little lower. I'm just worried that after filming, the movie will not only fail at the box office but also receive terrible reviews, which will affect my commercial value."

Yang Mi hesitated.

If Lu Zhiyuan were to cast her in a movie, she would even pay him her own salary.

But Su Lun had never heard of this person before. Could it be that Xin Yukun wanted revenge for the arrow he shot her with years ago and was deliberately trying to trick her?

"You're here again!"

"Looking ahead and behind, hesitant and indecisive."

Xin Yukun couldn't help but want to scold Yang Mi again, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.

Yang Mi is becoming more and more alluring, truly captivating. My good brother, even Nazha could reject him, so he must like Yang Mi's type.

After thinking for a while, Xin Yukun decided to give Yang Mi a heads-up: "I'll be the producer of this movie. Yuan will be the executive producer. What do you think?"

Lu Zhiyuan's role as producer is just a gimmick, of course. He himself is busy preparing for "Pacific Rim" and is too busy to actually come to the set to work for Su Lun.

However, Lu Zhiyuan used his prestigious reputation to endorse Su Lun and fully support her in pursuing her dream of becoming a director.

For those in the industry, a boss like this is so good that they want to kneel down in admiration.

"Brother Kun, I can't thank you enough."

Yang Mi was deeply moved by Xin Yukun's support.

"Your thanks are of no use to me whatsoever."

Xin Yukun waved his hand dismissively and said, "If you go to Hong Kong to work, you won't make any money, and you'll have to work like a slave."

"Since you were born to be a beast of burden, you'd be better off being a foot-washing maid for Brother Yuan than being wasted by others."

"At least, our Brother Yuan is truly chivalrous and considerate towards women."

You were born to be a beast of burden!

Yang Mi cursed Xin Yukun in her heart.

However, having been in the industry for a long time, Yang Mi also knows that some people may be all sweet talk to you on the surface, but they might actually want to stab you in the back.

On the contrary, Xin Yukun, who outwardly berates himself mercilessly, is actually thinking of himself when you think about it carefully.

indeed.

Even if you're prepared to be someone's slave.

But it also depends on whether the other person is a good match?
At present, it seems that Amazon is not quite worthy!
"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to pick up my little princess."

Xin Yukun glanced at the time, then turned and left.

"Brother Kun, you already have a child? Why didn't you tell me?"

Yang Mi felt like she had been out of touch with the mainstream for too long, and she didn't even know about such big news.

"I'm talking about Reba. Judging by the time, she should be off work now. I need to pick her up so we can have dinner together at Brother Yuan's house."

Xin Yukun waved to Yang Mi, went outside, hailed a taxi, and hurriedly drove off.

Seeing how much Xin Yukun cared for Dilraba and even took the initiative to pick her up, Yang Mi couldn't help but feel inexplicably envious.

Originally, all these benefits were hers!
At that moment, she seemed to understand why some people say that jealousy is a woman's greatest original sin.

Now, she's insanely jealous!

……

Dongshan Villa.

At Lu Zhiyuan's home.

2010 is now a thing of the past.

Today is January 1, 2011, the New Year's Day holiday.

Lu Zhiyuan invited some friends over for a dinner party at his home, which served as an early celebration of his victory.

"Ah Yuan, guess how much the box office was yesterday?"

Zhao Shanshan doesn't know when she started to enjoy playing these number guessing games.

It's so addictive.

Every day, the box office is in the tens of millions of US dollars. If converted to RMB, it's even more outrageous, reaching hundreds of millions every day.

Zhao Shanshan must be laughing in her sleep.

"I do not know."

Lu Zhiyuan was already somewhat numb and didn't even want to guess anymore.

"5000 million yuan at the domestic box office! Who would have thought that 'Real Steel' would be so resilient, still making 5000 million yuan after almost 10 days in theaters?"

"At this rate, the domestic box office will definitely break 10 billion!"

Since its release on December 24th, a total of 8 days have passed, and "Real Steel" has grossed nearly 500 million yuan at the Chinese box office.

On average, it's around 6000 million per day.

After the New Year's Day holiday, it might reach around 7 million.

However, according to past patterns, after the New Year's Day holiday, the momentum of "Real Steel" will completely subside and never recover.

Even so, as long as the box office stays above 10 million per day, it will definitely break the 1000 billion mark before the filming ends!
"In eight days since its release, the film has grossed nearly $8 million in China and nearly $8000 million in North America. It has grossed $1.2 million in Europe and about $6000 million in Japan."

"All these odds and ends add up to almost 5 million US dollars!"

"too crazy!"

"In addition, derivative products are selling extremely well. Although there are no specific figures reported, they should be able to earn us tens of millions of US dollars in profit."

"Unfortunately, the VR gaming glasses have only just finished internal testing and cannot be released yet... Otherwise, we could have made a fortune."

Every morning when she wakes up, Zhao Shanshan can't help but press the calculator to see how much money she made yesterday.

Given Lu Zhiyuan's crazy money-making methods, the small losses that Miss Jing Tian caused to Starlight Brilliant are completely insignificant.

"Mr. Zhao, I'm still a little unwilling."

Xin Yukun chimed in, saying with some regret, "I remember that Alice in Wonderland's box office grossed over $6 million worldwide in its first two weeks!"

"Real Steel" grossed $500 million in just eight days, which seems incredibly crazy.

However, it seems to fall short compared to Alice in Wonderland.

This made Xin Yukun particularly unhappy.

He found "Alice in Wonderland" particularly boring; what was so interesting about such a fairy tale movie?

It's not as good as "Real Steel," which is full of men's passion!

"Brother Kun, you should be content. This IP is our original creation."

Zhao Shanshan knows better than anyone how difficult it is to make big money with original IP.

Which of the IPs that make big money in North America doesn't have a history of several decades, with comics selling worldwide and animated series that were popular decades ago?

"Real Steel" is just the second film in Lu Zhiyuan's AI sci-fi robot series, yet it's comparable to "Alice in Wonderland".

That's already quite remarkable.

Hollywood is probably about to explode!
"You guys talk first, I'll excuse myself for a moment."

Lu Zhiyuan listened silently to their boasting, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar mechanical turning sound.

coming!

Unexpectedly, it happened at this time.

The movie hasn't finished showing yet!

However, the system gave a notification at this time, and Lu Zhiyuan also guessed that the box office potential of "Real Steel" was probably nearing its limit.

If nothing unexpected happens, a sharp drop is expected to begin next week.

Therefore, the system settled the payment in advance.

—As a representative figure of China's fifth generation of directors, Zhang Yimou's style and achievements have profoundly influenced the development of Chinese cinema and secured him an important position in the international film scene.

—[He is known for his bold use of color, such as the overwhelming red in "Red Sorghum," which symbolizes vitality and wildness; and in "Hero," he uses black, red, blue, and white to divide the narrative layers, giving color philosophical connotations.]

—[In his films, he often uses symmetrical composition to create atmosphere. For example, the grand mansions in "Raise the Red Lantern" create a sense of oppression, while the court ceremonies in "Curse of the Golden Flower" create a magnificent atmosphere.]

—[He was a pioneer in international cinema. In 1988, he won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for *Red Sorghum*, becoming the first Chinese film to win an international award. In 1992, *The Story of Qiu Ju* won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and in 1999, *Not One Less* won the Golden Lion again, making him a regular at the three major European film festivals. *Ju Dou* and *Hero* were nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, promoting the globalization of Chinese cinema.]

— [His unique style lies in transforming local cultural symbols into a universal aesthetic language. His achievements are not only reflected in personal honors, but also in driving the transformation of Chinese cinema from artistic exploration to industrial upgrading.]

—[He is both a representative of auteur cinema and a practitioner of the culture industry; his creative trajectory over the past forty years, to some extent, reflects the changes in Chinese society and the film ecosystem!]

The system notification sounds kept popping in my ears like popping beans.

The system's dense and overwhelming notifications made Lu Zhiyuan feel extremely excited.

No need to ask, it's definitely an S-level talent!
Moreover, it is highly likely to be a very powerful S-level talent!
Having known the system for so long, Lu Zhiyuan has also discovered its habits... Most of the time, it is taciturn, which is very similar to his own personality.

But whenever the system encounters something that interests it, it becomes like a chatterbox, launching into a long, incessant explanation to Lu Zhiyuan.

The description of Zhang Yimou is even more exaggerated than the previous one about Emmerich.

Without a doubt, within a systematic evaluation framework, Zhang Yimou's artistic achievements and talent surpass those of disaster film master Emmerich.

—[He calls himself a "film ascetic," having worked for 72 consecutive hours without sleep while editing the film "Red Sorghum" during his transition from cinematographer to director, and still maintains the habit of working more than 14 hours a day.]

—[He described himself as "excited as soon as the camera starts rolling," often personally demonstrating blocking techniques on set, inspiring the team with his passion. He claimed that his desire to explore new areas constantly stimulates dopamine secretion, delaying mental fatigue.]

—[For decades, he has maintained a light diet and a daily 5-kilometer brisk walk to avoid the health risks associated with high-intensity work. He claims that "4 hours of sleep a day is enough," maintaining mental recovery through short periods of deep sleep (the 90-minute cycle theory), similar to Da Vinci's polyphasic sleep pattern.]

……

Watching the system begin explaining the talent he was about to receive.

Lu Zhiyuan was a little confused.

What is this?

Zhang Yimou must be the robot, only needing 4 hours of sleep a day?

When I'm not working, I sleep until I naturally wake up at home, plus I take a nap, so I sleep 14 hours a day!
Are we completely different species?

— [Congratulations! You've accomplished an impossible challenge. Your film, *Real Steel*, swept the world, becoming the highest-grossing film globally in December 2010, stunning the world and solidifying your status as another globally recognized top director after Christopher Nolan.]

—[Reward obtained: S-level talent - Zhang Yimou's Super Energy.]

(End of this chapter)