The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 233: The Screening of "Interstellar" - A Moment to Witness History
……

After attending the premiere of the film "Caught in the Web," Lu Zhiyuan returned to his busy post-production work on special effects.

As for Dilraba...

Although she turned down many of her work commitments as a big star.

However, as the famous director's official girlfriend and the de facto boss of Yuankun Media, she also has a lot of work to handle.

……

Like today.

Yang Mi then went to the company and began to complain to Dilraba.

“Dilraba, I’m also one of the company’s own people. I invited Brother Yuan to the premiere of the movie I starred in, ‘The Great Wudang.’ Why didn’t he come?”

Faced with this situation, Dilraba calmly raised her head and replied expressionlessly, "Sister Mi, don't you know how bad the movie 'The Great Wudang' is?"

"You're sending your brother to your premiere. Knowing his temperament, what do you think will happen?"

Lu Zhiyuan will definitely criticize him relentlessly!

The premiere will turn into a farce.

The reporters who attend the premiere will go crazy eating gossip and start writing long articles to attract onlookers to watch the spectacle.

In this situation, Yang Mi might gain some traffic, but this traffic is superficial and has no conversion rate whatsoever.

The rest are nailed to the pillar of shame.

"Well, I'm speechless."

"The Great Wudang" is indeed quite bad, surprisingly bad. Yang Mi feels that this is the worst movie she has ever made in her life.

At the time, she didn't know what came over her head, but she actually took on this project.

Although she didn't try to get involved in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, the directors there, while outwardly disapproving, secretly showered her with film offers after learning that Yang Mi was getting close to Lu Zhiyuan.

They're just waiting for Lu Zhiyuan to help her rise to fame, so that their movies can also benefit from Yang Mi's popularity.

pity.

The movie was absolutely terrible.

The audience is now more rational.

Most people will wait for word-of-mouth to spread before deciding whether or not to support the business with real money.

The reputation of "The Great Wudang" collapsed on the first day, so naturally there was no follow-up.

Many viewers were very glad that they hadn't been fooled.

Save 36 yuan instantly!
"Honey, don't take this to heart."

"The preliminary preparations for the project 'Love O2O' have been completed. My brother has decided to collaborate with New Classics Media, and Sister Su will be the director of this film."

"Take good pictures."

"After this project is finished, it will be around October. At that time, I will take you to Los Angeles to attend the preview screening of 'Interstellar'."

"At that time, many important people and many partner organizations will be there. Putting everything else aside, you can get acquainted with them first. If there are any good projects, I will definitely give you priority consideration."

Dilraba's current status is frighteningly high.

As a commercial film actress, she is almost at the very top of the global rankings, completely on par with Angelina Jolie.

As for Charlize Theron?
By 2012, the combined box office of all her films was less than that of Dilraba's single film, "Pacific Rim."

Scarlett Johansson is a formidable rival.

As the Marvel series became increasingly popular, Scarlett Johansson's popularity was surpassed by newcomers.

Even recently, NBA superstar Kevin Durant jokingly claimed he wanted to drink her bathwater… Such gossip is enough to prove Scarlett Johansson’s charm.

As a result, Scarlett Johansson's popularity skyrocketed.

However, relying on this kind of borderline softcore pornography to become popular all over the world... Dilraba guesses that Scarlett Johansson's future will be like this.

It will never be possible to challenge her status in the martial arts world again.

In any modern country in the world, regardless of what happens behind the scenes, everyone outwardly appears respectful and honorable, showing great respect for rules and etiquette... Anyone who gets involved in this kind of softcore pornography will inevitably suffer damage to their image.

"Dilraba, you know I've always supported you."

Dilraba is increasingly showing the demeanor of an older sister-in-law, while Yang Mi, although a bit older than Dilraba, is becoming more and more tactful in her tone and more and more humble in her posture.

Moreover, after Yang Mi encountered several setbacks with Lu Zhiyuan, she gained a deeper understanding of his despicable character.

The fact that Dilraba could get Lu Zhiyuan to publicly announce their relationship shows that her talent has definitely been underestimated.

She couldn't dismiss Reba just because she was young.

"Sister Honey, I told you long ago that you won't regret standing on my side."

Seeing that Yang Mi had given in to her, Dilraba couldn't help but smile, feeling especially happy.

Previously, this was also a potential rival in love.

Now, she has become her biggest supporter.

What in the world could be more joyful than this?

"By the way, Dilraba, there's a rumor circulating that you bought tens of millions of Huayi Brothers shares and got stuck with them? What happened?"

"You're investing in stocks, something so big, worth tens of millions. You didn't discuss it with Brother Yuan, did you?"

Yang Mi pretended to be concerned.

In fact, she was subtly trying to find out some inside information.

Dilraba inexplicably bought stocks, including Huayi Brothers stock, and ended up getting trapped... It all seems rather strange.

"Honey, I consider you a good friend, so I'm telling you this: once you leave this room, remember to keep your mouth shut and don't tell anyone else."

Dilraba is a quick-witted girl, and she immediately realized that Yang Mi was testing her.

But it suited her just fine.

How can she show affection for her partner if she doesn't have a listener?
"Okay. Dilraba, you tell me, and I promise I'll keep it a secret."

Yang Mi held up three fingers, almost as if she were swearing an oath to the heavens.

"Sister Honey, it won't hurt to tell you."

Dilraba smiled sweetly: "My brother and Mr. Wang from Huayi Brothers are preparing to collaborate on a big project. This project will most likely boost Huayi Brothers' performance several times over."

"Now that I know Huayi Brothers' performance will explode next year, of course I should buy some shares in advance. Why not take advantage of free money?"

"However, we can't go too far."

“I bought in six months in advance and have been stuck with it for a long time. Even if the news gets out later, people will think that my brother saw how pitiful I was in the stock market and that I was stuck with tens of millions of dollars, so he decided to step in and help me, the other retail investors who are stuck with the stocks, and Mr. Wang.”

"Look, isn't this a win-win-win situation?"

Huayi Brothers' stock has been falling ever since it surged after its IPO, seemingly without end.

Everyone was trapped in a state of ecstasy and despair.

After discussing it with Lu Zhiyuan, Dilraba decided to rush in and buy a base position worth tens of millions.

If news of Dilraba being scammed spreads in the entertainment industry, there will definitely be a lot of ridicule, with people thinking that even though Dilraba is a big star who earns a lot, she's not very bright.

When you enter the stock market, aren't you just like all retail investors, trapped in a situation that's both excruciating and agonizing?
After the news spread and became known throughout the industry...

Six months later, Lu Zhiyuan will make another move.

That would be like Lu Zhiyuan riding on auspicious clouds to rescue his girlfriend who was trapped in a losing position, as well as retail investors who had been trapped for years, and then boasting about his brotherhood with Boss Wang.

In this way, everyone benefits.

There were no victims during this stock's rise.

Everyone's made money, so who would have a problem with that?
Have some fun.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. It must be at least ten stories high!"

After hearing what Dilraba said, Yang Mi was completely stunned. Insider trading, and you guys turned it into a hero saving the beauty script?

You two are showing off your love like this in front of the entire internet?

"Reba, can I buy some too?"

Since it was an obvious money-making project, Yang Mi wanted to try her luck.

However, since Reba had told her about this plan, she couldn't disregard martial ethics and needed Reba's consent first.

"Honey, you're not allowed to touch Huayi Brothers stock. However, you can buy more of Netflix's private equity fund."

"Anyway, it's the same on both sides."

Huayi Brothers stock is something Dilraba uses to show off her relationship; how could she possibly let Yang Mi touch it?

If you want to make money, there are plenty of opportunities.

"All right."

Working alongside a world-renowned director is so comfortable.

Even if you don't make any money this year, you can still make money in the financial market.

Moreover, they earn even more.

Yang Mi is extremely satisfied.

"Dilraba, I'm free this afternoon, how about we go to a spa together? I've been running around for events every day lately, and my calves are getting thicker and thicker from standing."

At this point, Yang Mi whispered in Dilraba's ear, "Your feet are getting smellier and smellier. You can't wear stockings at all."

Haha!

Yang Mi telling herself embarrassing stories is a way of showing vulnerability.

Dilraba instantly understood what she meant.

"Honey, let Sister Ai go with you. She's been working really hard lately. You two should relax and have some fun. I won't go."

Seeing that Yang Mi seemed a little confused, Dilraba explained a few more words: "Wait a minute, I still need to talk to Sister Niu. She heard that her brother gave the role of the second female lead in 'Project Gutenberg' to Sister Niu, and she was so angry that she posted three cow emojis on Weibo. She must be furious."

"I have to clean up the mess my brother made."

"In case my brother suddenly decides to make a movie with Sister Niu in a few years, and Sister Niu has any reservations, then this project will be difficult to complete."

Yang Mi smiled and nodded after hearing Dilraba's explanation, but she didn't believe it at all.

Will you try to appease Liu Yifei? I'll take my head off and let you kick it around like a ball.

Dilraba made it clear that after becoming the sister-in-law, she wanted to show off to Liu Yifei.

Back then, Liu Yifei gave Reba the nickname "A Mountain in Altay".

The implication is that Reba is like a distant mountain, blocking outsiders but also preventing them from entering Lu Zhiyuan's heart.

Lu Zhiyuan lived at the foot of the Qinling Mountains, thousands of miles away from Altay.

Who knew that Lu Zhiyuan would move away at the slightest disagreement, leaving the Qinling Mountains and going to live by the water in the remote Altay region.

"Reba, since you have something important to do, I'll go and have a chat with Xiao Ai."

Yang Mi originally planned to open a studio with her agent, train a team, and promote herself.

Now, she has completely given up on that idea.

Judging from Dilraba's demeanor, she seems to want to retire behind the scenes, and she will only choose to act in a super project.

But yes.

If she can film four Hollywood blockbusters in a row like Dilraba, she probably won't be interested in ordinary projects anymore.

Even if she doesn't film anything, the public will never forget Dilraba.

She will always be a top star.

Because, under normal circumstances, it is impossible for any Chinese actress to surpass Dilraba Dilmurat in the commercial film arena.

As for its international influence, that goes without saying.

Conversely, if Dilraba were to make a few bad movies afterward, the damage to her image would be quite severe, and it could very well affect her historical reputation.

"fair enough."

"Now that Dilraba is no longer making movies, Brother Yuan needs to find a new leading lady."

"Although I can't act in his movies, I can find some pretty young actresses. As long as Brother Yuan takes a liking to me, I'm sure I'll get my share of benefits."

Lu Zhiyuan has countless bad habits, but he has one great advantage that makes Yang Mi willingly serve him like a slave.

The advantage is that merit is always rewarded.

Previously, Yang Mi hadn't done anything particularly remarkable; she had simply expressed her loyalty, and Lu Zhiyuan gave her 500 million yuan to buy a share in New Classics Media.

As long as Lu Zhiyuan makes a move, the company's valuation will definitely rise.

It could even increase tenfold.

Knowing the answer in advance in a game can indeed make people feel very safe.

For women, a sense of security is the most important thing.

……

"The Four Great Constables," starring Liu Yifei, is currently showing in theaters.

The box office results were pretty good.

It completely outclasses Yang Mi's "The Great Wudang".

It's almost identical to "Caught in the Web," starring Gao Yuanyuan.

These past few days, Liu Yifei has been running around doing promotional appearances and accompanying the film crew to promote the movie. She finally managed to squeeze in a break to meet with Dilraba.

When Dilraba met Liu Yifei, she went straight to the point and said, "Sister Niu, could you please remove the painting 'Donna Verata' from your Weibo?"

Liu Yifei glanced lazily at Reba and said in a low voice, "Modigliani is talented, dashing, and a womanizer. Since you want to be his Hybnadette, why be so insistent on this? You are stifling his talent and brilliance."

Hearing these hints, Dilraba was furious.

She knew that Liu Yifei was indirectly telling her that Lu Zhiyuan was fickle and still couldn't forget Gao Yuanyuan.

Like Raphael, who was already engaged to the Cardinal's niece, he still couldn't forget Donna Verata.

"Sister Niu, I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, please delete the painting 'Donna Verata' as soon as possible."

"Besides, what does this painting have to do with you? If it's going to be posted on Weibo, it should be Sister Cha who posts it. You're just meddling in other people's business."

After complaining about Liu Yifei for a while, Dilraba rolled her eyes and said, "Sister Niu, I know you're angry. You're blaming Brother for favoring Sister Niu. You can't scold him, so you can only make sarcastic remarks to me, thinking I'm an eyesore to you."

"But I'm also very unhappy."

"It's because Sister Xiaoniu knew him the first. The two even developed some feelings for each other."

"Moreover, he is now convinced that Sister Niu has a lucky aura, and even though Sister Niu's eye acting is extremely bad, he still likes to use Sister Niu."

During the filming of "Pacific Rim," Liu Shishi's portrayal of being blind caused Lu Zhiyuan immense distress, and he devised many methods to help her overcome this flaw.

Everyone in the crew thought that, given Lu Zhiyuan's temper, he would definitely block Liu Shishi after the show ended.

Never hire them again.

Who knew that after the release of Pacific Rim, the character Liu Shishi became a hit, at least in China, receiving rave reviews.

In Hollywood, she also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Although Universal Pictures did some behind-the-scenes manipulation of this nomination, a nomination is a nomination, a historical honor that Liu Shishi can record in encyclopedias.

In addition, the box office success of "Pacific Rim" was particularly explosive, making Lu Zhiyuan especially fond of Liu Shishi.

For "Interstellar," he brought in Liu Shishi again.

In addition, he also cast Liu Shishi as a supporting actress in the movie "Project Gutenberg".

Upon closer inspection, the number of projects Liu Shishi and Lu Zhiyuan have worked on, including "The Coffin in the Mountain," "Pacific Rim," "Interstellar," and "Project Gutenberg," has already reached the same level as Dilraba Dilmurat.

Dilraba herself doesn't seem to care.

Anyway, judging from Liu Shishi's appearance, she would never stoop to being a mistress. It wouldn't affect her status as the empress.

However, Liu Yifei, this big sister, is definitely not happy.

These two are competitors; it's either East Wind prevails over West Wind, or West Wind prevails over East Wind... Sometimes, reaching their level isn't about money, but purely about saving face.

Lu Zhiyuan takes Liu Shishi with him to film movies every day, but never Liu Yifei.

No wonder Liu Yifei couldn't be happy.

“Reba, we’ve known each other the longest. You should know very well that I’m a proud person. Although I admire him to some extent, I would never interfere in your relationship unless he takes the initiative to pursue me.”

"So, you should be able to completely trust me."

Seeing that Dilraba had no intention of helping, Liu Yifei's eyes lit up and she tried to appeal to Dilraba's emotions.

"Sister Niu, this is the only good thing about you."

Reba snorted softly.

This is true.

Previously, she wanted to become Lu Zhiyuan's mistress, but Liu Yifei advised her to be more reserved and quietly watch her artistic idol, which was already wonderful.

Dilraba just wants to say one thing: I don't believe you for a second.

If what you say is true, then I'm still his sister.

However, it would be even better if Liu Yifei herself could think this way.

"Sister Niu, I understand what you mean. You just want to take away Sister Niu's role. But I feel it's a bit difficult."

At this moment, Dilraba quickly understood Liu Yifei's subtext.

She lowered her head and pondered for a while before saying, "My brother is very fond of Sister Xiaoniu. His feelings for you are a little less."

"You are too aloof, too detached from worldly affairs. You seem a bit high and mighty, out of touch with reality."

"My brother thinks you're only suited to playing aloof, ancient fairy-like women. You're not suited to playing stubborn, crazy, and wicked women."

"Sister Xiao Niu is a bit better than you in this respect. When she looks at people, she is arrogant and dismissive. When she laughs, her apple cheeks are piled up on her cheekbones, making her look a bit crazy."

"Unless, you can also go crazy and show it to your brother."

"Otherwise, it will be difficult for him to change his fixed impression of you."

Am I supposed to go crazy in front of everyone for him to see? Am I the one who's crazy, or are you?
Liu Yifei was speechless with frustration.

Of course, she couldn't do such a thing, so she could only purse her lips and indicate that she had resigned herself to her fate.

"Sister Niu, don't be discouraged. If you get a good script, you can talk to your brother about it. He'll most likely help you."

"You've probably heard about it too. Zhuang Wenqiang approached my brother several times about the 'Project Gutenberg' project, wanting him to play the male lead."

"Even after being rejected, Zhuang Wenqiang was still unwilling to give up and came to see him every few days."

There's a saying that goes, "If you keep something in mind, it will eventually come back to you."

"Although my brother appears cold on the surface, he has always had a great fondness for people like him who relentlessly pursue their dreams and have strong willpower."

Lu Zhiyuan himself is also that kind of person.

To pursue the greatest of all time, he's willing to give up everything, even his own love. Anyone who stands in his way is his greatest enemy.

Dilraba understood Lu Zhiyuan's point very clearly.

"Reba, thank you. I will find someone to find a few good scripts, and I would appreciate it if you could pass them on to Zhiyuan for me."

Lu Zhiyuan certainly understands himself quite well.

Liu Yifei has been an actress for so many years, and her career path has been very consistent: a cool and aloof fairy, a top-notch expert who is untouched by worldly affairs.

Anyway, I can't play roles that are too down-to-earth.

We can't let her laugh either.

The moment she smiles, revealing her teeth, even the most beautiful scene instantly loses its atmosphere.

"A good script is the primary condition."

"Secondly, you need a role that suits your temperament. This role should be full of a tragic aesthetic of beauty, strength, and tragedy."

"Well then, Sister Niu, I want to congratulate you in advance. Your brother will definitely help you create a classic role that will go down in film history."

Dilraba knew Lu Zhiyuan's character all too well.

"Reba, thank you."

Liu Yifei said thank you again.

Dilraba is such a good girl.

She didn't object at all to Reba becoming the eldest sister-in-law, which was much better than Jing Tian's attitude.

It was almost time, so Liu Yifei saw Dilraba off at the door, saying as she left, "Little fairy from Altay, let's ride horses together sometime."

Haha!

She called me Little Fairy.

She transformed from a mountain in Altay into the Little Fairy of Altay. And these words came from Liu Yifei herself.

At this moment, Dilraba was in a wonderful mood.

……

"He broke up with Jing Tian, ​​why doesn't he come to me?"

"Is it because you think I'm not proactive enough?"

"But how can I take the initiative? I had no idea when he broke up with Jing Tian."

"The old saying is indeed true: those who are near the water get the moon first."

After Dilraba left, Liu Yifei rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the leisurely white clouds outside the window, feeling that her life seemed too uneventful.

Even when I like someone, I do it with such calmness and silence.

If she had taken a little more initiative, would the outcome have been different?
……

It was after August.

Lu Zhiyuan was still in his company, constantly adjusting special effects and discussing them day and night with Schwarzschild and other staff.

In fact, the most important thing for a director is to have artistic control over the entire film.

As for acting skills, the assistant director will be responsible for coaching them.

As for the locations, that's coordinated by the production manager. And as for filming, a large and professional crew will naturally provide support.

Only artistic concepts belong to the director, and this is the greatest manifestation of the director's ability.

Otherwise, why would we call film directors artists? Why would a director's career be called an artistic life?

Reba helps Lu Zhiyuan with some trivial matters in his life and work every day, and has evolved into a very perfect housekeeper.

After two months of inseparable companionship, Lu Zhiyuan lost interest in Dilraba's body and returned to the film industry he was familiar with.

In August 2012, the most important thing for Lu Zhiyuan was the official release of Christopher Nolan's film, The Dark Knight Rises, in China.

As the final installment of the Batman trilogy.

And the huge fan base built on its "dark realism aesthetics," and the immense acclaim it received after its release...

In this context, Nolan produced "The Dark Knight Rises," and he certainly harbored enormous ambitions.

I want to break a record.

Unfortunately, the film was released during the Olympics, which significantly impacted viewership.

Even so, the box office reached $1.6 million in its opening week.

In China, the box office was much lower in its opening week, only 2 million RMB, which is roughly equivalent to 3000 million USD.

……

"Don't worry, bro. Nolan doesn't work in our country!"

"The Batman movie is great, but it's an American story. Our domestic audiences can't understand their Gotham life at all."

"I estimate that this movie will only gross 3 to 4 million RMB in China."

Those around Lu Zhiyuan are well aware that he considers Christopher Nolan his lifelong rival, believing him to be one of the most respectable opponents of this era.

As for Peter Jackson, he is already very old.

Spielberg lives up to his former glory.

George Lucas is now history.

When Christopher Nolan's film was released in China, all the senior executives of Yuankun Media went to watch it as soon as it was released.

They knew better than anyone how competitive Lu Zhiyuan was.

In this world, there are only a handful of directors that Lu Zhiyuan takes seriously, remembers fondly, and even checks their names three times every morning.

Nolan is one of the most important.

After returning from the movie, the group had mixed feelings, agreeing that Nolan was indeed awesome and that it was undoubtedly a classic.

However, everyone is quite certain that this movie will not perform well at the domestic box office.

“Brother, the story of Batman is only popular in Europe and America. In East Asia, nobody likes this kind of story and can’t empathize with it at all.”

"Don't worry, he won't even surpass Pacific Rim's $12 billion box office."

Reba knew what Lu Zhiyuan was thinking, and said a few words with a smile.

"I'm not worried about that."

Lu Zhiyuan already knew how much the movie would gross; he just wanted to know if there would be a butterfly effect.

For example, this movie suddenly became a box office hit in the country, grossing over a billion yuan.

Fortunately, this did not happen.

Aside from that, just like in the other timeline, this movie had some bad luck.

"I heard that when this movie was showing in North America, a shooting occurred in a movie theater in Colorado, resulting in more than a dozen deaths."

If it weren't for this shooting, Lu Zhiyuan believes that this movie's box office performance could have been phenomenal.

But it must be said that sometimes, luck is also a part of ability.

Nolan was unlucky; he not only encountered the Olympics' disruption to the movie attendance but also a shooting incident... Under these circumstances, who would risk such a huge opportunity to go to the cinema?
I dare not say more, but this shooting incident has affected at least $5000 million in box office revenue!

What's most speechless is...

The suspect in the shooting was only 24 years old and was pursuing a doctoral degree in neuroscience at the University of Colorado.

When he went to the movie theater and went on a shooting rampage, he was dressed in black, looking just like the Joker from Batman.

This inevitably leads to some associations.

……

Ultimately, after a month in theaters, "The Dark Knight Rises" only grossed 3.38 million RMB at the Chinese box office.

Even so, the film grossed $10.8 billion worldwide.

If it weren't for the Olympics diverting audiences, if it weren't for the shooting in the movie theater, if the box office in China had been stronger...

It's not impossible for this movie to challenge the box office record of "The Avengers".

Unfortunately, they were just a little unlucky.

……

"The Dark Knight Rises" not only achieved box office success, but also redefined the superhero genre, setting a new benchmark for the film.

Before this, most superheroes were cartoonish.

However, in this film, Nolan perfectly blends realism and profound thematic exploration into the superhero genre.

It can be said that this film had a huge influence on the style of many subsequent blockbuster movies.

For example, Captain America 2 played a political thriller.

For example, RoboCop also imitated the dark and realistic style.

Let those cartoon superheroes gradually evolve into epic ones.

……

For Lu Zhiyuan, Nolan's films are just a reminder that even the best film series eventually come to an end.

Nolan's Batman trilogy is a classic, and that title is well-deserved.

Next, it's Lu Zhiyuan's turn.

"Hey boss, how have you been lately?"

Just as Lu Zhiyuan was working day and night in his studio, James, who was far away in Los Angeles, called.

"James, get straight to the point. I only have 10 minutes to rest, and I have to get all the post-production done by the end of the month."

The special effects are basically finished. Lu Zhiyuan is currently working on post-production compositing and constantly adjusting the background music to select the final version.

This is the moment that truly tests a director's abilities.

Basically, in the preceding workflow, although Lu Zhiyuan, as the director, was involved, he was not the only one.

Most of the work was completed with the support of other staff.

Only this final step, which depends entirely on his artistic style and personal philosophy, is the key to truly demonstrating his strength.

"Hey boss, I forgot to tell you because you were so busy with work. I attended a Nolan test screening before The Batman movie was released."

Nolan asked me to pass on a message to you.

“At Christmas, he will take the whole family to see your movie. It’s a regular Christmas activity for his family.”

Although James' tone was slightly flippant, as if he were joking, Lu Zhiyuan could tell that it sounded like a challenge from Nolan.

"I see."

Lu Zhiyuan calmly said something and hung up the phone.

……

In Los Angeles.

Inside the YT Studios building.

At Universal Pictures, led by President Adam Ferguson, several important figures looked at James with questioning glances.

Facing numerous bigwigs, James shrugged and said helplessly, "He said he knows."

Does he know?

What kind of rubbish answer is this?
Adam Ferguson and his group looked at each other, wondering what Lu Zhiyuan meant.

The Batman movie was a huge commercial success, grossing over $10 billion and making the DC Universe a sensation.

Like Disney, Warner Bros. has successfully created its own cinematic universe.

Universal Pictures is still waiting for its own cinematic universe.

To create your own cinematic universe, you need a reliable director.

Lu Zhiyuan is the most reliable candidate under Universal Pictures.

"Adam, you're not new to him. He never bothers with empty talk. Just wait, he'll be in Los Angeles next week for a movie screening."

"You can talk to him in detail then."

“It’s useless to talk to an artist like him about money and treatment. He has earned enough money that he could never spend in ten lifetimes.”

“You should think of something else… well, you don’t have anything to offer him that will attract him.”

James had originally intended to offer advice to the executives at Universal Pictures on how to win over Lu Zhiyuan. But after thinking about it for a long time, he realized that Lu Zhiyuan was an invincible person.

Of course, Lu Zhiyuan also has his own pursuits.

He clearly wants to be the greatest of all time, to put everyone else under his feet... but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll continue working with Universal Pictures.

All other companies can cooperate with Lu Zhiyuan.

In fact, Universal Pictures has recently encountered a major problem.

The movie "Battleship" aimed to emulate Lu Zhiyuan's style and create a super sci-fi blockbuster, costing $2 million to produce.

As a result, the box office was only $3 million.

Big loss!

Of course, they also have a plan B.

With the Chinese box office growing better and better, Universal Pictures is also paying great attention to the Chinese market, and Lu Zhiyuan is a very good role model to follow.

So Universal Pictures followed Lu Zhiyuan's approach and made a film called "The Man with the Iron Fist," casting Lucy Liu, Daniel Wu, Zhu Zhu, and a Korean actress.

I thought the box office would be good, at least in the East Asian market.

In the end, it was still a flop!
The production cost was $1500 million, and as for the box office... it was probably such a flop that Universal Pictures simply withheld the figures!

In recent years, Universal Pictures has made a lot of money thanks to the Jaeger merchandise rights developed by Lu Zhiyuan, and wants to create a brand new genre of films to expand the market.

To everyone's surprise, it all failed.

Currently, Universal Pictures only has the "Fast & Furious" franchise and the animated "Barbie" franchise as stable sources of revenue.

Fortunately, Ted performed well this year, allowing them to earn a little extra money.

As for "The Bourne Legacy," let's not even mention it. Action movies like this have never been profitable. With a production cost of $120 million, the box office was less than $300 million.

There are no derivative copyrights available for sale afterward.

Compared to Disney's endless stream of derivative copyrights, Universal Pictures' performance is simply appalling.

If things continue like this, Adam Ferguson feels that his position as CEO may be in jeopardy.

The company's final performance this year will depend on how well Lu Zhiyuan's "Interstellar" performs.
Adam Ferguson will only have his secretary start writing the annual report after Lu Zhiyuan's movie is released.

Of course, these are not important.

For Adam Ferguson, the most important task this year is to sign a new contract with Lu Zhiyuan and continue their collaboration.

We absolutely cannot let Lu Zhiyuan leave.

……

In the post-production of the movie "Interstellar," Lu Zhiyuan spent more than a month working on it, finally finishing on October 20th.

After finishing all the post-production work, he led the entire team to Los Angeles.

"Lu, my dearest brother, welcome back to Los Angeles."

YT Pictures is about to disband.

Adam Ferguson, president of Universal Pictures, was extremely anxious about Lu Zhiyuan's whereabouts and hoped that he would not run away.

If Lu Zhiyuan were to announce his departure and join Warner Bros. or Disney, he would have a hard time explaining himself to the board of directors.

He might even have to resign to take responsibility.

"Adam, it's been a long time."

Lu Zhiyuan did not have much contact with Adam Ferguson.

However, he will always remember the movie "Upgrade" because the post-production special effects budget was insufficient, and it was Adam Ferguson who, at the board meeting, helped him secure $2000 million in funding.

He always kept this friendship in his heart.

At this moment, he understood what Adam Ferguson was worried about and was willing to reassure him.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan didn't hold back and said directly, "Adam, our cooperation has always been very pleasant over the years. I hope that we can continue to cooperate in the new company and on the new project."

Adam Ferguson immediately understood Lu Zhiyuan's subtext.

It's about cooperating with yourself.

It wasn't any other company, nor was it anyone else within Universal Pictures.

Adam Ferguson was deeply moved at that moment.

"Lu, you are my brother, we help each other succeed."

Adam Ferguson first said it in English, then pointed to his heart and said in broken Chinese, "In my heart, there is only you."

The subtext is that Universal Pictures doesn't care about any star power or grand background.

He only recognizes Lu Zhiyuan.

There are many people in this world with connections or influence.

After all, there are nearly 200 countries in the world, and which country doesn't have some people with connections?

However, directors as talented as Lu Zhiyuan are few and far between, even in the whole world.

“Boss, I’ve discussed your terms with Adam. He says he’ll support you unconditionally. As long as you don’t leave Universal Pictures, everything is negotiable.”

James, standing nearby, quietly said a few good words for Adam Ferguson.

He and Adam Ferguson are die-hard fans.

Even large companies like Universal have serious factional problems.

Adam Ferguson's greatest achievement in securing his position as president was discovering Lu Zhiyuan and creating the "Real Steel" series.

"I see."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded and turned to look at the densely packed crowd behind him.

This time, he came from China, not just with three or four people, but with many of his business partners to witness this historic moment.

"James, the screening room for the test screening might need to be a bit bigger."

As before, a small theater with only 100 people is definitely not enough; at least a super-large theater with 300 people is needed.

"Boss, this is a small matter."

“There’s a Universal Studios right next door. I’ll arrange it right now. Within an hour, we’ll clear the venue and invite our partners to have an immersive experience of our blockbuster.”

James always treated Lu Zhiyuan like a god, and he would do whatever Lu Zhiyuan needed at any time.

……

After getting out of the car, Lu Zhiyuan chatted with James and Adam Ferguson in the lobby downstairs at the company.

Behind them stood three distinct teams.

One of the teams was entirely composed of foreigners.

This includes a series of partners from Universal Pictures, as well as the North American network that Lu Zhiyuan has built over the years.

It includes senior executives from Apple and partners involved in various derivative product copyrights.

There were also copyright buyers from around the world, as well as high-level executives from television media.

In short, they were all big shots.

On the left, a few people stood alone.

It represents something related to starlight and brilliance.

Jing Tian didn't come, nor did Zhao Shanshan. Instead, an unfamiliar face appeared, accompanied by a secretary and a translator, creating a rather awkward atmosphere.

No one paid them any attention.

Treat them like air.

Besides these two parties, the rest were a group of friends that Lu Zhiyuan brought from China.

"Dilraba, quickly introduce me to those two foreigners, who are they?"

This wasn't Mr. Wang's first time in Los Angeles, nor was it his first time meeting with Hollywood executives.

In his memory, these foreigners always had a serious expression and rarely smiled when discussing serious cooperation.

Unless the other person is mocking you.

However, as soon as Lu Zhiyuan walked over, the foreigners kept laughing at him, making Xiao Wang feel that the atmosphere was a bit strange.

These foreigners are smiling so obsequiously.

"The slightly chubby one is called James. He used to be the CEO of Focus Features, the company that helped Li An create 'Brokeback Mountain.' But now, James is my brother's number one lackey."

"As for the one who's a bit taller, his name is Adam Ferguson, the current president of Universal Pictures. When my brother was filming 'Upgrade,' there was a $2000 million shortfall in special effects costs, and it was Adam Ferguson who fought for it for my brother at the board meeting."

Dilraba briefly introduced the two of them to Mr. Wang, and also showed off their status in Hollywood to the other Chinese friends who had come with her.

Otherwise, they would have thought that Lu Zhiyuan was in Hollywood because of Jing Tian and their connections.

In fact, Jing Tian and the others only contributed some money; all the connections were built by Lu Zhiyuan through his own talent, which he forcefully won over these foreigners.

"Is that tall guy really the current president of Universal Pictures?"

Why is he helping A-Yuan carry his bag?

Mr. Wang saw that after Adam Ferguson exchanged a few words with Lu Zhiyuan, he warmly took a handbag from Lu Zhiyuan's hand and offered to carry it for him.

What kind of treatment is this?
The president of such a large company as Universal Pictures offered to carry Lu Zhiyuan's bag! In China, that would be equivalent to his older brother carrying Feng Xiaogang's bag.

How can this be?

Aren't you scared to death by this little cannon?
“What’s so strange about that? Every time we come to Los Angeles, Adam treats his brother to a meal and gives him gifts.”

Dilraba was somewhat used to this situation.

However, no one else knew.

They thought these Hollywood big shots were something special?
I brought them here specifically to show them that Lu Zhiyuan can practically do whatever he wants in Hollywood.

It is an honor for them to be able to cooperate with Lu Zhiyuan.

Having witnessed such a grand spectacle, they should not repeat the same mistake as the "starry night" incident.

"Let's go, Brother Wang, don't just stand there."

"James has arranged a big meal at the Hilton Hotel next door. Let's eat and drink our fill first, and then rest for a while."

"We'll go to the preview screening after James gets the theater sorted out."

In the past, Xin Yukun was the one who led the team in these kinds of things.

But ever since Reba became the eldest sister-in-law, she has been keen to establish her prestige in such occasions.

Xin Yukun stepped down to the second line, handing the stage over to Dilraba.

"Mr. Cao, what are you looking at?"

Dilraba introduced Xin Yukun to Xiao Wang, and Xin Yukun stayed with Cao Huayi, the general manager of New Classics Media.

Just then, he saw President Cao's eyes darting around, as if he had discovered something, and he couldn't help but smile.

Then, he waved to Nicolas Cage over there: "Hey bro, long time no see. What are you standing there for?"

"Ah Kun, it's been a long time."

Nicolas Cage came over and hugged Xin Yukun, then said with a smile, "I wanted to come over and say hello to you. But seeing so many of you, I'm a little shy."

"Shy my ass."

Xin Yukun smiled and pointed at Nicolas Cage, then pulled President Cao aside for a chat: "We're all brothers, let's work together and make big money in the future."

While they were talking, Xin Yukun also teased Cage a bit: "Did you sell your house in Las Vegas? If you still want to sell it, I can introduce you to this big boss next to me."

Xin Yukun gave a subtle signal to Cao Huayi, who was standing next to him.

"Hehe. I don't deserve it."

Cao Huayi was confused about the situation. He wore a formulaic smile, trying not to offend anyone but also not to agree easily.

But he could tell that Lu Zhiyuan and his group were doing very well in North America.

Because, in addition to Nicolas Cage, Jean Reno, and some other Hollywood stars also came to show their support.

At that moment, he truly understood what it meant to be an internationally renowned director.

Lu Zhiyuan's prestige far surpasses that of Zhang Yimou.

Another internationally renowned director, Li An, although he makes excellent art films and has won many awards, his films do not sell well in terms of merchandise.

He's probably a little brother in front of Lu Zhiyuan!

Merchandise—that's the real money-making machine for Hollywood movies!
Lu Zhiyuan's films not only achieve box office success, but also generate revenue from selling merchandise rights, effectively connecting the entire industry chain...

This is definitely the God of Wealth!

I heard that Lu Zhiyuan doesn't care about the profits in these supply chains, leaving all the meat and soup for the people at Starlight Brilliant.

Even so, the other party is still not satisfied?

I really don't understand, how can the people on the other side of Starlight be so greedy?
However, we should also thank them!
If they hadn't messed things up, would it have been my turn?

(End of this chapter)