I'm just trying to ride the wave of popularity!

Chapter 347 The Path to Slaying Gods?

The Demon Knight is currently premiering...

Meanwhile, the premiere of "Eragon Knight" has begun!

……

[Huaying International] Outside the cinema, Xu Haibo stood at the entrance of the premiere hall, looking into the distance past the bustling crowd.

Outside the screening room, two groups of viewers were clearly separated: on one side were fans of the original "Heritage" series, clutching their treasured copies of the novels and discussing enthusiastically how the film would recreate classic scenes from the novels;
On the other side were enthusiastic fans of Hollywood blockbusters, holding up giant posters of "Eragon" and eager to experience the visual feast brought by the IMAX screen.

A cool night breeze swept by as Xu Haibo slowly walked into the ticket hall.

The scene before us was breathtaking: long queues stretched out at the ticket gates, some audience members wore hand-sewn dragon cosplay costumes, and others wore amulet necklaces identical to those worn by characters in the film. The sweet aroma of popcorn mingled with the audience's restless anticipation.

The moment the cinema announced the start of the screening, the crowd erupted in deafening cheers, and everyone surged into the theater like pilgrims.

They are all looking forward to witnessing an epic collision between words and the silver screen.

However, Xu Haibo's feelings became inexplicably complicated, and an indescribable emotion gradually spread throughout his body...

He recalled the news that had come from Hollywood a few days earlier.

The original author declined to attend the Chinese premiere of "Eragon Rider".

Although this news was deliberately suppressed in China, looking back now, it seems like some kind of ominous premonition.

The decision to force an early release in order to counter Zhou Yang's film was far too hasty.

In the second half of last year, the dominance of Hollywood movies in the Chinese film market fostered arrogance among many film and television companies, and also gave the aggressive Hongsheng Capital a false sense of invincibility.

However, all of this did not cloud Xu Haibo's judgment; on the contrary, it made him even more clear-headed.

Perhaps it was the experience of being repeatedly defeated by Zhou Yang that left him with lingering fear.

He always felt that...
周阳
It's always an unpredictable variable!
……

He walked into the screening room, watching the upcoming premiere of "Eragon Rider," and amidst the countless noises filling the room, he felt somewhat dazed!
Before 2006, if we were to talk about the most groundbreaking works of fantasy films worldwide, the pinnacle would undoubtedly be "The Lord of the Rings".

The film grossed 3.1 million RMB in the Chinese market in 2004, setting a historical record. Its global box office exceeded an astonishing 5.8 million USD, becoming an insurmountable peak in the fantasy film genre.

This box office phenomenon remains unbroken to this day.

The creation of "Eragon Rider" stemmed from the fantasy film craze sparked by the global popularity of "The Lord of the Rings".

With the continued success of "Twilight" and the rising popularity of fantasy films, 20th Century Fox keenly seized the market opportunity and quickly launched the project, hoping to make "Eragon" the new pinnacle of global fantasy films after "The Lord of the Rings".

To seize the market opportunity, the film took less than 12 months from project initiation to release.

Because the script adaptation process took several months and caused a major disagreement with the original author, the actual filming and post-production cycle was compressed to less than 7 months. The rushed production meant that when the film was released ahead of schedule in March, post-production had just been completed and had not even undergone sufficient adjustments and detailed checks.

Perhaps this is what he is most worried about.

Just then, his phone rang.

A deep voice came from the other end of the phone.

"How about it?"

"It's going to explode!"

Xu Haibo suddenly felt as if his throat was blocked, and he was suddenly unable to say anything.

On the other end of the phone, Xu Haibo heard a series of deafening screams, mixed with enthusiastic shouts of "That's amazing!" "Zhou Yang has become a god!" "Holy crap, the visuals are so exciting, so awesome!" "Damn, it's great!"

Upon hearing these sounds, his hand trembled slightly, and his fingers unconsciously tightened around the "Dragon Knight" brochure.

He took a deep breath and stared intently at the film "Eragon" that had just begun playing.

Although the film was released ahead of schedule, the special effects were decent, the lead actors' performances were solid, and the scene direction was also commendable.

Although some plot details are a bit obscure and slightly rough, the overall quality is quite good.

Of course, the most crucial thing at this moment is the audience's reaction.
however……

Ten minutes later, Xu Haibo stared intently at the screen, his brows furrowing unconsciously.

The atmosphere in the screening room was completely different from what he had expected—there were no gasps of amazement, no enthusiastic cheers, only an eerie silence.

The audience stared blankly at the screen, some whispering amongst themselves in confusion, others discussing in hushed tones…

A few fans of the original work in the front row shook their heads in disappointment, while a couple in the back row began to complain quietly that they "didn't understand it." The person next to him was explaining it to him, but halfway through the explanation, the figure's expression suddenly froze as he stared at the screen...

this moment!
Xu Haibo's heart sank.

The special effects of the dragon flapping its wings on the screen were still stunning, but the audience felt as if they had been doused with cold water.

He clearly saw that when the protagonist delivered the key lines, the scene that should have evoked empathy was instead met with a few awkward chuckles.

Worse!

The thought flashed through my mind like lightning.

He clenched his fist!
His expression changed slightly!

This is definitely not the kind of reaction a blockbuster movie should have.

..............................

One hour after the premiere of "The Dark Knight" ended.

In the CEO's office at Tianyu Media, Deng Baichuan stared intently at the computer screen, a sense of unease welling up within him.
On the screen, the hashtag #DemonicKnightPremiere# was growing at a rate of dozens of posts per minute, and the real-time search bar was filled with alarming entries such as "Zhou Yang's Godhood" and "Good Domestic Special Effects".

While Zhou Yang's hired online trolls certainly played a role in fueling the hype, judging from the numerous reviews from genuine users, this film, produced by a domestic special effects team, not only didn't flop but actually garnered considerable acclaim...

His heart sank.

He stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and paced back and forth in the office. After about ten minutes, he finally stopped, took out his phone, and dialed Chen Lei's number.

After the call connected, he suppressed his unease and tried to keep his voice calm: "President Chen, the premiere reviews for 'The Devil Knight' weren't bad. We probably need to prepare for 'Dragon Knight' in advance. Zhou Yang's ability to create public opinion is astonishing. We need to take action now..."

Chen Lei on the other end of the phone was calm and composed: "Old Deng, don't panic. What can the word-of-mouth of a movie prove? Audiences are forgetful; the hype will only last three days. Our 'Dragon Rider' has a fan base based on the original work, Hollywood special effects, and excellent screening and promotional resources. A movie made for $1 million can't possibly be worse than one made for $1 million, right?"

Deng Baichuan gripped his phone tightly, his brow furrowed: "We need to prepare in advance... We can't be careless!"

“The data will speak for itself,” Chen Lei interrupted him, his voice suddenly turning cold. “Don’t forget who’s behind us. We have Hollywood’s top special effects team, the best production company, and the best directors and actors. You just need to proceed according to plan, and the rest… let the capital handle it!”

"Can……"

"I'll repeat myself, he's not a god, he couldn't be a god! He's just an ordinary person!"

"..."

After hanging up the phone, Deng Baichuan stared at the black screen, his emotions becoming increasingly complicated.

Chen Lei's words, "Leave it to capital," were like a block of ice, chilling him to the bone.

He closed his eyes!

Just then, the phone rang again.

It was Xu Haibo who called.

He answered the phone and then turned on his computer.

The computer has several videos of the premiere of "Dragon Knight" sent by Xu Haibo.

The movie has reached its climax!
Although everyone was staring in a daze at the stunning images, the video screening in the theater didn't seem to be as lively as expected.

"President Deng! We need to prepare contingency plans in advance! Otherwise, this film might not be able to suppress Zhou Yang!"

An uneasy voice came from the other end of the phone.

Deng Baichuan nodded silently, but he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

I had just finished making the call when the office phone rang again.

This time...

It was a call from the analysis team from "Fast & Furious".

The voice on the other end of the phone was suppressed and suffocated, a stark contrast to the screams and noise around it.

"The movie was only halfway through..."

"This movie... is indeed a production from a major Hollywood company; the racing scenes are absolutely amazing!"

His voice suddenly lowered, as if he were still in the theater, pressing down on the microphone as he watched: "The pacing of this film is so precise. Each action scene is no more than 15 minutes apart, and the brotherhood and family storylines interspersed in between are just right. Zhou Yang's screenwriting is truly impressive; the script perfectly blends American muscle car culture with Asian street car modification style..."

"According to the premiere feedback from our team, 92% of male viewers were satisfied, and 68% were under 25. Most importantly—" his voice suddenly turned serious: "the [Lingjiang Motorcycle] shots embedded in those close-ups of the racing cars didn't seem out of place at all to the audience..."

"Mr. Deng, this film is definitely not going to flop. Judging from the reactions at the scene, it might even be a minor hit. We need to prepare contingency plans in advance! By the way, how's the feedback from 'Dark Knight'?"

"..."

Deng Baichuan didn't respond to that question but calmly said, "Keep watching, and give me feedback after the premiere!"

"it is good!"

in the office.

Silence fell.

Deng Baichuan continued pacing back and forth in his office, the ashtray piled high with cigarette butts.

The clock on the wall ticked away, each second seeming to stimulate his nerves.

More than an hour later, the phone finally rang shrilly.

He practically lunged for the receiver, and Xu Haibo, director of "Eragon Rider," spoke urgently from the other end: "President Deng, the premiere of 'Eragon Rider' is over, but things don't look good! Audience reactions are polarized; fans of the original novel are criticizing the adaptation as too outrageous, while ordinary viewers are complaining about the obscure plot... Based on the first screening's data and feedback, the film's box office won't be too bad, but..."

"But what? Explain yourself!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another phone started vibrating frantically.

He instinctively answered the phone immediately!

On the other end of the phone was the observer from "Fast & Furious," whose voice trembled as he said, "The entire audience screamed during the car chase, especially the final scene where the two male leads burst off the train tracks—the visual impact was astounding! This movie might not just be a minor hit, it might be a massive one! Damn it! Mr. Deng, how's 'Eragon' going? If it's not an epic, I'm afraid it won't be able to overshadow this movie!"

Deng Baichuan was stunned!
Immediately afterwards...

His face was slightly pale.

He closed his eyes!

Maybe!

Fuck!
Something big is about to happen!
(End of this chapter)