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

Chapter 380 No Way Out!

Iron Man was created in 1963.

One of the classic characters from Marvel Studios' Silver Age...

Unfortunately, the sales and influence of his solo publications are far less than those of comics like Spider-Man and S-Men.

Before Marvel Comics' bankruptcy crisis in the 90s, compared to Superman, Batman, or Spider-Man, Iron Man never really broke into the mainstream. Its popularity was largely limited to comic book readers, with low public awareness.

Of course, this is why, after [Warcraft] first fell into bankruptcy crisis, its copyright was well preserved.

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

10 month 6 day.

The sky was overcast and gloomy.

When Liu Jiasheng walked into the screening room, he didn't actually have many expectations.

Due to media restrictions, although he knew about Iron Man, he had never read the Iron Man comics.

The ticket price of 30 yuan was not cheap for him, who was used to the "suicidal promotions" of [Xuan Shi Entertainment]. Even with a coupon, he still had to pay 22 yuan.

Normally, he might hesitate about whether it was worth spending that much money on a movie, but this time was different…

Zhou Yang and the entire [Xuan Shi Entertainment] have attached unprecedented importance to "Iron Man," from overwhelming publicity to the rare priority release in China, and even the Hollywood team came to support the film.

This spectacle gave him a vague feeling that this film might be Zhou Yang's "ultimate weapon" against Hollywood.

He glanced down at the data report: yesterday's box office figures for "Transformers"...

Just 20 days after its release, "Transformers" saw its box office revenue drop to 720 million RMB yesterday, indicating a sharp decline in its popularity in the Chinese market.

Of course, this figure is still astonishing, but compared to the huge IP of "Transformers," it seems unlikely that it will create box office history in China.

So, even though he had little interest in superhero films, as a viewer who had witnessed Zhou Yang's rise since "Sun Wukong vs. Superman 2" and a collaborator under the same company, Xuan Shi Entertainment, he finally sat down in the screening room to see for himself the final piece of the puzzle in this "dragon-slaying battle".

Yes……

Will it deliver the final blow to Transformers, completely crushing it behind Demon Knight, or will Iron Man, another second-tier superhero film IP, follow in the footsteps of DV Films' Catwoman...?

Not long after we sat down in the screening room...

As the lights dimmed and the screen lit up, the new logo of [Various Marvel Studios] appeared on the big screen for the first time, followed by the logo of [XuanShi Entertainment].

The logos of the two companies, side by side, shimmer with golden light...

Liu Jiasheng stared at the two familiar yet unfamiliar signs, and a strange emotion welled up in his heart.

It was a strange feeling, as if he were standing at a historical juncture, witnessing some important moment.

Or perhaps, he was simply swept along by the tide of the times, becoming a lucky bystander, a fortunate individual...

Then...

The movie has started!
..............................

Xu Haibo sat in the screening room.

Compared to everyone else's slightly expectant mood, he felt a sense of oppression throughout his body.

In a sense, he is a seasoned comic book fan.

Initially, expectations for Iron Man were not high. After all, compared to Spider-Man and S-Men, this "arms dealer in a metal can" has never truly reached the top in the comics.

however……

He finally came!
The premiere of "Transformers," once seen as the savior of Tianyu Media, failed to truly save the company's stock price.

Although the stock rose due to the hype, the increase was far below expectations.

According to the original plan, Transformers was supposed to break box office records on its opening day, with merchandise selling like hotcakes, and its influence in China reaching the top of the series' history, ultimately achieving the glorious feat of topping the box office in China and breaking global box office records...

Every step was meticulously planned, and every step was feasible.

But who would have thought...

All of this planning has now fallen apart!
Since September, the entire Chinese film industry has been rife with conflict.

Zhou Yang launched wave after wave of offensives, sweeping in from all directions, giving them no chance to catch their breath.

Almost everyone involved in the industries centered around [Tianyu] is struggling to cope, naturally causing the stock price to be severely suppressed...

The release of Iron Man...

This originally unremarkable film has now become a crucial battle that will determine the life or death of Tianyu Media.

It will largely determine the ultimate direction of the Chinese film industry in the future...

Just as Xu Haibo felt his emotions were reaching their peak, the movie began.

The beginning of the movie's plot is very simple...

This can be considered the origin story of Iron Man...

After showcasing his new missile, "Jellicoe," in the Afghan desert, Tony Stark, a brilliant arms dealer, is attacked by the terrorist group "Ten Rings." His Stark Industries weapons are used to massacre civilians, and Tony is captured after suffering a heart injury from shrapnel. During his imprisonment, Tony collaborates with fellow captive scientist Insen to secretly build a miniature Arc Reactor (to sustain life) and the first Iron Man suit (Mark 1) using missile parts.

Yinsen sacrificed himself to cover Tony activating his armor...

……

"boom!"

The explosion tore through the night sky, and shrapnel rained down like raindrops.

Xu Haibo's pupils contracted sharply, and the shockwave seemed to penetrate the screen, causing the seat to tremble slightly.

The film's special effects far exceeded their expectations, its pacing was sharp and tight, and its control over emotional rendering and plot tension was near perfect. Just then…

A cacophony of exclamations and roars filled my ears!

He instinctively turned around, his gaze sweeping across the audience...

Amidst the boiling clamor, people were either excited or indignant, their eyes glued to the screen, completely immersed in the story.

His body trembled slightly, and a vague sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

That suppressed emotion surged up again, leaving him staring at the screen, his mind blank.

Just then, the phone rang abruptly.

He glanced down, then turned and hurriedly walked out of the screening room.

"Hello, is this Mr. Xu? This is Zhang Ming, the person in charge of Transformers in the Yanjing region..." The voice on the other end of the phone sounded tired and anxious: "Our data is out, and the situation is not optimistic. Sales of Transformers merchandise are plummeting... The market is in chaos, a complete mess!"

"What's wrong? Calm down..."

"I'm at the company now, how long will it take you to get there?"

"I am coming over now!"

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

In the conference room.

Smoke swirled around, and the air seemed to freeze.

A dozen or so representatives from the Chinese distributors of Transformers sat around a long table, their faces grim.

When Xu Haibo walked into the conference room, he immediately felt an indescribable sense of suffocation. He had intended to smile, but when he looked at the faces around him, he couldn't manage a smile.

"That madman Zhou Yang... he's going to turn the market upside down!"

After Xu Haibo sat down, Zhang Ming, who was leading the group and was the largest authorized distributor of genuine toys and merchandise in the Yanjing area, slammed his fist on the table with gritted teeth, his voice filled with suppressed anger.

Upon hearing the voice, Xu Haibo felt a slight unease deep within his heart...

He then looked down at the data report his secretary handed him; every page was shocking.

This capital war, which began in September, has spread from the film and television industry to e-commerce, shopping malls, and now even has a full impact on the surrounding toy industry!
As a top global IP, Transformers already has a huge fan base in the Chinese market, and its peripheral products are the most profitable link in the entire industry chain.

In this capital war, all parties have invested huge sums of money, betting on the sales returns of peripheral products to recoup their losses...

Data shows that in the two weeks leading up to the premiere of "Transformers," sales of related merchandise nationwide exceeded 2.5 million RMB, setting a new record and achieving truly remarkable results.

However, after entering October
All the glory came to an abrupt end!

On October 1st, National Day, their sales of official Transformers toys plummeted by nearly 40%...

The sudden turn of events startled everyone, and then...

They realized the market was in complete chaos!
On October 1st, National Day, counterfeit toys such as "Transforming Metal" and "Transforming Steel Bar" under Zhou Yang's brand suddenly appeared in counters and stores all over the country!
Furthermore, they aggressively seized market share with low prices.

What's even more infuriating is that Zhou Yang not only authorized his own brand of toys, but also partnered with coal mine owners to provide massive subsidies, allowing those inferior, pirated toys to flood into supermarkets, convenience stores, and even street stalls at almost free prices...

“Our distributors are going crazy. Genuine products aren’t selling, and we’re accumulating mountains of inventory. If this continues, even our distribution channels will be squeezed out by Zhou Yang’s cheap goods. Can you help us sue Zhou Yang?”

In the corner, a miserable middle-aged man looked bitterly at Xu Haibo.

Xu Haibo was completely flustered at this moment and didn't know how to respond.

He was all too familiar with this tactic!
What the fuck!

Zhou Yang is trying to drag them into a price war, forcing them to completely lose all means of survival.

The conference room was deathly silent, with only the hum of the air conditioner breaking the silence.

Facing pairs of eyes.

Xu Haibo managed a forced smile and offered some words of comfort to everyone.

but……

"Or, could you [Tianyu Media] talk to the copyright holders of 'Transformers' and get a discount on the price... maybe half off the copyright fee?"

"Yes!"

"We didn't, we never thought of retaliating, but Zhou Yang's 'suicidal pricing' has left us speechless!"

"This isn't business competition; this is trying to force us all to jump off buildings!"

"..."

Xu Haibo listened silently, then nodded.

"Everyone, everyone, I'll talk to head office right away. Please don't panic, don't rush... At this time, you must stay calm!"

Just at this time……

Suddenly, someone's phone rang.

Immediately afterward, the person saw the caller ID...

His pupils contracted instantly!
then……

Look at Xu Haibo!
"what happened?"

"Zhou Yang called me..."

"..."

(End of this chapter)