Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 158 The Immense Allure of Double J!
It wasn't just Fan Binbin and Li Binbin who thought of it; other female celebrities thought of it too.

Tian Xiaole has collaborated with Lionsgate several times and achieved great success. He also knows production manager Mike Byrne, so he might be able to pull some strings.

Whether it works or not, you should try it if you have the chance.

This is one of the few opportunities to enter Hollywood's field of vision and gain international recognition.

The area downstairs from Huayi Company, resembling a fashion show, became a spot where reporters and paparazzi staked out.

It's very easy to photograph top-tier celebrities and actors; the internet is full of stylish photos of them.

Zhang Ziyi, Fan Binbin, Li Binbin, Cecilia Cheung, Liu Yifei, Zhou Xun, Ruby Lin, Zhao Yanzi...

Top actresses from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong flock to Huayi Brothers every day, vying for roles.

Industry insiders unanimously believe that this co-production is the best opportunity for actresses to advance their careers and a stepping stone to Hollywood.

"You also want to play the female lead?"

Tang Yan, who was in Tian Xiaole's arms, still had a blush on her face, clearly having just gone through a fierce battle.

"Of course I want to. This is the best project right now, and I get to work with two kung fu superstars. It will get me into Hollywood's spotlight, and I can make more money for the company..."

Tang Yan looked up at Tian Xiaole, drawing circles on his chest with her hand, and spoke frankly about her ambitions.

"I can't help with this project. If you want to act, you have to rely on your own abilities to win it."

Tian Xiaole rested one hand on his head, a cigarette butt between his fingers. Regardless of the film's ultimate success or failure, its impact is undeniable.
Or rather, it's a gimmick that it's the first collaboration between two kung fu superstars, and audience expectations are high.

In his memory, Liu Yifei was indeed the third mainland Chinese actress to enter the Hollywood spotlight, following Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi, through this film.

"Brother Le~"

Tang Yan's voice was sweet and coquettish, and her hands, which had been drawing circles, began to wander, reaching down.

"Given your relationship with Lionsgate, they'll definitely give you face if you recommend an actor."

"Oh~"

Tian Xiaole stretched out her legs comfortably and was about to press Tang Yantou down when her phone suddenly rang.

"I'll get it for you."

Tang Yan solicitously handed over the phone that had been vibrating on the bedside table.

"Lu Zhen, he called me, could it be...?"

Looking at the incoming call number, Tian Xiaole muttered to himself as he pressed the answer button.

"Hello, Mr. Lu?"

"Director Tian, ​​I haven't properly thanked you yet for Tian Tian's role in Pacific Rim. I'd like to treat you to a meal. Do you have time?"

"Mr. Lu, I've already expressed my gratitude. Please just say what you need."

"Haha, nothing can be hidden from Director Tian, ​​so I'll just say it directly."

Lu Zhen made a compliment, and then he said:
"You've worked with Lionsgate before, so you should have their executives' contact information. I'd like to ask you to recommend Tian Tian for a role in that co-production project with Huayi Brothers. Regarding investment..."

As soon as Huayi announced the project, Lu Zhen set his sights on the role of the female lead. He first contacted the Wang brothers, but only managed to get an audition opportunity.

To secure the role, he, like everyone else, considered the relationship between Tian Xiaole and Lionsgate, which is why he made the call.

Upon hearing the conversation, Tang Yan immediately tensed up, realizing that this meant she had gained another competitor.

"Mr. Lu, I can't help with this. After all, it's someone else's project, and it might not be appropriate for me to get involved," Tian Xiaole said, declining the offer.

"Given your relationship with Lionsgate and Huayi, you didn't invest in this project?"

Like Han Sanping, Lu Zhen's tone was somewhat incredulous.

"Hehe, there really isn't any."

Tian Xiaole chuckled self-deprecatingly, and then heard a "don't bother me" voice on the other end before hanging up.

Seeing Tang Yan's equally surprised expression, he reached out and pinched her cheek, which was full of collagen.

"You heard the phone call. If you want this role, you'll have to earn it through your own abilities."

It's estimated that most people assumed Huayi Brothers would at least invite Tian Xiaole, even if they didn't involve other film and television companies.

After all, Tian Xiaole didn't keep "Night at the Museum" to himself; he invited film and television companies in the industry to share the profits.

Although the share has a premium, it's a normal business practice; he genuinely helps people earn US dollars.

Tang Yan wasn't too disappointed that she couldn't take a shortcut, since she wasn't particularly career-driven to begin with.

Just as the two were stroking each other and their passion was about to ignite, Fan Binbin and Li Binbin called one after the other.

They rejected both of them with the same excuse.

It's amazing that he became the busiest person on Huayi's projects.

···
Watching Jing Tian step out of the RV, Lu Zhen put away his phone, a smile on his face:

"Tian Tian, ​​just say so if you're tired. There's no rush for the filming schedule."

"I understand, Uncle Lu."

Jing Tian nodded obediently and walked towards the makeshift film set with her assistant.

She felt that the professionalism of both the director and the crew was vastly different from what she had imagined.

That's completely different from what she did while filming "Pacific Rim".

Speaking of the filming of "Pacific Rim," Jing Tian thought of Tian Xiaole, who managed a crew of hundreds of people and was meticulous and demanding of the actors' performances.

Although he's strict, a serious man is so handsome; he always has a special charm that attracts her.

On the set of "Anaconda," everyone accommodated her, which made her very uncomfortable.

Judging from the content of the film, Jing Tian had a premonition that it would most likely be a terrible movie.

"Ms. Jing Tian, ​​the scene we're about to film is one where you're the one who gets frightened..."

The director spoke broken Mandarin and carefully directed the scene, afraid of upsetting the person in front of him, which would mean the crew would have to disband on the spot.

···
Aside from the two male lead roles, Huayi Brothers has opened auditions for all other roles to industry insiders.

For a time, online discussions about the actors were everywhere, and news reports were filled with publicity and hype.

Wang Jinghua felt very bad after seeing the news.

When casting for 【Red Cliff】, Orange Sky and Avex, who accounted for a significant portion of the investment, had considerable influence.

She and Wu Kebo both refused auditions from Huayi actors, and were quite pleased with themselves at the time.

Who would have thought that retribution would come so quickly? This co-production by Huayi Brothers also denied her actors any opportunities.

"Old Hu, how was the role you auditioned for?"

"We tried out Zhao Yun and Cao Cao, but we haven't decided who we'll play yet," Hu Jun said with a smile.

Wang Jinghua was in a real bind. Wu Yusen was also someone who wouldn't listen to reason. Out of all the people below, only Hu Jun got the audition opportunity.

Amidst intense attention from both inside and outside the industry, Huayi held a press conference, attracting a massive influx of hundreds of news media outlets.

The reporters present were stunned. In addition to Jackie Chan, who had previously made the allegations, the other male protagonist was Jet Li.

If this news were released, it would absolutely cause an uproar.

This unprecedented collaboration between two kung fu superstars is no exaggeration to say it has garnered global attention.

On stage, Wang Zhonglei spoke eloquently and announced the film's title.

"A co-production between Huayi Brothers and Lionsgate, starring two kung fu superstars as the two male leads, this movie is called 'The Forbidden Kingdom'..."

After Wang Zhonglei went on and on, Jackie Chan and Jet Li praised each other, saying they had long wanted to collaborate and that this time they finally had the opportunity.

Minkoff gave an interview, saying he was honored to work with the two lead actors, that he loves Chinese culture, and that the film will incorporate Chinese mythology.

Upon seeing the news report, Tian Xiaole shook his head helplessly, lamenting that culture was about to be ruined again.

He was very troubled, feeling that nothing could be changed, whether it was "Red Cliff", "Lust, Caution" or "The Forbidden Kingdom".

Chinese traditional culture has been messed up by these foreigners, becoming a hodgepodge. "One person's strength is ultimately too insignificant," Tian Xiaole sighed to himself.

The first round of auditions has begun for "The Forbidden Kingdom".

Actresses from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and even Japan and South Korea are all vying for the lead role.

The news that "Lust, Caution" would start filming in Shanghai was suppressed.

Tian Xiaole received an invitation to the premiere of "The Banquet". He heard that Feng Xiaogang even went to Venice to judge the awards, but was criticized by foreign film critics as being neither fish nor fowl.

In short, if you can't even film your own country's classic works properly, how dare you adapt foreign ones?
The Venice jury couldn't understand it, the film critics couldn't understand it, and the domestic audiences couldn't understand it either.

However, this did not affect the promotional efforts; taking advantage of Huayi's recent popularity, the results were exceptionally good.

Tian Xiaole was overseeing post-production in the special effects department when Chen Zhixi came to visit.

"Boss, the script for [Ip Man] has been approved, and we've obtained the filming permit."

"Then notify Yinghuang to start construction."

Tian Xiaole stared at the rendering screen and said without looking up.

Chen Zhixi handed over an invitation: "This was just delivered to the company."

Tian Xiaole curiously took it: "It's the movie 'Miami Vice' starring Sister Li!"

This film performed poorly at the North American box office. The imported version was allowed to be released only after Gong Li's passionate scenes were cut.

Pity!
No, what exactly is it that's a pity?
"Remember to let me know when it's time."

Tian Xiaole said to Chen Zhixi.

···
Liu Yifei's audition went very well. She communicated fluently in English throughout the audition, appeared calm and composed, and earned frequent nods of approval from director Minkoff.

"Ms. Liu, Huayi's resources are unmatched by other domestic film and television companies. Let Yifei sign with us, and we can give her the female lead role in 'The Forbidden Kingdom'."

Wang Zhonglei approached Liu Xiaoli directly, offering her irresistible allure. Starting with Liu Yifei, who gained a large following thanks to her cool and aloof appearance, she became a favorite of brands.

She is the first choice for many brand endorsements and commercial offers.

Inevitably, this caused Huayi artists to miss out on many opportunities. Given their high commercial value, it's natural that they would want to sign with Huayi.

He had expressed his thoughts to Liu Xiaoli a long time ago.

"Mr. Wang, can you really let Xixi play the female lead?"

"Huayi was the main investor in this production, so of course they have the right to cast the actors."

Wang Zhonglei spoke with absolute certainty, then added:
"As long as Yifei signs with us, Huayi will provide all the resources to help her go international."

Liu Xiaoli was somewhat tempted, but as it turned out, money wasn't the only way to get into the film industry.

However, she was reluctant to sign with Huayi Brothers. The more she learned about the entertainment industry, the more she knew about the shady dealings behind it, especially with big companies.

"Let's wait for the audition results before we talk about it."

Liu Xiaoli wanted to know if, as he said, he could really decide who would ultimately play the female lead.

"of course can."

Wang Zhonglei said with a smile.

Although Huayi had no right to cast actors, he knew exactly who Minkoff favored during auditions, which allowed him to exploit the time difference.

Among them, Liu Yifei and Li Binbin performed brilliantly and were able to enter the final strip audition.

Only then did Wang Zhonglei bring up the matter of Liu Yifei signing a contract, lest things get complicated.

At this moment, Liu Xiaoli was sitting in the RV, deep in thought. The resources provided by Huayi were indeed top-notch, but signing a contract was a problem…

"Mother."

Liu Yifei walked in, interrupting Liu Xiaoli's thoughts.

"Sissi, how did the audition go?"

"Director Minkoff praised me and I made it to the final audition," Liu Yifei said with a smile.

"Sisi, you're amazing."

Liu Xiaoli praised her daughter, then, thinking of Wang Zhonglei's conditions, she asked seriously, "Qianqian, if I asked you to sign a contract with Huayi, would you be willing?"

Liu Yifei shook her head: "It's fine as it is now, and I have more freedom. I don't want to sign with any other agency."

"Okay, then I won't sign."

Liu Xiaoli tidied Liu Yifei's sideburns, her eyes filled with doting affection.

···
The film "The Banquet" has been released.

After being ridiculed at the film festival, Feng Xiaogang pinned his hopes on the box office.

But reality slapped him hard in the face.

It grossed 1200 million yuan on its opening day.

This data might be decent for other films, but considering the investment costs, it's far from sufficient.

It can't compare to [Wuji], let alone [Thief Alliance].

What made Feng Xiaogang even more desperate was that the film's reputation collapsed.

"Feng Xiaogang is paying homage to 'The Promise'! The dialogue is pretentious and affected, and the story is empty and boring."

"With a sister-in-law, what's the point of having a kingdom? You're the Empress, yet you kick off your blankets in your sleep. These perfunctory and pretentious lines—could a screenwriter with a normal brain write them?"

“Ge You is not suitable to play an emperor; watching him makes the audience lose immersion.”

Tian Xiaole was browsing through netizens' comments. With each movie release, rotten eggs became a place for netizens to vent their frustrations.

The overwhelmingly negative reviews have turned Feng Xiaogang's Eastern version of Hamlet into a joke.

Tian Xiaole noticed a phenomenon: ever since Li An's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" achieved both critical and commercial success, and Zhang Yimou's "Hero" also achieved good results.

These directors in the Chinese-speaking world are blindly following the trend and focusing on historical epics.

"Hmm, an intellectual style is quite rare."

Tian Xiaole's eyes lit up when she saw Fan Binbin's promotional poster.

She looks beautiful with a white shirt and a simple striped long skirt, and her smile is lovely.

The "Baby Project" has also begun to ramp up its efforts, with promotional activities in full swing.

Fan Binbin, who was originally just a decorative character, is now positioned second only to Jackie Chan on the poster and is still reaping the benefits of the "Thief" movie.

Fan Binbin isn't too happy lately. Her arch-rival has made it to the final audition, and if he actually gets the role in the co-production film, her status as the leading lady of Huayi Brothers will be in danger.

Her contract with Huayi Brothers is about to expire. She won the lead roles in "The Thieves" and "Rob-B-Hood" through her own efforts.

Moreover, the Wang brothers intend to sign Zhou Xun, which will make the competition within Huayi even more intense.

She needs to make plans as soon as possible.

···
The school called Tian Xiaole, saying that this year's admissions would begin soon and they hoped he would go back to serve as a guest judge.

He often forgot that he was still a graduate student at the Beijing Film Academy.

All you have to do is stand at the school gate when you get back, and you'll see the admission brochure right there.

Tian Xiaole thought that since there wasn't much to do while watching the post-production of the film, it wouldn't hurt to go and help out; maybe he could discover some promising talents.

The opening weekend of "The Banquet" was not ideal, earning only 5400 million amidst ridicule and boos.

Audiences are focusing their attention on Zhang Yimou, whose film "Curse of the Golden Flower," also adapted from a master's work, boasts an even stronger cast.

Jay Chou's promotional song "Chrysanthemum Terrace" for the movie has been released and has been downloaded a lot online, gaining popularity among fans.

This made Tian Xiaole think about the promotional song that this guy promised to create, and he wondered how it was coming along.

(End of this chapter)