This director lacks vision.

Chapter 296 The harsher the criticism, the more stable the box office.

In terms of women, Jiang Yifeng's character is portrayed as very low-key, and his image as a womanizer is well-known.

Previous Avatar-related memes have involved Gao Yuanyuan, Qin Lan, Liu Yifei, Shu Chang, and Jing Tian, ​​among others.

Following this, there were also rumors involving female celebrities such as Yang Mi, Fan Bingbing, and Nazha.

Let alone rumors, Jiang Yifeng's "golden touch," "Lu Chuan is not as good as one finger of Jiang Yifeng," and "How many Avatars does Jiang Yifeng have" and other relatively explicit topics have frequently topped the Weibo hot search list.

Everyone is used to it.

Therefore, when a celebrity's image collapses, the key factor is still their public persona.

Wang Yuan's smoking would ruin his career, while Yu Qian's smoking more would stabilize his image, since everyone knows he smokes, drinks, and gets perms.

Moreover, Jiang Yifeng always maintained a certain balance, which was that he did not have a real girlfriend.

To this day, he has never publicly admitted to having a girlfriend.

Even if there were rumors about Naza being involved with the boss's wife, those were just rumors, without any concrete evidence.

Therefore, Jiang Yifeng is at most a talented and romantic man with a rich private life, but he doesn't even face the moral risk of cheating.

When the media reports on Jiang Yifeng's rumored relationship with a certain female celebrity, people will just say "Oh," express their envy of Jiang Yifeng, curse him a few times, and then let it go.

While these rumors garnered some attention, they lacked any major newsworthy elements.

Furthermore, one should not manipulate the parties involved.

As a paparazzi studio, Zhuo Wei will first weigh the pros and cons after capturing some material.

Unless the traffic revenue is particularly high, or a specific task order is received, they will first contact the celebrity involved and ask them to pay hush money.

Zhuo Wei obviously wouldn't use this scandal to ask Jiang Yifeng for money, which is why he said Jiang Yifeng's scandal was worthless.

But no matter how small a mosquito is, it is still meat.

After thinking it over, Zhuo Wei decided to sell the information to Xinlang Entertainment.

He had just finished selling the information when he saw that Fengxing Media was taking action.

That same evening, other paparazzi teams broke the news.

"Jiang Yifeng's new love, Daddario—Hollywood's number one busty beauty!"

"Jiang Yifeng kissed D'Addario at the airport, enjoying a blissful moment that is the envy of many."

"The new 'Girlfriend' Daddario rose to fame in the United States for her role in Stranger Things."

"D'Addario plays the female lead in John Wick and has a great performance in the movie."

These leaks are accompanied by high-definition photos, clearly not taken secretly, but rather a publicity stunt by the production team.

After all, creating scandals is a normal tactic for movie promotion.

Moreover, D'Addario's appearance is indeed top-notch, with an angelic face and a devilish figure, making him a compelling figure for promotion.

And she's an American.

The news of a Chinese director having sex with an American woman is also a topic that attracts a lot of attention.

Even though Jiang Yifeng has had many scandals, this time the hype surrounding the scandal wasn't exactly a breakout news story, but it still had some effect and attracted the attention of a group of perverts.

Jiang Yifeng just didn't expect that even though his public image was already low enough, his opponents would still use this incident to attack him.

On the morning of December 12th, Xinlang Entertainment featured this story on its front page.

[The Daddario sisters! Jiang Yifeng has a huge appetite!]

"It is understood that Jiang Yifeng went to the airport last night to pick up Daddario, and not only Daddario, but also Daddario's sister Catherine. The three of them were very intimate..."

Zhuo Wei wouldn't dare offend Jiang Yifeng and wouldn't spread rumors casually, but Xinlang Entertainment didn't care. They used all sorts of "suspected," "it seems," and "it is said" to steer the conversation toward the sisters.

Ordinary rumors might not generate much buzz, but sisterhood is a different story.

This is the dream of so many men!

And they are both stunningly beautiful women.

The paparazzi under Zhuo Wei took very clear photos, capturing Daddario and Catherine's appearance.

The two sisters standing together, one hot and sexy, the other youthful and reserved, are very eye-catching.

This immediately became a news sensation, and the rumors about the twin sisters quickly went viral online, sparking a great deal of discussion.

"Is this what President Jiang's life is like? I'm so envious!"

"President Jiang is really capable! I can't even handle one foreign woman, but he can handle two of them!"

"The Daddario family genes are just too good. No wonder she has the most beautiful breasts in Hollywood. I really envy President Jiang every day."

"I understand Director Jiang. Brothers, hurry up and watch John Wick. Daddario is so talented, Director Jiang must have arranged some exciting scenes for him in the movie!"

It's a pity her sister didn't act in it; otherwise, the two sisters together would be so exciting!

"Jiang Yifeng has gone too far. Isn't this against the law?"

"It's fine for people to have normal, consensual relationships, but multiple people or sisters are not allowed. Director Jiang studied law and should abide by the law."

……

The reason why the news about the twin sisters went viral so quickly was not only because of the inherent appeal of the story itself, but also because several rival companies were taking advantage of the situation and fueling the fire.

Some things can be done but not said.

Xinlang Entertainment's report is misleading. If it is true, Jiang Yifeng will also be in trouble.

Moreover, this matter has not only sparked heated discussions among netizens in China, but has also been reported by overseas media.

The Hollywood Reporter: The Daddario sisters sharing a husband? Catholic? No, it's Mormon!

Yahoo Entertainment: Sisterly love! Daddario's rise to fame doesn't stop him from paving the way for his sister Catherine.

"The New York Times: Scandal exposed by Chinese media, Jiang and Daddario sisters embroiled in love triangle controversy."

Jiang Yifeng doesn't have many scandals abroad, especially in the United States.

People's impression of Jiang Yifeng is still that of the youngest Forbes billionaire and the director of Strange Things.

The revelation of his alleged affair with the Daddario sisters has generated considerable attention and discussion in North America.

Catherine never expected that her curiosity about Jiang Yifeng, her special trip to China to see her brother-in-law and take a vacation, would lead to her sudden fame.

Jiang Yifeng also knew what was important.

Although the news about the twin sisters generated buzz, he didn't need that kind of attention.

On the morning of December 13, Jiang Yifeng issued a statement saying that he and Daddario were just good friends, not lovers, and that he had only just met Catherine.

The related reports are false, and legal proceedings have been initiated.

After the statement was released, some media outlets and influential figures apologized, saying they had cited a report from Xinlang Entertainment, while others were indifferent.

Even being sued generates buzz.

It's easy to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of effort to refute them.

Moreover, Jiang Yifeng's past "resume" is too brilliant.

Even after Jiang Yifeng issued a statement, many netizens still believed that the twin sisters were real, and various comments of envy and teasing continued to emerge.

But Jiang Yifeng didn't care anymore; he just needed to issue a statement to express his stance.

It was just a few photos, and there was no solid evidence.

However, openly, the number of people criticizing Jiang Yifeng has increased again.

Coupled with the controversy surrounding the previous rapid pursuit, everyone can sense that Jiang Yifeng has been receiving a lot more negative news these past few days.

This is the most down-to-earth business battle during the film's release period.

Cheng Long is also not having an easy time.

Fengxing Media has also attacked him quite a bit.

The news about him having plastic surgery, using a body double, and sleeping with women was also part of a whole series of news stories.

The premiere of John Wick was held at Wanda Cinema at 2 pm on December 18th.

The event was a star-studded affair, with many big names in attendance, making it a very grand occasion.

In order to gather intelligence, Huayi spent a lot of money to buy two tickets to the premiere and sent company employees to watch the premiere of "John Wick". It was past 6 p.m. when the two employees returned to the company and reported to the Wang brothers.

"Great, Mr. Wang! The chase wasn't very good. The fight scenes were exciting, but the plot was too simple and mindless. The male lead was always showing off, which was very childish!"

“That’s right. After we came out of the movie theater, we specifically asked other audience members. We asked a total of 13 people, and everyone said that the movie was very childish and gave it a score of six or seven out of ten.”

Hearing the employee's report, Wang Zhonglei was delighted.

Huayi has always been suppressed by Jiang Yifeng head-on, and this time they really want to get their revenge!
Although it benefited from Jackie Chan's connections, the Twelve Zodiacs was ultimately produced by Huayi Brothers Investment.

If we can defeat the rapid pursuit head-on, it will be a huge morale booster.

Feng Xiaogang's 1942 was a significant investment, but it lost out to Fengxing Media's "Ex-Boyfriend Strategy" and "King of Bathhouses," resulting in huge losses.

This was a complete case of our team's carry being repeatedly solo-killed by the enemy support.

The morale of the Huayi team has been very low lately, and they desperately need good news.

Wang Zhongjun, being more rational, asked, "Are you sure it won't be good? How were the audience questions and interactions?"

"It's not that it's bad, it's just very childish. The male lead is always showing off, which makes it very awkward."

The on-site interaction was decent, but it was all pre-arranged by Fengxing Media, and there were also a bunch of female fans screaming, so it doesn't really count.

Wang Zhongjun nodded and said, "Closely monitor public opinion trends and box office data. I have communicated with President Han this time. If the box office performance of Rapid Pursuit is not as expected, Zodiac will increase its screenings."

Jiang Yifeng's current market appeal is terrifying. On its first day of release in China, "Rapid Pursuit" achieved a 43.7% share, while "Chinese Zodiac" only had 28.4%.

This is not only because Jiang Yifeng has close cooperation with cinema chains such as Wanda and Huaying, but also because of the real market choice.

After all, cinemas need to make money.

Jiang Yifeng's first three films broke box office records, making theaters very wealthy.

Now that his new movie is about to be released, theaters have blind faith in him, so of course they'll fill the screening slots and give him the utmost respect.

Jackie Chan certainly has prestige, but the performance of his previous films in the mainland market can only be described as mediocre, and he can't compare to Jiang Yifeng.

This is the impact of Jiang Yifeng advancing the release date of "Rapid Pursuit" by one week.

本来疾速追杀是12月29号上映，十二生肖放在12月22号，首日排片有望在40%以上的。

Now, "Rapid Pursuit" has moved up its release date to be released in the same period as "Chinese Zodiac," directly squeezing "Chinese Zodiac" out of screenings by more than 10%.

After the results came out, Huayi was already jumping up and down in a panic.

This is why there has been a lot of negative news about Jiang Yifeng and Rapid Pursuit during this period; Huayi really spent a lot of money attacking them.

On the morning of December 19th, the Wang brothers came to the company to listen to the employees' reports and discovered that "John Wick" only had a score of 6.2 on Douban, which is the lowest score of all of Jiang Yifeng's film and television works!

Moreover, there are quite a few negative comments.

"I went to the premiere, and to be honest, I was very disappointed with Jiang Yifeng. Zou Liming was right; John Wick is shit wrapped in chocolate."

"I bought a scalped ticket for 500 yuan. There were many celebrities at the premiere, and it looked very glamorous, just like the movie itself, all show and no substance."

"The action scenes in the movie are beautiful, Jiang Yifeng is very handsome, and even the guns are specially made."

Anyone with a brain knows that while custom-made firearms may look nice, they have no power, and carrying a speaker into battle is simply ridiculous.

The plot and character development in this movie are terrible.

……

Not only did it receive negative reviews on Douban, but many influential film critics on Weibo also shared their impressions of the premiere.

Those who are being polite would give Rapid Pursuit an 8 out of 10, while those who are less polite would only give it around 5 or 6.

It's fair to say that this company has a rather poor reputation.

In contrast, the movie "Chinese Zodiac" received a lot of praise because its theme was the recovery of the bronze animal head artifacts, and it was also Jackie Chan's last action film.

Seeing this comparison of public opinion, the Wang brothers felt relieved, thinking that this wave was finally in the bag.

Many people share the same thoughts as them.

Lu Chuan, Luo Taijun, Zhang Weiping, and others started jumping around again, and the film critics who had previously criticized John Wick were now making a lot of noise.

Having been holding back her anger, Wang Zhonglei finally couldn't hold back any longer and started posting about it on Weibo.

Those who are going up the mountain should not mock the gods who are coming down!
Director Feng Xiaogang sacrificed some box office success for the sake of cinematic art, simply because he had higher aspirations.

Now Jiang Yifeng's uphill journey has come to an end, and it's time for you to descend the mountain.

Let's see how long you can be so smug.

Feng Xiaogang retweeted this Weibo post, saying, "My films are historical, humanistic, and profound, while Jiang Yifeng's films are just children playing house."

His works could only fool the audience for a while; in "Burning Ashes," his true colors were finally revealed.

These people were very smug, but the box office results slapped them hard in the face.

On December 22nd, "John Wick" will be released alongside "Chinese Zodiac".

John Wick achieved a record-breaking average occupancy rate of 81%, and its box office revenue exceeded 100 million yuan on its opening day!
It became the first film in the Chinese film market to gross over 100 million yuan on its opening day.

In comparison, the first-day box office for "Chinese Zodiac" was only 3750 million.

Actually, this result is already very good.

However, compared to the fact that The Fast and the Furious grossed over 100 million yuan on its opening day, it seems so pale and gloomy.

Jiang Yifeng announced the box office results on Weibo and tagged Feng Xiaogang, saying: "It's a pity that Director Feng didn't make If You Are the One 3. We agreed to compete with each other during the New Year's season, but you ran away."

But it's okay, I also filmed Youth, so I can compare it with 1942 later.

Upon seeing this Weibo post, Feng Xiaogang was so angry that his vitiligo flared up.

Wang Zhonglei was even angrier because Jiang Yifeng completely ignored him and didn't respond at all.

Zhang Weiping, who just finished a lawsuit with Zhang Yimou, is now getting involved in another dispute.

He said, "Although John Wick had a high box office, it was just market inertia."

In fact, even more people are criticizing John Wick, with many viewers accusing the film of being superficial and childish, and saying that Jiang Yifeng has overdrawn his reputation.

If a movie receives poor reviews, its box office revenue will plummet.

I boldly predict that the box office for this fast-paced thriller will plummet in the next few days. Let's wait and see.

Upon seeing Zhang Weiping's Weibo post, Wang Zhonglei immediately chimed in: "Mr. Zhang is absolutely right. It takes time for bad reputation to take hold. Let's let that petty person have his moment of glory for a while!"

Online reviews of John Wick are indeed not high, so many people agree with Zhang Weiping's remarks.

But reality is quite surreal.

On December 23, the second day of its release, John Wick achieved a box office reversal, grossing 1.07 million yuan!
It has once again broken the single-day box office record in the Chinese market!

After Jiang Yifeng announced this news, the entire internet was in an uproar.

Wang Zhonglei, Zhang Weiping, and the others were all dumbfounded and found it unbelievable.

Why is the box office so high even though so many people are criticizing John Wick as childish?

Jiang Yifeng directly mocked him.

"@Zhang Weiping @Wang Zhonglei, I understand what you mean."

Movies with poor reviews will see their box office plummet. You all have plenty of experience with this; Three Guns and If You Are the One 2 are examples of this.

But a rapid pursuit is different.

"The more criticism John Wick receives, the more stable the box office!"

After seeing Jiang Yifeng's teasing, Zhang Weiping smashed his newly bought Apple phone.

Netizens across the country have been quick to mock and ridicule the incident.

Those who were jumping around so enthusiastically before have all been proven wrong.

Wang Zhonglei was ridiculed to the point of losing her mind, and directly accused Fengxing Media of inflating box office figures on Weibo, forcing Han Sanping to step in.

China Film Group, together with several cinema chains, issued a statement saying that the box office data for "The Killer" is real and accurate, and there was no box office manipulation.

In order to punish Wang Zhonglei for speaking out of turn, Han Sanping and the theater chain reduced the screening schedule of "The Zodiac" and continued to increase the screening schedule of "John Wick".

In this context, the box office performance of John Wick continued to be strong.

(End of this chapter)