It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 103 The Great Battle Between the "King of Comedy" and the "King of Suspense"! The Four Dan and Two Bing (referring to actresses known for their outstanding performances) are born!

Midnight arrived precisely on time, marking the start of December 16th.

After returning home, Lü Rui took a shower and, instead of going to sleep, went straight to a nearby movie theater.

Since he had nothing to do tomorrow and could catch up on sleep during the day, he decided to check the attendance at the midnight screenings of "The Prestige".

I strolled to the cinema, and as soon as I entered, I saw a lot of people queuing to buy tickets in the lobby.

He stepped forward and joined the end of the line, immediately hearing murmurs around him:

"I want to see what this movie is all about! Magic isn't really that mysterious. Once the mystery is solved, everything will be clear."

"Holy crap! After watching that magic show on the 13th, I haven't been able to sleep well for days. I keep dreaming about how those magic tricks were done."

"Nothing else, I just want to see Fan Bingbing. I heard she dresses very sexily in the movie, hehe~"

"..."

Compared to daytime screenings, midnight screenings will definitely have lower attendance, since not many people dare to go out to watch a movie in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, this is the capital city. If it were located in a place with "simple and honest people", the danger at night would be quite high.

Especially young women and married women, who are afraid of encountering scoundrels after going out.

So when Lü Rui walked into the theater, he saw that almost everyone there was a grown man.

The few girls were accompanied by their boyfriends or family members; they rarely came out alone.

Ten minutes later, the movie began.

Lu Rui sat in the last row and roughly observed the occupancy rate.

The theater, which can accommodate 100 people, was now filled with at least 30 people!

This is extremely rare in the current cinema market!
Even Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" were roughly the same level of success.

The magic show on the 13th, which attracted so many people, has now become a tangible reality!
This is still a midnight showing; there will be even more during the day.

Everyone watched very attentively.

The main issues are the film's suspenseful puzzle-solving framework, the subversive narrative of the triple magic trick, and the slightly profound magic techniques that are eye-catching.

Before you know it, the camera cuts to another person.

If you don't pay close attention, you might not be able to follow the plot, or even understand what the next scene is about.

For the next hour or so, what Lü Rui heard most often were exclamations and sounds of realization!

Jiang Wen plays two roles, Zhang Jingchu fails to escape and drowns in a water tank, Zhou Yun hangs herself, Fan Bingbing plays a female assistant who is caught between two male leads, and Tesla's cloning machine...

By the middle of the film's run, the plot had already amazed many viewers.

In the end, when Hu Jun sacrificed and destroyed himself time and time again through "cloning", the whole audience was in an uproar!

There's a popular saying online: "A man has to be tough on himself!"

But to everyone's surprise, the character played by Hu Jun was actually so ruthless to himself!

As the movie ended, Lü Rui followed the crowd out, surrounded by the constant chatter of conversation:
"How can someone be so reckless? Suicide time and time again? Just for a magic show?"

"One takes turns going on stage with his twin brother to enjoy cheers and applause, even from his beloved! The other sacrifices himself, destroying himself, so that the replica can continue the artistic life... Holy crap! Humanity has been completely extinguished in the frenzy! It's insane!"

"I don't know what to say, I just think this movie is really awesome!"

"No? So is this a suspenseful crime film or a science fiction film? How come they've even brought up cloning machines?"

"Personally, I think the cloning machine is just a trick by the director to mislead the audience. In fact, the one who died was just a body double that Hu Jun had found in the bar earlier. He just rehired him at a high price!"

"Bullshit, your analysis is completely wrong. If it's not a cloning machine, how could there be so many water tanks to store corpses?"

"The front of those water tanks wasn't shown in the movie, so they might be props. Only Hu Jun and his stunt double died."

"What the hell are you talking about? People have already called it a cloning machine, okay?"

"No, I didn't understand it. Apart from the amazing magic tricks, the mysterious visuals, and the stunning color contrasts, I didn't get the core of the story at all. I'm going to go back to sleep. I'll come back to watch it again on Saturday!"

At the back of the crowd, Lü Rui listened to these conversations, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

It's normal for movies to receive both praise and criticism; after all, everyone has their own interpretation of Hamlet, and everyone has their own opinions on the story and plot.

For a director, controversy surrounding their work is not terrible, because it means that people are paying attention to their work.

This is the kind of effect commercial films are aiming for!
Back home, Lü Rui took another shower, turned off the alarm clock, and prepared to sleep until he naturally woke up.

One night later, "The Prestige" officially entered its theatrical run, and the heated discussions surrounding it completely erupted!

A reporter photographed Feng Xiaogang leaving the cinema alone, his face dark.

When they surrounded him and asked if he had seen "The Prestige," he didn't say a word, got into his car, and drove away without looking back.

In contrast, Zhang Yimou was also blocked on the other side.

Unlike Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou gave the film extremely high praise and expressed his appreciation for Lü Rui:

"To be honest, I was fooled by the way Lü Rui told the story. It wasn't until the end that I realized I was only seeing what he wanted me to see, not what I actually saw."

Judging from this movie alone, his control over the viewing experience is absolutely top-notch, no less than mine..."

When these words were spoken, the industry was in an uproar!
At the same time, more and more viewers are choosing to go to the cinema because of Zhang Yimou's positive reviews.

The reporters then followed the crew of "The Promise".

Chen Kai has always had a very high level of sophistication.

In the past, if he were surrounded by reporters asking for his opinions on other directors' works, he would absolutely ignore them.

But today is different.

He was in a good mood because he had just filmed a passionate night scene with Zhang Baizhi and the General.

Having been deeply impressed by the magic show that night, he rarely spoke up: "Although I haven't seen the finished film yet, I really admire this director, Xiao Lü."

It's rare to see such a talented young man in the film industry, which is definitely a blessing for the domestic film market. I look forward to seeing his future development and hope that one day he can make a big-budget film like "The Promise"...

At noon, after waking up, Lü Rui didn't rush to get out of bed, but instead browsed the news on his laptop for a while.

The reactions of Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou, and Chen Kaige were all within his expectations.

Zhang Yimou and Jiang Wen are still best friends, and Zhang Yimou also has a very good relationship with Jiang Wen, plus their friendly exchange at the Golden Rooster Awards...

Therefore, Zhang Yimou naturally wouldn't hesitate to say some nice things.

As for Feng Xiaogang, Lü Rui and he were already at odds, and now they are also competitors in the Lunar New Year film season, so it's normal for the other party to have a bad attitude.

As for Old Chen, given his status and position, it's not surprising that he spoke in a condescending tone.

However, Lü Rui really couldn't agree with the statement that "they should make a masterpiece similar to 'The Promise'".

As he scrolled through the news, he muttered to himself, "Wuji steamed buns, get out of here..."

He would rather be blacklisted like Tian Zhuangzhuang and Jiang Wen than make a movie like "The Promise" and be criticized by the audience for the rest of his life!
With nothing to do in the afternoon, Lü Rui simply stayed home and wrote a script.

As the business expands, the amount of capital needed also increases...

For him, making movies is the fastest way to make money, so naturally he has to work at full speed.

In the evening, Peter Griffin called to inform me that the box office figures for the midnight screenings of "Insidious" were fresh off the press.

$103 million is not a bad number; it's in the upper-middle range!

"Lionsgate predicts that the opening day box office may exceed $400 million, making it easy to recoup costs, and subsequent performance is expected to reach $3000 million..."

"Okay." Lü Rui breathed a sigh of relief. "Keep an eye on the results, and if necessary, increase the publicity investment."

"Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Lü Rui took another look at the online discussions and debates about "The Prestige".

Looking around, discussions about the movie's plot are raging on various forums, online communities, and websites. Viewers are roughly divided into three camps.

One group was discussing the amazing magic tricks in the film, their words filled with awe and sudden realization after solving the mystery.

Another faction is debating whether Jiang Wen or Hu Jun is the real villain, and whether the "cloning machine" Hu Jun brought back is real or fake. Or did he find a double and plot to kill him, while framing Jiang Wen?

The last group discussed who was prettier and had better temperament among Zhou Yun, Fan Bingbing, Zhang Jingchu, and Liu Yifei, who made a cameo appearance...

Everyone held their own opinions and argued fiercely!
Lu Rui smiled with satisfaction and continued burying himself in translating the script...

The next morning, just after 6 a.m., the phone next to my pillow rang.

Immediately afterwards, the phone, text messages, and QQ messages started ringing non-stop!

Lu Rui groggily opened his eyes and pressed the call button.

The next second, Han Sanping's unrestrained, hearty laughter came through the receiver:
"Haha! Congratulations! 'The Prestige' grossed 1866 million on its opening day, making it the highest-grossing domestic film on its opening day in 04!"

Lu Rui's eyes lit up, and his drowsiness vanished instantly.

In 2002, after its release, "Hero" grossed 1350 million yuan on its opening day.

In 2003, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was released and earned 1063 million in box office revenue on its opening day, but it did not break the record.

In July 2004, during the summer vacation, "House of Flying Daggers" grossed 15.8 million yuan on its opening day, breaking the box office record of "Hero".

In early December, "A World Without Thieves" only grossed 1069 million yuan, failing to break the record...

Now, The Prestige has been released as scheduled, raking in 1866 million at the box office and setting a new record for the highest opening day box office!

"I plan to further increase publicity and distribution efforts, aiming to secure 1 million, strive for 2 million, and even break the box office record of 'Hero'!"

Han Sanping was full of confidence. With such a good opening day box office performance, plus the hype and popularity from the outside world, it was the perfect time to break even higher records!
“Okay.” Lü Rui nodded, reminding him, “You can appropriately guide the audience to debate around the plot and character settings. Don’t be afraid of questions. Sometimes, popularity and discussion are key, and it’s also one of the ways to attract new viewers to the theater…”

Over here, Lü Rui is explaining to Han Sanping what "being famous even when you're not" and "controversy can also generate buzz" mean.

Meanwhile, media reports have begun to bombard the media:

"The Prestige! 1866 million! A new record for the highest-grossing opening day for a domestic film has been set!"

"Directed by Lü Rui, with an investment of up to 7000 million yuan, and starring Jiang Wen and Hu Jun, with Zhou Yun, Fan Bingbing and Zhang Jingchu in supporting roles, the suspenseful crime epic 'The Fatal Prestige' has made a stunning debut!"

"The opening day record for 'A World Without Thieves' has been broken, setting a new high for the first day of box office revenue during the Lunar New Year film season..."

"Feng Xiaogang's signs of defeat are showing again. 'A World Without Thieves' may repeat the mistakes of 'Cell Phone' and lose to 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' just as it did to 'The Prestige'!"

boom--

In the office, Feng Xiaogang slammed the mouse on the floor: "Which media outlet published this? Send a lawyer's letter! I'm suing!"

The assistant looked at his exasperated state with a sense of helplessness.

Being repeatedly compared to younger generations and easily surpassed, and constantly criticized by the media, anyone would feel frustrated... but there's nowhere to vent this pent-up anger.

This situation will not only not lessen, but will intensify due to the popularity of "The Prestige"!

Because several investors are seeing the strong box office performance, they are continuing to boost the hype to ensure that the box office doesn't plummet...

The following day, as Saturday arrived, the box office results for Friday were released, showing a total of 1736 million!
On the third day, due to the weekend, the number of moviegoers increased, and the box office revenue reached 1807 million.

On Sunday, the fourth day, the number reached 1744 million.

On the fifth day, 1326 million.

To date, The Prestige has grossed a total of 8479 million at the box office!
Meanwhile, Feng Xiaogang's "A World Without Thieves" had been in theaters for 13 days, with a cumulative box office of 9136 million yuan.

Breaking 100 million is just around the corner!

This should have been a joyous occasion, but with "The Prestige" closely following behind, Feng Xiaogang was in no good mood whatsoever.

Because at this point, the daily box office of "A World Without Thieves" had already dropped to 553 million.

Even worse, "Kung Fu Hustle" is about to be released!
Like "The Prestige," Stephen Chow also held a very grand premiere for "Kung Fu Hustle."

The venue was chosen to be Times Square in Hong Kong, which can accommodate thousands of people. The venue was decorated with movie features and incorporated "kung fu" elements into the visual design, creating a strong "Chow Yun-fat comedy" atmosphere.

Stephen Chow personally led the team, with Huang Shengyi, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu and many other friends from the entertainment industry in attendance, making it a star-studded event.

Meanwhile, hundreds of domestic and foreign media outlets were present to report on the event, with live broadcasts and rebroadcasts covering a wide range of topics, making it the focus of entertainment news at the time, and its popularity continued to rise.

The event not only featured a preview screening of highlights from the film, but also included interactive sessions with the cast and crew, a fan meet-and-greet, and other activities. The audience responded enthusiastically, further raising expectations for the movie.

Stephen Chow's name is so well-known that it has successfully overshadowed the popularity of Lü Rui and Feng Xiaogang.

On the 23rd, "Kung Fu Hustle" was released simultaneously in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

However, compared to the hype and appeal generated before the release of "The Prestige," "Kung Fu Hustle" falls slightly short.

Including its main selling point of "special effects" shots, the promotional effect wasn't particularly impressive given the pre-existing reputation of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"...

On the 24th, the box office results for "Kung Fu Hustle" were released, with a total of 1266 million yuan.

With this, the box office rankings for the first day of film releases in 2004 have been officially finalized.

The Prestige!
1866 million!
No.1!

A sudden uproar arose within the industry...

Meanwhile, even after the official release of "Kung Fu Hustle," the popularity of "The Prestige" remained within a stable range.

Its daily box office did not fall below 10 million; instead, it grossed 1106 million.

The total box office has now reached 9585 million!
On the other hand, "A World Without Thieves" only grossed 455 million yuan in a single day, so its total box office has not yet reached 100 million yuan, with a cumulative total of 9591 million yuan.

One night later, both "The Prestige" and "A World Without Thieves" surpassed 100 million yuan!
However, the latter's box office was directly surpassed by the former!
Feng Xiaogang was once again trampled underfoot by Lü Rui!

Huayi, of course, wouldn't sit idly by and immediately intensify its publicity efforts...

Just then, news came from Hollywood, which helped Lü Rui make headlines on major portal websites and newspapers!
"The latest horror film 'Insidious,' written by Lü Rui and directed by James Wan, a rising Hollywood horror film director, grossed $447 million (approximately RMB 3696 million) on its opening day!"

"In its opening week, 'Insidious' grossed $2750 million (approximately 2.25 million RMB) at the North American box office!"

"After 10 days in theaters, the North American box office is $3696 million (approximately 3.03 million RMB)!"

"Congratulations to Director Lü Rui! His new film has successfully entered the 6th place of the North American 04 horror film box office chart! The momentum for the top spot is strong!"

Lionsgate has announced that it has signed a distribution contract with director Lu Rui for the sequel film series "Lurking" and will jointly develop new projects...

In fact, compared to the performance of other Hollywood blockbusters, the box office figures of "Lurking" did not cause any ripples at all.

But the fact that its screenwriter is a Chinese director makes up for it!
Moreover, Lü Rui currently has a film that is showing in theaters in China. With the boost from this wave of popularity from Hollywood, it instantly creates a 1+1>2 effect!
Suddenly, the daily box office of "The Prestige" rose again against the trend!

Theaters followed suit, diverting some of the screenings of "A World Without Thieves" to "Kung Fu Hustle" and "The Prestige".

The "King of Comedy" and the "King of Suspense" are about to engage in a decisive battle!

Feng Xiaogang, the father of Lunar New Year films, is facing the most awkward moment of his directing career.

Despite becoming the third director in mainland China to achieve a box office of over 100 million yuan, he felt no sense of glory or jubilation.

All eyes were on Lü Rui and Zhou Xingchi, with very few people paying attention to him, and even the media were unwilling to give him much attention.

This made him feel frustrated, but it also strengthened his resolve to make a great film of "Hamlet" and achieve fame and fortune, thus avenging his grievances!
At the same time, Li Bingbing and Fan Bingbing have risen to prominence with their numerous representative works, and their popularity is approaching that of the Four Little Actresses!
Given that the four young actresses are all approaching 30 years old, it seems somewhat inappropriate to continue calling them the "Four Little Flowers".

Thus, the "Four Great Dan Actresses" came into being!

Meanwhile, both Bingbing and Fan Bingbing are rapidly gaining popularity, and both have box office success and awards to their name...

Thanks to deliberate marketing by the media, the "Four Dan and Two Bing" pattern has officially taken shape!

Meanwhile, the box office success of "Kung Fu Hustle" and "The Prestige" continues, with box office numbers steadily climbing.
1.1亿、1.2亿、1.3亿……1.6亿、1.7亿、1.8亿……

Before we knew it, it was New Year's Day, and 2005 arrived as scheduled.

On the first day of the new year, the second director in mainland China to achieve a box office of 200 million yuan was officially born!
On that very day, a piece of gossip that would make the entire entertainment industry take notice leaked from within Huayi Brothers Media Corporation…

(End of this chapter)