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

Chapter 285 Two Men Fighting Over One Woman? Fortune changes every thirty years; don't underestimate a poor middle-aged man! (Seeking monthly votes)

"Beijing News: Director Lu Chuan updated his blog again to respond to the rumors, stating that he has 'no interest in chubby girls' and angrily denounced the online rumors as fabrications. He also revealed that he is currently dating actress Qin Lan... It is reported that the woman was once Huang Xiaoming's girlfriend."

"The female reporter involved in the incident spoke out for the first time, tearfully accusing Lu Chuan of wanton insults and demanding a public apology, restoration of her reputation, and compensation for emotional distress..."

Huang Xiaoming issued a statement distancing himself from Qin Lan: "We have no connection whatsoever, and I urge the media not to involve us any further."

...

With Lü Rui's deliberate encouragement, the internet these past few days have been nothing short of a lively and extravagant media frenzy.

In a desperate attempt to distance herself from the chubby female reporter, Lu Chuan revealed her relationship, but unexpectedly, this backfired.

Qin Lan not only played the second female lead in "Nanjing! Nanjing!", but was also Huang Xiaoming's girlfriend.

This relationship instantly doubled the complexity of the event.

Rumors such as "unspoken rules," "two men vying for one woman," and "ambiguous relationships within the production crew" sprang up like mushrooms after rain, directly pushing the three into the eye of the storm.

Huang Xiaoming, not wanting to get involved in the controversy, quickly issued a statement saying that he had already broken up with Qin Lan, trying to stay out of it.

But as luck would have it, Zhao Yanzi from next door jumped out and revealed on a talk show: "Back in college, Huang Xiaoming tried to woo me and pursue me relentlessly, but I rejected him outright. Later, he said he wanted to be good friends with me..."

This revelation immediately sparked new speculation from the outside world.

Many people are wondering if Huang Xiaoming's relationship with Qin Lan was because he loved Zhao Yanzi but couldn't have her, so he found a substitute who looked very similar to her.
Immediately, fans from several groups jumped in, and a heated argument ensued:
"Can Zhao Yanzi stop trying to ride on someone else's coattails? Don't you even look at yourself?"

"Tsk tsk, so Huang Xiaoming actually likes the big mouth and thick lips type?"

"My 'Water Blue Flower' is not a substitute for anyone, please stop spreading rumors here, okay?"

"Lu Chuan must apologize! How dare she call someone a 'fat girl'? Look at yourself, you're all skinny and a plagiarist..."

"Waaaaah... Thank you so much, sisters, for supporting me."

That female reporter was no pushover either.

Originally a journalist, she was incredibly skilled at wordplay when it came to hype and marketing.

Sure enough, several articles have already appeared on the blog with extremely misleading titles:
My Love Story with Young Director Lu Chuan

The snuggling up together at the awards ceremony was our most heartwarming moment.

Although I'm chubby, I'm actually adorably chubby, and I also have the heart of a 'fairy'.

The blogging world initially became popular because a few women published information about unspoken rules and intimate details between men and women.

Therefore, this place has the largest number of female netizens, and it is also the most chaotic place.

Having been scolded but not received any money, the female reporter naturally wouldn't let it go. She relentlessly squeezed Lu Chuan dry, determined not to give up until she got what she wanted.

Lu Chuan was completely overwhelmed and utterly disgusted.

But he himself is extremely stingy, only taking in money and never giving it out, so naturally he wouldn't spend money to avoid trouble.

So he simply hid in the film crew of "Nanjing! Nanjing!" and stopped responding to the outside world, completely turning to "playing dead".

However, as filming progressed, some information about the film could not be kept secret and was dug up by the media one by one.

For example, the film's production cost was not 200 million, but only 80 million.

There's also the absurd tactic of using the perspective of an aggressor to promote anti-war sentiment... and Yuan Quan storming onto the set, angrily accusing Gao Yuanyuan of being a homewrecker and interfering in her relationship with Xia Yu, almost leading to a fight, etc...

These events and incidents caused numerous twists and turns in "Nanjing! Nanjing!"

There are bound to be some eccentric people in the industry.

Therefore, many people predict that the film's post-production and release will likely not go smoothly due to the numerous negative impacts.

On the other hand, the production of "Nanjing Photo Studio" by Ruishijie has been low-key and smooth throughout the nearly one month since filming began, if it weren't for the fact that Huang Xiaoming and Qin Lan had dated and Zhao Yanzi deliberately hyped it up to gain attention.

The difference is obvious when compared!
………………

The sun is shining brightly in the early morning.

In Los Angeles, in a parking space in front of a coffee shop, Lü Rui got out of the car, phone to his ear, his tone full of surprise:
"What did you say? Hou Yaowen is gone? The one who did crosstalk?"

As he spoke, he walked into the coffee shop.

Hou Hongliang's voice came through the phone clearly: "Yes, it's that guy in the performing arts world, the one who's been really popular lately, Guo Degang's teacher."

"Oh, I see." Lu Rui nodded knowingly, his tone becoming more indifferent. "Then you can represent the company to send a wreath. Just make sure you're polite."

He had little interest in the performing arts, after all, he wasn't involved in that circle.

But the Beijing social circle is only so big, and everyone runs into each other all the time.

Even if you're not part of the same social circle, sending a small gift after someone leaves is a matter of etiquette to save face for both of you.

"Alright, I'll go there myself."

As the "social butterfly" of Ruishijie, Hou Hongliang has always been adept at handling these kinds of matters.

The main reason I made this special call to Lü Rui is because the performing arts world has been in such a mess lately!

Disgusting things like brothers fighting each other, masters and disciples turning against each other, factional struggles, and clinging to the old ways and the elderly are constantly emerging.

He was worried that Lü Rui might have some private dealings with that side, so he made sure to inform them in advance.

Since it has been confirmed that the two parties have no connection whatsoever, this "mourning" is purely a favor, and there's no harm in going through the motions.

The main reason for sending this wreath was out of respect for Deyun Society.

Although Guo Degang's character and reputation in the industry are controversial and have received mixed reviews, the popularity of Deyun Club's crosstalk is undeniable.

Those "toilet humor" jokes and lewd jokes that were condemned as heretical by the traditional crosstalk world have been repeatedly criticized and attacked, but the audience still likes them!
Therefore, adhering to the principle that it would be foolish not to make money when there is an opportunity, Ruishijie's copyright department reached a cooperation agreement with them.

Whenever Deyun Club holds a performance, a professional team will be on-site to record it, acquire the copyright, and then authorize Tudou.com to broadcast it.

The benefits from this back and forth are considerable.

It could even be said that Guo Degang's current fame owes much to the numerous crosstalk compilations that are repeatedly played on Tudou.com.

That's why, even though he has a terrible mouth and makes all sorts of jokes and banter with people in the industry, he has never included Ruishijie in his list of targets for jokes; they all understand each other without saying a word.

Lu Rui's next target is Zhao Benshan's troupe.

If we could acquire the online rights to all the hit dramas like "Country Love," "Liu Laogen," and "Ma Dashuai," it would be like having a gold mine!
Unfortunately, things weren't going well with Lao Zhao. The people Ruishijie had sent to negotiate hadn't made any substantial progress.

Taking some free time, Lü Rui decided to try it out himself.

We're both from Northeast China. One is a leading figure in the entertainment industry of LN province, and the other is a rising star in the entertainment industry of Heilongjiang province. In terms of seniority and connections, it shouldn't be too difficult for us to sit down and talk about cooperation.

But right now, the most urgent task is to take care of the things at hand.

After hanging up the phone, Lü Rui took a deep breath, pushed open the door of the coffee shop, and went inside.

He glanced around and immediately spotted Matt Tolmacher sitting by the window.

This guy is in a terrible state right now. He has a stubble beard, heavy dark circles under his eyes, and a vacant look in his eyes. His former high spirits have completely disappeared, and he exudes a sense of dejection and despondency.

Lu Rui walked straight over, sat down opposite him, and gestured to the approaching waiter: "An Americano, please."

After the waiter left, he asked, "Matt? So Sony really wants you to take responsibility for the failure of 'Marie Antoinette'?"

Matt's explanation on the phone was vague, and he only half-understood it, which is why he continued to ask for more details.

Matt scratched his messy hair in frustration, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger:
"That movie was a box office flop, far below expectations, and someone had to take the blame. But I never expected that Francis would push me out!"

I was only responsible for coordinating a few scenes; the rest of the plot and directing had nothing to do with me!

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, and his emotions grew increasingly volatile; he even couldn't help but slam his fist on the table!
You know, this is the peak of his career!

The film "The Pursuit of Happyness" made him stand out within Sony, and he then took over the production of "Pacific Rim".

He thought that as long as the project succeeded, he could smoothly enter the management team.

But to everyone's surprise, the failure of "Marie Antoinette" made him a scapegoat, and all his efforts seemed to have become a joke.

"Matt, calm down."

Lu Rui reached out and pressed down on his arm, signaling him to calm down.

Fortunately, the coffee shop wasn't crowded at the moment, otherwise the waiter would definitely have reminded me.

"How can I stay calm?" Matt gasped for breath, his eyes filled with resentment. "They've ruined my career!"

Seeing his excited expression, Lü Rui softened his tone and said seriously:
"Matt, you need to be clear about this: if Sony doesn't recognize you, that's their loss."

I'll ask you one more time, are you interested in joining Ruixing Film Industry? I will absolutely give you the respect and trust you deserve! I'll help you realize your ambitions…”

This guy in front of me is a genius in the field of commercial films! He is the mastermind behind blockbuster works such as "The Amazing Spider-Man", "Venom" and "Jumanji".

Lü Rui was absolutely unwilling to let such a talent slip through his fingers.

He had invited them several times before, but they were always unwilling to leave Sony.

Now, this is a golden opportunity!

Matt was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and looked at Lü Rui with a dazed expression, clearly not expecting him to extend another invitation at this moment.

Seizing the opportunity, Lü Rui added, "As long as you're willing to come, I'll entrust you with all the follow-up work on Pacific Rim, and you'll also be in charge of liaising with Sony and Columbia."

Don't you want to prove yourself right? Don't you want to make those who used you as a scapegoat look at you with new respect?

Temptation, provocation, high welfare benefits... he used the art of language to its fullest extent.

Matt's expression gradually changed.

He has car and mortgage payments to make, a wife and children to support, and a pile of insurance bills to pay. He absolutely cannot be without a job.

Since the people at Sony don't think highly of him, he might as well turn around and join Ruixing Films, which is currently experiencing rapid growth.

Moreover, Pacific Rim was a project he had been following closely, so there was no transition period when he took over.

More importantly, if this project succeeds, he can give Sony's management a resounding slap in the face!

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate the poor in middle age!
He wants to prove himself; without him, it would be a huge loss for Sony!
"Phew!" Matt took a deep breath, his eyes hardening again, and nodded heavily: "Lv, I promise you."

Lu Rui smiled and shook his hand firmly: "Welcome to Ruixing Pictures! Matt, I believe this will be a place where you can showcase your talents."

"Alright, let's work together and take down Sony!"

"Haha, great, let's crush Sony!"

Having won over Matt, Lü Rui was in high spirits.

The company has gained another powerful asset, a professional producer at that. From now on, Peter, an outsider, won't have to run around every day anymore.

The following morning, in the conference room of Ruixing Film Industry, Lü Rui convened all members of the production department.

Amidst curious gazes, he brought Matt before the group and introduced him:
"Ladies and gentlemen, starting today, Matt Tolmacher will be the head of production at Ruixing Pictures, responsible for the overall coordination and arrangements of key projects such as 'Pacific Rim.' Let's welcome him..."

"Clap clap clap!"

Thunderous applause erupted immediately!

Peter was the happiest of them all.

He was finally able to lift a heavy burden off his shoulders; he was almost suffocating from the weight of it.

Matt stood before the crowd, his eyes resolute. Yesterday's dejection had vanished, replaced by a surge of fighting spirit.

He now has only one goal in his mind!
We must make Pacific Rim a success and use our professional achievements to give those idiots from Sony and Columbia a good slap in the face!
After several days of work, Peter approached Lv Rui and asked in surprise, "Lv, what's up with Matt? He's like he's on steroids, working with boundless energy every day."

Lu Rui laughed and patted him on the shoulder: "Because he, like you, has a clear 'battle' goal in mind." Peter wants to own a mansion in Beverly Hills, so he works particularly hard.

Matt, on the other hand, wanted to prove himself, so he was also working very hard.

Although the two have different goals, their efforts and directions are the same.

……

Soon, as the new work week began, the box office landscape of the North American theatrical market was completely set.

Marie Antoinette's daily box office fell below one million dollars, leaving it with only $94, completely eliminating any possibility of a comeback.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer didn't fare much better, with only $269 million in box office revenue on its first day and a very weak showing afterward.

Only "Twilight" maintained its momentum, still grossing over $700 million in a single day, thanks to the addition of more than 100 new theaters showing the film.

With this, the total North American box office has successfully surpassed $1.8 million, and is very close to the $2 million mark.

If overseas box office revenue is included in the statistics, then the total global box office revenue of "Twilight" has reached $2.6 million, and the growth momentum is very rapid!
Industry insiders predict that the film's global box office will easily surpass $3 million within a week.

Meanwhile, Jason Brom's PR team has gradually slowed down its pace.

After a final marketing push that sparked speculation that the male and female leads were holding hands in the street, seemingly revealing their relationship, the company quietly withdrew from the main marketing battleground.

The main reason is that the second half of the Hollywood summer movie season is about to begin.

"Bruce Almighty II", "1408", "Die Hard 4", "Alvin and the Chipmunks", and the national animated series "The Simpsons" have all launched large-scale marketing campaigns, all of which are major films distributed by the six major Hollywood studios.

To confront these formidable enemies head-on would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

For "Twilight", the initial hype has been fully ignited and the foundation has been laid. Going forward, all we need to do is let nature take its course and rely on word-of-mouth to maintain the long-tail effect of box office revenue.

After all, Hollywood theaters don't have the concept of key extension; as long as people are watching movies, they can continue to screen them indefinitely.

It's worth mentioning that Jason also brought back some very interesting news for Lü Rui:
"There's been some news from Warner Bros. Pictures. Apparently, their president, Barry Mayer, said that our Twilight series has had too much of an impact on the Harry Potter series, and he's demanding that the internal team immediately correct the flaws in subsequent installments."

"What are the complaints? What are they specifically?" Lü Rui asked with great interest.

"The main focus is on the romantic relationships of the main characters. The general feedback from the outside world is that the romance scenes in Harry Potter are terrible and far less delicate and moving than those in Twilight."

Lu Rui suddenly realized!

Indeed, the little boys and girls who watched Harry Potter back then have grown up and it's time for them to start dating.

However, compared to the romance in Twilight, the children in Harry Potter are vastly different from those in the original books.

Reading the original books, there's nothing wrong with Hermione and Ron being together, and Ginny is described very beautifully.

But the movie is completely different.

Emma Watson, who plays Hermione, has grown more and more beautiful, while the casting of Ginny is far removed from the "beautiful and charming" description in the original work.

This has created a very awkward situation.

The stunningly beautiful Hermione ended up being paired with the plain-looking Ron, while the ordinary-looking Ginny became Harry's lover, leaving countless fans feeling heartbroken.

If Ginny and Hermione were switched, there would definitely be far fewer people criticizing them.

But this is just a fantasy for fans; the movie certainly can't do that.

Even the original author, J.K. Rowling, has publicly expressed regret, admitting that if she had known Emma Watson was so stunning, she should have paired Harry and Hermione together when she wrote the book.

"Ignore them. They might even create some hype around this point later, using their weaknesses to highlight our strengths."

Lu Rui was delighted to see this scene.

It feels so good to compare someone else's weaknesses with your own strengths!

"Okay, I understand."

Jason understood immediately, nodded in agreement, and turned to leave, continuing his work.

The distribution task is far from over.

After securing the theatrical releases, there are still online and offline channels, merchandise, DVDs, and discs – these are the truly lucrative channels.

Lü Rui leaned back in his chair, in a good mood.

The fact that Warner Bros. had to make an emergency adjustment to its follow-up strategy for Harry Potter is enough to prove that the success of Twilight was no accident.

This was exactly the effect he wanted to see.

Meanwhile, as the first phase of the Twilight campaign came to a close, Guy Ritchie and Katherine Hardwicke finally got a well-deserved break.

However, Lü Rui didn't let them have a moment to rest.

He first finalized the director's contract with Hardwicke for "The Twilight Saga: New Moon".

The latter readily agreed without the slightest hesitation and did not make excessive demands regarding the salary.

Although she became famous in the industry because of "Twilight".

But she knew in her heart that her fame was not due to her great abilities, but rather to the support of high-quality projects.

Therefore, continuing to focus on this blockbuster series is the best way to consolidate our industry position.

She was especially grateful to Lü Rui for giving her the opportunity to continue her success, instead of replacing her.

As for Guy Ritchie, a talented individual, Lü Rui did not allow him to continue working with Hardwicke to direct "The Twilight Saga: New Moon".

He simply couldn't bring himself to do something so wasteful.

So, on a new day, he returned to the coffee shop that had witnessed Matt joining Ruixing Film Studio.

Guy Ritchie was already waiting there.

Recalling their first meeting, he was dejected, downcast, and listless.

He was like a walking corpse, suffering from both career setbacks and the ridicule of his wife Madonna.

But he is now completely different from before!
Her previously dull complexion regained its rosy hue, her downturned lips lifted into a confident curve, and her lifeless eyes sparkled with anticipation for the future!

It's like a new soul being injected into a zombie-like body!
“Lv, you’ve arrived.”

When Lü Rui pushed the door open and came in, Guy Ritchie quickly got up to greet him warmly.

Lu Rui smiled, sat down, ordered a coffee, and began exchanging pleasantries with him.

"Madonna no longer complains about me, and former business partners who had distanced themselves from me are now coming to me..."

Guy Ritchie spoke with great enthusiasm, clearly in high spirits.

Five minutes later, the café door was pushed open again, and Andy Serkis, who had come from the PS3 action game Heavenly Sword project team, walked in.

Lu Rui stood up and invited him to sit down, and then introduced the two of them to each other.

"Renowned director Guy Ritchie."

"Andy Serkis, Hollywood's first motion capture expert."

"Hello……"

After the three of them sat down again, Lü Rui took out a script from his briefcase and gently placed it in front of the two of them.

The cover prominently displays the name "Sherlock Holmes".

“Guy, I would like to ask you to direct this project next, and Andy, you will play the male lead in the film.”

As soon as Lü Rui finished speaking, the two of them couldn't wait to huddle together and start flipping through the script, becoming more and more excited as they read!

The dark humor and fast-paced editing of the script made Guy Ritchie's gaze even more intense.

Because this is exactly the kind of expression he was good at when he filmed "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch"!
Andy Serkis, standing next to him, was completely absorbed in the charm of the character.

As a native-born Briton, being able to portray Sherlock Holmes, a classic figure in British literary history, is an honor in itself.

What moved him even more was that Lü Rui had previously promised to tailor a script for him, and now he had actually kept his promise!

This warmed his heart...

Half an hour later, the two finished reading the entire script.

Seeing the barely concealed excitement in their eyes, Lü Rui smiled and asked, "So? Are you interested in this project?"

Guy Ritchie and Andy Serkis exchanged a glance, nodded emphatically in unison, and said in unison:
"It's perfect! We are extremely satisfied!"

These two were people Lu Rui had already set his sights on, so he immediately said, "Then this project is officially handed over to you. I hope you won't let me down."

"Lv, don't worry! I will definitely give it my best and make this awe-inspiring film!"

Guy Ritchie spoke with great conviction, and his gaze toward Lü Rui was intensely fervent.

After many years, and after countless failures and periods of silence, he finally had the opportunity to return to the mainstream film industry.

If it weren't for Lü Rui's appreciation and promotion, he might still be labeled a "loser," and his wife Madonna would have left him long ago.

Andy Serkis, standing nearby, excitedly said, "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Lv! I will do my best to portray Sherlock Holmes well!"

After many years in the industry, he finally landed his first true leading role in a film.

He will always remember this kindness and support!

Immediately after returning to Ruixing Film Studio, Lü Rui sought out Matt Tolmacher and revealed all the details of the "Sherlock Holmes" project.

"You will be in charge of this project, and at the same time continue to follow up on the progress of Pacific Rim."

Matt flipped through the documents in his hand and asked with great interest, "A cost of $9000 million, and we're making it independently?"

“Yes!” Lu Rui nodded emphatically, his tone resolute. “We’ll do it ourselves.”

Nowadays, Ruixing Pictures is fully capable of independently managing projects under $100 million.

Top-tier large-scale projects require collaboration to mitigate risks, but for medium-sized productions like this, he is capable of handling it alone.

Coincidentally, the box office revenue from "Twilight" can be injected into this new project, creating a perfect financial loop. It couldn't be more suitable.

...

After arranging the progress of "Sherlock Holmes", Lü Rui turned to the animation department to check on the progress of the "Despicable Me" project, which was in charge of Meledandri.

Seeing that the character design and storyboarding were progressing as planned, and that the core humor and world-building were beginning to take shape, he nodded in satisfaction and instructed the latter to make sure to control the animation's pacing and character development.

After ensuring the company's smooth operation, he prepared to return to China.

It's been almost half a month since he left, and there are still several projects in China waiting for him to sign off on them.

The casting process for "Reversal of Life" and the project preparation for "The Witch" were both inseparable from his final decisions.

However, before returning home, he and Peter Griffin did something very important.

The two flew to the Netherlands and found the painter Moritz Cornelis Escher, from whom they bought the copyrights to several classic paintings, including "Ascent and Descendance," "Relativity," and "The Gallery."

Peter was completely bewildered and kept asking him what he was going to do with all this stuff.
However, Lü Rui just smiled mysteriously and said, "It's a secret for now. This is the inspiration for my next movie. You'll find out when the time comes."

After acquiring the copyright, the two then split up.

Peter returned to Los Angeles to continue overseeing the company's daily operations, while Lu Rui flew to Hong Kong to visit the sets of "Ip Man" and "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil".

After a brief stopover, he transferred to Shanghai, intending to check on the filming of "Nanjing Photo Studio" along the way.

Coincidentally, he landed in Shanghai just as July began.

On the morning of the 1st, a nomination list for the main competition section of the Venice International Film Festival swept through the entire Chinese-language film and television industry!
(End of this chapter)