Huayu: A Commercial Director

Chapter 288 Two Billion in Hand, Dad
"You, you, you, even a big director can't go this far! I'm a movie star, after all. My acting skills are fine. So what if it's an R-rated movie? I'll do a Category III movie too. If they asked me to star in Lust, Caution, I'd do it."

"You've been bragging about being a Best Actor for ages, and the Hong Kong Film Awards have become your backyard, hahaha, come on, these days anyone can be a Best Actor. I just got off the plane, what do you want?" Chen Shou smiled. Huang Bo had high emotional intelligence, but he also had his own confidence. Among male actors in mainland China, there were very few who could match his box office appeal and audience popularity.

He called right after he got off the plane. The news that Fifty Shades of Grey had grossed $500 million at the box office had spread throughout the Chinese film industry, and it was estimated that there would be news about it soon.

After all, it's an R-rated movie with explicit content, and Chen Shou was already prepared to be teased.

SM.

What will others think of him in the future? What if they think he has this kind of fetish?
What if a female celebrity with the same fetish comes knocking on your door?

Is he accepting, or is he hesitant and reluctant?
After all, he wrote the script; who knows what he was thinking?

Is it because he likes this kind of food?

Huang Bo would never dare to make such a joke. He was just joking and testing the waters. Who wouldn't want to go to the other market? Who wouldn't want to go international? Huang Bo also longed for a higher status and more prestigious awards.

“I’m having a little dream right now,” Huang Bo said.

What are you doing in Little Dream?

“Urshan pulled me to audition for other actors. My movie is about to start filming, so I came over to have a meeting with the team,” Huang Bo said.

"Oh, I see. Wait a moment, I'll be right there," Chen Shou said.

"Okay, I'll wait for you. I'm going to eat at your place today. I saw you and Leonardo eating so well."

"Don't even mention it. The food there is terrible. It's okay to eat it occasionally, but it's too greasy."

"Hey, I'm just a country bumpkin, I've never eaten this before."

"Alright, that's enough."

"That's not bad. I saw some alcohol in your office, hehe."

"No problem, I haven't had it yet this year."

Just as he hung up the phone, a group of reporters came over with microphones and cameras. Chen Shou's assistant, Xiao Fang, and the others went up to block them and helped Chen Shou into the car.

Airports are practically fashion shows these days. I don't know what those celebrities are thinking, always having to make a scene.

After blocking several reporters from who-knows-where, the group got into the car and headed straight for Xiaoxiaomeng.

Soon news of his return to China appeared on Weibo, and the media posted the photos they had taken.

Director Chen Shouzhe has returned to China after attending the Oscars!

Many people left comments below, especially netizens who had received the news.

"Director Chen has made money again recently. The Wandering Earth and The Mermaid are still showing in theaters, crushing other movies. Foreign movies are also making waves."

What foreign movies?

"The R-rated movie Fifty Shades of Grey"

Is it good? When will it be released?

"I already said it's an R-rated movie, and the censorship is very strict. Forget about that movie. It's like a Category III film in Hong Kong, no, it's even more restricted than a Category III film. It contains SM elements."

"Wow, SM plot? Is it that exciting? Did Chen Shou direct this?"

"No, he wrote the screenplay, and Columbia Pictures produced it. It has already grossed $5 million worldwide."

"Wow, that's so profitable?"

"What I'm more concerned about is that Director Chen Shou can write scripts with SM plots, so isn't he actually also..." "Rumor has it that he and Yang Mi, Reba..."

When will we be able to see it?

"Requesting resources."

The comments section on Weibo was buzzing because of Fifty Shades of Grey, with discussions quickly reaching thousands of posts.

After all, it has SM themes, which is really... too tempting. Just like Lust, Caution, who wouldn't want to watch Tang Wei?

Netizens joked that people in the film and television industry can only feel envy and jealousy towards Chen Shouzhe, who is making money overseas again. He doesn't need to film; he can make money just by writing a script.

Look at how wildly popular "The Wandering Earth" and "The Mermaid" are doing in China right now.

The Wandering Earth grossed over 30 billion yuan in ten days and is expected to surpass 40 billion yuan. The Mermaid grossed 22 billion yuan in ten days. The two films together grossed 52 billion yuan, averaging 5.2 million yuan per day.

Other companies are no longer relevant. The total box office during the Spring Festival was only 600-700 million yuan, which was completely devoured by the two films. After the Spring Festival holiday, traffic plummeted, leaving only these two films on the market.

It might even be delayed further, leaving no room for other films to survive.

They've made a killing domestically, and they're also making money from foreign films.

"No wonder he could come up with 154 billion yuan in cash to buy Wanda Pictures stock." Wang Changtian has been experiencing both pain and joy these days.

What's gratifying is that The Wandering Earth has him in it, he's the producer.

The painful thing is that The Wandering Earth was the last collaboration between Light Chaser Animation and Shou Zhe Pictures.

Is Chen Shouzhe short of money?
There might have been a shortage before, but there isn't anymore these days. Based on the proportions, Chen Shouzhe can earn 1 billion yuan from the two movies combined. The Mermaid is expected to break 3 billion yuan at the box office, and The Wandering Earth could even reach 4.5 billion yuan. The overseas box office has already exceeded 300 million US dollars in ten days.

The domestic revenue totals nearly 8 billion, and if we assume his 20% share, he'll receive 1.6 billion. His overseas share is already 50 million US dollars, and he expects to receive 2 billion.

If Chen Shou maintains control of the film's main business, he will have subsequent film copyrights. In other words, Chen Shou will have control over the copyrights of two films, allowing him to continue making money steadily.

Now, anyone can lend Chen money because he can pay it back, and he can pay it back immediately.

Wang Changtian was filled with regret. He already had Wanda Pictures, so he no longer needed Enlight Media, which didn't have any theaters.

Since Chen Shouzhe took over Wanda Pictures, Enlight Media's stock has been falling. It only started to improve after the Lunar New Year with the release of The Wandering Earth, but today I don't know where this news came from.

Enlight Media and Shou Zhe Pictures never collaborated again, and the company's fortunes plummeted once more.

At the board meeting, the matter of his previous refusal was brought up again, and Wang Changtian was subjected to sarcastic remarks.

After all, he was the one who led the opposition against Chen Shouzhe coming in. Now it's fine, it doesn't matter anymore.

Other companies were actually in a worse situation than Enlight Media; they didn't even have the opportunity to cooperate. This was the case with China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group, who were gradually abandoned by Chen Shouzhe.

If you have the ability to eat alone, you will naturally eat alone.

After all, he is the second largest shareholder of the largest cinema chain in the country, and it is unclear whether he will become the largest in the future, because Wanda seems to want to continue the bet.

If Chen is given a few years, he might be able to take over the entire Wanda Pictures.

Many people knew he was back through Weibo. Chen Shouzhe was in the car when a video call came in. He glanced at it and answered without hesitation.

"father!"

The video started playing, and a voice calling him "Dad" warmed his heart.

(End of this chapter)