I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

These aspects were almost impossible for previous Chinese science fiction films, but The Wandering Earth does them very well.

Therefore, "The Wandering Earth" may not be much compared to Hollywood sci-fi blockbusters, but in China, it is indeed a milestone.

Now, Han Sanye and others want him to make a science fiction film, which Cheng Sheng doesn't mind, since he has plenty of science fiction movies in his mind. However, some of the rigid conditions in China do not support him in making a science fiction film.

Seeing the expectant looks from Master Han and the others, Cheng Sheng fell into deep thought.

It seems these people are quite agitated by the news about Avatar!

They've already been provoked before the movie even premiered; once it's released, it'll likely be a blow, not a provocation.

The impact of Avatar was so great that it almost shattered the confidence of contemporary filmmakers in China.

This confidence wasn't just reflected in the box office; it was also shaken in every other aspect.

Released in 2009, Avatar was a huge success, breaking box office records and holding the title of the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of Avengers: Endgame.

But the legend of Avatar goes far beyond box office success. In addition to opening the door for science fiction films, Avatar has brought much more to contemporary cinema.

James Cameron had a very specific vision for Avatar, which is why he waited so long to finally finish the film.

He is dedicated to developing new motion capture animation technology to better capture actors' facial expressions for animators to use later.

Other technologies developed for Avatar include: a new system for lighting large areas of scenes such as the Pandora jungle, a new texturing and drawing software system, and new methods to make many CGI elements as realistic as possible.

In addition, Avatar made the 3D format popular again, and since then, many movies have been released in 3D.

It was designed to be a unique theatrical experience, and it has undoubtedly succeeded in that respect, while also enabling other films to take full advantage of these new technologies.

Simply put, without the technological advancements of Avatar, movies like Avengers: Endgame and even Star Wars wouldn't be what they are today.

The success of Avatar led to its re-release in theaters in 2010, with the studio adding nine minutes of extra footage for the film.

The re-release increased box office revenue, and of course, as everyone knows, Avengers: Endgame learned this trick well and also gained extra box office revenue.

Another unique aspect of Avatar is its release date, which ultimately became a "strategy" for the film industry.

In the past, summer was the ideal time to release blockbusters, but the success of Avatar proved that December is also a good month for film releases.

This is why many of Disney's Star Wars movies are released in December.

While many film enthusiasts think the world has forgotten Avatar, the truth is that this movie has had such a profound impact on so many areas that it will not be forgotten for a long time to come.

Not to mention that James Cameron also has Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 to follow.

"Mr. Han, you really overestimate me. I'm okay at making historical films, but I really can't do science fiction films," Cheng Sheng said helplessly.

Do you really think making a sci-fi movie is easy?

It's not a question of whether he can do it or not; it's that he simply can't.

The reason wasn't that Director Cheng Sheng lacked ability, but rather that the domestic environment wasn't yet conducive to producing truly sci-fi films. "Director Cheng, if you can't do it, then no one else in the country can," Yu Dong said.

Initially, Han Sanye and others did consider well-known domestic directors such as Zhang Guoshi, Feng Xiaogang, and Chen Kaige.

Furthermore, Han Sanye approached Zhang Guoshi, hoping he could direct a true Chinese-language science fiction film, but unfortunately Zhang Guoshi refused.

He declined for two reasons: first, he needed to prepare for next year's Olympics; second, he wasn't confident he could make a science fiction film, since he had never directed this type of movie before.

As for the remaining Chen Kaige and Feng Dapao, Master Han did not contact them. After all, even Zhang Guoshi said he was not confident, let alone these two.

Therefore, Master Han thought of Cheng Sheng.

In terms of directing ability, Cheng Sheng is no match for Zhang Yimou and others; in terms of box office success, Cheng Sheng is undoubtedly superior.

This is also why Master Han and others approached Cheng Sheng.

"Xiao Cheng! I hope you can step forward and become a pioneer for Chinese science fiction films," Han Sanye said earnestly.

"Yes! Director Cheng, the future of Chinese science fiction films rests on your shoulders."

"I believe that you, Director Cheng, have the ability to help the development of Chinese-language science fiction films."

Mr. Wang and Lu Zheng also chimed in.

Suddenly, several people grabbed Cheng Sheng and lifted him up, as if Cheng Sheng would be a sinner against Chinese-language cinema if he didn't agree.

"These old guys are making me carry the torch, but the problem is, this isn't an easy task! If the sci-fi movie goes wrong, all the blame might fall on me," Cheng Sheng thought to himself, speechless.

"Xiao Cheng, if you take on this task, we will all owe you a favor."

Master Han could tell that Cheng Sheng was somewhat resistant, but for the sake of Chinese science fiction films, he was willing to go all out.

Yu Dong and Lu Zhang didn't react much to what was said, but Xiao Wang hesitated. He wasn't too concerned about the future of Chinese science fiction films; he was only with Han Sanye and the others because of their interests.

Now that he owes Cheng Sheng a favor, if it weren't for the fear of offending Master Han, he would have left long ago and wouldn't have gotten involved in this kind of thing.

"Mr. Han, it's not a matter of whether I recognize it or not, it's just that I'm not confident I can make a good science fiction movie," Cheng Sheng declined.

Seeing that Cheng Sheng still refused, Third Master Han said dejectedly, "Is the Chinese market really not suitable for making science fiction movies?"

"Mr. Han, you're wrong. It's not that China isn't suitable for making science fiction films, but rather that China hasn't yet developed a true fertile ground for science fiction movies," Cheng Sheng retorted.

"Director Cheng, what do you mean by this?" Yu Dong asked, looking puzzled.

The others were the same; none of them understood what Cheng Sheng meant.

Does China need to turn over the soil first if it wants to make a science fiction movie?
Cheng Sheng summarized something from another memory and said, "Science fiction movies cannot be separated from reality. Without the support of reality, all that is left is fantasy."

"The production of a science fiction film is a massive and complex undertaking, requiring meticulous planning, efficient teamwork, and advanced technological support to ensure that every step is completed efficiently, systematically, and professionally." (End of Chapter)