Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 399, Section 397: Two Weeks and One Year

Beijing time, April 1, 2002, afternoon.

While April Fool's jokes in the Western world were still circulating in the early days of the internet and in offices, a serious business news item from across the Pacific Ocean struck like a thunderbolt, shaking the cultural and entertainment circles of mainland China and Hong Kong.

According to reliable sources from Shengying Media's public relations department, the financial and cultural entertainment sections of various local evening newspapers have all prominently featured the same news:
[Sheng Ying's "Shaolin Soccer" raked in $812 million in its opening weekend in North America!]

Stephen Chow's "nonsensical" style sweeps across the New World; Chinese film star makes another foray into Hollywood!

Shengying Media, a candidate for "China's first listed film company," showcases its international distribution capabilities!

In the report, the authors used excited and even slightly exaggerated language to describe in detail how "Shaolin Soccer" defied the odds and rose against the strong competition from "Ice Age" by relying on its unique style and precise marketing, achieving a box office of $812 million in its opening weekend in 902 theaters, ranking fourth that week, with a per-theater box office of $9002.

有心的编辑立刻算了一笔账：按照2002年4月1日公布的美元兑人民币基准汇率（约1：8.28），812万美元约合6723万人民币！

What does this figure mean in the context of the Chinese film market in 2002?
It's worth noting that just last year, in 2001, the total box office revenue for films in mainland China was only a little over 20 billion RMB.

One film grossed nearly 6700 million RMB at the box office overseas in just one weekend and three days!
This is almost equivalent to the total box office expectation of a medium-budget domestic film during its entire domestic release period!
In an instant, the mainland entertainment industry was shaken!

Authoritative media outlets such as the Beijing Evening News, Xinmin Evening News, Yangtse Evening Post, and Yangcheng Evening News wrote commentary articles overnight.

"This is not just a victory for the film 'Shaolin Soccer,' but also a successful spillover effect of China's exploration of genre and commercialization!" — Beijing Evening News

"Wang Sheng and his Shengying Media have once again proven their accurate market judgment and international vision. From wedding videography to dominating the Lunar New Year film season, from establishing a cinema chain to venturing into Hollywood, every step he has taken has been perfectly timed to reflect the changing times." — Xinmin Evening News

"Borrowing a boat to cross the sea, a surprise attack to achieve victory! The North American success of 'Shaolin Soccer' provides a new and replicable approach for Chinese films 'going global': it's not about blindly pandering; highlighting cultural characteristics and accurately targeting the audience can also lead to the same goal." — Yangcheng Evening News

The media spared no praise for Wang Sheng, the mastermind behind the scenes, calling him "the standard-bearer of the commercialization of Chinese films" and "a bridge connecting Eastern and Western cultures." Meanwhile, Stephen Chow, standing in the spotlight, garnered almost fanatical adulation.

……

The Hong Kong entertainment industry was also in an uproar.

Hong Kong media outlets such as Oriental Evening News and Apple Evening News reported on this "glory of Hong Kong films" with more extensive coverage and more eye-catching headlines.

"Stephen Chow's whirlwind has swept Hollywood! 'Shaolin Soccer' opens in North America a box office smash!" — Oriental Evening News

"Chow Yun-fat, Stephen Chow, and Li Lianjie reunite in Hollywood! Stephen Chow becomes the fourth Chinese male star to successfully break into the mainstream Hollywood market with 'Shaolin Soccer', following Jackie Chan, Li Lianjie, and Chow Yun-fat!" — Entertainment Evening News

"A shining example of Hong Kong cinema! Stephen Chow's comedic aesthetics have conquered North American audiences, proving that Chinese humor knows no borders!" — Apple Evening Post

So, was the media's hype—that "Stephen Chow will become the fourth Chinese male star to enter the mainstream of Hollywood, after Jackie Chan, Li Lianjie, and Chow Yun-fat"—found valid in the context of 2002? Jackie Chan had already become a Hollywood action comedy superstar after successfully entering the mainstream North American market with "Rumble in the Bronx" in 1995.

Between 2000 and 2002, the "Shanghai Noon" and "Rush Hour" series solidified his status as a top-tier actor, making him the undisputed most successful, highest-paid, and most influential Chinese actor in Hollywood at the time.

Since his stunning debut as a villain in "Lethal Weapon 4" in 1998, Li Lianlian has established himself as a mainstream Hollywood action star with "Romeo Must Die" in 2000. "The Saviour" in 2001 and the upcoming "Hero" both demonstrate his strong market appeal.

At that time, he was one of the few Chinese action stars who could go toe-to-toe with Jackie Chan in Hollywood.

Chow Yun-fat's situation is slightly different.

Although he attempted to break into Hollywood in 1998 with "The Replacement Killers" and in 1999 with "The Brink," both films were commercially unsuccessful and failed to truly solidify his status as a top-tier actor.

It wasn't until the huge artistic and commercial success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000 that Chow Yun-fat gained high reputation and recognition in the West for his role as Li Mu Bai.

However, in terms of his personal commercial value in Hollywood, he still lags behind Jackie Chan and Li Lianjie, and is more often regarded as an Asian superstar with extremely high prestige.

Before "Shaolin Soccer," Stephen Chow's films were mainly circulated among Asian Americans and cult film enthusiasts in North America through videotapes and pirated VCDs. Although they had a good reputation, they did not enter the mainstream.

Shake Soccer was its first film to be commercially released on a large scale in North America.

With a box office of $812 million in its opening weekend and a potential total of over $5000 million, this was unprecedented for a non-English comedy, especially a Chinese comedy, in 2002.

It proves that Stephen Chow's unique "nonsensical" comedy style, with effective marketing, can overcome cultural barriers and be accepted by a considerable number of mainstream North American audiences.

Therefore, when the media elevated Stephen Chow to "the fourth Chinese male star to enter the mainstream of Hollywood, second only to Jackie Chan, Li Lianjie, and Chow Yun-fat" in April 2002, it was largely based on the sudden success and huge symbolic significance of "Shaolin Soccer," a kind of "prediction" and "coronation" full of expectations and national pride.

It accurately reflects the industry's and the public's strong desire for another Chinese superstar to rise in Hollywood, and also highlights the huge international prestige and commercial potential that Stephen Chow gained with this film.

Although Stephen Chow's subsequent career path in Hollywood differed from that of Jackie Chan and Li Lian, who focused on action films, the success of "Shaolin Soccer" undoubtedly propelled him into the ranks of "Chinese actors with influence in the mainstream Hollywood market."

Their situations at the time were quite different from Chow Yun-fat's, but together they formed the picture of "Two Chows and One Jackie" continuing their glory in Hollywood.

In the spring of 2002, thanks to Wang Sheng's efforts and Zhou Xingxing's talent, this picture became clearer and more exciting than ever before.

"The glory of Chow Yun-fat, Stephen Chow and Jackie Chan will continue in Hollywood!"—This kind of headline filled newspapers across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

(End of this chapter)