Reborn in the Entertainment Industry: This Top Star Has Real Achievements

Zhang Hui, being scrutinized like this, naturally couldn't guess the hidden thoughts in his mind.

However, since the two were sitting close together, Zhang Hui noticed that Li Xiang's gaze had fallen on the page of "The Mermaid Empire".

Seeing that he had been staring at her for a while, she knew it was her turn to speak, so she quickly leaned forward, her tone tinged with excitement:

"Li Xiang, this film, *The Mermaid Empire*, is no ordinary film. The investment alone is a whopping 900 million yuan, and it's a major Sino-US co-production!"

Upon hearing this, even Li Xiang couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and look up at Zhang Hui: "Nine hundred million? From the company?"

Zhang Hui quickly waved his hand: "How is that possible? The company has only just started getting into the film business, where would we get 900 million to invest in a movie?"

They only invested a small amount; the majority of the funding came from other companies.

Hearing this, Li Xiang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

When he first heard "nine hundred million," he almost immediately concluded that it was going to be a terrible movie.

In this day and age, what normal big-budget production would spend such an outrageous amount of money?

He even guessed that this film about an empire might never have been released at all.

If the company had fully invested in this project, he would have wondered if Huace had been ruined by his actions.

Now that I've heard it was just a "significant" amount, I can finally relax.

Of course, he didn't show these thoughts on his face, and just listened quietly.

Seeing that he didn't continue speaking, Zhang Hui started talking non-stop and began to introduce himself:

What kind of Sino-US co-production 3D fantasy film is this, with a Bond girl as the lead actress, a Hollywood team handling the production, and even the special effects being done by the same team behind Avatar!

Every time he mentioned a "highlight," Li Xiang's judgment of the film as a "bad movie" deepened.

It wasn't until Zhang Hui mentioned that "Yang Mi also played a supporting role in it" that Li Xiang could practically guarantee that it was an absolute flop.

It's worth noting that, given the fighting spirit of Yang Mi's fans, they will never miss an opportunity to criticize any film she's acted in that has even the slightest bit of box office success or positive reviews.

However, in his previous life, this blockbuster was never mentioned by fans or the media, which shows that it was so bad that it was impossible to even mention it.

He picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and concealed the knowing look in his eyes.

Seeing Zhang Hui still talking excitedly, he felt that this matter was becoming more and more interesting—

A Sino-US co-production with a budget of 900 million yuan, boasting so many gimmicks, ultimately turned out to be a terrible film. The intricacies behind this are probably more fascinating than the script itself.

"Mr. Zhang wants me to act in this film as well?" Seeing that Zhang Hui was still talking non-stop, Li Xiang decided to speak first.

Zhang Hui's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands: "You're really clever! If you can get this role, the company will give you a good promotion when the movie is released."

"Perhaps he'll be another name from our region that will resonate internationally, following in the footsteps of Zhang Ziyi!"

After hearing this incredible story, Li Xiang finally understood why the usually refined Zhang Hui was acting so energetically.

If an international superstar really emerges from his team, his newly established agency will likely become Huace's trump card immediately.

Even for listed companies, having an artist who has made it onto the international stage is a remarkable achievement, enough to support a stable business empire.

Having figured this out, Li Xiang put aside his previous wariness of Zhang Hui.

There's no doubt that the other party genuinely cared about him and had no ill intentions; it's just that their judgment wasn't great, which is understandable.

After all, just looking at the scale and scale of this investment, anyone would think it's a good opportunity; otherwise, Yang Mi wouldn't have come.

The problem is, he knows all too well the inner workings of these co-productions; basically, there's not a single capable actor among them...

What's troubling him now is how to refuse this kind offer—

To avoid hurting feelings while also avoiding this nonsensical film, one must strike the right balance.

Saying "this is a bad movie" directly is definitely not an option, as it would be too embarrassing; the only way is to find an excuse to make it seem reasonable and acceptable to both Zhang Hui and the company.

"Mr. Zhang, I'm very grateful that you think so highly of me." Li Xiang put down his cup, his tone sincere but with a hint of caution.

"But I'm still a student at the Beijing Film Academy. I'm afraid I'll have to be on set for a long time for such a large-scale co-production."

But if I keep skipping school, the school administration will definitely have something to say. After all, no matter how big the production, it can't compare to Director Zhang's influence—

You should know that Director Zhang specifically contacted the school to arrange for me to balance filming and my studies; you might not know that.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hui indeed hesitated.

He knew that the early preparations for "The Mermaid Empire" had been a huge undertaking.

With real sets built, location shooting across the country, and extensive underwater filming, an investment of 900 million yuan could easily take one or two years to complete.

Although he didn't believe the production team would let Li Xiang stay on set the whole time, it would indeed be a loss if his studies were delayed because of this film.

He is somewhat superstitious about Hollywood, but just because he believes in it doesn't mean that the Beijing Film Academy believes in it too.

Moreover, compared to the halo of being a "Zhang Yimou's leading man," Li Xiang's identity as a "current student at Beijing Film Academy" is equally valuable.

It is the combination of these two halos that has supported his current status. If he were to fall out with the school, he would likely lose some of his prestige.

Before Zhang Hui could speak, Li Xiang continued, "And as you said, the company is only a co-investor, so I don't think my role will be too important."

But I'm a "Zhang Yimou's leading man," a movie lead actor. If I spend a year or two on one film and end up only getting a supporting role...

"At that time, not only will I be embarrassed, but the company will also lose face! You know, the company is about to become the second listed film and television company in China!"

At this point, Director Li, who was standing nearby, also realized that this was clearly a "better safe than sorry" situation, and immediately chimed in:

"Mr. Zhang, what Li Xiang said makes sense. It's not worth it for our top artists to be relegated to a supporting role in a co-production and waste another year or two."

In that time, Li Xiang could probably climb several more levels. Or perhaps you should ask if there are any more important roles available?

Zhang Hui shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness: "No more."

The core roles have already been decided on Hollywood actors, and our share of the investment is limited, so the roles we can secure are also limited.

The office was silent for a few seconds. Li Xiang didn't say anything more and just sat quietly.

He knew that after saying all that, Zhang Hui should think it over.

If the outcome is not as expected, the loss will not only be time, but may also affect the company's stock price.

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Thank you all for following along! I will continue to work hard to write a good story!