novellhall Chapter 156 A Salary Far Exceeding Expectations
Chapter 156 A Salary Far Exceeding Expectations
Chapter 156 A Salary Far Exceeding Expectations
"Did you see the data?"
Rob called.
"Just finished watching, it's reached 800 million, almost 1 billion!"
Chen Xun took a sip of coffee.
"It's not just coming soon, it's a done deal! The betting odds in the industry right now are all about whether it can break through the National Day holiday."
Rob spoke rapidly: "Bro, you're not just the male lead in 'The Hunger Games,' you're already seen as a golden key to unlocking the Asian market, especially the Chinese market!"
This was within Chen Xun's expectations.
Box office numbers are the ultimate measure of success!
With box office success, you can stand tall!
From now on, any scripts with Asian elements or that aim to open up the Asian market will be submitted to him first.
After hanging up with Robert, Chen Xun received a message on his phone.
Jennifer sent me a meme of herself staring at her computer screen in disbelief.
The screen displays blurry charts of box office data.
"Holy crap! My agent just rattled off a string of numbers. I'm starting to wonder if we accidentally filmed a money-printing machine?"
Chen Xun smiled and replied, "Welcome to the Billion Dollar Club, Big Sister, how does it feel?"
"It felt like I was shooting arrows in a movie, and each one turned into countless gold coins raining down on me."
Jennifer replied: "How are your contract renewal negotiations going? My agent said my current offer can buy two villas, and I've decided to buy one right next to yours!"
Chen Xun was a bit overwhelmed.
Jennifer is addicted to staying here!
All the women who had feelings for him flocked to Beverly Hills.
Now even the security guards at the gate almost know him!
Whenever a female celebrity shows up, everyone assumes she's there to see Chen Xun.
Exit the chat application.
Chen Xun appeared on Weibo.
A notification popped up immediately indicating that the account had three million followers.
In just a few days, his Weibo followers increased by two million!
His latest Weibo post already has tens of thousands of comments.
"A billion! My brother-in-law is awesome!"
"Eight hundred million US dollars globally! A source of pride for the Chinese people!"
"The search for Brother Xun is now international!"
"I love you even more after watching the movie! You're such a talented actor!"
"On behalf of District 12, sending our congratulations! May good fortune always be with you at the box office!"
There were also some with a unique perspective: "My company organized three viewings, and I'm sick of writing reviews, but I endured it for my brother-in-law's box office success!"
"Our political education teacher used movies as examples again; I can now recite the lines with my eyes closed—"
Chen Xun looked at these comments and sighed.
He thought for a moment and posted a new Weibo post: "Just saw the latest box office data. Behind these numbers are countless people around the world who went to the cinema. Thank you for every movie ticket, every discussion, and every bit of support. This achievement belongs to everyone who loves this story. Keep going, and may good luck always be with you. #TheHungerGames #Gratitude"
The moment it was posted, the number of likes, shares, and comments started to skyrocket.
The Hunger Games has swept the globe.
With the final screenings concluded, the final box office figures were completely locked and officially released by an authoritative box office statistics agency.
The film grossed $6.01 million at the North American box office!
They firmly held onto their third-place position for the year.
The first place was successfully taken by "The Avengers," which aired earlier.
The difference between the two is only $2000 million!
It broke into the top 20 in film history rankings!
The film grossed 15.2 billion yuan (approximately 2.38 million US dollars) in China.
This figure even surpasses the contribution of any single country market outside North America, becoming the undisputed pillar of the film's overseas box office and setting a new record for Hollywood films in the Chinese market.
It grossed $11.18 billion worldwide.
That's more than $10 million over the $1 billion requirement in the contract!
Lionsgate, a second-tier studio that started with low-budget horror films and adaptations of young adult novels, kicked open the door to the "hundred-billion-dollar club" with this movie and took a seat in the front row.
The media has gone completely mad!
The Hollywood Reporter's front-page headline read: "The Hunger Games: How a Movie Redefines a Company and an Era."
The article breaks down every successful step from casting and marketing to global distribution, with a significant section analyzing the "Chen Xun factor."
"In the early stages of the project, casting a Chinese actor as Pita Morakot was considered by the company to be a risky gamble."
"However, the final data proved that this may be one of the smartest casting decisions Lionsgate has made in recent years, and even in Hollywood in recent years."
"Chen Xun not only perfectly portrayed the character's gentleness and resilience, but also became a cultural bridge connecting Hollywood's mainstream narrative with the vast Asian market, especially the Chinese market."
"His acting charisma and the dual appeal of his Chinese heritage inject the film with a cross-cultural energy that is hard to replicate."
"Data shows that of the film's $11.18 billion global box office, the Asian market contributed more than 35%, with China accounting for more than 20% of that."
"Chen Xun, this young actor from the East, has become an indispensable part of the phenomenal global box office miracle of this movie."
Variety magazine focused on the phenomenon itself: "From the viral spread of memes on social media platforms to the unexpected in-depth interpretation by mainstream Eastern media and the resulting organized movie-watching trend."
"The box office trajectory of The Hunger Games was full of unpredictable network effects and cultural clashes."
"The pairing of Chen Xun and Jennifer Lawrence unexpectedly struck a chord with young audiences in both the East and the West, resonating with their emotions and prompting reflection."
The New York Times Culture section published a commentary: "When a Chinese-American face becomes the male lead in a global teen science fiction epic and achieves unprecedented success, it heralds a new stage in Hollywood's global narrative."
Reports appeared one after another, and Chen Xun's name was mentioned repeatedly.
Fans on Weibo were as happy as if it were Chinese New Year: "11 billion US dollars! Brother-in-law is awesome!"
"15 billion RMB! Our Chinese fans are really something!"
"Have you seen the foreign media analysis? They're all saying that Brother Xun is the key! I'm so proud!"
"I've been a fan since Han Lee in '2 Broke Girls,' and watching him rise to become a leading man with 11 billion in global box office revenue feels like completing a simulation game!"
"We must celebrate! Sisters, let's get together!"
An online celebration, entirely organized and funded by fans, was launched on Weibo and various fan forums.
#Congratulations to Chen Xun for surpassing 11 billion in global box office revenue#
It quickly rose to the top of the trending searches!
Fans created beautiful congratulatory illustrations, edited montage videos of Chen Xun's growth from extra to Peeta, and even composed celebratory songs, generating quite a buzz online.
Fan clubs in several major cities also organized small-scale offline gatherings where everyone watched movie clips together and shared the moments when they fell in love with Chen Xun.
On the day the movie's run ended, Rob came to find Chen Xun with the financial settlement report.
"Here are the final numbers!"
Rob spread the documents out on the coffee table: "Your base salary is $400 million, and the main thing is the box office revenue sharing."
He pointed to a line of bold numbers: "According to the tiered profit-sharing agreement we signed with Lionsgate, for the portion of the global box office exceeding $10 billion, your share is three percent of the net profit. After deducting all distribution, promotion, costs, etc., your share of the box office revenue is $1600 million, plus your salary, totaling $2000 million."
Twenty million!
US dollars!
Chen Xun felt a moment of dizziness.
That's over 1 million RMB!
Even though Chen Xun was mentally prepared, he still felt his heart skip a beat.
"but!"
Rob adjusted his glasses and began the final calculations: "The IRS is always the first partner to reach out when you're reaping the rewards. With federal tax plus California state tax, the combined tax rate is about 40%."
Chen Xun nodded.
He had expected this, and it wasn't the first time he'd paid taxes, but he still felt the pinch.
There's no way around it; when you make money in California, it's impossible to avoid paying taxes!
"Cut 40% off the 2000 million, leaving 1200 million."
Rob continued, "According to our newly renewed brokerage contract, my commission remains unchanged at 8%!"
This is the contract that Chen Xun and he later renewed.
Because of Chen Xun's outstanding performance, Rob maintained his previous 8% commission rate.
Rob grinned: "We're in this together. The more I earn, the more you earn. 8% is deducted from the 1200 million after tax, which is 96. The final amount deposited into your account is 1104 million."
He circled the number on the last line of the document.
$1100 million!
After tax!
After this movie, Chen Xun's personal assets truly jumped to a new level.
"What about Jennifer?" Chen Xun asked.
"Her base salary is a little lower than yours, but the profit-sharing ratio is similar because she is the absolute female lead."
Rob flipped through the documents: "She received about $10 million in box office revenue. After taxes and commissions, she took home about $5.2 million."
Robert had barely finished speaking.
Chen Xun's phone rang; it was Jennifer.
The call connected, and on the other end came an excited scream that could almost shatter eardrums, mixed with rapid words: "Chen! The money's in! My God, so many zeros! My agent just told me the number! I need to calm down!"
But I can't calm down!
Chen Xun held the phone a little further away: "Big Cousin, how are you planning to spend this money?"
"Buy a house!"
Jennifer blurted out, "I want to buy a house in Beverly Hills!"
"It would be best if it were close to where you live, so it would be convenient to get a free meal! I've already asked my real estate agent to look for one!"
'
really!
What's meant to happen will happen!
Chen Xun was amused by her decisive manner: "The housing prices around here aren't cheap. Are you sure you want to spend the money like this right after getting it?"
"Of course! This isn't just spending money, it's an investment!"
Jennifer was quite decisive: "I'm not going to talk about it anymore. My agent called me again; there must be news about the house! We'll talk later!"
The phone call was abruptly ended.
Chen Xun and Robert exchanged a glance and both smiled.
Jennifer has such a fierce temper!
However, she is not wrong. Beverly Hills is an affluent area with a good environment, and its housing prices have indeed been rising.
Take, for example, the house that Chen Xun bought when he moved from Jackie Chan's house.
When Jackie Chan bought it, it was only $280 million; when he sold it to Chen Xun, its market value had reached $600 million.
It's doubled!
Rob put away the documents: "Owning property in Beverly Hills is one of the iconic tickets to success in Hollywood."
Chen Xun has always been content with a house as long as it's livable.
Moreover, he just bought Jackie Chan's house, so there's no need for him to buy another house in the near future.
Rob said seriously, "Lionsgate has officially given the green light to the sequel. They hope the original cast will return as soon as possible. The script is already being written at a rapid pace. Given the current buzz, your base salary for the sequel won't be less than $1500 million, and the profit-sharing terms will be even better. Jennifer's offer is also starting at $1500 million!"
"Furthermore, Lionsgate is considering increasing Peeta's role in the second film, transforming it from a female-centric movie into a film about male and female protagonists fighting back!"
Chen Xun didn't have any objections to this.
He could accept it even if it was always a female-centric movie.
After all, the essence of this story is not about romantic relationships.
Rob put away the documents, indicating that the payment would arrive in the next couple of days.
Jennifer, on the other hand, was bustling around Beverly Hills with her real estate agent.
Sometimes, they would even drag Chen Xun along, ostensibly to let him try out how convenient it was to cook in the kitchen.
Chen Xun knew immediately that Jennifer wanted to eat the Chinese food he made.
Jennifer stayed at his house for quite a while, and Chen Xun would sometimes cook Chinese food when he didn't want to eat Western food.
Jennifer can eat a whole plateful every time!
Chinese food truly is one of the world's top cuisines!
Chen Xun sighed.
Having finally gotten rid of Jennifer, Chen Xun returned home and turned on his phone.
Several celebration parties for Chen Xun's fans were held on Weibo, and each one was packed.
Many event materials were posted on Weibo.
Everyone held up movie posters, their smiles radiant.
These heartwarming gestures, however, have drawn criticism from some other celebrity fans.
"Hilarious! A bunch of people are just having a blast, while the real boss is making money for the foreign dignitaries over there, and you guys are just counting money for them?"
"To put it bluntly, isn't he just a high-class employee? He's making a living in Hollywood because of his Chinese identity. Does he really think he's some kind of acting genius?"
"The Hunger Games' popularity in China is more related to that article in the state media, right? He just got lucky and stumbled upon it; does he really think it's because of his own strong appeal?"
"True Chinese people should support their own country's stars and industries. What's the difference between these people who are involved in the Hollywood capital system and those traitors from the past? They're just helping foreigners to siphon money from their own people."
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