novellhall Chapter 193 Global Victory Celebration [5000]
Chapter 193 Global Victory Celebration [5000]
Chapter 193 Global Victory Celebration [5000]
Within minutes of the tweet being posted, it had over 10,000 retweets, comments, and likes.
American fans' reaction: "Finally! I'm buying tickets right now!"
"Chen Xun still cares about us!"
"Five cities are too few! Can you add more?"
Chinese fans also joined in the fun: "Hahaha, American fans finally don't have to be sour anymore!"
"I suggest the United States adopt hamburgers; it suits their national conditions."
"Chen Xun's move was impressive; it achieved global balance."
"So we're now an international family?"
The following morning, Universal officially announced the event details: IMAX midnight screenings in five cities, tickets priced at $25, including limited-edition merchandise packs, posters, stickers, keychains, a video call with the lead actors after the screening, and a free meal from a food truck outside the theater. Each screening is limited to 200 seats and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tickets are available simultaneously on the ticketing platform Fandango and the AMC website.
The Los Angeles show sold out in three minutes, the New York show in five minutes, the Chicago show in seven minutes, and the Houston and Atlanta shows were also sold out within minutes.
Twitter exploded again: "It was gone before I even clicked on it???"
"200 tickets? Who's going to be fighting over them?"
"Scalpers have already started reselling at a higher price; the original price of 25 is now being sold for 80."
"@UniversaI Added more shows! Added more shows!"
"Is this what scarcity marketing is? I've learned something."
Seeing the buzz, Universal immediately decided to add more shows!
Two more shows will be added to each city, extending the duration to the entire weekend.
The ticketing platform's servers were almost overwhelmed.
On Friday night, Chen Xun personally went to the event in Los Angeles!
He didn't tell anyone, wore a baseball cap and an inconspicuous hoodie, and blended into the audience to enter the movie theater.
He sat in the last row, watching the Rio car chase scene from "Fast & Furious 5" on the screen.
The surrounding audience reacted enthusiastically, with constant laughter and exclamations.
The feeling of experiencing something together in a movie theater is definitely different from watching it alone at home.
After the movie ended, the lights came on, and a live feed appeared on the screen.
The portraits of Van, Paul, Gale, and Tyrese are arranged in four squares, while Chen Xun's square is black.
The audience cheered.
The live stream began with fans asking questions, which the lead actors then answered.
The questions were varied: "Aren't you afraid to film car chase scenes?"
Which car do you like the most?
Will there be a Fast & Furious 6?
Where is Chen Xun?
Fan answered the last question: "Chen Xun is probably eating hot pot somewhere, after all, he's been obsessed with it lately."
""
The audience burst into laughter.
Chen Xun smiled even from the last row.
He lowered his hat brim and quietly left the cinema.
Stepping out of the cinema, the food truck area outside was bustling with activity.
Four different types of food trucks were lined up.
Los Angeles-style burger trucks, burrito trucks, vegetarian trucks, and dessert trucks.
Audience members lined up with their ticket stubs to receive a ticket, one per person.
Chen Xun walked closer and took a look. There was a small sign in front of the food truck that read: "Special offer for our family from Fast & Furious 5".
After receiving their food, some fans took photos and tweeted: "American version of fan event! The burgers were delicious! Thank you Chen Xun! Thank you Universal!"
The accompanying photo shows a hamburger and a movie ticket stub together.
Chen Xun stood not far away, looking at those smiling faces, and suddenly understood what Greg meant by feeling valued.
The food itself isn't worth much, and the $25 ticket price isn't cheap either.
But the feeling of being treated specially is priceless.
He took a picture of the bustling food truck area and tweeted: "Live from Los Angeles, saw everyone, enjoy the movie and the food!"
The location is displayed at a Los Angeles movie theater.
The fans then realized, "Wait, he's there?"
"Was I just in the same scene as Chen Xun?"
"Oh no, I missed it!"
"So he came to see us secretly?"
Chen Xun smiled, put away his phone, and walked towards the parking lot.
On his drive home, he opened the system panel.
[Acting Skills] Progress increased from 10% to 11%.
Cultural influence increased from 51 to 55!
The fan events for Fast & Furious 5 in North America seem to have spurred action among Hollywood industry professionals.
Many industry insiders are watching this as a joke.
Chen Xun was scrolling through his phone in the morning when he saw a long article by Carl Smith, a columnist for Variety magazine:
When film marketing degenerates into fast-food pandering: How long will we continue to indulge fans?
"Universal Pictures and Mr. Chen Xun's recent actions have made me wonder if Hollywood is losing its dignity. When did cinematic art become a cheap transaction where you get a hamburger for the price of a ticket?"
"The job of studios and actors is to create works that are worth remembering, not to kneel down and pander to every viewer who takes out their wallet. This fan service craze is a dangerous trend; it tells the audience that their importance lies not in their aesthetic taste, but in their spending power."
A fellow artist chimed in the comments section: "Completely agree! We are artists, not restaurant servers!"
"This lowers the overall standard of the industry. What's next? Giving away gas coupons with movie tickets?"
"Chen Xun's approach in Asia might work in China, but Hollywood has its own rules."
Several independent filmmakers on Twitter also expressed their dissatisfaction.
An account called @IndieFilmTrue tweeted: "Real filmmakers lead the audience, not are led by the nose. This kind of fan-pleasing behavior may be effective in the short term, but in the long run it destroys the seriousness of film."
Another tweet was even more direct: "Fans are for reaping box office profits, not for worshipping like ancestors. Chen Xun and Universal have set a bad precedent this time."
Chen Xun saw these messages, smiled, and didn't reply.
He had anticipated this reaction.
Hollywood is a place that is extremely hierarchical and traditional, so when someone suddenly uses such a direct way to interact with fans, it is bound to touch a nerve with some people.
Rob was a little worried: "Should we respond? These comments will affect our reputation in the industry."
"Need not!"
Chen Xun put down his phone: "They'll shut up on their own once the box office figures come out."
The reality check came very quickly!
Fast & Furious 5 has officially surpassed $3 million at the North American box office!
This is an achievement that wasn't completed in North America even before the film finished its run in its previous life.
And now, only five weeks later, it has already surpassed 3 million!
What does $3 million mean at this point in time?
This is a new box office record for the Fast & Furious series!
A strong contender for the top three at the annual box office!
The top executives at Global must be laughing all the way to the bank!
Moreover, the film has been in theaters for five weeks, and normally the box office should have declined by now, but it has remained stable and even slightly rebounded.
The Hollywood Reporter published an analysis titled "The New Formula for the Fan Economy: Fast & Furious 5".
How to leverage interactive elements to generate 3 million yuan in box office revenue.
"Critics may question whether Chen Xun and Huanqiu's methods are sophisticated enough, but they cannot deny the results."
"With a traditional marketing budget unchanged, Fast & Furious 5 achieved a rare long tail effect at the box office through a series of targeted fan activities. This may not be art, but it is definitely a successful business."
The article also included a data comparison:
传统大片的票房衰减曲线：首周30%—40%跌幅《速激5》的票房衰减曲线：首周28%跌幅，次周22%，第三周18%，粉丝活动开始的第四周甚至逆势增长5%！
Those practitioners who previously spoke so highly of the dignity of art have all fallen silent.
Some people couldn't stand the ridicule from fans in the comments section, so they simply turned off the comments section and went offline to hide.
"The box office of 3 million is there for all to see, what else can you say?"
"Hollywood is the most pragmatic place. What's wrong with groveling to fans if it means making money?"
"I'm starting to wonder if other studios will follow suit."
The Global Times team was the first to get restless!
Keep in mind that this event is currently only being held in China and the United States.
But Fast & Furious 5 was released worldwide!
Over the next two weeks, Chen Xun witnessed firsthand what the execution capabilities of a major company truly meant.
Universal simultaneously launched localized fan campaigns in twelve major markets worldwide, each with a distinct local flavor:
Japan has partnered with convenience store chain Lawson to offer limited-edition car model bento boxes to customers who present their Fast & Furious 5 ticket stubs.
In Germany, they collaborated with a car brand to create a mini-track experience outside a specific cinema.
South Korea took a more local approach, collaborating directly with K-pop idol groups to create videos featuring classic lines from "Fast & Furious 5," which went viral on social media!
Immediate results!
Global box office figures have begun to grow at a visible rate.
The previously stable market suddenly experienced another surge, especially in Asia and Latin America, where daily box office revenue increased by up to 40% compared to the previous period.
Public opinion within the industry has completely shifted.
Carl Smith, who had previously been the most vocal critic, quietly deleted that column, pretending nothing had happened.
The @IndieFilmTrue account posted a new tweet: "In the world of commercial films, building an emotional connection with the audience may not be a bad thing; the important thing is to find a balance."
Someone replied below: "To translate: Seeing that others are making money, I changed my tune too."
Some media outlets even started conducting street interviews to ask real viewers for their feelings.
A young man said to the camera, "I used to think that Hollywood stars were all high and mighty, but what Chen Xun did made me realize that they are also human beings and they also appreciate the audience. It feels really good."
Another middle-aged viewer said, "I don't know if this is marketing, but at least I got something out of it, which is better than those celebrities who just issue press releases."
Many people became fans of Chen Xunlu.
Online, Chen Xun has even been voted the celebrity with the most devoted fans!
Chen Xun shut down the computer and looked at the panel in front of him:
[Acting Skills] Progress has reached 17%!
[Cultural Influence] Soared to 70 points!
In its eighth week of release, Fast & Furious 5's box office growth has slowed significantly.
"Fast & Furious 5's daily box office in North America has dropped to $120 million."
Rob sounded a little regretful on the phone: "It's almost the same in China, less than 2000 million RMB a day. At this rate, the final box office is basically set."
Chen Xun glanced at the data spreadsheet that Robert had sent him.
North America has accumulated $3.78 million, the global total (excluding China) is $2.82 million, and China's total is 15.3 billion RMB, which translates to approximately $2.3 million.
The total is around 8.9 million US dollars.
We're still a ways off from 10 billion.
"The people at Universal Music are going crazy with joy!"
"Fast & Furious 4 only grossed $3.5 million worldwide, this one almost tripled that!"
Chen Xun smiled.
He closed the form and opened a media website.
The first thing that catches the eye is a lengthy analysis article from The Hollywood Reporter: "Fast & Furious 5: The Phenomenal Success Behind $8.9 Million at the Box Office."
"When Universal Pictures announced the reboot of the Fast & Furious franchise in 2010, no one could have predicted that the fifth installment would achieve such phenomenal commercial success. To date, the film has grossed $8.9 million worldwide, easily becoming the highest-grossing film in the series (exceeding the combined box office of the first four films) and consistently ranking among the top five in the global box office charts."
"This achievement is partly due to the quality of the film itself; director Justin Lin brings street racing,..."
The series cleverly blends heist action with family drama, earning it top-rated reviews. However, its marketing strategy, especially its localized promotion for the Chinese market, deserves even more attention.
"During the film's promotion, lead actor Chen Xun led Hollywood stars such as Vin Diesel and Paul Walker to visit Chinese cities, record down-to-earth videos of night market food, participate in local variety shows, and interact closely with fans. This de-celebrity-driven marketing content went viral on Chinese social media, directly contributing to the box office's growth against the trend."
Industry analysts believe that without these targeted marketing efforts, "Fast & Furious 5" would likely have grossed only $7-8 million worldwide, but it now has the potential to surpass $9 million before its final run in theaters!
The article also included several charts: box office growth curve, market share, and social media popularity index.
Chen Xun glanced at it and saw that China's contribution to the box office was indeed outstanding, accounting for 26% of the total box office.
Another article from Variety takes a more direct approach: "Fast & Furious 5's box office ceiling has been reached, and analysts say the series' peak may have already hit its limit."
The article quoted several industry experts: "A senior box office analyst said: $8.9 million is the ceiling for the Fast and Furious genre. Audiences have a threshold of aesthetic fatigue with the combination of car chases, explosions, and family themes. Unless the next movie makes a revolutionary change, it will be difficult to surpass this number."
Another producer believes that Chen Xun's addition has indeed injected fresh blood into the series, especially in opening up the Asian market, but this effect may be one-off. It is doubtful whether audiences will pay for the same formula again next time.
The article concludes: "In any case, Fast & Furious 5 has become one of the most successful commercial films of the year, and Chen Xun, this Chinese actor, has proven himself not only as a qualified actor, but also as a box office star with global market appeal."
After reading it, Chen Xun closed the webpage.
The phone rang again.
This time, it was a direct call from Universal Pictures.
"Mr. Chen Xun,"
The other party was a female executive with a warm voice: "Universal is preparing to hold a celebration party for 'Fast & Furious 5' this Friday at the Beverly Hills Hotel to officially celebrate the box office success. All the main cast and crew will be attending, and we hope you will definitely attend."
"I will go!"
It's a celebration party right on my doorstep, so I definitely have to go!
Friday evening at 7 p.m., Beverly Hills Hotel ballroom.
When Chen arrived, the scene was already bustling with activity.
Universal Pictures booked the entire banquet hall, with towering champagne towers, a buffet area filled with all kinds of high-end food, and a band playing upbeat jazz in a corner.
Vin Diesel was the first to see him, walking over with a wine glass in hand: "Chen! The hero has arrived!"
Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson also gathered around.
Several people clinked glasses with each other.
Chen Xun's cup contained soda water.
He decided to quit drinking.
Otherwise, if someone with ulterior motives were to exploit his poor alcohol tolerance and stage a scenario where he conceives a child in his dream, he would be completely finished!
Chen Xun didn't want to have a child with a woman he didn't know so early on.
No one on the Fast & Furious 5 set would care about these things like Chen Xun.
We've all been through thick and thin together.
As the group was chatting, director Justin Lin walked over.
He was dressed very formally today, with a big smile on his face, clearly in a very good mood.
"Chen Xun,"
He patted Chen Xun on the shoulder: "Today, the senior executives at Universal Music said, 'Director Lin, your insistence on choosing Chen Xun was one of the best decisions we've made in the past ten years.'"
1
"That was the opportunity you gave me, Director."
Chen Xun and director Justin Lin clinked glasses.
Lin Yibin's favorability rating has stabilized at 90 points.
"An opportunity is given, but you also have to be able to seize it!"
Justin Lin said seriously, "It's not just the performance, but also the marketing during the promotional period. Those videos have been viewed over 100 million times on Chinese social media, directly driving at least a 5% increase in box office revenue. The marketing director of Universal said that this is the most successful case of localization marketing for a Hollywood film that they have ever seen."
Chen Xun nodded.
Some of those marketing ideas were things he remembered from domestic advertising campaigns he saw in his previous life.
Down-to-earth, authentic, and unpretentious.
In the Hollywood system, this kind of thinking has become a novelty.
"The script for Fast & Furious 6 is complete!"
Justin Lin continued, "Your role is more important. This time you're a core member, and Universal hopes you can reserve your schedule in advance."
"no problem!"
Chen Xun readily agreed.
This is essentially a long-term meal ticket.
The banquet officially began.
The CEO of Universal Pictures took the stage to speak, thanking all the creators and giving special mention to several lead actors.
When talking about Chen Xun, he used the phrase "phenomenal performance".
Chen Xun listened from below the stage, his expression calm.
Take the praise in this situation with a grain of salt; what really matters are the numbers in the contract and the opportunities that follow.
Halfway through Universal Pictures' celebration party, the atmosphere became incredibly lively.
Countless bottles of champagne were opened, the band switched from jazz to more upbeat pop, and people on the dance floor started swaying to the rhythm.
Vin Diesel was having a lively conversation with a vice president of Universal, holding a glass of whiskey and occasionally letting out a hearty laugh.
Paul and Tyrese were near the buffet area, with a plate of food piled in front of them, gesturing as they ate.
It looks like they're arguing about which one tastes better.
Chen Xun sat in a relatively quiet corner of the banquet hall, with a glass of soda water with lemon in front of him.
This location offers a view of the entire banquet hall, yet it won't draw too much attention.
He observed the various interactions within the venue.
Hollywood celebrations are never just about celebration; they are also occasions for networking and information exchange.
As the players interacted with each other, attribute balls of various colors began to fall:
[Elegant Social Interaction +6]
[Business Communication Skills +3]
Chen Xun absorbed these attribute orbs while drinking lemonade.
"Found you!"
Chen Xun turned his head, and Gail walked over with a glass of red wine.
She wore a simple white shirt with dark trousers, her hair loosely draped over her shoulders, looking very relaxed.
"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"
Before Chen Xun could speak, she had already sat down in the chair next to him.
"Of course I don't mind."
Chen Xun nodded.
Gail placed her glass on the table, but didn't drink it; she simply looked towards the dance floor.
The music was a bit loud, so she leaned slightly towards Chen Xun and said, "I saw you talking to Director Lin for a long time."
"We're talking about Fast & Furious 6!"
"Congratulations!"
Gail smiled.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds.
Gail looked away from the dance floor and said, "My manager wants me to work with you more. He said your career path is very clear, and you're taking each step very steadily. Following you won't be a mistake."
"Then your agent has good taste."
Chen Xun made a joke.
The two exchanged a smile and said nothing more.