novellhall Chapter 215 I'm Searching for My Brother's Favor! [7000]
Chapter 215 I'm Searching for My Brother's Favor! [7000]
Chapter 215 I'm Searching for My Brother's Favor! [7000]
"Chen, take a look at this!"
Gail shoved her phone screen right in front of Chen Xun's eyes.
Chen Xun, who was drinking coffee in the rest area, was taken aback.
The screen displays the website page of The Hollywood Reporter:
"The Smell of Gunfire: Warner Bros. and Universal Battle Over One Person – Is a Rare Proxy War Unfolding in Hollywood?"
"From Interstellar to Fast & Furious 6, how did a Chinese actor stir up the chessboard between two major film studios?"
The article roughly outlines the timeline.
Chen Xun's audition for Nolan's new film was outstanding, but Warner Bros. removed him from the project due to external pressure. Chen Xun quickly joined Universal's "Fast & Furious 6". Warner Bros. offered him a high salary to return, but he refused and pushed forward with "Interstellar". The box office targets of both parties were put on the table.
The entire process of the event is summarized very comprehensively.
Several industry experts praised this move, saying, "This is a necessary step for Warner to maintain its authority!"
"Universal Entertainment got a great deal, seizing the opportunity to recruit an actor who is on the rise and has a unique market appeal!"
"Behind this is a potential contest between the two companies for dominance in the future box office market, especially in the Asian market."
"For the first time in recent years, the casting of a Chinese actor has directly triggered a public confrontation between the two major studios over projects and public opinion!"
Chen Xun glanced at the article briefly, handed the phone back to Gail, and took a sip of warm water from his thermos.
"That's quite a long post!"
"More than that!"
Gail scrolled through her phone: "Twitter, TMZ, even Variety are all following this! Look at this, the hashtag #ChenXunEffect# is trending!"
Chen Xun peeked out and saw a bunch of English tweets playing with this tag.
"Who would have thought that the two major film studios would be fighting over a Chinese actor? Even Nolan couldn't have written this script!"
"This was definitely a move by Universal to use Chen Xun to undermine Warner Bros.' prestige in the science fiction field."
"This guy is tough. He rejected Warner Bros. and Nolan, and went on to work for another A-list production. Now the two are at odds because of him. Even novels wouldn't dare to write it like this."
Chen Xun simply opened Weibo on his phone.
Various comments are flying around on Weibo.
#Chen Xun Sparks a Hollywood Capital Battle#
The topic is trending on social media!
Clicking through, you'll find screenshots of translated foreign news reports and passionate short essays.
Holy crap! My brother's influence is incredible! Warner and Universal are thriving because of him!
[What does it mean to be an international superstar? (Leans back)! It used to be just Hollywood moguls having their fun, but now our own people can be at the center of the storm?]
[However, I'm a little worried. With these two major capital firms targeting him, will Brother Xun be given the cold shoulder?]
[Why are you putting him in such a difficult position! Didn't you see the reports that Universal Music Group is supporting him? Director Justin Lin and Fan Bingbing both publicly praised him! That's the confidence that comes with real talent!]
[Haha, even foreigners on the internet are baffled, asking who this ChenXun is? It's hilarious, his background is something you wouldn't understand!]
Regardless of who wins or loses, our Chinese-American actors have won big this time; this is the first time they've received this much attention!
[Fast & Furious 6, charge! Defeat Interstellar!]
[Such a lively topic! If only it were Chinese New Year now, it would definitely be more exciting than the dumpling-making segment on the Spring Festival Gala!]
[Agree with the comment above————]
The comments section was filled with jokes, encouragement, and analysis of the battle, making it as lively as Chinese New Year.
Kang Sung-ho, who plays Han in the film, also wandered over.
He was scrolling through his phone with a look of utter disbelief: "Chen, you know you've become the catalyst? Everyone on the international internet is talking about you now. My friends in Korea are messaging me to ask if it's true, saying this is a rare occurrence in Hollywood history."
Jordana leaned in, laughing as she chimed in, "It's not just rare, it's downright magical. In all my years in the industry, I've seen actors fight over roles, and I've seen production companies compete for projects. But for two major studios to publicly confront each other over the fate of one actor—"
This is the first time.
She patted Chen Xun's arm: "You've made history in a strange way!"
Director Justin Lin also came over with his phone, his expression calm, even a little amused: "You saw the news? That's good, it saves us a lot of publicity costs."
He looked at Chen Xun: "Don't worry about the pressure, the most important thing is to make good filming. The more noise there is outside, the more it proves we made the right move!"
"The Universal headquarters just called me. They didn't mention any of this nonsense. They just asked if the filming was going smoothly and if I needed any additional support."
He paused, then added meaningfully, "Sometimes being treated seriously by your opponents is itself a testament to your strength. The more they try to overwhelm you with their grand gestures, the more it shows that they lack confidence and need to compensate with a show of force."
Chen Xun nodded.
Director Justin Lin makes a good point.
Vin Diesel, who hadn't said much, finished touching up his makeup and walked over. He's a big guy, and he exudes an aura just by standing there.
He glanced at the crowd and said in a deep voice, "I told you long ago, Hollywood only respects ability and results. Why are they arguing now? Because Chen Xun has the ability, but the results are still pending."
He looked at Chen Xun, his gaze direct: "Let the film speak for itself!"
"Our film, Family, won't lose!"
These words sounded a bit like the typical hot-blooded, adolescent talk of Fast & Furious, but when he said them in this time and place, they strangely felt natural.
After a brief gossip session on set, the various departments began preparing for the next scene.
Chen Xun sat down in the folding chair, took out his phone, and scrolled through the messages that Robert had sent him.
Rob's tone was clearly excited as he said that this wave of free popularity was incredible, with Chen Xun's Google search index and social media discussion skyrocketing, and even all of his previous works being dug up and hotly discussed.
"Keep a low profile and focus on filming."
Rob concluded by saying, "You're in the eye of the storm now, and everything you say and do will be magnified. But don't worry, the PR team at Universal isn't going to back down; they'll be watching closely."
Chen Xun replied "Understood" and closed the chat window.
He opened Twitter and glanced at the trending topics. The hashtags #WarnerMediaVSUniversal#, #ChenXun#, and #InterstellarFastFighter6# were all at the top.
He randomly clicked into a discussion.
One netizen tweeted: "I still don't understand, what magic does this Chinese actor have? Just because he rejected Warner Bros.? Hollywood has tons of actors being rejected every day."
The replies below were varied: "It is said that Nolan himself had a very high opinion of him during the audition, and Warner Bros. was initially satisfied, but later backed out."
"His starring role in 'Green Lantern' grossed over 7 million worldwide. The adaptation was very unique and had an amazing appeal in the Chinese market. He deserves a lot of credit for 'The Hunger Games' breaking records."
"Magic? Look at his resume. From acting in corpses to superhero movies to Nolan's sci-fi and Universal's action blockbusters, it only took him two or three years. That in itself is magic."
"Perhaps the magic lies in the fact that he shattered some people's preconceived notions? An Asian actor can not only act, but also become the core of commercial films, and even influence studio decisions?"
"Come on, it's just good luck and hype. Neither movie has been released yet, so it's still uncertain who will win or lose."
Filming for Fast & Furious 6 in London is proceeding as scheduled.
The outside world's talk about the rivalry between Warner Bros. and Universal gradually became a topic of discussion among the crew during breaks.
After all, we are all part of this box office battle.
That morning, a new trailer and box office predictions suddenly went viral online.
Lionsgate has made its move.
The final trailer for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" has been released on all platforms.
The editing was fast and exciting!
Jennifer's face is powerful amidst the firelight and ruins, a fleeting glimpse of a new character, and an upgraded version of the classic arena setting from the original work.
The visual effects look incredibly expensive.
At the end of the trailer, the words "January 29th, simultaneous global release, the spark has been ignited, and no one can stop it" are displayed on a black background with white text.
Simultaneous release!
That's quite a show of force!
Hollywood blockbusters typically stagger their release dates to accommodate different market promotion schedules. Those who dare to release a film simultaneously worldwide are those with extremely strong confidence in its quality and appeal.
Lionsgate clearly sees itself as the winner.
Several authoritative box office forecasting agencies have updated their data.
Based on the previous film's astonishing $11.18 billion global box office, the continued popularity of the original novel, Jennifer Lawrence's soaring popularity, and the bold move of releasing the film simultaneously this time.
Industry experts have generally raised their opening weekend global box office forecasts for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" to between $250 million and $280 million.
The median of the final global box office forecast stood firmly at the $12 billion mark.
$12 billion!
Surpassing its predecessor, it reaches the pinnacle of top-tier commercial blockbusters.
Lionsgate headquarters conference room.
The windows were bright and clean, and the air was filled with the aroma of expensive coffee.
Several core executives sat on the sofa, their faces radiating undisguised pride.
CE0 is a chubby middle-aged man with messy, dark curly hair.
He put down the tablet in his hand, which displayed the eye-catching prediction of 12 billion.
"Gentlemen, the direction of public opinion is quite interesting."
He spoke, his voice carrying a sense of triumph in controlling the situation: "Warner and Universal are arguing fiercely over an actor's future and so-called face, and the media's attention has been drawn to it."
The marketing director, a woman in an Armani suit who spoke quickly, chimed in: "When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. Their attention is on each other, on Chen Xun, which gives us the best window for publicity. No one will spend a lot of effort to sabotage a seemingly safe sequel at this critical juncture."
"safe?"
The vice president in charge of global distribution laughed. A burly man tapped his fingers on the sofa armrest: "We're not just playing it safe; we're aiming to make history!"
"The first film grossed 11.18 billion, and the second film surpassed 12 billion, or even higher!"
"What does this mean?"
"This means that The Hunger Games will leap from a successful teen movie adaptation into a franchise IP giant worthy of being recorded in film history."
"And all of this will be etched in the Lionsgate name."
The conference room was filled with the excitement of soon becoming a wealthy family.
Speaking of Chen Xun—
1
The CEO raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a hint of disdain: "The feedback from the roadshow in the Chinese market, although somewhat unsuccessful, also proves that without him, the film's core appeal, Jennifer, and the IP itself are still strong enough."
"Those so-called boycotts were insignificant compared to the actual box office performance. We adjusted our strategy in time, downplaying them and focusing on Jennifer and the story itself, which now seems to have been an absolutely correct decision."
He paused, leaned forward, and glanced at everyone: "Think about it, while Warner Bros. and Universal were still vying to see who could suppress the other, our Lionsgate movies had already quietly swept the globe, taking in $12 billion at the box office."
"What will the media write then?"
He asked and answered himself, his tone full of allure: "How did 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' stand out from the clamor of the two giants and reach the top with its excellent quality and precise marketing?"
"How Lionsgate has made steady progress, seized opportunities, and become a new industry benchmark."
"And Warner and Universal, especially their petty squabble over Chen Xun, will become the most ridiculous backdrop to our success."
"Chen Xun?"
The vice president of distribution scoffed: "He'll be a minor incident, a footnote proving that individuals can't control truly powerful IPs."
"His fans might make a fuss, but so what?"
"The $12 billion box office figure will shut everyone up!"
"so!"
The CEO summarized, pointing his finger into the air: "Go all out to ensure a flawless global simultaneous release, and allocate promotional resources towards Jennifer and the film's grand worldview."
"As for Warner and Universal, let them keep arguing. We'll just collect our money and enjoy our victory."
The meeting ended in a state of near-euphoric confidence.
Everyone felt that the winds of change were blowing right in front of Lionsgate, and that they held a winning hand.
On the London set, during a break in filming for "Fast & Furious 6".
Jiang Chenghao was scrolling through his phone when he suddenly exclaimed, "Wow!" "Lionsgate's trailer, they've really spent a fortune! Simultaneous release, they're planning something big."
Jordana was touching up her makeup when she heard this and said, "The prediction is already at 12 billion; they have big ambitions."
Director Justin Lin also saw the news. He stroked his chin, didn't comment on the film, but instead said, "With simultaneous releases, the logistics and print distribution are under a lot of pressure. They're betting everything on the first few days of release."
Chen Xun sat in his folding chair and clicked on the trailer for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire".
The visuals are exquisite, the pacing is captivating, and Jennifer's performance is undeniable.
He looked at the familiar scenes and characters, and felt very calm.
He participated in and contributed to the film, but the subsequent complications caused unpleasantness.
But for now, it's just an upcoming blockbuster, nothing more.
Gail leaned closer and whispered, "Lionsgate seems completely unaffected by what happened before; their predictions are still so high."
Chen Xun turned off the video: "If the film is good, the audience will naturally buy it."
He meant it sincerely.
Although he was at odds with Lionsgate's top management, he never wanted the film itself to fail.
It contains the hard work of Jennifer and the other staff.
Others on set had a different opinion.
A young man in charge of lighting muttered to his colleague, "12 billion? If it really goes through, then Warner and Universal are making such a big fuss over Chen Xun, wouldn't that be a joke? They'll just be making a fortune quietly."
A middle-aged stagehand scoffed, "Don't speak too soon. Predictions are just that—predictions. The real money comes from the audience. Besides, haven't you seen it online? A lot of fans in China are holding their breath because Chen Xun didn't participate in the promotion."
"Does Lionsgate think the Chinese market is secure? I doubt it."
"Predictable forecasting agencies must have taken the Chinese market factor into account, right?"
"I've considered it, but people's hearts are the hardest thing to fathom."
These comments drifted into Chen Xun's ears, but he didn't take them seriously.
The success or failure of a box office is influenced by too many factors and cannot be determined by a few people having a chat.
He had just received a new message from Jennifer on his phone.
It's a photograph.
She was wearing her costume from the movie, looking disheveled, but she gave the middle finger to the camera. The background was clearly a corner of the film set.
"I just finished filming a scene where I was blown up, and my whole body aches. If someone were here, they could at least help me complain about the director's crazy demands."
P.S.: I can smell the stench of those office idiots even from across the Pacific. I wish them success. (Rolls eyes)
""
Chen Xun looked at the photo, smiled, and replied, "Be careful, the box office will be good."
The opening weekend of the global simultaneous release of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire".
Sunday evening.
The final box office figures are aggregated at Lionsgate’s Burbank headquarters data monitoring center.
The room was so quiet that you could hear the hum of the central air conditioning.
Several analysts stared at the fluctuating numbers on the screen, their expressions grim.
North American opening weekend box office: $1.5 million!
Taken individually, this number is not bad; in fact, it can be considered excellent.
However, compared to the staggering $2.01 million opening weekend of its predecessor, "The Hunger Games," it appears rather dismal.
A full fifty million dollars is missing!
The drop exceeded 25%!
Keep in mind that this is despite the series being more popular, having a larger promotional budget, and Jennifer's status being more secure.
"Is there a delay in the statistics?"
A young analyst asked in a low voice.
The manager in charge of global box office statistics, a balding middle-aged man, shook his head, tapped a few times on the keyboard, and pulled up the detailed data: "Here are the reports from all the major cinema chains. Friday's opening: 5400 million; Saturday: 5100 million; Sunday's estimated: 4500 million—"
""
"The trend is okay, but the starting point was too low."
"The prediction is 2.5 million to 2.8 million —"
Someone muttered something, but no one responded.
What truly lowered the conference room temperature to freezing point was the data on another screen:
Box office revenue in the Chinese mainland market during the opening weekend: 1 million RMB.
Converted to US dollars, that's less than 20 million!
When the first "Hunger Games" movie was released in China, it grossed 1.1 million RMB on its opening day and easily surpassed 4 million RMB in its first weekend.
This core overseas market, which should have grown along with the popularity of the IP, has not only failed to grow, but has actually shrunk.
"What about the detailed report for the China region?"
"The data manager asked in a deep voice."
A newly received briefing was projected onto the big screen:
The average occupancy rate was less than 35%, far lower than other imported films released during the same period.
The level of discussion on social media is severely mismatched with box office performance, indicating a clear phenomenon of people discussing the film without actually watching it.
Multiple ticketing platforms have detected that a large number of users have marked "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" as something they do not want to see or are not considering watching at the moment.
The briefing concluded with a compilation of screenshots of trending topics on Weibo.
#I won't watch The Hunger Games 2 without Chen Xun#
This topic has already garnered over 8 million views.
"It's not that I'm picky, it's just that Lionsgate acted inhumanely. They used Chen Xun to boost the box office, but when they felt it was too risky, they kicked him aside and stopped promoting the film. Now that the movie is released, they want to make money off us again? Do they really think Chinese audiences have no memory?"
"I just rewatched Green Lantern. Brother Xun's superheroes are the real cultural export. Then I saw Lionsgate's actions. They really went too far."
"Support Xun Ge, boycott double standards! Interstellar kicked out Chinese actors, and the Hunger Games neglected Chinese actors, neither of you are good people! Anyway, I won't contribute to the box office, I'll wait for resources."
"Hilarious! Does Lionsgate think that as long as the movie itself is good enough, the audience will have to buy tickets? This arrogance is no different from the Capitol in the movie! They just won't tolerate it!"
These screenshots looked particularly jarring on the conference room's large screen.
"Because of a Chinese actor?"
The marketing director, dressed in an Armani suit, spoke in a somewhat hoarse voice: "Just because he didn't participate in the roadshow? This—this doesn't make sense."
"This is not a roadshow."
The voice of the head of the China region came through the video conferencing system, his exhaustion barely concealed: "It's about attitude. Warner just broke the news that they replaced Chen Xun due to external pressure, and we immediately had internal emails from last year about adjusting our publicity strategy and deliberately downplaying Chen's presence dug up—"
"The timing is terrible! Now Chinese audiences, especially young audiences, are linking these two things together and believe that this is a concentrated manifestation of Hollywood's systemic disrespect for Chinese actors."
"Our movie has run into a firestorm!"
The CEO stared at the glaring figures of 150 million US dollars and 100 million RMB on the screen, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.
The boastful prediction of a $12 billion global box office has now become an invisible slap in the face.
What about other overseas markets?
"The results in Europe and Latin America are largely in line with expectations."
The data manager reported: "But this is not enough to make up for the shortfall in North America and China. The global gross for the first weekend was roughly $3.4 million, which is far from our most conservative internal estimate of $5.5 million."
3.4 billion!
That sounds like a lot.
However, the production cost of this film exceeded 1.3 million, and the publicity and distribution costs for its simultaneous global release were even more astronomical.
Is this opening performance aiming for 12 billion?
Even the best mathematician couldn't calculate this growth curve.
What was the media's reaction?
The CEO rubbed his temples.
"There haven't been widespread reports of specific discrepancies in the figures yet."
The PR director said, with a forced smile, "The Hollywood Reporter and Variety have already published quick reviews with headlines like 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' had a solid opening, but fell short of expectations."
"steady?"
The CEO scoffed, "They really know how to choose words."
"besides----"
The PR director swallowed hard: "On Twitter and movie forums, people have already started to compare our opening weekend results with Warner Bros.' previously announced $12 billion target, saying that the biggest suspense in Hollywood this year is not who will win, but who will be more embarrassed."
London, on the set of Fast & Furious 6.
On Monday morning, before filming even started, a group of people began scrolling through their phones.
Wow!
Jiang Chenghao whistled: "Lionsgate is in big trouble now, $1.5 million in North America and $1 million in China —"
"This opening is like a step backward compared to the first one."
Jordana leaned over to look: "Why is the box office in China so bad? Wasn't the first one a huge hit?"
"Look at this."
Kang Sung-ho clicked on a screenshot of a Weibo post: "Resist double standards, starting with not watching 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,' they've even started shouting this slogan."
Vin Diesel, who was putting on hand braces, looked up at the question: "Because of Chen?"
"It's basically all because of Chen!"
Jiang Chenghao handed his phone to Chen Xun, who was walking over.
Chen Xun took the phone and glanced at it.
The screen displayed various box office comparison charts and boycott initiatives.
His expression remained unchanged as he handed the phone back: "How's the quality of the movie itself?"
"The word-of-mouth is alright!"
Kang Sung-ho wrote: "The Rotten Tomatoes score seems to be 85%, and the audience score isn't low either, but the problem is that a lot of people aren't watching it now, especially in China, where people are getting emotional."
Director Justin Lin also came over, holding a storyboard: "Hollywood has learned another lesson: never underestimate the audience, especially when you think they should do this or that."
He looked at Chen Xun and said, "However, this is actually a positive for you. It proves that your market appeal and audience popularity are real and not just hype."
Chen Xun nodded without saying anything more.
He walked to his chair and took out his script.
Today we're filming an important dialogue scene. He and Letty, played by Michelle Rodriguez, need to have a deep conversation about family and betrayal after a thrilling escape.
He needs to get into the right mood beforehand.
My phone vibrated; it was a message from Jennifer.
In short: "Fuck your box office numbers, that's fucking bad!"
It was followed by an emoji of a middle-aged man giving the middle finger.
Chen Xun responded with a pat on the shoulder emoji.
He could imagine how Jennifer felt right now.
She was the one who carried the film the most, putting in all her effort, but the box office was poor, so she must have been the one who felt the most upset.
The key issue is that Chen Xun can no longer control the audience's wishes.
Just then, Rob sent a message.
"Several media outlets want to interview you and ask for your opinion on the box office performance of 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,' but I turned them down for you, saying that you should focus on filming on set and not comment on other projects."
Rob handled it very well.
At this point, whatever he says will be wrong.
It's a pity?
It seems hypocritical.
Not saying anything?
It could be interpreted as indifference.
The best approach is to completely stay out of it.
"Warner Bros. seems to be secretly gloating, thinking that Lionsgate's stumble has, to some extent, diverted public pressure from them and Nolan's new film."
Chen Xun twitched the corner of his mouth.
This is nothing.
Hollywood dramas are never just about what's on stage.
The set began to bustle with activity, with the lighting, camera, and sound teams all in their positions.
Chen Xun closed the script and walked towards the prepared garage scene.
Michelle was already there, stretching her shoulders.
"Ready?"
She looked at Chen Xun.
"alright!"
Chen Xun nodded.
"Action!"
The camera is focused on Chen Xun's face.
His face was stained, and his eyes showed the weariness of a fugitive, but deep down there was a firm determination.
He began to deliver his lines, his voice not loud, but each word clear and forceful.
The rhythm, emotion, and presence of the performance —
All the attributes are displayed on the panel, permeating every glance and pause.