novellhall Chapter 39 A Phenomenal Explosion!
Chapter 39 A Phenomenal Explosion!
Chen Xun's first true film, "Lurking," quietly premiered in North American theaters.
James Wan's reputation in the horror film genre is well-established, and he had already amassed a core fanbase in the early stages of his career.
But no one expected that this low-budget horror film would unleash such enormous energy.
When the opening weekend box office figures came out, the whole of Hollywood took notice!
Thirty-five million US dollars!
For an R-rated horror film, this is almost a phenomenal start!
Film critics were also lavish in their praise, giving it a Rotten Tomatoes score of 87%!
The audience reviews were overwhelmingly positive, and the CinemaScore reached an astonishing A-!
"Insidious: James Wan once again proves he's a master of contemporary horror!"
"A suffocating atmosphere, pure psychological terror without relying on gore!"
"The performance of that Asian exchange student, Li, etched loneliness and fear into his very bones!"
……
In the editing room.
James Wan stared at the constantly updating real-time box office data on his computer screen, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desktop.
Ray Whannell sat beside him, equally focused.
As time ticked by, both men were stunned when the final box office figure for the opening weekend, $35000000, was displayed on the screen.
Warner jumped up, the chair scraping loudly on the floor.
"Thirty-five million! LeBron, we did it! We fucking did it!"
He waved his fist, his face flushed with excitement.
James Wan let out a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and then trembled slightly with immense joy.
He rubbed his face vigorously, as if he couldn't believe the number.
"Thirty-five million in the first week!"
He murmured to himself, his voice trembling with emotion, "Fifteen million over the betting threshold, we succeeded!"
"Quick! Check the media and online feedback!"
"Wonard urged."
The two couldn't wait to open various film review websites and social media.
Rotten tomatoes have an 87% freshness rating!
CinemaScore rating: A-!
Critics and audiences alike showered the film with praise.
James Wan's name was mentioned again and again, and his title as the master of horror was firmly cemented.
He suddenly noticed that one name appeared with unusually high frequency among the many comments:
Chen Xun!
"That Asian boy, Lee, gave a really impressive performance!"
"Chen Xun's portrayal of Li was so realistic; his fear resonated with me!"
"His monologue was amazing! I never knew Kristen's boyfriend was such a good actor!"
……
Warner noticed it too.
He pointed to the screen, his tone a mixture of surprise and a touch of emotion:
"I said before that the rumors about Chen Xun and Christine are our selling point!"
James Wan's gaze swept over the comments praising Chen Xun's performance, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.
"The scandal brought in attention, attracting more people to the cinema!"
He paused, then pointed to a comment that read, "I only noticed Stuart's boyfriend's acting because of 'Lurking,'" his tone full of admiration:
"But what truly kept the audience engaged and transformed that attention into positive word-of-mouth and sustained box office success was his own performance!"
"Chen Xun caught this wave of popularity with his talent and amplified it! He not only didn't drag the film down, but he also became one of its highlights, attracting another group of viewers who value acting skills!"
James Wan recalled what Chen Xun looked like on set.
Be focused and attentive!
They pay meticulous attention to the details of the performance!
At that time, he only thought of him as a serious and dedicated newcomer.
This dedication and talent unleashed astonishing energy at crucial moments.
[James Wan's favorability rating: +10, Current favorability rating: 50 (A partner I admire)]
Warner smiled and shook his head:
"This kid's a real gem. Looks like we'll have to give him a better role and paycheck next time we work together!"
James Wan wore an ambitious smile:
"Of course! And I think we'll be working together again soon. Give Chen Xun a call—no, I'll call him myself! Congratulate him and thank him! He deserves an indelible credit for the success of this film!"
……
Chen Xun was naturally unaware of all this; at the moment, he was busy collecting attributes on the set of "Snow White and the Huntsman."
His name began to appear frequently in film reviews and audience discussions.
Chen Xun is not the main character, but the restrained and realistic portrayal of "Li" and the gradual sense of collapse he conveys stand out and are particularly heart-wrenching amidst the screams and jumps.
Many film reviews specifically mentioned his monologue scene, praising the explosive power of his performance.
At this time, the heat of Chen Xun's relationship with Kristen Stewart had not completely subsided.
The success of "Lurking" acted as a powerful fuel for this media frenzy.
The headlines in gossip media and entertainment sections have instantly changed in style:
#From Horror Rising Star to Top Boyfriend: Chen Xun's Double Life!#
#Not only are ghosts lurking, but also Stuart's secret lover!#
#ActingTalentCertified! Kristen's Boyfriend Goes Viral for His Talent!#
……
TMZ even conducted a street interview, holding up stills of Chen Xun from the TV series "Lurking" and a rumored photo of him with Kristen Stewart, asking passersby:
Which version of him are you more familiar with?
The result was unexpected; many people only really noticed the name of Stewart's boyfriend because of the TV series "Lurking".
"Oh! He's that poor Asian boy from 'Lurking'? He's actually Christine's boyfriend? Wow!"
"I've seen 'Lurking,' and he acted so well! I had no idea there were so many stories like that in real life!"
……
With the combined buzz, "Lurking" surprisingly did not experience a significant drop in box office revenue in its second week, unlike typical horror films.
Instead, it maintained a strong momentum, and its North American box office easily surpassed the $100 million mark, with its global box office heading towards $200 million!
This achievement can be described as a great success!
The filming of "Snow White and the Huntsman" has just finished for the day. Chen Xun has collected a lot of attribute balls today and is preparing to go home.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and the name "James Wan" flashed on the screen.
"Hello, director James Wan!"
Chen Xun answered the phone, his tone as usual.
He's been busy with his new film crew these past few days and hasn't had time to pay attention to the specific data after "Lurking" was released; he only knows that the response should be good.
On the other end of the phone, Wen Ziren's tone changed from its usual gentleness, and his voice trembled:
"Chen! Did you see it?"
Chen Xun was taken aback by the barrage of questions:
"What are you looking at?"
He instinctively thought something had happened.
"Box office! Opening weekend box office! Thirty-five million! Thirty-five million US dollars!"
James Wan's voice was so excited it almost cracked.
"How much...?"
Chen Xun unconsciously tightened his grip on the phone, thinking he had misheard.
"Thirty-five million! An A- rating from viewers! An 87% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes! Chen, did you hear that? We've created a miracle!"
James Wan was still immersed in immense joy and desperately needed to share it with someone, and Chen Xun, as a part of the film, was naturally the first choice.
Chen Xun took a deep breath.
Even with his calm and collected demeanor, he was still somewhat stunned by this astronomical figure.
He knew the movie "Lurking" was of good quality and that it would definitely be popular, but this result has far exceeded his expectations!
A phenomenal explosion!