novellhall Chapter 396 Resist the Joker
Chapter 396 Resist the Joker
Chapter 395 Resist the Joker
While the overseas premiere was all over social media, a wave of charity screenings had already swept across Weibo in China.
The interview with Chen Xun and the reports of the charity premiere spread to China.
The fans did not organize support activities or book out venues for their idols as usual.
Following Chen Xun's promotional philosophy, fans launched the #JokerCharityMovieViewingGroup# campaign.
In the super topic, the fan club posted its first event announcement: "We don't do extravagant support activities or fan competitions. We just want to follow in Brother Xun's footsteps and bring the kindness in the movie into reality. For this movie viewing group, we invite those who rarely have the opportunity to go to the cinema to watch a movie for free, hear a story, and spread a bit of kindness."
As soon as the announcement was released, fan clubs in cities across the country immediately sprang into action.
Fans in Shanghai collaborated with local food delivery drivers to book two theaters at a cinema, inviting 200 delivery drivers to watch the movie for free. They even specially selected a screening during the delivery drivers' break time and prepared bottled water and lunch for each driver.
BJ's fans contacted a school for children of migrant workers and invited 300 children of migrant workers to watch a movie for free. They also prepared stationery and books to help the children realize their dreams.
Fans in Chengdu collaborated with a local mental health charity to invite people recovering from mental illness and their families to watch the film for free.
They also invited a psychologist to hold a small sharing session after the screening.
Fans in Guangzhou opted for a homeless shelter, inviting its staff and beneficiaries to watch the film. They also booked a midnight screening and invited taxi drivers, cleaners, and security guards to attend.
Hangzhou, Wuhan, Nanjing, Chongqing —
More than 30 cities across the country have established public welfare film viewing groups.
Fans also launched a "One Kind Word" campaign, placing a wall at the exit of each charity screening where moviegoers could write down a kind message they wanted to say to strangers and post it on the wall.
"Delivery driver, drive carefully and be safe."
"Stranger, no matter how hard things are for you right now, things will get better."
Your hard work deserves to be recognized.
"Thank you to everyone who has worked silently for this city."
"6
The walls covered with messages of goodwill were photographed by fans and posted on Weibo.
The hashtag #JokerCharityMovieViewingGroup# immediately climbed to the top of the trending topics list.
Those who were initially critical of celebrities and their fans booking entire theaters for movie screenings have completely changed their minds this time.
"I was initially very averse to fans booking entire theaters, thinking it was just a form of competition within the fandom. But after seeing Chen Xun's fans organizing a charity screening, I realized this is the most positive way to support a celebrity!"
"Fans truly follow their idol's lead; Chen Xun himself has a great character, and his fans join him in doing charity work and spreading goodwill. It's incredibly endearing!"
"Passersby said they weren't really interested in the movie, but now they have to buy tickets to support it, just for its down-to-earth and genuine commitment to charity."
In just one week, the number of people in China who wanted to see "Joker" exceeded 500 million.
It set a record for the number of people who wanted to watch R-rated imported films in mainland China, completely opening up the casual audience.
Countless viewers who were originally uninterested in R-rated films decided to go to the cinema because of this charity event.
There are 72 hours left until the global release of "Joker".
The latest screening schedule data from the North American theater chains has caused a new stir in Hollywood.
Warner Bros. had originally only agreed on a release scale of 3200 theaters in North America.
This is already top-tier for an R-rated independent comic book adaptation.
However, as Chen Xun's in-depth interview went viral online and the charity premiere sparked global discussions, the anticipation for "Joker" skyrocketed.
Heads of major North American theater chains proactively called Warner Bros.' distribution department, requesting increased screenings overnight.
AMC Theatres was the first to announce that it would increase the number of theaters showing "Joker" from 800 to 1200, with prime-time screenings accounting for 60% of the total.
Following suit, leading North American theater chains such as Regal and Cinemark also followed suit.
Ultimately, the number of theaters where "Joker" opened in North America skyrocketed from the initial 3200 to 4200!
It matched the opening scale of top-tier commercial superhero blockbusters!
It set the second-highest record for the number of R-rated films to open in North American theaters.
On the IMDb platform, the number of people who want to see "Joker" has exceeded 280 million, breaking the record for the highest number of R-rated films since the platform was founded.
The Rotten Tomatoes audience score for "Want to See" soared to 98%, while the media score remained stable at a high of 95%.
According to pre-sale data from the Fandango ticketing platform, the opening day pre-sale box office for "Joker" has already surpassed all previous R-rated films.
The total box office revenue of superhero movies in their opening weekend.
The platform's head publicly stated, "In our twenty years in the industry, we have never seen an R-rated movie generate such an incredible pre-sale buzz."
Warner's distribution department couldn't stop smiling as they watched the data being updated daily.
Their initial expectation for this R-rated film, which cost only $3500 million to produce, was a maximum global box office of $3 million.
Industry insiders now conservatively estimate that the global box office will be at least $8 million.
This movie has already created a miracle even before its release.
And at the heart of all this is Chen Xun.
Just as anticipation across the internet was at its peak and theaters were frantically increasing screenings, a malicious boycott of "Joker" quietly brewed to its climax.
First, anonymous accounts frantically spread leaked posts on 4chan and Twitter, claiming with absolute certainty: "Joker glorifies violent revenge and antisocial personality disorder throughout its release, and its release will inevitably lead to school shootings, street violence, and other heinous incidents!"
The post also dug up some sporadic violent incidents, splicing and editing them out of context to incite panic.
Following this, several conservative parenting organizations in the United States quickly joined the fray, releasing a joint open letter stating: "This film will corrupt children and incite youth violence and crime!"
Parents across the United States are urged to boycott the release of "Joker".
They even sent threatening emails to major cinema chains: "If any violence occurs during the screening of this film, the cinema chains will bear full responsibility."
Furthermore, Hollywood rivals, envious of the popularity of "Joker," secretly fueled the fire by bribing several right-wing media outlets to publish numerous commentary articles.
Some have called "Joker" a "textbook of violence" and even directly targeted Chen Xun, accusing him of using his status as a movie star to convey antisocial ideas to young people.
In just two days, the hashtag #BoycottTheClowns trended on Twitter.
The calls for resistance are growing stronger.
Some smaller cinema chains couldn't withstand the pressure and quietly removed "Joker" from their screenings.
A villa in Beverly Hills.
The study light was always on.
Chen Xun sat at his desk, with constantly updated public opinion data on his computer screen.
Occasionally, I would receive several communication emails from non-profit organizations.
With the increasing popularity of "Joker" and the support of his fans, many things have become out of his control.
After all, it's an R-rated film, and much of its content is restricted. If it becomes popular, it will definitely attract a lot of attention.
Chen Xun kept changing his coffee cup after cup.
He wasn't worried that the boycott would affect the film's box office.
Judging from the current situation, the box office will only far exceed that of the previous life.
A minimum of 10 billion!
However, such malicious incitement may cause viewers to misunderstand the core message of the film.
He made "Joker" not to promote violence, but to show the roots of violence and let society see those forgotten traumas.
But now his work has been maliciously misinterpreted as a textbook of violence, which leaves him with a pent-up frustration that he can't express.
Rob called every half hour: "Bro, Warner's PR department wants to send a lawyer's letter to sue all those accounts spreading rumors. Also, should we put pressure on the theaters to stop pulling the screenings?"
"Need not!
Chen Xun's voice was a little hoarse, but still calm: "Sending lawyer's letters will only embolden them and make us look guilty. There's no need to pressure the theaters; the audience knows better than anyone what they want to see."
"So we're just going to watch them spread rumors?"
Robert was getting anxious.
"Of course not."
"I have already contacted the American Mental Health Association, the National League of Homeless, and anti-school violence advocacy organizations. We will jointly issue an open letter to explain our original intention in making this film, so as to clarify our position."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xun rubbed his throbbing temples and opened the document to continue writing the draft of the open letter.
The study door was gently pushed open.
Christine walked in carrying a glass of warm milk, wearing loose loungewear and her hair casually tied back.
As soon as Chen Xun was attacked online, she flew back to Los Angeles.
The two once parted ways because they valued their work too much.
Now, Christine values their relationship more.
She placed the milk in front of Chen Xun and reached out to close his laptop: "You haven't had a proper night's sleep for two days."
[Fool, you're already exhausted like this and you're still forcing yourself to keep going. You've ruined yourself like this because of work?]
Seeing the bloodshot in his eyes, my heart ached terribly. He endured so much hardship while filming "Joker" but didn't look like this. These haters deserve to die.
Chen Xun looked up at her, and hearing Christine's concerned words, he forced a smile: "It's okay, there's just some finishing work left. I'll go to sleep after I finish writing it."
"Come on~"
Christine reached out and gently rubbed Chen Xun's temples, her voice full of concern: "I don't care about your open letter or the boycott. Now come with me to the kitchen. I've locked the computer; you're not allowed to touch it today."
Chen Xun wanted to say something more, but Christine grabbed him without saying a word and dragged him all the way to the kitchen.
On the counter were flour, butter, chocolate, eggs, and baking molds, which she had obviously prepared in advance.
"What are you going to do?" Chen Xun was stunned.
"Baked cookies".
Christine tossed him the apron, raised her chin, and said with an air of absolute authority, "Don't you love chocolate chip cookies? I'll teach you how to make them today. If you can't, you can forget about ever touching a computer again."
[If you have something on your mind, there's no point in trying to persuade you. You can only do something else to give your mind a break. Anyway, I'll be there for you even if the sky falls. This little thing is nothing.]
Seeing the seriousness in her eyes, Chen Xun felt a great deal of relief from the pent-up frustration in his heart.
He smiled, tied on his apron, and nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you. I won't touch work today. I'll focus on learning how to bake cookies from our movie queen."
The warm lights in the kitchen were on, and the butter was slowly melting in the warm water, releasing a rich, milky aroma.
Christine patiently taught Chen Xun how to weigh flour, beat eggs, and mix butter.
Chen Xun, who is skilled at making Chinese food, is like a complete novice when it comes to Western food.
I had just picked up the flour bag when my body, which had been working hard for two days, trembled, and half of the flour spilled out.
White flour clung to the two of them.
"Are you baking cookies or tearing down the kitchen?"
Christine looked at Chen Xun's hands covered in flour, and herself was covered in it too, and couldn't help but laugh.
Chen Xun feigned anger, grabbing a handful of flour and smearing it on Christine's face: "What are you laughing at? Isn't it because you didn't teach her well?"
Christine didn't dodge; instead, she smeared some cream on Chen Xun's nose.
The two of them were like children, making a ruckus in the kitchen, getting flour and butter all over their faces and bodies.
Chen Xun also felt the gloom in his heart gradually dissipate.
After they had had their fill of arguing, the two finally kneaded the cookie dough, squeezed it into the molds, and put it in the oven.
As the oven temperature slowly rose, a sweet aroma gradually filled the entire kitchen.
Christine leaned against the kitchen counter, looking at Chen Xun standing opposite her.
His face was speckled with flour, and the bloodshot eyes hadn't faded yet, but his gaze was full of tenderness as he looked at her.
She suddenly took two steps forward, stood on tiptoe, reached out and gently brushed the powder off his face, then tilted her head slightly and kissed away the little bit of white powder on the tip of his nose.
The soft touch landed on the tip of his nose, and Chen Xun's breath hitched slightly. He reached out and put his arm around her waist.
Christine's lips brushed against his skin as she whispered, "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Even if the sky falls, I'll be there for you. What's this little bit of resistance?"
He finally smiled. As long as he's happy, I'm willing to play along with him in the kitchen every day.
No matter what happens, I'll be with him. They're just a bunch of clowns; they can't hurt him in the slightest.
Chen Xun was deeply moved as he listened to her heartfelt words.
He lowered his head and kissed her, the kitchen filled with the sweet aroma of cookies.
The Los Angeles night outside the window is dazzling, and all the outside noise is shut out at this moment.
"Ding!"
The oven gave a soft hiss; the cookies were done.
Christine blushed and pushed him away. She put on oven mitts and took out the baking tray. The freshly baked cookies were golden and crispy, and the aroma of chocolate mixed with milk filled the whole room.
She picked up a piece, blew on it, and held it to Chen Xun's lips: "Try it, and see how my cooking is."
Chen Xun took a bite; it was crispy and sweet, the chocolate melting in his mouth, sweet but not cloying.
"It's delicious, even better than the desserts sold in other dessert shops."
He said it was delicious, that's great! It was worth using half a bag of flour!
Christine's eyes lit up with joy and excitement.
[Progress towards being recorded in history +1%, current progress: 78%]
He looked down at Christine, who was munching on a cookie beside him, and reached out to ruffle her hair, feeling increasingly at ease.
With her by my side, no matter how big the storm, it's not worth mentioning.
The next morning.
Led by Chen Xun, and in conjunction with 12 non-profit organizations including the American Mental Health Association, the National Alliance of Homeless, and the Anti-School Violence Coalition, the open letter "The Boundary Between Film and Reality" has been officially released online.
This open letter rationally explains the core of the film.
"Joker is not a movie that promotes violence; on the contrary, it is an anti-violence movie."
"What we use the camera to show is not the thrill of violence, but the root cause of violence."
"The tragedies in movies are meant to let us in reality see those forgotten people and hear those silent cries."
We firmly believe that the meaning of art is to awaken goodwill, not to incite malice.
"Since the Venice roadshow, we have promoted the revision of mental health laws in 17 states, raised $240 million for homeless shelters, and held 32 anti-bullying public awareness sharing sessions for teenagers. We have always been putting the core of film into practice with our actions: seeing the darkness is to better move towards the light."
The open letter concluded with a simple sentence: "We welcome all viewers to go to the cinema, see the complete story, and then make their own judgment."
The open letter went viral across the internet the moment it was released.
In just one hour, the number of reposts exceeded one million.
The hashtag #TheBoundaryBoundaryBetweenFilm andReality# immediately topped the global trending search list.
Authoritative organizations such as the American Mental Health Association, the American Psychological Association, and UNICEF have all forwarded the open letter and publicly expressed their support.
Numerous sociology experts, film critics, and veteran media professionals have published articles praising this open letter as demonstrating the vision and responsibility that filmmakers should possess.
The previously rampant boycott rhetoric instantly lost its credibility.
After reading the open letter, netizens, looking back at the incitement to boycott, found it utterly absurd: "They made the film to promote mental health and public welfare, yet you're spreading rumors and inciting violence. Who's really spreading malice?"
"After reading the open letter, I'm even more eager to see this movie. How could someone who can make such a film and write such a letter possibly promote violence?"
"Those who boycott the film probably didn't understand it at all and are just blindly following the crowd. They're doing charity work with real actions, while you're just typing on your keyboards online. The difference in quality is obvious."
"I was hesitant about whether to go see it, but now I have to buy a ticket to support them! Just for this kind of generosity, the ticket is worth it!"
This boycott did not lead to a reduction in theater screenings; instead, it caused a surge in pre-sale box office for "Joker."
Several small cinema chains that had originally withdrawn their screenings from the show added them back overnight, and even proactively added midnight screenings.
In North America, prime-time screenings at 4200 cinemas were almost completely sold out, causing ticketing platforms to crash due to the overwhelming demand.
The domestic market has seen a new surge in popularity.
Seeing the overseas popularity, domestic cinemas have once again increased the screening share of "Joker" from the initial 40% to 55%, setting a record for the highest screening share of an R-rated film imported to mainland China.
The mainland has always been strict in its review of R-rated imported films, and being given 55% of the screenings is an unprecedented treatment.
The number of people who "want to see" the film on both Taopiaopiao and Maoyan platforms exceeded 600 million, and the pre-sale box office surpassed 3 million RMB three days in advance, breaking the pre-sale record for R-rated imported films.
The fan-organized charity movie-watching groups have covered more than 50 cities across the country. Countless passersby were moved by the vision in the open letter and expressed their intention to go to the cinema to support the film.
Domestic netizens, witnessing the overseas boycott, couldn't help but mock: "Are people abroad out of their minds? A movie can incite violence? Why do they have to blame a movie for their own social problems?"
"Chen Xun's actions were truly impressive; he didn't engage in mudslinging or explanations, but let facts and actions speak for themselves, giving those who opposed him a resounding slap in the face!"
"I wasn't interested in this kind of dark film before, but now I have to see it! It's a film starring Chinese actors who have made it in Hollywood, I have to support it!"