novellhall Chapter 108: Box Office Surpasses 3 Million, A New Legend
Chapter 108: Box Office Surpasses 3 Million, A New Legend
The premiere was a lively affair, with Gu Qing, Jing Tian, Li Binbin, Duan Yihong, and other main cast members making a brief appearance.
They also invited Jay Chou, JJ Lin and other singers to perform as guest artists. These days, inviting these artists isn't too expensive, as they are currently popular and their popularity makes them affordable. The atmosphere at the event was also greatly enhanced.
Performing at the Bird's Nest? This is the first time! Maybe we can hold another concert here in the future?
Jay Chou glanced at Gu Qing and immediately thought the idea was brilliant.
Of course, he would prefer to invite the other party to direct; his dream is to be a third-rate singer and a first-rate movie star.
Gu Qing had no idea what Xiao Zhou was thinking. At that moment, he was holding Jing Tian's hand and reading "Source Code" again.
Movies are best enjoyed in a large group. When the exciting parts came, the audience cheered enthusiastically, wave after wave.
"Brother, I'm so happy!"
"This is nothing, just a premiere."
Gu Qing squeezed Jing Tian's small hand, and seeing the other's flushed face, he couldn't help but swallow.
It is indeed a delightful thing to have your performance viewed by tens of thousands of people and receive extremely high praise.
If only two or three people are watching a work, that's called self-entertainment, but if tens of thousands of people are watching it together, that's artistic creation.
Not to mention Jing Tian, all the female stars present were filled with excitement and envy, wishing they could take her place.
Being the first in everything is important, and at least here at the Bird's Nest, Jing Tian, as the female lead, is the first to hold a premiere here.
A unique premiere unfolded, becoming the hottest topic in the entertainment section recently.
Movies like "If You Are the One" and "Ip Man" are still in good shape, since they've been in theaters for more than half a month and their potential is already limited.
Meanwhile, films like "Red Cliff Part II" and "The Emperor and the Phoenix" from the same period suffered greatly, as their viewership was genuinely affected.
The first batch of film critics and media reporters who saw the film have already given their reviews.
It can be said that as long as it's not as nonsensical as "Metallic Attraction: Kung Fu Cyborg," the merits of any science fiction film will be amplified.
Not to mention that Source Code is indeed well-made, and its storyline is also refreshing.
Entertainment magazines such as Entertainment Weekly and Southern Metropolis Daily also reported on the premiere.
After all, it premiered at the Bird's Nest and was the first science fiction film, so it was packed with hype.
China Film Group and Enlight Media are both making every effort to promote their products within their respective spheres of influence.
Ground promotions, Google, and online media are all pushing information about "Source Code".
With such a big gimmick as the premiere at the Bird's Nest, pushing it out with just keywords is enough to pique people's interest.
"No one expected this at all. A premiere at the Bird's Nest is like a young woman getting married. It's the first time like this."
"Any audience members here want to share their thoughts on the movie?"
"Is there even a question? Director Gu's abilities need no explanation."
"Gu Qing? His abilities are just so-so. In my opinion, he's only risen to prominence through hype and praise. His only representative work is one movie. He might just be a flash in the pan."
"I didn't see the premiere of this film, nor did I watch any interviews, but casting a newcomer as the female lead was a death sentence in my mind. This director's casting was far too frivolous."
"Isn't using the Bird's Nest as the premiere venue a huge waste of public resources?"
There are all sorts of opinions online, and apart from a few people who watched the movie at the premiere, most of them are not optimistic about it.
There's no way around it. The director is young, the female lead is a student at the Beijing Film Academy, and the script, plus the time for filming and production, is less than a year. How could there possibly be a good movie?
Gu Qing did initially have the idea of clarifying things, but after thinking about it, he gave up on the idea.
They simply hired an online troll company to control the general direction of public opinion.
After all, the secrecy surrounding this film is very strict, and no movie clips have been leaked online.
No matter what he says now, it will be to no avail, and he might even be accused of being angry and embarrassed.
Rather than that, it's better to keep it shrouded in mystery from the start.
On January 27, "Source Code" was officially released simultaneously in China and the United States, naturally touted as a domestic science fiction film.
He wasn't wrong; in China, it's not much different to call science fiction films "graveyards."
Only he would dare to say something like that.
Since the film's release date coincided with the Spring Festival, Gu Qing didn't go home, mainly because she wanted to set a good example.
Originally, they were worried about being saddened by not being able to go home for the New Year, but the two elders didn't care at all. In their eyes, Gu Qing's biggest problem had been solved, and they were at ease.
As for whether or not to come back for the New Year, it really doesn't matter. After all, a man's top priority should be his career.
Gu Qing: It wasn't like this a few years ago when they were urging me to find a girlfriend.
As for the lead actors, there were naturally no problems. Being a celebrity means having a different schedule from ordinary people. They spend a lot of time at home and are used to not being able to spend holidays with their families.
"Sweetie, you should go home first and come back to do promotions with us in February."
"Brother, won't this bother you?"
"It's okay, you can come home with me and explain to my parents."
"Ugh, I was talking about the movie."
Gu Qing wasn't too harsh on Jing Tian, mainly because she wasn't used to spending the New Year away from home, and besides, she hadn't been home for a long time.
Anyway, since Li Binbin is involved in the publicity, it's not a big deal.
As for the others, although they had some thoughts in their minds, they wouldn't say them out loud, since the director hadn't said anything.
With the female lead absent, the publicity will naturally focus more on them.
This year's Spring Festival atmosphere was lively. Although there were some twists and turns, we were not afraid of difficulties and obstacles, and we were united as one.
The successful completion of the Olympic Games and the successful launch of Shenzhou VII have inspired everyone and brought a new atmosphere.
At this crucial moment, a domestic sci-fi film is being released. Regardless of whether the plot is good or bad, do you want to go to the cinema to see it?
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, "Source Code" was officially released in major cinemas.
While science fiction films may not attract audiences to theaters as much as comedies, watching one during the festive season is certainly a good choice.
There was originally a comedy film called "Crazy Racer" scheduled for the Lunar New Year release, but since the two are brothers, there was no need for them to be released in the same period.
In the morning, the first group of moviegoers entered the cinema, eager to see what this movie, which had been heavily marketed recently, actually looked like.
Compared to "Triangle," "Prototype" undoubtedly contains far more futuristic elements.
Of the 70 million yuan budget, only 20% was used for actor and logistics salaries; the majority of the remaining money was spent on set construction.
Gu Qing has already done her best to show everyone the futuristic science fiction elements.
However, due to the limitations of the era and the constraints of the venue, there were not many places to move around. Gu Qing had already discussed this with Han Sanping and decided to build a science fiction film shooting base.
In terms of plot, the protagonist's repeated attempts to save the world do indeed have the feel of a Hollywood commercial film.
However, this type of film can indeed cause an adrenaline rush in the audience, producing an indescribable sense of pleasure.
As for the female lead and the second female lead, they also have many admirable human qualities.
Gu Qing's storyline has its own focus, which is also thanks to his writing team.
While domestic films are still telling strange love stories, grudges, and exporting the director's ideas.
Gu Qing has already brought Hollywood's mature film business to China and completed its localization.
On February 5th, "The Source Code" raked in 130 million yuan at the box office in just one week!
It successfully broke the opening week box office record of "Red Cliff Part I". It is worth mentioning that "Red Cliff Part II" is competing with "The Source Code".
"Source Code" not only rivaled "Red Cliff II" but also broke the box office record of its predecessor.
More importantly, the concept of the Spring Festival film season has not yet taken off, and not everyone will go out to watch movies.
The Spring Festival film season became popular later because the Spring Festival Gala was no longer interesting, but now the Spring Festival Gala is indeed at its peak.
In just one night, Xiao Shenyang became a sensation across the country, known to everyone.
Sometimes you have to believe in fate. So many people dream of something, but it was obtained by a silly boy.
However, Zhao Benshan is still able to keep his apprentices in check.
Gu Qing's movie release, however, was not greatly affected, after all, they are in different circles, one is the big screen and the other is the small screen.
This was also one of the triggers for the falling out between Zhang Weiping and Zhang Yimou.
That day, I had just finished talking to Jing Tian and hadn't even hung up the phone when it rang again.
"Gu Qing, 'The Source Code' has already grossed over 100 million yuan in just five days!"
"Oh, I understand."
"Is that all you've got? Dude, you've already broken the box office record of 'Red Cliff Part I,' you're a new legend, the fourth mainland director to gross over 100 million yuan, and a genius director who's only twenty-five years old!"
On the other end of the phone, Han Sanping also reminded him in a shocked tone.
Box office receipts exceeding 100 million are something all three major directors can achieve, but what were they doing at Gu Qing's age? Probably still working as assistants on film sets, carrying cameras?
Not to mention that it was a film he wrote and directed himself, and it was a science fiction film, a genre that no one believed in.
He had to admit that he had truly seen a new star rising; the future truly belonged to Gu Qing.
"Otherwise what? Should I go and buy a string of firecrackers to celebrate? Besides, you said it yourself, it only broke the opening week record of 'Red Cliff Part I'."
Although Gu Qing's tone was somewhat excited, he was actually quite calm inside.
While this film is good, it can barely be considered a masterpiece of science fiction in mainland China. However, in Hollywood, it can only be described as a decent science fiction movie.
Because next year, an Avatar will be released. Although the plot of this movie is so-so, you have to admit that the special effects are indeed top-notch and give people a shocking feeling.
Because he thinks deeply and sees far ahead, he always maintains a vigilant mind regarding the achievements he has made.
Arrogance and pride? That's impossible; he still has a lot to learn.
Online, the film has received much higher ratings than the original novel.
After all, this film was indeed directed by a domestic director, but unfortunately the special effects were not produced by a domestic company. What does it mean that a college student came out of the village?
At this moment, it seems that domestically produced science fiction films are truly becoming a reality, if only a few more films of equally high quality could be made.
"Gu Qing is indeed Gu Qing. He won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film with his science fiction short film. Now it seems that he is no less than established directors in the field of feature films."
"Not bad. 'The Dilemma,' 'Triangle,' and this film, 'Source Code,' all feature similar storylines, yet they've managed to create three different styles. Gu Qing will definitely be credited as a sci-fi director!"
"Speaking of which, does the concept of parallel universes really exist? Judging from some details in the film, it seems to have already foreshadowed the ending of the story."
"Is everyone discussing the plot? I think Jing Tian is really beautiful, heroic and charming, and her personality is also full of charm. Soldiers are cold, but they should also have feelings in their hearts."
"Li Binbin's performance was also good. It is said that to test a director's skill, you should see if he can film women. Now it seems that Gu Qing's level is really good."
Although it was just after the Spring Festival, not everyone immediately started working, and discussions about "Source Code" were very heated. Apart from the plot, the most attention was paid to the main creators.
When Jing Tian was chosen as the female lead, there were quite a few dissenting voices online, but Gu Qing shouldered all the blame.
Even if a contract has been signed, the female lead can still be snatched away by the investors, let alone a big project like this, which has countless people eyeing it.
That's why Jing Tian worked so hard. She asked Li Binbin to teach her acting on set, and at night she also received extra tutoring from Gu Qing. You could say she was holding back a lot of resentment.
Of course, the effort paid off. Seeing my own dashing and handsome figure on the screen, it was all worth it.
The character played by Li Binbin naturally has its own charm, but it lacks a character arc.
The male lead, Duan Yihong, rose to fame for his role as Yuan Lang in "Soldiers Sortie," and this time he once again plays a soldier.
The transformation from confusion and anger to maturity and decisiveness in the military is convincing.
It can be said that the three main actors in this movie each have their own unique characteristics.
Online reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with a Douban rating of 8.7, making it another classic film.
It may have its shortcomings, but it is our own work.
The creation of "Kung Fu Panda" is considered tragic by Chinese people because it was made by foreigners. Despite being full of Chinese elements, it is essentially a foreign film.
"The Source Code" may have some flaws, but it contains the filter of domestic science fiction films.
On February 17th, after 2 days of release, "Source Code" officially surpassed 3.2 million yuan in total box office revenue, becoming a record for domestic films!
He himself has officially become the fourth director in Chinese cinema to have a film gross over 100 million yuan!
That year, he was twenty-five years old.