novellhall Chapter 121 Just a tool for making money! [3000]
Chapter 121 Just a tool for making money! [3000]
Chapter 121 Just a tool for making money! [3000]
He frowned, wanting to continue speaking, but the microphone was taken away by the staff member responsible for maintaining order.
Then, a young woman stood up, looking a little nervous: "Mr. Chen Xun, I really enjoyed your performance in '2 Broke Girls,' but comedies and superhero movies are very different. How did you portray a character that required such a strong presence and conviction?"
This question reminded Chen Xun of the young, handsome actors from his previous life.
When asked by reporters about their understanding of the characters, they stammered and couldn't answer for a long time.
Chen Xun was well prepared. He adjusted the microphone in front of him and said, "Thank you for your appreciation. The acting process was indeed completely different. For this role, I underwent a lot of physical and action training, and I also studied the psychological changes of the character in the script."
"For me, the charm of this character lies precisely in his ordinariness. He wasn't born a warrior; he feels fear and hesitation, but his fundamental nature is kindness!"
"I really resonate with this kind of hero who grows through experience, as for their aura—"
Chen Xun smiled, relaxed his posture slightly, and looked intently at the girl who asked the question: "Aura doesn't always have to be held high. Sometimes, it's that moment when you're clearly afraid, but still choose to stand in front of danger."
His increasing panel attributes, especially the upcoming upgrade to the [Aura] attribute, made him appear calm and trustworthy on stage.
Some whispers came from the audience.
Chen Xun noticed that the favorability rating above the girl's head jumped from 45 to 58. Several other people around him also saw their favorability ratings rise slightly.
Just then!
A voice rang out from the back row, speaking without waiting for a staff member to hand over the microphone, its tone laced with sarcasm: "You spent hundreds of millions of dollars just to film a coming-of-age story about an ordinary person?"
"Tony Stark from Marvel next door is a genius billionaire who plays with armor, that's what's cool! Aren't you guys being a bit too much—"
Although the words were not finished, the meaning was very clear.
This remark elicited a low chuckle and a chorus of agreement.
The producer looked rather displeased.
DC's creative officer was about to speak when Chen Xun picked up the microphone first.
His face showed little anger, but rather a hint of curiosity: "Sir, what do you think truly moves you about a superhero story?"
"Is it the cool armor and superpowers, or the choices the characters make when faced with a desperate situation?"
Before the other person could answer, Chen Xun continued, speaking steadily: "Tony Stark is cool, but didn't his charm begin with the transformation in that cave?"
"From an arms dealer to someone determined to use technology to protect the world, that was the starting point of his heroic journey, not about armor, but about his heart."
Chen Xun then dropped a bombshell, one he'd confirmed with director Martin beforehand: "Who says the movie won't have some cool scenes? The grand scale of Oa, the imaginative clash of the Lamp Ring's creations—all of these will be fully presented in the film!"
"We simply believe that even the coolest special effects need to be grounded in a character that allows the audience to immerse themselves in the story."
Chen Xun's statement was reasonable and well-founded.
It acknowledges the competitors, avoids inciting conflict, cleverly steers the debate back to the characters and story itself, and also highlights the special effects.
The audience fell silent for a moment.
The man who asked the question opened his mouth, but said nothing more.
The subsequent questions gradually returned to normal content.
activity ends.
Although not everyone was convinced, the initial tense clashes clearly disappeared.
When Chen Xun stepped down from the stage, several fans even came over to politely ask for his autograph.
Chen Xun performed well at the premiere, but that couldn't change the impact of online public opinion on him.
Twitter, as well as some movie and comic book forums, are now in complete chaos!
An organization called the "True Green Light Alliance" suddenly appeared!
The homepage description reads in a grand and respectable tone: "Committed to maintaining the original spirit and purity of DC Comics heroes, and opposing character alteration."
Their first major campaign was to launch the online petition #NotMyGreenLantern#.
The petition demanding that Warner Bros. reconsider the casting or reinstate Hal Jordan as the lead actor garnered over 50,000 signatures in just a few days.
This is just the appetizer.
More explicit statements and organizations began to surface.
An anonymous user posted in the film and television section with a title that was so blunt it was disturbing:
Stop that Asian guy from polluting our heroes.
The post was filled with racist clichés, smearing Chen Xun's rise as a conspiracy by Chinese capital to invade Hollywood, and calling on real Americans to boycott the film.
The post was quickly screenshotted and spread. Although the mainstream platforms deleted the original post, the negative impact it caused had already spread.
Immediately afterwards, an offline organization called Guardians of Classic Films became active.
They not only incited people online, but also distributed leaflets outside cinemas in Los Angeles, New York and other cities.
The flyers featured a distorted image of Chen Xun and slogans saying no to Asian heroes.
"Fuck! This is totally beyond the scope of movie discussions!"
Rob slammed a stack of printed screenshots and a crumpled flyer onto the coffee table in Chen Xun's apartment, pacing angrily back and forth in the living room: "This is blatant racial abuse! What are those idiots in Warner's PR department doing, taking their money and not doing their jobs? They just issue a couple of weak statements and call it a day?"
Chen Xun picked up the flyer and looked at it.
The printing is rough.
His own stills were maliciously photoshopped to make his face look grotesque, and the accompanying text was extremely poor.
This technique is so outdated!
I've seen plenty of this on the Chinese internet in my past life, but I never expected American trolls to do it too.
Didn't Warner Bros. issue a statement condemning racist remarks?
Chen Xun put down the flyer.
"Condemnation is utterly useless!"
Rob was practically spitting out words: "What we need is action! Prosecution! Get the FBI to investigate these maggots hiding behind the internet! At least get the theaters to get rid of these crazy flyer-giving lunatics!"
Chen Xun leaned back on the sofa, his fingers unconsciously tapping his knee.
"The prosecution process is too inefficient, and it plays right into their hands. They'd love to escalate the situation and gain more attention."
'
"So we just let them throw dirty water on us?" Robert glared.
"Of course not!"
Chen Xun picked up his phone, opened several highly popular tweets and forum posts, and handed them to Robert: "Look, although the voices of resistance are loud, the voices of support are also rising."
Many Asian actors, creators, and film critics have spoken out.
Korean-American actor Steven Yeun shared a video of Chen Xun's interview, captioning it: "Looking forward to the release of Chen Xun's Green Lantern!"
Some non-Asian industry professionals and general viewers also joined the discussion. Renowned film critic Max Reid wrote in his column: "We complain about Hollywood's formulaic approach, about the lack of originality, but when someone tries to tell a hero's story from a different background, the fiercest opposition comes from those who claim to be the most devoted fans of the original work—it's ironic!"
"I choose to believe in Martin Campbell's directing ability and the potential that Chen Xun has shown in his previous works."
Some initially neutral comic book fans, after their initial shock and resistance, began to rationally analyze the possible aspects of the film.
Some have even dug up Green Lanterns from other races and planets in the comics to argue that diversity is a core element of the Green Lantern Corps' design.
Green Lantern is already a hit before it even airs!
Green Lantern occupied the top three spots on the online trending topics list:
#NotMyGreenLantern#
#GreenLanternRise#
#ChenXun#
Clicking through reveals a large-scale online flame war.
Supporters and boycotters are arguing fiercely, with entertainers, marketing accounts, and various internet celebrities trying to ride the wave of the controversy mixed in.
Warner Bros. capitalized on this buzz by quickly releasing the first official trailer.
Within 24 hours of its release, the trailer garnered over 100 million views worldwide!
The number of comments has reached a new high!
This operation fully demonstrates the reality of capital.
In their eyes, actors are just tools for making money!
As expected, Chen Xun received a notification for the roadshow.
Chen Xun had already made preparations for this!
The North American roadshow has officially begun.
First stop, New York.
Rob looked at the itinerary, his lips twitching: "The first week: New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C."
"Warner really knows how to pick a location; it's a hotbed of East Coast elites and powder kegs."
"We can't just start in rural Alabama, can we?"
As Chen Xun checked his suitcase, he grumbled, "There's probably no one watching movies there!"
Gina and Kayla accompanied him during the first phase of his roadshow.
Gina is responsible for the action scenes, Keira is responsible for the acting and emotional storylines, and Chen Xun is the center of the storm.
The publicity team used the tagline "Iron Triangle: Willpower, Strength, and Truth".
The three met in the airport VIP lounge.
Gina, dressed in a neat tracksuit and carrying a small travel bag, punched Chen Xun on the shoulder as soon as she saw him: "Ready to face screams and rotten eggs, Green Lantern?"
Chen Xun was jolted awake by her punches: "Hopefully it's just screaming; eggs are such a waste of food."
Kayla, on the other hand, wore a simple beige trench coat and was dragging a small suitcase, exuding a cool and aloof aura.
She nodded slightly when her eyes met Chen Xun's.
Chen Xun strongly suspected that this woman was sexually frigid!
If Chen Xun hadn't seen that her favorability rating remained steadily at 90, he would have thought she had wandered into the wrong place.
On the plane, Chen Xun sat by the window, Gina by the aisle, and Kayla in the middle.
Gina was watching an action movie with noise-canceling headphones on, her knees even twitching slightly to the rhythm, as she studied the fight choreography.
Kayla took out the script and read it quietly.
Chen Xun closed his eyes to rest.
Roadshows are excellent opportunities to pick up attribute balls.
Moreover, the two major producers of high-quality balls have already returned to their positions.
Chen Xun had a vague feeling that the remaining un-upgraded attributes would soon be able to be improved during the roadshow.
AMC Lincoln Square, New York.
The significance of choosing this location for the first stop of the Green Lantern North American roadshow is self-evident.
It is both a tribute to the heart of the film industry and a way to plant a flag where the storm is at its fiercest.
Two hours before the event was scheduled to begin, the plaza outside the cinema had already been clearly divided into two opposing areas.
On one side were fans who had lined up early, their faces beaming with excitement.
Most of them were young and came from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and many of them held up homemade signs.
The words on it, written in exaggerated artistic lettering, read: "Chen Xun! Our Green Lantern!"
"Willpower knows no color!"
The favorability rating numbers floating above their heads are generally between 60 and 80.
Fans are the best!
Looking at these lovely people, Chen Xun felt a warmth in his heart.
Chen Xun enthusiastically opened the window and waved to them, eliciting screams from the fans.
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