Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 65: Breaking Records

In the president's office of Huayi Brothers, Wang Zhonglei stared at the computer screen, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the mahogany desktop.

"638 million in two days... If it really does reach 40 million in North America, then the global box office could very well exceed 100 million."

He turned to his older brother, Wang Zhongjun, who was sitting on the sofa. "Big brother, did we underestimate Jiang Yu's tactics? He seems to have really grasped the pulse of the international market."

Wang Zhongjun didn't speak, but just stared at Wang Zhi's face in the news photo. Her face was pure yet stubborn, and her eyes held a kind of indomitable spirit.

"Tell the talent agency department," Wang Zhongjun finally spoke, his voice low, "to reassess our cooperation strategy with Light Chaser Pictures. Also, increase investment in English training for our promising newcomers, especially those born in the 80s, with all expenses covered by the company. And hire a few Hollywood acting coaches to give regular lessons."

"Understood." Wang Zhonglei nodded, then added, "What about those two characters from Inception...?"

"We should still try to win them over." Wang Zhongjun stood up and walked to the window. "We need to change our approach. Jiang Yu won't fall for that kind of pressure. Let Zhou Xun and Li Binbin prepare well; they really have the ability to compete. As for the others... let's see how things go."

Just after 1 p.m., China Film Group announced the box office figures for the midnight screening of "The Witch": 650,000 yuan.

This figure breaks the record of 580,000 yuan set by "Red Cliff Part I" in early July for midnight screenings.

The media has gone mad again, this time completely mad.

Major television stations urgently adjusted their entertainment news headlines:

"The Witch" grossed 65 yuan at its midnight screening, surpassing Red Cliff and setting a new record for domestic films!"

"A new director overshadowing Wu Yusen? A victory for genre films or an awakening of the audience?"

"Light Chaser Pictures achieves outstanding results; the 'Jiang Yu Model' causes an industry upheaval!"

The headlines on online media were even more exaggerated:

"The Witch" crushes Red Cliff at midnight screenings! Is John Woo's status as a veteran actor in jeopardy?

"65! This generation of viewers loves superpowers more than history?"

"Wang Zhi: From being unknown to becoming an overnight sensation, all it takes is one movie."

Industry insiders are really getting restless this time.

What is the cast of "Red Cliff"?

Liang Chaowei, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Zhen, Lin Ziling, Zhao Bafei... This is the largest-budget and most star-studded epic in the history of Chinese-language cinema.

Director Wu Yusen is an internationally renowned director, and his publicity campaign is extensive, with CCTV even doing a special report on him.

What about "The Witch"? The director, Lu Yang, is a newcomer who has only directed short films before.

The lead actress is Wang Zhi, a newcomer.

Other actors include Jiang Wenli, who is famous but not a box office guarantee, and Zu Feng and Zhu Yilong, whose names are not familiar to the general public.

The production cost was US$2500 million, equivalent to about RMB1.8 million, which is less than one-third of the cost of "Red Cliff".

Surprisingly, the midnight screenings surpassed the box office of "Red Cliff"!

"This is illogical! The publicity for 'Red Cliff' was overwhelming, the star power was off the charts, and John Woo's name is there for all to see. How could it be surpassed by a newcomer's film? And it's a midnight screening!"

"Because young people love to watch it," the young director at the table whispered. "I went to the midnight showing last night at the Joy City theater in Xidan. It was packed, mostly with college students and recent graduates. I overheard them talking, and one girl said, 'The Three Kingdoms? What does that have to do with me? I just want to see pretty girls tear the villains apart.'"

"Yes, yes, yes!" another distributor chimed in. "Tickets for 'The Witch' are 20% more expensive than regular 2D tickets because it's a 3D version. Young people don't care; they're willing to pay for a better audiovisual experience. I've observed ticket sales; prime-time shows sell out a day in advance, and many are couples or groups of friends coming together."

These words caused a silence to fall over the dinner table.

After a long pause, a veteran producer slowly spoke up: "So, have we misunderstood the audience all these years? We always thought that the audience liked to see big scenes, big stars, and big directors, but maybe what young people want is very simple: just a thrilling experience."

........

July 29th, just before 7:00 AM

In China Film Group's data center, a staff member rubbed his eyes as he stared at the fluctuating numbers on the screen.

"Director Zhang, please take a look at this..." The young data clerk's voice trembled.

Director Zhang, who was in charge of box office statistics, walked over, glanced at the screen, and almost dropped his glasses.

"How much?"

"Opening day box office: 2820 million RMB."

The office fell silent for a moment, then erupted in chaos.

"2820?!"

"Record broken! Absolutely record broken!"

"How much did 'Red Cliff' make on its opening day? 2700 million, right?"

"Over 120 million! My God!"

The data was leaked in advance; an hour before the official release, some media outlets had already obtained the information.

The Witch's opening day box office: 2820 million yuan.

It broke the record of 27 million on the first day of "Red Cliff (Part 1)" once again.

This time, the entire entertainment industry, from stars to agents, from directors to producers, from the media to the audience, was in an uproar.

Major entertainment newspapers rushed to reprint their pages, with each front-page headline more sensational than the last.

"2820 million! 'The Witch' breaks records again on its opening day, has a new king been crowned for Chinese films?"

"Wang Zhi's performance catapulted her to stardom, shattering the ceiling for the commercial value of new actresses."

"Director Lu Yang's value has skyrocketed; is he the next Zhang Yimou?"

"Light Chaser Pictures' 'Dimensional Reduction Attack': Reshaping Chinese-Language Cinema with the Hollywood Model."

Tianya, Douban, Tieba, and other major forums have been flooded with posts about this, causing server lag.

"2820 million! Another record broken! 'The Witch' is on fire!"

"At this rate, breaking 1.5 million this week is not a dream!"

"How much is Wang Zhi worth now? Does anyone know?"

"Director Lu Yang's next film project is probably booked for at least three years, right? I heard that five companies have already approached him about collaborations."

"The biggest winners are Jiang Yu and Light Chaser Pictures! Their return on investment is estimated to be over 100%!"

"Light & Shadow Digital has become very popular. I heard they did all the special effects. Now there's a benchmark for domestic special effects companies."

All I want to say is: Jiang Yu, you're awesome!

......

Lu Yang was asleep at home when he received Yang Siwei's call; he had been so nervous the night before that he hadn't slept a wink, pacing back and forth in the living room.

The phone rang.

Lu Yang didn't even open his eyes as he fumbled for the phone, his voice hoarse: "Feed..."

"Director Lu, the first-day box office results are in." Yang Siwei's voice was very calm, so calm that Lu Yang's heart sank; it's over, it's definitely a flop.

He was mentally prepared to hear "800 million" or "900 million", and even thought about how he would apologize to President Jiang if he only received 500 million.

Then he heard:

"2820 million. Official data from China Film Group."

"Clatter".

The phone fell to the ground.

Lu Yang stared blankly at the phone. He bent down to pick it up, his hands trembling. "Mr. Yang, what did you just say... how much?"

"2820 million RMB. That's a record-breaking amount, surpassing 'Red Cliff'." Yang Siwei's voice finally carried a hint of a smile. "Director Lu, congratulations, you've succeeded."

This time the phone really did fall to the ground and bounced.

Lu Yang suddenly stood up, and because he stood up so suddenly, his vision went black and he almost fell.

Lu Yang's voice trembled: "2820 million... 2820 million on the first day... It broke the record... It surpassed 'Red Cliff'..."

"real."

Wang Zhi's reaction was even more dramatic.

She was eating instant noodles in an apartment arranged by Light Chaser Pictures at the time, and her agent, Sister Li, repeatedly told her: "Don't go out these next few days, the media is looking for you."

My phone rang; it was Sister Li calling.

Wang Zhi held a bowl of instant noodles in one hand and answered the phone with the other: "Sister Li, what's wrong?"

A series of rapid breaths came from the other end of the phone, followed by an excited, distorted voice: "Xiao Zhi! 2820 million! 2820 million on the first day! It broke the record! It surpassed 'Red Cliff'!"

The instant noodle fork in Wang Zhi's hand fell into the bowl with a "thud".

"How much?"

"28.2 million RMB! Xiao Zhi, your movie might break 100 million RMB worldwide! And maybe even 100 million USD!"

Wang Zhi opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word for a long time.

She felt her head buzzing, as if countless bees were flying inside.

Jiang Yu is receiving his seventeenth congratulatory call of the day; his phone has been ringing non-stop since seven in the morning.

This time it's Master Han.

"President Jiang, 28.2 million, excellent!" Han Sanye's voice was loud and clear, filled with genuine joy. "China Film Group predicts that it is very likely to break 150 million this week. If it really does, it will be a new record, the fastest domestic film to break 100 million."

"Thank you for your support, Third Master, and also thanks to China Film Group's excellent distribution."

"It's not that I support it, it's just that the movie is really good," Han Sanye exclaimed. "I watched it again last night, for the third time now, and the more I watch it, the more I feel that your model is correct. Clear genre, excellent production, not relying on a bunch of stars... This is the right path for the industrialization of Chinese films."

"We are still exploring, and there is still a lot to learn."

"Good for your exploration!" Han Sanye paused, his tone becoming more formal. "By the way, China Film Group wants to sign a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with Light Chaser Pictures. In the future, China Film Group will give priority to investing in, distributing, and scheduling your projects. Name your terms, and we will fully support you. Chinese cinema needs fresh blood like yours."

This is extremely high recognition, equivalent to obtaining a "national team" pass.

Jiang Yu smiled: "Thank you for your trust, Third Master. I'll have Siwei prepare a plan, and we'll go to China Film Group next week to discuss it in detail."

"Alright! I'll wait for you! By the way," Han Sanye lowered his voice, "regarding the collaboration we discussed last time on 'Inception,' what do you think about China Film Group's side of things..."

"Third Master, let's talk after the Olympics. Director Nolan will be coming to China in person in October," Jiang Yu said gently. "There will be opportunities."

"Understood, understood. Leave professional matters to professionals. I was just mentioning it. That's all for now, we'll discuss cooperation when you return!"

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yu walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in his office.