Chapter 194 Exclusive Interview
On the morning of September 29, Wang Shu was accepting an exclusive interview with Sina Entertainment.
Because it is an exclusive interview on an online portal, the content of the interview does not need to be scheduled before being released like an interview on a TV station.
The exclusive interview with Sina Entertainment will be completed in the morning and will be posted on the portal in the afternoon after some polishing.
Of course, usually it will be one day apart.
It is now the time for "Space Traveler" to be released, and with Wang Shu's current popularity, Sina Entertainment will rush to release the first-hand news.
"Hello, Director Wang, I am Xiao Wu, a reporter from Sina Entertainment. I am very happy to invite you to participate in this exclusive interview today." The speaker was a beautiful woman in her twenties and eighties. When he saw Wang Shu arriving, he immediately stood up and greeted him politely with a smile.
"Hello, I am honored to participate in today's interview." Wang Shu smiled and said beautiful words.
Then I exchanged a few words with the staff on site and then got to the topic.
"Director Wang, the style of "Love Traveler" is different from that of "The Tuner" and "Buried Alive". We are very curious as to how you came up with the idea to write the script of this play and put it on the screen. Big screen?" Reporter Wu looked at Wang Shu and asked.
Wang Shu heard this and replied with a smile: "Hollywood is there, the world. There are so many movies in front of you. Watching more and thinking more will always be rewarding."
"You mean, " Was "Time Traveler" inspired by foreign movies?" Reporter Wu then asked.
“That’s not the case.” This question would bring about a big rhythm. Wang Shu directly denied it without thinking, and then said, “We also have many excellent movies in our country.”
“What I mean is that the world’s movies are right in front of you. Watch more, think more, and learn from each other’s strengths.”
After hearing this, Reporter Wu chatted a few more words, and then asked: “Someone said These domestic blockbusters and costume blockbusters that have appeared in recent years have actually formed a new type of domestic costume blockbusters. Will Director Wang be interested in shooting costume blockbusters in the future? ”
A new type of domestic costume blockbuster?
Wang Shu listened happily.
These people are really putting money on their faces!
“I haven’t considered it yet.” Wang Shu answered directly.
Reporter Wu then asked: "The Night Banquet directed by Director Feng Xiaogang has been released for two weeks. What does Director Wang think of the movie?"
Wang Shu knew that after the previous preparations, this problem would inevitably arise, and then responded with a smile: "I have been busy promoting "Space Traveler" during this period, and I have never gone to the cinema to watch this movie."
“So, if you ask me what I think, I can only say that I haven’t seen it and I can’t give you an opinion.”
“However, I do know one thing.”
"Since the release of "Baby Project" and "Space Traveler" today, the box office of Director Feng's film will probably be greatly affected."
Reporter Wu smiled when he heard this, Wang Shu's answer It seems relatively peaceful, but it is actually a response to what Feng Xiaogang said in his last interview.
I have to say that 20-year-old young directors are different.
Any other director would never dare to do this.
This is the 20-year-old young director who dares not to give Feng Xiaogang face.
At the same time, Feng Xiaogang and Wang Zhongjun were also sitting in an interview room in another place to accept an exclusive interview with Sina Entertainment.
The period film "The Banquet" not only grossed 90 million at the box office in two weeks, and is easily worth over 100 million, it has also been officially confirmed that it will represent Hong Kong Island and be selected by the Hong Kong Island Film Producers Association to compete for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. award.
Feng Xiaogang and Wang Zhongjun accepted Sina Entertainment's invitation to be guests on Sina and responded to the different voices from all walks of life after the release of "The Night Banquet".
Exclusive interview on site.
The reporter looked at Feng Xiaogang and Wang Zhonglei and asked: "Some people say that these domestic blockbusters and costume blockbusters that have appeared in recent years have actually formed a new type of domestic costume blockbusters. These two are Don’t you agree with this definition?”
This question is very different from the question asked by another Sina reporter to Wang Shu.
Obviously this was done deliberately by Sina Entertainment for the sake of comparison.
Feng Xiaogang feels very good about himself. He will definitely not agree to confuse the movies he directed with other movies. He immediately said: "I don't think it is the same. "The Night Banquet" is not the same as the original ones that everyone has seen. Same."
"This is not an action movie, nor a martial arts movie, but a drama."
"I have also seen some articles that think it is the same, which means they don't. If you look at this movie too carefully, it is actually very different. The style is completely different.”
“Of course you said it is a period film, which is probably true.”
The reporter then looked at Wang Zhonglei, and Wang Zhonglei said with a smile: "They are all ancient costumes, big productions."
The reporter heard this and followed the words and asked: "They are all super luxury productions. You don't agree with this definition?"
The so-called several domestic blockbusters and costume films that appeared this year have formed a A new type of domestic costume film.
The so-called new type refers to ultra-luxury production.
The core is still old wine in new bottles.
Wang Zhonglei saw the reporter asking this question and said with a smile: "Everyone has the right to judge. There is nothing wrong with classifying it into one category. If you are willing to say it is a costume blockbuster, it must be the first." The first is ancient costumes, and the second is large-scale production. Our own caliber is also the same. ”
"One more thing, this film is just like Xiaogang or the media sometimes ask why you always make movies like this. I think why don't we make movies like this? In fact, this is what it is."
"There is another thing. Movies are basically commodities. From the director's point of view, they also obey the laws of the market from certain angles."
"You said about our "Cell Phone" and "A World Without Thieves" It is indeed very successful and commercially successful, but it is very different from this movie in terms of production scale. If it is the same 50% return, even if you think about it, the absolute value of profit is very different.”
"So, we think this drama can be given a try."
"Judging from the current results, overseas sales have greatly surpassed "A World Without Thieves" by at least 10 times, at least this is the result , we think it is a success.”
"But it's not certain whether this success will lead to filming like this in the next step."
"We may adjust the angle to do it."
"You said that the audience watched several movies in a row, It’s a bit annoying to watch, and I think I understand it.”
“Why are there movies like this?”
“But we didn’t think much about it when we made it, and we still pre-sold it from the market. , judging from Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States, when such a lineup was formed, the result was commercially successful, and it should be Xiaogang’s best commercial performance so far.”
"The mainland is now at the same time. At that time, I remember that "A World Without Thieves" was announced for 80 million and had a party in 15 days. Today should be the 15th day since we launched the film. We made an announcement of 100 million. At least 20% difference. But this number is actually not obvious. It should be done overseas.”
“Now South Korea is broadcasting simultaneously, and 225,000 people watched it in South Korea in one weekend. Our “A World Without Thieves” was watched all over South Korea. It didn’t reach 225,000 people. It’s just like this in one weekend. There is a big difference in the global market.”
“Another change in Xiaogang’s movie is that there is a big change in the domestic market. I don’t know if the statistics are accurate. , Yangcheng should be at the top of the box office. This has never happened before. "
"When we were filming "Mobile Phone", the box office in Magic City exceeded 5 million for the first time. Xiaogang and I were both special. The happy thing is, 'Oh, people in the south are watching our movies.' In the past, it was basically concentrated in the capital, but now it has actually changed a lot."
"From a director's perspective, it is successful. .”
"Besides, I feel very satisfied with this movie." Those who can understand Wang Zhonglei's remarks can already see the potential of the mainland's market of more than one billion people.
No matter whether the movie is old wine in new bottles, as long as the lineup is luxurious
With so many people across the country, if some people just walk into the cinema, the box office will not be bad.
Old wine in new bottles, although it lacks new ideas, can make a lot of money stably in this market.
Quite a bit of it.
As Wang Zhonglei said, in that case, why not?
In the afternoon, reports about Wang Shu, Feng Xiaogang and Wang Zhongjun appeared on Sina.com.
Netizens who saw these two reports immediately started talking about it.
Regarding Wang Shu’s interview, Wang Shu was elaborating that movies from Hollywood and even the world are right in front of us, and even if they are copied, they can produce something new.
But what Wang Zhonglei said is that since repackaging old wine in new products can be a waste of money, why not?
Two reports appeared at the same time, with completely opposite views.
For a while
Wang Zhonglei and Feng Xiaogang already regretted accepting Sina Entertainment’s invitation for an exclusive interview.
If there was no news about Wang Shu’s interview, then there would be no problem with what they said.
Now, he is undoubtedly being roasted on a volcano.
Especially. Wang Shu even belittled "The Night Banquet".
A gloomy look appeared on Feng Xiaogang's face.
Chen Long was happy to learn about this.
He also wanted to say these words, but he didn't say them out.
As Wang Shu said, movies from Hollywood and even the world are right in front of you, and you can watch them however you want.
Under this premise, even if you copy it, you can still come up with something novel.
As a result, the major domestic productions are either costume historical films or costume historical martial arts films, with nothing new at all.
“Haha, this Wang Shu is a bit interesting.”
“Some newborn calves are not afraid of tigers!”
"This is so offensive, I didn't even dare to say it, but I didn't expect this kid to say it."
"Isn't this a fig leaf that has been tacitly revealed all along?"
The appearance of Chen Longle is a good thing for him.
In 2004, "Around the World in 80 Days", produced by Disney Pictures at a cost of US$100 million and starring Chen Long, Steve Coogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others, was released.
This movie adapted from the well-known IP "Around the World in Eighty Days" in the Western world was also one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. In the end, the North American box office was only 24 million US dollars, and the global box office was only 7,000 US dollars. About ten thousand US dollars.
Disney bloodbath.
In 1995, Chen Long entered the North American market with "Red Zone".
Then he filmed "Rush Hour," a medium-budget film that sold more than $400 million worldwide.
Chen Long then established a foothold in Hollywood. By the time he starred in "Eighty Days Around the World", his salary had reached US$20 million.
This kind of salary, even in Hollywood, is a salary that only top actors can have.
Unexpectedly, Disney's ambitious movie only had a box office of US$2,400 in North America.
Moreover, "Around the World in 80 Days" not only failed miserably at the global box office, but due to lack of coordination in schedules, the film's audiovisual products were released in the domestic mainland market earlier than it was released in theaters, causing a large number of cinemas to boycott it.
In the end, "Around the World in 80 Days" failed to be released in the mainland, making the film's losses even worse.
As a result, Chen Long's career in Hollywood plummeted.
Hollywood is not like the domestic entertainment industry. It pays attention to personal connections at all times. Even if the movie starring the actors is a hit, the starring actors will still be able to succeed without any impact.
In Hollywood, when this kind of situation occurs, it will inevitably fall into a trough. Except for series dramas that still invite actors to star in spite of no choice, few people will extend an olive branch again.
Under normal circumstances, you either stay silent for many years and wait for the opportunity again, or you stay silent forever.
This is the current situation for Chen Long in Hollywood, otherwise he would not have gone back to China in dejection and announced his promise to make three movies in two years.
He himself said that Hollywood movies offer a lot of money.
In other words, if there is a film to be filmed in Hollywood, he will definitely not go back to China to waste time.
The fact is that since "Around the World in 80 Days", he has fallen off the altar in Hollywood, and there are no longer high-quality olive branches thrown to him.
With no choice but to return to China and focus on development.
As for the crew of "Rush Hour".
Just because this is a series of movies, in the style of Hollywood, as long as the movie continues to be filmed, as long as it is not restarted, Chen Long will definitely be invited to star. .
3 plays in 2 years
They are "New Police Story", "Myth", and "Baby Project" which is already in theaters.
Nowadays, Chen Long has already felt that it is getting harder and harder for him to get along in Hollywood.
For him, he also hopes that domestic movies can be more diversified.
Otherwise, apart from Hong Kong films, there are few scripts suitable for him in the mainland.
The script he needs is to be international.
This internationalization does not mean leaning toward the West, but it means being able to sell films around the world.
Although domestic costume historical dramas can also be sold abroad, they are basically purchased by Chinese in Chinatown.
In comparison, the market is still too small after all.
In the blink of an eye, it’s 6 o’clock in the evening, and “Time Traveler” was released at 0:05. It has been on screen for more than ten hours now.
Wang Shu is still waiting, and there will be no rough box office data until tomorrow.
As for the exact data, we will not know until the morning of tomorrow.
Tomorrow, there will only be estimates from insiders.
The movie has been released, and all Wang Shu can do now is wait.
(End of this chapter)