weddingnovel Chapter 104 Overseas Copyright Release Easing
Chapter 104 Overseas Copyright Release Easing
Chapter 103 Overseas Copyright Release Easing
Inside a private room at a hot pot restaurant in Beijing, Zhang Jun and Liu Yifei were enjoying their meal.
"Pig brain, put the pig brain in, cook it a little longer."
Zhang Jun directed methodically: "Don't cook too much tripe, otherwise it will shrink and you won't be able to find it in the end."
Liu Yifei did as instructed, excitedly putting the pig brain into the pot, and then watching it cook expectantly.
As Zhang Jun ate his side dishes, seeing Liu Yifei's expectant look, he asked with a smile, "What? You've never had Chongqing hot pot before?"
Liu Yifei nodded her little head: "I want to eat it, but Mom won't let me. She says it's not clean."
Going out for hot pot with Zhang Jun was something Liu Yifei would never have done before. Her mother had instructed her not to eat alone with strange men, and hot pot was on her mother's forbidden diet.
But for some reason, when Liu Yifei saw Zhang Jun today, she suggested that they go out for hot pot.
The mother originally wanted to come along, but Liu Yifei found an excuse to send her away and also dismissed the assistant.
Now she and Zhang Jun were alone together, and Liu Yifei felt a vague sense of adventure and excitement.
Looking at the girl eating hotpot, Zhang Jun inexplicably felt sorry for Liu Yifei. This girl was heavily protected by her mother, perhaps even overprotected.
Look how hungry the child is! He's never even had Chongqing hot pot before. It's so pitiful.
After finally finishing the tripe, pig brain, and beef slices, Liu Yifei let out a satisfied sound, completely abandoning any ladylike demeanor.
"I'm so full!" Liu Yifei said, patting her stomach.
Zhang Jun looked at Liu Yifei with amusement: "How are you going to tell your mother when you get back?"
Liu Yifei replied matter-of-factly, "I told you it was you who insisted on bringing me here to eat hot pot, I had no choice."
"???"
Zhang Jun didn't expect Liu Yifei to shift the blame: "It was clearly you who suggested eating hot pot. You're treating, so I'll eat whatever you treat me to."
Liu Yifei pleaded, "Oh, please help me out. You should take responsibility for this, otherwise I'll get scolded when we get back."
.
Zhang Jun could only shrug: "Alright then, but I'm afraid your mother won't let you come out to eat with me alone anymore."
Liu Yifei said confidently, "Don't worry, it absolutely won't happen."
After the two finished their meal, Liu Yifei was driven home by her assistant. Zhang Jun, on the other hand, returned to Guanzhi Pictures to continue following up on the aftermath of "Reign of Assassins".
Andy Lau's Focus Entertainment is responsible for distribution in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, and several investors will participate in the revenue sharing.
Although Hong Kong cinema has been severely impacted by Hollywood, the distribution network built up over the past few decades cannot be destroyed overnight.
With the help of this distribution network, at least in East and Southeast Asia, "Reign of Assassins" can be shown through box office revenue sharing.
However, this favorable situation will soon disappear. Hollywood blockbusters will dominate the world, Hong Kong films will decline, traditional markets will lose confidence, and talent will be lost.
All of this led to the complete destruction of the distribution network that Hong Kong films had previously possessed in the following years, ultimately forcing them to retreat to Hong Kong Island.
Zhang Jun initially considered taking over the distribution network in Hong Kong, but later found it was impossible.
There are two reasons. First, the mainland Chinese film market is not strong enough, and there are too few genre films. In addition, the invasion of Hollywood films has caused traditional Chinese films such as martial arts films to gradually lose market share.
Without market recognition, it will naturally not receive recognition from the local distribution network.
The second reason is from Hong Kong. They may not be willing to hand over their distribution networks to mainland film companies; they would rather see them rot.
Moreover, the distribution network is not as simple as just buying it; there are many aspects involved, and it requires a lot of effort from someone to manage it.
This is something that Zhang Jun or Guanzhi Pictures cannot accomplish on their own.
To do this, you need powerful people to do it.
Zhang Jun had discussed this matter with Han Sanping before, but judging from Han Sanping's reaction, he probably wouldn't take Zhang Jun's advice.
All Zhang Jun could say was that he had done his best and left the rest to fate; sometimes reality doesn't always go as planned.
Returning to the matter of distribution, the distribution of "Reign of Assassins" in Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia went relatively smoothly. Andy Lau's long-standing connections are not to be underestimated; his face is his trademark.
In Europe and North America, the focus is on copyright sales.
After "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," not only are Chinese filmmakers looking for the next "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," but Hollywood is too.
This is one of the reasons why period dramas have become so popular in recent years.
Because of the demand in the international market, period dramas sell very well, so everyone flocked to produce them.
Zhang Jun returned to his office, and He Xuan came to find him.
"Several companies are currently interested in our film, including major studios like Sony Pictures Entertainment, which has invested in many films in China in recent years."
"In addition, second-tier studios such as Summit Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, New Line Cinema, and Lionsgate are very interested in the rights to our film," He Xuan explained.
Looking at the list, Zhang Jun asked, "Which company does Zhang Ziyi prefer?"
He Xuan replied, "She thinks it's best for us to work with The Weinstein Company, and she herself has a good relationship with Harvey Weinstein."
After pondering for a moment, Zhang Jun said, "Since we can't get any share in the North American market anyway, we'll sell to whoever offers the highest price."
He Xuan thought so too: "It seems we agree, so let's do it this way!"
When asked about the situation in Europe, He Xuan said it was a bit complicated: "Europe is being discussed in several regions, so it will probably take some time."
We encountered trouble in France, in particular.
"It can't be related to me, can it?" Zhang Jun pointed to himself.
"It really is related to you. The good things you and Xiaoyi did have caused some trouble for our copyright sales in France."
""
He Xuan said helplessly, "The other side has deep connections in the French film industry and they're not stupid. Your film 'Sherlock on the Plains' is obviously not going to do justice to you."
So now, we're facing problems with copyright sales.
Zhang Jun curled his lip: "Is it really that big of a deal? It's just that he was swindled out of 1.5 million euros, why are you being so stingy?"
"You still have the nerve to talk! You're really bold, daring to swindle people out of their money. It's a miracle they didn't send an assassin to take you out," He Xuan couldn't help but complain.
Zhang Jun, however, said: "I call this acting on behalf of Heaven. Back in the Gengzi year, those foreigners plundered so many good things from us."
The money I swindled isn't even a fraction of the value of those things.
He Xuan sighed helplessly, "Fine, you're right no matter what."
Although some difficulties arose in France, copyright sales in other parts of Europe proceeded smoothly. Later, distributors from Australia and South America also showed interest and began negotiating copyright issues.
By August, the copyright sales were gradually finalized.
In North America, Sony Pictures Entertainment ultimately acquired the rights. This company had previously collaborated with Zhang Ziyi on "Memoirs of a Geisha," which was quite successful.
Upon seeing that Zhang Ziyi was in "Reign of Assassins," and having seen a preview of the film, we found it interesting.
Sony Pictures Entertainment then spent $650 million to snatch the North American rights from a group of companies. At the current exchange rate, the North American rights sold for 5135 million RMB.
That's not all. Although the copyright sales in Europe were scattered across more than a dozen regions and some troubles were encountered in France, the total still reached $580 million, equivalent to RMB 4600 million.
Including Australia, South America, and other regions, the overseas sales of the rights to "Reign of Assassins" alone brought in US$1630 million, equivalent to RMB 1.28 million.
The copyright sales were very high, which amazed Zhang Jun.
No wonder so many people are making period dramas these days; it's because the copyrights sell so well, and they're all in US dollars.
Converted to RMB, it's an astronomical price.
Foreigners think it's cheap, but mainland filmmakers believe that selling copyrights can earn them much more than box office revenue. After all, box office revenue requires a share of the profits, but copyrights don't.
With the addition of domestic audio-visual product copyrights, co-branded GG, and novel, stamp, and comic copyright transfers, the total copyright revenue for the film easily reached 1.42 million.
In terms of box office, "Reign of Assassins" faltered after surpassing 1.6 million yuan. The release of numerous new domestic films and Hollywood blockbusters further contributed to its decline.
"Reign of Assassins" is currently making steady progress toward its 1.7 million yuan box office mark, and it is expected to surpass that before it leaves theaters.
The huge success of the film "Reign of Assassins" also solidified Zhang Jun's status as a top director.
However, not everyone agrees that Zhang Jun is a top-notch director, and many people still feel that he cannot be compared to Zhang Yimou, Chen Gezi, and others.
Regardless of the circumstances, the solid box office results speak for themselves, and many investors have already set their sights on Zhang Jun's next project.
Meanwhile, Liu Yifei and Zhang Jun returned home after their risky hotpot meal, only to be immediately interrogated by her mother.
Liu Yifei responded calmly: "I didn't want to go, but Zhang Jun insisted on dragging me along."
When you're treating someone to a meal, you have to hear what they want to eat, right? So there's no other way.
Well, Zhang Jun is really taking the blame, even though Liu Yifei was clearly enjoying the meal.
However, Liu's mother's focus was not on eating hot pot, but rather on the change in how Liu Yifei addressed her.
"Wait, you call him Zhang Jun instead of Director Zhang, which means you two have a good relationship."
Mrs. Liu turned around: "You two have a good relationship?"
Liu Yifei nodded: "We're friends now."
Mrs. Liu began pacing back and forth: "Since you're friends, it means there's a chance to take things further. He must like you."
"Feifei, you need to keep a close eye on Zhang Jun; his future is limitless!"
Liu Yifei seemed to understand, but not quite: "I understand, Mom!"
After her daughter went to rest, Liu's mother was still thinking. She was usually very strict with Liu Yifei, especially regarding rumors, and absolutely did not allow any rumors to spread.
But that was when facing those male celebrities. Liu's mother felt that those male stars couldn't help Liu Yifei grow in fame and status.
Within the industry, the big directors and big company bosses are the ones who hold absolute power.
But these people are generally quite old, so you can't expect your daughter to marry someone older than you, can you?
However, Liu's mother now realizes that Zhang Jun is simply a perfect choice!
First, he is young and handsome. More importantly, Zhang Jun has already become a top-tier director at this age, and his future achievements are immeasurable.
Such a handsome young man is practically the perfect partner tailor-made for his daughter.
With this thought in mind, Liu's mother started making phone calls to find people and began to learn about all aspects of Zhang Jun.
Zhang Jun had no idea that he had been chosen as Liu's future son-in-law by Liu's mother. He admitted that he did have some romantic fantasies about Liu Yifei.
After all, he's a normal man. If a man doesn't have any feelings when he sees a beautiful woman, then he probably has some kind of problem.
However, regarding marriage, Zhang Jun stated that he is in the prime of his youth and doesn't want to be tied down so early. He's happy as things are now; having a beautiful woman by his side is enough.
Zhang Jun has temporarily put his work on "Reign of Assassins" on hold and is now on vacation.
When he has nothing to do, he drives to the countryside to go fishing. Or he visits the filming locations of Gao Yuanyuan and Fan Bingbing, or goes for a stroll with Yang Mi, living a very carefree life.
Of course, during this process, he inevitably had to engage in passionate battles with several beauties, which goes without saying.
Many investors are interested in Zhang Jun's next film and want to invest. As a result, quite a few business owners have invited Zhang Jun to dinner to discuss investment opportunities.
This is the trouble that comes with success: many people are eager to give you money, and they're even afraid you won't accept it.
A coal mine owner, just like Mr. Wang, even wanted to marry his daughter to Zhang Jun. He said that if Zhang Jun married his daughter, Zhang Jun would inherit his billions of assets.
When Zhang Jun saw the coal boss's daughter, with her thick waist and round face, putting on a shy expression, he suddenly felt life was meaningless and resolutely refused.
Apart from this unexpected incident, everything else was a serious discussion about cooperation, and Zhang Jun delegated all the tasks to He Xuan.
In addition to progress on the sale of the copyright, there are also signs of progress in the distribution of "Reign of Assassins" in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
Hong Kong Island in August was still sweltering. At the entrance of an old cinema in Causeway Bay, the poster for the 3 pm showing of "Reign of Assassins" had just been hung up.
Achang, wearing a faded short-sleeved shirt and clutching his newly purchased ticket, hesitated for a few seconds at the ticket window before paying extra for a seat in the middle of the back row.
He is a regular at this theater, having watched Shaw Brothers martial arts films since the 1970s, witnessing the entire process of Hong Kong martial arts films from their glory days to their decline.
"Andy Lau plus Zhang Ziyi, I wonder if it's a good match—" he muttered as he walked into the screening room.
The theater was about 70% full, not exactly packed, but that's not bad for a martial arts film by a mainland director.
Ah-Chang sat down, looked around, and noticed that most of the audience were middle-aged or older. Like him, they were from a generation that grew up watching martial arts films.
The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.
On a rainy night, a black-clad assassin subdued his enemy with a single move. A-Chang, who had been leaning back in his chair, slowly sat up straight.
As the duel between Xi Yu and Zhang Renfeng unfolded on the bridge, he couldn't help but mutter, "This is something else."
The action design is not the flying and leaping or the single move of traditional Hong Kong martial arts films, but real close combat, with each move deadly and with a cold beauty.
The pacing of the photography and editing reminded Achang of King Hu in his early years, but it was more modern and concise.
"That director is knowledgeable."
During halftime, he said to his old friend sitting next to him.
My friend nodded: "Yeah, I thought the mainland couldn't make good martial arts films, but I didn't expect that."
In the second half, as Zeng Jing and Jiang Asheng quietly lived their lives in the city, the everyday moments of cooking, hanging clothes, and sharing an umbrella in the rain brought tears to the eyes of Achang, a bachelor in his fifties.
The martial arts world is not just about fighting and killing; it's also about the warmth of a hot meal after retirement. Many martial arts films have touched on this theme, but few in recent years have portrayed it with such subtlety and detail.
When the movie ended, A-Chang made a point of waiting until the end credits finished playing.
He nodded when he saw "Action Director: Chin Ka-lok", and glanced at "Director: Cheung Chun" again.
"The younger generation is truly formidable."
As he walked out of the theater, he thought, "Maybe martial arts films aren't completely dead yet."
At the same time, in a shopping mall cinema on Orchard Road in Singapore, 23-year-old Chen Weiming was staring at his mobile phone.
"Hurry up, it's about to start," his girlfriend urged.
"Wait a minute, I'm looking up this director's information."
Chen Weiming swiped the screen: "Zhang Jun, 24 years old, graduated from Tsinghua University, acted in 'Little Miss Sunshine' and 'About Time' — Wow, I've seen 'About Time'."
"So?" His girlfriend took the popcorn.
"That's really impressive!"
Chen Weiming is a second-generation Singaporean Chinese who grew up watching Hong Kong dramas and martial arts films, but has never been interested in mainland Chinese movies.
"Can such a young director make a good martial arts film?"
The two entered the screening room and found that there were more viewers than they had expected; the room was almost full.
Once the movie started, Chen Weiming quickly forgot his doubts.
He was drawn to the exquisite visuals, not the bold and colorful style of Zhang Yimou, but rather the understated and subtle Chinese aesthetics.
The misty rain of the Jiangnan water towns, the dappled light and shadow in the courtyards of ancient houses, even the blood splattered during fights is restrained and aesthetically pleasing.
"This photography is good," he whispered to his girlfriend.
My girlfriend, however, was engrossed in the story: "That Zeng Jing is so pitiful—but she's so strong."
When Zeng Jing and Jiang Asheng opened a fabric shop in a small town in Jiangnan and lived the life of an ordinary couple at the end of the film, Chen Weiming suddenly felt a strange resonance.
His grandfather came from Fujian to Southeast Asia, and he often heard the old people talk about "returning to one's roots" when he was a child.
Although he was born in Singapore, those stories about his homeland, the martial arts world, and chivalry seem to have been etched into his genes.
"I want to go to Jiangnan to see the sights," he said to his girlfriend after the show.
"what?"
"The places depicted in the movie seem to really exist."
Chen Weiming said, "Let's go back to China for our next holiday."
At a movie theater in Shibuya, Tokyo, the 8 PM showings were almost entirely attended by female viewers.
"Andy Lau! Andy Lau!"
Several Japanese women in their early thirties were excitedly taking photos in the cinema lobby, holding up support banners.
Mika is one of them.
She is a loyal fan of Andy Lau, having followed him for over a decade since "A Moment of Romance".
Upon hearing that her idol was starring in a martial arts film, she immediately bought pre-sale tickets and brought three friends who also liked Andy Lau along.
"I wonder how much screen time Andy Lau will have—" Mei Xiang was a little worried before the show started.
But her worries quickly dissipated once the movie started.
The seemingly ordinary Jiang Asheng, played by Andy Lau, is actually a hidden master.
That kind of restrained yet deeply affectionate performance is exactly the type that Mika likes best.
When Jiang Asheng fought the Wheel King in the pagoda to protect Zeng Jing, Meixiang and her friends held hands tightly and held their breath.
"Kakui!"
When Jiang Asheng pierced the Wheel King's vital point with his sword, a girl in the back row couldn't help but cry out.
To Mika's surprise, she was not only attracted to her idol, but also to the movie itself.
Although the Japanese subtitles sometimes couldn't keep up with the nuances of the Chinese dialogue, she could completely understand the themes of betrayal, redemption, and rebirth.
"This is not your average martial arts film."
After the event, she and her friend discussed at a coffee shop: "Is it more like—an adult fairy tale?"
"Yes, Zeng Jing ultimately chose an ordinary life, which I think is very brave," my friend said.
Meixiang opened her phone and gave "Reign of Assassins" four and a half stars on a film review website, writing: "Andy Lau's performance is as excellent as ever, but what surprised me even more was the film itself."
Chinese martial arts films have evolved to this level.
On the afternoon of the third weekend in August, at a multiplex cinema in Myeongdong, Seoul, "Reign of Assassins" was being shown simultaneously in three screens.
Kim Min-jun squeezed into the crowd queuing to buy tickets; he came because of the label "Chinese martial arts blockbuster".
As a graduate student in film studies, he has a strong interest in Asian films and has seen "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Hero," and "The Promise."
The latter made him somewhat skeptical of big-budget Chinese productions.
"I hope this movie won't disappoint," he said to the female student who came with him.
Two hours later, Kim Min-jun walked out of the screening room with a serious expression.
"How is it?" the junior asked.
"I want to watch it again."
Kim Min-jun said, "There were some details I didn't understand, but—it's amazing."
When he said "amazing," he wasn't just being polite.
As someone who has studied film theory, he could see the attempt at genre fusion in "Reign of Assassins": a martial arts shell, a film noir narrative structure, and an emotional core of a family drama.
What's even more remarkable is that these elements blend together quite naturally.
"The female assassin who transforms into a housewife reminds me of 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith,' but it's more Eastern."
In the school's seminar room, Kim Min-jun told the professor, "Moreover, the action design is very creative. It doesn't just pursue visual spectacle, but serves the characters and the plot."
The professor adjusted his glasses: "You see, this is one of the benefits of a larger Chinese film market. With sufficient investment, young directors can explore more possibilities."
"But why Zhang Jun?"
Another classmate asked, "He's only twenty-four years old, how can he produce such mature works?"
Kim Min-jun thought for a moment: "Perhaps, like some young directors in South Korea, they grew up watching genre films and are more adept at deconstructing and recombining classic elements."
That night, Kim Min-jun wrote a long review on his personal blog, titled "Reign of Assassins: The Evolution of Chinese Martial Arts Films".
He concluded the article by writing, "If this is the level of China's new generation of directors, then the future of Chinese-language cinema is worth looking forward to."
In late August, the first-week box office data for "Reign of Assassins" in East Asia and Southeast Asia was gradually transmitted back to Guanzhi Pictures.
Hong Kong Island grossed HK$482 million in its opening week, ranking third at the box office. Taiwan grossed NT$2100 million in its opening week, ranking second.
The film grossed S$68 in its opening weekend in Singapore, the best opening weekend for a Chinese-language film this year. In Japan, it grossed ¥1.2 million in its opening weekend, a moderate result, but its positive word-of-mouth continues to grow.
The film attracted 21 viewers in South Korea in its first week, unexpectedly breaking into the top five.
"Better than expected."
He Xuan placed the report on Zhang Jun's desk: "Especially in Japan, Andy Lau's star power, combined with the quality of the film itself, attracted many non-Chinese viewers."
Zhang Jun flipped through the data and nodded: "What about Southeast Asia?"
"Malaysia and Thailand also performed well, Indonesia was slightly weaker, but they have already broken even."
He Xuan laughed and said, "Adding the previous copyright revenue, this film is a huge success."
"That's good."
Zhang Jun leaned back in his chair: "We can ask for a bigger budget for the next one."
"Many investors are waiting."
He Xuan asked, "But what's your next project? Everyone's really looking forward to it."
Zhang Jun looked out the window: "Wait a minute, I haven't decided yet."
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