Chapter 174: The Last Youth Film
On the 23rd, battle of wits was released first.
On the 24th, so young followed closely.
Although the directors of both films were relatively unknown in the mainland.
The production companies, however, were two of the top industry giants in the mainland.
One was the old aristocratic Huayi Brothers, and the other was the newly crowned Rongchen Film and Television.
Not only that, the relationships among the personnel involved in both films were even more complex.
Andy Lau was both the lead actor in battle of wits and an investor and producer for so young.
Of the two directors, one came from the same background as Andy Lau, and the other was a new talent from Taiwan supported by his ‘New Star Director’ program.
The head-to-head battle between the two films generated a lot of buzz, effectively igniting the fuse for the upcoming New Year Film Season.
On the 24th, battle of wits's first-day box office results were released.
Mainland box office was 4 million, Hong Kong box office was 800,000.
In the general manager's office at Huayi Brothers.
Wang Zhonglei’s face was as dark as Bao Gong’s.
He cursed Li Chen in his heart, “Who the hell said Hua Zai isn’t box office poison?!”
Isn’t this poisonous enough?
Looking at this momentum, let alone breaking 100 million, whether it can even exceed 50 million is a question mark.
so young was also released today, and he knew without even looking that battle of wits had been utterly defeated.
Wang Zhonglei irritably swept the office supplies off his desk.
His assistant, Xu Li, stood by, not daring to breathe.
the banquet had lost a lot of money, and battle of wits would probably be even worse.
This big-budget production invested 150 million, and with such a low first-day box office, it was no wonder Wang Zhonglei was so furious.
“Go immediately and send out more press releases! Tell Zhang Zhiliang to continue promoting hard with the crew, don’t stop! Go! What are you waiting for, go!”
Wang Zhonglei’s roar shook the office, and Xu Li quickly scurried away.
Chuncheng Evening News reported:
“The epic war masterpiece battle of wits will be screened from the 23rd at Xinjian Cinema World, Dianchi Cinema Plaza, and People’s Cinema.”
“Since its release, the film’s box office has been exceptionally hot, with its first-day national box office breaking 4 million.”
Sina Entertainment reported:
“battle of wits’s first-day box office rakes in 4 million, Fan Bingbing moves audiences!”
Looking at the massive number of press releases and headlines online, Yang Siwei laughed uncontrollably.
“Boss, has Huayi Brothers gone mad? Isn’t it awkward to deceive themselves like this?”
Li Chen leaned back on the sofa, feeling relaxed, and smiled, “They haven’t gone mad. What if they are deceiving themselves?”
“At least few ordinary viewers will care about battle of wits’s cost or what this first-day box office represents.”
Yang Siwei thought about it and agreed. If she were an ordinary person, seeing these might also make her go to the cinema.
“Hua Ge’s box office poison label will probably be back again.”
Li Chen laughed heartily, “Blame Hua Ge’s poor ability to review scripts.”
The next day, so young’s first-day box office results were fresh off the press, making the big and small kings of Huayi Brothers a bit embarrassed.
Mainland box office 9.85 million, Hong Kong box office 2.35 million.
The difference was immediately clear.
Sina Entertainment reported:
“so young’s first-day box office is close to 10 million. According to several Beijing cinema managers, the audience is mostly college students, and it is expected that so young’s box office will break 12 million in the next two days.”
Southern Weekly reported:
“The 150 million battle of wits loses to the small-to-medium budget youth drama so young. Huayi Brothers’ two consecutive blockbusters face a box office cold snap. Beneath the facade of peace, it’s merely a self-serving farce.”
Over the next two days, it was indeed as the media predicted.
so young’s first weekend box office broke 35 million.
battle of wits’s first-week box office was 20 million, but battle of wits was released one day earlier than so young.
Netizens’ comments were sharp and merciless, not just for battle of wits, but also for so young.
Netizen A:
“From the moment Andy Lau’s Ge Li walked alone through the swirling yellow sand, intending to save the city, I started feeling uneasy.”
“How can one person save a city? How can four thousand people plus one person fight against one hundred thousand?”
Netizen B:
“Another movie I watched and regretted: battle of wits.”
“It seems it should be called Mozi’s Strategy, but perhaps they thought that name sounded a bit like a second-rate Hong Kong movie, like Tokyo Raiders or Seoul Raiders.”
“So they used an abbreviation, battle of wits. Why didn’t they call it Zi Gong?!”
“The film is very unimaginative. It’s said the screenwriter worked on it for ten years. Oh my goodness!”
“What is the concept of ten years? Ten years ago, I didn’t know you, you didn’t belong to me.”
“If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t want a script that took ten years to write.”
“This already indicates it’s not a good script. Good scripts are moments of inspiration; good movies sometimes don’t even have scripts.”
“Classics are the jokes of geniuses, masterpieces are the ramblings of the wise,”
“They aren’t something idiots can force out. A movie script was actually forced out for a Cultural Revolution…”
Netizen C:
“Even more interesting, Fan Bingbing ‘timely’ arrived, hugging Dong Bo, who had already been thoroughly stabbed, and asked two questions.”
“The first was, ‘What happened to you?’ The second was, ‘Are you okay?!”
“If arson wasn’t illegal, I would have burned down the cinema!”
“If I could go into the screen, I would slap Fan Bingbing twice!”
“In that state, how could he be okay? If I could get a refund, if I could not have come, I… regret it so much!”
“The original story of this movie was definitely good, but how did the screenwriter mess it up like this?”
“Shark fin, bird’s nest, abalone, steak, salmon all cooked together just become a pot of slop.”
“I really want to ask the crew, ‘What happened to you? Are—you—okay?!”
Netizen D:
“so young merely plays the ‘collective memory’ card, which feels a bit like cherishing one’s own broom. With those years already out, so young feels as bland as water.”
“What I want to ask is, why was this movie made, and what is its significance? Is it the vague confusion of youthful growth, or is it a nostalgic remembrance of past beauty with a later disillusionment?”
“In summary, battle of wits is incomprehensible, and so young is clichéd. Xiao Li Zi, don’t immerse yourself in self-congratulatory narcissism.”
Although the reputation of both films was not good, it did not hinder so young’s box office from climbing steadily.
Andy Lau’s fans certainly outnumbered Hu Ge and the other so young cast members.
However, in terms of box office appeal, so young’s original fans and popular young stars like Hu Ge were more attractive.
Andy Lau was indifferent to this; he received his full salary for battle of wits, and so young also seemed to be making a good profit.
He just felt a little sorry for Wang Zhonglei and his brother.
Many netizens left comments on Li Chen’s blog, urging him to reflect and stop making these youthful bubble dramas!
Li Chen graciously complied, leaving a line of text on his blog.
“Starting with those years, ending with so young.”
“From now on, Rongchen Film and Television will no longer produce or invest in youth campus romance films.”
“I humbly accept and will resolutely correct the opinions of netizens.”
Liu Yifei also left a comment on Li Chen’s blog.
“Xiao Li Zi’s attitude is correct, everyone should forgive him this once.”