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Chapter 401 and Gong Li

The two of them ate their meals, drank juice drinks, and chatted about recent events.

"I heard that you made a zombie movie after returning to China?" Gong Li looked up and asked in surprise.

Wang Shu smiled and replied, "Indeed, a zombie movie was made."

Gong Li felt that Wang Shu's behavior of making a zombie movie was somewhat irrational, and couldn't help but ask: "Is there an audience for zombie movies in China?"

She did not deny that zombie movies are popular themes in Europe and the United States.

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He thinks that compared to zombie movies, zombie movies should have a larger audience.

After all, zombie movies are local culture, while zombie movies are considered "imported products".

But she also knew that zombie films would most likely not pass review.

If it could pass the review, a bunch of directors in mainland China would have brought this type of film to the big screen long ago. Why would they wait until Wang Shu comes to shoot it now!
Wang Shu understood what Gong Li meant and immediately explained: "If it was a few years ago, zombie movies might not have had much of an audience in China, but now there are quite a lot of people who want to watch them."

“Besides, this zombie movie is a film production aimed at overseas audiences.”

"You also know that zombie culture is deeply rooted overseas, and this type of movie is relatively more acceptable to overseas audiences."

After hearing this explanation, Gong Li nodded in understanding. "Apart from martial arts films, zombie films are more likely to be accepted by overseas audiences than other types of Chinese-language films."

After that, he smiled and said, "So, you made this zombie movie just for the overseas box office?"

As soon as he finished saying this, he felt something was wrong and continued, "Oh no, I heard that your zombie movie script was originally planned to be filmed in Hollywood, so this is a movie for overseas audiences."

When Wang Shu heard this, he naturally didn't blow his own horn and said that he just wanted to make a zombie movie during the period when zombie movies were still possible. Later, due to policy reasons, this zombie movie became a swan song, and he then kept his achievements and fame hidden.

The so-called "Travel to Taipei" is a script that was prepared to be filmed in Hollywood, which is all nonsense.

From the beginning to the end, he wanted to shoot the film in China.

It's just that he has always hidden his true purpose and expressed it in other ways.

For example, now everyone thinks that "Travel to Taipei" is a movie script he was going to shoot in Hollywood, but he filmed it in China only because of Han Sanping's favor.

This method not only "forced" them to achieve the goal of making zombie movies in China, but also left them with a reputation for being loyal and righteous.

The same thing, using different methods to achieve the final goal, can bring very different benefits.

If Wang Shu took the initiative to tell Han Sanping that he wanted to make a zombie movie in China and asked Han Sanping to help him pass the review, then he would be the passive party being controlled by Han Sanping.

Although the goal of filming "Travel to Taipei" was ultimately achieved, the right to speak was obviously lost and the benefits could not be maximized.

Like this, under Han Sanping's request, "helplessly taking out the zombie movie script that he was going to shoot in Hollywood" not only takes the initiative, but also shows loyalty and righteousness, and as a mainland director, even if he has the opportunity to go to Hollywood, he really does not forget the domestic entertainment.
Wang Shu smiled and did not respond to the question. Instead, he said, "Anyway, the movie has already been shot and is now in post-production. It's too late to say more. I just hope it can achieve good box office results."

"When will it be released?" Gong Li asked after taking a sip of juice.

She drank orange juice, which was sour and sweet.

The orange juice is not freshly squeezed, but blended, which is very common in the United States.

"If all goes well, it should be released during the New Year." Wang Shu did not hide the release schedule.

It doesn’t matter whether Gong Li will tell this matter to others.

Because this matter would have been announced to the public, and then it would have deterred other Chinese-language films from considering whether they had the strength to compete with "Travel to Taipei".

As long as other Chinese-language films are scared off and withdrawn, then "Travel to Taipei" will be the only one to dominate the New Year's Day period. Without strong Chinese-language films competing during the same period, "Travel to Taipei" can achieve higher box office.

"New Year's Day." Gong Li suddenly realized.

I suddenly felt that it was reasonable and expected.

The New Year period is the period from mid-December to after New Year's Day.

At this stage, this schedule is the best schedule in the mainland.

The Spring Festival, May Day and National Day periods surpassed the New Year period because the domestic real estate industry took off and the vast majority of rural residents began to buy houses and live in cities.

At this stage, the Spring Festival, May Day and National Day periods are all inferior to the New Year period.

Gong Li then smiled and said, "It seems that you are really confident?"

If they dare to release the film during the New Year period, they must be confident.

Because generally speaking there will be other strong Chinese-language films competing with each other during this period, and the competition will affect the screening of the weaker ones.

The strong will always be strong, and the weak will always be weak.

However, she also knew that Wang Shu’s zombie film was co-invested by China Film.

Therefore, as long as this zombie movie is not too bad, its screening schedule will be guaranteed.

Wang Shu smiled and said, "I definitely have confidence, but the schedule was set by Director Han."

Gong Li understood what he meant immediately and laughed. She then said jokingly, "It seems that Mr. Han has great confidence in you?"

Wang Shu smiled and continued, "After all, this is a movie with a multi-hundred million investment. Whether you have confidence or not, you need confidence. You can't let it go to waste, right?"

These words made Gong Li think of the movie "The Promise".

The investment is there, no matter whether the film is good or not, it has to be released first.

"It really can't be ruined." Gong Li nodded with a smile, and then said, "But seeing how calm you are, you must be very confident."

After that, he turned and asked, "What about this time? Besides promoting The Tuner, what other plans do you have for coming to Hollywood this time?"

She just asked casually, but Wang Shu responded unexpectedly: "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be a biopic."

"Ah?" Gong Li was so surprised that she stopped eating.

Having been in Hollywood for several years, she naturally knew that biopics were one of the most favored film genres by the Academy Awards.

Generally speaking, most biographical films are made with the goal of winning awards.

It’s just that Wang Shu is a Chinese director from the East, and Hollywood is located in the West, America.

And Wang Shu only came to Hollywood to shoot a movie last year, so he is obviously not an "American expert". How can he also shoot a biographical movie?

You are not kidding, are you?

Wang Shu saw Gong Li's expression and knew that she had misunderstood. He immediately explained: "It's not the kind of biography you think it is. It's a biography with the Wall Street 'stock god' as the core."

He originally wanted to say that it was a biographical film adapted from the autobiographical experience of a Wall Street trader, but he was worried that saying "trader" would not be easy for Gong Li to understand, so he said the more simple and easy-to-understand term "stock god".

(End of this chapter)