Chapter 763: Meeting the audience in turn, explosive, explosive, explosive! (12,000 words updated)

The Legend of Sword and Fairy aired on July 19th.

So far, a total of 15 episodes have been broadcast.

The viewership rating has remained stable between 1.35% and 1.5%.

Secondary school students contributed the most to the viewership.

In terms of online streaming, it has consistently ranked first on the popularity charts across all platforms since its launch, maintaining a stable daily viewership of over 70 million.

According to backend data, the retention rate of this show is truly astonishing.

Nowadays, the percentage of viewers who watch a good TV series until the last episode is generally over 20%, while the percentage of viewers who watch a bad one is usually only around 10%.

The number of viewers for each episode of "Chinese Paladin" has consistently remained above ten million within 24 hours of its release.

This is also the reason for its overwhelming dominance on the charts.

The audience is too large.

It's somewhat controversial in terms of plot and reputation.

Just like with "The Squid Game" back then, many adult viewers felt that this show was... a bit childish.

Especially Li Xiaoyao, he's not a chivalrous hero at all, he's like a childish brat in the early stages.

It's like a group of students playing house.

Lu Yanhe saw these comments but didn't think they were wrong.

That's how it is with "The Legend of Sword and Fairy".

It is a very young story, and essentially a very "fantasy" story.

When people see director Luo Yuzhong and screenwriter Lu Yanhe, they instinctively feel that this will be a classic fantasy drama. Everyone expects to see something refreshing and high-quality.

But it didn't.

The negative reviews mainly focus on this aspect.

This is also the main reason why the show's broadcast performance has been limited so far.

After all, Friends has achieved an average viewership rating of over 2 on Yuehu TV.

After a high-starting point, "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" did not decline, but it also did not see further growth.

Some people even used this as a target of attack, saying that Lu Yanhe had run out of talent and could only sit and eat his savings.

Of course, the fact that "Chinese Paladin" holds the top spot in viewership is undeniable.

This is something no one can take away from you.

Lu Yanhe's dramas have always been excellent at attracting investment.

This drama is the same.

Brands endorsed by Li Zhibai, Lu Yanhe, Yan Liang, and others are aggressively promoting and advertising their products.

With their own signed artists and such a popular drama, it's impossible not to invest in advertising.

Besides, many other fast-moving consumer goods brands invest heavily in advertising, but not much—just two or three episodes, to get some exposure and generate some buzz before withdrawing.

However, there are so many brands like this that we've been waiting until now, up to the fifteenth episode. Even with the dual-platform broadcast, each platform still has 4-5 brands advertising in the fifteenth episode.

Most importantly, the show's popularity stems from the boost it provides to the actors.

Li Zhibai goes without saying; his current popularity and buzz are unmatched in China. But this is largely due to the success of the movie "You Are the Apple of My Eye."

Yan Lingyu was the same.

This summer, the actress who rose to fame with "Late Spring" returned to her peak after years of silence, and even became an overnight sensation.

From Shen Jiayi to Zhao Ling'er, two characters with different personalities and styles, but both are "life roles" for "gaining fans".

Yan Lingyu is a girl with a very good image and a very clean temperament.

With the added benefit of the character's filter, she rose to become a top-tier actress in China within just one month.

In fact, at just over twenty years old, she already has three starring roles in films and television series: "Late Spring," "You Are the Apple of My Eye," and "Chinese Paladin." In some people's words, she is guaranteed a very strong future for the next ten years.

Her own image and temperament are precisely the kind of "white moonlight" and "truth, goodness and beauty" that are most mainstream and popular in domestic film and television dramas.

Because of her sudden rise to fame, she is now even being offered a million yuan per episode by TV dramas.

-

Yan Lingyu is still a weather vane.

She signed an eight-year contract with the trendsetter, and there are still three years left.

Yan Lingyu became an overnight sensation, her popularity soaring to the top tier.

Many people at Fengxiangbiao have been working overtime this past month because of the various collaboration invitations that Yan Lingyu has attracted.

She had a huge conflict with her company before, and even "retired" from the entertainment industry for a period of time, refusing to continue acting.

Because of the "Chinese Paladin" series, Lu Yanhe and Luo Yuzhong both spoke with Feng Xiangbiao before and after, which eased the conflict between Feng Xiangbiao and Yan Lingyu.

Her former agent, Du Weixian, is no longer in charge of her work.

Now, Wen Ken, the vice president in charge of artist coordination at Fengxiangbiao, is personally in charge.

Of course, Yan Lingyu also has an executive agent named Yuan Yi.

When Yan Lingyu was confirmed to star in "Chinese Paladin", the market had already prepared for his meteoric rise to fame.

To their surprise, after "Chinese Paladin", Lu Yanhe immediately sent her the female lead of "You Are the Apple of My Eye".

These two windfalls didn't cost the market any price; it was pure profit.

Yan Lingyu is now incredibly popular, with four endorsements and six business collaborations announced in just one month. In addition, a ton of scripts and variety show invitations have been sent to him.

Wen Ken immediately upgraded Yan Lingyu's team.

Yan Lingyu's decision to "break ties" with Feng Xiangbiao back then has now become a shield that saves her a lot of trouble.

Everyone in the industry knows her; she has a strong temper, and when she gets stubborn, she'd rather leave the entertainment industry than compromise.

So now, for any job, they'll always ask for her opinion first. It's not a contractual requirement; they're just terrified of her previous "better to die a glorious death than live a shameful life" attitude.

It was one thing before, but now that she's so popular she's about to become the company's bread and butter this year, who wants to see her "give up" at this point?

They all appeased them.

Despite receiving numerous scripts, including some as high as one million yuan per episode for television dramas, Yan Lingyu did not accept any of them directly.

She will always remember the overwhelming criticism she received after "Late Spring" because the two movies the company arranged for her to star in were box office flops.

Although it was later discovered that many of those criticisms were from online trolls hired by companies to "teach her a lesson."

Because of her upbringing, Yan Lingyu is an extremely insecure girl. Although she is a great beauty, her mother always says that besides being pretty, she has no other merits.

For various reasons, she dared not accept any roles.

She's been in the entertainment industry for several years now, and those two flops were both big productions with good casts and crews, yet they still flopped. And when they did, she was used as a target to be criticized—of course, she deserved to be criticized, as her acting was indeed poor.

But why didn't anyone criticize Lu Yanhe's acting skills in these two dramas?

Even though she often felt that she was inferior to other actors when she was acting on set, the final result was not bad at all.

Yan Lingyu often watched "Chinese Paladin" by himself.

She herself never expected that she would become so likable in the end.

Clean, clear, and kind.

When she smiles, there's a glimmer in her eyes and a touch of girlish naiveté—just a tiny bit, yet it makes her even more endearing.

That wasn't the person she knew at all.

Yan Lingyu still remembers what Lu Yanhe told her: she must not accept any roles indiscriminately, but must be selective about the production team and choose those that know how to film.

Luo Yuzhong also earnestly told her that she was a promising talent, but needed opportunities to hone her skills.

Yan Lingyu understood what they meant, of course.

She's not the kind of talented actress who's like Wang Jing. In any drama she's in, her performance never disappoints. Even if the drama is bad, her performance will still be praised, and people will say that the drama is holding her back.

Therefore, she needs acting to protect her.

"Late Spring" features Liu Bige, a director with almost obsessive demands for visuals.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy was backed by Luo Yuzhong's entire team.

In "You Are the Apple of My Eye," she only needed to be herself while adding a little bit of character development. All the awkwardness was the original color of Shen Jiayi, which was natural and justified.

Yan Lingyu won't accept roles randomly.

She messaged Lu Yanhe: Yanhe, do you have any more roles for me to play?

Lu Yanhe: Hmm? Not for now. What's wrong? Shouldn't you be getting a lot of offers for roles right now? Are you still looking for work?

Yan Lingyu said: "Now when I read other people's scripts, I don't dare to act in them."

When Lu Yanhe saw the message from Yan Lingyu, his heart skipped a beat.

He handed the phone to Chen Siqi.

"Why do I feel like Yan Lingyu's problem hasn't been resolved?"

Chen Siqi also knew about what Yan Lingyu had gone through before.

Chen Siqi: "Actually, you can tell by looking at the movies Yan Lingyu has acted in. She has been in the industry for almost five years and has only acted in five movies. 'Late Spring' was her breakthrough role. Then, two other movies caused her to fall from being one of the most popular movie stars to rock bottom, almost ruining her acting career. Then you and Director Luo rescued her and she acted in 'Chinese Paladin' and 'You Are the Apple of My Eye', returning to the peak of her career. If you had such an experience, would you still dare to take on roles so easily?"

Lu Yanhe nodded. "You're right."

Chen Siqi said, "Of course, the most fundamental problem is that she is not confident in her acting skills. She doesn't think she is a good actress. This may also be an impression that her surrounding environment has given her. The worst thing is that her acting skills are indeed mediocre."

Chen Siqi suddenly thought of something and smiled.

"Actually, if she hadn't debuted in 'Late Spring' and hadn't acted with actors like you and Wang Jing from the beginning, even if her acting skills were just average, she wouldn't be so insecure."

Lu Yanhe: "She is actually quite serious about acting."

"Unfortunately, acting isn't something you can do well just by being serious," Chen Siqi said. "How do you plan to reply to her?"

Lu Yanhe: "I don't know how to reply, but the failure of those two previous dramas has become her inner demon. She can't just keep filming dramas with me and Liu Bige forever."

Chen Siqi: "Well... it's not impossible."

"What?" Lu Yanhe was taken aback.

“Even if she only acts in your and Liu Bige’s dramas, even if it’s one a year, or even one every two years, that’s enough,” Chen Siqi said. “She’s already very famous, and with the momentum of these two dramas, she can live off them for a long time. There’s no need to worry about her fading into obscurity without exposure. As she acts in more dramas, collaborates with more people, and gradually gains more experience, many problems will actually be solved.”

"The problem is, I never thought I'd give her any roles to play," Lu Yanhe said. "The two most suitable roles for her have already been played, that's it."

Chen Siqi: "Isn't Jump Theater still around? Actually, what Yan Lingyu needs is a very simple production team: one that takes acting seriously and can bring out her best side. Isn't that exactly the core of Jump Theater and Linghe's film and television productions? To be precise, her acting problem is an objective problem, but her acting problem is a psychological problem. You just need to give her psychological support. You didn't direct 'You Are the Apple of My Eye,' and you didn't star in it either, but she still acted very well because she felt that it was your film, and she felt that she could be presented in her best light."

Lu Yanhe understood.

"If she only acts in my films, I don't know if her agency will be willing to accept it."

Chen Siqi: "That is a problem."

-

But actually, this is not a problem.

If Yan Lingyu doesn't want to film a movie, Feng Xiangbiao really doesn't dare to force her to take it.

Besides her previous "tough" performance, the media outlet also fears that if Yan Lingyu is given two more bad movies, it will repeat the tragedy of "the movie starlet's rapid downfall" back then.

The five dramas that Yan Lingyu took on were either incredibly good or so bad that they became pariahs. In any case, none of them were mediocre or went unnoticed; they were all "masterpieces."

-

Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi had dinner with Yan Lingyu and chatted with her about their recent situations.

Yan Lingyu said, "Recently, I've mainly taken on a lot of endorsements, filmed a lot of commercials, and done some interviews."

"You don't like any of the scripts that come to you?" Lu Yanhe asked.

Yan Lingyu shook her head slightly and said, "There may still be good scripts, but I don't think I can act in them."

From Yan Lingyu's behavior, Lu Yanhe realized that Chen Siqi was right.

Yan Lingyu's biggest problem right now is her psychological issues.

Lu Yanhe said, "Ling Yu, since your current agency is a trendsetter, I can't really say anything about your career plans—"

Yan Lingyu suddenly interrupted Lu Yanhe and said, "After my contract with Fengxiangbiao expires, I want to sign with you, is that okay?"

Lu Yanhe was taken aback.

Chen Siqi was also stunned.

Yan Lingyu said, "Back then, you and Director Luo pleaded with the company for me so that I could resume acting. They also changed my agent, but... I no longer want to stay with this company."

Lu Yanhe said, "You still have a three-year contract with Fengxiangbiao Company, right? Saying this now won't count."

Yan Lingyu: "But I've already made up my mind."

Lu Yanhe: "With your current qualifications, even three years from now, there will be plenty of companies willing to offer you a hefty sum to sign you. If you sign with me, firstly, Linghe doesn't sign actors, so you can only sign with Shihuo, and secondly, Shihuo can't offer you the same good terms as the market..."

Shihuo is a resource-based talent agency. For actors like Yan Lingyu who follow the idol and popularity route, signing with Shihuo is actually a bit of a mismatch between the two parties.

Yan Lingyu replied, "I don't need great conditions; I don't trust them."

The implication was that she trusted Lu Yanhe.

Lu Yanhe was speechless for a moment.

Yan Lingyu said, "Longyan also contacted me, but I don't like them either."

She said another thing.

"Actually, if Liu Bige were willing to sign actors, I could go to him, but he himself has sold himself to Longyan, which is also a sad situation."

Lu Yanhe almost burst out laughing.

"..."

Yan Lingyu is quite an interesting girl.

Chen Siqi burst into laughter.

Chen Siqi said, "Lingyu, Yan He doesn't have any projects suitable for you, unless it's a minor supporting role with few scenes. But given your current situation, there's no point in playing those minor roles. Here's the thing, you should know that I've been working on 'Jump Up Theater,' and every year Linghe produces several 'Jump Up' plays. These plays don't have very high production costs, and they usually use young teams, but you can go and see for yourself. They're all very dedicated teams, and the quality of the plays they produce is generally quite good."

Yan Lingyu nodded.

“I’ve been watching plays in the Jump Theatre.”

Chen Siqi nodded, "It's good that you've seen it. Your image and temperament are actually quite suitable for the leading lady in many of the Jumping Theater plays. I'd like to invite you to act in one or two Jumping Theater plays every year, but the pay won't be as high as what you'd get on the market."

“As long as you don’t think I act badly, I’m happy to act.” Yan Lingyu immediately said, “It doesn’t matter if the pay is a little lower, I’ll talk to the company about it, and I can just agree to appear on another show.”

Seeing Yan Lingyu nod so readily, Chen Siqi smiled.

"It won't be low, don't worry. It just won't be that outrageous. I know that many companies are offering you sky-high fees to get you on board," Chen Siqi said. "That's definitely not something we can afford."

Yan Lingyu nodded.

"Besides that, after Yan He and I learned about your situation, I also wanted to give you a small suggestion," Chen Siqi said.

Yan Lingyu asked, "What suggestion?"

"Have you told Director Luo about your situation?" Chen Siqi asked.

Yan Lingyu shook her head.

I felt bad bothering him.

Chen Siqi: "Actually, Director Luo admires you a lot. He is a very experienced director. Yan He can give you some inspiration on your acting issues, but Director Luo is someone who can help you improve systematically."

Yan Lingyu said, "Director Luo did give me a lot of guidance when he was filming 'Chinese Paladin,' but he was too busy. On set, he had to talk to many people every day. Every time I went to see him, I could only talk for less than five minutes before someone interrupted me."

“That was on set. He was the director, and directors are indeed very busy,” Lu Yanhe said. “But when he’s not on set, it’s actually fine. The most important thing is, Ling Yu, as an actor, the most important thing is not a good role, a good script, or even a good opportunity. The most important thing is a director who can truly discover your beauty and capture your beauty. Back when we were working on ‘Chinese Paladin,’ it wasn’t that I thought you were suitable for Zhao Ling’er, it was Director Luo.”

Yan Lingyu nodded.

"For a while, I even wondered why Director Luo thought you were suitable for Zhao Ling'er. When I was writing this character, I never associated this character with you." Lu Yanhe said with a smile. "Even when I was on set, I thought the same thing. Until one day, Director Luo took me to the editing room and showed me your footage. That's when I realized that you looked so different on camera than I did on set."

Yan Lingyu suddenly realized something.

“Siqi and I will definitely reserve roles for you in future projects, without a doubt,” Lu Yanhe said. “However, as an actor myself, Siqi’s suggestion is also my suggestion: you can take the initiative to contact Director Luo and tell him your confusion and problems. He will be very happy to help you because, in a sense, you have been rediscovered by him. Liu Bige has a lot of troubles of his own and may not be able to help you, but Director Luo is different.”

-

Soon after, Lu Yanhe heard that Yan Lingyu had accepted a role in a drama produced by Director Luo's company, playing a minor female character. Although it was a special appearance, it was said that Director Luo had personally selected her.

Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief.

-

On August 12, "Hurricane 2" held its global premiere.

Lu Yanhe flew to New York.

This special effects blockbuster, which Lu Yanhe filmed in just 3 days, is finally about to be released.

The previous film grossed $210 million in North America and $380 million worldwide.

The release of this film is different from that of "The Mist," which also achieved global box office success.

"The Mist" is a horror film and doesn't appeal to the mainstream.

"Hurricane 2" is a commercial genre film that takes a mainstream approach.

The male lead, Derian Dylan, is a world-renowned Hollywood superstar.

A film like this doesn't need any fancy promotional methods at all.

The film company Weinster adopted the most traditional publicity model.

Release trailers in the most popular and high-exposure locations, arrange interviews for the lead actors, hold premieres, and so on.

As one of the main actors who made a cameo appearance for three days, Lu Yanhe, after going to New York, also shot the covers of two mainstream film magazines with the other main actors in the crew.

It was all done in one day.

At the premiere, when asked about his experience working with Derek Dylan, Lu Yanhe said that he had almost forgotten about it.

Of course, they still used all sorts of platitudes.

"He's a very nice person and he took good care of me," Lu Yanhe said with a smile. "I really look forward to having the opportunity to work with him again."

When he took on a cameo role in "Hurricane 2," he received $1.5 million for three days, a figure that shocked the global media at the time.

Before that, no one thought Lu Yanhe was worth such a high fee for a cameo role.

However, now that it's about to be released, everyone feels that "Hurricane 2" has really hit the jackpot.

The $1.5 million fee brought the film to the attention of Asian communities in Europe and America. Furthermore, the promotion of "Hurricane 2" in various Asian countries now places Lu Yanhe on the same level as Derian Dylan.

This is somewhat similar to the practice of placing Zhang Ziyi as the female lead and in the center position on the poster when "Hero" was released overseas.

There's nothing we can do; that's who they recognize.

Upon meeting Derian Dylan, the two were incredibly warm and friendly, like longtime buddies.

-

Lu Yanhe was quite pleasantly surprised after watching the movie "Hurricane 2".

On the story level, this is a typical Hollywood blockbuster, where an individual hero saves the world.

It's the same old thing in a new bottle.

However, their special effects, especially the details, are exceptionally well done.

Although Lu Yanhe has few scenes in the movie, he appears at every key moment and carries a significant amount of plot content. In the end, he dies, which makes his presence quite strong.

Most importantly, the scene where he appeared in a suit actually elicited cheers from many female viewers.

That's right, cheers and screams erupted during the movie, indicating that they were blown away by how awesome it was!

That's how it is in North American movie theaters; when they see something they like, the audience will even applaud.

-

Following the New York premiere, reviews for "Hurricane 2" were released almost seamlessly.

The film's reviews are typical of commercial films: the special effects were praised, and some good parts were also praised, but when it comes to the overall effect of the film, half of them describe it as "formulaic".

The actors' performances haven't received any negative reviews yet.

On the contrary, a commentator from The New York Times specifically mentioned Lu Yanhe, saying that this actor, who has become very popular in recent years, has for the first time caused screams and cheers with his good looks.

Afterwards, Lu Yanhe followed the film crew, flying to London, then to Paris, then to Tokyo, then through Seoul, and finally arriving in Yuming.

The premiere of "Hurricane 2" was held in Yuming.

Firstly, it's due to the allure of China as a major box office market, and secondly, it's because of Lu Yanhe's leading role.

Lu Yanhe also actively demonstrated his enthusiasm as the host.

He took the crew to visit the Forbidden City, ate Peking duck, and then held a small party, inviting his friends in the entertainment industry to meet and exchange ideas with director Raul Ward and other key members of the production team.

-

Hurricane 2 opened in China three days earlier than scheduled.

Because it was a Tuesday, the opening day box office was only 34 million yuan. Of course, this figure still ranked second in the summer season.

This year's summer movie season saw very impressive box office performance.

Several movies have become hits in a row.

As a traditional Hollywood special effects blockbuster, Hurricane 2 has actually lost much of its appeal to Chinese audiences in recent years.

For example, the first "Hurricane" only grossed over 40 million US dollars at the Chinese box office.

At the time, "The Hurricane" was a well-received special effects blockbuster. If it had been released in China a few years ago, it would have definitely grossed at least $100 million.

This year, thanks to Lu Yanhe's participation, the film still garnered considerable attention in China.

Lu Yanhe's performance in the film is also a major point of discussion.

What surprised everyone the most was that in such a traditional, mainstream Hollywood special effects blockbuster, Lu Yanhe actually played a positive Chinese investor.

Let alone Hollywood, in almost all films and television dramas outside of China, Chinese bosses and investors are almost always portrayed negatively.

With China's rise in recent years, the number of wealthy Chinese has increased dramatically, and their presence can be seen all over the world. For various reasons, in any case, movies and TV dramas portray this group as "arrogant and haughty," or even nouveau riche.

The Chinese character played by Lu Yanhe didn't even undergo a complete reversal of his image. For example, he was a somewhat negative character in the early stages, but it was later revealed that he was not a bad person at heart and even sacrificed his life to save the main characters.

Lu Yanhe was never a negative character from the beginning; he was just a bit conservative.

Such an image shocked many people.

I was shocked by his appearance.

-

"See, I told you, Xiao Lu had his reasons for taking on this movie."

Luo Yuzhong watched the movie with his literary planner at the cinema, and afterwards he shared his thoughts.

"It's unprecedented to see such a Chinese character appear in a film like this," said Luo Yuzhong.

His literary consultant said, "According to the information, he is playing a Chinese character."

“That’s the information. Do you see if the movie explicitly states whether he is Chinese or of Chinese descent?” Luo Yuzhong said. “The character is played by Yan He. Everyone’s first reaction is that the character is Chinese, and even if he is of Chinese descent, it’s the same. In the past, there were no Chinese characters in mainstream Hollywood commercial movies with such a positive image.”

His literary planner nodded.

"You're right."

"Don't underestimate Yan He just because he's young. He has his own considerations when he takes on each role."

"He is indeed the most mature young man I have ever met."

"How much do you think 'Hurricane 2' will gross in China?" Luo Yuzhong asked with a smile.

His literary consultant shook his head and said, "Shouldn't we be guessing how much this movie will gross worldwide?"

"How much 'Hurricane 2' grosses globally has little to do with Yan He. How much it grosses in China signifies the role and significance of Chinese actors in the Chinese market," Luo Yuzhong said. "Believe it or not, if 'Hurricane 2' grosses over $100 million in China, any mainstream Hollywood film that wants to be released in China will definitely try its best to create a similar Chinese character and cast the most popular Chinese actor, replicating the path Yan He took with 'Hurricane 2'."

"That's true."

-

By Friday, "Hurricane 2" had finally grossed over 100 million RMB.

How much this film will gross in China depends on its performance this weekend.

The reviews for "Hurricane 2" are indeed quite good for a commercial film.

Although the story is somewhat formulaic, the characters, plot, and dialogue are all well-developed and don't pull the viewer out of the story.

The special effects are great, and the grand scenes are very exciting to watch.

On Friday night, the attendance of "Hurricane 2" suddenly began to soar.

Data shows that audiences who bought tickets at the venue or within an hour before the screening accounted for 65% of the audience for Friday night screenings.

This means that...the movie attracted casual viewers.

When people were looking for a movie to watch, they chose "Hurricane 2".

By the time Friday's closing bell, "Hurricane 2" had grossed 120 million RMB.

On Saturday, "Hurricane 2" overtook the others at the box office, taking the top spot on the daily box office chart.

Most of the audience members still bought tickets on short notice.

Many movie data bloggers have obtained various kinds of backend data through their own channels and conducted various analyses.

The most talked-about movie is "Hurricane 2," which has surprisingly become the top choice for casual viewers among all currently released films.

One film and television blogger said, "I originally thought that Lu Yanhe's participation in 'Hurricane 2' was just to attract fans, but I was completely wrong."

The first "Hurricane" film grossed 300 million yuan at the Chinese box office.

By the end of its first weekend, Hurricane 2 had grossed over 200 million dollars.

It seems certain that "Hurricane 2" will surpass the box office performance of the first film.

Hurricane 2 opened to a decent audience worldwide, performing almost on par with the first film in North America, but far better overseas.

When the final figures came out, Hurricane 2 had grossed over $120 million worldwide in its opening weekend, far exceeding industry expectations.

The $30 million from the Chinese market, $6 million from South Korea, $8 million from Japan, and $14 million from the UK played a significant role in boosting the market.

According to a sampling survey by a data analysis agency in the United States, among overseas audiences outside North America, besides fans of the first film and fans of the lead actor Derian Dylan, the main factor that attracted audiences to the cinema for "Hurricane 2" was Lu Yanhe.

This was something Weinster had never anticipated.

According to data, Asian audiences accounted for 21% of the audience for "Hurricane 2" in Europe and America, which is far higher than the data for "Hurricane 1".

Clearly, this stems from Lu Yanhe's appeal and influence.

This actor, who just won an Oscar and starred in two blockbuster screenplays, has returned to acting, proving his commercial value.

Weinster even held internal meetings to discuss the possibility of reviving the character Lu Yanhe in "Hurricane 3".

Reviving someone is not a rare occurrence.

Even if you're blown to ashes, Hollywood movies can bring you back to life.

In response, Derian Dylan even jokingly asked Lu Yanhe about his attitude in an email.

Lu Yanhe then subtly suggested that since the character was already dead, he should let him die peacefully...

Such a cameo appearance is enough for a series; if he were to be resurrected, he would truly become a regular supporting character in the series.

This might have been acceptable in the past, but for him now, the movie itself isn't particularly appealing, and he's not the real lead actor. Even if it does well at the box office, as is customary, no matter how much appeal he has to the Asian community, the credit will still go to Derian.

Chen Ziyan didn't even need to stop him; he himself knew there was no need to act in the sequel to the "Hurricane" series.

-

However, due to the excellent opening weekend box office of "Hurricane 2" and the significant increase in overseas box office compared to the first film, various film series have set their sights on Lu Yanhe.

Adding a lead actor to a film series is no easy task, but adding a cameo role is routine for Hollywood screenwriters—a skill they must master.

A three-day cameo appearance, $1.5 million, and box office revenue from Asian audiences buying tickets to see the movie – it's a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

In a short time, Darren Wilson received invitations for four or five projects.

They are all the most popular movie series right now.

There's not much to be picky about when receiving invitations to these projects.

These hit movie series are all run by the best people in the industry, and with such a solid foundation, they can't possibly be bad.

It all depends on whether Lu Yanhe wants to accept the offer.

The salaries offered for these movie series are also very high, all starting at $5 million.

For a blockbuster film, the fact that an actor who isn't even playing the lead role can command such a high salary suggests that the production company isn't skimping on this aspect, and that they recognize Lu Yanhe's box office appeal.

But Darren Wilson still made careful selections, considering the overall positioning and style of the film series, the types of characters cast, and whether there was any discrimination against Asians among the film's creators.

Darren Wilson knew that Lu Yanhe cared a lot about these things.

Lu Yanhe's performance contracts with Hollywood always include a clause prohibiting any content that smears or attacks the image of Asians.

After him, Jiang Jun, Jiang Yuqian, Li Zhibai, and others he brought with him also included this clause in their contracts with Hollywood studios.

After much deliberation, only two items remained.

Darren Wilson sent the message to Chen Ziyan, telling her that she could choose either of the two projects, but suggested she only act in one.

Things are valued for their rarity.

The same applies to actors.

In Darren Wilson's view, Lu Yanhe now only needs to maintain his status in Hollywood by continuously producing successful projects.

After all, Lu Yanhe has another film to star in, "Mist 2," and Midoriya has another film to star in, "Godless," so he doesn't lack exposure from commercial blockbusters.

But we need to take on a new project.

“This is a signal that shows how successful the movie ‘Hurricane 2’ is and how much Yan He has contributed to this success,” Darren told Chen Ziyan on the phone. “Other film companies are extending olive branches, which is a real signal. It can also help stabilize Yan He’s salary, which has increased several times this year, by offering him a salary for such a new project.”

Since winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the beginning of the year, the consecutive successes of "Home Alone" and "Buried"—even though Lu Yanhe's role in these two films was as a screenwriter—the fact remains that Lu Yanhe's influence in the film industry and among movie audiences is growing.

Therefore, his salary request has been adjusted several times.

However, because Lu Yanhe had not taken on any new Hollywood films in the meantime, this matter had not been settled in an objective manner.

“For a cameo role like in Hurricane 2, the salary was 1.5 million. Now Yan He’s salary can be increased to 5 million,” Darren emphasized. “But this 5 million must be confirmed by contract and will only be recognized according to Hollywood rules.”

Chen Ziyan understood what Darren meant.

With this 5 million, Lu Yanhe's salary in Hollywood can be further increased in the future.

Otherwise, his asking price would still be based on the 6.5 million base salary for the lead role in "The Mist 2" and the 1.5 million base salary for the cameo role in "Hurricane 2".

Once the hype surrounding "Hurricane 2" dies down, the promised 5 million will be significantly reduced.

Chen Ziyan immediately discussed this matter with Lu Yanhe.

“Darren is right. Our purpose in starring in Hurricane 2 was to further solidify your box office appeal. Now that the results have met our expectations, it has also reflected in your salary. We should take on another film.”

"Okay." Lu Yanhe nodded. "But, Sister Ziyan, which role do you think I should take?"

Chen Ziyan said, "My criteria are relatively simple. These two scripts were the ones that Darren left after screening. They are both good projects in all aspects. So my choice is to see which series has more influence and a higher status in film history in the future. After all, it means whether you will become a member of a certain 'family'. Many times, this meaning is quite important."

Lu Yanhe understood what Chen Ziyan meant.

Just like actors who have participated in the Lord of the Rings series, the Harry Potter series, and even the later Marvel series, whether or not they are part of it is not only an actor's own obsession, but also a sign of whether or not they are truly accepted.

He has a role in a recognized classic series, so his existence must be acknowledged, and his value as an actor will inevitably "appreciate" along with the film.

Just like the Oscars.

Actors who win an Oscar will inevitably be "protected" by the Oscar system, regardless of whether the Academy believed they truly deserved the award beforehand.

Chen Ziyan said, "I prefer you to choose the movie 'Cloud'. The other project, although it is also very popular, is an action series. Action series, how should I put it, the core characters are too overshadowed. The non-core actors may be popular for a while, but they cannot leave a lasting impression."

Lu Yanhe understood.

Just like The Expendables.

The Lord of the Rings series, with its fleeting but memorable supporting characters, has made these roles memorable and become one of the actors' signature roles.

For example, the Elf Queen in relation to Cate Blanchett.

This is due to the different film genres and the different types of characters.

In *The Expendables*, the characters are all tough guys, distinguished only by their personalities. In *The Lord of the Rings*, the differences in race, gender, appearance, skills, and functions are vast, making each character memorable.

The movie Chen Ziyan chose, "Cloud in the Sky," is a fantasy blockbuster.

“Of course, there’s another reason I chose ‘Cloudy’: the action series was looking for a character who died at the end of the movie.” Chen Ziyan said, “You already died once in ‘Hurricane 2,’ so it’s not good to leave that impression by having another character die in the same way.”

Lu Yanhe nodded.

"Then let's go with 'Cloud'."

Chen Ziyan: "Okay, I'll go talk to Darren and tell him to start the negotiations."

Lu Yanhe: "Okay."

Chen Ziyan: "For that role in the spy series, do you think there's a suitable male actor?"

"I?"

“Hmm,” Chen Ziyan said. “They revised the script for you, changing the character to an Asian. If you don’t act in it, their thinking has changed to finding an Asian or even Chinese actor to replicate the route of ‘Hurricane 2’ and open up the Chinese market. We might as well take the initiative while we have the information. We don’t act in it, but we can push other actors to act in it.”

Lu Yanhe thought about it seriously and said, "Now that you mention it, I actually told Yan Liang that he could try to become an action actor in the future, as his image and temperament are suitable."

Chen Ziyan nodded, "Okay, Yan Liang doesn't have a management company overseas right now. I'll ask Darren to recommend Yan Liang's information to them."

"Would he be willing?" Even if Darren succeeds in promoting something that yields no profit, he won't earn Yan Liang's commission.

“He won’t refuse a small favor,” Chen Ziyan said. “You’re a big client to him, so he won’t refuse to help with this little thing.”

Lu Yanhe nodded.

Chen Ziyan added, "You will be filming 'Godless' in mid-September this year. You will have a lot of screen time in this movie. Although you are not the main character, you are one of the most important characters. The first movie will be filmed for 150 days in total. Your scenes will be filmed in three parts. You will film from mid-September to early October, then you will film for another ten days in November, and then you will film for another twenty days in January next year."

Lu Yanhe nodded, "Understood."

"It took a long time to coordinate the schedule because you were going to film 'Friends' at the end of the year, and then 'The Mist 2' was going to be released at the end of December. There were just too many things to do," Chen Ziyan said with some helplessness. "Fortunately, we managed to coordinate it."

Lu Yanhe said, "This is troublesome. The end of the year is always the busiest time of the year."

Are you really planning to keep making Friends indefinitely?

"Yes, there are no plans to stop now," Lu Yanhe said. "This drama is of great significance to me."

“I know that.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “This show is also performing better and better on overseas streaming platforms, which has increased your popularity.”

If streaming media can be said to have a lower-tier market, then Friends on Maxine opened up that lower-tier market.

The show is gaining more and more viewers, and unlike many streaming shows that primarily target white-collar workers and elites, Friends attracts mostly ordinary people, especially high school and college students.

The overseas audience for this drama is quite different from that of Lu Yanhe's films.

Chen Ziyan said, "Okay, in that case, I'll try my best to coordinate your schedule."

Lu Yanhe nodded with a smile and said, "Thank you for your help, Sister Ziyan."

"What trouble am I in? I'm just causing minor problems, but you've been working so hard all along," Chen Ziyan asked. "How have you been lately?"

"It's okay, I feel like I've recovered," Lu Yanhe said. "Before, I only didn't feel tired when I was filming, it felt like a vacation. But now I feel that as long as I'm not filming, I can completely relax."

"You see mountains as mountains, and then you see mountains as not mountains." Chen Ziyan laughed. "Now you're truly starting to be an actress."

-

I recommend the classic entertainment novel, "I Became the Leading Lady of a Scandal Overnight."

(End of this chapter)