Chapter 176 Giving You an Appreciation [VIP]

Chapter Summary: It's time to meet this new general manager.

Total box office revenue for films released during the Spring Festival holiday in its first 10 days:

1. The war film "Sparkling Fire" grossed 3.4 billion yuan.

2. The fantasy film "Escape from the Game" grossed 2.9 billion.

3. The comedy film "Double Happiness" grossed 1.9 billion yuan.

The fourth-ranked animated film grossed over 700 million yuan.

......

No wonder the competition is fierce and the marketing costs are high, yet they still want to squeeze into the Spring Festival film season. The box office during the Spring Festival is indeed very hot, with daily box office revenue of over one billion yuan, which usually only occurs during the Spring Festival.

During this period, Mu Zhi has been busy with promotional tours. During the four-day Spring Festival holiday, besides watching the movie she starred in, she spent her free time reading scripts selected by her team.

She wasn't very familiar with the other films released during the same period of the Spring Festival. She had only clicked on the trending topics #SparkLikeAWildfire# and #DoubleHappiness#, and the top comments were all positive reviews of the films; she hadn't seen any multi-faceted analyses of them.

In the past two days, some netizens on gossip forums have started a thread analyzing the box office trends of various films during the Spring Festival, and it has become quite a hot topic.

Minmin, who was on the front lines of gossip, sent Muzhi a link to the post.

Mu Zhi clicked on it out of curiosity and quickly browsed through the analyses of the netizens who were watching the drama unfold:

"The box office performance of 'Sparkling Fire' was so strong on its opening day, but then it fizzled out. After 10 days, it hasn't even broken 4 billion yuan. I was originally hoping it could break the record of 'Golden Globe'."

"Whispering: There have been many high-grossing patriotic films in recent years, and with so many similar movies, the reviews are all pretty much the same."

"Yue Ge, the lead actor in 'Double Happiness,' is very popular in comedy films, so it's unbelievable that his film lost at the box office to one starring Mu Zhi."

"I went to see 'Double Happiness,' which is a typical commercial comedy film. You can guess the ending after watching the beginning. The plot is a bit awkward, and it's not as funny as Yue Ge's previous comedies. I guess they ran out of jokes."

"The box office of 'Escape from the Game' will break 3 billion tomorrow, and the final box office is expected to surpass 'Catch the Fire'. The main audience of this movie is very young. Recently, I saw on short videos that #ElementarySchoolStudentsAreCallingToSeeEscapeFromTheGame# has become a meme and it's quite popular."

"I watched all three of the top-grossing films during this year's Spring Festival. The patriotic films, which featured a large number of celebrities from the entertainment industry, were touching yet jarring, with no fresh plots or themes."

Comedy films plus Yue Ge are a box office draw. If anyone else had starred in "Double Happiness," it wouldn't have even broken 1 billion yuan. The plot is melodramatic, clichéd, and unoriginal; the humor is low-brow. It's also supposedly a remake of a foreign film. I wonder if there's no one left to write screenplays in China?

"I wasn't really interested in watching 'Escape from the Game' because of its subject matter and title, but I was pleasantly surprised after watching it."

The film has a brilliant script, fantastic special effects, a novel theme, and an engaging, interconnected storyline. The ending is high-energy, both chilling and setting the stage for a sequel. This IP has been very successful.

The fact that this film became a box office dark horse during the Spring Festival shows that content and quality are still king, and that the film industry really needs an injection of fresh blood, as do audiences.

"With the plot, special effects, cast, and established IP of 'Escape from the Game,' this film could have grossed even more at the box office if it were a sci-fi movie. Unfortunately, the subject matter is too niche. With winter break almost over, it's uncertain whether it will break 4 billion."

......

The topic of Gaolou Post then veered towards Mu Zhi.

Since the second day of the Lunar New Year, Mu Zhi has received congratulations from many people every day. On various social media platforms, when people mention #EscapeFromTheGame#, they also mention #MuZhi#.

She has added another representative work, "Escape from the Game," in which she plays the lead role.

As the female lead and a highly popular actress with a lot of buzz and discussion, Mu Zhi has recently been the subject of various discussions and analyses among netizens:

"Mu Zhi is awesome!!! I'm tired of saying it."

"Mu Zhi is truly a box office lucky charm. When news first broke that she would be starring in this movie with a newcomer from her company, she was ridiculed mercilessly, but now she's become a dark horse at the Spring Festival box office."

"Is it Mu Zhi or her team that's so amazing? Their eye for scripts is incredible; they never miss a beat, and every single one of their projects is a hit. She reaps the biggest benefits from it all."

"Don't talk about the movie's good special effects, good IP, or good script; Mu Zhi just got lucky to be in it. If Mu Zhi hadn't starred, the movie wouldn't have attracted so much investment, and it wouldn't have had this cast and crew. It's because Mu Zhi starred that 'Escape from the Game' achieved this box office success."

"After this movie, Mu Zhi firmly holds the top spot among young actresses, aiming to become a leading lady. She already has the ability to carry the box office on her own in the film industry. Each of her works has grossed over 1 billion yuan, amazing!"

"I think Mu Zhi will be the lead in all her next movies. Newcomer Bian Wu became an overnight sensation after collaborating with Mu Zhi on a movie, gaining over 2 million followers in just 10 days."

Today I saw someone start a thread to choose 'concubines' for Mu Zhi. Fans of several popular male celebrities hope to collaborate with Mu Zhi and help their idols rise to fame.

......

Mu Zhi saw netizens mentioning Bian Wu online and then received a call from his agent offline.

Ji Binghe also mentioned Bian Wu's latest developments, "As soon as I got back to work after the Spring Festival holiday, Bian Wu started getting business collaboration offers, including movie scripts..."

Bian Wu has just started to make a name for himself in the entertainment and film industries, and he has a fantasy drama with Liao Yaning coming out soon. The movie is still showing in theaters and is receiving a lot of attention. His asking price hasn't increased much, so he's cheap. That's why business cooperation has come to him so quickly.

However, Bian Wu's red is not quite the same as Mu Zhi's.

Mu Zhi became popular after the release of "The Bell Ringer" and "Back to 17". She benefited from the success of her own works. Bian Wu mainly benefited from his collaboration with Mu Zhi, as well as the success of his works with Liao Yaning after taking out a loan.

Ji Binghe plans to let Bian Wu first make a name for himself in the industry and gain a sense of presence, so that he can settle down and mature before considering him for roles in leading productions.

"Bian Wu was very lucky to have a great co-star and a great director in his first leading role."

Mu Zhi: "Yes, he also has a very good agent."

Hearing this on the other end of the phone, Ji Binghe laughed happily. Mu Zhi and Bian Wu were both artists she managed, and three other actors, including Feng Zhongxian, also participated in the film. The film was a box office hit, and the actors who participated could all benefit from it to some extent.

This is something to be very happy about.

Ji Binghe revealed with some regret: "Lanxing Media has invested a lot in 'Escape from the Game.' To be honest, if it flops, it will affect our film projects this year."

Now that the movies are profitable, Lanxing Media's film projects can proceed smoothly.

"By the way, Director Xu said the crew is having a celebration party next week, and you absolutely have to attend. It took more than a year from filming to the release of 'Escape from the Game,' and he said he can finally get a good night's sleep now."

Mu Zhi readily agreed.

Her upcoming work includes attending brand events, shooting commercials for endorsements, and several magazine cover shoots...

Although my schedule is busy, I can still find time to attend the celebration banquet in the evening.

With his film "Escape from the Game," director Xu Kuan has truly made a name for himself in the film industry, becoming a rising star among directors.

Previously, some people questioned whether Xu Kuan's film "Back to 17" could have broken 1 billion yuan at the box office because of the promotion and distribution by Guangying Media. Now, the success of "Escape from the Game" proves Xu Kuan's strength.

These are some of the trending topics on social media these past few days.

Mu Zhi saw many young actors' fans looking forward to their idols working with director Xu Kuan. They felt that Xu Kuan would give newcomers opportunities, and praised Xu Kuan for being young, talented, full of ideas, having his own style, and daring to try new things.

Some book fans have also listed similar novel IPs with the theme of "Escape from the Game," tagging Xu Kuan and hoping that he will adapt them into films, etc.

Director Xu Kuan has received flowers and applause. Once the final box office results for "Escape from the Game" are released, it is expected to enter the top 10 of the domestic film box office, and Xu Kuan will enter the top 10 of the director box office rankings. He will no longer have to worry about not being able to attract investment for his future films.

At the end of the call, Ji Binghe brought up something.

"Zhizhi, do you have some free time these next couple of days? Come to the company and meet the new general manager who has been in office for a while now?"

The last time Mu Zhi reported to Lanxing Media was when she returned to Beicheng to attend a grand event.

After that, I was busy with roadshows.

Before the Lunar New Year, Ji Binghe and He Zhiyue mentioned that a professional manager was going to be parachuted into Lanxing Media. As one of the company's artists, she also received an email from the company.

We haven't met yet.

If the newly appointed general manager is competent, then Lanxing Media will be under his management from now on.

Mu Zhi will have to reconsider her contract with Lanxing Media this year; she'll have to deal with them sooner or later, and she'll have to meet with the new general manager.

Two days later, Lanxing Media.

When Mu Zhi arrived at the company, she received many confessions of love from her female admirers.

"Teacher Mu, I love your portrayal of Wu Xi! You were so cool!"

"Sister Zhizhi, my sister really loves your new movie, could you please sign it for me?"

"Sister Muzhi, when will you be able to film a second season of 'Escape from the Game'?"

There were also congratulatory messages such as "Congratulations on the box office success!"

Mu Zhi smiled and signed the autograph as she responded.

Thank you everyone for your support.

"The script for the second part has started to be written, but filming will not begin for at least two years."

The afternoon tea she had ordered in advance was also delivered, and her colleagues from the HR department distributed it to each floor for everyone to enjoy.

Mu Zhi then waved goodbye to everyone, took the elevator upstairs, and went to the director of brokerage's office first.

Ji Binghe had already sent out Mu Zhi's upcoming schedule a couple of days ago. Today, Mu Zhi came over, and the two of them mainly wanted to discuss Mu Zhi's next film, which was a movie project that the company had been preparing for over a year.

"President He is busy with matters at the He Group, but he is also keeping an eye on this film project. He called me yesterday, and the film is expected to start shooting in June."

Mu Zhi knew about this, and He Zhiyue had also told her about it.

This film was directed by Wan Zhou, who will be collaborating with Mu Zhi for the second time. We arranged to have dinner together tomorrow night to discuss the film.

Then, the two went to the general manager's office together.

There were some changes since Mu Zhi last came in, but they were not obvious. A few personal decorative items had been added.

That's true. He's only been in office for a short time and hasn't settled into his position yet, so it's not a good time to make any major changes.

Mu Zhi looked at the new general manager who stood up from the computer and was walking towards them. He had a slicked-back hairstyle, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and a white suit. He gave off a refined and elegant, yet shrewd, impression.

"Finally, I've met Professor Mu. I've heard so much about you."

"I am the newly appointed general manager, Meng Liang."

Mu Zhi nodded: "Hello, General Manager Meng."

She had heard Ji Binghe give a brief introduction to Meng Liang.

Meng Liang once served as the CEO of an entertainment company abroad and has extensive management experience in the entertainment industry. It is said that he chose to return to China to develop his career in order to take care of his mother when she fell ill.

"Teacher Mu, do you prefer tea or coffee?"

"Coffee, thank you."

As the saying goes, "A new broom sweeps clean," and before meeting Meng Liang, Mu Zhi thought that He Zhiyue would appoint a professional manager who was decisive, ruthless, and had the same style as He Zhiyue.

Now that she had met him, Mu Zhi could clearly feel that Meng Liang was very polite to her, and this politeness even carried a hint of ingratiation.

I came out of the new general manager's office.

"Meng Liang doesn't have much real power. His role in the company is more to assist the boss in managing the company remotely, greatly reducing the boss's workload. The decision-making power for important matters still lies with the boss."

It was He Zhiyue who was orchestrating things behind the scenes.

Ji Binghe stopped and turned to Mu Zhi, saying seriously, "Zhizhi, you are the company's most valued artist. President He told me that if you have any problems at work that General Manager Meng cannot solve, you can go directly to President He."

This was a special favor given to Mu Zhi; whether it was for public or private reasons, Ji Binghe couldn't say.

Given the current success of "Escape from the Game" at the box office, Mu Zhi's career has reached a certain level and is now transitioning from rapid growth to steady progress.

He Zhiyue has also publicly resigned from his position as general manager of Lanxing Media.

Ji Binghe had nothing more to say about the development of the relationship between Mu Zhi and He Zhiyue.

She respects Mu Zhi's decision.

But Ji Binghe sincerely hoped, "Zhizhi, your contract with the company will expire at the end of the year. I know other companies are eager to sign you. Whether from the perspective of the brokerage director, the agent, or personal feelings, I hope you can stay."

Mu Zhi hasn't made a decision yet: "There's still a year left, I'll think about it carefully."

Ji Binghe nodded, indicating her understanding.

A thought flashed through her mind: If the boss could win Mu Zhi's heart, then Mu Zhi's decision to renew her contract with Lanxing Media would be a foregone conclusion.

The next second, she laughed at her own thoughts. Given Mu Zhi's personality of separating public and private matters, even if she managed to win her over, it wasn't necessarily a sure thing.

We left the Lanxing Media building.

As soon as Mu Zhi got into the car, her phone rang. She took it out of her bag and saw that it was from an unfamiliar number. She didn't answer.

Immediately afterwards, a notification popped up in the notification bar, asking to add a WeChat friend. The friend request field showed Ji Peng's name and a mobile phone number.

It was the phone number that had just called.

When the number called again, Mu Zhi answered.

"Hello, Professor Mu, this is Ji Peng. I'm sorry to bother you by calling so abruptly."

Mu Zhi knew the other party's purpose: "Hello."

Ji Peng on the other end of the phone congratulated Mu Zhi on the box office success of her new film, then changed the subject: "Ms. Mu, tonight or tomorrow night, or you can set a time, Mr. Xiang would like to invite you to dinner. Would you do me the honor?"

The "General Manager Xiang" that Ji Peng mentioned refers to the owner of Shengyu Media.

Mu Zhi knew that if she refused, Ji Peng would find another opportunity to ask her out.

She didn't immediately decide to renew her contract with Lanxing Media, wanting to see what the other three major entertainment companies in the industry could offer her, and what differences it would make to cooperate with a different company.

Among them, Shengyu Media and Lanxing Media's main businesses and signed artists are mainly focused on film and television.

Mu Zhi: "Director Ji, I have time tonight. However, I don't want to be photographed."

Ji Peng happily said that there was no problem and that he would choose a good place to eat, guaranteeing that they would not be photographed.

[Author's Note]

Brother Yue, you're about to get poached!