"At the moment, it's impossible to break even with domestic box office revenue alone. However, this film was originally intended for overseas markets. I spent more than two months with the Hero crew. I can say that once Hero is released, Zhang Yimou's reputation will be at its peak. It's truly excellent. A master is indeed a master. You'll see when the time comes."
Liu Qianqian nodded and said, "The photos are exceptionally beautiful, especially the poplar forest and Jiuzhaigou. They are so beautiful. The places are beautiful right now. Sister Manyu took the photos especially well."
"Moreover, Director Zhang used the most advanced Phantom v5 camera this time, producing a 1080P ultra-high-definition Blu-ray disc. It was specifically made for DVD sales. It's unlikely that this movie will lose money; it will probably make some profit. However, it will definitely set a new standard for domestic box office records."
Yu Entai looked at Shen Fang: "Currently, the highest-grossing film in China is 'Life and Death Choice,' which sparked a viewing frenzy at the time, but its final box office was only 120 million yuan. The second place is still Feng Xiaogang's 'Endless,' starring Ge You, which only grossed 33 million yuan. Even the great director Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' only grossed 15 million yuan."
Shen Fang smiled and said, "Ang Lee's films don't count. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was originally made for foreign audiences."
Yu Entai nodded: "Then, President Shen, what are your expectations for the hero?"
Shen Fang extended two fingers.
"200 million is the minimum, with no upper limit. This movie is so well made, that's my expectation."
Yu Entai looked astonished.
"200 million??? That's...that's unlikely."
It's no wonder Yu Entai was skeptical. Jackie Chan's 2001 film, *The Accidental Spy*, only grossed 40 million yuan domestically, and Tsui Hark's special effects blockbuster, *Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain*, only earned 20 million yuan, despite starring popular actors like Cecilia Cheung, Louis Koo, and Zheng Yijian. The sudden jump to 200 million yuan was simply unbelievable to Yu Entai, given the state of the domestic box office. The market is only so big. Zhang Yimou is brilliant, but even with his talent, the market is only so large.
Shen Fang nodded: "Two years have passed now. Hero should be finishing filming soon and starting post-production editing. If all goes well, it can be released at the end of the year. This year, the number of screens in China has increased by more than 700, which is a third more than that of giant screens. We have the right timing and location. It all depends on the people. As long as this movie doesn't go wrong and causes a viewing frenzy, 200 million is not a problem."
Yu Entai nodded: "Adding more than 700 screens at once will indeed increase the box office significantly, but Mr. Shen, I think 200 million is still a bit too much."
Shen Fang looked at Yu Entai, who had a disbelieving expression on his face.
"How about we make a bet? If you lose, Tai, you treat everyone here to a big meal. If I lose, I'll treat you guys to a month's worth of big meals. Is that alright?"
Yu Entai smiled upon hearing this: "I'll gamble. Only a fool wouldn't gamble. I won't lose out whether I win or lose."
Shen Fang looked at Yu Entai and said, "The domestic film and television industry will get better and better. Once the first shot is fired, more and more people will follow suit to expand the market and create new miracles. If you are interested, Brother Tai, you can go deep into this industry."
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