The North American film market is very lively this summer.
At the beginning of July, the action-adventure blockbuster "Indiana Jones 5" was released first, but unfortunately it had a bad start, with the North American box office in the first weekend being only 60 million US dollars and 130 million US dollars worldwide, far below expectations.
In the second week, the action movie "Extraction" produced by Lionsgate was released and easily defeated "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" to become the North American weekly champion.
By the third week, word of mouth for "Extraction" had gradually spread, and the popularity of the lead actor Gu Wei in North America was rising. Meanwhile, the promotion of "Mission: Impossible 7" was also in full swing.
The verbal battle between the two film stars attracted more attention from North American audiences.
At this time, there was still more than a week until the release of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer".
[Barbie] is produced by [Warner Bros.], starring Margaret Robbie, the Joker's daughter, and has the classic IP "Barbie doll".
"Oppenheimer" is produced by Universal Pictures and directed by Christopher Nolan. It tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb" of the United States, who led the creation of the world's first atomic bomb.
Both films are highly anticipated Hollywood S-level productions, and huge amounts of money have been invested in publicity and promotion.
The publicity and promotion war among the four films completely ignited the North American market during the summer season.
The North American roadshow of [Extreme Rescue] started in New York, passed through Chicago, San Francisco and finally arrived in Los Angeles, the home of Hollywood.
The film's North American box office totaled 37.16 million US dollars in the first four days of its second week, and the single-day box office results were slightly lower than those in the first week.
But it’s mainly because it’s a working day.
"Extreme Rescue" currently has a very good reputation and has become famous. Based on the box office results of the first four days of its second week, Box Office Mojo predicts that the total box office of "Extreme Rescue" in its second week will reach 70 million US dollars, which is lower than its prediction of 90 million US dollars for the first weekend of "Mission: Impossible 7".
Los Angeles is the last stop of the "Extreme Rescue" North American roadshow. In addition to the main creators, "Lionsgate" also invited some Hollywood stars to attend, adding some star power and topicality to this roadshow.
"Why didn't you tell me in advance that you were coming to promote the movie so I could fly to New York and wait for you?"
At the scene, Elizabeth Olsen stood beside Gu Wei, her deep blue eyes full of resentment.
Olsen wore a milky white hip skirt today. The V-neck on her chest revealed her two plump hemispheres, her waist was slender, her buttocks were round and firm, her slightly fleshy legs were wearing black stockings, and she wore a pair of red high heels, looking very sexy.
She was originally filming in Hollywood, and when she saw the news about Gu Wei's New York roadshow on the Internet, she wanted to go find him.
However, Gu Wei persuaded him and said that they would arrive in Los Angeles in two days.
"This roadshow will only take a few days.
After finishing my work in North America, I have to go to some places in Europe, Japan and South Korea, so I didn’t think of calling you.
Come out, is everything okay with the crew?"
"I took two days off."
“Two days?
I'm afraid I can't accompany you tomorrow because the crew has to fly to London tomorrow.
The itinerary was all planned in advance, which is why I didn't call you." Gu Wei spread his hands.
Olsen raised the corners of his mouth into a meaningful smile.
"I'm taking two days off. I'll come today to help promote your movie, and I'll take a rest tomorrow.
I think we have a lot to do tonight and we need a day off tomorrow to have the energy to continue filming."
Gu Wei understood immediately: "Very reasonable"
On the other side, Tian Xiwei looked at Olsen, who was chatting enthusiastically with Gu Wei, and exclaimed, "Elizabeth Olsen, the famous Scarlet Witch, she is so beautiful!"
Yang Chaoyue curled his lips in disdain: "It's just that the breasts are bigger, the butt is bigger, and the skin is whiter.
White people age quickly, and their skin may not be as good as ours."
Xiaotian was a little puzzled by Yang Chaoyue's attitude, but more out of curiosity: "She and the boss probably don't have much in common, it seems like they know each other very well."
"You're right, their relationship is indeed very good.
The boss first met her at an LV banquet in Paris. It has been many years since then.
With our boss's charm, no woman can resist him, including Scarlet Witch!"
Tian Xiwei turned to look at her: "How do you know so clearly?"
"Because I was my boss's personal assistant for those two years, I followed him wherever he went and whatever he did."
Xiaotian suddenly realized: "If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten it."
She looked at Olsen's perfect S-curve body and then looked down at herself.
"As for the clothes, I'm actually not bad."
Today is Friday, the last day of the North American roadshow for "Extraction" and the first day of the release of "Mission: Impossible 7".
During the question-and-answer session, some media asked about the box office performance of the two films.
Gu Wei is full of confidence: "I took some time to watch Mission: Impossible 7. Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is too old-fashioned and it's hard for young people to like him.
Perhaps because it is divided into two parts, the film's narrative is incomplete and has many logical loopholes.
The White Widow is very beautiful, but unfortunately she is just a tool.
Most importantly, the fighting scenes in Mission: Impossible 7 were terrible. I suggest that Tom Cruise find a Chinese martial arts instructor for his next film.
If he doesn't know anyone, he can ask Jackie Chan or ask Keanu to introduce him.
Judging from the quality of the film, there is no pressure for "Exit" to beat "Mission: Impossible 7" at the box office."
After the roadshow ended, Gu Wei’s words were quickly reported in the news.
As his direct opponent, Tom Cruise, who had been following him, saw it first.
"Fuck! This guy is really good at talking nonsense!"
Tom frowned and cursed, then thought about the finished film of "Mission Impossible 7" and vaguely felt that what the Chinese boy said seemed to make sense.
He shook his head to stop thinking about these bad things: "Mark, how is the current box office of the movie?"
The assistant replied, "The real-time North American box office has exceeded 10 million.
Today is Friday, and the prime time for cinemas is after 18:00. The box office during this period will be higher than during the day.
Today's first-day box office will definitely exceed 20 million, maybe even 30 million.
According to Box Office Mojo's forecast, "Mission: Impossible 7" will have a box office of more than 30 million over the next two weekends, with a total box office of 90 million US dollars in the first weekend.
It’s not difficult to surpass [Extreme Rescue].
Tom Cruise nodded reassuringly.
He crossed his legs and leaned back on the sofa, thinking about how he would satirize Gu Wei during the interview after the box office results were released this week.
"Haha, wait and see how I slap you in the face!"
Los Angeles is as beautiful as ever at night.
At 988 Angelo View Drive in Beverly Hills, a three-story luxury villa is brightly lit.
On the big bed in the bedroom, a sexy blonde beauty slowly opened her eyes.
After a few seconds, I sat up and felt more comfortable than ever before, as if I had a deep spa and felt refreshed from the inside out.
She stretched herself, not caring about the exposure, and saw a familiar figure outside through the open bedroom door. The blonde beauty got out of bed.
He casually grabbed a thin blanket and put it on, then walked out of the bedroom barefoot on the soft carpet.
In the living room, Gu Wei was preparing some things.
Suddenly I felt a soft and warm body pressing against me from behind.
"What are you doing?"
Ao Mei hugged Gu Wei from behind, and the thin blanket she was wearing slipped off her body, leaving her naked again.
But she didn't care. There was no third person in the villa except them, and she had long been accustomed to being frank with Gu Wei.
"Are you hungry?" Gu Wei asked instead of answering.
"It's okay~" After Ao Mei finished speaking, her stomach just started to growl.
She was a little embarrassed: "I am a little hungry"
The roadshow was held in the afternoon, and the two returned to Gu Wei's villa in Beverly Hills after the show.
After not seeing each other for a long time, Ao Mei was unusually proactive when she got the chance to be alone.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already dark.
I didn’t have dinner and did a lot of exercise, so how could I not be hungry?
"I found some wagyu steak in the freezer and fried it up to eat with it."
He said he found it, but in fact all the properties under Gu Wei's name are managed by a special agency. Not only are they cleaned and tidied regularly, but if he wants to live in a property, the team will prepare everything he needs in the house in advance.
For example, the refrigerator will be filled with food, drinks and fruits, and the wardrobe will have all kinds of seasonal clothes, not to mention toiletries. This ensures that no matter where Gu Wei lives, it will feel like home and he will not feel any inconvenience.
"Okay, make it for me~"
Ao Mei hugged Gu Wei from behind, with one hand on his abdominal muscles, the other hand on his chest muscles, and her face pressed against Gu Wei's broad arms.
"How can I fry steak if you hold me like this?" Gu Wei felt helpless.
The touch on his back was indeed wonderful, but he still had to work.
Ao Mei was reluctant to let go, so she held him for a few more seconds, rubbing her hands back and forth in front of Gu Wei. When the two of them were together, she seemed to be the more lustful one.
Olsen took a deep breath on Gu Wei before letting go.
Gu Wei turned around and looked her up and down: "Aren't you cold?"
“I don’t think so~”
Olsen shrugged. Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate. It is still summer now and the temperature is very high. It is not cold at all even at night.
And she likes to show her body in front of Gu Wei.
"You can put on some clothes to avoid catching a cold~"
After Gu Wei finished speaking, he started to get busy in the open kitchen.
Olsen thought about it, picked up the thin blanket from the ground, and wrapped it around himself like a bath towel. Perfect.
Frying steak was simple, and the two of them were soon enjoying their meal.
"It tastes great. I didn't know you're such a good cook!" Ao Mei praised while eating.
"It's not that I'm a good cook, it's that the ingredients themselves are very good. Plus, you're very hungry now, so it tastes naturally delicious." Gu Wei picked up a small piece of beef with a fork and put it in his mouth. After eating, he took a sip of red wine.
"How did you end up competing with Tom Cruise? Top Gun 2 was a huge hit last year, and he's at the peak of his popularity right now."
After reading the news and hearing what Gu Wei said today, Ao Mei felt a little worried about Gu Wei.
“It’s not that I want to compete with Tom Cruise, it’s that the two movies are released in the same period.
Since we are bound to compete, we might as well create some hype to promote the film."
"So what are you going to do after this week?"
"What should we do?" Gu Wei was confused.
“Box office.
If it were you, I would just not respond. No matter what the reporter asks, don’t respond.” Olsen actively gave Gu Wei advice.
It was obvious that she didn't think [Extreme Rescue] could win.
"Haha, I think this is something Tom Cruise should consider."
Gu Wei was very confident. Everyone thought that "Mission Impossible 7" and Tom Cruise were incredibly powerful, but only he knew how much money the movie had lost at the box office.
It didn't take long for the two to finish their meal.
Feeling like he had eaten too much, Olsen prepared to exercise and pulled Gu Wei to the swimming pool in the yard.
With a gentle pull, the thin blanket around his body slipped off, and Olsen jumped lightly into the water.
In the water, Olsen twisted her body gently and swam from one end of the pool to the other, like a beautiful mermaid.
Gu Wei sat by the swimming pool, paddling his feet back and forth in the water.
Olson swam two laps back to where he started.
“Crash!”
She stood up from the water and threw her head back, letting her long, wet hair fall behind her.
It's the same scene as the one where Qiuya comes out of the water in "Charlotte's Troubles".
With the same sexy figure, Olsen looks even more exaggerated at this moment because she is naked.
Without coming out of the swimming pool, Olsen stood in front of Gu Wei and looked up from the swimming pool at Gu Wei who was sitting by the pool.
She grabbed Gu Wei's feet soaking in the water and placed them against her chest, then smiled and invited him to come down and swim with her.
Feeling the soft touch on his feet, Gu Wei readily agreed.
At night, the sky is full of stars.
Gu Wei's villa is located halfway up the Santa Monica Mountains, surrounded by thick palm tree walls, providing excellent privacy.
The swimming pool at the edge is like a crystal clear sapphire inlaid on the outermost edge of the villa yard.
Two figures in the swimming pool played around for a while, then lay down on the outer edge to rest.
Looking down from their perspective, they can see the entire Los Angeles at night, and Santa Monica Beach in the distance.
“So beautiful!”
Olsen exclaimed in admiration as she looked at the brightly lit city night scene below.
Gu Wei put his arm around her slender waist and turned his head: "No matter how beautiful the scenery is, it's not as beautiful as you!"
Olsen turned his head to look at Gu Wei's handsome face and strong and well-built body, his eyes gradually becoming blurred.
Gu Wei lowered his head, and the two slowly kissed each other.
"Let's go back to the room~"
After a long time, Gu Wei raised his head and said in a low voice.
Olsen refused with a gruff breath: "No, I want to stay here."
The next day, it was already noon when Olsen woke up.
Last night was really crazy, but it was also an ultimate enjoyment. Even now, when I think about it, I still can’t help but savor it.
Gu Wei left early in the morning and should have boarded a flight to London by now. Olsen was the only one in the villa.
After getting up, I called my assistant first, then packed up and washed up.
After everything was done and he changed his clothes, Olsen looked at himself in the dressing mirror.
"My complexion is indeed much better, my skin is more delicate, and it seems that my wrinkles have faded a little.
It’s a pity that guy rarely comes to the United States, and I’m too busy with work.”
She and Gu Wei have known each other for several years, but because of work, they don't have many opportunities to meet.
However, no matter how busy Olsen was, he would always find time to meet Gu Wei a few times every year, and sometimes he would even invite Scarlett to join him.
Lust and desire are one thing, but after doing it many times, she gradually noticed some changes in herself.
For women, especially female celebrities, maintaining beauty and figure is their eternal pursuit.
The crew of [Extreme Rescue] was on roadshow in major European cities such as London, Paris, and Berlin, and the third week of July passed quickly.
What surprised countless North American movie fans and filmmakers was that "Mission: Impossible 7" actually lost at the box office.
In the first three days of its weekend, "Mission: Impossible 7" grossed $56.2 million in North America, far below expectations.
Thanks to good word-of-mouth and publicity, "Exit" surpassed its first-week box office in its second week, earning $91.24 million, far exceeding "Mission: Impossible 7."
Many North American netizens exclaimed that GU overturned Tom Cruise's throne as soon as he arrived, and another kung fu superstar was rising.
Of course, there are also many rational movie fans who believe that Tom Cruise has been popular for 40 years, and he has had classic hit movies as well as works that did not perform well at the box office. The failure of a movie does not mean anything.
There is nothing wrong with this perception, but it is also true that Tom Cruise was slapped in the face this time.
When promoting the film in public later, many media reporters asked Tom Cruise what he felt about the box office failure of "Mission: Impossible 7", especially the loss to "Exodus".
Tom Cruise didn't respond coldly or swear, instead he smiled and replied, "It seems like GU really does understand young audiences better than I do.
I accepted his advice and will find Jackie when I have time to ask him to introduce me to some reliable martial arts instructors.
Temporary difficulties cannot defeat "Ethan Hunt". I hope everyone will believe in me and I believe in "Ethan". The next "Mission Impossible" will definitely not disappoint you! "
Tom Cruise's straightforward answer of admitting defeat and actively seeking ways to correct the mistake won applause from the media and audience present.
No matter whether he is sincere or not, his attitude towards failure is worth learning from.
There is a reason why Tom Cruise has been popular in Hollywood for more than 40 years.
Many people on the North American Internet also praised Tom Cruise for his response attitude, and many netizens called him a true gentleman.
In China, the box office of "Mission: Impossible 7" released at the same time was even worse, with only 180 million yuan in the first weekend.
"Exodus," which had no rivals, took in 1.76 billion yuan in the domestic box office in its second week, which is almost ten times that of "Mission: Impossible 7."
After two weeks and 11 days of release, "Extraction" has grossed 3.26 billion RMB in China and 398 million USD in other countries including North America, Europe, Japan, South Korea, etc., with a total box office of 6.1 billion RMB, or 854 million USD.
"With an investment of less than $100 million, it grossed $850 million worldwide in two weeks.
The Chinese market contributed more than half of the box office revenue; GU's appeal in Asia is still too strong!"
Jon, the president of Lionsgate, was extremely happy when he saw the box office data reports coming back from all over the world.
In just one week, [Extreme Rescue] continued to bring him surprises.
Not only did it win big over Mission: Impossible 7, it also received perfect results in other parts of the world.
“The movie had a strong run in the first two weeks, but judging by this week’s box office figures, most of its potential has been used.
The single-day box office for these two days was only a few million dollars.
And with [Oppenheimer] and [Barbie] coming out this week, theaters will definitely cut back on their showings.”
Michael reminded from the side.
If last week was just a battle between two movies, "Mission: Impossible 7" and "Exodus", this week will be a melee of four blockbusters.
Although "Exit" proved itself by defeating "Mission: Impossible 7", it is only in its third week of release. Both films are in their first week, so theaters will definitely favor the new film.
The same is true in China. With blockbusters like [Fengshen: The Legend of Chaoge], [Super Power Family], and [Hotspot] about to be released, the screening schedule of [Extreme Rescue] will inevitably be greatly compressed.
"It doesn't matter, the current results are already very successful.
Just let things take their course and see where [Extreme Rescue] ends up.
I think at least breaking $1 billion globally won’t be a problem.”
At this point, Jon turned around and said, "By the way, contact [Wei Ming Tian Xia] and negotiate to purchase the North American copyright for [Extreme Rescue] and discuss co-developing the film's peripheral products with them.
[Extreme Rescue] is selling so well, this part is also a piece of fat meat! ”(End of this chapter)
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