Chapter 357: 357 The Summer Has Just Begun

“Kung Fu Panda” was fully released on its second day, earning an impressive 8.0 rating on IMDB (3,279 votes) and a 92%/90% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its audience likeability stood at 87%, withstanding the test of public release and maintaining its reputation as a well-received classic.

The opening day box office was not shocking but certainly not a failure. Averaging $6,561 across 3,451 theaters, the total came to $22.642 million, easily clinching the top spot on Friday. “Monster-in-Law” took second place with just $5.759 million. “Kung Fu Panda’s” opening day performance ranked first among PG-rated movies released so far this year, and its weekend forecast looked to surpass $60 million in US Dollars, which would place it in the top ten of all-time May opening weekends after adjusting for inflation.

“A wave of Kung Fu has hit, and Po the Panda has become the new darling of the market,” — Los Angeles Times. While “Kung Fu Panda” was sizzling in North American Cinemas, it had also hit the screens in Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, and the Philippines, topping the charts with stellar performances. Within the next two months, this wave of Chinese style would sweep into global cinemas, including Mainland China and Taiwan on May 27th, Hong Kong on June 3rd, France on June 13th, Japan on June 24th, and so on.

Despite the rave reviews and uplifting themes, the boycott controversy in Mainland China continues. With the unveiling of the plot, new boycott reasons such as political metaphors and satirical insults have surfaced, suggesting that “Chinese market” and “making money” are no longer the main focus.

With three years of production, a budget of $100 million, and more than $50 million in promotional and distribution expenses, Firefly Films took a significant commercial risk and invested heavily in an impressive voice cast…

Following the logic of a small group of “wise” Chinese viewers, on one hand, Firefly Films wanted to make a fortune from the Chinese people; on the other hand, they harbored malevolent intentions, meticulously embedding political satire to significantly increase the risk of angering the Chinese populace, possibly leading to a series of negative consequences or even failing regulatory checks from SARFT, producing content that the rest of the world enjoys while they discern its sinister essence.

It’s rather commendable to think that a film company would take such a great risk to create a “gift” for a market they disdain! It speaks too highly of profit-driven Hollywood and perhaps too highly of themselves.

In fact, Firefly Films’ distribution department’s revenue forecast for the film across Greater China was not high. Adding the current mainland boycott would make a total of $35 million quite impressive indeed.

Now, Wang Yang felt that even the distribution department’s estimates were optimistic. In 2008, DreamWorks’ “Kung Fu Panda” only grossed $34.01 million across Greater China, with $26.02 million from the Mainland, $4.1464 million from Hong Kong, and $3.8518 million from Taiwan. Despite the film’s buzz in these territories, the market potential was at that level, with a production budget of $130 million allocated by DreamWorks.

That was in 2008; this is 2005, and every year, the changes in Mainland China’s box office market are staggering. A three-year gap means “Kung Fu Panda” might not even reach $20 million, while the markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan, more mature, would likely be similar.

Consequently, “Kung Fu Panda’s” final box office in Greater China could be as low as $27.99 million. Firefly signed a revenue-sharing deal with China Film Group Corporation at a 40% to 60% split, while Mainland cinemas and distributors usually take a 57% to 43% cut of Hollywood blockbusters. This means that 43% of the pretax $20 million, followed by 40%, which is about $3.44 million, would be Firefly’s share. DVD and other post-sales revenue in the Mainland are negligible; although there might be some potential in merchandise, it’s not substantial.

If Firefly Films really made “Kung Fu Panda” with bad intentions, to deliberately offend Chinese viewers, why would they do it?

Although the current Mainland market does not offer much profit, Firefly did indeed target the Chinese and Asian markets, knowing full well that sales channels in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and other territories are well-established, while the Mainland market is growing immensely.

Regardless, “Kung Fu Panda” is a sincere love letter and a beachhead assault. Wang Yang might not know all of DreamWorks’ intentions, but he can be sure that Firefly & Blue Sky would never commit such a self-contradictory act that goes against their own interests; they had not even considered it.

“There’s no such thing as good or bad news, it’s just news,” says Master Oogway. News is deemed good or bad because people’s hearts are affected, and it’s the perspective from which people choose to view the news that determines their opinion of a situation’s good or bad. Simple and innocent people see the adorable Po, while those prone to conspiracy theories see a fat, gluttonous panda as an insult to China; simple and innocent people see an inspiring story of pursuing dreams and defeating villains, while dark and complex individuals perceive a tale rife with political metaphors and malicious intent…

Fortunately, only a minority harbor such sinister views, and most viewers in Mainland China are discerning. According to a survey on asking “Do you support boycotting Kung Fu Panda?” only 21% of netizens supported it, 75% did not support, and 4% didn’t care.

Who is wise, and who is not? Seeing the new round of boycott initiated by that 21% of netizens, Wang Yang couldn’t help but sigh. That 21% would have far fewer joys in life than that 75%. But the world is like this everywhere; human hearts and human nature will always be like the Tai Chi symbol. Perhaps his expectations were sometimes too high. Now, “Kung Fu Panda” was made just for that 75% of netizens! Good movies and fun belong to them!

The North American box office champion for May 13-19 could almost certainly be “Kung Fu Panda.” The “Star Wars: Episode III,” which only premiered for a day this week, was unlikely to pose a fatal threat to it. However, in France, Cannes had officially entered “Star Wars Day” on the 15th.

“Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!” At this moment, in front of the Lumière Hall at the Palace of Cannes, a sea of people had gathered—tens of thousands of Star Wars fans clapping beat and shouting the name of their idol in unison, voices swelling with vigor: “Lucas! Lucas! …”

The long red carpet, separated by barriers, was equally bustling. This time, the promotion team for “Star Wars: Episode III” consisted not only of Lucas, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, and several Hollywood stars who came to support; but also an appearance by the “Empire’s” clone trooper army. Under the command of Darth Vader, the clone troopers lined up on both sides, poised as if they were the security team for the red carpet.

Stars shone brightly, flashbulbs popped incessantly, as attending guests and photographers had their hands full. Giant screens on either side of the movie palace captured these moments, inciting waves of excitement among the movie fans. The sight of the father of Star Wars and Darth Vader waving side by side sent fans into a total frenzy, clapping and cheering in unison.

“Firefly” was very low-key and mysterious at this Cannes Film Festival. In fact, it wasn’t even on the list for the special screenings. It was merely a visitor hitching a ride on the “Kung Fu Panda” bandwagon. To put it bluntly, the security staff could pick up Wang Yang, who “came to join in the fun,” and toss him onto the beach. Of course, the organizers didn’t do that. They kindly arranged a press conference for “Firefly” for interviews and also put up some posters of the film.

By contrast, the scale of “Star Wars: Episode III” was massive. As soon as the film festival opened, overwhelming posters had already declared that this year’s Cannes belonged to Star Wars. Nearly every shop in the Antibes street beside the waterfront had some connection to Star Wars—mobile phone purchases came with Star Wars casings, buying dresses came with Star Wars T-shirts, furniture purchases came with Star Wars models, jewelry purchases came with Star Wars bracelets… There were countless types of merchandise like water bottles, stationery, stickers, leather goods, etc. George Lucas seemed to have moved the Star Wars warehouse to Cannes.

The number of people watching the red carpet show has always been an indication of the heat of a film. “Star Wars: Episode III” rightfully became the king of popularity this year. Every evening outside the Palace of Cannes, one could see fans holding signs saying “Carpet-Ticket-Wanted,” walking in twos and threes among the bustling crowd. And today, with the screening of “Star Wars: Episode III” imminent, the crowd outside the theatre transformed instantaneously into a sea of Star Wars fans.

Some people came early in the morning with their signs to try their luck, others wrote “I’ll pay 200 euros, who’s selling?” directly on their signs, and some changed into formal attire in advance, just waiting for their tickets to enter the red carpet show in the Lumière Hall across the way.

Although they often returned disappointed, the crowd was still endless. So much so that the festival organizers had to call on the police to coordinate efforts. The police deployed more than 400 personnel to maintain order at this grand premiere. However, just after four o’clock in the afternoon, the line of police cars along the waterfront was quickly swallowed by the miles-long sea of people. Every vehicle could only move at a snail’s pace, and crossing from one side of the road to the other was as difficult as the Normandy landings.

To ensure that the guests’ motorcade arrived on time and that the premiere could start smoothly, the police had previously imposed temporary martial law on the waterfront. That led to the lively scenes now unfolding, and the cries of “Lucas! Lucas!” carried far and wide.

“Hmph! Why are you here too?” While the movie palace was a boiling ocean, the beach nearby was beautiful. The late afternoon sun was soft and warm, with beachgoers walking or lying on blankets in the sand, and the skimpily dressed ladies were quite the sight. Every year at this time, numerous beauties came to Cannes to try their luck, hoping to be discovered by some talent scout or director and enter the film industry. Wang Yang, not having a ticket to the premiere of “Star Wars: Episode III,” decided to stroll along the beach instead.

But it’s a small world after all. Rather than encountering the next Katharine Hepburn or Audrey Hepburn, he ran into Paris Hilton. Her new movie “Party Girl” was also at the Cannes Film Festival for promotion, and although it didn’t qualify even for the non-competitive section, it received a lot of media attention because of her. It was a comedy film with unclear investment, produced by Global Entertainment Corporation.

If Wang Yang was here with “Firefly” just to be part of the excitement, while the media journalists wanted more and more from it, which he didn’t give; Paris Hilton was also here to be part of the excitement, eager to lure the attention of the media with plenty to give.

However, she embarrassed herself at the promotional event for “Party Girl” on the 13th. At that time, Paris was telling the media that she intended to change her bold image. She said, “I now own my brand of hotels, and I plan to develop it into a new boutique to compete with Hilton Hotels. I’m like a businesswoman now, going to work, leaving work, with basically no nightlife. I’ve really changed. Although I was born beautiful, smart, and wealthy, it’s not my fault, and I hope everyone doesn’t hate me for it.”

Just as she was continuously expressing her career ambitions, an Argentine reporter suddenly asked her about the sex tape scandal, catching Paris off guard and leaving her expressionless. She even let out an expletive, unaware that the microphone had picked it up: “FUCK!” She promptly responded with a stream of curses, the rapid transformation leaving everyone astounded. Additionally, according to gossip media, on the evening of the 13th, Paris, who had vowed to change her ways that day, was spotted partying with friends on a yacht until 2 a.m.

On the soft sandy beach, as Wang Yang stood alone, Paris Hilton and her entourage came to a halt, her several female followers silent, looking at his smiling face. Paris felt a suffocating irritation, and she couldn’t help but take a deep breath. For some reason, every time she encountered Wang Yang, she hated him so much her teeth itched; she wouldn’t forget the humiliation he’d caused her! This jerk was definitely thinking about the tape right now—he must have watched it and laughed…

“Yeah! I’m here.” Wang Yang shrugged with a smile. Although he didn’t want to interact with her, he didn’t walk away either, because after all, it was a matter of courtesy.

Paris didn’t seem inclined to end the conversation there. With a twist of her mouth, she asked, “That movie of yours, what… What’s it called?” She looked questioningly at her followers until someone reminded her “Firefly,” and then she went “Oh!” with a mock expression. “I’ve been so busy lately! But who can blame me? You can’t even find a poster of it here. If it were like ‘Star Wars,’ I would definitely remember!” Laughing at herself, she added, “Our ‘Leading Lady’ is already playing a supporting role now, it… Well, that film of yours, what, er… ‘Firefly,’ is it done yet?”

Wang Yang eyed her from head to toe, watching her like a monkey performing tricks, waiting until she finished speaking before saying, “It’s done.” Paris, not losing by a half-inch in stare-down, instantly smirked, “I hope it fails! Hahaha!” The group of beautiful followers all started laughing too, some heartily joining Paris, while others, not wanting to entirely offend Wang Yang, laughed meekly. At their petty antics, Wang Yang found it almost inevitable not to snort with laughter—what a bunch of vulgar idiots! He said, “I won’t, goodbye.”

“Wait!” Paris called out to Wang Yang as he was leaving, her expression teasing, “I’m throwing a party tonight, and after the party we can… Will you come?” She did it for the satisfaction of being turned down, but a part of her hoped that he would suddenly say, “Sure!” Wang Yang’s voice was crisp and clear: “NO.” Paris scanned him up and down. “I’ve always wondered.” She leaned in closer, her voice low but audible to those around, “Are you impotent?”

“It depends on who the other person is. If it were…” Wang Yang looked her up and down, frowning as he muttered, “No thanks.” Under Paris’s fierce glare, he then glanced at the female followers, nudged his mouth towards the black-haired Latin woman who had laughed the loudest, and with a deliberately heated gaze at her, he winked and said in a voice only Paris could hear, “But her, she’s pretty.”

Having said that, Wang Yang walked away, paying no further attention to the women. As he turned his back completely, he chuckled, sticking out his tongue in laughter—the seeds of discord were sown; let them have a good quarrel as the director planned! Action! Some people don’t deserve courtesy.

“FUCK!” Paris stomped and cursed, shooting a glance at her best friend, her anger surging despite knowing Wang Yang’s intention to provoke. Why did he single her out of all the women here to piss her off? This guy was stealing her spotlight more and more! Bitch! “Paris, what did he say?” Unable to restrain her anger, she said, “He told me to drop dead!”

The finale of ‘Star Wars: Episode III’ left the many fans who attended the premiere tearing up and sobbing, as Anakin Skywalker finally turned into the Dark Lord. The ‘Star Wars’ saga had come to an end, with many fans even bursting into tears; and the critics, unusually, gave a thumbs up. The fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes for ‘The Phantom Menace’ was 61%/40%, ‘Attack of the Clones’ 67%/40%, and finally, ‘Revenge of the Sith’ actually had some depth, breaking free from the children’s drama category. George Lucas did not become this summer’s second Ridley Scott, after all.

“Hi, Natalie!” “Hey, Yang! How’s it going recently?”

Cannes is just a small town with a permanent population of around 70,000 people. It’s no wonder that these two would run into each other with the seafront promenade and the Palais des Festivals being that small. Natalie had just finished promoting ‘Star Wars: Episode III,’ but on the 17th, she would also attend the premiere of another film she starred in, ‘Free Zone.’

“Hahaha! Haha…” The area in front of the Palais des Festivals was bustling, filled with tourists, spectators, reporters, and filmmakers. Wang Yang, without any reservation, touched Natalie’s bald head, feeling its slight prickliness, and burst into uncontrollable laughter, “Haha! It feels great!” Natalie opened her mouth wide, throwing her head back with laughter, “You should get one too! It’s really cool!” Wang Yang rubbed her head vigorously, exclaiming, “Ahh—what a smart and fun head!”

Photographers, noticing the two, hastily lifted their cameras to capture this intimate moment. Natalie Portman’s shaven head was now a well-loved spectacle; everyone wanted to try feeling it. Just yesterday, on the premiere of ‘Star Wars: Episode III,’ George Lucas had publicly touched her head, but he was a 61-year-old elder, and Hayden Christensen wouldn’t dare to touch and rub her head recklessly like that—only the magical Yang could! Natalie also stood on her toes to rub his head. The photographers, delighted, frantically snapped their cameras. What a scene!

What they found regrettable was that after a few rubs, the two laughed and entered the Palais des Festivals together. They weren’t aware that Wang Yang wanted to discuss some serious matters with Natalie, and the two, taking the opportunity to catch up, headed to a coffee shop to chat over a cup of coffee.

“The Dark Lord isn’t here, right?” Wang Yang looked around nervously, his tone full of fear, “I don’t want to get beaten up.” Natalie glanced at him disparagingly, then said very seriously, “You could use Kung Fu to beat him to death!” She remembered the overwhelming crowd from yesterday, the chants of “Lucas, Lucas”… She thought about how George Lucas was 33 years old when the original ‘Star Wars’ was released; now at 25, couldn’t he do it?

“You’re right.” Wang Yang pondered something, beat the Dark Lord with Kung Fu? At the very least, one had to have the courage to fight! He lifted his coffee cup, took a sip, and smiled, “I watched ‘Star Wars: Episode III’ this morning. I doubt you’ll get another Golden Raspberry this time.”

Both of them burst into laughter. She had already secured three Golden Raspberry Award nominations with “The Phantom Menace” and “Attack of the Clones.” Natalie shook her head with a smile and sighed, “It’s just not fair. Your ‘Firefly’ is completely finished, why not just go for a film festival? I really want to see ‘Firefly.’ You have teased my appetite for too long! Cowboys and Eastern elements, the poetry you talked about, your fight scenes, the whole story, all that nonsense about freedom, a beautiful world and such…” She suddenly added, “It’s been years, hasn’t it!”

Wang Yang nodded, “It’s all in there.” Natalie took a sip of coffee and said with a smile, “Well, that’s good! What kind of world is a beautiful world! My answer now is, a world filled with love!” Wang Yang gave a thumbs up with a smile, “Great answer! But that’s not what you’re going to see.” Natalie said OK, then she would just wait and see! She changed the subject, “Jessica has been well lately, right?” The mention of his beloved wife and baby made Wang Yang’s face beam with joy, “Very good!”

“You need to be careful. Pregnant women’s emotions are very complex. We shouldn’t sit so close.” Natalie moved back as though trying to distance herself from something, shuffling around still in her chair. Wang Yang thought it wasn’t that extreme and chuckled, “It doesn’t matter. Jessica is not the type to lose her temper easily. Plus, I take very good care of her.” Natalie let out an exasperated sigh, “That’s a pregnant woman! You should know you can’t apply normal standards to pregnant women. Many times they can’t even control themselves. It’s an outpouring; if she’s impatient usually, she’ll endure, but now she can become irritable; if she’s given to wild thoughts normally, now she’ll feel anxious. What’s the biggest change she’s had recently?”

The biggest change? Wang Yang scratched his head. A particular fondness for sweets? He counted off, “Likes sweets, eats a lot every day! What else… right! She’s become even more vain, more worried about her appearance.” And then she suddenly wanted to wear a wedding dress for him; suddenly, she bought a lot of maternity dresses and tried them one by one, asking him to comment on each, which she didn’t do often before. He continued, “She looks in the mirror all day, measuring her waist with a tape measure, noting the changes in her body…” He had already understood one thing, “She’s a bit afraid of becoming ugly.”

“All pregnant women have this kind of anxiety. Jessica, especially, because her confidence was built from transforming from ugly to beautiful. No one wants to revert to their old self; it feels like losing everything she has now.”

Natalie’s expressions and tone were serene and earnest, almost like a psychologist’s demeanor. Wang Yang was also quite serious, “But I truly don’t mind. I love her and our baby.” Natalie sipped her bitter coffee and advised him, “Some things need to be said. Compliment her beauty whenever you get the chance! Show your love for the changes in her body, make her feel she is an even more charming woman! You have to be serious, don’t joke and say things like ‘You’re as cute as a globe,’ she’s not Juno, she’s not me.” Natalie smiled, “Heap your praise on her, and she’ll be in a good mood, and so will your baby.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been doing.” Wang Yang felt rather pleased with himself and smiled, “I kiss her belly many times every day.” Natalie nodded approvingly, gesturing with her hand, “OK, that’s good! Now what’s the serious matter you want to talk about?”

Wang Yang looked around mysteriously and whispered, “I’m preparing a new film project. It’s probably going to start filming in August, finish in about a month, and be released during the Christmas season.” Natalie’s eyes sparkled, “So…” Without waiting for her, Wang Yang issued the invitation, “I need a female lead for this, are you interested in playing the part?” Before he could finish, Natalie burst into laughter, praising Mike Nichols for his influence and nodded excitedly without hesitation, “Of course, I’m a die-hard fan of yours!”

“GOOD!” Wang Yang happily lifted his coffee cup in a toast, “The biggest problem is solved just like that!” Natalie, full of enthusiasm, asked, “What kind of movie is it? What’s the story?” Wang Yang sipped his coffee and smiled, “Remember last year’s ShoWest? Didn’t you tell me to make a romance type movie?” Natalie looked as though she had seen something horrifying, her eyes widened in shock, “Are you seriously making a romance? You must be joking…”

Wang Yang shrugged, indicating he wasn’t joking, “Really! It’s what we talked about then, plus some others, and my recent insights.” Natalie’s interest intensified, “What kind of girl am I playing?” Wang Yang was a bit annoyed, “What else? A girl with personality! But not the buzz-cut kind.”…

The North American box office crown for the weekend of May 13-15 was predictably snatched by “Kung Fu Panda,” which scored an impressive $61.74 million on its opening weekend, capturing 46.5% of the market share. It surpassed “Monster-in-Law” by a whopping $46.43 million in ticket sales, igniting the summer blockbuster season with its considerable lead! Overseas, it also took the weekend crown in seven countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, and the Philippines, with market shares hovering around 40%. Its performance was especially surprising in Russia and Korea, where Po the Panda was stirring up a global Kung Fu frenzy!

The 16th, 17th, and 18th came and went… Wang Yang and the crews of “Kung Fu Panda” and “Firefly” had returned to Los Angeles. On May 19th, Eastern Standard Time, “Star Wars: Episode III” premiered in 3,661 North American Cinemas and was released simultaneously worldwide. On May 18th, 19th, and 20th, it would appear on screens in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and other countries, and “Kung Fu Panda” would also expand its screening scope, entering China on the 27th, day by day approaching.

The first intense battle of the summer box office, “Kung Fu Panda” vs “Star Wars: Episode III,” commenced with the release of both films, marking just the beginning of the summer.

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PS: Today, due to New Year visits, the update is late. Happy New Year everyone, wishing you well on the second day of the New Year from me! ^0^ (