394 Blockbuster! Two ace in the Chinese entertainment industry join forces
Hong Kong, Peninsula Hotel
"In the end, Ah Xuan pretended to feel guilty and committed suicide, attracting Chen Guorong and his father to stop him. The Flying Tigers relaxed their vigilance, and then he suddenly shot and killed his father, and then was beaten to death by the police while laughing..."
Cao Xuan and Cheng Long were sitting in the restaurant, listening to screenwriter Yuan Delin describe the adapted script of "New Police Story".
When he finished speaking, Cao Xuan made no comment. Boss Yang next to him looked at him and asked tentatively.
"Cao Sheng, what do you think?"
"It's okay, evil will be punished."
Cao Xuan answered in the affirmative, but Cheng Long next to him hesitated: "Patricide, isn't the character A Xuan too bad? I think the original one who commits suicide out of guilt is better."
"How can a bad guy turn around? This character enjoys robbing banks and killing people. He is simply insane. There is no need to whitewash him just because he has a childhood shadow.
Even if the audience feels regretful, it is still very satisfying to die with the father who created it in the end."
Cao Xuan still insisted on his opinion. The villain of the original version of "New Police Story" was suddenly cleared in the end. This plot was completely inexplicable.
A group of rich second generation people kill and rob casually and create bad cases because of their emptiness and childhood shadows. They put down the butcher knife when they are moved by the actions of their parents or the police. What will happen to those innocent people?
Cao Xuan doesn't particularly like this kind of villain's whitewash plot.
No matter what the reasons are, if there is revenge for hatred and injustice for injustice, if it is done to innocent people, they will die.
So Cao Xuan put forward requirements for the script. From beginning to end, this Ah Xuan had no thoughts of remorse, only hatred, and was completely a neurotic and antisocial thug.
In the end, even under the scolding and accusation from his father and the coercion of the situation, he broke through the only psychological shadow and died with his father.
Several villains in the original version were either dead or captured, but the parents were innocent and looked like white lotus flowers.
According to the plot, a few villains made such a big fuss and performed various abnormal behaviors, becoming gangsters that caused a sensation across the country and even the world. He didn't believe that these parents were not aware of it at all.
In particular, the father of a high-ranking police officer may have even bent the law for personal gain and covered up the matter.
Even if he didn't know it, the police father was the initiator of all this. As a result, because his son died in the end and he cried twice, the audience felt that he still loved his son.
Cao Xuan was confused, he cried when his son died, but wouldn't he cry when other people's sons died?
"New Police Story" essentially tells the story of a group of "naughty kids". Since they are naughty kids, they cannot let go of their parents.
Of course, some people say that the ending of the original version may be more painful. The son dies, and the father will live in guilt and torture for the rest of his life.
However, Cao Xuan felt that such a plot was not shown in the movie, and it would be better to just die together. The audience would feel more comfortable, and it would also reflect the ruthlessness of Ah Xuan's character.
In the eyes of Chinese and even East Asian audiences who have a strong Confucian background, the person who asked his biological father to support him before his death was definitely the toughest gangster among gangsters...
However, there is also a difficulty, that is, in the movie, such a high-level police officer is killed by the villain's son. Will there be any problems with the review?
Screenwriter and director Chen Musheng looked at each other. It would be fine if it was released in Xiangjiang, but it's really hard to say in the Mainland.
Seeing this, Cao Xuan took the initiative to propose a solution: "How about shooting two versions? At the end, A Xuan still shot his father, still showing rupture and ruthlessness, but because he was pushed by Chen Guorong, his father was not beaten.
Dead and wounded."
Although this ending is not as satisfying as killing someone directly, there is nothing better to kill than to kill one's heart.
For a strong father, it is definitely a great stimulus for a son to shoot his father.
Adding an easter egg at the end about the father's mental condition can also relieve the audience's discomfort.
Of course, what Cao Xuan hopes more is to die together directly. This roundabout ending is also based on the review. It is best if the former script can pass the review.
Cheng Long was a little confused when he saw Cao Xuan, who was very interested in changing Ah Xuan into a heinous person.
"If you play a role like this, you won't be afraid of the audience scolding you."
[A Xuan] This character was originally unlikable, but now that the script has been revised, he has become a complete villain, even to the point of being crazy and neurotic.
Although Cheng Long knew that this might be more impressive, it would also be a burden on Cao Xuan's image. He was afraid that Cao Xuan would be attacked by the audience when the movie was broadcast.
"Since it's rare to play a villain, let's do it all in one go. It's good to have the shadow of childhood, but it's more or less an excuse."
Cao Xuan smiled nonchalantly and took a sip of coffee: "Actually, I've always liked playing a villain. It can relieve the pressure in reality."
Cao Xuan means what he says sincerely. As a national idol, Cao Xuan must always maintain a bright and healthy public image in his daily life.
But he is not a saint, and sometimes he will inevitably have some negative emotions. Cao Xuan cannot degenerate and vent in reality, so he just enjoys acting in the movie and plays a bad guy.
In ordinary TV dramas or movies, Cao Xuan is the first starring role. Even if there are negative plots, the audience's emotions should be taken into consideration. It can't be too bad, and it must have shining points.
Although the script of "New Police Story" has been changed compared to the original version, and the role of the villain has been greatly strengthened. It is a two-male protagonist in a showdown between good and evil, but the film will definitely still have Jackie Chan as a positive character.
With Cheng Long, a man whose reputation and influence is no less than that of Cao Xuan, responsible for positive and positive guidance, it is rare that Cao Xuan does not have to worry about other things and can happily play a complete villain.
To be honest, Cao Xuan was able to take on this role and play a neurotic villain without any scruples, which was also an important reason.
Especially when he thought about the scene of beating up Cheng Long and Xie Feng in the script, Cao Xuan even felt a little itchy...
As for whether he would be scolded, Cao Xuan actually didn't particularly care. Those who could tell the difference would naturally not scold him. If he couldn't tell the difference, there was no need to get angry with these people.
After hearing Cao Xuan's reasons, several people present looked at each other a little bit, but Cheng Long, who is also an actor and cultural symbol, had some understanding.
For actors of their caliber, once they reach a certain level and are influenced by all sides, it will be difficult for them to play a true villain.
In Hollywood, Cheng Long publicly stated that he would not play villains, or even take supporting roles, and he would only accept dual-male roles.
There is no need to care about villains in China, but a large family depends on him, and his box office appeal is kung fu + comedy, so playing a villain will not attract people.
At this point, Cheng Long even envied Cao Xuan. Ximen Qing's starting point was too low, which resulted in his wide acting career.
For other popular stars, playing a pervert or a villain is a breakthrough in their career. For him, playing a villain or a scumbag is a return to his old profession, which is highly accepted by the audience.
So far, Cao Xuan has played both the protagonist and the villain, and he has no problem with emotional and martial arts scenes. Whether he is a low-level gangster or a noble son of the Republic of China, his temperament and image are not out of place, and he has been widely recognized.
The only thing missing is comedy. Since Cao Xuan's debut, except for the witty Bao Zheng in "Young Bao Qingtian", most of his roles have been more serious.
Putting aside comedies, Cao Xuan can play most of the remaining types of roles as long as his image and positioning are consistent, and the audience will be willing to watch them.
This is actually something Cheng Long, who is bound by kung fu + comedy, cannot do.
And Cheng Long himself understands this. After returning from Hollywood, he has been seeking transformation.
"New Police Story" was subversive to Cao Xuan's image, and it was also a breakthrough for Cheng Long.
The character Chen Guorong he played is no longer so good at fighting, and the comedy has been greatly weakened. Compared with the kung fu + comedy of the previous "Police Story", this "New Police Story" is more like a drama.
It is precisely because of this that Cheng Long invited Cao Xuan to co-star, intending to combine their influence and popularity to harvest the box office in Asia.
The original box office of this movie was 43 million in mainland China, just over 20 million yuan in Hong Kong, more than 8 million yuan in Japan, and close to 6 million US dollars in other regions, about 50 million yuan in total.
The total box office is over 120 million, which looks good, but the investment in this movie is more than 80 million, some say it is 120 million.
In this case, the box office would have to be at least 250-300 million or more than 350-400 million to make back the money.
Calculating it this way, it can be said that it was a disastrous box office failure, but at the same time, we must take into account that Cheng Long's DVD and video revenue has always been high, and some movies even exceeded the box office.
Cao Xuan personally prefers that this movie should suffer a small loss, and the loss should not be particularly serious.
But now that Cao Xuan is here, it’s hard to say whether it will make more money or lose more money.
Anyway, Cao Xuan didn't know how much money Cheng Long took. He should have used the salary to offset part of the investment share. Cao Xuan did not invest and directly asked for a salary of 25 million.
The price is relatively not low, but considering Cao Xuan's reputation and impression in Asia, it is not particularly high either.
In the final analysis, it mainly depends on whether the Emperor is willing to spend the money.
The Emperor is obviously very confident in the combination of Cheng Long + Cao Xuan, and is willing to take a gamble, not only to make money, but also to build the name of the Emperor.
Others were willing to pay, and Cao Xuan followed suit and made extra money.
Anyway, he gets his salary and pays his due responsibilities within a reasonable range. The investor's losses have nothing to do with him.
Cao Xuan himself felt that this time it was quite satisfying. He got a lot of money and didn't have to worry about making money from the project. He could still enjoy the show. Considering that "New Police Story" had a good reputation, he didn't have to worry about ruining the brand.
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Sometimes I get tired of filming my own movies, and it’s good to take on a few movies like this once in a while to relieve my boredom...
………
Overall, this seminar was a great time for both the guests and the host.
In the previous script, what Yinghuang and Cheng Long were most afraid of was that Cao Xuan was dissatisfied with the unpopular Ah Xuan. Now that Cao Xuan himself agrees and even wants to increase the intensity, there is nothing to say.
Boss Yang waved over there, and several young people came over and introduced them to Cao Xuan.
"These are all newcomers with great potential in Hong Kong. They will play Xuan's teammates in "New Police Story"."
Cao Xuanyun took a look and was happy. They were all acquaintances.
An Zhijie, who plays the capable fighting man A Tian in the movie, has just debuted and was a little excited to see the two big names, Cheng Long and Cao Xuan.
Wu Yanzu, who plays a hot role, is said to have joined the Marine Corps and has extremely high combat literacy.
Teacher Chen plays the role of the driver in the team. He is set to be a racing driver and is good at speeding.
Liuzi... No, Cheng Liuzi is good at hacking programs and a computer expert.
Chef Xie, he plays the role of the henchman next to Cheng Long, and he is also the control group of the villain Cao Xuan. He is considered the third male lead.
Compared with the original version, due to the increased role of Cao Xuan, the combat effectiveness of their teams has also increased, and they are all elites.
Ah Xuan himself is an all-round talent, with top-notch fighting, marksmanship, and resourcefulness. Even when he was caught in the end, it felt like a forced plot kill.
These five newcomers can be regarded as popular artists in Hong Kong nowadays. Even if they can't play the leading roles, they are still starring roles. Now they all act as underlings.
But this is normal. Cao Xuan and Cheng Long are considered the two most famous among Chinese celebrities today.
If the two of them join forces, it's not impossible to recruit the four heavenly kings as supporting roles, let alone these newcomers.
Being able to participate in this film is a rare opportunity for them.
Seeing Cao Xuan, these newcomers from Xiangjiang also consciously greeted him respectfully.
The first time An Zhijie and Azu met, they honestly called "Cao Sheng".
Teacher Chen was smart and called out "Brother Xuan" as they had met each other before. Chef Xie hesitated for a moment and also called out.
The remaining Cheng Liuzi was embarrassed. Chen Xie said a few words to Brother Xuan and put him on the hook. It seemed too unfamiliar for him to call him Cao Sheng again.
But after calling him brother, Cao Xuan calls his father brother, which is not a bad thing. But if he calls him uncle, he really can't say it when he looks at that young face...
Cheng Long took the initiative to help his son out of the siege: "You can call me Brother Xuan, and we can discuss our own affairs."
When his father spoke, Cheng Liuzi felt at ease and called Brother Xuan. Cao Xuan glanced at Cheng Long and saw him nodding towards him before he smiled and agreed.
The son calls him brother, and the father calls him brother.
Although the seniority seems a bit confusing, it is actually easy to sort out. In fact, Cheng Long's eldest brother is more of an honorific title than a seniority.
Just like in the music world, except for a few, basically all singers of the same generation and new generation are called Xuan Ge by Cao Xuan.
This is not a seniority, but a reflection of status in the industry. He is recognized as the leader in the music industry.
When younger singers debut in the future, they will still follow the trend and call them Brother Xuan on relevant occasions.
When they get older in the future and the age gap between them and the new generation becomes wider and wider, Brother Cheng Long and Brother Xuan will grow up a generation and become Uncle Long and Xuan or Cao.
Cao Xuan didn't care what he was called. What was more interesting to him was that Cheng Long actually brought his son here and acted as the villain.
According to the script, there were several scenes where Cheng Long was beaten, and the character played by Cheng Liuzi laughed and laughed.
I thought that A Xuan shot his father to kill his father, which was enough filial piety, but after all, he was just the father in the play, and these were the father and mother. This is the true sense of filial piety...
While the boss was chatting, the newcomers couldn't get a word in, so they just waited on the side obediently, occasionally asking questions, and then talking to each other.
Cao Xuan doesn't care about the casting of "New Police Story". As long as there are no particularly disgusting dogs, he won't easily interfere.
He cares more about his own movie "New World" than "New Police Story."
As mentioned before, the reason why Cao Xuan took on the role of "New Police Story" was largely because he wanted to use Emperor's connections to come to Hong Kong to film the film and open up connections among all parties.
"New World" involves undercover gangsters and the police force. This kind of plot is impossible to film in the mainland. Not to mention the review aspect, it is also unrealistic.
There is no need to shoot in South Korea. The Korean market is incomparable to the domestic market. Cao Xuan was so full that he used domestic actors to make a movie with a Korean background.
So in comparison, it is most in line with the plot to modify part of the plot and change it to a fragrant one.
In addition, because of the "Infernal Affairs" series, the undercover theme has become quite popular in the past two years, and "New World" can also take advantage of the popularity.
In the trilogy of "Infernal Affairs", the audience just got tired of watching the undercover agents who broke into the police and betrayed them. No matter how hard it was for the undercover police to break into the gangs, they always insisted on justice.
Now there is a darkened undercover policeman, and he even takes the position of the gang boss. Actually, it’s quite interesting to think about it...
However, the country is not South Korea after all, and the acceptance scale is not that big.
An undercover policeman who killed a high-ranking police officer turned into a gang boss. Without a reasonable explanation, he would not be able to pass the review.
To this end, Cao Xuan made some modifications to the original script, and also borrowed some settings from "Black XX: Peace Is Precious" and "Cold War". Finally, he reluctantly obtained the filming permit by relaxing the co-production policy.
.
However, even if the filming permit is obtained, considering that the crew still needs to shoot in Hong Kong, many places must be taken care of.
Especially for the Xiangjiang Police Force and related associations, it’s okay for people from Xiangjiang to take pictures on their own, but it’s hard for him, a mainlander, to take pictures.
That's why Cao Xuan had to rely on the connections of Boss Yang and Brother Cheng Long to clear up some unnecessary troubles and gain some corresponding support.
To this end, "New World" gave 30% of its share to Emperor, Cheng Long's company and Galaxy Image.
The reason why there is Galaxy Image is because Cao Xuan plans to ask Du Qifeng to direct "New World".
After all, for this type of movie, Lao Du's ability can firmly rank among the top 2 in Hong Kong.
If Du Qifeng doesn't take the job, directors Liu Weiqiang, Mak Zhaohui, and Zhuang Wenqiang should be fine, but if that doesn't work, Chen Musheng or Chen Jiashang can also be used.
The script of "New World" is solid. If you find a Hong Kong director who is of decent standard and understands crime gangster movies, you can produce good results.
It's just that Cao Xuan pursues perfection, so he chose Lao Du first, and then other directors.
Boss Yang also understood what was going on, and helped Cao Xuan introduce a big shot from the Xiangjiang police that night. Not long after, the crew of "New World" selected a second actor.
It is Chen Huimin, who is said to have been as famous as Bruce Lee, playing the role of the second boss who is against the male protagonist and plays the role of a pig and a tiger.
Cao Xuan didn't want to get involved too much with those groups, but he had to worry about it. Asking this veteran to help mediate was one of the best ways.
After briefly going over the black and white to lay a solid foundation, Cao Xuan put "New World" aside for the time being.
After filming "New Police Story", he will make a new Chinese album. The shooting of "New World" will not start until at least the second half of the year. Take your time and don't rush.
………
Cheng Long and Boss Yang valued Cao Xuan very much, especially the latter, who almost never refused Cao Xuan's request and was very diligent.
This is also easy to understand. Boss Yang’s emperor has always wanted to develop in the mainland, so naturally he is dedicated to making friends with Cao Xuan, a big boss from the mainland.
Apart from other things, Fanxing Cinemas currently owns and is building more than 30 theaters, with the number of screens approaching 150, which is almost equivalent to 1/15 of the current total number of screens in the mainland.
Currently, Fanxing Cinemas ranks fourth in the Mainland, second only to Magic City United, Beijing New Film Alliance and China Film and Television.
The above three companies all have official background or capital. In other words, Fanxing Cinemas is the largest private cinema chain company in the mainland.
The emperor wants to come to the mainland to share the pie, so it doesn't depend on Cao Xuan's face, but if they can have a good relationship, Boss Yang will definitely be happy to have a good relationship with Cao Xuan.
………
On February 8, 2004, the launch press conference of "New Police Story" was held in Hong Kong
When Cheng Long and Cao Xuan appeared at the scene together, the scene burst into cheers, and the media from across the Taiwan Straits, three places and even Asia clicked their shutters frantically.
Nowadays, the two biggest Chinese superstars have joined forces, and the starring lineup is far better than last year's "Infernal Affairs 3".
After all, "Infernal Affairs 3", whether it is the two kings or the four movie kings, its influence is mostly spread around the Chinese world, and it rarely goes out of the circle.
Regardless of whether it is Cheng Long or Cao Xuan, they are truly world superstars with widespread influence on a global scale and are recognized as the aces of the Chinese entertainment industry.
Now they are working together for the first time, joining forces. No matter what the plot of "New Police Story" is, this stunt alone is enough to make the media and the public go crazy.
Chef Xie, Teacher Chen, Azu and two members of the Twins who serve as the cute policewoman and the only female character of the villain team respectively.
Usually they are considered top-notch people in Xiangjiang, and they are pestered by the media wherever they go, even to the point of boredom.
But today they finally experienced what "being ignored" meant. All reporters and media focused their microphones and cameras on Cao Xuan and Cheng Long, and no one paid them any attention.
Boss Yang next to him burst out laughing when he saw this scene.
With the two superstars teaming up, "New Police Story" will definitely have no shortage of exposure.
Even if the movie loses money in the end, Emperor will be well-known in the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan film and television circles, future related cooperation will be much smoother, and the company's valuation will take off.
Media Asia has made a splash in the Hong Kong circle with the "Infernal Affairs" series, and Boss Yang has long been unhappy. This time, it has to rely on "New Police Story" to overwhelm it.
However, Cheng Long and Cao Xuan had no time to care about their thoughts, and reporters were flooding them with questions like crazy.
"Brother Cheng Long is my idol. I grew up watching his "Police Story" series when I was a child (laughs)."
"Yes, working with my brother on "New Police Story" this time is, in a sense, my personal dream come true."
"The cooperation process is very simple. If my brother asks me to come, I will come."
"I've always said that, I don't care if the villain is good or bad, but if you read the script and consider other factors, if the time is right + a good role, I will take it."
"Collaborating with Mr. Jet Li? Who knows what will happen in the future? It depends on fate."
"This is the first time I have visited Xiangjiang in the past two days. I have a good experience. The bustling and urban atmosphere blend together. This is a very special city."
"Concerts? If you have the chance, you must come to the Coliseum to hold a few."
"..."
"I have said before that Cao Xuan is my favorite young person under the age of 30 in the entertainment industry."
"Yes, now this statement needs to be changed. All prefixes will be removed. I am most optimistic about him in the entertainment industry... No, no, no, Cao Xuan is definitely not Cheng Long's successor. In a few years, he will surpass me.
"
"I have the idea of promoting newcomers, and that newcomer does not include Cao Xuan (laughing). The environment in Hong Kong movies is not good now, and we need to work together. I have talked with Liang Sheng before..."
"I'm looking forward to it. I've seen his play and he played very well. I believe there will be a spark between us."
"Let him (Cheng Liuzi) act, actually with some selfish motives. The main reason is that I want him to learn from an outstanding peer like Cao Xuan."
"Haha, if Cao Xuan were my son, I would be smiling even if he died now."
"..."
When two superstars collaborate, how could they not interview each other about their opinions? Naturally, there will be a textbook commercial exchange of blows.
Although they say they are exchanging compliments, they are actually quite sincere. However, Cao Xuan always felt a little awkward when he heard Cheng Long's words, "If you give birth to a son, you should be like a Cao official."
It’s not that he feels like he’s being taken advantage of. Cheng Long is one year older than his father, Cao Shuangguo. It’s okay to say so in terms of age. The main reason is that he feels that it’s too unlucky to say so.
After all, the little brother surnamed Wang who was so praised by Cheng Long in the original time and space is not in a good situation...
