At the end of January, Li Qian once again finalized Series B financing for Future Pictures with five capital companies and signed his name on the contract.
Penguin and Ahli are still among the shareholders, but the shares they hold are insignificant.
Compared with the tens of billions valuation of the A round of financing, after the B round of financing, the capital market's valuation of Future Pictures has reached 30 billion.
Although it is a bit far behind Huayang Media's market capitalization of nearly 50 billion, if it does go public, it will probably double easily.
After signing the contract and getting down to business, Chen Wu, who had already taken office as CEO of Penguin Pictures, looked at Li Qian's new film with a smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen, for your concern. I don't have any good ideas yet." Li Qian said with a smile.
"That's right. You have just finished working on a movie. Director Li should also take a good rest."
After paying attention to Li Qian again, Chen Wu talked about the recent $100 million production that has had a great impact on the industry.
"What does Director Li think of the film "Asura"?"
"What can you tell from a movie that only focuses on the planning?" Li Qian shook his head and went to get 100 million U.S. dollars of investment based on a concept. He is not a big director yet, but people nowadays are really bold.
"Why, Mr. Chen has an idea?"
Chen Wu didn't hide anything, nodded and said, "I met Yang Zhenjian once. He is indeed a marketing expert. I hope he can replicate the miracle of "Painted Skin"."
Li Qian secretly shook his head. The marketing of movies is indeed important these days, but all marketing is based on the movie. As for the effect of the film, it is useless to find a lot of communication bosses.
After chatting for a while about interesting things in the industry, Chen Wu said without leaving any trace, "I heard that Teng Huatao is preparing a new film. Does Director Li know about it?"
Did you know everything so quickly?
Li Qian didn't care how Chen Wu knew about it, and even told him proactively, "I know, he plans to adapt Jiang Nan's best-selling novel "The Fortress" to the big screen. I also talked to him about the adaptation."
""Magic City Fortress"?"
Chen Wu's eyes lit up. He had heard that Teng Huatao had visited Future Pictures a few days ago and wondered if there were any new movies. He didn't expect Li Qian to be so heartfelt.
For a moment, Chen Wu was moved.
His own plan is to complete the closed loop of Penguin Entertainment Division within three to five years, achieve industry monopoly, and bankrupt all established film and television companies such as Future Pictures and Huayang Media.
The future Internet entertainment era will be ruled by penguins.
But I didn't expect that Li Qian really regarded him as a partner.
However, Chen Wu, who has been in shopping malls for a long time, is not that sentimental. He can only sigh in his heart. He is really a simple-minded person when he creates.
"The name sounds like it's a science fiction movie? I've never read this book." Chen Wu said again.
"It can be considered a science fiction film. It is probably a story about aliens invading the earth, the world falling, the magic city about to sink, and a group of passionate young people bravely resisting the aliens and defending the earth."
Li Qian focused a little on science fiction. Chen Wu briefly introduced the plot of the novel "Fortress of the Magic City" and then said, "Jiangnan relied on this science fiction novel to become one of the top science fiction writers in the country. The sales volume is very good, especially
It received a great response among young readers, and he himself surpassed Mo Yan the year before last and topped the list of richest writers."
As Li Qian explained, Chen Wu's eyes became more and more interested.
Science fiction is exactly the same genre as "The Wandering Earth" that Li Qian valued before.
Moreover, the main readership is young. This is not the official mainstream movie-watching group. The current audience is getting younger and younger, and even children cannot be ignored.
As for the author Jiang Nan, of course he knows. After all, he is in charge of all Penguin's entertainment industries, including Singularity Chinese Network.
The novel was a best-seller, and the author topped the list of richest writers.
After thinking about it carefully, Chen Wu became more and more excited. This high-quality project was clearly in front of him. Writers such as Guo Jinming and Han Han had also achieved great success.
However, since it is a science fiction film after all, the investment is definitely not small and the production cycle will not be short. Chen Wu still calmed down a little.
No one in China understands science fiction films, especially actual science fiction films.
"Director Li, you are the only one who can make science fiction films in China. You have also made science fiction films. Do you think "Fortress" is a success?" Chen Wu asked Li Qian's opinion. After all, there was only one
Li Qian has made science fiction films, and although he can barely compete with them, they are still science fiction films.
Li Qian was willing to help him analyze it, and said with a smile, "Currently there are no serious science fiction blockbusters in China, so if you make one, you won't have to worry about it being gimmicky. This genre alone is worth 100 million in publicity."
Moreover, science fiction films actually have a relatively wide audience and low requirements. Even if they are made into simple popcorn movies, the audience will buy them. Coupled with the fame and fans of the original work, as long as the story is smooth and the special effects are up to standard, it is inevitable that it will be a hit."
Chen Wu thought the same thing. The reputation of "Transformers" is getting worse and worse. The fourth part is full of complaints on the Internet, but it also swept the summer season and sold nearly 2 billion.
If there is a selling point for domestic science fiction, if we make a science fiction blockbuster, we won't have to worry about not selling tickets.
From this point of view, this "Magic City Fortress" is simply an absolutely high-quality project.
Chen Wu's mind became active, but it was not the right moment to have any conflict with Li Qian, so he smiled sheepishly, "This kind of science fiction blockbuster is definitely not small compared to the investment. I don't know if Director Li needs to invest. We Penguin
Film and television are also very willing to contribute to the revival of domestic science fiction without asking for anything in return!"
Asking if I need it means I want to invest, but you won’t give me a share.
"The Wandering Earth" itself has an investment from Penguin. Of the total investment of 400 million, 100 million was allocated to seven or eight capital and TV stations, including Penguin.
Chen Wu's words clearly indicate that he wants to invest more, not just for fun.
Li Qian pondered for a moment and then said, "Since Mr. Chen has this intention, thank you very much. It just so happens that "The Wandering Earth" is already enough work. I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of so many projects. After all, such a large investment cannot be careless.
"
Chen Wu was overjoyed, Li Qian completely regarded them as very close partners, and he almost patted his chest to guarantee it.
"Director Li can ask no matter how much money he needs, we will fully support him!"
Li Qian said seriously, "When the movie is officially prepared, I won't be polite to Mr. Chen."
...
Li Qian sent Chen Wu away who was full of joy, walked around the office area, and then returned to the office.
Du Yang also came and asked with some uncertainty, "Are you not optimistic about Teng Huatao's "Fortress"? Is it because of the failure of "Waiting for the Wind"?"
"All of them." Li Qian sat down on the chair, shook his head and said, "It's a pity that Teng Huatao didn't realize his real failure last time. Fortunately, Gao Yuanyuan adapted "Dragon" and "Magic City"
fortress"."
"But isn't the story of "Fortress" very strong?" Du Yang wondered. He heard Li Qian say that Teng Huatao could not tell a 90-minute story without the support of the original story.
.
"The story of "Fortress" is indeed good, but it is a novel, and all the highlights are the inner dramas of the characters, which cannot be perfectly restored on the big screen.
He had to set up this story on the big screen based on the lack of inner drama, and he almost had to fill it in himself. This is exactly what he is not good at.
If the TV series is good, level 20 or 30, any story can be told well, but the movie only lasts 90 minutes. This is a story about secret love, and he can't make it well."
Li Qian told Du Yang some words that he had not told Teng Huatao, "The story is on the one hand, and the most important special effects in science fiction. Teng Huatao knows nothing about it. Unless he happens to be a genius in science fiction, otherwise I have
You can imagine the finished film effect by then.”
When Li Qian said this, Du Yang also understood that she would not question Li Qian's vision.
After the success of "Love Is Not Blind", the industry unanimously believed that "Waiting for the Wind" of a similar genre would also be a great success. Only Li Qian was not optimistic about it.
Therefore, the conversation between Li Qian and Chen Wu just now was a deliberate exaggeration of the benefits of "Magic Fortress". Du Yang was still surprised.
...
Even Chen Wu knew that Teng Huatao had come to Future Pictures. In fact, many senior executives in the industry had received the information. After all, the entire film and television industry was paying close attention to Li Qian's company.
Teng Huatao's studio was signed under Huayang Media, and the Huang brothers learned of the news earlier.
"This Teng Huatao is eating everything inside and out!"
Huang Zhonglei was very dissatisfied and vented his inner anger. Since "Waiting for the Wind" hit the streets, Li Qian has been lukewarm towards Teng Hua Tao, but he is still trying to win over Teng Hua Tao.
Even in order to let Teng Huatao know who is his true self, he became even more enthusiastic than before.
But I didn't expect that in the end, it would be a hot face but a cold butt. After Teng Huatao confirmed the project, the first person he approached was Li Qian.
What made him even more angry was that it had been several days and Teng Huatao still hadn't come to them.
"You're an unfamiliar white-eyed wolf!"
Seeing his younger brother still cursing, Huang Zhongjun frowned and said, "Okay!"
"Ignore the lies, if you don't go to him to ask about the situation, you won't know that the filming of other movies has started!"
"Why the hell do I have to lick my face and go up to it?"
That being said, for the sake of the overall situation, after Huang Zhonglei finished feeling sulky, he still called Teng Huatao and made an appointment to play ball and have a drink.
They have been golfing friends for many years. They have played together and partyed together.
A few friends played some ball, worked up a sweat, went to get some serious health care, and sipped wine with a comfortable look on their faces.
A friend just happened to ask Teng Huatao when he planned to make a new film. Teng Huatao didn't think much about it and immediately expressed his idea of adapting "Fortress".
"Magic City Fortress"?
Huang Zhonglei was a little strange. At the previous Charity Bazaar dinner, the conversation seemed to be about "Dragon", so why did he change the book?
But that’s not important. What’s important is what the prospects are for this project and how we can get more benefits.
After exercise and massage, people were already a little relaxed, not to mention drinking. Teng Huatao shared all his thoughts with several friends, including Li Qian's views on this project.
Hearing Li Qian praise this novel, Huang Zhonglei couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, and then started to think about it in his heart.
...
Li Qian didn't know that he would be missed every day at work and at home, as he was slumped on the sofa watching the news.
Most people don't like to watch the news, but domestic news, especially CCTV news, is often of great reference value and represents the country.
Even if it has nothing to do with you, it’s not a bad thing to read more and understand more.
However, a piece of news reported on the Xinwen Network made Li Qian sit up all of a sudden.
What came to my ears was the host's voice, which was spoken in a smooth and slightly sad tone.
"Today, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia announced that flight MH370 crashed and presumed that all 239 passengers and crew members on board were killed..."
This is what happened in March last year. A Malaysian passenger plane flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing lost contact at the junction of Malaysia and Yue Nan and did not send a distress signal.
At first, the Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority said that the plane's fuel could last two hours longer than the normal flight time, but when the fuel ran out, there was still no news about the plane.
In ten months, a plane with more than 200 people on board disappeared into thin air. It was not until today that Malaysia announced that the plane crashed and that the passengers and crew were killed.
"More than two hundred people were just gone!"
Next to her, Tong Liya was a little sad. Like many people, she had been expecting the plane to be hijacked somewhere. After all, there was no news of the crash and no wreckage had been recovered.
Li Qian also sighed. Although he knew this was the result, he always hoped for some miracle. After all, there were 154 compatriots on the plane.
"This is officially announced, and I'm going to start planning a new film."
"What?"
Tong Liya, who was still sad just now, was stunned when she heard Li Qian's inexplicable words, "What new movie?"
"Is this the big uncertain thing you mentioned before? You want to make a disaster movie about the crash of Air M? Isn't this just adding salt to everyone's wounds?"
Tong Liya was very puzzled. At this time, the whole country and even the whole world were grieving because of the plane accident, especially the more than 100 Chinese people on the plane. The repercussions in the country were huge, and Li Qian was filming such a disaster movie at this time.
Isn't this just like filming "Wenchuan Earthquake" in 2008?
"That's right, that's not right either." Li Qian nodded, "No country is short of disaster movies. What I want to make is an anti-genre disaster movie."
“What is an anti-genre disaster movie?”
Li Qian thought for a while and said, "Normal disaster movies often follow the narrative structure of normal life - disaster occurs - escape and mutual rescue - life returns to calm, accompanied by some shocking scenes such as tsunamis and earthquakes, which indirectly show the kindness of human nature.
evil.
As for an anti-genre disaster film, in fact, what I want to make is not this type. There will be no disasters, pain, or tests of human nature. Instead, it will give people comfort and hope. It can be regarded as a comforting film, and there should be no disasters.