Chapter 406
What a huge pit!
Chapter 406 What a huge pit!
After a long time, Star River has reunited with the group.
It means reintegrating into Hollywood, participating in various events, and working as a socialite.
This place is different from China; there are many parties—not the kind of private parties you have on an island, but the usual glitz and glamour.
Fang Xinghe doesn't need to actively curry favor with anyone; he only needs to send out a few signals, and a lot of "friends" will naturally come knocking on his door.
He looked and looked, and finally made a phone call to Little Li.
The conversation was very simple.
"Hey, Leo, you're going to get so fat."
Fang Xinghe started by complaining, but Li Erduo was very receptive to it and immediately launched into an explosive rebuttal.
"Hey bro, I'm just getting back in shape, you know? Never mind, an idol like you could never understand the super happiness of a talent like me. The joy of vacation is WOW~~~ awesome!"
“Okay, you’re a true talent.” Dog Fang was extremely calm. “So when are you going to win the Oscar for Best Actor?”
"F**K!"
Fatty Li broke down on the spot.
"You just wait! Don't let me catch you in Los Angeles!"
"I hope you won't be so fat you can't walk by then... By the way, did you really switch to a more serious, talent-based image to avoid being compared to me?"
"Aaaaaah! F**K you! SR, you bastard!"
Dog Fang is really good at provoking people. Li Pangzi has been ridiculed by the media so many times and he didn't get angry, but now he's suddenly not.
Perhaps it's because he's really ugly now, but his disfiguring acting didn't earn him the Oscar I've been longing for.
Last year's American version of "Infernal Affairs" was full of explicit profanity, and this year's "Blood Diamond" is so thin that it looks emaciated. As a result, they are being played by the Academy time and time again.
In contrast, Fang Xinghe won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award early on, without putting in any effort in terms of looks; he simply won them all with his good looks.
To be honest, this is infuriating.
Fatty Li suddenly wanted to go back to Hollywood; he wanted to catch that damn guy and teach him a lesson.
"You'll be in the US this summer, right? Wait, I'll be back in a bit!"
"Wow, that's great." Dog Fang had pushed him to his limit, then suddenly offered a sweet treat. "You know, you're my only friend in Hollywood. Coming here and not seeing you would feel like a wasted trip. So, when exactly?"
Leonardo DiCaprio: He really... I love him so much!
His voice lowered involuntarily: "Although I haven't had enough fun yet, I have to go back to see Kate and Martin soon. So, this weekend, I'll throw a party and introduce you to my girlfriend..."
"Which one?"
Fang Xinghe couldn't remember for a moment, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally gave a very cunning and vague answer.
"Hmm, that supermodel?"
Leonardo DiCaprio, completely oblivious to the implication, happily replied, "Of course, Bar Refaeli, we're very close!"
The dog hesitated for half a second, then said guiltily, "Oh, I don't know."
He quickly became proud again: But he didn't realize I didn't know, I'm really awesome!
Dog Fang waited patiently for three days, and then Leonardo DiCaprio rushed back from France and organized a big party at his estate.
In fact, Fang Xinghe also owns a super villa in Beverly Hills—one of the residences that the prestigious NASDAQ-listed company StarNet bought for their chairman.
The purchase cost nearly $5000 million, made the financial news, and was criticized by some sour grapes as "a model of listed company executives siphoning funds for private luxury consumption."
Actually, that price was too high; it was during the peak of the US housing bubble.
The bubble is set to burst this year, giving rise to the subprime crisis.
If we wait until 08, this big house might be worth $3000 million.
But what does that have to do with your brother Fang? He didn't spend a single penny of his money.
In short, after spending the afternoon in his own big house, Fang Ge took a small sightseeing vehicle and arrived at Li Pangzi's house in 20 minutes.
This party was absolutely dazzling.
Fun fact: Among Hollywood superstars of the same caliber, Leonardo DiCaprio has the best interpersonal relationships.
Fang Xinghe didn't know if it was because Brother Li always managed to find the most supermodels, but this game was full of beautiful women, and then the beauties attracted a bunch of old perverts.
Because the list was too long, Fang Xinghe only focused on some key points.
Among the male stars, Bruce Willis, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese... are all direct competitors to Fang Xinghe in this summer's box office.
Among the female celebrities, let's not mention the supermodel group; Fang Ge isn't interested in them.
Megan Fox from Transformers, Jessica Alba from Fantastic Four, Maggie Q from Die Hard, Keira Knightley from Pirates of the Caribbean, Anne Hathaway, the uninvited rumored love interest, and the somewhat enigmatic South African diamond, Charlize Theron.
These people are relatively more valuable social contacts.
Well, it's just innocent socializing. Although it's a pool party today, Fang Ge really isn't that interested in them.
Don't ask, the answer is they have a lot of body hair, strong body odor, and rough skin. The least affected are Theron and Alba, but after close contact, they would only score a maximum of 80 points overall.
However, when Fang Ge followed the crowd and sat by the pool in baggy shorts, it seemed they weren't planning on being innocent.
The first to take the initiative were the group of supermodels, who drooled over Fang Xinghe's eight-pack abs and came over to rub against him.
Without any hesitation, Brother Fang pushed two people into the water, laughing and scolding, "Don't tempt me, I'm a devout Roman Catholic, I refuse premarital sex!"
After that, they became much more restrained, since it was quite embarrassing to be pushed into the water so rudely by someone who was throwing themselves at them.
Anne Hathaway, wearing a bikini, instantly became happy and said with a smile, "Then am I your only rumored girlfriend?"
Megan Fox winked at him: "I want one too!"
Keira Knightley licked her lips: "Wow! That's challenging."
Charlize Theron's eyes widened: "When did you become a believer? Aren't you your own god?"
Huh? You know a lot, huh? You've been paying special attention to me?
Fang Xinghe never underestimated his own charm, but he also didn't overthink things. Who knew what reason these she-wolves had for wanting him?
Money, power, fame, and vanity all outweigh physical appearance; that's Hollywood.
Fang Ge didn't care what they thought at all. He shrugged and laughed, "Just now, when I noticed something was off about you guys."
"Hahahaha!"
The scene erupted in laughter, and even the most vain women couldn't help but be impressed by his directness and domineering manner.
This is also part of Hollywood: frank, or rather, thick-skinned, and exceptionally good at self-regulation.
Next, the group of beautiful women surrounded Fang Xinghe, eating, drinking, and chatting, much to the envy of the male celebrities who were just there to make up the numbers.
It's not that I'm envious of the fact that he gets to eat meat; none of the big names present lack anything. Rather, I'm jealous of his unparalleled masculine charm.
However, Fang Ge had no intention of doing anything inappropriate. There was no ambiguity in their conversations. Work content accounted for 80% of their conversations, and the rest only accounted for 20%.
That's enough.
Because he rarely participates in events in the United States, and his image is extremely mysterious, they are willing to talk to him about anything.
"So, your movie is already scheduled for release this summer?"
"Yes." Fang Xinghe nodded. "I should stay here for a while to finish the publicity work."
The female celebrities were extremely curious, and even the quietest and most transparent Jessica Alba couldn't help but ask, "When will it be? I also have a movie that will be released this summer."
Fang glanced at her, a smile in his eyes.
You're so cooperative, sis.
"It will probably be in July or August? I'm not really sure. There are so many big movies this summer, it doesn't really matter which month they're released."
"Wow, then I'll have to avoid you."
Keira Knightley's image in Pirates of the Caribbean is straightforward and pure, but in real life she's a bit fiery. Perhaps it's just that she's like that with Xinghe.
Anyway, the aroma of her tea made several people turn their heads and roll their eyes.
"Are you kidding me?" Brother Fang chuckled and shook his head. "I'm the one who should be avoiding you. The sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean is already booked for $3 million in China."
"That wasn't my achievement."
Keira Knightley smiled and then leaned closer to Fang Xinghe.
"Now that our date is set, do you want to hide behind your sister?"
"Of course we have to avoid it. Didn't you see I'm already planning to postpone it until July or August?"
Megan Fox angrily retorted, "We're in early July, come on, come on, let's promote together and have more opportunities to meet."
"Are you sure?" Dog asked knowingly.
“Of course.” Megan Fox raised her chin. “Anyway, we don’t need to hide from anyone, so there’s no harm in setting a release date earlier.”
“That’s true.” Fang Xinghe nodded in agreement. “The Transformers IP combined with Michael Bay’s direction is terrifying.”
The expressions of the other female celebrities instantly changed.
In terms of status, Megan Fox is nothing now; she doesn't even rank among these people.
But now that we're discussing their work, they're at a significant disadvantage.
Even big names like Anne Hathaway can't be directly mocked, so they can only be sarcastic.
"The competition in this year's summer movie season is fierce, with at least one special effects blockbuster every month. It's tough for ordinary movies, and the influence of actors has been greatly diminished."
That's absolutely right. Normally, the summer movie season is all about special effects blockbusters.
Other movies can be watched at home by buying a DVD, but special effects blockbusters are different; the best movie-watching experience is always in the cinema.
If we had to pick an easy target from this year's special effects blockbusters, it would have to be the Fantastic Four.
"Actually, it's alright."
The dog started acting again.
"There are several special effects blockbusters and action movies that don't conflict much. For example, Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean are not known for their action scenes. As long as they are not released on the same day, they may even promote each other."
After thinking about it, everyone nodded in agreement.
Whether they genuinely agree or not, they all started praising and complimenting her non-stop.
"Of course, you are SR, your action movies are competitive with any other movie."
"Releasing it after Harry Potter is a good idea. It's a family-friendly movie, which will allow him to bring his whole family to the theater to see another action movie that doesn't conflict with it."
"No matter the release date, I believe you have the potential to sell 2 million copies. You're an SR!"
"Director, how about casting me in your next movie? I'm pretty good at fighting, no matter what kind of fighting it is~~~"
"Then I can't do that. I'm only good at taking a beating, the kind where I bend over and stick my head out~~~"
The chat with the group of roast chickens ended amidst laughter, and Brother Fang... fled in panic.
Some of them are really too bold. They dare to touch abs in public, and once they touch them, they dare to reach down, regardless of day or night or how many people are around.
As long as there are no paparazzi, getting to touch it is a bonus.
Fang Xinghe only wanted to dig a pit, and had no intention of selling his body, so he naturally fled as soon as possible.
……
The next day, undercurrents began to stir in half of Hollywood.
"Did he really say that?"
"Yes, those are the exact words."
"Could it be a smokescreen?"
"I can't guarantee that, but it is indeed a very realistic option."
"Hmm...that makes sense."
"Anyway, you can assess the specific situation. I'm just giving you a heads-up so that the company can prepare in advance."
"OK, let's start the meeting right away."
Major companies started holding meetings, calling in the core creative teams and their internal evaluation departments to discuss projects that hadn't yet been scheduled for release.
"SR is probably just putting up a smokescreen."
A publishing expert with slicked-back hair and an air of sophistication confidently began to speak.
"It's said to be July and August, but August is impossible. There's too little time left, and young viewers' spending power has been exploited time and time again, so they may not have any left."
"Yes, the truth should be in June or July!"
Which special effects blockbusters are scheduled for release in June and July?
"June will most likely feature Fantastic Four, and July will see Transformers and Harry Potter. What do you think Sony's real plans are?"
"Actually, another statement by SR is probably true—at least it reveals quite a bit of real information—the Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter movies really don't affect action movies much."
"Yes, the selling points of Batman, Fantastic Four, and Transformers are special effects and action. Pirates of the Caribbean also has some action elements, but Harry Potter is truly a family-friendly children's film and does not conflict with action films at all."
"I also think it's most likely Harry Potter."
"So, it'll either take over from Pirates of the Caribbean in early June, or from Harry Potter in mid-July?"
"Mid-July!"
"After Harry Potter, there should be a few side projects like The Simpsons, Superbad, and Ratatouille. According to the annual tradition, they will actively avoid the most competitive months of May and June and instead grab the last bit of the summer blockbuster season in late July and early August, which is just the right time to accommodate an action movie."
Is Harry Potter really going to be released in early July?
"Of course, it has to be kept at a sufficient distance from pirates, the Fantastic Four, and Bruce Almighty."
"Then let's change the release date!"
"Avoiding Taken?"
"Yes, SR's first Hollywood action film deserves our utmost respect. Let him have his release slot in mid-July, and let those comedies compete with him!"
"Completely agree."
"There's no need to jeopardize money, so let's settle on this?"
"Wait a minute!" A shrewd and cautious individual wanted to add a final layer of insurance, "Doesn't Sony have another R-rated teen comedy film? Has it been scheduled for release yet?"
"Superbad?"
The attendees checked the information and confirmed, "They are coordinating with 20th Century Fox and want the June 8th slot."
"Is the Fox movie Fantastic Four 2?"
"Yes, the Fantastic Four want to get away from the pirates, so they should agree to give up June 8th, and the June 15th slot is basically confirmed."
"That matches up!"
The meeting room was filled with excitement and optimism.
"Sony wouldn't let Taken clash with its own movie, would they? It'll definitely be released in mid-July!"
"OK, let's adjust it according to this plan!"
……
Although everyone dislikes Sony, no one wants to sabotage Taken.
Regardless of the size of the investment, getting involved with SR is somewhat mystical.
At least, up to now, SR has never lost a project.
Companies are either submitting their applications or withdrawing them, resulting in a major reshuffle.
In the second week of "Transformers," which film suffered more, there's no doubt about it.
Meanwhile, there has been no official announcement regarding "Taken".
However, the other five major studios had no choice. Since these B-movies did not have the same influence as Fang Xinghe, they had to schedule releases and promote them several months in advance, so the distributors could only open blind boxes in advance.
"Taken" doesn't need that much attention; a last-minute release date is enough to generate plenty of publicity.
However, the five major powers are not without options.
DreamWorks/Paramount quietly swapped places with Harry Potter using Transformers.
These two special effects blockbusters are not very similar in genre and target different audiences, so the order in which they are released will not affect each other. However, putting Transformers later will affect all action movies.
This wasn't exactly sniping; it was pure annoyance to Sony.
Inside the Big Five and even throughout Hollywood, people are speculating that Fang Xinghe will postpone his appearance until around July 27th to allow himself enough space to hide.
"Hahaha! Now he can do whatever he wants!"
With a pop, someone opened a bottle of champagne.
On May 4th, Batman was released, and its box office exploded in its opening week, kicking off the fierce competition of this year's summer movie season.
By May 11th, the second week, the entire summer movie schedule was already clear.
Shrek is set to release on May 18th, by DreamWorks.
Pirates of the Caribbean 5 is set to release on May 25th at Disney.
Ocean's Thirteen is set to release on June 1st, by Warner Bros.
Superbad is scheduled for release on June 8th, by Sony Columbia.
Fantastic Four, June 15, 20th Century Fox.
Bruce Almighty, June 22, Universal Pictures.
Die Hard, June 27, 20th Century Fox.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, July 3, Warner Bros.
Transformers, July 11, DreamWorks.
The Bourne series, released on August 3rd, avoided the most competitive release window and planned to capitalize on the reputation of its predecessor.
They specially reserved two release dates for Fang Xinghe's "Taken" on July 18th and July 25th. I really love it, it makes me so happy.
result……
On May 15th, Sony suddenly made an official announcement—
The new action blockbuster "Taken," directed by and starring Fang Xinghe, has officially been scheduled for release on June 1st, meeting audiences worldwide!
When the news broke, the whole world was stunned.
(End of this chapter)