Caught in Affairs with Superstar

Chapter 1657: Chapter 818: Hostility (4000 Words) (Part 2)

”Of course. It’s your first independently produced film, I’ve definitely got to show up and support.” Wan Lanlan said happily. ”You’re actually pretty impressive. Every actor keeps saying they want to support new directors, but you’re the only one really putting it into practice—investing, helping with overseas sales, and even starring in their films.”

”Actually, quite a lot of actors are doing this. It’s just that many of them don’t have as many resources as I do to do it. Look at Sister Xiao Yao—she really backed One Day all the way from start to finish.” Zhou Yun said. ”If it weren’t for Sister Xiao Yao, with a script like that, given the domestic market environment, I don’t think it could have been made at all.”

Wan Lanlan very much agreed.

”Yeah, the script itself has a small market, and the cost wasn’t controlled, which led to the domestic box office not being able to cover the budget.”

”How much has it made domestically now?” Zhou Yun asked curiously.

”Thanks to that Weibo post of yours, it got a lot of big accounts recommending the film. Originally with a bit over sixty million, it had basically hit a ceiling, but now it’s doing over one million a day, and the box office has already passed seventy million. I’m guessing it might push to eighty million in the end. But based on the production cost of this film, even at eighty million, it still won’t recoup.” Wan Lanlan said.

Zhou Yun: ”Re‑edit it and give it another theatrical run.”

”Huh?” Wan Lanlan asked in surprise. ”Will that even work?”

”The version that’s showing now really doesn’t sit well with audiences. After re‑editing, the narrative pace should be a lot better—we’ll see then.” Zhou Yun said. ”If One Day sells well overseas, we can use that as a hook to re‑release it domestically, and that should still attract some new viewers.”

Wan Lanlan nodded.

”Oh right, isn’t the second season of Under the Grand Dress about to get started too?” Wan Lanlan asked curiously. ”Everyone in the circle is curious about it. Weren’t they saying all along that season two was going to be launched?”

Zhou Yun: ”I haven’t been involved with that project for a long time, so I don’t know how far along it is now. But there will definitely be a second season—the broadcast of season one did very well for VX. I just won’t act in season two, I’ll only produce.”

”Smart move. When that show aired, it wasn’t great for your reputation.”

”Sigh, nothing I could do. The version that aired was already the best we could manage.” Zhou Yun said. ”The story really is a bit melodramatic.”

Wan Lanlan asked, ”Is the script for season two out yet?”

”There was a first draft, then it went into revisions, and I don’t know the progress.” Zhou Yun said. ”By the way, how are the people who acted with me in Under the Grand Dress doing now? I don’t keep up much with what’s going on domestically; most of what I know comes from Weibo, so I don’t really know their situations.”

”They’re doing great, one by one. Zhou Jianfeng is very popular now—your old company Chengqian is really pushing him, he’s the new ’Top’. Oh no, that’s not quite right, Chengqian has another one, Zhang Mo, who’s doing really well too. Cheng Shenlv is my favorite. I’ve worked with this girl, and the way she handles people and things makes me feel very comfortable—she doesn’t have that manic common disease you see on Celebrity artists in this business.”

”Manic?” Zhou Yun couldn’t help laughing at the word. ”Okay, you’ve got a point.”

”She’s got a new drama airing recently, a costume idol romance, and it’s pretty hot.” Wan Lanlan said. ”You probably haven’t watched it, but the audience feedback has been very positive. People really like it.”

”Mm.”

”The others aren’t huge stars, but each of them has made a name for themselves. You can see them popping up at events from time to time, which is nice.”

Suddenly remembering something, Wan Lanlan said, ”Oh right, you have a new drama you shot with Director Kang Xin that’s going to air next year, right? I’ve heard some Wind Sound.”

”Yeah, it’s going to air.” Zhou Yun nodded.

Wan Lanlan said, ”When the time comes, can I schedule an interview with you for my personal public account?”

”Sure.”

”I’m guessing that show is going to be a total bomb—in a good way. Just the cast is scary.” Wan Lanlan said. ”Jiang Yuzhen, Xie Pinyuan, Yu Sitian, Cheng Shenlv, Chen Jing... these people are all hot actors in the country right now. Their fans are probably going to tear each other apart, and that’s not even counting you leading the cast.”

Zhou Yun: ”When we shot this drama, they weren’t as popular as they are now, were they? Director Kang Xin’s pull is still very strong.”