Chapter 99

After the first weekend box office figures came out, the three production companies immediately contacted various overseas markets and began preparations for overseas releases. The news had already spread from North America to the rest of the world, and many countries and regions had even taken the initiative to negotiate, which was a convenience of Hollywood.

Such good news, of course, had to be leveraged to further promote the upcoming releases.

"Early wisdom, but not necessarily great in adulthood" is an ancient Chinese phrase used to describe child prodigies who become ordinary adults.

After "The Sixth Sense," Hollywood had a similar saying: Chen Tiandu's first film, "The Sixth Sense," was a miracle born out of a series of coincidences and opportunities. Such a flash of brilliance among ordinary directors in Hollywood was not unheard of. His second film might not have the same "spark," making it difficult to produce another masterpiece that audiences would love and the market would praise.

These people had their own evidence, pointing out that Chen Tiandu's first film had a production cost of only $30 million, but the cost of his second film had more than tripled. Just this point alone made it difficult for him to recoup the costs. Some experts even suggested that he should continue making horror films instead of choosing a genre that Asians were least adept at—science fiction.

However, "The Matrix" quickly proved them wrong, showing that it not only recouped its costs but also continued the success of the previous film, raking in a significant profit.

As the film became a hit, the media naturally delved into the details. They were surprised to find that this big-budget film, which was rumored to have cost over $100 million, actually had a production budget of only $60 million. The much-hyped marketing campaign had cost less than $15 million, bringing the total budget to just $75 million.

This investment amount made people sigh with amazement, marveling at the effectiveness of the viral marketing strategy while also being surprised by Chen Tiandu's ability to repeatedly create miracles.

"He is a genius with real talent!"

After seeing the first-day box office figures, no one questioned whether "The Matrix" would make money. This was only the first week, and a conservative estimate suggested that the three production companies would earn at least double their investment.

This success thrilled Matrix Films, Warner Bros., DreamWorks, and the entire cast and crew of "The Matrix." This team was made up of Chen Tiandu's old colleagues, and it seemed like the celebration for the previous film had only been a short time ago. Now, they were basking in a new wave of glory, with their influence and popularity growing even more. The sense of honor surpassed that of "The Sixth Sense."

When asked by outsiders, the staff in various positions of the film would proudly declare that they were part of the crew.

This was particularly evident at Niu Yingying's restaurant.

These days, whenever someone came to eat at his restaurant, Old Niu would seize the opportunity to boast to regular customers that his daughter was one of the costume designers for "The Matrix." He had said it many times, but each customer who heard it was still very surprised, and he never tired of saying it. Some didn't believe him, so Old Niu would naturally guide them to look at the group photo that Niu Yingying had brought back from the set.

There were many who envied Chen Tiandu's good luck, even within China. Many people with a "not necessarily great in adulthood" mindset watched the events unfold. Most believed that Chinese people could not produce truly magnificent films, even if it was Zhang Yimou or Chen Kaige, who were still associated with "Red Sorghum" and "Farewell My Concubine" in the minds of the audience.

What was the Central Academy of Drama? People in the industry knew very well that a recent graduate from the Central Academy of Drama getting lucky enough to make one film was enough, let alone expecting the second film to be good.

This mindset was widespread, and even when Zhang Yimou said on a CCTV program that "the future of Chinese cinema lies with the young," it was just a polite compliment. He was still young himself and wouldn't believe in the young upstarts.

However, when the news of the film's excellent first weekend box office performance and rising word-of-mouth returned to China, many people were stunned.

"Is this real?" Wan Zhongjun of Huayi Brothers couldn't help but rub his eyes when he saw the news in the newspaper.

Zhang Weiping of New Image Company also couldn't help but shake his head, "This is a real hot stock."

The film he co-produced with Zhang Yimou, "My Father and My Mother," had been in production since last year and was scheduled to be released in China in October. But at this point, "My Father and My Mother" was still in production, while Chen Tiandu's sci-fi blockbuster was already a global hit.

"This speed, this money-making speed... If I were DreamWorks, I would also support him."

"The Matrix" had already gained some fame in China due to the team's arrival for filming, including Spielberg's first visit to China, which caused quite a stir. Now, with the film's release in North America, the box office for the first three days was as high as $60 million, which truly surprised many.

Today, we are in the information age, and although internet users in China were not yet widespread, the weekend box office rankings from the other side of the world were still known to the domestic audience. The media knew even earlier, and the entertainment sections of newspapers were filled with reports. Online platforms like ** and NetEase also featured the news prominently on their homepages.

"Genius director Chen Tiandu, who directed and starred in his second film, has once again achieved success in North America. The film's box office for the first three days was $60.88 million, securing the top spot for the week. This success has shattered all previous doubts, proving with ironclad facts that Chen Tiandu is a star, not a fleeting meteor."

"…The scenes of the Great Wall in the snow, the lush Wudang Mountains, and the plum garden in the snow, all filmed in China, have been highly praised by North American media. The combination of kung fu and special effects has made the film's freshness on Rotten Tomatoes reach 91%…"

The Chinese trailer for the film was also released, and many people saw the breathtaking bullet time special effects.

"Wow, it looks amazing. Will it be released in China?"

"Why hasn't a pirated version appeared online yet? It's all just trailers, what's the deal…"

Whether the film would be released in China was not just a matter of fame. It had to meet policy requirements and have commercial potential to be considered.

Fortunately, Chen Tiandu's film "The Sixth Sense," released at the beginning of the year, had successfully grossed over 70 million yuan during the domestic film off-season, nearly matching the box office of "Saving Private Ryan." This success also earned a significant profit for the company responsible for its introduction.

Now, "The Matrix" was not lacking in quality, and it had been filmed in China. With Chen Tiandu's intention to have the film successfully enter the Chinese market, even the Chinese trailer, which was not originally planned, was released early, indicating his intentions… or perhaps just for the money. Under these circumstances, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) also began negotiations.

Thus, in response to public demand, SARFT announced in advance, "There is a high possibility that 'The Matrix' will be introduced as a major film and released in China…"

The emergence of a superstar from the mainland made the Hong Kong media somewhat envious. In their eyes, mainland films could not compare to Hong Kong films. However, when "The Matrix" was released in Hong Kong, it still attracted a significant number of students and young working professionals, all eager to see what was touted as the most anticipated film of the summer.

After watching it, they were indeed not disappointed. Chen Tiandu, who had never been to Hong Kong, had already become a sensation throughout the city.

Although the film had a Chinese lead actor and an action director in Yuan Huaping, it was ultimately a Hollywood production. The enthusiasm it generated further proved that even the "Oriental Hollywood" of Hong Kong had been conquered by Hollywood. Some Hong Kong filmmakers, witnessing this situation, were unsure whether to laugh or cry.

People in Taiwan also enjoyed "The Matrix," but they were not inferior because they had Li An. Although everyone knew that Li An's films did not match the box office of Chen Tiandu's, they were still proud to have an Oscar-winning director.

The "Matrix" craze gradually spread throughout Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea.

The film's box office performance in its second week further confirmed its popularity and success.

Despite being in its second week, there were no major releases in Hollywood that could dethrone "The Matrix," and its box office was not significantly affected.

(Today's update, another chapter will follow. Please recommend and collect. Thank you to "Wan Er Le" and "00wei" for your generous support. Thank you.)

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