Chapter 1414: Chapter 1168: Imperial City PK
August 7th!
Just one day left until the premiere of “Kung Fu Hustle.”
Blue Star’s 38th-ranked director from Zhong Continent, Liu Xing, hosted the premiere event today.
In an instant,
the world’s eyes were watching.
Although Liu Xing’s promotional efforts weren’t as extensive as Xian Yu’s, his reputation as the highest-ranked director of the August release slots carried weight. His latest film “Imperial City,” a multi-million-dollar spectacle, had garnered countless endorsements from Zhong Continent celebrities, making audience expectations sky-high.
Especially in Zhong Continent.
Countless movie fans eagerly entered the theaters.
“These days, so many people in the Zhong Continent film industry have been recommending ‘Imperial City’ that my anticipation is off the charts!”
“Liu Xing’s films are always impressive.”
“After all, he’s ranked 38th on Blue Star’s film charts!”
“Do you think ‘Imperial City’ can outperform Xian Yu’s movie?”
“Of course it can. Don’t be fooled by Xian Yu’s extensive marketing. At the end of the day, quality matters most in cinema—promotion merely affects the initial box office.”
…
Qin Continent.
Online discussions were lively.
“A clever move from Liu Xing, releasing his film one day before ‘Kung Fu Hustle,’ aiming to seize an early lead.”
“I’m choosing ‘Kung Fu Hustle’!”
“That may be so, but many people in Qin Continent are heading out to watch ‘Imperial City’ today as well.”
“After all, Liu Xing is a big-name director from Zhong Continent. No need to turn this into a regional rivalry—there’ll also be considerable support for ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ from Zhong Continent when it premieres.”
“With promotions this strong, I feel ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ will still put up a good fight.”
…
Qi Continent.
“This is truly turning into a head-to-head battle. ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ ramped up its marketing efforts to the max, yet Zhong Continent has countered with a strong offensive.”
“Liu Xing’s films are nearly guaranteed hits—this won’t be easy for Xian Yu.”
“Precisely because it’s tough content-wise that Xian Yu worked so hard on promotions.”
“I compared the past works of Liu Xing and Xian Yu. Overall, Liu Xing undeniably has the upper hand.”
“Rankings don’t lie.”
“Xian Yu doesn’t necessarily need to win; as long as he doesn’t lag far behind, it can still be considered a victory, given the ranking disparity.”
…
Various continents.
Major theaters.
Moviegoers were steadily pouring in.
At the premiere venue.
Liu Xing personally invited countless Zhong Continent celebrities to amplify the celebrations.
Amid roaring cheers, the film “Imperial City” officially began screening!
Swish!
The curtains parted.
The movie instantly plunged viewers into the clash of two armies on an ancient battlefield.
“The Emperor leads the campaign personally!”
“To stabilize the realm!”
“Follow me to kill!”
The craftsmanship of a top-tier director was unmistakable.
Right from the start, the horrors of warfare were vividly rendered.
This is a film centered on an ancient Crown Prince’s struggle for succession.
War serves as a backdrop to intensify the mood while introducing the fabricated historical setting.
A decisive victory in battle.
The realm pacified.
On the journey back to the capital, the aging emperor, injured during the campaign, sets off a feud over the Crown Prince position.
Resentments and tensions unfold in cycles.
In the end,
the protagonist, the least favored Prince, seeing no hope for securing the Crown Prince’s throne, stakes everything on a palace coup!
Inside the Imperial City.
Climactic battles follow one after another.
In the end, the seasoned emperor proves his dominance, crushing his unfavored youngest son through unparalleled strategy.
“What I give, you may take. What I don’t give, you cannot seize!”
The aging, white-haired emperor brutally subdues the protagonist, leaving him on the brink of death.
As the protagonist is dragged off to the execution grounds,
his imperial consort mother is sentenced to die by hanging with a white silk ribbon.
It’s a tragedy.
The emperor himself had seized the kingdom through rebellion.
The protagonist merely followed his father’s footsteps.
A cyclical fate.
The difference is, the protagonist dies, and the eldest Prince ascends the throne.
Suddenly.
The final shot.
The second Prince gazes fiercely with wolf-like ambition!
The screen cuts to black.
…
Post-screening discussion exploded online.
“A top-tier director’s commercial film—it’s on a whole different level compared to assembly-line productions. A cycle of power and tragedy.”
“That final shot was magnificent!”
“This kind of open-ended conclusion is the most thought-provoking. The Imperial City’s throne may still have much blood to spill.”
“In ancient times, illegitimate ascensions always led to turmoil.”
“Even fathers and sons can turn against each other in the face of the throne.”
“It was incredibly gripping. The protagonist’s death was heart-wrenching, yet deeply impactful.”
“The visual effects were outstanding, though I felt the film focused too much on lavish visuals and epic grandeur while its narrative seemed relatively weak.”
“I was expecting a nine, but it gave me less than eight.”
“Liu Xing delivered the usual standard—not particularly surprising, but definitely leagues better than most films.”
“It feels like he aimed for both box office success and critical acclaim, but balancing the two costs him a bit. Regardless, the box office should do exceptionally well—even just for the grand spectacle, it’s worth watching.”
Some loved it.
Some felt it was average.
Overall, it’s a ticket-worthy film. Even critics wouldn’t dare call it a flop.
As Blue Star’s 38th-ranked director,
Liu Xing’s film fairly reflected his standing.
And on the Starry Sky platform,
the film’s ratings quickly emerged.
Too many people were submitting scores!
By around 3 PM,
the score had stabilized at 7.7.
On Starry Sky platform, a common rule of thumb is that films scoring over 7 are very much worth seeing.
Especially for commercial cinema, scoring 7.7 is no easy feat.
After all,
the scoring ceiling for commercial films is inherently lower.
…
At night,
the global box office rankings were updated.
With Blue Star’s immense market, the chart featured around two hundred movies—some still screening, others debuted on the same day as “Imperial City.”
In real-time calculations, “Imperial City” unsurprisingly claimed the top spot!
The prior number one, which had reigned for thirteen consecutive days, was dethroned by Liu Xing’s latest release.
At that moment,
celebration erupted in the movie’s creators’ group chat!
“We’re number one!”
“First-day crown!”
“Our strategy worked, releasing one day earlier than ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ to dominate the market!”
“Haha, though the reception was a bit lower than expected—I thought we’d hit eight points. Still, this score isn’t far off.”
“Director Liu, you’re incredible!”
“I was a bit nervous before, but now there’s nothing to worry about. ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ won’t be stronger than us!”
“Xian Yu is probably regretting not changing the release date now.”
“I’d want to change it too if I were him. Competing in the same slot makes the box office battle insanely intense.”
“It’s too late to change now.”
“The arrow is nocked and must be let loose!”
“‘Kung Fu Hustle’ premieres at midnight tonight.”
“To celebrate, I propose that our crew attend the midnight premiere of ‘Kung Fu Hustle.’ Some said we’re inadvertently promoting it—let’s show them just how magnanimous we are!”
“Alright!”
Liu Xing, brimming with confidence, chimed in: “Tonight’s my treat. Let’s head out as a crew to catch ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ and contribute a few tickets to its box office!”
…
Liu Xing’s confidence was well-justified!
Even before the day ended, the box office for “Imperial City” continued to climb!
Starry Sky platform was abuzz with reviews!
All other films released during the same period were thoroughly overshadowed!
Media outlets.
News reports followed one after another:
“Liu Xing’s New Film Takes Off!”
“Liu Xing Made a Brilliant Preemptive Move Against ‘Kung Fu Hustle’!”
“Liu Xing Secures Market Ahead of Rival’s Terrifying Marketing Blitz!”
“Xian Yu’s Film Faces Stiffest Competition Yet!”
“A Regal Feast from Liu Xing!”
Today,
Liu Xing proved to global audiences:
Blue Star’s rankings don’t exaggerate—in fact, this 38th-ranked worldwide director deserves every bit of his acclaim!
Still, Liu Xing couldn’t shake some lingering regrets.
The film didn’t represent a personal breakthrough, serving merely as a showcase of his usual expertise.
That said,
for a filmmaker—especially someone like Liu Xing, a seasoned veteran of decades—it is rarely easy to step beyond one’s established benchmarks.
Chuckling softly,
Liu Xing confidently ordered his assistant to buy midnight tickets for “Kung Fu Hustle.”
By 11:00 PM,
he and his crew had already arrived at a major cinema in Zhong Continent.
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