eurekapd Chapter 339, "The Craftsmanship," is released.
Chapter 339, "The Craftsmanship," is released.
Since "Asking the Immortals", there has been no second blockbuster movie in China that has achieved such phenomenal success.
One reason, of course, is that the success of "Asking Immortals" is not replicable.
Many people wanted to follow Bai Li's example and reduce actor expenses, putting the bulk of the budget into film production, but they soon found that it was simply impossible to implement.
It's rare to find someone like Bai Li who has plenty of money and isn't afraid of losing money. Who else has the guts to put up a billion dollars to bet on this?
The second reason is that the audience's aesthetic tastes are evolving.
"Asking the Immortals" has raised the bar for most viewers' expectations of movies to another level. Empty, bad movies that rely on memes and popular stars can no longer satisfy everyone's appetite.
The release of "Asking the Immortals" did not actually bring any prosperity or revival to the domestic film industry. It was more like a shot in the arm, giving the industry a short-term boost. However, the already declining industry could not be saved by a single shot in the arm. Instead, it showed a sluggish trend of lack of follow-up strength.
It was under these circumstances that "The Craftsman" was born. The Spring Festival film season has always been a fiercely contested battleground, with New Year's comedies, family-friendly animations, and action-packed war films vying for dominance.
Amidst this fierce competition and gathering of big names and IP battles, "Tian Gong" emerged victorious with overwhelming force, dominating both its screening rate and occupancy rate, and breaking the record held by "Wen Xian" on its opening day.
It received a 9.1 rating on Douban, and no other film released at the same time could rival it.
"I left the theater on my knees! This is what a sci-fi movie should be! The special effects are explosive, the plot is intricately woven, the acting is superb across the board, and the ideas strike right at the heart of the soul. It's flawless in every aspect, and it has completely solidified the ceiling of sci-fi!"
"Director Saiweng + Original work by Huang Wen + Producer Bai Li = A game-changer! The only true god of the Spring Festival season!"
"After watching 'The Craftsman,' I feel like some of the sci-fi movies I've seen before were just child's play. 'Humans are merely collaborators'—this statement is worth pondering for a lifetime. A shoo-in for best of the year!"
"Is this the first female-led sci-fi film in the Chinese entertainment industry? Finally, there's a film where the female lead doesn't rely on men or have romances, but focuses on her career and saving the world! I'm so moved I could cry! Yu Dong's acting is the soul of the whole film, and Dr. Lin Qiu is so cool!"
……
Online comments flooded in.
After three days of build-up, the popularity of "The Craftsman" exploded.
Several trending topics appeared on the list: The Craftsman's box office exploded; The Craftsman's special effects were amazing; Lin Qiu is the pinnacle of female lead acting; Yu Dong's acting skills; The aftereffects of watching The Craftsman...
However, these entries were just appetizers; Lingxi Technology's IPO completely ignited the market.
"What?! You're telling me that adorable robot in the movie that won over so many fans is real?? Isn't that CGI? I'm dumbfounded. Can a robot really be that expressive?"
"—You guys should go check out the demo of Xiaoyuan's latest concept phone on the Day and Night Entertainment website! It really interacts smoothly! It has so many functions, right? Not only can it keep you company, but it also monitors your health. It's practically an all-around assistant, it's amazing!"
"Didn't Prometheus Technology announce a household robot a while ago? It cost 150,000 yuan a unit, and they were making all sorts of hype about it, but to me it's not as agile as Xiao Yuan, nor does it have as many functions. Xiao Yuan only costs 100 yuan... Is President Bai really making money?"
"I'm not going to say anything more, everyone. When I was watching 'The Craftsman,' I really wanted to own a little round one. My wallet is ready, and I'll buy it as soon as pre-orders open!"
……
Just recently, before the release of "The Craftsman", global technology giant Prometheus Technologies also announced its latest product - "Herphi H9".
Although this robot is powerful and incorporates the most cutting-edge technologies of Prometheus Technology, its price of 15 yuan per unit means that it is only available to the wealthy.
These days, how many people have spare money and can afford to spend 15 yuan just to buy a housekeeping robot?
Even if this domestic robot is technologically advanced, it is still detached from the lives of ordinary people.
Therefore, the emergence of Lingxi Technology's Xiaoyuan has had a significant impact on the Hefei H9.
Standing atop the "Little Crown," Shirai gazes at the city view through the floor-to-ceiling windows, a sense of peace settling over her.
To be honest, she didn't have high expectations for the initial sales of "Little Circle".
After all, Lingxi technology is too new.
Its power still needs time to prove.
People who are unaware of its functions might even think that it's expensive.
But in fact, the company has already driven the price down to the limit.
Just then, the operations manager excitedly knocked on the door and entered: "Mr. Bai, one hour after the pre-sale channel opened, global pre-orders have exceeded 100,000 units! Should our official Weibo account post a celebratory announcement?"
"So much?" Bai Li's heart skipped a beat; this number was much more than she had expected!