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Wu Mingxuan wasn't surprised that Wu Kebo wanted to see him. He was an ambitious man who aspired to become the new leader of the Chinese entertainment industry. However, it was precisely this ambition that completely infuriated the current true leader of the martial arts world, Han Sanye, leaving a glimmer of hope for the severely damaged Huayi.
"Is that Mr. Wu?"
Fan Bingbing looked at Wu Mingxuan in surprise. She had never thought Wu Mingxuan would know, so she was very nervous and even a little uneasy.
Seeing Fan Bingbing's amusing expression, Wu Mingxuan calmly replied, "I'll go over at the right time and place. I'm curious what he wants to tell me."
Fan Bingbing hurriedly contacted Wang Jinghua. They hadn't made a move yet, and if Wu Mingxuan tried to interfere, even if it wouldn't affect the overall situation, it would still be a minor nuisance.
Before his time travel, Wu Mingxuan had truly admired Wu Kebo, believing him to be a formidable owl. Now, he no longer felt that way, concluding that he was a tactical genius lacking strategic vision, much like Zhao Kuo, who was only good at talking about war on paper.
Zhao Kuo was certainly not bad, and certainly not as dismal as history textbooks portrayed him to be. However, strategy and tactics are different, and strategic vision can't be learned from books; it can only be gained through extensive practical experience. In this respect, Wu Kebo is truly far behind.
Unlike the nervous and anxious Wang Jinghua and Fan Bingbing, Wu Kebo is remarkably calm. It's simply a matter of acting sooner or later. Ever since he took full control of Golden Harvest, Orange Sky's dominance has been assured. With Wu Mingxuan, they're even more powerful, and without him, they can't affect the overall situation.
"Bingbing, you've had quite a bit of contact with Director Wu. What's your opinion of him?"
"His talent and ability are undeniable, but he can be a bit too proud, even a bit arrogant and bigoted. For example, with 'The Monkey King,' many people advised him against it from the outset, including my eldest brother, who only agreed to step forward and help him because of 'The Chinese Zodiac.'"
Like many, Wu Kebo wasn't too optimistic about 'The Monkey King,' feeling it was a bit of a mess. But that might also be because the full script wasn't generally accessible to the general public.
Many people only saw the outlines. Only Wu Mingxuan knew the true story and its purpose.
However, what truly piqued Jackie Chan's interest was Wu Mingxuan's tailor-made film, "Chinese Zodiac," for Jackie
Chan. It's said this is the real reason he garnered the support of Emperor Entertainment Group and much of the Hong Kong film industry. Without such a powerful backer, and the fact that "Monkey King" was no longer a risk of loss, there wouldn't have been so many people joining him in his madness. Wu Mingxuan isn't really considered a truly great director at this point.
Compared to "Monkey King," which completely defied her understanding, "Chinese Zodiac" was much easier for Fan Bingbing to understand. She had read the script, but unfortunately, Wu Mingxuan refused to give her the role. This was the reason Fan Bingbing decided to end the relationship: she didn't want to be "one of them," she wanted to be "the one."
"'The Twelve Zodiac Animals' is amazing. It's about the bronze heads of the twelve zodiac animals from the Old Summer Palace. It incorporates popular elements like history, treasure hunting, adventure, and urban action. The quality is very high. Even Big Brother said it might be the most classic and highest-grossing film of his career."
Seeing Wu Kebo's excitement, Fan Bingbing kindly reminded him, "The film's investor is Emperor Entertainment Group, and the distributors have been confirmed to be Huayi and China Film Group. We can't get involved. Even Wu Mingxuan can only take his salary plus dividends."
"It's okay. Talent is hard to come by. As long as they're sure they're talented, that's all that matters. I've always been very patient, and I can afford
to go to any restaurant anytime." Wu Mingxuan departed at 7 p.m., handing over the rest of the filming to his assistant director, Guan Hu, the same Tiger who had mentored Wu Mingxuan in his previous life.
A man of honor repays a favor, and Wu Mingxuan naturally remembered the favor. While he couldn't possibly serve as Guan Hu's assistant director again, he could let him do it for him, and he could also help him look after him and sign him to Perfect Entertainment.
After all, Guan Hu's ability and talent were considerable, and he was considered a forerunner among the sixth generation of directors.
Looking at his current total assets, Wu Mingxuan felt confident. With the Wushuang payment already in hand, he didn't have to rush to repay Yang Yongqing. Not counting his Huayi shares, his current assets exceeded 1.6 billion RMB. With the oil price falling and the economic crisis looming, even Yang Shoucheng might not be richer than him.
Wu Kebo, a 1960s generation, was one of the first to venture into Japan. He had been working in the Japanese business world since the 1980s and 1990s, amassing a wealth of connections.
In January 1998, Wu Kebo teamed up with renowned Japanese musician Tetsuya Komuro to enter the entertainment industry, establishing ROJAM. It quickly grew into a leading comprehensive music studio in Asia, specializing in music production.
He returned to mainland China in 2005, and his first signing was the ever-popular Chen Hao. His assets and funding sources remain a mystery, but he maintains strong connections with Sony Music Japan, receiving frequent support from the latter. Many believe he's an agent backed by Japanese capital.
Wu Kebo also observed Wu Mingxuan, the sudden and impressive director who had risen to prominence in less than six months. He had studied Wu Mingxuan and researched every available information on him, drawing a deep interest in this once-in-a-thirty talent.
In Wu Kebo's opinion, the only thing he lacked compared to Huayi was a director like Feng Xiaogang. Aside from the three major directors, Wu Mingxuan was the one he was most satisfied with, so Wu Kebo wanted to give it a try.
Wu Kebo enthusiastically extended his hand to Wu Mingxuan, saying, "I've heard a lot about you. I'm finally meeting Director Wu in person. You're truly a gentleman, like a jade tree in the wind. You're an outstanding talent at first glance."
"Hello, Mr. Wu, I have heard of your name. It seems that Golden Harvest has fallen into Mr. Wu's hands. After all, Golden Harvest has a good relationship with the Japanese entertainment circle. Those who are close to the water get the moon first. I would like to congratulate Mr. Wu first."
With just one sentence, Wu Kebo knew that Wu Mingxuan had known all his plans. Although he didn't know how Wu Mingxuan knew it, Wu Kebo had already felt that it would be difficult for him to win Wu Mingxuan back. This is definitely not as simple as dealing with a talented director who has just debuted. This is a person of the same kind who is unfathomable and extremely ambitious.