After receiving Ning Hao's approval, Li Xiaole's mouth raised slightly and patted his shoulder. He thought to himself, brother, you have worked hard, and immediately turned on the computer and wrote an email to the new screen:

"Mr. Zhang, I will publish an article in the Chuzhe Daily in the personal name of screenwriter and deputy director Ning Hao, and I'll be able to criticize "Heroes". Can you?"

A few hours later, in the office of Xinpai Company, the stubborn male secretary was looking at the box office report of "Hero", clicking an email casually, and shouting angrily: "This little director is so annoying~!"

"Didn't Erhu tell you that you should be calmer in your work. What's the matter? "Zhang Weiping, the chairman of the new picture, was now holding a golf club and practicing putting the putter in front of the 3-meter-long indoor putter practicer.

"Mr. Zhang... Sorry." Secretary Erhu turned his head and saw Zhang Weiping's face like a gangster, and he shrank his head in fear. He hurriedly walked over with his laptop and said angrily:

"I'm not excited. Look, it's the young director of "Crazy Stone" who is too arrogant and actually said he would post articles in the newspaper to bombard us! What is he? He dares to threaten us blatantly." Mr. Zhang, who has always been furious, would be strange if he didn't jump into the street to curse when he saw this email.

"Show me~" Zhang Weiping laughed when he heard this, put the golf club aside, walked over and took the computer to look, but nodded with a smile:

"I did read him correctly. This Li Xiaole is indeed a bit of a business acumen. Unlike the leadership teams of those film factories, the rigid thinking is just a little clear." After saying that, he patted Erhu on the shoulder: "Go, give me an email to him."

"Okay!" Erhu was on his bench with a strong fighting spirit, and he was eager to try on the keyboard with both hands. He turned around and asked Zhang Weiping, who had always been hot-tempered: "Why did Mr. Zhang reply to this kid!"

"Just go back like this, 'a'." Zhang Weiping said in a low voice.

"But?" Erhu was stunned and didn't understand.

"But, can't you type a word? Yes, okay." Zhang Weiping stared at him and shouted in a loud voice. Erhu was so scared that he called "Ke" tremblingly and replied to Li Xiaole.

The film and television industry relies on strength, and the entertainment industry relies on skills. However, there are not many people in the Chinese entertainment industry who understand the rules of the game. Games require opponents to play. Zhang Weiping suddenly felt that he was much more open-minded. Finally, someone could play with him. I hope this Li Xiaole can play more intensely...

Immediately on December 25, a post on the film and television page of the Chuzhe Evening News published an article "Dare to smash heroes with stones". The report remembers that Ning Hao, the screenwriter and deputy director of "Crazy Stone", said:

"Chinese movies should be diverse. Every December New Year holiday, either Beijing-style comedy or big-time movies like "Hero", does not really reflect the lives of ordinary urban citizens. "Crazy Stone" has a good box office. I had expected that our crew deliberately released films with "Hero" to let everyone know that Chinese movies are not dead. Now there are finally comedy movies that describe the realism theme, describing the lives of ordinary people."

Of course, this report did not cause much response, but on the 26th of the next day, on the same film and television page of the Chu and Zhejiang Evening News, an article was published as "Zhang Weiping's point of "Crazy Stone" has something to do with the box office."

The description is recorded in the article:

"Zhang Yimou and Zhang Weiping have never responded to Ning Hao's public criticism of "Hero". Yesterday, when he expected the movie "Crazy Stone" released at the same time as "Hero", Zhang Weiping finally couldn't help but say to the reporter: "I'm too lazy to pay attention to him. Isn't it just a director who films MV? The music of "Crazy Stone" is good, but the music in our movies is composed by Tan Dun, and those who have won the Grammy Music Awards are the rest of us."

Then Zhang Weiping, who was excited tone, continued: 'I want this kind of newcomer to keep his mouth shut and have the ability, let the audience watch his movies'. Then, he wanted to remember the report that "Crazy Stone" was published by China Film Group, and the theaters in Chu and Zhejiang were all controlled by China Film. Zhang Weiping also emphasized that China's ticket sales system is not perfect, and it is likely that there will be box office stealing, stole the box office of "Hero" to "Crazy Stone" by China Film Investment, and Ning Hao is related to the deputy general manager of China Film."

On the third day of December, Ning Hao quickly issued the following response to the media:

“Response 1: Mr. Zhang has the freedom to make this statement.

Response 2: Mr. Zhang has no right or ability to order me to stop expressing my views, reminding Mr. Zhang this is the era of democracy, and pay attention to cultivating your sense of democracy! Don’t swear when speaking, reminding Mr. Zhang this is a civilized world, and pay attention to cultivating your civilized habits!

Response 3: Our crew did not have any "tricks" at the box office. I have no blood relationship with the deputy general manager of China Film Company. Please do not insult the company's leaders. Please ask Mr. Zhang to investigate and provide evidence. I have no obligation to clarify to you. When I solemnly declare that your remarks have infringed my reputation rights, I am considering resolving them through legal means...

Response 4: The extra words, respecting you as a gentleman is to believe that you can become a producer with a modern spirit by cultivating your democratic consciousness, civilized habits, and legal concepts. I hope that your works can also gain this modern spirit."

In December (On the day, Zhang Weiping, on the one hand, clarified that the "mao trick" referred to in the "Chu Zhejiang Evening News" was the result of taking it out of context, and on the other hand, issued a written statement:

First, I am too lazy to pretend to be gentle and deal with someone who can no longer be gentle.

Second, repeat (Zhang) Yimou's words again, his failure is not because of our existence.

Third, there are many films hyped in "Heroes" and many people. We don't care about the extra screenwriter Ning and his films.

Fourth, we don’t care what screenwriter Ning will report to the leader.

Fifth, Screenwriter Ning wants to sue, and I am accompanying you, and I am idle.

For four days, Ning Hao and Zhang Weiping had a verbal battle in the media, and the media across the country were escalating like bees smelling pollen. When Zhou Heyang, the editor of the entertainment version of Sina.com, was excited to see this series of reports, almost sprayed a sip of water that he had just taken out, and shouted at his secretary:

"Hurry, let Xiao Wu and the others see this report, and let them write a series of reports~" A popular filmmaker actually had a quarrel with his colleagues. Is this the gossip that the audience loves to watch the most?

Just a few days later, many media, including Baokou Sina, made overwhelming reprints and reports on this.

The entertainment page of Yangzhou Evening News reported using large photos: "Zhang Weiping revealed the shady scenes of China Film Group, the competitive environment of mainland films was harsh, "Crazy Stone" was inappropriately competing with "Hero", and mainland films fought fiercely, which affected the introduction of films."

Zhou Chengan, a famous reporter from Southern Evening News, also commented: "No one could have thought that when Feng Xiaogang was silent, a comedy called "Crazy Stone" and "Hero" would appear in this New Year's Eve at the same time. A competitor seemed impossible to launch a competition with a huge gap in strength. Although "Crazy Stone" has a good reputation for preview, Zhongying launched it to confront "Hero" head-on at this time, which is obviously unwise."

In the Tianya Forum Film and Television Section, netizens who saw this verbal battle were all watching the excitement with great enthusiasm. One netizen "Bald's hair is washed with fluffy" was obviously a fan of "Crazy Stone", and posted a slander for "Hero":

"I went to the cinema to watch both movies. I just want to say that "Hero" was just a film for Americans!! Lao Touzi didn't take care of us Chinese audiences at all. "Crazy Stone" is the best movie for this New Year's Eve. Those with normal IQ should watch "Crazy Stone" which is simply too hilarious~ We mobilized all the people in the dormitory to watch, and no one didn't like it~ Except for Zhou Xingxing's movie, the most classic domestic comedy~"

Netizen "Crazy Cool 007" is a fan of Zhang Yimou, who replied unconvincedly: "Owner, I'm worried about your eyes and head. Comparing a movie worth millions of dollars with "Heroes" can kill "Crazy Stone" in seconds with a shot of arrows and rain. OK? You compare Liang Chaogong to Sun Honglei. Isn't this nonsense? "

"I have been using Diaopai for condoms" replied in a reply: "Zhang Weiping and Ning Hao are two idiots. If you don't make movies well, you will know how to scold them and lose all the faces of Chinese movies. I just went to the cinema to watch these two movies, and they are all trash~! The best thing about this New Year's holiday is "Very Little Spy", so I can crawl all the domestic movies~~"

Although everyone was scolding, they were all interested in this topic. From reporters to netizens, they could not wait for Zhang Weiping and Ning Hao to really meet and fight, so that they would have news.

At the same time, both "Crazy Stone" and "Hero" saw an explosive box office growth. In the first week alone, while "Hero" achieved an explosive box office of 11 million a day and a total of 77 million a week, "Crazy Stone" also earned 1.6 million a box office revenue in a corner of Chu and Zhejiang.

On the weekends of the last two days, all the cinemas of "Crazy Stone" that were broadcasting were full. Even from 10:00 to 2:00 in the middle of the night, the attendance rate was as high as more than 80%. Because it was only screened in Chu and Zhejiang, many film and television students from other nearby provinces and cities even took the train to Chu and Zhejiang to take a look.

If we only count the box office of the theaters in Chu and Zhejiang Province, "Crazy Stone" is only less than 30% less than the heroes!

The single-week box office of 1.6 million has surpassed the single-week box office of the American movie "Very Little Spy" and the single-week box office of 1.23 million by international superstar Chen Long. It is just a small loss to Shanghai Film Studios. It is 1.62 million, and it is firmly sitting at the third place in the domestic box office list.

Although the box office of 1.6 million is very outstanding among domestic movies this year, it is not very amazing. It is slightly inferior to Jiang Wen's "Looking for Gun" in the first half of this year and Chen Kaige's "Along with You".

But if the premise of "only screenings in 12 theaters in Chu and Zhejiang" is added, it will really scare all domestic film factories. Where did China Film Group find such a powerful comedy movie?

The second production company, which has always been deserted, is now busy. The first week of the box office alone has made them recover one-third of the cost. More importantly, the theater chains under China Film have brought popcorn revenue to celebrate the second production. What makes everyone extremely excited is that the super market potential shown by "Crazy Stone" is definitely a big-selling movie that can have tens of millions of box office!!!

So in the second week, just in the first few days of January 2003, with Li Xiaole's careful deployment, "Crazy Stone" produced 70 new copies and began to be released in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, and several major cities. With strict control of piracy, the box office soared again. When everyone saw the box office results, they were completely stunned...5.5 million yuan~!!! The single-week box office increase was nearly 250%!

This number shocked everyone's box office in mainland movies. You know, this has not been released nationwide on a large scale, but only in a few cities...

With several powerful new films on Christmas season, except for the hero's 60 million box office in a single week, "Crazy Stone" defeated other movies in the same period and continued to firmly sit in the second place on the box office list. This month's heavy introduction film Jackman's Hollywood romantic comedy "The Legend of the World", as well as the Korean movie "Samurai" starring Zhang Ziyi and starring Zhang Ziyi, all achieved only a bleak result of 720,000 under the double blow of "Hero" and "Crazy Stone"...
Chapter completed!