I’m Really a Superstar

In China.

Be it the public.

Or the media.

Or even the entertainment circle.

It blew up everywhere in an instant!

…

On Weibo.

“Damn, what the hell!”

“Aren’t they purposely playing with us?”

“What’s so great about Hollywood! Do you guys think you’re that impressive?!”

“So you think that our Chinese market is negligible? Why don’t you die instead!”

“Don’t you believe that we’ll one day make a Chinese movie that will outperform your box office earnings? There’s nothing that’s impossible in this world!”

“Face-smacking Zhang didn’t beg to appear in your movie. If you had found him unsuitable during the audition, just leave it at that. Why would you need to announce something like that during the press conference? And you had to drag in the Chinese market by calling it unregulated? And even say that Zhang Ye’s acting and image are not good enough? That Wilson must have done it on purpose, right! And there was an American actor whose role had been confirmed earlier on like Zhang Ye but was later removed. Why was there a need for Wilson to bring it up during the press conference? It’s not like that person provoked you, so why did you have to do it like this? This is tabloidization!”

“It’s clearly hype!”

“Yeah, Zhang Ye has been really popular in the international scene recently.”

“Motherfucker! I liked Wilson a lot in the past. He’s a famous international director, after all. But by the looks of it, he’s really not much of a person. I won’t watch his movies in the future.”

“Right, I won’t watch them either!”

“Boycott Commando 2!”

“Let them earn nothing at the box office in China!”

“We’ll fully boycott the movie! Fuck! This is so infuriating!”

“Is there a need to boycott? Those people from Hollywood are all so snobbish and think that we Chinese people would watch a movie just because it was made by them. They’re way too overconfident. What’s more, they probably don’t know who Zhang Ye’s wife is, right? She’s the head of the Central Publicity Department. Whether or not Commando 2 will get published in China is still an unknown. The film crew of Commando 2 is really asking for it!”

“Pfft, that’s quite true!”

“I’ve never liked Zhang Ye. However, I’m on his side this time!”

“Supporting Teacher Zhang!”

The citizens were furious and showing their solidarity for Zhang Ye.

Following, many of the entertainment circle’s celebrities and directors also stepped forward.

Famous Chinese director Li Ke: “Don’t be putting all the blame on China. We’re not as weak as you think!”

Another famous Chinese director came forward and posted on Weibo: “The Chinese film market is rapidly growing, and Zhang Ye has always been one of the most dedicated celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry. So please don’t speak nonsense like this, and be careful of being caught out by your words.”

Ning Lan’s Weibo: “Despicable people are always trying to make trouble.”

Heavenly Queen Xu Meilan’s Weibo: “I hate people who disparage others to create hype!”

…

People’s Daily.

Xinhua News.

Youth Daily.

Many of the news media started targeting Wilson.

“China’s film market is unregulated?”

“To respect and be respected!”

“The conceit of a Hollywood director!”

“Hollywood’s arrogance and prejudice!”

The incident blew up!

Zhang Ye and his studio were once again pushed into the headlines of the news!

…

At the studio.

The atmosphere was a little subdued.

Some people were angered!

Some people were frustrated.

Some people were cursing.

Some people were feeling bad for Zhang Ye.

Because of the offer from the Hollywood blockbuster production, their studio had turned down almost every job and worked hard to make it happen. Be it the audition or the contract negotiations, they had put in 200 percent of their sincerity, even asking for a very low salary, all this just to have a chance to show up in a Hollywood movie. For a time, they had thought it was a done deal. This was also the feedback given to them by the film crew of Commando 2. But no one could have expected that at the press conference, Director Wilson would take a vicious stab at them. Only now did they realize that the crew of Commando 2 had no intention of hiring Director Zhang at all. From start to finish, it had just been a plot to hype up their movie!

They first offered an olive branch.

Then they trampled it.

This would completely cut off Director Zhang’s future path in Hollywood!

Little Wang roared, “They’ve gone too far!”

Tong Fu said angrily, “Those bastards!”

But Zhang Ye wasn’t affected. He laughed and said, “That’s enough, it’s not even a big deal.”

Ha Qiqi took the initiative and admitted to her mistake. She said solemnly, “Director Zhang, the responsibility lies with me this time. It was my problem because I was too eager for us to go forward.”

Zhang Zuo added, “I’m also to blame. I should’ve known such a good opportunity wouldn’t just fall into our laps. We were all too anxious to succeed.”

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “The decision was made by me. What has it got to do with you guys?”

However, Ha Qiqi and the others knew and could tell during the meeting when they were making the decision to enter Hollywood, Director Zhang did not seem to care much for it. It was only because of their insistence that he agreed to go for the audition. Perhaps Director Zhang already had a hunch about the offer at that time.

Zhang Ye laughed and said, “Alright, let’s not try to take responsibility from each other over the matter. This incident has also taught us a lesson. We have never been the type of people to play by the book anyway. It’s clear that we aren’t suited to follow in the steps of other international celebrities, moving step by step into Hollywood by shooting one, three, or five movies and building up our popularity a little at a time. We still have to carve out our own unique path. That’s the case for the domestic market, and also the case for the international scene.”

“But now—” Ha Qiqi sighed. “—even Hollywood isn’t an option anymore.”

Zhang Zuo said, “With this negative impact, I’m afraid the Hollywood directors won’t even invite us.”

But Zhang Ye shook his head and said calmly, “It’s just making movies. It’s not like we can only do that in Hollywood.”

Wu Yi was taken aback. “What do you mean by that?”

Zhang Ye smiled. “Isn’t Wilson trying to act all high and mighty with me? Since he’s issued the challenge, there’s no reason for us not to accept it.”

Ha Qiqi said, “Ah?”

Little Wang said startled, “What are you planning?”

What am I planning?

Zhang Ye only had two simple words: “Get him!”

Zhang Zuo said, “How are we going to do that?”

Tong Fu said, wiping his sweat, “That’s a famous Hollywood director we’re talking about!”

“I’ve already decided.” Zhang Ye astonishingly claimed, “We will also make a movie ourselves. We won’t go to Hollywood, but instead, stay in China to make a Chinese movie. I would like to see if we can end up with the bigger box office earnings, or would it be his Commando 2’s box office earnings that win. We’ll find out who’s the mule and who’s the horse!”

What?

Film a movie?

Little Wang was floored. “W-We haven’t even made a movie before!”

Tong Fu stammered, “Y-Yeah, we…we don’t know how to do it.”

But Zhang Ye questioned, “Wasn’t the TV series we produced also the first time we made one?”

Zhang Zuo was already shivering in fear. “But a movie is a different matter! It’s entirely different, alright!”

Ha Qiqi also said in panic, “Director Zhang, we shouldn’t make a movie just to get even. We’re really inexperienced in this field. And besides, the opponent is a Hollywood director who is directing the sequel of a Hollywood blockbuster. What are we going to use to fight them in the box office earnings? It’s impossible to compete. The gap between our Chinese film market and the American film market is not just a small one. Th-This will be too risky. We mustn’t make such an impulsive decision.”

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “Actually, when you guys mentioned Hollywood and making movies, I got some ideas. What Wilson said at the press conference has made me even more certain of it. Why is it that our Chinese-made movies cannot show their face to the world? We can’t do it? Why can’t we do it?! I’ll present to our homeland a grand gift this time! Hollywood? Wilson? Commando 2? This bro is going head-to-head with them this time! I would like to see for myself whether a Hollywood blockbuster is really as good as they claim it to be! Hur hur.”

The studio staff all looked at one another.

Everyone knew that they couldn’t dissuade Director Zhang.

Ha Qiqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “What movie are we going to make then?”

Zhang Ye didn’t even think. “A military-themed movie.”

“Military themed?” Zhang Zuo blinked.

Zhang Ye said something astonishing again. “I’ve even thought of the movie’s name already. It shall be called Wolf Warrior 2!”

Silence!

Dead silence!

Little Wang’s eyes widened. “What?”

Zhang Ye said, “Wolf Warrior 2!”

Ha Qiqi was stunned. “What number?”

Zhang Ye said, “2.”

2?

2?

Everyone nearly fell to the ground!

Zhang Zuo gasped and said, “Director Zhang, can you not joke with us?”

Zhang Ye said nervously, “I’m not joking with you guys.”

Wu Yi said, “We know that you’re taking it up with Hollywood, but, but you can’t make a movie that ends with 2 just because they’re filming Commando 2! The Commando series has a first movie, alright? Even if we want to film a movie, we cannot just call it Wolf Warrior 2 for the first movie of the series!”

But Zhang Ye said, “Whoever made the rule that the first movie in a series cannot be called 2?”

Wu Yi couldn’t find any words to refute that. “Uh, it’s true that there’s no such rule.”

Zhang Ye nodded. “Then it’s decided. We’ll call it Wolf Warrior 2.”

Everyone was at a loss for words!

They didn’t even know how to argue!

They’d never seen this before!

They’d never seen someone do things like this before!

Be it in China or in Hollywood, in all these decades of the global film industry, there had never been a person who did not play their cards according to the rules when making movies!

Director Zhang was indeed Director Zhang!

The way his brain was wired was totally unlike that of a normal person’s!