Chapter 9: Definitely Need to Pretend an Explosion on the Spot
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Li Wenyu clearly remembered that Crime City 1 sold 6.8 million tickets in South Korea. At four US dollars per ticket, that translated to nearly 30 million dollars in box office revenue, with a global total exceeding 50 million dollars. The sequel attracted 12.69 million viewers in South Korea, while Crime City 3 drew 10.68 million local viewers. The trilogy, including the fourth installment, all performed well.
As for the male lead? Hong Jingbao, if made a bit more robust and infused with some of Wang Bao’s charisma to portray the police protagonist, would make for a more thrilling rendition than the original. The Hong Kong film scene has always excelled in gangster cop stories, but if mainland actors were cast, Lu Shuming, even if he gained weight and trained, would still bring fierce intensity.
If this role were given to Lu Shuming, Li Wenyu would certainly prefer collaborating with him—he’s affordable and skilled—rather than casting Old Hong, which is basically like hiring a grandpa who’s expensive and difficult to work with.
A veteran director adapting the film wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Then there’s Slumdog Millionaire, a film inspired by two news stories the original author heard in London in 2003, which led to a novel and then its 2007 adaptation into a movie. Released in North America in 2008, it grossed 141 million dollars. Oddly, it was rated R due to its tense tone.
Even in the U.S., it earned 141 million dollars, with a global box office of 378 million dollars, winning awards relentlessly.
Its awards haul surpassed that of the original version of Echoes by the Seaside, securing the true Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Coincidentally, in May 2001, Asia Television introduced the quiz show Millionaire. Since airing, it has shattered viewership records across Hong Kong, leaving TVB alarmed and scrambling to copy with their own similar program.
If the storyline of winning prize money by participating in the Millionaire quiz show were used as the main plot, developing an exciting narrative, it would perfectly resonate with the trending variety show.
Li Wenyu had too many choices!!
Of course, if he planned to shoot Slumdog Millionaire, his director skill level of 62 would be insufficient. Fortunately, with ample time ahead, he could accumulate additional points directing Shark Beach, which would boost his skills.
...
Just after nine in the morning.
Out beyond the beach of a remote island, Pang Bing was clad in a one-piece swimsuit, straddling a surfboard, reciting lines with expressions and gestures, as if others were present on the water nearby.
No one answered her; she was performing and shouting lines at her own pace.
Li Wenyu, sitting on a yacht, called "cut" and announced a ten-minute break. Pang Bing slid off the surfboard awkwardly into the water. Amid Wang Jinghua and Li Bingbing’s startled exclamations, Li Wenyu, also in a swimsuit, jumped in, swimming over to Pang Bing within ten seconds, lifting her and placing her prone on the surfboard.
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Then he pushed the surfboard back to the yacht.
Other crew members took this as routine. Pang Bing quickly recovered and boarded the boat, clutching a digital camera to watch her performance. She shared with Sister Hua and another Bingbing, “Sister Hua, this is where I’ll be acting opposite Brother Hua and Sister Xian—they’re doing cameo scenes.”
“I’ve digitally filmed this twenty times already. When they’re free to cameo, I probably won’t get crushed too badly, right?”
Sister Hua instantly caught on to the intent behind the water scene—a deliberate show of affection, a bit of public display. Not bothered by the details, she curiously asked, “You rehearse every segment so many times?”
This was more than rehearsal; digital cameras gave quick feedback, allowing her to compare different takes and refer to the script.
Li Bingbing felt slightly dizzy. The earlier water fall seemed like it might require emergency rescue—she had worried briefly. Now they were already discussing acting techniques?
Just then, the assistant director approached the yacht holding a satellite phone. “Director Li, Brother Hua and Sister Xian said they can come over for the cameo today. The sea and weather conditions are good. What do you think?”
In Shark Beach, Pang Bing’s female lead character surfs to an unfamiliar island, where she encounters two locals who ask about the basic water conditions nearby. There are individual dialogue scenes and shots with all three together, swimming and surfing amid the stunning sea and waves.
They have fun both above and below water. The overall edited footage, from Brother Hua and Sister Xian’s appearances to their final departure, runs several minutes, though Brother Hua’s scenes alone rarely exceed two minutes.
Li Wenyu nodded. “Then let’s wait for the two seniors to arrive. Bingbing, get ready quickly. I’ll take you for a few laps of swimming and surfing.”
So far, Pang Bing’s swimming skills were solid. Surfing was improving gradually through repeated practice—up from 52 points, nearly reaching 60. This wasn’t just Li Wenyu helping her level up; the two often went into the water together, and her skills naturally grew.
Surfing is similar to sports like basketball, soccer, or volleyball—just another water sport. If you’re not afraid of water, interested, physically coordinated, and healthy, reaching a skill level of 60 is not a big deal.
Pang Bing’s swimming was at the level of a provincial amateur expert, over 70 points, so she was more than capable.
The two carried their surfboards into the water, gliding across the endless, beautiful sea. Under the blue sky, white clouds, and rolling waves, the large yacht followed steadily at a distance. Li Bingbing watched, eyes wide. “That looks too much fun, like a vacation. Plus, having stars like Brother Rong and Brother Hua guest-starring…”
“And why does her makeup and styling look so fashionable? Her face is the same, and the hairstyle hasn’t changed much, but she just seems way more stylish than me.”
In the early 21st century, many popular mainland actors and leading actresses adopted the ‘shamate’ style. When everyone looked like that, it was considered “fashionable”... However, Li Wenyu had offered some visual advice. Makeup artists and stylists shaped Pang Bing’s look into a dazzling and commanding 2010s style.
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The lead female role was designed to be both cool and fierce, matching the courage and grit she would show later when facing the shark alone.
Wang Jinghua watched two figures glide over the crest of waves, breaking the surf, and said dryly, “You can’t envy this. Director Li got the script and investment from Brother Rong, and the female lead was tested only with her.”
Li Bingbing felt a pang of bitterness. The Shark Beach script in the early 2000s was hardly a divine opportunity for mainland actresses. Actually, it wasn’t far off. Having Zhang Guorong, Lau Tak-wah, and Wong Cho-yin as supporting or guest stars was already a dream lineup.
A 90-minute film with a female character carrying over 80% of the weight—it was outrageous.
In this movie, Pang Bing’s presence and box office draw represented a downward shift for the mainland film industry in 2001.
Even the Four Leading Actresses and the two Bingbings, including internationally known Zhang Ziyi, were still mixing roles, supporting others like Maggie Cheung, despite Zhang Ziyi having starred in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Even if she joined Zhang Guoshi’s heroic drama crew, she would only be a supporting role.
Though speechless, watching Li Wenyu teaching Pang Bing how to surf hand-in-hand on the yacht, laughing and playing about, Li Bingbing suddenly felt like an outsider watching a couple display affection, hit hard by the onslaught of “love-bombing.”
Only when Lau Tak-wah and Wong Cho-yin arrived by yacht in the same sea area did the small crew perk up. The behind-the-scenes team showered attention on the “King Lau,” who was famously busy. After finishing Shark Beach, they would already worry about their next project.
Li Bingbing needed no further explanation. She had only just entered Huayi Pictures, still observing and struggling with choices and challenges. She finally secured resources like The Century of Good Matches, Rats Falling in Love with Cats, and A World Without Thieves by 2003 through Wang Jinghua and Huayi’s operations.
Seeing King Lau come to support Pang Bing made her feel utterly envious.
The only consolation was that she studied at Shanghai Theater Academy, not Beijing Film Academy. If two actresses from the Four Leading Actresses and the two Bingbings were from BFA, they would have surely exploded on the spot from jealousy.
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