Chapter 228: Unexpected Trailers and Tumultuous Times

Big Mouth Journey to the West? Something related to Journey to the West? Has Haofang Culture released a trailer?

Ding Xiaoping, his expression darkening, asked again.

Over a month ago, a trailer for Legend of Swords and Heroes set Mingsha City ablaze—it was downright fierce.

So much so that many industry insiders argued they weren’t afraid of Mingsha City revealing projects, but they dreaded Haofang Culture suddenly launching a trailer.

“There wasn’t even a trailer—not even a teaser! It was just a basic introduction to the film,”

Bai Ming frowned and shook his head.

Honestly, he’d never seen such a ‘dog’ of a company.

Previously, they’d launched several epics without any notice, with each turning into a masterpiece. Then, for Legend of Swords and Heroes, they broke from tradition by releasing a trailer, which not only earned audience praise but also pushed promotional impact to the max.

They thought Haofang would always follow the Legend of Swords and Heroes formula. Instead, this time they pulled off another silent ambush.

What’s more infuriating, the staff report stated that this no-notice ambush has skyrocketed netizens’ and viewers’ expectations to a new level.

Now, not only are netizens excited about the film, they’re also buzzing about the backdrop erected in Mingsha City.

Forums are in chaos right now.

“So, what’s the word?”

“Haofang Culture claims the film runs over three hours,”

“That’s all?”

Ding Xiaoping raised an eyebrow, the tension on his face easing slightly.

“Yes!”

“In that case, we needn’t worry too much,”

“Manager, but now the internet is flooded with news about the film and Haofang Culture’s open casting. The buzz has already overshadowed the film festival—I’m worried it might escalate further in a few days,”

Bai Ming looked concerned.

“This timing is really risky for Haofang Culture. And with no other blockbusters releasing lately, once Big Mouth Journey to the West debuts, the shooting rate will be unmistakable,”

“Don’t worry. A three-hour film is something only foreign blockbusters can pull off. Domestically, hardly any three-hour film is watchable. Besides, this time Xu Hao isn’t involved; the film is the brainchild of Fang Hou and several Mingsha City presidents,”

“If they can’t beat Xu Hao, can they not handle a few presidents?”

Ding Xiaoping raised an eyebrow.

Once he confirmed that Big Mouth Journey to the West would indeed run three hours, his worries completely faded.

“Manager, then…”

“Ignore them. Stick to our schedule! Our pace must remain steady—any slip and they’ll be laughing at us,”

“Understood!”

In the evening in Haishi, at Eggplant TV, Cai An finished reading the news, smiled lightly, and then turned to the Channel Director across from him.

“How is it? Have they arrived?”

As time passed, Haofang Culture remained silent, and the Channel Director wondered if the Mingsha City presidents—now without Xu Hao—had chickened out.

But eventually, they did show up.

And

the timing selected by these Mingsha City presidents was impeccable.

“Manager, they’re here—but this film is three hours long. No domestic three-hour film has yet earned stellar reviews! What if this time…”

Even as he nodded, the Channel Director’s concern lingered.

In his eyes, to truly impress at the film festival, the movie needed to achieve both critical acclaim and box office success.

“With Haofang Culture’s current hype, the pre-sale numbers shouldn’t be bad—but whether they can sustain it is uncertain. A backlash in reputation could even backfire on the festival,”

“Rest assured, if they’re daring enough to launch a three-hour film, they must have confidence,”

He waved a hand dismissively.

Cai An stated firmly,

He’d been tracking Mingsha City closely—the more he observed, the more he felt its depths were unfathomable. It’s likely they might pull off a major stunt during the Cultural Expo—be it a big film, a TV drama, or just an enticing appetizer.

“Manager, the thing is, Mingsha City seems different this time,”

After a pause, the Channel Director whispered,

“Different? How so?”

“Manager, netizens are in an uproar online—and they have their reasons. Essentially, Mingsha City’s films and dramas are designed to showcase its distinctive ancient architecture within the scenic area.”

“This time, Haofang Culture is making a mythological film,”

“In other words, the film’s backdrop should be shot in Mingsha City’s Xianxia Zone. Yet several netizens returning from a trip claimed they saw neither film crews in the Xianxia Zone nor any new structures!”

The Channel Director added.

“Huh? No new backdrop there?”

Cai An was taken aback.

“None! They merely cordoned off a large area behind the Demon-Locking Tower. The workers say they might construct a Taoist temple, but so far it’s just an empty enclosure.”

“This…”

Cai An rubbed his chin.

Just as the Channel Director finished speaking, Cai An thought he had unraveled the connection between Mingsha City and Haofang Culture—only to be thrown off again.

“Could it be they’re shooting a mythological drama in the Wuxia Zone?”

If that’s true, would it still be the same old Mingsha City?

“Either way, I’ve got a weird feeling about this. Right now, netizens and viewers are building sky-high expectations for the film’s scenery,”

“Forget guessing; with only four days until release, let’s book two tickets and see for ourselves,”

After a while,

Cai An waved his hand.

“Since we can’t pin down Haofang Culture’s game plan, we’ll just watch the outcome,”

“The results never lie!”

“Alright, Manager!”

At 7:30 PM in Yan City, Xu Hao had just returned to the Ancient Architecture Institute when he received a call from Fang Hou.

As time passed, the renovation of several peripheral courtyards in the West Sixth Palace of the 49 Imperial City neared completion—if all went well, they’d be finished by July 25.

That would also mark Xu Hao’s return to Mingsha City.

“Haozi, I see a lot of chatter online. Should we address it?”

Fang Hou’s voice over the phone carried a hint of unease.

With Xu Hao absent from Mingsha City—since he was solely managing the project—there’s both high anticipation and anxiety. Many netizen comments only heighten the worry.

“It’s not fear of criticism, but the worry of tarnishing Haofang Culture’s reputation,”

“Explain? Not necessary!”

Upon hearing this, Xu Hao immediately replied.

He knew exactly what Fang Hou was anxious about! This time, Big Mouth Journey to the West hasn’t been split into two parts like on Earth—it seamlessly combines Spotlight: A Chinese Odyssey and A Chinese Odyssey.

That’s why the film runs three hours.

More importantly, Fang Hou reviews every scene with him after filming. Except for the Pansi Cave scene, every detail—from the plot to the quality—is nearly 99.9% on point.

And it’s summer!

Most of the audience are young, so this film is destined not to flop like its Earth counterpart but instead become an unbeatable classic.

Also, Xu Hao never imagined that Luo Peng and Zhu Qiang could set up the Pansi Cave so fantastically.

In that respect alone, Big Mouth Journey to the West has outdone its Earth version.

“Haozi, really, no explanation?”

There was a pause, and Fang Hou still looked uneasy.

“Absolutely not necessary! As for those netizens who claim this is a stunt aimed at the film festival—forget it. The release schedule was set long before and has nothing to do with the festival. And even if it were aimed at the festival, so be it!”

Xu Hao laughed.

Regarding the Director Association, Mingsha City has long since dismissed that organization. In fact, the two sides are no longer equals.

If Mingsha City still considered the Director Association a rival, they’d truly be selling themselves short.

“Alright then.”

Hearing Xu Hao’s tone, Fang Hou fell silent. After a moment, he added,

“By the way, Haozi, General Zhu and President Luo have inquired when the Big Mouth Journey to the West shooting location will officially open to tourists.”

From Fang Hou’s tone, it was obvious that Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng were nearby.

“Have the city authorities cleared security checks? Especially for Pansi Cave—it isn’t a traditional structure.”

After a moment’s thought, Xu Hao added,

“They’ll get clearance as soon as filming wraps up!”

Fang Hou responded quickly.

“Now, Mingsha City has quietly become a landmark for Wei City and even Su Province. To keep drawing visitors, many organizations now operate right here, so procedures can’t be delayed.”

“Then when the film premieres, we’ll open Axe Gang, Demon King Village, and Pansi Cave simultaneously! But one thing: ensure visitor safety at Pansi Cave. Scaling Pansi Ling is no easy feat.”

After a pause, Xu Hao planned,

“Honestly, the Pansi Cave set has truly impressed me this time.”

“Zhu Qiang’s steadiness, Luo Peng’s creativity, and Fang Hou’s client skills have really propelled Mingsha City forward. Without them, Mingsha City wouldn’t have reached its current fame and scale.”

“Yes!”

“By the way, please inform Second Sister to secure the actor for the role of the secondary lead in the film. That actor’s performance in the minor role was outstanding.”

After a pause, Xu Hao seemed to recall something and added,

“Haozi, don’t worry. Second Sister has already held auditions for both the secondary lead and Tang Monk. Besides, she’s also in talks with the actress for the female lead.”

“That’s good!”

In reality,

all the major online forums are buzzing with these details. They have no idea what’s really happening behind the scenes.

The more people speculate about Big Mouth Journey to the West, the hotter the buzz gets—and the more audiences and netizens are eager to discover what Haofang Culture is truly up to.

Consequently, Big Mouth Journey to the West shot to the top of entertainment headlines, with even the traditional culture sections of major portal sites reprinting related articles.

All major cinema chains, noticing the film’s hype, wouldn’t miss the opportunity. They don’t care about the filming location or whether viewers will accept a three-hour runtime—box office is king!

By July 13, the film’s first-day shooting rate had soared to a staggering 35%.

And on July 14, the pre-sale box office climbed to 290 million—just shy of 300 million.

These pre-sale figures rank among the top ten in Long Kingdom’s film history since pre-sale ticketing began, demonstrating just how high the hype is.

Time passed,

and by the early morning of July 15, filming officially kicked off! Not only ticket-booked audiences and tourists, but also Eggplant TV’s Cai An and the Channel Director took their seats in the theater.