Free Web NovelThis roadshow went very smoothly.
As for how Father He was pulled aside for an interview by a nearby Blogger later, that's a story for another time; Xiao He and the rest of the Film Crew for the thief catcher 2 went backstage to wait for the second roadshow event. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Director's phone almost never stopped ringing.
Xiao He overheard a bit and guessed it was probably various major investors.
As parties who had been closely following the box office performance of various movies during May Day, they were the first to notice the potential of the thief catcher 2.
First of all, Xiao He alone was enough to support the box office of the thief catcher 2.
And now, what they were waiting for was a real result from the movie's release.
Thus, almost as soon as the first batch of screenings ended, various well-connected investors were already hurriedly calling, scrambling to invest in Director.
The only requirement was that Xiao He must act in the thief catcher 3!
Even more exaggeratedly, some didn't even give the Film Crew face and directly demanded that Xiao He be the lead.
Pu Rong also heard the demands of the big-shot investors from the side. He fell silent for a moment, then gave a somewhat helpless smile: "Oh no, I really feel like my position is unstable now!"
Back in the thief catcher 1, Xiao He's status wasn't even that of the second male lead; he was just a supporting character.
By the thief catcher 2, Xiao He was basically considered a lead actor, though he was still ranked behind Pu Rong. According to many fans nowadays, he was the second-billed Male Protagonist.
By the time they reached the third installment, Pu Rong really didn't know what the situation would be.
Although Xiao He had skyrocketed and Pu Rong was very happy for his progress, facing the issue of being demoted in billing still made Pu Rong feel a bit frustrated and anxious.
Since the thief catcher became a massive hit on online streaming platforms, he had indeed received a great deal of attention. He had subsequently participated in several other film productions, playing both lead and supporting roles. However, the entertainment industry was currently too competitive. Despite Pu Rong's hard work over several years, he found it difficult to advance further, except for being mentioned whenever people listed "martial arts stars."
After all, traffic was king nowadays.
If he couldn't monetize through traffic, he couldn't prove his value.
And if he couldn't prove his value, the resources that had come to him because of his "martial arts hit" would vanish in an instant.
Pu Rong was worried he would repeat the old path of the thief catcher 1—missing the opportunity again just as the thief catcher 2 was taking off.
Xiao He also knew Pu Rong was simply anxious. He raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Director Lin has a clear sense of balance in his heart. Jiang Rushuai is the absolute protagonist of the thief catcher series, and no one can change that. Otherwise, the thief catcher wouldn't be 'the thief catcher' anymore. You are also definitely the handsomest Jiang Rushuai in my heart! Didn't you see many people at the scene praising you?"
"In the thief catcher 1, even with the limitations of the platform, your Jiang Rushuai successfully set off a trend for Wuxia male leads. Now that we've successfully brought the thief catcher 2 to theaters, are you still worried that you'll regress instead of progress?"
Shen Jue was great, and from Xiao He's perspective, he naturally favored him. However, Jiang Rushuai's personal charm was also undeniable. Pu Rong's fight scenes were real, and his acting wasn't bad either. In both works, Jiang Rushuai had always stuck to his own path, acting as a hero and possessing a chivalrous heart. This kind of traditional Wuxia-style Male Protagonist would remain popular no matter how many eras passed.
This time, the thief catcher 2 successfully reached a larger platform, allowing more people to recognize the character of Jiang Rushuai and understand his kindness, loyalty, and benevolence. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Moreover, compared to Shen Jue's bloody De-boning Knife Technique, Jiang Rushuai's swordsmanship was handsomer and more stable.
Xiao He believed that during this May Day, Pu Rong would definitely successfully catch this wave of traffic and use it to leap even further.
the thief catcher 2 deserved it, and Pu Rong deserved it too.
He also never minded the success of others.
Otherwise, Xiao He wouldn't have been willing to take on other supporting role scripts after having already won the double best actor titles.
For Xiao He, at this moment, he no longer needed to prove himself, but for others, it was a golden opportunity.
"Phew—"
Pu Rong took a long breath, clenched his fists, and a determined light flickered in his eyes: "Yeah!"
He could definitely do it this time!
If it didn't work... at worst, he'd just go back to his family's martial arts hall to wait for another chance!
...
Unsurprisingly.
On the day of the May Day movie premieres, the thief catcher 2 became a massive hit. the thief catcher 1 also soared to the top of the online movie charts due to the surge in popularity, once again attracting a large number of new and old viewers who paid to watch. Meanwhile, the names of Pu Rong and Xiao He from the thief catcher 2 trended together on the hot search list!
At the same time, the Blogger who had interviewed Father He at the premiere also produced a video at top speed. They posted the viewing experience related to the thief catcher 2 on various major platforms, and as soon as it was released, it garnered a huge amount of popularity.
As the main promotional front now, the YinFei short video platform received a massive number of views and likes. Even the video of He Miao's father calling Xiao He "Brother Xiao" at the scene was widely circulated.
While netizens marveled that "your Brother Xiao will always be your Brother Xiao," even more people were looking at the plot feedback for the thief catcher 2 and starting to order movie tickets, preparing to go to the cinema to show their support.
【It's still the same authentic Wuxia fight scenes. Jiang Rushuai's rescue was so cool! Everyone should go see it!】
【Finally, they aren't immortals flying around on wires looking all ethereal! Do you guys understand that "grounded" style of kung fu fighting? It's that solid, real-deal martial arts combat! I'm amazed every time I see it!】
【Why didn't the thief catcher 1 make it to theaters? I was so disappointed back then! I'm planning to see the thief catcher 2 twice this time, which can be considered making up for the ticket for the thief catcher 1.】
【Friends, a second viewing is worth it! The fight scenes in some parts are just too fast—swish, swish, swish—and some people are already killed before I can clearly see the moves. I didn't use the fast-forward button when I watched the first one, so seeing it twice in the cinema this time will be a different experience!】
【Everyone is talking about the fight scenes; am I the only one who really likes the plot? I really love the stories of both the thief catcher movies! The protagonists are all minor characters, yet the story looks at the fate of the nation through their eyes. Under a chaotic era, there's the power struggle from above, but also the desperate struggle for survival of the small characters. It's quite heavy to watch.】
【I also really like the thief catcher series! As the mountains and rivers are about to fall and the Jianghu reaches its end, a mere mortal is like a blade of grass, yet he never loses his chivalrous spirit or his sincere devotion to his country. I really love the character of Jiang Rushuai; he's truly brilliant. Pu Rong played him so well!】
【And the backgrounds chosen for both the thief catcher movies are wonderful! The first one is about the suffering of the common people, and the second is about the turmoil at the Border Fortress. You could say it covers both internal and external troubles, showing the dead end of that era's background from all angles. Minor characters are so small, and their lives are so fragile.】
【I've already seen people saying that both openings of the thief catcher are brilliant. In the first one, there's a lone boat on a river, and a person is like duckweed, helpless and with no one to rely on, only able to drift with the tide and endure oppression. In the second, there's the lonely smoke of the Great Desert and sand filling the sky; people die like dust without leaving a trace, only able to survive humbly and deceive themselves. Both installments are thematic and satirical. Director, the Director, really has a lot of ideas.】
As the reviews for the thief catcher 2 continued to appear, Xiao He's fan count also began to grow steadily.
However, this was a routine occurrence for him. On the other hand, Pu Rong's popularity skyrocketed. During the short May Day period, his followers increased by millions, and he successfully raised his status through the character of Jiang Rushuai. the thief catcher 2 was destined to become a major turning point in his career.
