Hollywood Road

After disembarking the plane and exiting Hongkou International Airport accompanied by the staff of Warner Bros. China, Murphy looked around, only to find the scene drastically different from what he had imagined. There were no flashing cameras from the media nor swarming fans seeking autographs and photos. Except for a few Mercedes-Benz vans, everything seemed exceedingly ordinary.

Murphy had certainly harbored some expectations before arriving, and the lack of recognition left him somewhat disappointed, although he didn't show it.

"It seems you're not very famous here," Gal Gadot, linking arms with Murphy, seemed to read his mind. "Looks like you'll have to work harder."

Murphy shrugged, coming to terms with the fact that he was still considered a second-tier director in Hollywood, and that dark-themed films like his didn't have as much market influence here as mainstream blockbusters.

This realization made him think that the box office for "Man of Steel" might not perform exceptionally well in China.

Of course, it was only 2007, and the Chinese film market was just beginning to develop, not yet as fervent as it would later become.

"Let's go," Murphy said, pulling Gal Gadot towards the car. "Let's get in."

Gal Gadot nodded but paused to have one of the staffers buy a Chinese newspaper, which she browsed before entering the van.

Murphy glanced at the familiar Chinese characters on the newspaper. "Can you read this?"

"Nope," Gal Gadot shook her head, handing him the newspaper. "Didn't you boast that you could read Chinese?"

"It's not boasting; I really can read it."

Murphy took the newspaper, which turned out to be an entertainment journal bought by the staff, presumably because they thought industry people would be interested in that kind of publication. Flipping through it, he found an article about himself near the front.

"What's it about?" Gal Gadot asked curiously.

Murphy pointed at the news title and the poster of "Man of Steel" below it, explaining, "It's news about us."

"I see the picture clearly," Gal Gadot teased. "Can you read out the actual content?"

"Sure."

Clearing his throat, Murphy translated the printed Chinese characters into American English with a slight Los Angeles accent: "'Man of Steel,' featuring the leading creators, attends the Shanghai International Film Festival. Famous Hollywood director Murphy Stanton greets Chinese fans."

As Chris Evans had gone to Korea and Megan Fox was busy with promotions for "Transformers," only Murphy and Gal Gadot were present from the main creative team.

"Why is 'Superman' added to the title 'Man of Steel'?" Gal Gadot asked, puzzled. "Didn't you specifically remove Superman's name from the title?"

Murphy shrugged. "It's probably for commercial benefits. Not many here might know what 'Man of Steel' refers to, but Superman has significant influence."

Even those unfamiliar with the comics knew of a superhero from America who wore his underwear outside and liked to save the world.

In fact, many naming choices made by China Film Group were often criticized, like almost every Pixar film being titled with "Mobilization," but from a commercial perspective, most translated names of films, like "Superman: Man of Steel," were more market-friendly.

"Want to hear more?" Murphy indicated the newspaper, and Gal Gadot nodded. "Continue."

Murphy resumed his role as a newscaster.

"According to our newspaper: Warner Bros.'s annual superhero blockbuster 'Superman: Man of Steel' will land in mainland China on June 20th. Hollywood's up-and-coming director Murphy Stanton recently greeted Chinese audiences through a video clip, revealing that he will attend the Shanghai International Film Festival this week. Simultaneously, a new Chinese poster was also released."

The poster, featured below the title, centered around Superman. While in London, Murphy had recorded a promotional video, even flaunting some Chinese phrases, likely endearing him to many Chinese fans.

"In the video, Murphy revealed: 'I am very excited to come to China to promote our new movie "Superman: Man of Steel." We look forward to meeting with the Chinese audience next week in Shanghai.' It is understood that the promotional activities in Shanghai for 'Superman: Man of Steel' will be a powerful collaboration. Director Murphy Stanton and Gal Gadot, who plays Wonder Woman, will appear together at the Shanghai International Film Festival, aiming to form the strongest film duo and go all out to promote this movie."

Murphy paused there, as the rest was just promotional fluff not worth mentioning, and he had sufficiently proven his proficiency in Chinese to Gal Gadot.

The car soon arrived at the Hilton Hotel. After sorting out their accommodations and declining a banquet invitation—they both needed rest after the long flight—Murphy and Gal Gadot settled in. Despite the quiet welcome, the elaborate plans laid out by Warner Bros. China underscored the importance of the Chinese market.

Like

 those famous corporations and conglomerates, Hollywood's major studios were not blind to the potential of China.

"With such a large population and the economic development here, it's not hard to see the potential," Murphy explained to Gal Gadot, who had inquired about the market dynamics. "Hollywood is naturally interested. Imagine, with a population of over 1.3 billion and a rapidly growing economy, what kind of explosion can we expect if even one-tenth of these people become regular movie-goers?"

"Yes," Gal Gadot nodded. "Also, I heard that Walt Disney has been working on a Disneyland here. Is that also part of the market strategy?"

"Exactly," Murphy thought for a moment before adding, "Disneyland can be seen as Walt Disney's foothold. If such a significant investment is realized, they will undoubtedly receive some concessions here."

The treatment of Disney's movies and various products had indeed proven this point.

Indeed, most Disneylands around the world, if only ticket sales were considered, were operating at a loss, and the future Shanghai Disneyland would likely be no exception. But as Murphy noted, Disneyland's role was not just about selling tickets; its impact was felt in various other aspects.

From policy benefits to royalty incomes and merchandising, Disney emerged as the real winner of the film industry when all factors were considered.

Although Murphy felt that "Man of Steel's" style might not suit the current Chinese market well and might not achieve great success, Warner Bros., in collaboration with China Film Group, still went all out to promote the film and even scheduled the Chinese premiere during the Shanghai International Film Festival to attract more Chinese viewers.

Murphy was well aware that Warner Bros. was more focused on laying groundwork for the series' future. After all, no market or film naturally achieves blockbuster status without meticulous planning and execution.

With two days until the premiere and coinciding with the Shanghai International Film Festival, Murphy and Gal explored some of Shanghai's famous sites and watched several films being showcased at the festival, particularly Chinese films.

What impressed him the most was Tian Zhuangzhuang's "The Go Master." It wasn't so much the content or the plot that stood out, but the film's photographic style, which left a lasting impression, especially since someone completely unfamiliar with the game of Go might not find much else to resonate with.

Another discovery was realizing that his fame in China was indeed not extensive. Perhaps only avid film fans familiar with Hollywood knew of this uniquely styled director, but the general public barely recognized him.

Not just the general public, but even several entertainment reporters Murphy encountered during his stay did not recognize him.

Without exaggeration, his fame here couldn't even compare to Nicolas Cage, who played Lex Luthor, in terms of local recognition.

Murphy knew of Nicolas Cage's tremendous fame and influence here, so he had also invited Uncle Cage to come, although he would only arrive on the day of the premiere.

Murphy wasn't too sure about the details, only knowing that every film starring Nicolas Cage, as long as it didn't touch on sensitive topics for China, performed well at the Chinese box office, regardless of how poorly it did elsewhere in the world.

This was definitely a unique aspect of the Chinese film market, something even Murphy had not figured out completely.

Perhaps the rumors that some high-ranking individual here was a hardcore fan of Nicolas Cage had some truth to them.

On June 20th, the day Nicolas Cage arrived in Shanghai, hundreds of fans reportedly went to the airport to welcome him, with some enthusiastic fans even driving along with Cage's convoy from the airport to the premiere venue.

That afternoon, Murphy finally gained some attention as the film, now officially named "Superman: Man of Steel" by the Chinese distributors, premiered at the main venue of the Shanghai International Film Festival, the Shanghai Film Art Center.

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