Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 42: Emerging from the Water

The Hollywood Reporter's website headline was updated within an hour of the data being confirmed, with the headline: "Iron Man saves Marvel! $2.3 million in opening weekend, marking a new era for superhero movies."

The article analyzes in detail the factors contributing to the film's success and astutely points out: "...It is worth noting that Light Chaser Animation, one of the main investors, a relatively unknown company, played a key role in this success. The digital effects company behind it provided stunning visuals for the film, which may foreshadow a new trend of binding film investment with core technologies."

Variety's in-depth report focused on the industry impact: "More than just box office: How Iron Man is redefining Marvel, Hollywood, and the merchandise market."

The article devotes considerable space to introducing Light Chaser Animation: "This company, controlled by Chinese entrepreneur Jiang Yu, provided crucial financial support midway through the project and secured visionary long-term revenue terms. The contributions of its affiliated visual effects company, Light & Shadow Digital, ensured that the film's visuals were visually on par with any of its peers. This was a perfect marriage of capital and technology."

The Los Angeles Times' business section takes a more macro perspective: "The Collision of Eastern Wisdom and Hollywood Machine: Analyzing the Transnational Capital Game Behind Iron Man."

The article attempts to explore Jiang Yu and his business empire: "Light Chaser Pictures is not an isolated case. It belongs to Light Chaser Holdings in Macau, which also has a strong production and special effects entity in Beijing, China. This trans-Pacific dual-core operating model allows it to simultaneously leverage the capital, talent, and market advantages of both China and the United States. The success of Iron Man is a resounding declaration of this new model."

On television, CNN and BBC entertainment news broadcast footage of long queues outside Iron Man theaters, with presenters always mentioning that the film was "co-produced by emerging companies such as Light Chaser Entertainment."

The entertainment channel is keen to discuss Robert Downey Jr.'s comeback miracle, and also frequently mentions "the emerging capital forces that support him."

Within the industry, all sorts of rumors and formal inquiries flooded into Light Chaser Pictures.

Executives from the six major film studios called to congratulate them, producers from independent film companies hoped to meet for coffee to "discuss possible collaborations," and talent agencies were frantically trying to squeeze their directors, screenwriters, and even actors into Light Chaser's next project.

David's phone was ringing off the hook, so he had to use his backup phone and have his assistant strictly filter incoming calls.

Outside the industry, ordinary viewers and movie fans first noticed the names "Light Chaser Pictures" and "Light & Shadow Digital" through box office news and entertainment reports.

The company's information was clicked multiple times on the IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes video pages.

On movie fan forums, people started discussing "what's the background of that company that made the cool armor special effects?"

........

This wind, inevitably, swept across the Pacific Ocean with even greater force.

Tuesday, October 5th.

Beijing, China.

The news that "Iron Man" raked in $2.3 million in its opening weekend, breaking multiple records, spread overnight through foreign media, portal websites, and film and television social media, reaching domestic audiences across the country.

A piece of information that had previously been overlooked or deliberately downplayed by some people has suddenly been magnified and placed before everyone's eyes: the somewhat unfamiliar "Luminous Pictures (North America)" in the list of major investors, whose Chinese translation is 追光影业（北美）.

This company's name differs from "Light Chaser Animation (BJ)," which sparked heated discussions last year due to the casting of "The Witch." They only have two characters different in their names.

The media, with their keen sense of smell, immediately sprang into action.

Reporters from the entertainment sections of the Beijing News and Southern Metropolis Daily immediately attempted to contact Light Chaser Animation (BJ).

After the call was connected, the president's assistant answered and, after consulting with the relevant authorities, transferred the call to Yang Siwei.

"Mr. Yang, hello! I'm a reporter from Southern Metropolis Daily. I'd like to confirm with you whether Light Chaser Animation (North America), the investor behind the box office phenomenon 'Iron Man,' and your company, Light Chaser Animation (BJ), are under the same management group? Or, in other words, what kind of relationship exists between them?"

On the phone, Yang Siwei's voice was clear and professional: "Thank you for your attention. Yes, Light Chaser Pictures (North America) is a subsidiary of Light Chaser Holdings, focusing on film and television investment, production, and distribution in the North American and global markets. Light Chaser Pictures (BJ) mainly focuses on content development and production for the Chinese-language market. Both companies belong to the Light Chaser Holdings system and cooperate in strategy, resources, and projects."

Although the answer was expected, hearing it confirmed with my own ears still excited the reporter: "So, does that mean that 'Iron Man,' currently the hottest movie in the world, has core Chinese capital involved and has achieved huge success?"

"We can say that Light Chaser Holdings is delighted to participate in and support such an excellent project as Iron Man, and it has been a very pleasant collaboration with top partners such as Marvel and Paramount. The success of the film is the result of the hard work of the entire creative team and staff."

Yang Siwei's answer both acknowledged her participation and cleverly avoided the potentially complex interpretation of the statement that Chinese capital was the main driver, attributing the credit to the creative team.

"So, what impact will this success have on Light Chaser Pictures' business in China, such as the upcoming film 'The Witch'?"

"The success of Iron Man demonstrates the professional vision and execution capabilities of our global team, which will undoubtedly enhance the confidence of our partners and audiences. As for The Witch, it is a work rooted in local creativity but aimed at the global market, and we are confident that it will also gain audience recognition. Please stay tuned for our subsequent official announcements for more information."

......

The interview content was quickly compiled into an article, along with Yang Siwei's crucial confirmation.

"Yes, that's our North American company," she replied calmly and appropriately, and that afternoon she made headlines on major portal websites.

The online world was instantly ignited!

"Holy crap! It really is the same company?! The same company that invested in 'The Witch' also invested in 'Iron Man' in Hollywood?!"

"They've been keeping a low profile! I initially thought they were just a well-funded new domestic company, but I never imagined they were so successful in Hollywood!"

"Isn't this what they call 'making a fortune quietly'? They pulled off a big one without making a sound!"

"No wonder 'The Witch' dared to use a new director and a new actress; they have the confidence! They truly have a global vision and the ability to manage a project!"

"I checked, and Light & Shadow Digital is also their company! The same ones who did the special effects for Iron Man! This is a complete industrial chain! From investment and production to special effects, they handle everything?!"

"So who exactly is Jiang Yu? This is incredible! Domestic media haven't reported on him before!"

"Huayi's press releases previously touted how successful the co-production 'The Forbidden Kingdom' was... Now, looking at it, it feels like their vision has suddenly broadened."

A trending question quickly appeared on Baidu Tieba: "How would you evaluate the huge success of Light Chaser Pictures' investment in 'Iron Man'?"

Topics such as Light Chaser Animation Studios, Iron Man, and Chinese capital investing in global blockbusters quickly climbed to the top of Baidu's trending searches.

Many film bloggers and entertainment influencers have published articles explaining the mysterious background of Light Chaser Pictures, and various insider information, some true and some false, has begun to circulate.

Within the domestic film and television industry, especially those companies, directors, and producers who were initially hesitant or even dismissive of Light Chaser Pictures, this new player, are now experiencing more complex and shocking feelings.

"Really? Light Chaser Animation Studios has quietly made such a big splash?"

"Yang Siwei admitted it herself, how could it be false? They already have a North American subsidiary in Hollywood!"

"Iron Man! That's Marvel's comeback project, their ticket to a goldmine for the next few years! That vision, that scale..."

"While we're still worrying about which TV station a TV series should air on and how much revenue it should generate, they're already sitting in Hollywood's revenue-sharing meetings."

"We need to change our attitude when negotiating cooperation with Light Chaser in the future. They have more than just the domestic budget in their hands."

(Hoping those with monthly passes can give me some support!)