The martial arts film "The Wild Blade of Strangers" officially landed on iQIYI. From its theatrical release on March 2nd to its online debut on March 8th, "The Wild Blade of Strangers" only took 6 days. However, unlike previous films that quickly made their way online, the release of "The Wild Blade of Strangers" was a strategically planned proactive move. According to the creators, from the inception of "The Wild Blade of Strangers," they aimed for a release on the streaming media.
After the film was completed, many audience representatives and industry peers were invited to watch it. While they praised the quality of the film, they also suggested the idea of trying to enter theaters. It has been a long time since such an exciting Wuxia action film has graced the big screen. Subsequently, with the introduction of the concept of "theatrical release," and after rapid preparations, "The Wild Blade of Strangers" finalized its strategy of releasing in theaters and then transitioning to online streaming on the streaming media.
Since iQIYI launched the "Master of Action Season" on January 18th, the film and television industry has been closely watching iQIYI's next moves. In recent years, martial arts films have always existed with the attribute of being underrated by the market. Bringing martial arts films to the big screen is truly a bold gamble. iQIYI dares to do this not only because of the quality of "The Wild Blade of Strangers" but also due to the safety net provided by the cloud cinema platform. Action wuxia films have always been a track that iQIYI's Cloud Cinema has continuously cultivated. With high demands for film production quality, well-tailored publicity and marketing strategies, and a guaranteed audience base, iQIYI has become the largest platform for this genre of films. It has become a consensus that action films on the steaming media must be of high quality.
If we only look at the box office revenue from theaters, "The Wild Blade of Strangers," which chose to have a staggered release, will inevitably not be able to compete with the top films released at the same time. However, for fans of martial arts films, how rare is it to see a thrilling action film on the big screen? Allowing martial arts films to be seen through more channels is a multi-directional endeavor involving fans, creators, and platforms.
Audiences crave martial arts films
In recent years, martial arts films have gradually drifted away from theaters. The martial arts film "Eye for an Eye 2" was intended to be released in theaters during the Spring Festival, but due to intense market competition, it returned to online platforms. The reason is simple: martial arts films are indeed not as glorious as they were 20 years ago.
When interviewed, the lead actor of "The Wild Blade of Strangers," Zhang Jin, also mentioned that martial arts films are becoming increasingly scarce, and if not made, they may disappear. However, this does not mean that audiences have abandoned martial arts films. In today's era of blockbuster films, the market only welcomes works that contribute to social integration. The high-grossing films nowadays either relate to national identity, societal identity, or self-identity. Regardless of the audience's gender, class, or profession, once they enter the cinema, they generally experience a similar and strong sense of aesthetic identity. However, martial arts films are different. Their style is unique, sharp, multifaceted, and the most brilliant product born at the intersection of the old literary era and the new visual era. They have always had a loyal audience.
President Yang Xianghua of iQIYI Movies and Overseas Business Group expressed, "Action wuxia films are a uniquely distinctive genre in Chinese cinema, once representing the pinnacle of Chinese filmmaking internationally. However, in recent years, the box office performance of action films in theaters has been lackluster, leading to a decrease in investment from production companies and a subsequent decline in the number of action wuxia films being released. This has created a vicious cycle where audiences are deprived of the opportunity to experience action films in cinemas.
Nevertheless, the audience for action films remains substantial." iQIYI launched the "Masters of Action Season" in response to the call from this audience. To cater to the audience's aesthetic demands, the "Masters of Action Season" introduced four distinct martial arts films with different styles and themes, namely "Blocking the Horse," "Eye for an Eye 2," "Hunt the Wicked," and "The Wild Blade of Strangers." The lead actors in these films are all prominent action stars in China, known for their remarkable skills and superb acting, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
"Blocking the Horse" combines martial arts with traditional Chinese opera. A few years ago, the opera film "White Snake" showcased the charm of Cantonese opera and the elegance of water sleeves on the big screen. "Blocking the Horse" integrates Peking opera with action elements, embodying both the grace of Yang Family female warriors and the heroic spirit of chivalrous individuals.
"Eye for an Eye 2" continues the spirit of the previous installment with its theme of "seeing injustice and drawing a sword to help." The combination of cute children and tough heroes, featuring decisive and intense hardcore fights infused with elements of chivalry and heroism. Netizens aptly describe it as a "martial arts poem."
In "Hunt the Wicked," the highlight lies in the confrontation between the two heroic characters Xie Miao and An Zhijie. Throughout the film, one can see the shadows of traditional Hong Kong-style action films, with car chases, explosions, gunfights, and intense hand-to-hand combat scenes, delivering a thrilling experience.
"The Wild Blade of Strangers" delves into the Tang Dynasty's Mo Dao Army, boldly reconstructing the lost Mo Dao techniques and vividly portraying the iconic scene of Mo Dao's swift and powerful strikes that shatter both man and horse. Beyond the action scenes, the film intricately depicts themes of good versus evil, black versus white, betrayal versus redemption, with sharp, serious, and deeply profound insights. It can be said that the emergence of these four films has greatly alleviated the audience's thirst for martial arts films.
The boldness and confidence of The Wild Blade of Strangers
The theatrical release of "The Wild Blade of Strangers" may not be a lucrative business decision, but it is a commendable idea. For iQIYI, the courage to premiere a martial arts film in theaters before its online release is a bold move. The success of previous iQIYI productions such as "The Comeback" with a box office revenue of nearly 50 million, "Blind War" with nearly 40 million, and "Eye for an Eye 1" with nearly 30 million, along with the steadily rising box office performance of the currently screening "Eye for an Eye 2," reflect the undeniable potential and space for box office success in iQIYI's Cloud Cinema. However, with "The Wild Blade of Strangers," iQIYI has chosen to take a daring leap.
The key reason behind this decision is the long absence of captivating martial arts films on the big screen. The emergence of segmented distribution provides an opportunity to fill this gap. "The Wild Blade of Strangers" represents the spontaneous collision between segmented distribution and martial arts films.
It is reported that iQIYI initially planned to conduct a round of limited theatrical screenings to build word-of-mouth while allowing some fans to enjoy the action film on the big screen, demonstrating iQIYI's commitment to quality and determination. The creator revealed, "Our planned screening coincided with segmented distribution, sparking heated discussions within the team. The distribution team proposed that we should try segmented distribution as a trial run. Since segmented distribution involves pre-registration and offers more choices, the small-scale screenings are also intended to generate buzz and anticipation for the film's online release."
Regardless of whether it is the establishment of a limited release plan or the selection of alternative distribution, box office revenue is not the primary consideration. Unexpectedly, the scale of theater sign-ups and screenings exceeded expectations. It turns out that there are so many viewers who still hold deep affection for martial arts films; it turns out that there are many theater managers willing to allocate valuable screening slots to support a martial arts film that may not be recognized by the market. The hurriedness, confusion, and doubts have all turned into touching moments. Collaborating with alternative distribution, iQIYI can also provide more confidence to niche genres, including martial arts films.
When iQIYI initially launched the Cloud Cinema, online distribution was not the first choice for many filmmakers. However, as more and more critically acclaimed films made their mark in the Cloud Cinema, perspectives within the industry began to change. By using films produced by the platform itself to experiment with new distribution models, iQIYI once again reaffirmed its original intention: only when the industry improves can participants within it generate more incremental box office revenue.
After this battle, perhaps more niche genre films will find new distribution strategies. Just as Li Liangwen, a producer at an iQIYI studio, said, "If more action martial arts films can enter theaters and rekindle the audience's expectations for martial arts films, I believe everyone would be happy."
The bidirectional journey of streaming platforms and wuxia films
It is certain that iQIYI's Cloud Cinema has always been in a process of self-renewal. In May 2021, the Cloud Cinema brand was launched, signaling a new phase in online film transactions. In April 2022, the collaboration model of iQIYI's online films was upgraded, and the profit-sharing rules of Cloud Cinema films changed, marking the beginning of evaluating online films based on content and viewing effects.
In September 2022, the profit-sharing ratio for on-demand premieres in the Cloud Cinema was significantly increased, demonstrating the platform's determination to reform. In January 2023, the premiere film box office query system of the Cloud Cinema was launched, completely changing the logic of the online film trading market; and in May 2023, the online performance brand "CNT Live" was launched, continuously introducing top content producers with stable output capabilities. From the construction of professional online screening venues to the formation of mature market rules, and the introduction of "living water" with sustainable output capabilities. All these measures clearly demonstrate that the original intention of the Cloud Cinema has never changed: to create a fair, transparent, and healthy online film trading platform.
The battle of "The The Wild Blade of Strangers" is another reassurance from iQIYI to the industry: the exclusive broadcast of Cloud Cinema films does not mean that they can only be released online. As long as it is good content, iQIYI is willing to let it be seen by more people. As Yang Xianghua said, next, iQIYI will continue to try to push more excellent action films into theaters for screening before releasing them on iQIYI's Cloud Cinema. The ability of action films to find a space for survival on streaming platforms like iQIYI is due to changes in the macro environment, alignment with specific audience demands, and reliance on platform support and promotional strategies.
Through a series of actions related to "The The Wild Blade of Strangers," iQIYI's determination towards action films is also clear - the platform is wholeheartedly committed to promoting the development of action films. From distribution collaborations with the Cloud Cinema, to in-house production by the platform, to experimenting with new distribution methods, all to bring good works to the big screen. iQIYI is exploring all possible means to revive martial arts films to their former glory and reclaim a place in the mainstream market.
This is a signal that all creators should pay attention to. In fact, iQIYI's deep cultivation of the "Master of Action Season" is not limited to traditional action films but also plans to explore various styles of action films such as military, martial arts, and new martial arts works focusing on female characters and stories. iQIYI's Vice President, Song Jia, has expressed a hope to dig out and showcase the deeper value of action films through focusing on the creation and promotion of action films, responding to the audience's demand for high-quality content, and promoting the advancement of Chinese action films to a higher level. In the future, iQIYI will actively explore action IPs and strongly support new talents in action. We have reason to believe that as an important part of Chinese cinema and a significant medium for cultural exports, action films will usher in a new spring.
