“Wolf Warrior” star Wu Jing, who is known as the “Wolf Warrior Male Star,” starred in and produced the movie “Goodbye, Bad Guys,” which was released in mainland China on August 22. In just 7 days, it only garnered 267,000 yuan (RMB) at the box office, leading the production company to announce the film’s withdrawal on August 28. The dismal box office performance sparked criticism, boycotts, and mocking from netizens, with some even sarcastically calling him “Fox Jing.” Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the Chinese state media Global Times, added fuel to the fire by saying, “Wu Jing’s image seems to have collapsed suddenly.”
After its release on August 22, “Goodbye, Bad Guys” failed to attract audiences, earning only 240,000 yuan in its first 3 days, 250,000 yuan in 5 days, and less than 270,000 yuan in 7 days before being officially pulled from theaters on August 28. Some netizens commented that even for an ordinary low-budget film, earning a few hundred thousand yuan at the box office is a disaster, especially for Wu Jing who had been touted as a “box office guarantee” by the Chinese authorities, this result was nothing short of a “bloodbath.”
Analysts attributed the movie’s failure to its outdated plot, lack of relevance, rough production quality from makeup, hairstyle to costumes, and actors speaking in a dialect heavily flavored with Wuhan accent. Furthermore, the film’s narrative of a debt collector caring for a cancer-stricken child in a corrupt society where influential figures support loan sharks and healthy children are at risk of being trafficked or having their organs harvested was deemed implausible.
It is widely known that Wu Jing rose to fame with the “Wolf Warrior” film series, particularly the 2017 hit “Wolf Warrior 2,” which grossed 5.7 billion yuan. However, phrases like “Those who endanger China will be hunted down no matter how far they are,” commonly associated with the series, have faded into obscurity. After the success of “Wolf Warrior 2,” even the Chinese authorities have refrained from promoting the production of “Wolf Warrior 3.”
Critics argue that Wu Jing’s success in “patriotic films” in China was not solely due to the films’ appeal but was largely driven by the Chinese government’s propaganda and manipulation of the film market, resulting in a severe distortion of the Chinese movie industry.
Following the disastrous box office performance of the multi-million-dollar investment in “Goodbye, Bad Guys,” Wu Jing’s past bold statements, such as “I jumped off a building, did you?” and “I almost died, did you?” resurfaced on social media platforms, fueling further mockery and ridicule from Chinese netizens. Some satirically remarked on the lack of rearview mirrors on tanks during the September 3 military parade in China, linking it to Wu Jing’s exaggerated claims.
Especially when Wu Jing, as the “propaganda minister,” called on his fans to watch “Goodbye, Bad Guys” on Weibo, the comment section was inundated not with expected support but with a flood of mockery and derision.
In response, Hu Xijin expressed that although there has been a recent shift in Wu Jing’s public image, he feels that the actor hasn’t done anything fundamentally wrong. He urged netizens not to overly focus on the taunts and to be fair since Wu Jing hasn’t committed any serious mistakes.
Hu Xijin further reassured Wu Jing, suggesting that the recent turnaround in public perception might be due to the ridicule and lack of notable works from Wu Jing in recent years. He advised Wu Jing to be tolerant of the jokes and not take them too seriously.
Some netizens believe that Hu Xijin fails to recognize Wu Jing’s role in his own downfall, attributing it to a series of controversies, including drunk driving, endorsing Chinese products while using Apple devices, and being labeled as a violent man and a crybaby based on past TV appearances. Ultimately, any international incident prompts netizens to jokingly call on Wu Jing for action.
In just eight years, Wu Jing transitioned from a patriotic symbol to a symbol of deception and ended up as an abstract symbol. This transformation, driven by nationalistic fervor and the media’s influence, has led to a sobering awakening among the public. Some even humorously suggest that a film titled “Goodbye, Communist Party” might fare better at the box office.