"Goodbye Mr. Loser" became an unexpected hit in the October domestic blockbuster, despite the lack of a star cast or massive promotion.
The percentage of domestic screens showing the film rose from an initial 13 percent to 30 percent. It eventually grossed over 1.4 billion yuan ($220 million), with positive reviews from both critics and audiences.
It was not the only domestic box-office surprise of the year, with "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" and "Monster Hunt" standing their ground against Hollywood blockbusters.
Tencent Penguin Pictures and the Beijing News organized a film salon wherein the different people behind domestic box-office successes gathered to discuss whether "dark horse" films can be predicted and replicated.
In the case of "Goodbye Mr. Loser," the film is adapted from a successful stage drama. The drama has been playing for 12 years, allowing its script to become well-refined and the cast to know how to work the script to fit with audiences' preference, which is the key to the film's success, according to a statement from Ma Chi, the film's producer, during the film salon.
Besides a great story, good timing is another important factor.
The release date of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" was delayed several times from February to summer before eventually screening on Sept. 30, right before Golden Week, one of the most important box-office periods in China.
"It must be the result of analysis based on Wanda Pictures' years of experience in analyzing films genres in the same period. If it was shown in August, it might have also received positive reviews, but the box office might not be as big as the current box office," said Hu Yiming, the producer of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back," at the event.
Marketing is an essential aspect to the success of a "dark horse."
"Goodbye Mr. Loser" used the power of the Internet in order to make the most of its marketing resources.
"When the first trailer was released, it didn't receive good effect, few clicks," said Chang Bin, director of the film division of Tencent Penguin Pictures. He added that they adjusted their marketing strategy based on the collected data, later releasing better and funnier trailers.
"Tencent Penguin Pictures invested and co-produced 10 films this year, and we expected to earn 5 billion yuan at the box office in total. But the success of 'Mr. Loser' already led us to receive 5.6 billion yuan," said Chang.