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What happened to Duc Thinh's "Clam King" after Thanh Thuy's "plea for help"?

May 04, 2026

Hanoi [Vietnam], May 4: Despite the lackluster box office performance, the film 'Trùm So' directed by Đức Thịnh is showing positive signs following a 'plea for help' from producer Thanh Thúy.
Released on April 24th, "Trùm So" by the couple Thanh Thúy and Đức Thịnh had to compete simultaneously with four other films: " Phí Phong: Quỷ mau rừng thieng", "Heo năm mong", "Đại tiệc trăng mau 8" , and "Anh Hùng" .
Initially, the film, starring Miss Mai Phuong, seemed to be overshadowed by lackluster box office revenue. However, producer Thanh Thuy didn't give up but actively participated in promotional activities, encouraging audiences to go to theaters and support the film.
On her personal page, Thanh Thúy actively livestreams and interacts with her audience. The 8X beauty shared that when she goes to the cinema, she listens to feedback and is ready to accept all comments. "I produced the film in one year, but the preparation lasted seven years. I have so much emotion for this work that I wanted to go there in person and hear the audience's feelings. If they praise it, it's encouragement for me. If they criticize it, it's a lesson for me to do better in the next project," the producer said.
Amidst the fierce competition at the Vietnamese box office during the long holiday season, "Trùm So" (The Shell King) was initially considered an "underdog" upon its release. However, the film has recently shown positive signs of improvement. On May 1st, director Đức Thịnh's film grossed over 4 billion VND, bringing its total revenue to over 10 billion VND.
According to the production team, the effects of these efforts are beginning to show clearly in the cinema system. Previously, each cinema only scheduled one or two screenings per day, often at 8 AM or 11 PM. Now, some cinema complexes have increased this to seven to eight screenings, spread across various time slots. This adjustment not only helps the film reach a wider audience but also opens up opportunities for improved revenue in the next phase.
Producer Thanh Thúy's statement
Receiving these positive signals, Thanh Thúy was deeply moved. She said she wasn't focused on "surpassing" anyone, but only cared about the revenue of " Trùm So" . At the same time, the producer also expressed gratitude for the audience's support.
Thanh Thúy further shared: "My daily efforts are truly for myself, hoping the film crew will recoup their investment and make a profit. When selling goods, you also hope to have customers; film is an art form and also the work of my husband and me. But behind it all, I worry about the crew, the people who work with me on this film. Lately, I've heard that working on projects that win hundreds of billions of dong makes it easier for them to negotiate when working on other projects. So if a film loses money, they will be just as sad as the producer. I'm trying not only for myself but also for more than 100 people behind the scenes."
Thanh Thúy shared that her current efforts aren't about proving "who's better than whom," but rather about her faith in the work her husband is directing. "I don't want this film to disappoint Đức Thịnh because of its box office revenue," she said.
According to Thanh Thúy, the success of a film project depends on the support of the public. The actress believes that "a good film will just sit in storage if there are no viewers."
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper