On August 29, Johnny Trí Nguyễn expressed his thoughts on the recent decision by the producers of 'The Legend of the Guardian: The Mystery of King Đinh's Tomb' to release a shortened version of the film. The new cut, which is 20 minutes shorter than the original, aims to streamline the story and enhance its pacing. The film is set to be available in theaters starting August 30.

In his appeal, Johnny Trí Nguyễn urged viewers to purchase tickets and support the historical genre, which he fears may dwindle if this film fails at the box office. He stated, “I hope that historical films can succeed, as a failure might mean we only see this genre through AI-generated films in the future.”

Reflecting on his experiences, Johnny Trí Nguyễn shared insights from his work on 'The Blood of Heroes', which initially had a lengthy runtime of 120 minutes. He recalled how the film felt drawn out and how he proposed test screenings to gather audience feedback. After receiving negative responses, he took the initiative to help edit the film down to 100 minutes, resulting in a version that resonated better with viewers.

He suggested that the producers of 'The Legend of the Guardian' should also consider conducting test screenings to gather audience opinions. “Directors often become too attached to their scenes, which can cloud their judgment. Test screenings can provide valuable insights that help create the best possible viewing experience,” he noted.

'The Legend of the Guardian' has received mixed reviews, praised for its visuals and action sequences, but criticized for its nearly three-hour runtime, which some viewers found exhausting. On the first day of the National Day holiday, the film grossed over 2.47 billion VND, selling 16,407 tickets across 1,512 showings, placing it third in the daily box office rankings.

As the film industry faces stiff competition, Johnny Trí Nguyễn's call to action highlights the need for audience engagement and support for historical narratives in Vietnamese cinema.