Chapter 395

Without any suspense, Yuan Heping agreed. One more movie was one more movie, and that was even better. Everyone wanted to develop their career in Hollywood, not to mention that Adriaan admired him. However, it would take about two months before the formal training for the actors could be arranged. Monica was working with Tommy Lee Jones in a new movie, and the female lead was a relatively ordinary housewife. At the very least, they would have to wait until most of the scenes were shot.

It didn't matter too much. Adriaan had also made it very clear to Yuan Heping that there would definitely be a lot of differences in the working habits of the two sides, and they could use this period of time to familiarize themselves with each other. Moreover, he would be in charge of the first movie himself, so he needed to fully understand the movements and fights they had designed to determine if it was suitable for what the movie wanted to express. As for the second movie, there was still a role that had not been confirmed, so it was naturally impossible to arrange for training.

Everything was settled. After calculating the time, Adriaan also began to prepare to fully immerse himself in the post-production of "Eyes Wide Shut". Of course, he still had to pay attention and ask questions. For example, at the end of July, Gwyneth finally returned to Los Angeles from Rosarito and finally got rid of the "nightmare!"

"That's right, it was a complete nightmare. God, James Cameron is definitely the incarnation of Satan!" Gwyneth said angrily to Adriaan, who had flown over to pick her up.

Compared to half a year ago, she had indeed lost a lot of weight, but her figure was still well maintained. At least, it was still comfortable to the touch. She had every reason to complain. Although Adriaan didn't go to Rosarito often, he knew that Cameron was much stricter on the set than he remembered. After all, Adriaan had given him 200 million dollars to squander without a frown. Although Cameron was extremely confident, he also felt a considerable amount of pressure.

Therefore, it was common for them to stay in the water with their clothes on for four or five hours like when they were filming shipwrecks. These two months were fine, after all, it was already summer. However, the first few months of the year were really bad. Although Rosarito was in the south of Mexico, the temperature of the cold water in winter was relatively low. Because of that, Gwyneth got pneumonia and lay in bed for several days.

Of course, Adrian rushed over as soon as he could. She was lying in bed for a few days, and he stayed by her bedside for a few days. Gwenis was a little touched by this. Women were quite sensitive when it came to these details. Perhaps they might pretend to be indifferent on the surface, but they were actually very calculative. To coax a woman, they had to put enough effort into the details.

"Alright, haven't you already punished him according to what I said? James knows that he went too far, so he's willing to be punished by you, "Adriaan said comfortingly.

On the day that Cameron announced that he would stop filming, Gwyneth, who had suffered a lot, remembered what Adriaan had said before. She quickly contacted DiCaprio and many extras who played the floating corpses. After calling Cameron out, they immediately splashed buckets of water on his head and body. As a result, the tyrant on the set was drenched from head to toe. However, after it was over, Cameron didn't say anything. He just shrugged his shoulders. From this point of view, he was indeed a good director.

"Don't think so much. Anyway, the movie is done. When it's released, you'll know that all the hard work was worth it." Seeing that Gwyneth was still a little unwilling, Adriaan immediately kissed the corner of her mouth and then said in a seductive tone, "And I can guarantee that as long as James meets my requirements, then …"

Although he didn't finish his words, Gwyneth knew what he was referring to. She immediately sat on his lap and gave him a charming kiss. She was willing to stay by his side for this reason, apart from being attracted to him.

As for whether "Titanic" could be released at the end of this year, Cameron, who was in charge of it, wasn't very sure.

"I can only say that I'll try my best. Although the shooting time is a little longer, some of the later scenes are being produced at the same time. I can't give a definite answer unless you give me some time." That was what he said.

Although Adriaan wanted to see the collision between the big ship and the soldiers, he had to wait for the time being. However, there would always be some changes that he didn't want to see. Two months later, Cameron, who had plunged into the studio, found Adriaan and made a difficult request.

"An additional investment of 20 million?" Adriaan didn't hide his surprise, while Cameron scratched his head and couldn't say anything.

"James, you have to know that the total investment has reached 200 million, and that doesn't include the cost of publicity." Adriaan said unhurriedly, "Besides, you should still have some funds in your hands. Isn't that enough?"

"I know, Eide, I know …" Cameron smiled bitterly, as if he didn't know what to say.

Adriaan wasn't a senior executive of Fox in the "history". The investment in the "history" of the big ship was only a little more than 100 million at the beginning, and it was slowly increased to 200 million after Cameron's repeated requests. For this reason, the senior executives of Fox were ready to jump off the building if they failed. But now, Adriaan agreed to give 200 million in one go, and he was investing as a private investor. Cameron could lose his temper and threaten those executives, but he didn't dare to do so in front of Adriaan.

"Listen to me, Eide." Cameron took a deep breath and finally calmed down. "I know this request is a bit excessive, but I believe that an additional 20 million will make this movie more perfect. At the beginning, we had several technical problems that we couldn't solve, so we had to use other methods to replace some scenes, so the effect wasn't particularly good. But just two weeks ago, we solved this problem, and I fully believe that we can make it more grand and realistic! "

He paused, then seemed to make up his mind. "I know how risky it is, but Eide, please believe me, I can do it more perfectly. Also, no matter what happens after the movie is released, my team and I can give up all our salaries and bonuses! "

After saying that, Cameron looked at Adriaan nervously, but Adriaan pursed his lips and lowered his eyelids, not saying a word. He wasn't considering whether he should agree to the other party's request. After all, he remembered the amount of investment for "Titanic" very clearly. It was 240 million US dollars! At the beginning, he directly threw out 200 million because he wanted Cameron to learn to save under the pressure and strive to complete the big ship within 200 million. But now it seemed impossible, so the additional investment was basically a must. Even if the publicity fee was 25 million, there was still a fluctuation of 15 million, wasn't there?

So, Adriaan was actually feeling that although Cameron was a tyrant on the set and a technical maniac, he was also a pure director, willing to bet everything for his own work. "Giving up all the salaries and bonuses" seemed useless. If the movie failed, there would be no bonuses, and the salary was simply a drop in the bucket. But at the same time, this was also Cameron's statement that if the movie failed, he would no longer be in charge of the guiding tube. This situation was very similar to when he sold the script of "Terminator" for 1 US dollar. No wonder people said that only the paranoid could succeed in this world. Compared to him, he was simply insignificant.

While Adriaan was feeling emotional, Cameron next to him became even more uneasy, almost thinking that he was going to refuse. Fortunately, Adriaan finally came back to his senses. Just as Cameron was about to get up and leave, he said, "I've decided."

"So?" Cameron's eyes lit up, and he looked at Adriaan hopefully.

"I don't plan to add another 20 million," he said seriously. He said in a serious manner. After Cameron showed a disappointed look, he smiled again. "I plan to invest another 40 million."

"Okay, I understand … What did you say?" Cameron's eyes widened in shock, and he looked at Adriaan in disbelief. He even reached out and rubbed his ears, wondering if he had heard wrong.

"You heard me right, James. I did say that I will invest another 40 million." Adriaan said with a smile, "If you want to do it, do it perfectly. Since I invested 200 million US dollars because I trusted you, I won't be stingy with 40 million."

"Oh my God! This is … "Cameron immediately jumped up from the sofa and cheered like a child. He excitedly hugged Adriaan tightly.

"Thank you, Eide! Thank you so much! I will definitely let you see the perfect work, I will! I promise! "he said incoherently.

"Okay, okay, James, don't get too excited. Pay attention to the occasion, okay?" Adriaan got up and patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Since I said that you would create miracles, then you will!"

After a pause, he waited for Cameron to calm down before he said, "But it's only 40 million. I won't give you a cent more!"

"No problem, no problem." Cameron grinned. "That's enough. It's completely enough."

"I've heard you say that more than once, James." Adriaan's face was full of distrust.

"Be careful, I'm serious this time." Cameron said as he was about to leave. "Okay, I'll disappear right away and get into the post-production."

Adriaan didn't stop him, but when he was about to leave, he asked, "By the way, at the end of this year …"

"It's definitely impossible." Cameron blocked the possibility with one sentence. "Some places need to be completely redone. There's not enough time."

"Okay, okay, it doesn't matter. Anyway, I've waited for so long. It doesn't matter if I wait a little longer." Adriaan sighed.

Although it was a pity that he couldn't see the collision between the big ship and the soldiers, it wasn't a bad thing to release it next year. With sufficient publicity, he could get better results. The reason why he added another 40 million instead of the 30 million that Cameron requested was that, including the publicity costs, it was likely to be close to the 300 million mark. In the 21st century, an investment of 300 million was still a huge amount, not to mention that the US dollar was particularly strong now. However, in Adriaan's opinion, it was very necessary.

Do you remember the global box office of Titanic? 1.8 billion, right? Why couldn't he find a way to push it to 2 billion? To be able to reach this number, how great of an achievement and glory would it be for him? Just spending nearly 300 million in a private capacity to create a super production with a global box office of 2 billion was enough to make people look at him, not to mention there were more gains in other aspects.

Yes, he was never a pure director. His goal was to build his own media empire, strive to control Hollywood, and then collect the women he wanted to collect. Everything he did was towards this goal. He could admire directors like Cameron, but there was no need to learn from them. He just needed to move in a direction that was beneficial to him.

"It won't be long." Adriaan, who poured himself a glass of whiskey, stared at the glass and said with a chuckle.

Of course, this was all in the future. In the two months in between, Adriaan also did a lot of things. For example, he finally began to make the montage editing of "Eyes Wide Shut," or to check the post-production of movies such as "Wedding Crackers," "Mr. Sweet," and "The English Patient."

Needless to say, the post-production of "Wedding Crackers" would be completed in about October. This kind of R-rated comedy did not particularly care about the schedule, so there was no need for special arrangements. It could be released at the end of the New Year. Adriaan watched the next part of the finished footage. Liv's performance was average. There were some highlights, but not many. Most of the time, she was still a beautiful vase.

"You've already said that I'm just a vase, so I'll just be a beautiful vase." Liv still didn't seem to care. Instead, she kept complaining that the surprise she had promised was not fulfilled yet.

"Don't worry, when your next movie is finished, I promise you will see a surprise." Adriaan said, then looked at her seriously, "But you may not like this surprise."

"It doesn't matter, even if it's something I hate, I won't blame you." Liv tilted her head and said, "Eide won't hurt me, right?"

"Of course." Adriaan smiled and held her in his arms.

There was nothing much to say about "Mr. Sweetheart." It was progressing relatively fast. It was expected to be completed in early November, and the publicity work could be prepared now. Whether it was Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Cruise, or Kate Blanchett, or Scarlett Johansson, they all had their own eye-catching qualities.

After watching most of the footage, Adriaan was relieved. Although the characters had changed greatly, and the original little boy had been replaced by a little girl, this version was not much different from the one in his memory. Scarlett also talked about football with Cruise in the movie, and her mischievous appearance would definitely be popular.

Adriaan often praised her daughter in front of Melanie. For Melanie, who was determined to make her daughter a star, this was undoubtedly a good opportunity. What's more, Scarlett had a good impression of Adriaan. He just didn't know what kind of expression she would have on her face if she knew what Adrian was thinking about.

However, these were all matters of the future. Adriaan's main focus was still on the women around him, such as Blanchett. It was rare that Gwenis had returned from Rosarito after filming "Titanic", and Blanchett was taking a break. How could he not find a way to enjoy the bliss of having two women with the same temperament but different temperaments under him? It had always been a pleasure to have two women with the same temperament but different temperaments moaning under him.

Although Blanchett sometimes resisted fiercely, it was a pity that everything was in vain in the hands of Adriaan, who had already seen through her SM mentality. What's more, Gwyneth seemed to like this kind of feeling. She always took the initiative, and Blanchett could not do anything about it. Under Adriaan's guidance, she seemed to have forgotten another option. Some things were addictive.

As for "The English Patient," the progress had been going well. Although it might be completed later than "Mr. Sweet" because of Anthony Minghella's perfectionist plot, which every outstanding director would have to some extent, it should not be a problem for it to be released at the end of the year.

"Recall the situation, Sophie, Ralph. Recall the situation at the time. Ralph's voice was not deep enough, and Sophie's was a little weak." In the recording studio, Minghella said to the two actors who were dubbing. He then gestured to stop. "Okay, let's do it again. We can officially call it a day when we're done."

However, Minghella was still not satisfied after one more take. Just as he was pondering, Adriaan, who had been watching from the side, said, "Anthony, maybe you don't have to stick to the feeling during the filming."

"Oh?" Minghella raised his head and looked at him, puzzled.

"This is a dialogue between Omar and the nurse, Hannah, about the past. It is the part that guides the development of the whole story. So, as long as you can convey the feeling to the audience, it will be fine. You don't have to completely recreate the feeling during the filming," Adriaan explained.

"Well … I can try." Minghella pinched his chin and thought carefully. Then, he began to arrange the two actors behind the glass.

After repeating this for four or five times, Minghella finally found the tone he wanted. This simple dubbing, which was only about ten minutes long, finally came to an end. The completion of this dubbing also meant that the post-production of "The English Patient" had taken another step forward. So, after finishing, Minghella expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Eide. If it wasn't for your reminder, I probably don't know how long I would have to repeat this. You are indeed one of the best directors in Hollywood."

Of course, a large part of this gratitude was because Adriaan invested in this movie and asked him to be the director.

"Yeah, if it wasn't for your reminder, I don't know how long I would have to wait for Anthony. You know, he is very good at training people." Ralph Fiennes, who came out of the recording studio, also joked.

"It's nothing. It's just that from the perspective of a bystander, I naturally see things more comprehensively than those who are involved," Adriaan said modestly.

The distribution of "The English Patient" was handed over to Miramax. Adriaan only revealed a little bit of the purpose of this movie, and the Weinstein brothers readily agreed to it. However, it was unknown how much success "The English Patient" would achieve with the support of the two brothers in the face of "Saving Private Ryan."

"Sorry, gentlemen, I have to go first," Sophie Marceau said politely at this time. She looked calm and expressionless.

Just as she was about to turn around and leave, Adriaan suddenly said, "Wait, Sophie, if you have time, can we have a private chat?"

Sophie showed a hesitant look. She looked at Minghella and then looked at Fiennes, as if she didn't know how to answer.

"It won't take up too much of your time. Just a few words," Adriaan immediately added.

"Okay." Sophie sighed softly and finally agreed.

However, she did not expect that as soon as she entered the lounge, Adrian hugged her from behind and hugged her waist. Then, he moved closer to her hair and took a deep breath.

"It's such a refreshing smell. What shampoo are you using? I can't smell it at all!" Adriaan said in admiration.

"A plant fragrance …" Sophie answered casually. Before she could finish, she realized what she meant. She turned around and pushed him angrily, "Please have some self-respect …"

She was stunned again before she finished speaking. It wasn't that she hadn't said something like this before, but it didn't end up that often. It seemed to be the same this time. Adriaan then gently pinched her chin and looked at her with admiration. He then raised his head and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Sophie moved back, but she wasn't very determined. So, her lips were kissed by him. However, Adriaan didn't act too presumptuously. He only touched and sucked on her lips before letting her go.

"In your eyes, I'm just a woman that you can manipulate." Sophie looked at him and asked in a mocking and self-deprecating manner.

"In my eyes, you're just a woman that needs to be taken care of." Adriaan shrugged.

"Do you say that to all your women?" There was a hint of sarcasm in Sophie's tone.

"No, I only say that to women who need to be taken care of." Adriaan smiled and didn't take her sarcasm to heart. His fingers slid across Sophie's face and brushed aside a few strands of her hair. His movements were extremely careful. Coupled with his gaze and slightly curled lips, it was as if he was caressing a precious treasure.

Feeling the numbness on her face, Sophie was slightly absent-minded for a moment, but she quickly came back to her senses. "If that's all you're going to say, then I'd better leave as soon as possible."

"Of course not. I'm thinking about a movie, but I don't know if you can do it. After all, you don't have the temperament of a Russian woman. But then again, you also have a temperament that's different from them, and that kind of melancholy and gentleness is very tempting. Maybe you'll be different from the traditional Anna Karenina, "Adriaan said softly.

"You mean … you mean … you're going to adapt 'Anna Karenina' into a movie?" Sophie asked hesitantly.

"Sort of. After all, 'Anna Karenina' is also a classic in the history of literature, and it has been filmed in many versions. So when someone suggested it to me, the first thing I thought of was you, and then I was tempted." Adriaan stroked her face and continued in a soft tone, "In my opinion, you're quite similar to Anna Karenina, but it's a little inappropriate for you to play the role. So I'm very hesitant, and I want to hear your opinion."

"I … I don't know." Sophie had a blank look on her face. Being able to play the heroine of a classic literary work was something that any actor would be very eager to do, no matter what angle they looked at it from.

Moreover, Adriaan had already made his attitude clear. Although some words were not completely said, Sophie knew very well that as long as she agreed, the movie would start preparing, even if it didn't have a good reputation and box office.

"Give me some time … to think about it …" Sophie said in the end, but from her unchanging eyes, it could be seen that she actually wanted to say yes very much. Such a temptation was not something she could refuse. She just didn't want to say yes in front of Adriaan. In her opinion, if she did so, it would be tantamount to admitting defeat.

"No problem. If you decide, remember to call me." Adriaan didn't force her, but then he asked, "So, which hotel are you staying at? I'll send you back."

"I can go back by myself …"

"Tell me, which hotel are you staying at."

"I don't need you to send me back, I can go back by myself …"

"Tell me honestly, Sophie, which hotel are you staying at?"

"You can check it yourself …"

"No, I want to hear it from your own mouth, Sophie."

Finally, Sophie, who was in Adriaan's arms, told him her address. What happened next was needless to say. In the hotel room, she once again showed the wild and unrestrained side of a French woman.

Most of what Adriaan said was true, except for one point. No one had suggested to him that "Anna Karenina" be adapted into a movie. This was his own idea.

In his memory, "Anna Karenina" was one of Sophie's few works in Hollywood. As he said, although Sophie's temperament was somewhat similar to the heroine of the novel, there were also many differences. In addition, the director didn't grasp the pace of the story well, so the version of the movie she starred in didn't receive very many reviews.

There was no doubt that Sophie liked the novel very much. Compared to women like Monica, Julia, and Gwyneth, she was more eager for fame. Of course, Adriaan was happy to fulfill her wish, so he arranged for the scene above. As long as the original script was revised and a suitable director was found, it might receive good reviews.

And even if it was similar to the original version, at least the image of Adriaan being willing to do anything for her was buried in Sophie's heart.

To his slight regret, when he learned that the main actors were going to be dubbing for "The English Patient", Richel had already finished his work and left the day before. It was a pity. If he could force her to go to bed with Sophie, it would definitely be very good.

However, he could only think about it. Sophie hadn't completely taken the role yet. Although she looked wild in bed, she immediately became a reserved lady after getting out of bed. Even if they did go to bed together, Richel might not say anything, but Sophie might not want to see him again. Besides, Adriaan had already made arrangements …

Well, it didn't matter. There were many others. It wasn't Monica, Julia, Gwyneth, Blanchett, Kate, Charlize, Sarah, or Liv, but …

"Thank you, Miss. Next." Adriaan said and made a gesture to his assistant.

The girl with an Asian face who had performed in front of the camera walked out in disappointment. Then, another Asian girl walked in after being called by the assistant.

According to the assistant's instructions, the girl changed into a few clothes and spun in front of everyone in the room. Then, she read a few lines to the camera and did a few actions — some of which were difficult — before leaving. After repeating this more than ten times, Adriaan was finally informed by the assistant that the audition for the day was over.

"Very good. What are your thoughts and opinions?" Adriaan asked immediately.

"I think number 22, 31, 38, and 42 are very suitable." After communicating with each other, one of them said.

"Number 18, 22, 27." Another person followed and gave the answer.

With them taking the lead, the rest of the people quickly answered. Adriaan listened to them while flipping through the files in his hands. After pondering for a while, he looked at the two young women sitting on his left side who hadn't spoken a word.

"What do you two think?" Adriaan asked and then added, "Just follow your instincts. Don't think too much."

"We agree that number 33 is more suitable." Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz looked at each other, then smiled and gave the answer they had prepared.

"Alright, I got it." Adriaan nodded and stood up. "That's all for today. There's one last audition tomorrow."

Just as he walked out of the audition room, Drew and Cameron caught up to him.

"Eide, you can't do this." Drew held his arm and said reproachfully.

"Yeah, you haven't made your attitude clear since the start of the audition. Even if you don't say who is suitable, you should at least say your standards." Cameron held his other arm.

The two women did intimate actions without a care, not caring that there were people passing by from time to time in the corridor. Adriaan immediately laughed and put his arms around their waists. He might not dare to do this in public, but he didn't dare to do it here.

"Don't worry, the audition will be over soon. I'll discuss it with you," Adriaan said.

But this obviously didn't satisfy Drew. She immediately pulled him to her office. "That won't do, Eide. At least you have to give us a clear explanation today."

At this point, she even winked at him. On the other side, Cameron also revealed an ambiguous smile. Adrian's heart was slightly moved, and he followed them to the office.

"To be honest, your office is very interesting," Adrian said as he took a sip of the coffee Drew passed to him. He looked around the interior decoration and said in admiration.

Drew's office was based on pink and white. There were small items that women would like everywhere, as well as many exquisite dolls. From this, it could be seen that she probably missed the carefree life when she was a child filming ET.

"It's really beautiful. I suddenly want to have an office like this," Cameron said with a sigh.

"Well, why don't you invest in my film production company? At that time, I guarantee that you can have such an office. "Drew immediately said with a smile.

"Your company is too small. If I join, two offices like this will be too much," Cameron said with a snort.

"Then you can share this office with me." Drew glanced at Adriaan. "The company will develop sooner or later."

But no matter what they said, Adriaan held the cup calmly and drank the coffee as if it was very fragrant and sweet.

"Alright, Ed, it's time we got down to business." Drew and Cameron finally couldn't wait any longer. In this respect, they couldn't compare with Adriaan.

"What do you want to ask?" Adriaan asked with a smile as he put down the cup.

"We've just asked about the audition." Cameron pretended to be dissatisfied.

"Well, it's actually very simple." Adriaan shrugged. "The reason why I asked you to make a judgment based on your feelings is that once the decision is made, the three of you will be the absolute female lead, and in the next three months, you will undergo systematic combat training and practice some China Kung Fu, so your relationship must be good. So, if you have a good first impression based on your feelings, then the possibility of conflict will be reduced when you get along, just like the two of you. "

"What else?" Drew asked, holding his chin with his fist.

"Secondly, she must be beautiful enough, at least as beautiful as the two of you." As Adriaan spoke, he frivolously reached out and pinched the two women's cheeks. Not only did the two women not get angry, but Cameron even opened her mouth and pretended to bite him.

"She must have Asian characteristics and temperament, but at the same time, she must conform to the public's aesthetic standards. You know, American men's aesthetic standards for Asian people are sometimes almost completely opposite." Adriaan spread his hands.

The two women held their chins with the back of their hands and looked at him for a long time without blinking. Then Drew said, "Do you believe it, Cammie?"

"Of course not. We all know what kind of bastard he is," Cameron said in a half-teasing, half-teasing tone.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." Adriaan showed an "unhappy" look. "I have to consider much more than you do. Her acting skills, her experience, her appearance, other people's feelings about her, your feelings about her, and so on. I have to consider all of these when I choose her. That's why I asked Drew to hold a casting event. You all know that I rarely do this. I always choose the role before it starts. "

"That's true." Drew nodded, then looked at Cameron. "It seems that Eide is still very considerate of us, Cammie."

"Indeed, he's always very … considerate of women." Cameron looked at Adriaan and giggled. "So how are we going to thank him, Drew?"

"There's no need for that." Adriaan waved his hand. "Let's finish first … hiss …"

Before he finished his words, he took a deep breath. Cameron's hand had already grabbed his lower part. Her azure blue eyes looked at him without blinking, and her little tongue circled her lips seductively.

"What do we finish first?" Drew immediately stuck to him, her twin peaks rubbing against his arm.

"This is your office, Drew."

"You're right. This is my office."