"During the premiere, the theater was filled with people. Hundreds of seats were filled! They all loved the movie, very, very much. Every time I appeared, they would laugh. Auntie said I acted great. She even said that the media said the same thing. " In the restaurant of the five-star hotel in Park City's Deer Valley Ski Resort, Little Emma waved her spoon as she spoke excitedly.
"Alright, Emma, be careful not to throw the salad on your plate onto Liv's clothes," Adriaan said with a smile.
"I won't. Don't treat me like a child, Eide. Otherwise, I'll be very angry!" Little Emma threatened unhappily because she was interrupted.
"Emma was just a little excited. Although she's acted in a few movies, and I was also very excited after Doomsday was released, I didn't do anything to affect others," Liv, who was sitting beside her, defended Little Emma.
"Please allow me to remind you, Liv. You really didn't like Doomsday back then. Do you still remember how you reacted when you first read the script? Tell me, is there anything more ridiculous than having an oil worker save the world? " Adriaan grinned as he looked into Liv's blue eyes. "Even if I don't mention this, you were still much older than Emma back then. If you still did something to affect others, oh my god, poor Liv must have had too much to drink."
Liv couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. Then, she leaned towards Little Emma and said, "You know, Emma, I hate Eide's serious look the most. Every time this happens, I really want to punch him in the nose."
"That's so boring. My friend Charlotte told me a better idea." Little Emma glanced at Adriaan and giggled. "When Eide is asleep, suddenly pour a big bucket of ice cubes into his blanket. That must be very exciting!"
"I love this idea! That's great! Let's try it tonight! " Liv cheered excitedly and looked at Adriaan maliciously together with little Emma. It seemed like she didn't show any signs of growing up yet.
"Alright, alright. You guys can slowly discuss it here. I'll take my leave for now." Adriaan shook his head and sighed as he stood up. Just what did Little Emma instill in Little Emma? She couldn't have instilled it into Lily, right?
But now was not the time to analyze this, Adriaan still had other troubles to deal with, such as the two women in front of him who seemed to be talking amiably.
"Why don't you spend more time with Emma? Oh yes, and … Liv. " Although Julia's tone sounded casual, the pause when she mentioned Liv was enough to explain everything.
This was also the reason why Adriaan arranged for Sofia to sit with him for dinner. Although he had slept with Sofia a few times, at least it wasn't as intimate as it was with Liv. Or rather, Sofia didn't want to appear too intimate with him.
"They were discussing how to make me suffer. In order to make their discussion more enjoyable and for them to come up with a more detailed plan, I came here." Adriaan shrugged. "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
"This is very interesting, Eide." Sofia chuckled. "I think there must be a lot of women who want to join their discussion."
"Actually, I want to," Julia said immediately. Julia said immediately, adding perfectly that, well, it was the right thing to do to have them at the same table and a little further away from Liv.
"Stop teasing me. Let's change the topic, like movies. You've been here longer than me, so you must have learned more than me. Oh yes, Sophie, I've met a few movie critics, and they think that Little Sunshine and Beauty is better than Innocence. What do you think?" Adriaan didn't dwell on this topic, and easily changed the topic.
This was a good topic. Just as Adriaan said, they had been in Park City for a few days, and each of them had a different movie they supported, so there was bound to be a lot of arguments about this topic. If they had a good relationship, the women usually wouldn't argue with each other. So they needed an arbitrator, and Adriaan had always played this role well.
He wouldn't try to smooth things over when it wasn't necessary. Take Innocence and Little Sunshine and Beauty for example. Although Sofia did a good job in the scenes and conveyed her emotions, it was a repeat of her previous film. Overall, it didn't seem very exciting, which was slightly inferior to Little Sunshine and Beauty.
The characteristic of Little Sunshine and Beauty was that the first 80% of the content was constantly depressing, and the main characters kept failing. Even if the father knelt down in exchange for the daughter's chance to go on stage, the final result was that he couldn't participate in any beauty pageants in California anymore. Then, when they pushed the van and tried to start it, running and laughing as they got into the car, the sublimation of their emotions could easily infect the audience.
If "Innocence" was a cup of light green tea, exuding a faint fragrance from beginning to end, then "Little Beauty" was a cup of mellow whiskey. At the beginning, it was a little spicy and uncomfortable, but at the end, it had a strong aftertaste that was hard to give up. It went without saying that the average audience preferred this kind of movie.
"I thought you would say a lot of good things about both of them, and not mention the shortcomings at all," Julia said to Zhang Zian as he walked her back to her room.
"Sophie isn't a good actress, but she's definitely a good director. She has a clear and correct understanding of herself, so she won't be depressed by these shortcomings. Besides, there are still many people who like this movie," Adriaan replied with a smile. It was too easy to guess what Julia was thinking.
"It seems that you know Sophie very well," Julia snorted.
"Indeed, but …" Adriaan approached her, reached out and gently pinched Julia's chin. He narrowed his eyes and looked at her, "I know you and Liv better than I do. If you want, why don't you go to Liv's room with me and have a good chat? I promise you'll get to know each other better!"
As he spoke, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms, looking down at her in a condescending manner. Julia was speechless for a moment. It took her a long time to digest what Zhang Zian had said. She was about to say something, but just as she was about to move, Adriaan covered her mouth.
After a series of kisses, Julia finally reacted and pushed Adriaan away. She glared at him, but immediately sighed and went back to her room with a helpless expression.
How impulsive. When the door closed in front of him, Adriaan rubbed his chin and thought. Half of Julia's behavior was because of Liv, and the other half … At least for now, he really wanted to break in and teach her a lesson. Unfortunately, Adriaan was Adriaan, after all. Since he had already promised to accompany Liv, how could he go back on his word?
The closing ceremony of the Sundance Film Festival was on the 28th, and it was also the award ceremony. Adriaan did not plan to stay until then. He had wandered the crowded streets of Park City, appeared in front of the media, talked to many people in the industry, watched a few movies in various cinemas, and took photos with some fans. He had also gone to the best ski resort here, Deer Valley. That was enough.
Although the independent film festival was influential, there was no need to treat Sundance like Cannes. If everything went according to plan, and if Sundance was as Robert Rainford claimed, then it would not be too difficult for Little Beauty to win the Best Feature Film Award. Adriaan roughly understood all the entries, and none of them posed a threat to this film.
But before he left, Harvey Weinstein came looking for him again.
"Don't tell me, Eide, that you're going to give us a pirate-themed film!" Weinstein yelled as soon as he entered the door. The flesh on his face trembled, and the stubble on his face also trembled.
"Calm down, Harvey." Adriaan, who had already asked someone to pack up, smiled and poured him a glass of whiskey. "What's wrong with that?"
"Wrong? God, how long has it been since the Cut Throat Island incident? " Weinstein sighed. "Pirates, treasure maps, treasures. These things would have been very popular twenty or thirty years ago, but now, they will only bring disaster! People are tired of pirates. Even a song-and-dance film is better than pirates. "
"That's why I asked the scriptwriter to add fantasy elements and enrich the characters' personalities. The cursed gold coin, the skeleton that turns into a skeleton on the night of the full moon, the sissy and selfish captain who always manages to turn the tables at critical moments, the little blacksmith who deeply admires the governor's daughter, and the governor's daughter who longs for adventure." Adrian waved his hands.
"But …" Weinstein gestured and wanted to say something.
"Okay, Harvey, since you believe that I can give you a trilogy with a global box office of more than a billion, why don't you believe that this is it?" Adriaan stretched out his hand and pressed it in the air. "You've read the script. As one of the best producers in Hollywood, I believe you can see the potential in it."
"I admit that the fantasy elements are very attractive, but the theme of pirates is a bit risky." Weinstein didn't hide his thoughts.
"Yes, after 1995, pirate-themed movies basically disappeared from Hollywood. However, there is no theme that will never be popular. As long as it disappears long enough, the audience will start to miss it. Once they start to miss it, if we can produce something new, it will inevitably lead to a temporary revival." Adriaan smiled and said, "For example, a song-and-dance film. I'm planning to produce a song-and-dance film this year."
"Don't compare ordinary people to you, Eide." Weinstein shook his head.
"Thank you for your compliment, Harvey. Don't worry, I've prepared a luxurious plastic surgery for you. You're on good terms with Johnny Dep, right? He's very suitable for the crazy Captain Jack, and Captain Barbossa can be played by Jeffrey Rush. Jerry Bruckheimer will be very willing to be the executive producer, and the director can be Gore Verbinski. Other than the little blacksmith who is still unsettled and the female lead who has yet to mature, the rest are basically in place. "Adriaan raised his hand and said.
"You're so considerate, Eide. Is the female lead really not Miss Liv Taylor?" Weinstein was still brooding over that question.
"Of course not. I won't let an American actor play a British role." Adriaan couldn't help but laugh.
"But you've already done that in 'The Lord of the Rings'." Weinstein continued to refute.
"Although 'The Lord of the Rings' is British literature, it's not something that happened in Britain. Come on, Harvey, instead of being entangled in this matter, why don't you start the preparatory work? It'll take a few months just to transform the studio into a suitable environment. You'll also have to prepare the ships, teach the main characters swordsmanship, hire people to study the customs of that time, the details of the dress, daily life, sailing, military conditions, and so on. If necessary, you'll even have to go to a small island in the Caribbean Sea for on-site filming. These things will be enough to keep you busy for half a year." Adriaan sighed. "In short, get ready, Harvey. When I say it's okay, I'll hand the female lead over to the crew. Remember to arrange the relevant teachers for her. We can start filming by the end of this year at the latest."
"Well, it seems that you're ready to go back. Then I'll listen to your arrangements." Weinstein stood up after a moment of silence.
Needless to say, having the title of an ace screenwriter and a discerning eye for talent was very useful in Hollywood. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio had worked together on many screenplays. As early as the early 90s, they wanted to create a pirate story, but not many producers were interested in their idea. After the box office failure of 'Cut Throat Island' in 1995, pirate-themed movies disappeared without a trace. They had no choice but to put the idea aside for the time being.
In early 2000, Elliott brought it up again, and Rossio agreed. So they found a way to get in touch with Universal Pictures. They hoped that the Miracle Director would support their idea. At first, Adriaan didn't care. It was a very ordinary pirate story, very real, and nothing else.
Fortunately, he soon came to his senses. Although the story was different from what he remembered, at least a few characters were created. For example, the crazy sissy captain who was betrayed by the first mate and crew, the governor's daughter who longed for adventure, and the little blacksmith who adored him. So he quickly made an appointment with Elliott and Rossio. After discussing his ideas with them, he asked if they could add some fantasy elements. After getting an affirmative answer, he explained his ideas in detail. The two screenwriters naturally agreed, and so the script for 'Pirates of the Caribbean' was released. Adriaan then used this to tempt Weinstein.
The only problem was that in 2000, Kayla was obviously not up to the role of Elizabeth. So, Adriaan delayed it for a year and used two movies to hone her acting skills. Although Kayla's age was still a problem when filming started in 2001, Pirates of the Caribbean would need at least a year from pre-production to filming. This problem would not be a problem by then.
As for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' in Disneyland? There was no need to worry at all. The name 'Pirates of the Caribbean' was not exclusive to Disneyland. Moreover, Adriaan had already registered a series of trademarks for movies, games, toys, and other categories. If it weren't for Eisner's feelings, he might have registered the trademarks for large entertainment facilities as well. Who asked Disneyland to not do so themselves?
The final result of the Sundance Film Festival was exactly what Adriaan had expected. 'Little Sunshine and Beauty' won the Best Story Award. Although there was a small gay story in it, it did not have much of an impact. This indirectly proved that the gay community was expanding and becoming more and more active. Sofia's' Innocence 'won the special award for the Best Story Award, which was a pity. According to reliable sources, she missed the Best Story Award by one vote.
Even so, 'Innocence' took this opportunity to enter the public's attention. Although it had the same theme as' The Suicide of a Girl ', the critics were more positive than negative. For the first time, Liv's performance was recognized by most people. Obviously, the position of a literary vase was very suitable for her. The next step was naturally to arrange for the release of the film. It might not have a lot of theaters, but this kind of movie was not made to make money.
Therefore, 'Innocence' was still not as good as' Little Sunshine and Beauty '. As mentioned before, compared to the audience,' Little Sunshine and Beauty's' story was more attractive, and the atmosphere was more positive, so it was favored by the critics. Emma Roberts also received more attention and good comments than Liv. After all, she had an aunt who was very popular in Hollywood.
Little Emma was very happy to receive the attention of the reporters. She even called Little Emma to show off. What an idiot. It was too early to show off. If she waited until next month … What would her biological parents think? They hadn't seen each other many times in the past few years, and Julia hadn't completely forgiven her brother.
But this was Little Emma's family business, and it was not suitable for Adriaan to intervene. Therefore, he had to focus on the upcoming movies, such as' The Fast and the Furious'.
After many twists and turns, the movie was delayed until 2001. After Penelope was driven back to Spain, he quickly found Michelle Rodriguez to replace him. But the movie had already been shot, and it would take a lot of time to reshoot the scenes that needed the most supporting actress. Because of some issues, it was delayed until the second half of the year. In the end, Adriaan calculated the situation in 2001 and finally arranged for the film to be released in January.
Although it was the off-season, the media had all sorts of speculations about Penelope leaving the cast and returning to Spain. It wasn't difficult to hype it up.
Apart from that, Adriaan originally wanted to release 'Rush Hour 2' in January as well. Because he had the script for 'Dragon of the Western Regions' and hadn't filmed it, Rush Hour 2 was brought forward to production. But after careful consideration, he still decided to release it in August during the summer holidays. There weren't many roles that were suitable for Yuji Hui. That's right, Yuji Hui would play the important supporting actress in the original movie. As for the script, it would be fine after some slight modifications. Jack Chen didn't have any objections.
It was the same for 'Dragon of the Western Regions'. The reason why they only started preparing now was that Adriaan had left the role for Lin Zhiling. With the well-received 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' as a foundation, even if the role was just for show, it was enough for her to advance to the next level. Jack Chen still didn't have any objections.
But now, Adriaan wasn't most concerned about the preparation for 'Dragon of the Western Regions', but the casting for 'The Princess Diaries'.
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