Chapter 809

The investment for "The Lord of the Rings" was not much. Based on the original version, each film did not exceed 100 million. Compared to blockbusters in the 21st century, which could easily invest one or two hundred million, it was really not enough. Even if Adriaan were to produce and direct it now, the total investment would only increase by 50 million. After averaging it out, each film would only amount to slightly more than 100 million. It still could not compare to the blockbusters in the future.

However, the reputation and box office of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was definitely one of the few works of the same genre. The box office of the "Harry Potter" series might have far exceeded it, and the profits from its peripherals were also much higher, but in terms of reputation, no other fantasy works could surpass it. That was why Adriaan chose Universal to be in charge of this trilogy.

As early as 1994, he had already obtained the film adaptation rights for "The Lord of the Rings." Negotiations were a difficult task. The adaptation rights of the trilogy were not in the hands of Tolkien's son or his trust. As early as the 1970s, the novel was adapted into an animation and a radio series, so the film rights were in the hands of Hollywood producer Saul Sautz.

Saul Saz was also considered a figure in Hollywood, and Adriaan's power at that time was far less than it was now. Although he had already made quite a name for himself at that time, and AC had also acquired TBS and was expanding, it was still delayed until 1995, when Adriaan became the youngest Best Director at the Oscars. Only then did he finally get the film rights to "The Lord of the Rings".

Even so, he did not get all the movie rights to "The Lord of the Rings". Although Saul Saz had adapted "The Hobbit", the distribution rights were in the hands of United Artists, not him. However, this was not a big deal. Adriaan still had reservations about the prequel, so he could let them discuss it slowly. After all, United Artists and MGM had already merged, and TBS had robbed MGM's film library before. They were more or less related, so they could discuss it slowly.

Of course, all the terms had to be detailed, and the profit sharing was the most important. He didn't want any parties to file a lawsuit because they felt that the division was unfair in the future. Although with his current power, those people would not casually file a lawsuit against him, and he was not worried about a lawsuit at all, it would still make him unhappy if that happened.

After obtaining the film rights of "The Lord of the Rings", Adrian had kept it hidden until Universal Studios was acquired by AC Media. That was when the film production industry was basically stabilized. Only then did he throw out the first milestone on the foundation.

"Although the filming time will take about a year, it actually doesn't need that much. I'm best at squeezing time," continued Adriaan humorously, and was immediately met with laughter.

"I believe that," said Hugo. Hugo Weaver added. Among the actors, apart from the women, he was the only one who had worked with Adrian.

"Great, does this mean I can go home now? I'm also very good at squeezing time. "Ian McKellen immediately put on an act and asked. Laughter rang out around him again.

I want to play Gandalf more than Saruman, "said Lee, sitting next to him. His smile widened, and the atmosphere in the conference room became more harmonious. Adriaan nodded with satisfaction. Ian McKellen was a very interesting old man. He always maintained a sense of humor and optimism. He was infectious and quite good at adjusting the atmosphere. No wonder he was knighted by Elizabeth II as a homosexual.

Basically, he used the original cast. McKellen who played Gandalf, Lee who played Saruman, Weaver who played King Elrond, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Shawn Austin, Shawn Bing, and so on. Blanchett and Liv could not escape. Basically, he only used the original cast members. Mclaren who played Gandalf, Lee who played Saruman, Weaver who played King Elrond, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Sean Austin, Sean Bin and so on were all in this room. Blanchett and Liv couldn't escape.

So, he used the original cast. McKellen who played Gandalf, Lee who played Saruman, Weaver who played King Elrond, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Sean Austin, Sean Bing, and so on. Blanchett and Liv could not escape. Silver Phoenix was the one who played the Elven Prince Legolas.

He had made up his mind more than a year before, and had purposely urged Silver to practise archery. Silver, who had suffered a great deal in his music, did as he was told, and though he was not very good at it, he had got the hang of it. In addition, his accent was also on point. At least when he was talking to Motson and the others, there was no difference. Again, this kid was very talented in acting, but he just had to make music. It really made people laugh bitterly.

As for Orlando Bloom, who cared if he died?

Of course, that was not the only change. Another important character, Éowyn, the daughter of the King of Rohan, had also been replaced by Gwyneth.

As early as when she and Blanchett starred in Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth respectively, the media had intentionally or unintentionally pushed her to the opposite side of Blanchett. After both of them were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the term "rivals" became very popular. However, the two women were very friendly and intimate in public, so the media did not have a chance to make a big deal out of it.

But what made Adriaan make up his mind was that Gwyneth and Blanchett had made a film together last year, The Talented Ripley directed by Anthony Minghella. Although he knew that Minghella's slow storytelling style was not very flattering, and people might feel good watching it once, but it would get tiresome after a while, Adriaan still let Miramax handle the film. If the box office was not good, then it would be good to earn a good reputation.

However, Minghella hoped that Adriaan could persuade Gwyneth and Blanchett to star in the film, so he made some changes to the script to his liking. Adriaan agreed, and then came up with the idea of letting them act together in the film he was directing. Since he had tied Gwyneth and Blanchett together, be it in life or career, it would be interesting to let them star in a film together.

Besides, when they were filming Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth, they were already considered to be filming together, so Gwyneth was perfect to play the role of Éowyn.

"The main reason I invited you here is to let you meet each other, get to know each other, and communicate with each other. It will also be easier for the crew to arrange your schedules.

"Long before this, I had already sent people to New Zealand to collect information. Before I sent you the invitation, some of the people in charge had already gone there to set up the set.

"As for why New Zealand was considered, it's very simple. The environment is very suitable, and the labor is cheap."

Adriaan answered the actors' questions unhurriedly.

Although he had temporarily hidden the film rights after he got them, he still arranged for a lot of people to go to New Zealand in the following years. They went to places that he remembered, such as Queenstown or East Grillo National Park to collect relevant information. He had already started preparing for it. Therefore, when he was ready to start, the various sets and character designs were already very complete.

Since he had the original film as a reference, there was no need for Adriaan to look for a suitable location elsewhere. It would only be a thankless effort. Besides, the labor in New Zealand was really cheap, so he could save a lot of money.

"Thank you for taking the time to come. The filming will start in the middle of this month at the latest, so please be prepared." Adriaan ended the meeting with that.

Miracle Director's name was now known to everyone, especially since he was nominated for Best Director three times at this year's Oscars. So after he sent out the invitation, no one refused. Gwenis just threw a little tantrum.

"I just think it's unfair. Why can Kate play the Elven Queen, but I'm just a princess?" After the meeting ended, Gwyneth, who was walking behind, asked Adriaan. That was what she was unhappy about.

"Because Eide thinks you're very suitable," Blanchett, who was walking behind her, said with a smile.

Gwyneth rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Liv, who was at the back, looked at them unhappily, but at the same time, she seemed to be thinking about something.

Although "The Lord of the Rings" was already on the schedule, there was still some time before the actual filming started. Adriaan had other things to do, such as the post-production editing of "La Belle Legend of Sicily." There was actually no rush. The movie would only be released at the end of the year, so there was enough time for him to edit it slowly. He also had to arrange some of the movie's release schedule, and how to deliver certain information to him as soon as possible. There was also the schedule for the other women.

One had to know that Adriaan would be in New Zealand for at least a few months, and there was a huge time difference and a reversed climate. Although it was convenient to return to Los Angeles, it couldn't be too frequent. Therefore, he had to plan how to efficiently deliver information, how to get his women to New Zealand for vacation, and so on. Fortunately, he had a capable female secretary.

Of course, other than that, there were other things that he had to take the initiative to arrange.

"New Zealand? At least ten months? "Avril, who was at Juliet's house, couldn't help but widen her eyes when she heard that.

"Yes, it's a rather large-scale production. I need to stay there for a long time to direct the filming." Adriaan nodded.

"Oh, that's too bad. I still have a lot of things to ask you!" Avril didn't hide her frustration and disappointment.

"I heard that you shoot movies very quickly. Other people need half a year to shoot a movie, but you only need two months at most. Why do you need so long this time?" she asked.

Avril was a lively girl. She had only been in Los Angeles for a few weeks, but she had already become familiar with a group of rock and roll kids at school. The company had also invested a lot of energy in her training. Norton had praised Adriaan more than once, saying that she had great potential in pop and rock.

Adriaan often took the time to chat and discuss music with Avril. The girl was shocked when she found out that Britney and Christina had several popular songs written by him. It was rare that Adriaan didn't admit it completely.

"I just have a lot of ideas. For example, I can suddenly come up with a few melodies. It's not a problem to hum them, but it's not that easy to write a complete song. So, the real credit belongs to Eric and the others," he said.

Yes, he didn't admit it completely, but he did it to the extreme. Therefore, Avril couldn't help but have a look of curiosity and even admiration in her eyes. However, most of the time, it was Avril who talked, and Adriaan who listened. He listened to her talk about her childhood, listened to her complain or boast, and then interjected at the right time.

Therefore, when Avril, who was used to this, found out that Adriaan was going to New Zealand for a long time, it was normal for her to feel disappointed.

"This is a trilogy, which means that we have to shoot three movies at once. Even if it takes two months for each movie, it's still half a year. Moreover, the scale of this movie is very large." Adriaan explained briefly, then reached out and touched the girl's head. "But don't worry, if you want, you can come and see me."

"Then it's a deal!" Avril shouted immediately, as if she was afraid that he would go back on his words.

"Of course." Adriaan smiled and nodded.

Obviously, the girl had a very good impression of him, and he was very important in her heart. This was a good start, but the other one was a little different.

"New Zealand? At least ten months? " Jessica's eyes widened. Although she was a little surprised and disappointed, she also felt a little envious and regretful at the same time. After listening to Adriaan's explanation, she didn't say anything other than wishing him a smooth shooting.

When the party was about to end, and Adriaan was ready to leave, Jessica took the opportunity to send him off and asked, "So, will you stay there until the end, or will you come back often?"

"I will make time to come back, but not often. After all, there is too much time difference, and it will affect efficiency," Adriaan said.

Then, Jessica sighed. "I really want to see what New Zealand is like."

Adriaan raised his eyebrows, then said, "If you want, I can invite you for a vacation."

"Really?" The girl revealed a look of pleasant surprise again, but then revealed a hesitant look. "But …"

"How about this, I will invite the entire 'Doomsday Black Angel' crew to New Zealand for a vacation. You can come with the crew alone, or you can bring your family," Adriaan said.

Probably not expecting him to read her mind, Jessica opened her mouth and jumped in joy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Eide!"

Then, she screamed as if she thought of something, and her face turned red. She shook off Adriaan and ran back home like a frightened rabbit.

What an interesting, contradictory girl. Adriaan touched his cheek that was kissed by Jessica and thought so. Although he didn't have as much contact with her as Avril, and most of the time was on the set of "Doomsday Black Angel," he still had a good relationship with her. She even invited him to a few of her parties.

Jessica liked to hold parties and invite a bunch of friends to play. However, most of the parties were held at her own home. She was still living with her parents and brother, so she was actually different from other party animals. That was why Adriaan described her as contradictory. She was like … a little butterfly that was eager to break free from the cocoon, but for various reasons, she would shrink back into the cocoon from time to time. She was not yet fully grown.

That's right. In the past few months, Jessica had become prettier than when she first acted in "Doomsday Black Angel." She was gradually approaching the image in Adriaan's memory, but there was still a long way to go. She was like a butterfly that had not yet broken out of the cocoon. Therefore, if he really wanted to do something, he had to hurry. The influence exerted when she broke out of the cocoon was not as effective as when she was still an egg.

Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. The official start of "Lord of the Rings" was getting closer, and Adriaan was ready to set off. He just had to put something that he had planned for a while into action.

"Why did you ask me to come here? Can't we do it in a café, restaurant, or club? "Nicole asked after she sat down.

Although her words were a little rude, there was no impatience between her eyebrows. On the contrary, she looked quite relaxed, as if a big burden had been lifted from her heart.

Of course, Nicole had a reason to be relaxed, because there was no time limit on Cruise's side. The divorce case between the two had been delayed for almost a year, and now the dust had finally settled. According to the court's ruling, Cruise gave her a mansion in Sydney and a mansion in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. At the same time, he paid her 50 million US dollars. In two days, after the divorce agreement was signed, she could completely get rid of that man.

In addition, her performance in "Mulholland Drive" received a lot of praise from film critics, and she also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress! Yes, that's right, she won the Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globe Awards. Although she had already won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy three years ago, everyone knew that the Best Actress Award was just a consolation.

Therefore, although her acting skills were not as good as Naomi's, she was still a little satisfied. After all, this was the first time that the film critics had completely ignored her appearance. Although Naomi had also been nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, she had not won it.

However, at the same time, Nicole was a little worried and annoyed, because she knew that everything she had now was thanks to the person in front of her. If this person hadn't arranged for the media to report in her favor, if this person hadn't sent someone to snipe the private detective hired by Cruise, she wouldn't have won the divorce case so easily. Not only did she get a large amount of compensation, but she also pushed most of the negative news to Cruise. Nicole had been in Hollywood for almost ten years, and she had heard about Anthony Pelicano's ability.

Similarly, if this man hadn't directed "Mulholland Drive" and invited her to act in it, she wouldn't have won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and received praise that she hadn't received before. Moreover, this man had been nominated for Best Director three times in the same Academy Awards, and two of his women had been nominated for Best Actress at the same time. This made Nicole feel very conflicted.

After breaking up with Cruise, she had completely focused on her career, and the Academy Award for Best Actress was her main goal now. There was a shortcut right in front of her, and she knew very well what he wanted. When Adriaan looked at her, he didn't hide his strong possessiveness.