The manager and Yolanda thought carefully and realized that it might be true.
"Feel free to make any requests you have. I'll make decisions where I can and advocate for what I can't," the manager decided to entrust her with this opportunity after some internal struggle. If the film she was responsible for became a success, it would bring significant benefits to him within the company.
What could be more secure than bringing in a director who had never failed before to make a movie for her? But when he thought about the fact that it was a musical, he felt a twinge of toothache.
Laila was sure she wouldn't turn down such a generous offer. She also understood the concept of reciprocity. Since she was helping someone make a movie, she would show the right attitude and provide benefits where necessary.
On Disney's end, seeing her willingness to cooperate, they expressed their utmost sincerity and agreed to all of her proposals. They even offered to share half of the casting decisions with her, allowing her to recommend actors and make the final selection if suitable.
A good movie could make stars out of many people, especially the lead actors, who were in high demand. Who wouldn't want to promote their talent?
Collaborating with Disney was a fantastic decision, indicating that Laila's Dragon Soul Company had already caught the eye of major companies. It also had its advantages for her talent agency, which she had recently acquired.
However, musicals were different from other films; they required extensive preparation, including dance training for the actors and set construction, among other things. Laila calculated the time, including pre-production, and realized that it might take until the next year. The official release date would likely be toward the end of the year.
To her surprise, Disney was well-prepared and set the release date for next December, even aiming for the Oscars. In their view, this year's "Moulin Rouge" performed well, and it might even win several awards at the Oscars. So, they positioned "Chicago" in a similar way.
Laila had no objections to this. After all, she knew that her age made it unlikely for her to win Best Director, but elevating other talents within the production was a good choice. Just imagine, if she could lead a team of Oscar-level professionals, how many people would envy her success?
So, with everything settled, the media finally exposed Laila's involvement in shooting a musical for Disney.
"The Next Film by a Genius Director Confirmed - A Musical," "Challenging a New Genre, Laila Moran's Ambition," "Will Musicals Be the Next Revived Film Genre?" These were headlines about Laila on the entertainment front pages.
However, some media outlets that didn't have a positive view of her used more aggressive language. Take Cooper, who had always criticized her; he practically jumped for joy after seeing the news. How could a film critic not see the potential of a musical?
"Victory makes people proud, and pride leads to arrogance, which ultimately brings failure. I believe that before long, this arrogant genius director will regret her decision. Not everyone can succeed by trying to challenge a new genre."
"A few months ago, 'Moulin Rouge' sparked discussions about the revival of musicals. But one film is not enough, and we don't even know if we should call it a successful movie. Perhaps the reason that the young genius director is taking on the script is the possibility of winning some decent awards at the Oscars. But, I must honestly say, as good as the Oscars are, they're not something any young person can touch."
"Disney is a great company, but this time they've made a pitiful mistake by letting that young director make a musical. It seems that no matter how talented someone or a company is, they will eventually make mistakes, and the losses resulting from those mistakes will be their burden."
In short, Cooper's repeated message was essentially this: First, you're too arrogant, so any script you take will fail, especially one destined to flop. Second, you're too arrogant, and even if you take a good script, you will still fail. It's better to hand it over to a director with real talent. Third, you're too arrogant; don't think you can make a musical just because others have. If you direct it, even a good script will turn into rubbish. Fourth, you're still too arrogant, thinking you can win an Oscar just because others might with musicals. But you won't, because you're too arrogant.
The central theme kept revolving around the idea that Laila Moran had become blinded by her past success and was too arrogant to see the reality in front of her, and, therefore, her musical was destined to fail. Moreover, Disney would realize her true colors after this loss and blacklist her from further collaborations.
Laila's reaction to these comments can be easily imagined. It wasn't anger; otherwise, Cooper's criticisms would have long since gotten to her. She found it quite amusing. Every time he criticized her, it seemed like he made a lot of sense, but she didn't understand what he had against her. He had been targeting her and her company since the Reynolds era, and it had been decades of relentless attacks.
Nevertheless, his "attention" had its benefits. It allowed her to gain media attention for anything related to her and her films. Her greatest skill from her previous life was probably her ability to withstand criticism. She directed one film after another, each one getting bashed online, so why should she pay attention to someone like Cooper?
Furthermore, Laila's current focus was far from wasting time on her evaluations. Even when reporters stopped her outside the company and asked her questions, she only responded with a couple of sentences: "The final result is known to no one but God until it's revealed. I admire Mr. Cooper's persistence in his repeated failures, and I believe that once the film is out, he will conveniently forget the foolish things he has said."
The implied message was clear: reality would make someone swallow their derogatory remarks!
Apart from that, she couldn't be bothered to explain any further. The release date was far off, and when it neared, she'd have some fun with Cooper, simultaneously boosting the film's hype.
"Chicago" was a great movie, and unlike "Moulin Rouge," which relied heavily on Nicole Kidman's captivating performance, the former focused more on ensemble acting and had a more exciting storyline.
No matter what others thought, Laila preferred "Chicago." She didn't accept the script lightly; it was a carefully considered decision. And since she was a person who believed in doing things well once she started, it meant that she wouldn't allow some of the criticized elements from the original to reappear in her film.