Laila didn't divulge specific details, and the journalists couldn't uncover any more, so they reluctantly shifted the topic. Fortunately, the other questions were substantial.
"Director Moran, is the movie that Joseph directed upon leaving really a children's film?"
Laila squinted her eyes and replied, "Opinions may vary. The original book has many fans and is loved by readers worldwide. If it can still be classified as a children's film, I have nothing more to say."
This remark implied Joseph's lack of discernment, and it brought a chuckle from the audience. Journalists immediately understood what was happening, and it was all an unspoken agreement. Not to mention that even if it were a subpar novel, there were plenty of directors willing to take it on with a budget as significant as this one.
"What's your take on Joseph directing 'Catwoman'?"
Laila responded nonchalantly, "I don't have an opinion. I hope they have a great time."
The neutral words instantly gave journalists a lot to speculate about. Are you mocking their movies for "playing"? Or are they unable to make any good movies?
The journalists' imaginations ran wild, and they were determined to extract various intriguing angles from her words to keep readers and viewers engaged.
As for Laila, she didn't mind the outside world making a fuss. After all, when her movie was released, she would outshine them with her own film. She wanted to see how, after her "children's film" overtook their carefully prepared "Catwoman," they would have the nerve to argue with her.
"Director Moran, do you have confidence in restarting 'Harry Potter'? Is the new director's choice already confirmed? If their standard doesn't match Joseph's, will it affect this investment?"
The question came from a journalist representing "Entertainer," and it was a relatively straightforward question.
Laila nodded in response to the journalist and said, "Yes, I have confidence in it. I've wanted to bring the book to the big screen ever since I acquired the film rights two years ago. However, I felt that there were still some technical deficiencies at the time. Now, I believe the technology is mature enough."
She didn't mention the fact that she was short of capable personnel and didn't want to give business to other companies, which was why she had waited until this year.
"Is it because of this that you plan to establish your own visual effects company?"
Laila nodded again and stated, "Exactly. In my opinion, future films will be closely connected to visual effects. How can we attract audiences to the theaters to watch our films? The competition for audience attention is fierce with various entertainment options available nowadays. We must consider how to make audiences increasingly fond of movies and willing to step into theaters. I believe this is a key consideration for making good films in the future."
Her words were a straightforward reminder to Hollywood about the importance of visual effects in films today. Whether or not her words would be heeded or remembered by those outside her control was another matter.
In modern times, you feel embarrassed to release a film without some visual effects. While indie films and low-budget urban movies could save on this aspect, watching them at home or on a computer wasn't much different from the cinema experience. Since there wasn't much difference, why would you want to spend several dozen dollars just to go to the movies?
Laila believed that big-budget films with visual effects were the easiest to create a cinematic experience that differed significantly from watching at home or on a computer. Therefore, to compete with various emerging entertainment options in the future, cinemas and film production companies had to offer something unique!
The idea of a visual effects company had been in her plans for a long time, and with her secret acquisitions, she had already secured several small visual effects companies. Negotiations with a few larger companies were also in progress. What she valued most were the talents in their hands. By bringing those talents under her control, she no longer had to worry about her films being delayed due to visual effects.
Moreover, with her continuous stream of film productions, she wasn't concerned about new visual effects companies going bankrupt due to a lack of work. Perhaps to others, what she was doing seemed pointless and a waste of money, a burden she was unnecessarily shouldering. Only she knew that as her future plans unfolded, this visual effects company would prove to be incredibly valuable.
"Director Moran, you mentioned restarting 'Harry Potter.' Has the new director already been confirmed? Will the standard be as high as Joseph's, or will it affect the investment?"
Laila gave the journalist who asked this question a meaningful look. The person was a new face, and it made sense since he was standing next to a reporter from "The New York Daily."
This question might have seemed ordinary, but upon closer examination, it contained traps. Although Joseph was only a second-tier director with no major successes, he was the most suitable choice Laila could find at the moment. He had some unique insights into visual effects and had demonstrated his abilities in other films. These were qualities you could feel in his previous work.
"Harry Potter" was destined to be a high-grossing film and a masterpiece that could catapult the director to new heights. It could be said that as long as someone had some talent and could capture the essence of the original, even with some differences, this film alone could catapult a director to stardom.
So, when Laila initially chose a director, she intended to keep the prime pick in-house rather than handing it to other companies. Furthermore, all the other, more accomplished directors at her company were either unavailable or unsuitable for this type of project.
However, who could have expected Joseph to turn against her? Not only did he refuse to play his strong hand but he also bit the hand that fed him. No wonder she was so angry at the mere thought of this situation.
If a new director were brought in and didn't match Joseph's standards, the public would likely assume Laila couldn't find a better director to make the film. Such rumors could damage the trust of moviegoers and hurt future box office earnings.
Laila gave the journalist a knowing look, and upon seeing the man trying to pretend he was chatting with the person next to him while avoiding her gaze, she calmly stated, "Yes, we've already found a director. I will personally direct 'Harry Potter'!"