Chapter 610: Preserving the Records
Louise frowned, "It seems like 'Monster' isn't the type of movie you usually make. Why do you suddenly want to film this?"
The boss had two incredible records, continuing from her debut in the film industry until now, almost synonymous with a Hollywood miracle. One was that each of her movies grossed over $300 million, and the other was that every film held the top spot at the box office for at least two weeks after its release.
Louise had read the script for "Monster" and researched similar films. She believed that even Laila couldn't maintain those two records with a film of this type. Although this genre was favored by critics and Oscar judges, it was not Laila's style. From what Louise knew, Laila wasn't someone who would make a film just to cater to those people. So, why did she suddenly want to shoot this movie?
Laila pondered, "Maybe I want to groom a Best Actress for the company."
"Oscar?"
Laila smiled, "Of course, the Oscars." Louise indeed knew her. When she mentioned Best Actress to Charlize, she didn't even think of specifying it as an Oscar. Perhaps, she hadn't even thought about winning that award herself?
Louise frowned, "Actually, I don't agree with you shooting this film."
"Why?" Laila was willing to listen to her opinions.
"Laila, I believe you do have the ability to make 'Monster' well and groom a new Oscar-winning actress for the company. But you've already written the script, and the lead actress has decided to be Charlize. Why not give this opportunity to the younger generation? I must say, the difficulty of this film isn't very high. Do you want to shoot it?"
Louise couldn't say it directly to her face – I don't want you to shoot a film with no box office potential that might ruin the two precious records you've worked so hard to create. So, she approached it from another angle, hoping to change her mind.
Her words did move Laila. Yes, she had already written the script, and Charlize was decided as the lead. The difficulty of the film wasn't high, and the overall structure of the movie was very clear. Even a novice could shoot this kind of film. If it weren't for Charlize, she definitely wouldn't be interested in filming this movie.
"I hope to help Charlize grow through this film," Laila explained. Could a new director bring out her talent without her personal involvement?
"Laila, have you ever thought about trying the roles of a producer and executive producer?" Louise gave her a suggestion.
Laila raised an eyebrow, "Producer? Executive producer?"
"Yes. As the financier, you can completely control everything about the movie without having to direct it. This way, it won't affect the filming of your other movies."
Louise said this mainly because she knew Laila was about to embark on a grand plan. She'd rather see Laila working on that grand plan than wasting time on a film with no "profitable" prospects, especially one that could damage her most precious two records! She knew Laila didn't care much about those records, but she valued them a lot!
"You're right." Louise's words moved Laila, and she began to seriously consider what she was saying.
Laila was someone who liked giving opportunities to newcomers, a fact well-known among the participants in the New Talent Plan. Since the plan started, Phoneix Films has produced more and more films over the years, and they were becoming increasingly brilliant. Although they were all small-budget films, with at most tens of millions in budget, it was enough for those newcomers.
Several newcomers had become prominent through the success of their small productions. James Wan, who directed the sequel to "Saw," and those who directed a series of horror films like "Wrong Turn" and "The Hills Have Eyes," were examples. They produced excellent works at astonishingly low costs and earned box office numbers that made other companies envious.
So when Louise suggested handing the film over to a newcomer, with Laila as the producer and executive producer, it indeed touched Laila's heart. Honestly, if it weren't for Charlize, she wouldn't be interested in such an undemanding film.
"You're right. Let's do this. Look for someone in the New Talent Plan who's interested in this film, then narrow down the candidates and present them to me."
After Laila said this, Louise secretly sighed in relief. The records were going to be preserved!
"Okay, I'll take care of it right away." She looked at the folder in her hand and then brought up the next film, "Regarding the shooting of 'Transformers,' are you leaving it to someone else to direct?"
"Is there a problem with that? I think Michael Bay is perfect for directing it. When I had you buy the rights to Transformers, I already had him in mind."
Louise hesitated for a moment. She didn't expect Laila to want him, "Michael is indeed an excellent director, but..." Did the boss forget something? "Back then, when he directed 'Pearl Harbor,' it was intended as a challenge to you."
Laila thought it was something serious, but she just laughed when she heard that, "Did I lose that time?"
"How could you!" Louise rolled her eyes.
"Then it's fine, right? It's not us who failed, so why worry about it?" Laila found her thoughts amusing.
Louise massaged her forehead. Who was she speaking for?
Back then, Michael Bay had thoroughly criticized Laila's "Pirates of the Caribbean" while promoting "Pearl Harbor," almost stepping on her head as he climbed up. How could she be so indifferent about it now?
"Whatever, since you don't mind, I know what to do." If the boss had spoken, what could she say as a subordinate? Just follow the instructions obediently.
Laila chuckled, "That's right. We want him to help us make money. Think about the wealth he'll create for us, and you'll fall in love with him then."
Louise waved her hand without enthusiasm, "Love is too much. As long as you're happy."
"Haha, of course, I'm happy." Laila laughed heartily.
After her rebirth, she used her foresight to buy many copyrights. For example, "Harry Potter" and "Transformers." Some movies were shot early because of her relationship, and others hadn't appeared yet for the same reason. Overall, she optimized the original versions excellently, making already excellent films much better.
The movie Louise was about to talk about next would be the most important part of her plan for the next two or three years. Because of her influence, this epic work would appear several years later than the original.
"As for 'The Lord of the Rings'..." Louise looked at Laila with a somewhat complicated expression, "Are you really determined to shoot it?"