Laila's company simultaneously announced plans for four movies, causing shock among those who kept an eye on Dragon Soul Company.
For large film production companies, producing and releasing many movies each year is standard. However, it's crucial to emphasize the term "large" in this context. Just take a look at the major players on the Hollywood rankings, and you'll understand.
Laila had only been in the industry for a few years—first with Phoenix Films and now with Dragon Soul Company. Both of these film production companies were essentially lifted by her. Dragon Soul focused on producing and distributing movies she directed, while Phoenix Studios became the desired destination for new talents in Hollywood. Here, individuals with talent could get the opportunities they deserved.
The innovative plan, initially mocked by some, demonstrated in just a few years that the era of the younger generation had arrived. Many talented individuals were out there, but due to a lack of exposure, their talents remained unnoticed. Laila's innovative plan attracted numerous aspiring young people and those with unfulfilled ambitions.
In return for some investment, Laila gained the collaboration of outstanding newcomers and the birth of excellent works. Looking at Phoenix Films' recent films, it was evident that the plan was maturing and showing remarkable results. It was foreseeable that Laila and her company would soon become the most profitable film production company in Hollywood.
Other companies had ideas to curb her influence, but relying on the media, film critics, online communities, and other means to bring Laila down was impossible. The entire Morlan Group was her solid support.
Their only option was to try to surpass her in filmmaking. Unfortunately, in that aspect, nobody was confident they could defeat her. A look at Laila's box office results over the years revealed how few directors could surpass her.
What made her even more formidable was her fast pace of film production. While others took years to make one film, she could produce one or two in a single year.
Take James Cameron, the creator of the top-grossing films in history, for example. His "Titanic" was indeed impressive and made a considerable profit. However, even after many years, when he set a new record with "Avatar," Laila could have produced a multitude of blockbuster films in the same time frame.
So, in terms of earning money and attracting audiences, calling her the world's number one wouldn't face much opposition. She wasn't even 24 years old yet, not even at the peak period for directors. No one could predict how much wealth she would create when she eventually stopped making films, and it was uncertain if anyone in the future could surpass her records.
Even without considering the future, just based on the box office figures she had achieved so far, she had already reached heights that most directors could only dream of.
Of course, some directors might sourly comment, "Box office doesn't mean anything; substance is the most important in a film." However, if the films you make have so few viewers, what is the significance of your production?
So, when Laila announced plans to produce four films, countless people were filled with envy. And when you look at those four films, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel doesn't come as much of a surprise; making a sequel to a highly successful movie is quite normal. Just by observing the cheers and congratulations from fans on various forums and Facebook after the news, you could tell that the box office would be substantial.
Captain Jack Sparrow returns to the vast sea waves, and just the thought of it is exhilarating, isn't it?
The only regret for fans is that Laila is no longer directing the sequel. Fortunately, the new director is Rob Marshall, with whom she has collaborated, so he must have some real talent to catch her eye.
The second plan is to shoot the story of "America's first female serial killer," Aileen Wuornos. This woman, notorious for her crimes, was executed in 2002, leaving a significant impact on society. Laila Moran, with her keen sensitivity to film, is undoubtedly able to grasp topics that pique public interest accurately.
While the first two plans were relatively conventional, the revelation of the next two plans drove countless people into madness.
"Transformers"!
The iconic characters that defined a generation are now going to be turned into a movie!
How many people were captivated by the way the Autobots transformed in the animated series? How many children begged their parents for a Transformers toy?
Now it was going to be a movie, and it was estimated to be a big-budget production of one to two hundred million! How could Transformers fans not be excited?
However, when they saw the choice of the director, some were momentarily stunned. It wasn't that the director wasn't good—quite the opposite. But why him? Michael Bay? Weren't they arch-enemies in the past? Why were they cooperating now?
Not only were fans puzzled, but even casual observers who had previously enjoyed watching the spectacle were drawn to this unexpected development.
The third movie plan had already shocked countless people, but when the fourth plan appeared, even more people chose to vent their astonishment with piercing screams.
"The Lord of the Rings"! Laila was going to direct it herself! This book, regarded as almost a bible by many, was going to be filmed, and it would be handled by one of Hollywood's most talented directors—Laila Morlan herself! This alone almost guaranteed that the film would rank among the top in the annual global box office.
If nothing unexpected happened, the first three were highly likely. However, whether it would be the first was hard to say, as "The Lord of the Rings" was an ambitious project. It had never been done before, and predicting what Laila could achieve was difficult.
In the past, she could be seen as a straightforward commercial director. Still, after "Chicago" emerged and earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Director, her directing abilities were unquestionable.
As soon as the news broke, fans of "The Lord of the Rings" worldwide turned their attention to Laila. While many might not have been familiar with her initially, knowing that she would be directing their most revered work made people list out her entire filmography and life story.
When they saw that she wasn't even 24 years old, some began to protest that she wasn't qualified to direct such a monumental project. However, when the list of films she had directed was laid out, those protests quickly fell silent. Measuring Laila's capabilities by her age was undoubtedly a self-inflicted wound, as it meant facing the possibility of being continuously outshone by one outstanding work after another.