[Chapter 722: In a Madman's World, No One is Safe]
Blade would achieve success; William White never doubted that. It wasn't so much about how much he changed the plot as it was about technological advancements.
People inherently had a self-destructive gene. They enjoyed challenging jobs and were fond of intense sports.
Naturally, they also appreciated a visual impact in movies. However, they had to be cautious about this genre in the future. There were just too many crazies in the U.S., and if something unexpected happened on Halloween, it would really be nerve-wracking.
What? It was all fake.
If those crazies thought it was real, dressing up as a vampire on Halloween was quite dangerous. This was no laughing matter.
Look, movies like Platoon and First Blood could be seen as educational films -- what couldn't happen in this strange land of America?
Don't ever think these guys were dumb; if you lacked the smarts, you wouldn't even want to be a madman. Go check it out -- those famous lunatics were either from Harvard or MIT.
"George, was that bullet-cutting scene done by your special effects company?" Lucas was a little embarrassed in response to the question by Steve Jobs. It wasn't that he didn't want to; it was just that the conditions didn't allow for it.
"Steve, high-speed cameras weren't even civilian equipment. I couldn't afford one, let alone use it. He wrecked two of them for a single minute of footage."
"Crap, it was that lab. Those damn wastrels, they would sell a lab like that?"
"Haha, you don't know? They were working on digital video now. According to William White, once you had this, high-speed photography would become a piece of cake."
Of course, Steve Jobs knew about that; he had done quite well in the animation realm himself. Otherwise, the arrogant Jobs wouldn't have cared about any Marvel movie.
"That bastard -- it's a technical monopoly. Ahem, well, there didn't seem to be any way around it."
Lucas threw a joking glance at Jobs. The theater's lighting was poor, but from their front-row seats, they could still make out some details.
Well, maybe Jobs was overthinking; Lucas didn't have any special intentions, just glanced at him.
"Steve, William White was a jerk, but his passion for films was undeniable," Lucas said.
"Let me put it this way: he didn't care about providing technical support. Look at the gang he had for stunt work; half of Hollywood was there to support him. Could it be that William White didn't have money to buy a stunt team?"
"Haha, indeed. If that crazy guy went into R&D."
Lucas rolled his eyes at him. You wouldn't even want to do that work, yet you were suggesting William White should take it on. It was already ridiculous enough for the world's richest man to be directing; if he turned into some sort of science monster, he would really be Howard Hughes.
...
The two men were unaware that the madman they were talking about was busy worrying over other madmen. The chaos in Los Angeles had come to an end, and his family was about to return; this safety issue truly caused him headaches.
Crazies were everywhere, and guns were rampant -- that was the state of Los Angeles. The apparent calm couldn't disguise the undercurrents.
In such a situation, William White also felt quite helpless. He could certainly go out with a convoy, but his children couldn't do the same. The truth was, growing up in such an environment meant an unhappy childhood for the kids.
"Sir, we bought the two schools, using Miss Michelle Reis's name."
"Alright, good job, Tanner. Now, it won't be an issue; it makes our arrangements easier."
Well, William White directly bought the schools. That was all he could do at that moment.
You might wonder if William White had a persecution complex -- was it really necessary for him to be so cautious?
Haha, on this strange land, no one was absolutely safe. The more famous you were, the higher your risk factor.
I'm serious; there existed such a kind of crazy people, and they loved nothing more than targeting famous folks.
Because only then did they get a chance to gain fame and voice their own thoughts. Even if it cost them a life sentence, they would go all out.
What? There were no such people?
Haha, had you forgotten about Reagan getting shot? The worst part was, that guy was out of the hospital in no time.
Damn, crazies weren't scary; what was frightening was crazies with licenses. As long as there was a doctor to certify that they were insane at the moment of their wrongdoing, you were pretty much helpless.
Strengthening your own and your family's security was the only feasible way. Of course, if you came across someone blind to their own folly, they had to be made to reconsider their life choices -- that was also a must.
If you didn't have to pay any price to give the tycoon a taste of reality, William White would surely be kept busy.
...
Stan Lee was thrilled; Blade had been a massive success. Even though there were critics, that hardly mattered. As long as most viewers were satisfied, the movie would continue to thrive.
At that moment, casting a Black guy as the lead meant even if there were critiques, they had to be careful not to go too far. The head of White Films was notoriously difficult.
One misstep, and who could say they wouldn't be labeled as someone who discriminated against Black folks?
Don't be surprised; once you opened your mouth, there would surely be a flaw. How people interpreted it was anyone's guess.
As for the Black lead, this made for the second Black guy that William White had elevated to stardom. Wouldn't it be awkward to claim he was discriminatory?
"Stan, don't rush; there is another Underworld film in this vampire series, and the upcoming Twilight series is a super IP. We wouldn't shoot Twilight for now; I wanted to get Underworld done first."
Stan Lee was at a loss for words; it seemed like he got addicted to this alternative play. Underworld featured a single female lead, while all the male actors were just extras.
In current Hollywood, the pay disparity between female stars and male stars was glaringly evident. Action films with a single female lead were rarities.
"Mr. White, there was still some risk involved."
"Don't worry, don't worry. I'm very confident. By the way, once this is done, I plan to do the Hulk. Although the Hulk had a bit of a temper, he was a crucial element in what I had in mind. Take a look; I'm planning to make some changes to the script. Let me know your thoughts."
William White didn't want to argue with the old man. Even if Underworld bombed, he genuinely didn't care. If it felt good, what did it matter if it cost him?
Speaking of Hulk, Stan Lee found it hard to think of anything else. This guy was not Blade; he belonged to the Avengers.
After a while, Stan Lee muttered to himself about having Black Widow and the Hulk play with innuendos. Damn, that idea felt so awkward.
"Sir, this Black Widow...."
"Stan, the temperamental Hulk seemed to only have a penchant for destruction. Beauties usually outwitted beasts; that was a plot all Americans loved, wasn't it?"
Stan Lee couldn't find the words. Well, this trope had already been overused. King Kong had done it, Tarzan had done it, and now it came to the Hulk. How could he not have thought of that? If it were changed a bit, it seemed the comics would improve drastically.
At the very least, it could increase the female readership. Ahem, boss, you had good ideas; why not say them earlier? Marvel's business hadn't been doing well lately.
Staring at him with a resentful gaze, William White felt a bit uncomfortable. If there was nothing else to do, they should find him something to keep busy.
"Stan, the Hulk is in your hands now; you need a concept for how to change the next comic. Also, keep an eye on casting the Black Widow."
Stan Lee had no words left; this boss had noticed his headache, "The actresses are not my kind of choices. The Hulk, though, I could still give some input on."
*****
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