"I can help you. With me around, you won't have to worry about resources in Hollywood. For example, my Hemera Pictures is about to produce a sci-fi thriller with a budget of around 30 million dollars. The lead role is going to Charlize Theron, and you could play either the second or third female lead."
Wayne didn't say what Eva Green had to give in return, but she wasn't a child—she could easily pick up on the subtext of his mention of Charlize Theron.
She was already quite willing to maintain a long-term relationship with someone like Wayne, who was not only handsome and fit but also incredibly capable. And now, with such high-quality resources on the table, there was no reason to refuse.
"Of course, I'd be more than happy to take the role you mentioned. However, my mother recently asked her friend, J.K. Rowling, the author of *Harry Potter*, to write me a recommendation letter for the London Webber Academy of Dramatic Art. I've already submitted the recommendation and my application, so it wouldn't look good if I backed out now."
Seeing Eva frown and look conflicted, Wayne couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
"Your mother has a connection with J.K. Rowling? Why didn't you audition for *Harry Potter* then? I think you'd be a great fit to play Professor McGonagall."
Eva Green looked at him speechless. She had read the books, after all!
"Are you joking, darling? Professor McGonagall is a woman in her 50s!"
"But a witch staying young through magical means isn't that unusual, right? Besides, Professor McGonagall is a master of Transfiguration."
Eva was speechless again, but after thinking about it, he kind of had a point?
"Alright, darling, you've got a sharp eye! But my mother only met Ms. Rowling at a children's authors' event, and they occasionally correspond. Getting a recommendation letter for a drama school isn't a big deal, especially since it's not Oxford or Cambridge. But asking for a role like Professor McGonagall? That's not going to happen."
Now it was Wayne's turn to be speechless.
A recommendation letter for a famous drama school, which is basically an acceptance letter, is somehow less valuable than an audition for a supporting role in a movie?
Wayne was left without words.
"How long are you planning to study there?" Wayne asked after composing himself.
"The original plan was six months to a year, but if you need me, I could cut it down to less than two months," Eva replied after some thought.
"That's fine then. The movie is still in the early stages of preparation, so it'll probably be two months before shooting officially starts," Wayne said.
Actually, aside from Charlize Theron being confirmed for the role of Alice in *Resident Evil*, even the screenwriter and director hadn't been decided yet.
In the previous version of *Resident Evil*, people criticized the weak storyline, which significantly affected its box office performance. Wayne wasn't going to repeat that mistake, so he wasn't going to bring in Paul Anderson from the original to be the screenwriter and director.
After some consideration, he set his sights on Joel Silver.
Yes, the Joel Silver who was an actor, screenwriter, director, producer, and the man behind iconic series like *Lethal Weapon*, *Die Hard*, *Predator*, and *The Matrix*.
Joel Silver had a great grasp of action elements, which would undoubtedly bring more explosive and exciting scenes to *Resident Evil*, boosting its box office appeal.
But as the owner of Silver Pictures, the second-largest production company behind DreamWorks, his price was high.
A $10 million fee for writing and directing would've been acceptable even if it were doubled. But asking for an 8% cut of the box office? That was too much for Wayne.
After all, he was spending the system's money on the production, but the box office earnings were his own.
An 8% box office cut could be nearly $30 million if the movie grossed $300 million worldwide like it did in the previous timeline!
"Why doesn't he just rob me?!" Wayne had cursed out loud when he heard the offer.
He had his agent, Sarah, try to negotiate, but the lowest they could get Silver to agree to was a 4% cut, so Wayne gave up on Joel Silver altogether.
He was fine with cutting into the production budget but not the box office earnings!
So, *Resident Evil 1* was still looking for a suitable director and screenwriter.
Wayne reviewed the list Mike had compiled and cross-referenced his memories of the past. He eventually narrowed it down to two candidates.
The first was Quentin Tarantino, who made his debut in 1986 with *My Best Friend's Birthday* and hadn't yet skyrocketed to fame with *Kill Bill*. He was known for his bloody, action-packed style. At the moment, he was still considered a B-list director, less famous than James Wan, and could likely be hired for about $1 million.
However, his grasp of plot structure wasn't great, which made Wayne hesitate.
The second option was Christopher Nolan, who had gained some recognition with *Memento*, which had just premiered in France on August 11. He would go on to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002.
Yes, the same Nolan who later became one of the top 10 directors of the 21st century, thanks to *The Dark Knight* trilogy, *Inception*, and *Interstellar*.
Nolan's strength lay in his ability to create deep, complex narratives, and he'd likely be cheaper than Tarantino.
Wayne couldn't decide between the two, so he planned to hire them both.
Nolan would write the script, as his screenwriting was clearly superior to Tarantino's. But as for who would direct and who would be the first assistant director, Wayne was still undecided.
Both directors had distinct personal styles, so whoever he chose would set the tone for the *Resident Evil* franchise.
Would it be dark and heavy or bloody and action-packed? It was a tough call.
Of course, Eva Green didn't know any of this. All she knew was that two months later, she would be starring in a major Hollywood production as the third or possibly second female lead. That alone was enough to excite her.
If she hadn't already exhausted all her energy from their earlier "interaction," she would've pulled Wayne back for another round.
(End of chapter)