American Fame and Fortune Chapter 900

Chapter 900: Driven to madness

Daniel stood in front of a "Joker" poster in the conference room, looking at the male protagonist on it thoughtfully.

Louis opened the door and came in, smiling and said: "Martin is still doing post-editing and will come over later."

Daniel said: "There is no rush." He changed his tone and asked: "Where is the post-production of "Joker" at?"

Louise asked someone to bring coffee and said: "The soundtrack and special effects have been added, and the final cuts are in progress. Martin will cut the film from the current 185 minutes to about 120 minutes."

Daniel suddenly sighed: "The length of the film is also controlled at about 120 minutes. Why do I think "Joker" directed by Martin is far more reliable than "Justice League"?"

Louise expressed her personal experience: "Martin has been in Hollywood for 12 years and has always been very reliable when doing business."

Daniel carefully reflected on his cooperation with Martin and found that this was indeed the case.

Looking at the Warner team that controls "Justice League", their unreliability is simply a compliment to this group of super talents.

The door of the conference room opened from the outside at this time, and Martin walked in, greeted Daniel, and said: "There is a scene that needs to be adjusted temporarily, which delayed the time."

"It doesn't matter." Daniel waited for Martin to sit down and said directly: "The reshoots of "Justice League" promoted by Joss Whedon have begun. The reshoots are all green screen scenes in the studio. Warner and DC are keeping a close eye on it. Well, "Justice League" will be released in November as planned."

"Joker is coming out a few weeks ahead of them, so hopefully it will turn out well," Martin said.

This is also the result of his special request. If "Justice League" really stinks like its previous life, it will inevitably have a negative impact on other DC movies. Even if DC publicly separates from "Joker", it is difficult to say what the specifics will be.

Daniel also knows this: "It seems that you are pessimistic about "Justice League"."

Louis asked directly: "So many things have happened in that project, are you still optimistic about them?"

Daniel smiled helplessly: "The top management of Warner and DC still have confidence."

Martin's post-production work was almost completed, and he would have time later. He asked, "I know Gal Gadot very well. Do we have time to visit the crew together some other time?"

Daniel shrugged: "You can go to Warner Studios as you like."

He turned to ask: "Why do you insist on doing post-production at Disney Studios? The conditions at Warner are not bad."

Martin said seriously: "I can't grasp the thoughts of those people. They are all geniuses. If they do something that ordinary people dare not think or do, it will be troublesome for us."

Daniel thought of the islanders and said: "A few years ago, I would have thought you were thinking too much, but now, I can't figure out what they think."

After chatting about some promotion and distribution work, Martin took Daniel into the editing room and let him watch the edited section.

Daniel said: "There is no trace of comics and no characteristics of a superhero movie. Instead, it looks like a movie adapted from reality."

He also has doubts: "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't dare to invest too many resources, but unlike you Martin, Warner Pictures is willing to take risks."

In recent years, Martin has been so successful that they are willing to take risks with successful people.

Martin reminded: "Don't forget, this is a clown!"

Daniel certainly remembers this key point. Warner Pictures is willing to invest resources in "Joker", not only because of Martin's success, but also because the Joker has already become a god.

Warner Pictures has conducted a market survey and found that Martin's version of the Joker is the one that movie fans recognize.

Half an hour later, Daniel left the "Joker" studio.

Martin returned to post-production and did not come out of the editing room until after get off work.

Louis made an appointment with him to go to Sherman Oaks, and the two got into Louise's Rolls-Royce.

Martin sat back in his seat, mental fatigue causing him to close his eyes.

Louise took out a bottle of water, unscrewed it and handed it to him: "Daniel and I agreed to officially hold the first internal preview screening for "Joker" at the end of August, and a total of four preview screenings were arranged before it was released in October. "

Martin took it and took a sip, and said: "You can decide these things. In the next two months, I will focus on the final production of the film."

For the post-production of "Joker", he asked Thomas to turn down the invitation to the Cannes Film Festival.

Arriving at Louise's mansion in Sherman Oaks, Kelly Gray also arrived.

The three of them sat at the bar in the living room, chatting together, talking about the past in Atlanta, and Louise even made a few cocktails by herself.

She is now one of the top bartenders and vice president of the International Bartenders Association.

Louis first mixed Kelly a glass of paper airplane and said, "It was this glass of wine that made me fall into the water."

Kelly took a sip of her wine and said, "You're a **** and I've never regretted it."

“I've made too much money, I won.” Louise mixed another glass of penicillin and handed it to Martin: “Your wine has a rich taste and distinct layers, and all the ups and downs of life are blended into it.”

Martin said: "Isn't this your favorite?"

Louise also picked up a glass of penicillin: "When you get used to the expansion and impact of this glass of wine, there will be rich and beautiful flavors behind it."

She raised her glass to Martin and Kelly: "With these, I have become the top female master in the bartending world."

Kelly said: "Exchange wine, exchange wine, I also want penicillin."

Louis drank up the wine in the glass and pushed Martin over: "I'll give you a glass of the best penicillin."

Warner Studio, DC's heavily invested “Justice League” is currently reshooting.

Joss Whedon, who replaced Zack Snyder as director, received the full support of Warner and DC and obtained the rights to the project, including the final editing rights.

The black actor who plays Cyborg sat in the corner of the studio, his eyes fixed on Joss Whedon, as if looking at his life-and-death enemy.

Just now, Joss Whedon asked his assistant to inform him that most of Cyborg's scenes will be cut.

This is completely different from Zack Snyder. In Zack Snyder's version, Cyborg belongs to the main plot line.

Destroying someone's future is tantamount to killing their parents.

Joss Whedon has great power and doesn't care what these young actors think. Moreover, he has always had a tough style in the industry. As early as when he directed "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", he caused a lot of controversy. The saying "Don't leave Michelle alone with the director" circulated in Hollywood circles refers to Joss Whedon.

In front of the green screen on the set, Joss Whedon stopped filming and came to Gal Gadot, who played the heroine. He was very dissatisfied with her and said directly: "Don't do those complicated performances, you don't have the ability. do you know?"

Gal Gadot was quite surprised. Is there something wrong with this director? It's not enough to have an actor, but you want to do it yourself?

Are these actors hand-picked by Zack Snyder his enemies?

Joss Whedon added: "You are just a vase, you just need to read the lines."

This statement is essentially true, but it makes people uncomfortable to hear it. Gal Gadot is not an actor without foundation, and immediately retorted: "There is more than just reading lines in the script, my character..."

Joss Whedon got annoyed and shouted: "Shut up! I am the director and screenwriter. If I tell you to shut up, you can't complain! Just read your lines!"

This is a completely different style from Zack Snyder, which made Gal Gadot quite resistant: "Sorry, I can't perform like this."

Joss Whedon was very angry: "Shut your mouth, I can make your character look like a big idiot in the film. If you don't do what I ask, your career will be very miserable!"

Gal Gadot looked at the director in surprise and was at a loss for a moment.

The studio fell into an eerie silence.

Geoff Johns, DC's representative on the set, rushed over and entered the set immediately, persuaded Joss Whedon for a few words, and chatted privately with Gal Gadot for a while.

In the end, under the "persuasion" of Jeff Jones, Gal Gadot acted as a pure vase in accordance with Joss Whedon's request.

These are just the tip of the iceberg in the reshoots. Joss Whedon not only targeted one actor, but showed no mercy to six actors.

The reshoot crew of "Justice League" is like a tinderbox that keeps heating up. As long as the conditions are right, it will explode violently.

But when this news reached the ears of DC and Warner executives, in their genius minds, it was a completely different situation.

In the chairman's office, Hamada reported the latest progress of the project to Kevin Tsujihara: "Joss Whedon has rich experience and tough methods. He has complete control of the crew. Whether it is the actors in front of the screen or the staff behind the scenes, everything has been achieved at work. In order to unify, the reshoots are going very smoothly. If nothing happens, all reshoots will be completed by the end of July.”

Due to the setbacks in the progress of the project, Kevin Tsujihara faced pressure from Time Warner Group and the board of directors, saying: "The film must be released on the planned November holiday!"

Hamada said: “There is plenty of time, and it's totally in time.”

Kevin Tsujihara was still not reassured: "Is there any problem with Joss Whedon?"

"The communication is very smooth. He listens to the opinions of the film studio. He is not as stubborn as Zack Snyder, who insists on making a dark style and super long film." Hamada said roughly: "Joss guarantees that the released version of the film will be released in 2020." At about 120 minutes, the tone of the film is definitely like that of "Avengers", which is more relaxed and entertaining. Many of the scenes he shot are funny. "

The dark and serious style is not going anywhere, and Kevin Tsujihara also thinks it's time to try a different approach: “Let's start publicity and marketing. The upfront cost of 200 million US dollars must be to create enough momentum.”

Because the production cost of reshooting this film exceeded US$300 million, the final cost will be around US$350 million.

Coupled with global publicity and distribution costs, the total cost goes straight to US$600 million.

This is of course public, many of which involve Warner's media and subsidiaries, and there is another set of accounting methods.

Kevin Tsujihara turned to ask: "What's going on with "Joker"?"

Hamada said: "Warner Pictures has confirmed that it will be released in full in October, and pre-release promotion has already begun. We have publicly separated from the film. No matter whether it succeeds or fails, it will not affect "Justice League" too much."

"After "Joker" is released, if Martin Davis still wants to make a sequel, don't give him the authorization." Kevin Tsuji is his brother-in-law and has a personal grudge with that bastard: "When we have "Justice League", The situation can be stabilized again.”

Warner Tiantuan has not had an easy time in the past two years.

Hamada then left the chairman's office and went to the studio where the crew filmed reshoots, reaffirming Joss Whedon's core position in the project.

In the past, DC always didn't trust directors very much and sent various personnel to experience the crew's creation.

This time, Warner Group will definitely learn from experience and lessons and give Joss Whedon enough power to allow the director who created the huge success of "Avengers" to help DC and the Justice League movie universe get rid of the dark and serious style and realize True transformation.

The strong support from Warner and DC also suppressed all the dissatisfied voices of the crew.

At the same time, DC also released the first commercial edited and directed by Joss Whedon himself.

Once the commercial came out, it attracted a lot of attention.

Many movie fans want to see what "Justice League" will look like if the director is changed.

The changes in this commercial are not particularly big. Joss Whedon has been working hard in Hollywood for more than 20 years, and he still has some abilities. He knows that he can't make earth-shaking changes right away.

He plans to change the tone of "Justice League" step by step with the release of commercials and trailers.

So, this thirty-second commercial, which no longer looks so dark and serious, did not arouse much negative comments.

Among them, the conversation between The Flash and Batman about "money power" has also caused a lot of heat.

Warner and DC were encouraged. When Kevin Tsujihara visited the reshoot crew, he personally encouraged Joss Whedon to be bold and liberal in handling the film style.

The time came in July, and the official trailer of "Joker" was released.

Compared to the relaxed tone of the "Justice League" billboard, this trailer is dark, serious, heavy and depressing, as if the most realistic aspects of all slums in the United States are repeatedly rubbed in front of the audience.

The clown in Martin's film can resonate with too many ordinary people.

The clown is a social animal at the bottom of society. His work is not going well, his colleagues are annoying, his boss is like an oil press, his living environment is chaotic, and he can be robbed whenever he walks on the road.

All the suffering he experienced drove a living person into a madman.

So, at the end of the first official trailer, the Joker picked up a gun, quit his job, killed his boss, and beat out the brains of the wealthy elite who laughed at him!

Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult for ordinary viewers to appreciate such a film.

But the social environment has changed. Since 2008, the North American economy has been in recession, the gap between rich and poor has been widening, class consolidation has become serious, and bankrupt households have increased sharply.

　　What the clown suffered in the trailer has been encountered by too many ordinary people in real life and work.

It's just that most people still have to be social animals.

Heavy family pressure and financial burdens including mortgage and car loans make all their emotions and dissatisfaction suppressed in their hearts, consuming themselves day after day like an ox or a horse until they collapse.

(End of this chapter)

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