Made In Hollywood

When Duke left the training ground and walked out of the studio door, he stopped. A middle-aged man followed him from behind—Jimmy Carter, the action director who had been working with him since The Rock.

"Any insights, Jimmy?" Duke asked.

"The training has just begun, so no clear direction yet," Jimmy Carter shook his head. "This is completely different from Hollywood's action style. It's also unlike the flashy moves in Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan's films. Their moves look showy and are far from practical combat requirements."

"But they're beautiful, aren't they?" Duke patted his shoulder. "We're making a movie, not holding a martial arts competition. Every successful film style has its merits. Don't you think Hollywood's action style is too rigid and stiff? So, Jimmy, give it your best shot. I'm looking forward to the surprises you'll bring me in the future."

"My team has already recorded the entire training process," Jimmy Carter said confidently. "We'll also gather more footage later. I'll analyze it thoroughly. Duke, when have I ever let you down?"

"You might want to reach out to that Tiger Chen," Duke suggested after some thought. "He has lived in the United States for many years, making it easier for him to integrate into Hollywood. By the end of the filming, you could consider keeping him on board."

"I know what to do," Jimmy Carter replied.

Nodding slightly, Duke walked into another large studio nearby, where set construction was in full swing. The subway station, a magnificent martial arts arena, and a cyberpunk-style hovercraft cabin were already taking shape. He was looking for the cinematographer, John Schwartzman, who was discussing with the set designer to ensure suitable camera positions were reserved during the set construction.

Seeing Duke, John Schwartzman immediately approached him. "Done over there? Let's talk on the side. Collins from Industrial Light & Magic is waiting for us."

The two bypassed the set construction area and entered a separate section of the studio. Several special effects artists from Industrial Light & Magic were there, creating props based on Duke's requirements and conducting various experiments.

"Hi, Duke. Hi, John," Collins greeted them and led them to the lounge area, where the three sat down and got straight to the point.

"I've discussed it with John several times," Collins began. "Though implementing it will be challenging, it's not impossible. Last year, The Stendhal Syndrome used CGI to depict a bullet in motion, showcasing the 'bullet time' effect you described. With our capabilities, we can do even better."

Duke, who had watched the film after John Schwartzman recommended it, said, "I don't just want a single bullet. I want fluid and continuous motion in a 360-degree scene."

"Collins and I have a preliminary plan," John Schwartzman chimed in. "We'll first use computer simulations to design it and then conduct a series of actual shoots to find the most suitable shooting method."

"Then I'll wait for your test results."

Although Duke had proposed some ideas and suggestions in the early stages, like how he entrusted the design of gun-fu to Yuen Woo-Ping, he believed that professional matters should be handled by professionals. When it came to cinematography and special effects, John Schwartzman and Industrial Light & Magic were far more skilled than he was.

Moreover, the methods rumored to have been used in the past—would they really work without prior experimentation?

In the tense and busy preparation process, June quickly passed. Besides the work in Sydney, Duke flew to New Zealand almost every weekend. The progress there was also smooth overall, with the design work for weapons, armor, set art, and props well underway. After reviewing the completed design drafts, Duke communicated with the relevant personnel to make adjustments to many details.

Charles Roven had also contacted two horse ranches to train warhorses for the shoot and leased a hilly area near Wellington. Once the design plans were approved, Hobbiton would be constructed there.

Meanwhile, Weta Workshop's pre-production work was also gradually unfolding, including designing the appearances of Orcs and Uruk-hai and improving and applying motion capture technology per Duke's requirements.

As the two film crews prepared, large amounts of money were being spent like water. The Matrix was relatively fine since Warner Bros. had invested in it. However, the Lord of the Rings trilogy was temporarily funded solely by Duke's studio, making his finances inevitably tight.

Fortunately, good news kept coming from North America. Duke and Warner Bros. were now closely tied, and the latter had no intention of delaying payments to damage their relationship.

By mid-July, Chicago had finished screening in its last region—Moldova—and officially exited the global market. The film's worldwide box office total stood at $357.51 million.

Subsequently, Duke's studio and Warner Bros. jointly negotiated the film's various overseas copyrights with distributors. By late July, negotiations for the major overseas markets were largely complete. The 10-year rights to Chicago in 77 overseas countries and regions—including videotape, VCD, and television broadcast rights—were sold for a total of $38.2 million. Additionally, varying sales percentages of 4% to 7% were secured in different regions.

According to the agreement, Warner Bros., as the distributor, took a 10% cut. Furthermore, the copyright sales wouldn't be immediately settled, requiring time for funds to circulate back. However, the $10 million upfront payment was enough to support the Lord of the Rings crew for a considerable time.

Thus, excluding Warner Bros.' distribution cut, Duke's studio earned nearly $47 million in pre-tax box office profits from Chicago. Coupled with over $34 million from home media, merchandise, and other peripherals, the film's total pre-tax profit reached an astonishing $81 million!

This was not the end. While the film's peripheral revenues had slowed, they were still trickling in. As long as the film remained relevant, Duke's studio would continue to generate income.

A successful film brings immense, even terrifying, revenue and influence—not just for investors but also for all involved, especially the cast.

No one could deny that Naomi Watts had skyrocketed to Hollywood's A-list thanks to Chicago's box office success and her Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

"Is it strange to see me?"

In the studio's lounge, Naomi Watts looked at Duke. "Don't forget, this is Australia, my hometown."

"I just didn't expect you to visit the set," Duke replied.

He poured a cup of coffee and placed it on the table before her. "By my calculations, you should be extremely busy right now."

"Well, I am. I've just signed on for a new movie, which should begin filming in the second half of the year if all goes well," Naomi said as she sipped her coffee, looking at Duke like an old friend. "I had some free time recently, so I came back to Australia. I saw in the papers that your crew was at the Fox Studios, so I decided to drop by."

"A new movie?" Duke asked curiously. "Can you tell me what it's about?"

To Duke, Naomi Watts was one of the Hollywood stars most influenced by him. Like Sean Connery, who had retired early, her career path had shifted entirely. Especially after Chicago, her status far exceeded her past peak.

Now with a near $200 million domestic box office, over $300 million globally, and an Oscar nomination, she was undoubtedly a significant player.

He wondered if the new movie she mentioned was Mulholland Drive.

"A major production, with an estimated budget of about $150 million," Naomi Watts said, completely dispelling Duke's guess. "It's a remake by Universal Pictures."

She playfully winked at Duke. "Care to guess?"

Then she laughed. "There'll be a reward if you get it right."

"This seems difficult," Duke said, sitting across from Naomi. "How about a hint?"

"Not born in America, later went there, and died there."

Duke thought for a moment before asking, "Did they go to America by accident? Was it voluntary?"

"No," Naomi said, shaking her head.

"From somewhere mysterious?"

"Yes."

"By boat?"

"Yes."

"With chains?"

"Yes."

"Displayed with those chains?"

"Yes."

Looking at Naomi Watts, smiling radiantly, Duke already had an answer. Knocking lightly on the table, he said, "King Kong?"

"Darling..." Naomi Watts' smile became even brighter. "You really can't be stumped."

Frowning slightly, Duke asked, "Can you tell me the director's name?"

"A New Zealander," Naomi Watts said dismissively. "Peter Jackson. Not even a second-tier director, let alone someone like you."

She added, "I heard he approached Universal, asking to remake this film, and he agreed to a very low fee. He doesn't have any particularly successful works. I'm not very impressed."

So it's Peter Jackson. Universal really agreed to his pitch!

Duke sighed softly. From Naomi's words, he could tell that this director would undoubtedly face challenges managing relationships with A-list actresses in the future. The reason was simple: their statuses were entirely unequal.

This was further confirmed as Naomi elaborated. Peter Jackson hadn't wanted to work with such a big-name actress, but Naomi Watts was Universal's choice. Though she had just entered the A-list, her fame and box office draw were enormous. Given the film's potentially high budget, the studio naturally wanted a bankable star to headline.

Peter Jackson, once squeezed by New Line Cinema, seemed destined to face new difficulties even with a different series.

....

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