Chapter 224: Returning Home

The moment the production of *Pirates of the Caribbean* wrapped, Wu Yuchen truly let out a long sigh of relief. This was the most time-consuming film he had shot since he began his career, and the energy invested in it had been immense. Even as a reborn person who had the original version from his past life as a reference, many things could not be skipped; time had to be spent where it was required.

Wu Yuchen estimated that it would be easier when it came time to shoot the sequel. On one hand, the team had already developed some rapport, and on the other, the props, ships, and locations were all ready-made, which would significantly shorten the time. However, the troublesome part then would likely not be the filming, but the actors—especially Depp, the leading man who was not easy to handle.

Wu Yuchen shook his head. He had finally managed to get it done, finally setting down a burden; for now, he didn't want to think about those things so much.

However, this was, after all, a 140-million-dollar mega-project, and it was a collaboration with DreamWorks, with DreamWorks holding the majority of the investment. Therefore, it wasn't just a matter of him feeling it was ready; he definitely still had to organize a screening and get the nod from the DreamWorks side.

At DreamWorks, in a small, luxurious screening room, Wu Yuchen and the three giants of DreamWorks, including Spielberg, were all gathered, sitting in the best viewing seats. Meanwhile, actors like Depp, Wolverine, and Keira Knightley were sitting further back. Although they were the leads, to be honest, they had no say at all by the time the film reached post-production; the ones who made the decisions were Wu Yuchen, Spielberg, and the others.

Gasol was the head of DreamWorks' publicity department, and today he had also been called over by the bosses to watch the film. To be honest, he hadn't held high expectations at the start. After all, pirate-themed films were recognized as box office poison. In the past ten or twenty years, most pirate films had been money-losers, with the standout being *Hook*, directed by his own boss, Spielberg.

And the reason *Hook* was able to achieve good results was, on one hand, its luxurious lineup: Spielberg, Hollywood's top actress Julia Roberts, plus renowned stars like Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman, which in itself had great drawing power. On the other hand, it was also because *Hook* had a fan base; it was one of the *Peter Pan* series films, and *Peter Pan* was a classic IP character.

But look at this *Pirates of the Caribbean*?

Setting aside Wu Yuchen as the director, the cast lineup simply couldn't compare to *Hook*, and this was an original story with no fan base to speak of. To be honest, if it weren't for Wu Yuchen taking the initiative to clamor and issue a challenge to *Zhenzhugang*, putting both films on the ring, Gasol would have had a headache over how to promote *Pirates of the Caribbean*.

But as the film unfolded, Gasol discovered that this *Pirates of the Caribbean* brought him many surprises: the strange yet not unlikable pirate Jack, the passionate and handsome Will, the beautiful and persistent Elizabeth, the thrilling and intense sea chases and fights, the elegant and free-spirited English-style sword duels, the skeleton pirates, the eerie gold coin curse...

Especially when the *Black Pearl* appeared, that ship of skeletons under the moonlight made him feel truly amazed, and he was completely immersed in this fantasy adventure journey.

At this moment, Spielberg also wore a smile on his face, while simultaneously letting out a long sigh of relief in his heart. After all, this was a 140-million-dollar mega-production, and their DreamWorks had also invested as much as 80 million. Before seeing the film, he had still felt somewhat uneasy.

Wu Yuchen heard this and laughed, replying, "Steven, that's what you said yourself~"

"Of course, Spielberg said *Pirates of the Caribbean* could have double the results of *Hook*, so naturally, I'm full of confidence!"

Katzenberg had always been dedicated to animation, so he was very sensitive to these elements, because currently, these were not really allowed to appear in animated films; otherwise, they would attract a lot of infamy for affecting the healthy growth of children.

About two hours later, amidst the embrace and kiss of Will and Elizabeth, and with Captain Jack steering the *Black Pearl* toward the distant sea, the film drew its curtain.

But now, after watching the film, from his perspective, he wouldn't dare say how high the box office would be, but he felt that at the very least, it wouldn't lose money.

Yes, Gasol felt that this *Pirates of the Caribbean* was much more interesting than those pirate-themed films he had seen before!

Spielberg laughed loudly: "Hahaha, I'd love for it to achieve double the results and leave *Hook* far behind!"

With all these various elements combined, it actually turned out to be so interesting!

Spielberg smiled upon hearing this. He was actually just joking; after all, *Hook* had a global box office of 300 million dollars back then. If it doubled, wouldn't that be 600 million dollars? If *Pirates of the Caribbean* could have that box office, he would wake up laughing in his dreams!

At this moment, Katzenberg suddenly asked: "Will Captain Jack be controversial? I mean, he looks a bit like a gay man."

Subsequently, Katzenberg said to Wu Yuchen: "Wu, I don't mean anything else. This film is very interesting, but will we be affected by this point?"

"David, can you not be so sensitive? I'm just talking business."

Wu Yuchen smiled: "Jeffrey, I understand, but I think the problem shouldn't be big. Captain Jack is just a non-traditional, non-serious pirate, but he is not gay; there will be mentions of his girlfriend later on."

Katzenberg nodded upon hearing this, then smiled and said: "Wu, it seems you are really confident; you've already thought of the sequel's plot."

Even the leading lady, Keira Knightley, who had never been very confident in the film, felt very surprised after watching it. Was this really a film she had acted in? Could a pirate film actually be shot with this kind of effect?

Then she looked at Depp beside her. She hadn't expected that the guy she felt was effeminate and talkative while filming on set would actually have a unique charm when seen on the screen.

Before the lights in the screening room came on, someone started to applaud, and someone even cheered directly: "Unbelievable, a pirate film that is full of epic feel and very interesting!"

"Wu, this is the most interesting pirate-themed film I have ever seen!" Spielberg said to Wu Yuchen with a smile.

The filming process this time had actually been very hard, and everyone had just been filming without special effects, so it was hard to imagine what it would be like after the effects were added. That was why they were so surprised after watching the film for the first time; it turned out this was the thing they had shot.

Beside him, David Geffen also joked: "Steven, *Pirates of the Caribbean* will definitely surpass your *Hook*. Aren't you sad?"

Before Wu Yuchen could speak, David Geffen expressed his dissatisfaction: "Hey! Jeffrey, what do you mean? Are you discriminating against us?"

However, subsequently, Wu Yuchen asked: "Steven, regarding the distribution channels, have you chosen them yet?"

Spielberg nodded: "In a few days, I will invite people from Universal to come and watch the film, and then discuss the distribution issue. The channel fee should be around 10%-12%. But Wu, are you sure you really want to release it on the same day as *Zhenzhugang*? We don't necessarily have to do that..."

"Steven, this topic has been hyped for half a year now. If we show cowardice before the battle, we might as well not release it at all; the audience will laugh at us!"

Spielberg sighed upon hearing this and said nothing more. However, now that he had seen the finished effect of *Pirates of the Caribbean*, it did give him some confidence; perhaps they really could beat *Zhenzhugang*.

Since it had been decided to go head-to-head with *Zhenzhugang*, DreamWorks no longer hesitated or struggled. They directly contacted Universal as the distributor and announced that the film would be released on May 25, 2001.

The reason for choosing this day was that Disney had already announced to the public that *Zhenzhugang* would be released during the Memorial Day weekend in 2001, which was May 25. For a subject like *Zhenzhugang*, this was a natural gimmick, and they also wanted to borrow the public's gratitude for martyrs during this holiday to get them into the cinema.

Since *Zhenzhugang* had already been set, *Pirates of the Caribbean* would naturally follow and be set on the same day. And Universal was, of course, very happy to take on this business, watching DreamWorks and Disney fight with a smile.

"Wu Dao, I am very willing to cooperate with you, and I am also looking forward to it, but there is one problem: my time to join the crew might be a bit late. You also know that I have a very high hope of competing for Best Actor this year, and I must go all out~"

The person talking to Wu Yuchen in front of him was Russell Crowe, the lead actor of *Gladiator*. Wu Yuchen and producer Grazer, who was preparing *A Beautiful Mind*, had visited together, hoping he would play the lead in *A Beautiful Mind*.

But Russell Crowe, by virtue of *Gladiator*, was a hot favorite for this year's Oscars, and he naturally wanted to go all out for public relations; he wouldn't be able to join the crew until after the Oscars at the earliest.

Grazer and Wu Yuchen looked at each other: "Russell, please allow us two to discuss it."

Russell Crowe smiled and nodded, then he and his agent went to another room first.

Grazer said: "Wu, what do you think? Do you think there's enough time?"

Wu Yuchen was thinking carefully. Actually, if he counted the second half of the year, there was naturally plenty of time. However, he also wanted to return to the country to shoot another Chinese-language film in the second half of this year, so he wanted to get *A Beautiful Mind* done in the first half.

Then he calculated the release time of *Pirates of the Caribbean*. As the director, he would definitely have to cooperate with the promotion of *Pirates of the Caribbean*. In that case, the time left for him to shoot *A Beautiful Mind* would only be two months?

Wu Yuchen shook his head again. No, no, that's not how it should be calculated. It's not that it must be shot only after Russell Crowe arrives. Although he is the lead actor and the film is centered on him, they could completely shoot some scenes without him first.

Calculating it this way, starting the shoot in February would be fine, and there would still be plenty of time. *A Beautiful Mind* was not like *Pirates of the Caribbean*; it had no big scenes, and it mainly depended on the actors' performance. Wu Yuchen wasn't too worried about this aspect; the main actors for this crew were all directly chosen as powerful performers.

A moment later, Wu Yuchen said to Russell Crowe: "Russell, you can join the crew after the Oscars night, but start preparing for the role from now on. Is that a problem?"

Russell Crowe readily agreed: "Of course, no problem!"

Then Grazer and Russell Crowe's agent began to negotiate Russell Crowe's salary. Russell Crowe's salary a year ago was still between 5 and 8 million. He only received 5 million for *Gladiator*, and before *Gladiator* was released, he also acted in *Proof of Life*, with a salary of 7 million.

But now, *Gladiator*, which he starred in, was a box office hit, and he was also very likely to win the Oscar for Best Actor, so his salary would definitely see a significant increase.

In the end, both sides agreed on a tentative salary of 12 million for Russell Crowe, and if he could win the Oscar for Best Actor this year, the salary would be 15 million.

Actually, Wu Yuchen didn't care much about how much Russell Crowe's salary was, because he didn't directly participate in the investment for the *A Beautiful Mind* project; he mainly received a 20% share of the full copyright, so he didn't care much about the cost, as long as it was shot well.

The *Pirates of the Caribbean* side was basically settled, and the main things for *A Beautiful Mind* had also been decided. With producer Grazer watching over it, Wu Yuchen was at ease. However, there was still *Spider-Man*. As one of the producers, he couldn't just walk away. But fortunately, Wu Yuchen had found a reliable person who could be entrusted with a major task.

Kevin Feige. During his studies at the University of Southern California, he had once followed producer Lauren Shuler Donner as an intern, and after graduation, he also became Lauren's capable assistant.

Kevin was very proficient in knowledge related to Marvel comic background settings and the Marvel Universe structure. It was precisely because of this reason that Lauren began to tap into his abilities, and thus appointed Kevin as the assistant producer for the first film in the *X-Men* series.

And with the huge success of the *X-Men* film, Kevin's days also began to get better. However, the step from assistant producer to producer was very difficult to cross. Although he had some resume now, it was still impossible for him to serve as an independent producer; he still needed to accumulate some qualifications before he would have the eligibility to serve as a producer for some small projects.

But just as he was considering his future fate, he received an invitation from Wu Yuchen, a well-known major director in Hollywood today who was currently very hot. Thus, Kevin Feige ran over excitedly.

"Hello, Kevin."

"Hello, Wu Dao, it's really an honor to meet you!"

Kevin Feige was 4 years older than Wu Yuchen, but now Wu Yuchen's posture was steady, while Kevin Feige appeared very eager, like a young, inexperienced lad.

Wu Yuchen smiled and gestured for him to sit down. This Kevin Feige in front of him was the man who had personally created *Iron Man*, *Captain America*, and *The Avengers*, leading Marvel Studios to glory.

"Kevin, I've heard about you from Stan Lee. You did a great job on the X-Men project and have a deep understanding of Marvel comics."

"Thank you for your praise. To tell you the truth, I have really been a total Marvel comic fan since I was a child, the die-hard kind. When I was still in school, I could close my eyes and chat with my roommates about various hero data from Marvel for days and nights~"

Wu Yuchen showed a satisfied expression: "Very good! You might have already heard that the *Spider-Man* project is currently in preparation. I now want to invite you to join Marvel Studios and serve as the producer for *Spider-Man* as a representative of Marvel Studios. I wonder if you are willing?"

Kevin Feige immediately showed an excited expression: "God! Thank you so much, Wu! Being able to participate in the production of *Spider-Man* has been my dream for 20 years! Even if you don't give me any remuneration, I am willing!"

At this moment, Kevin Feige almost jumped up from his chair, appearing very excited. He was speaking from the heart. Wu Yuchen was not only letting him participate in the *Spider-Man* project but also directly promoting him from assistant producer to producer. This was a step that was very difficult to cross! Therefore, even without any salary, he was willing.

Wu Yuchen looked at his somewhat fanatical appearance and didn't doubt his passion for *Spider-Man* at all. At the same time, with the proof from his past life and Kevin Feige's experience having already participated in *X-Men*, he wasn't worried that this guy would mess it up.

"Kevin, I think highly of you. If you perform well enough this time, I will consider letting you join the plan to build the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, this all requires you to prove yourself; otherwise, even if I recommend you, you might not be able to pass the Marvel Committee's hurdle, understand?"

Kevin Feige immediately stood up and bowed to Wu Yuchen repeatedly: "Wu, I can no longer use words to express my feelings at this moment. Thank you for your appreciation. I will definitely not live up to your expectations!"

Wu Yuchen smiled. He planned to let Kevin Feige station himself in the *Spider-Man* side as a representative of Marvel Studios, and also as his agent. If there were any problems, he could contact him at any time. In this way, it would be an explanation to Sony, and he himself could return home with peace of mind!

At the end of December, Wu Yuchen returned to Beijing, and Cai Yinong also ran over personally to pick him up at the airport.

In the car, Wu Yuchen also sighed: "I spent most of the year in America, and I didn't get to properly experience the changes in our country."

Cai Yinong immediately said: "Wu Dao, you are currently shooting blockbusters in Hollywood to win glory for the country. Our country can understand that. You have really worked hard!"

Wu Yuchen smiled and shook his head, then listened to Cai Yinong introduce various things inside and outside the company and the circle.

Although he was not in the country, Qiji Film and Television was also developing vigorously. In the first half of the year, a show called *The Happy Life of Puns-loving Zhang Damin* achieved super-high ratings in the northern region, and during the summer, *Young Justice Bao* became popular all over the country after it was broadcast.

Now, there were still several dramas in the company that hadn't been aired this year, such as *Wu Lin Wai Shi* starring Huang Haibo and Fan Bingbing, Xu Zheng's *Spring Bright Pig Bajie*, *Da Zhai Men 2*, etc. They had all found TV stations and would be popular next year.

As for the Hong Kong Island Bai Xiong Company, it was also flourishing now.

If one had to talk about the most profitable business of Bai Xiong now, it was naturally F4! Not to mention anything else, just the records released by F4 and the concert tour held in Asia over the past few months had already brought the company over 100 million yuan in net profit. Yes, not gross, but net profit!

As for how popular the concert tour was, according to Cai Yinong, after F4 entered the interior of the Bang country, the airport was paralyzed by crazy female fans. "Oppa, Oppa," they kept screaming. The fanaticism of the concerts in the Bang country made the currently hottest male idol group in the Bang country, HOT, feel like they were facing a great enemy, and they were actively doing activities everywhere to consolidate their fans.

Originally, HOT's strategy was to go abroad in the next two years; after all, they were already an invincible existence in the Bang country. But now, they were scared by F4 all of a sudden. Even if they wanted to go out, they had to watch their home base. The home base in the Bang country was the foundation. If they didn't succeed in going out and instead had their home base stolen, they would be crying without tears!

It was said that HOT's company, SM Entertainment, was also planning to imitate F4 and prepare a TV drama for HOT to push into Asia, so as to break out again.

Wu Yuchen was not surprised by this. The film and television industry of the little Bangs had always been imitating Hong Kong Island; it was only in these years that they slowly walked out of a path of their own.

However, Bai Xiong was not unprepared for this. Regarding the development of F4 in the next few years, Wu Yuchen had set it from the beginning. Now Bai Xiong had also specially opened idol dramas for the few members of F4, such as *Hotelier* prepared for Huang Huang Xiao Ming, *Winter Sonata* for Zhong Hanliang, *Stairway to Heaven* for Qiao Zhenyu, and *Summer Scent* for Wu Kequn.

And Wu Yuchen had also set the tone: these few dramas should be shot according to the standard of *Autumn in My Heart*, and the focus was to create that kind of atmosphere, letting Cai Yinong watch over it personally.

With these few dramas lifting them up, F4's popularity in Asia went without saying; it would inevitably go to a higher level and create brilliance again. And just these four TV dramas alone, not to mention anything else, could earn another 100 million for Bai Xiong across Asia.

As for the little Bangs, don't consider going abroad and rushing to Asia first; guard the home country under the impact of F4 first!

In addition, in the first half of this year, Wu Yuchen also set the investment for two films for Bai Xiong: *Infernal Affairs* and *Shaolin Soccer*.

Now *Infernal Affairs* had finished filming, and it had even specially shot two endings according to Wu Yuchen's requirements.

One was for the local audience on Hong Kong Island, which was Liu Dehua saluting in front of Liang Chaowei's tombstone, which was also the original ending.

The other was Liu Dehua being arrested as soon as he stepped out of the elevator. This was shot for the mainland side; after all, the principles on the mainland side were such that evil must be punished, and bad people could not be allowed to laugh until the end. And how could bad people be allowed to remain in the team? This was resolutely not allowed! Therefore, to pass the review, it had to be done this way.

In his past life, *Infernal Affairs* was not introduced by the mainland side at the beginning, but because the film was truly a classic, it was introduced to the mainland only after it had been released on Hong Kong Island for more than half a year. However, by then, everyone who should have watched it had already watched it; after all, pirated copies were everywhere, and in the end, it only got a few million in box office.

But this time, *Infernal Affairs* was produced by Bai Xiong, and Cai Yinong personally sent it for review and specially visited Han Sanping. The power of introducing films was held in the hands of China Film Group. Whether it was released or not was just a word from Han Sanping. With the relationship between Wu Yuchen and Han Sanping now, it was naturally not a problem. ===== CHAPTER 225 =====