Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 666 Persuasion
In the top-floor conference room at Paramount Pictures headquarters, key figures from several of the film's investors once again sat on either side of the conference table.

Zhang Chen stood in front of the huge projection screen, his laser pointer drawing bright trails on the storyboard.

On the screen, the first painting immediately caught everyone's attention—two modified sports cars were speeding along Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, towing a huge titanium safe.

Sparks flew as the safe scraped against the ground, followed by dozens of police cars, while the Christ the Redeemer statue cast a huge shadow in the setting sun.

"Here we used a long lens to follow the car, shooting from the angle of the safe up at the speed of the two cars, and then switched to aerial footage to capture a panoramic view of the chase across the entire block."

Zhang Chen's voice was full of passion: "Along the way, police cars kept trying to force him to stop, but the protagonist used a safe to defuse the situation."

At this point, the safe becomes their weapon; they will use their superb driving skills to crush any vehicles that try to stop them with the safe…

The laser pointer continued to move, and the drawing showed the protagonist Ethan and his second-in-command Abu. The two were each driving a car, with a huge safe being dragged behind them by a steel cable. As they drove around a bend, the huge inertia caused the safe to tumble and slide in an arc, smashing the roadside embankment and shops into dust.

Gudong~
The sound of someone swallowing saliva echoed in the quiet conference room, but no one found it abrupt. Just looking at the storyboard, which resembled a simple line drawing, was enough to get their blood pumping. They could easily imagine that if this scene were actually presented on the screen with special effects, it would absolutely send the audience's adrenaline soaring.

Zhang Chen continued pressing the buttons, the projection changed, the main characters left, and the Rio police found only an empty safe. It turned out that the real safe had been switched when they crossed the bridge.

The projection changed again, showing Angelina Jolie's resentful expression and Tom Cruise opening the safe, with dollars 'clattering' out of it.

"Oh God, Zhang, this Rio version's ending is so much better than the original Indian parking lot battle version!"

David leaned forward, his eyes shining. "I originally thought the parking lot scene was pretty good, but this one is just too visually impactful."

“That’s right. I thought the previous ending was just average, but this one feels more in line with the mind game setting of Mission: Impossible…” Tom Cruise chimed in.

Just as Zhang Chen was about to smile, Paramount's Sasha frowned and flipped through the budget sheet in his hand.

"Everyone, we need to calm down."

Sasha pushed the budget sheet to the center of the table. "Filming in Rio requires closing Copacabana Avenue for at least three days, and the two cars also need to be customized. In addition, there are post-production special effects, various scrapped vehicles, and extras' fees. The budget is a full $1000 million more than the previous version."

She paused, her tone becoming even more serious: "What's more troublesome is that we've already finished preparing for the scene in the Indian parking lot. If we rush into a rough draft, we'll have to start all over again. This includes contacting the local authorities in Rio for filming permits, adjusting the actors' schedules, and delaying filming by at least two weeks. Also, don't forget, Angelina Jolie's role has suddenly increased. Will she also demand a pay raise? That would be another huge expense..."

The meeting room fell silent instantly. Sasha sighed, "The board just emphasized cost control last week; 1000 million is no small sum. Zhang, I admit this performance was very entertaining, but I don't agree with making changes. It will create risks for the project..."

She thought Zhang Chen would be angry, but he wasn't.

"I may not have made it clear when I introduced it earlier, but the Syndicate will not only appear in Mission: Impossible 4."

He pulled up the Syndicate's concept art, "This organization will also be the villain in Taken 3, meaning that Julie's character will connect the plots of the two movies."

"As for the issues of salary and venue that everyone is worried about, please wait a moment..."

As Zhang Chen spoke, he took out his phone and started dialing.

Everyone looked at each other, confused about what Zhang Chen was going to do.

Once the call connected, Zhang Chen said, "Julie, this is Zhang Chen. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Oh, Zhang, what's wrong? Tell me..."

Only then did everyone realize that Zhang Chen's phone call was to Julie.

"Julie, I was with the Mission: Impossible 4 team, and here's the thing: I've made some changes to your character. You're no longer just an ordinary assassin, but the founder of a villainous organization, the biggest villain in Mission: Impossible 4. Also, I'm planning to use this character as a villain in Taken 3, and maybe even in future Mission: Impossible universes..."

"Oh, really, Zhang, is that so? I mean, that's great..."

Angelina's tone on the other end of the phone was somewhat incoherent, and she seemed a little excited.

This is quite normal. A minor supporting character suddenly becomes a major villain and is even slated to play an important villain in another well-known IP. This is definitely a windfall.

Zhang Chen interrupted her, saying, "But there's a problem now~"

"What's the problem?" Julie's heart jumped again.

"It's about your salary. I'd like to discuss it with you. Your role has been expanded, but could your salary remain the same? You know, the budget for this film is quite tight..."

"no problem."

Julie has now come to her senses and is able to glean information from the other party's fragmented words.

She made the right choice without much thought: money, the opportunity to act in a well-known IP, plus the friendship of a famous director—even a fool would know which to choose.

"Great, thank you. That's all for now. I'll let you know once it's finalized."

Zhang Chen hung up the phone, looked at everyone and shrugged, then held out a hand to indicate to wait a moment before dialing a second number.

After a while, the call was connected.

Zhang Chen immediately switched to Chinese: "Brother Long~"

The voice on the other end was the signature one: "Zhang Chen?"

Zhang Chen briefly explained the situation, then stated his request: "Brother Long, I remember you and the mayor of Rio are friends, could you help me ask him..."

"No problem, wait for my call."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Chen waved the phone in his hand, signaling everyone to wait a moment.

Shortly after, the phone rang, and Jackie Chan's cheerful voice came through: "It's all settled. The mayor of Rio said there's no problem with filming permits and road closures. Just call him directly when the time comes!"

After expressing his gratitude, Zhang Chen hung up the phone and then shrugged: "Well, the two biggest problems are now completely solved."

The Paramount and Warner Bros. representatives watched Zhang Chen's boastful act and exchanged speechless glances.

But I have to admit, this guy did solve the most difficult problem.

Tom Cruise then said, "Guys, from the perspective of film quality, I can't think of a reason to refuse."

Tom Cruise's voice was steady and powerful: "This new ending will not only boost the box office of Mission: Impossible 4, but also make the connection between the Mission: Impossible series and the spy universe even closer."

Upon hearing Tom Cruise's statement, David Warner Bros. immediately added, "I also think the new version of the revisions is brilliant. Although the budget will increase, I believe these changes will elevate the quality of 'Mission: Impossible 4' to a whole new level. Therefore, Warner Bros. agrees with these revisions."

From Warner Bros.' perspective, they had no reason to refuse.

They were also one of the investors in "Taken".

Syndicates can connect Mission: Impossible and Taken, which would be even more beneficial to Taken 3 than to Mission: Impossible 4. Warner Bros. would certainly be more than happy to agree, not to mention that it would also help them build a good relationship with Zhang Chen.

With Warner Bros., Zhang Chen, and Tom Cruise, the three main investors, all expressing their approval of the changes, there was no point in Sasha continuing to insist.

"Alright, Paramount agrees to the changes, and we'll proceed with the new ending. But I hope Director Zhang Chen can guarantee that these changes won't affect the film's shooting schedule..."

"No problem, I promise!"

Zhang Chen made an "OK" gesture.

Applause erupted in the conference room. Zhang Chen breathed a sigh of relief and, after leaving Paramount, immediately took out his phone to call Angelina Jolie.

At that moment, Julie was at home in Los Angeles reading a script when she saw Zhang Chen's call. She answered it with a smile.

"Zhang, is it good news or bad news?" Julie's voice was filled with anticipation.

"Good news, the plan has been approved, and it will be launched soon."

Zhang Chen's voice couldn't hide his joy, "The filming location in Rio is already being coordinated, and filming is expected to begin after the Oscars. You need to coordinate your schedule." "No problem."

Julie leaned back on the sofa, a smile involuntarily creeping onto her lips.

She thought about the changes in her role, which started as a minor supporting character with only a few lines.

She took on the role in order to establish a connection with Zhang Chen.

Unexpectedly, he became the core villain of the spy universe, deeply involved in the plot of the entire universe.

All of this is thanks to my firm support for Zhang Chen on the issue of Harvey Weinstein.

At the time, everyone was afraid of offending Weinstein, but she was the only one who believed in Zhang Chen's judgment and was the first to stand up and support him.

Zhang Chen never made any promises, but Julie knew she would definitely gain something.

really……

"Thank you so much, Zhang."

Julie's voice was full of sincerity, "This role means a lot to me."

“We complement each other,” Zhang Chen said with a smile. “Your acting skills also make this character more charming.”

After hanging up the phone, Julie put down her phone, picked up the script on the table, and circled the character's name, "Syndicate Leader," with her finger.

How can I thank him?

……

March 7, 2010, the 82nd Academy Awards.

The Oscars red carpet outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles resembled a flowing galaxy; even before nightfall, the dazzling lights illuminated the entire street as if it were daytime.

Hollywood stars, dressed in haute couture gowns, stepped onto the scarlet carpet one after another, flashes of light cascading down like a waterfall, the sound of camera shutters as dense as a never-ending downpour.

The shouts of reporters, the screams of fans, and the muffled booms of distant cannon salutes mingled together, pushing this globally anticipated film extravaganza to its first climax.

At the end of the red carpet, at the direction of the staff, members of the "Pacific Rim 2" crew walked onto the red carpet.

When the broadcast began introducing the cast and crew of "Pacific Rim 2", cheers erupted from nearby fans.

Zhang Chen waved to the crowd, and Fan Xiaopang waved back. This was her first time attending the Oscars, but her second time walking the Oscar red carpet, because she had already walked it once before with the "Gravity" crew.

Fan Xiaopang looked equally stunning tonight, his bamboo-themed evening gown showcasing a unique oriental charm.

After walking the red carpet and taking photos, Fan Xiaopang went to change clothes, while Zhang Chen strolled around the venue.

Just as he was feeling bored, a familiar figure appeared beside him, with broad shoulders and a signature smile—it was Jackie Chan.

"Brother Long~"

It's rare to encounter Asian faces at the Oscars, and even rarer to run into acquaintances, but Cheng Long is an exception.

"Brother Long, where are you sitting?"

"Over there, I'm the award presenter~"

"Award presenter? What award?"

"Best Actress! I heard Bingbing was nominated for Best Actress!"

Cheng Long's words immediately sparked everyone's imagination.

The Best Actress award is always one of the most anticipated awards on Oscar night, and the identity of the presenter often carries special implications.

For example, if tonight's leading lady is a British actress, the organizing committee will sometimes invite a prominent British actor to present the award.

It's not just the Oscars; many prestigious awards like to do this, which is a way for younger generations to encourage their predecessors.

So, with Jackie Chan presenting the Best Actress award at tonight's Oscars, does that mean the winner is Fan Bingbing, who is also Chinese?

The possibility is very high.

But whether it is true or not, nobody knows, not even Jackie Chan, the award presenter. Until the envelope is opened, everything is just speculation.

In the distance, Zhang Ziyi was exchanging pleasantries with someone, but her boyfriend, who was always by her side in previous years, was nowhere to be seen this year.

"It's said that she and her boyfriend broke up. Apparently, he insisted on signing a prenuptial agreement, stipulating no property division in the divorce, and then they broke up..."

Fan Xiaopang's voice came from behind her; she had changed into a more comfortable dress.

"It's good that they broke up. Her boyfriend was a liar and didn't help her career at all." Zhang Chen thought it was a good thing.

In terms of the influence of Chinese people in Hollywood, the order is: Jackie Chan > Jet Li > Fan Bingbing > Zhang Ziyi > Michelle Yeoh > Gong Li > Chow Yun-fat
Michelle Yeoh is mainly known for her action roles, but she has no market in mainland China. From The Legend of the Sacred Stones onwards, to Reign of Assassins and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, her films have consistently flopped.

Zhang Ziyi enjoys high recognition overseas, having appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair twice and as an Oscar presenter twice.

Shampoo advertisements were projected onto the entire Nissin Building, overlooking Tokyo Bay!

Even when Tsui Hark sold the overseas rights to "Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain," he had to change the main character on the poster to Zhang Ziyi to make it easier to sell, which shows his level of recognition overseas.

In fact, it can be said that Zhang Ziyi is the ceiling for mainland Chinese actresses in Hollywood. At least she landed the lead role in "Memoirs of a Geisha," while Fan Bingbing's breakout film projects are all invested in by Zhang Chen. She has yet to land the lead role in a Hollywood domestic project.

However, Zhang Ziyi has been having a run of bad luck lately. Two scandals have ruined her reputation, and even the Weinstein scandal has affected her when it reached China.

It all stemmed from her previous collaboration with The Weinstein Company:
In 06, Harvey Weinstein signed a three-film contract with Zhang Ziyi, including a remake of Akira Kurosawa's classic film "Seven Samurai" and a Chinese-themed film "Mulan". Zhang Ziyi had scenes in both films where she dressed as a man.

In addition, there is a movie called "Shanghai", which tells the story of an American agent who secretly arrives in Shanghai, which is occupied by the Japanese army during World War II, to investigate the truth behind the assassination of his partner. Zhang Ziyi was originally going to play a woman who assists the American agent in fighting against the Japanese.

However, the projects "Seven Samurai" and "Mulan" did not see any further development, and "Shanghai" also failed to materialize due to the withdrawal of Clive Owen and Zhang Ziyi.

Zhang Ziyi and Harvey almost succeeded in their collaboration. Some people suspected that she was also one of the victims of sexual exploitation. Zhang Ziyi explained that her collaboration with Weinstein did not materialize, but it was useless.

Moreover, there were people behind this who were deliberately pushing things. He was too outspoken before and offended too many people. Gong Li and Maggie Cheung have both publicly expressed their dislike for him, and there are even more people who hate him behind his back. Now that he is down on his luck, there are many people who want to kick him while he's down.

Zhang Ziyi will only regain her former glory with her role as Gong Er in "The Grandmaster," for which she won several awards in 2013, rebuilding her reputation with her professional skills.

"You need to pay special attention to her, and you must not make the same mistakes he made..."

Zhang Chen couldn't help but remind Fan Xiaopang, "Zhang Ziyi ended up like this not only because of her own actions, but also because she was the first female star to take the commercial route."

Zhang has never won a Best Actress award at a Class A film festival. As an actress, her professional achievements cannot compare to those of Gong Li and Maggie Cheung. However, she was lucky to have caught the wave of blockbuster films in China and quickly became a leading lady in the commercial era.

However, the audience's mindset is still stuck in the past. They feel that her professional skills are not recognized, yet she has such a high level of fame, which makes many people resentful, resulting in a lot of people criticizing her.

She herself always does things that are short-sighted and opportunistic, such as packaging herself as a gift to celebrate someone else's birthday, which ultimately leads to her being criticized by everyone.

You must also pay attention to this, because you are also on the business path, and it's normal for people who follow your path to be envied and targeted.

Therefore, you must be extremely careful in your daily life and avoid becoming complacent.

"

(End of this chapter)