Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 477-475: Hijacking Iron Man
Los Angeles time, May 20, 2003, 5 p.m.

With Wang Sheng's clear and steady "Cut! I hereby announce that filming for 'Spy House' is wrapped!", the intense two-month shoot officially came to an end.

The massive studio in Burbank was instantly engulfed in thunderous applause, cheers, and whistles.

Exhausted but excited staff members hugged and high-fived each other to celebrate the successful completion of the main filming of this highly anticipated commercial blockbuster.

Hollywood A-list stars Matt Damon and Kate Beckinsale visibly relaxed, their faces beaming with ease. They embraced each other warmly and expressed their gratitude to director Wang Sheng and the entire team.

Despite Wang Sheng's demanding requirements during filming, the efficient and professional atmosphere and the final result gave them confidence in the finished product.

Wang Sheng stood beside the monitor, his expression as calm as ever, as if he had just completed a routine work plan.

With the "God's-eye view," he already had a successful template for the original "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" movie in his mind.

The two months of filming were less a creative process and more a precise "reproduction" and "optimization".

Using his memories from his past life, he avoided the minor flaws that might exist in the original version, enhanced the visual impact of the action scenes and the subtle tension in the couple's emotions, and guided Damon and Beckinsale to portray characters with charm that was different from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, yet equally captivating.

More importantly, he once again adopted the advanced workflow of "shooting and editing simultaneously".

At the same time as the wrap-up ceremony was being held, the rough cut of the film was already quietly lying on the hard drive in the editing room, with a runtime of about two hours and eight minutes.

This astonishing efficiency left even the vice president in charge of post-production at New Line Cinema in awe.

The hustle and bustle of the wrap party had not yet subsided when, the next morning, Wang Sheng, accompanied by his assistant Li Tingting, arrived on time at the familiar high-level conference room at the headquarters of New Line Cinema.

……

Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, making the conference room bright and airy.

The core decision-making team of New Line Cinema was almost entirely present around the long conference table, demonstrating the high importance attached to this meeting.

Wang Sheng sat at the head of the guest seats, while Li Tingting sat to his side and behind him, taking notes.

Opposite him sat Robert Shea, co-CEO of New Line Cinema, and Michael Lynn. On either side sat Kevin Brown, senior vice president of international operations; Toby Emmerich, head of production; Mark Riddell, chief financial officer; and a senior legal advisor.

It's fair to say that the "brains" that determine the life or death of New Line Cinema's projects are all located here.

The meeting first focused on the post-production of "Spy Kids".

"Wang, first of all, congratulations again on the successful completion of 'Spy'!" Robert Shea, as the host, spoke first with a big smile. "We've already seen the rough cut, and I have to say, the action scenes and the chemistry between the two leads are outstanding, completely exceeding our expectations."

Michael Lynn added, "The pacing is brisk, the humor is just right, and the visuals are fantastic. Wong, you've once again proven your precise grasp of commercial genre films."

Wang Sheng nodded slightly, unperturbed by praise or criticism: "Thank you. The rough cut is just the skeleton; the fine cut is the key to injecting the soul. I request that the fine cut begin immediately, with the goal of keeping the final cut under 115 minutes, and making the pacing tighter, especially the transitional scenes in the middle, which need to be sharper."

He then offered several specific suggestions for fine-tuning, including minor adjustments to the shot order of several action scenes and strengthening the emotional build-up in several dialogue scenes, requiring precision down to the frame.

His thinking was so clear and his goals so specific, it was as if he already had a complete film in his mind.

The senior executives of the new line took careful notes while secretly feeling alarmed.

They have worked with countless directors, but it is rare to find someone like Wang Sheng who can offer such detailed and seemingly impeccable suggestions for the final cut the day after filming wraps.

This kind of control is both reassuring and awe-inspiring.

"For the special effects, I've already had Shengying's digital team work on it simultaneously to ensure seamless integration with companies like Weta Digital on your side. As for the music, I'm inclined to invite..." Wang Sheng continued to methodically deploy the post-production process, clearly breaking down each task.

Toby Emmerich and Kevin Brown nodded repeatedly, indicating their full cooperation to ensure resources were available. They had no doubt about Wang Sheng's professionalism and ability, and only hoped that this film could replicate or even surpass the success of "Night at the Museum."

Discussions regarding the post-production of "Spy Kids" quickly reached a consensus in an efficient and pragmatic atmosphere.

There was a brief silence in the meeting room, and the atmosphere seemed to have subtly changed.

Robert Shea exchanged a glance with Michael Lynn, cleared his throat, and steered the conversation to another key point.

"Wang, about 'Saw'..."

Shay leaned forward slightly, placing his hands on the table. "With $6871 million in box office revenue in North America in its first month, plus its subsequent long run and overseas distribution, it has become the most successful investment case of the year, bar none."

After evaluation, the marketing department and the board of directors unanimously agreed that the 'Jigsaw' IP has enormous potential for sustainable development. Michael Lynn added eagerly, "We hope to collaborate deeply with you to develop the 'Saw' film series."

We can set up a joint venture. You will lead the creative and production aspects, while New Line Cinema will handle global distribution and some investment. We can negotiate a very generous profit-sharing ratio.

All eyes were on Wang Sheng, awaiting his response. It was practically a sure-fire offer; no one would refuse a director who had just proven his Midas touch, especially when he held a gold mine with enormous potential.

Wang Sheng remained silent for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop, as if weighing his options. The conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Finally, he raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over the New Line executives, and slowly said, "The success of 'Saw' was indeed somewhat unexpected, but also reasonable. The concept has good scalability, and turning it into a series would certainly be profitable."

He paused, and amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, he announced his terms: "I can relinquish some of the joint development rights and subsequent revenue rights of the Saw series, and share this 'gold mine' with you."

The new line's top executives smiled.

But Wang Sheng's next words made their smiles freeze slightly.

“My conditions are,” Wang Sheng’s tone remained calm, as if he were discussing a trivial matter, “New Line Cinema needs to pay $3500 million in cash to buy out 50% of my rights to develop the Saw series, excluding the profits I already received from the first film. At the same time…”

He paused slightly, as if organizing his thoughts, his gaze sweeping casually across a corner of the conference room before continuing, "I heard your company owns the film rights to 'Iron Man'?"

The question came somewhat abruptly, catching the executives present off guard.

Kevin Brown reacted the fastest, frowning as if searching his memory for the term: "Iron Man? You mean... that second-tier character in Marvel comics? The one who flies around in a metal suit?"

“Yes.” Wang Sheng nodded, his tone still nonchalant. “I’m somewhat interested in this role. As part of this deal, in addition to the $3500 million in cash, I need New Line Cinema to transfer the complete film rights to ‘Iron Man’ to my company free of charge.”

“What?” Michael Lynn blurted out, his face full of confusion and surprise. “Wang, what do you want that for? As far as I know, it’s not a very popular role.”

Marvel has sold off a lot of copyrights over the years, with X-Men and Spider-Man being the most popular.

Iron Man... Although there were development plans for it a few years ago, it has been shelved and is considered to lack market potential.

In 2003, Marvel Studios had not yet risen to prominence with its own Marvel Studios and was in a difficult period of survival, relying on selling character copyrights after bankruptcy reorganization.

While Iron Man has a place in the comics, his public recognition and commercial potential are far inferior to those of Spider-Man and the X-Men. He is generally regarded by Hollywood as an outdated and difficult-to-adapt second-tier hero.

New Line Cinema acquired the film rights years ago and attempted to develop it, but could not find a suitable direction. The project has long been shelved and almost forgotten.

Robert Shea looked at Wang Sheng with suspicion: "Wang, are you sure? To use this... almost worthless copyright to offset part of the transaction price? We can pay cash directly, or increase the revenue share for the Chainsaw series."

Wang Sheng waved his hand, a seemingly casual, even slightly mocking smile appearing on his face, deliberately concealing his deep-seated understanding of the immense potential of this IP, which would one day launch a vast cinematic universe. He spoke in a tone as if discussing a trinket:
"No need. I just think the character's design is quite interesting, a set of high-tech armor... perhaps it can be used to try making a short film with an adult focus, or in the future, it can be placed in Sheng Ying's film studio as an interactive installation."

It's a personal hobby of mine. 3500 million in cash, plus the copyright to the 'Tin Man,' in exchange for 50% of the future joint rights to the 'Saw' series. I think it's a fair deal.

He leaned back, his posture relaxed, as if to say: If you can't bear to part with this "junk", then forget it.

The senior executives of the new line quickly exchanged glances.

In their view, Wang Sheng's decision was utterly inexplicable.

They traded real money and the huge future revenue of a recognized "gold mine" IP for the copyright of a "waste mine" that they considered almost worthless, along with a substantial sum of cash that, while not insignificant, was a small fraction of the series' long-term revenue...

New Line Cinema is a master at making film series. They know all too well how bright the future of the Saw series is, and conservatively speaking, they could make four or five more films, earning hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide.

And Iron Man? That thing has been gathering dust in their warehouse for years!
Kevin Brown barely managed to suppress a smirk as he glanced at Robert Shea and Michael Lynn, his eyes conveying the message: This deal is too good to pass up! We need to agree!

Robert Shea hesitated for less than five seconds before his face broke into a warm smile again: "Wang, since you have a particular interest in the role of 'Iron Man,' we at New Line Cinema are certainly willing to grant your request. We agree to your conditions in principle."

"$3500 million in cash, plus the full film rights to 'Iron Man,' in exchange for a 50% stake in the future development of the 'Saw' series. The specific contract details will be finalized by our legal team, how about that?"

"Okay." Wang Sheng nodded indifferently, his face revealing no emotion, as if the deal he had just made was insignificant. "I hope we can cooperate smoothly."

"It's a pleasure to cooperate!" The senior executives of New Line stood up and shook hands with Wang Sheng warmly again, filling the conference room with a cheerful atmosphere.

They all felt they had gotten a great deal, securing half of the next potential horror film series and a closer partnership with Wang Sheng, their "god of wealth," with a discarded copyright and a sum of cash.

(End of this chapter)