In a temporary meeting room, Martin met with Jack Nicholson.
"Yes, the rights to adapt Infernal Affairs are in my hands, or rather, in my Meyers Productions’ hands. If Scorsese is interested, I’d be happy to hand him the director’s chair for this movie," Martin said to Jack Nicholson.
Jack Nicholson studied Martin. They had seen each other at premieres and parties, exchanging pleasantries a few times, but this was the first time they were having a one-on-one, close interaction.
A flawless, handsome face, a tall and strong physique, sharp eyes, an aura of quiet authority... honestly, aside from the face, it was hard to believe this guy was only seventeen!
He spoke, "Martin, if Scorsese is willing to take on this film, how much control will he have?"
Martin smiled, "For casting, I want one lead role for myself, the other lead for Leo, and he can make decisions for the rest. As for editing, he will have final cut, but Meyers Productions will retain final veto power. The film’s budget will not exceed ninety million dollars, and the producer will be from Meyers Productions, though we won’t interfere during shooting... That’s about it."
Jack Nicholson took note of everything and then nodded, "I’ll relay this to Scorsese and get back to you as soon as possible."
"There’s no rush, I can wait!" Martin said nonchalantly.
Upon leaving the temporary meeting room, Jack Nicholson saw Tim Burton standing outside a small room across the hall, looking into it seriously.
He walked over quietly.
Inside the room, filming was underway.
The scene being filmed was in an Arkham Asylum room. The mob boss Carmine Falcone, in an attempt to show his mental instability and attract the attention of Jonathan Crane (played by Cillian Murphy), pretends to attempt suicide.
Nolan sat behind the monitor, closely watching the performance of the two actors.
This scene was important, as it marked the first appearance of Scarecrow.
On the monitor, Cillian Murphy wore a strange smile. Half of his face was lit by the orange light, while the other half was shrouded in darkness. Despite his handsome features and the smile, the lighting created a creepy, eerie atmosphere.
When Jack Nicholson arrived, he caught this moment and couldn’t help but gasp. The atmosphere was perfectly created!
Next, Cillian Murphy fully stepped into the light, still smiling. He took a scarecrow mask from his briefcase and put it on.
Soon after, a specially designed "toxic gas" was sprayed into Carmine Falcone’s face, effectively driving him insane.
The camera zoomed in quickly, giving a close-up of Cillian Murphy’s still smiling face before Nolan called, "Cut!"
Standing up, Nolan clapped his hands and said loudly, "Great, no issues with this take!"
"How was that?" Jack Nicholson whispered to Tim Burton.
"I’ve only seen a few shots, but he’s definitely a talented guy. I don’t think Warner needs to worry. Nolan’s a pro! Oh, I just remembered—Memento was his film. No wonder!"
"Ah!" Hearing Memento, Jack Nicholson nodded with understanding.
That film earned Nolan quite a bit of fame, and the flashy technique in it added a lot of prestige in the eyes of old-school directors, filmmakers, and critics!
In mid-June, Martin returned to Los Angeles to attend the premiere of Ready Player One, a joint production between DreamWorks and Meyers Productions.
Spielberg was in high spirits. The film had received great reviews during the test screenings, and the box office predictions from data companies were also high, making him feel quite triumphant.
As one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing directors, Spielberg’s work had been on a downward slope since Saving Private Ryan.
His produced film Jurassic Park III failed both critically and commercially.
The directed Minority Report, with a budget of $120 million, earned $320 million worldwide, not a huge profit.
The media had begun to proclaim that Spielberg’s talent had run its course.
Fortunately, the $55 million investment in Catch Me If You Can grossed $352 million worldwide, giving Spielberg’s reputation a much-needed boost.
And now, Ready Player One was his big comeback project.
It seemed to be going well, but whether it truly would succeed, the market would decide.
At the premiere, celebrities crowded the event.
Martin and Leonardo arrived together again, seemingly intent on continuing to stir up the "male-male duo" talk.
Tobey Maguire stood proudly in front of a giant poster, posing for photos with his two friends.
Leonardo teased, "Tobey, weren’t you always dismissive of big commercial blockbusters? You said there’s no room to act in these kinds of films. Why the big smile now?"
Tobey Maguire didn’t mind Leo’s teasing and grinned, "Back then, no one offered me commercial blockbusters. What could I say? Now it’s different. Ready Player One got such a great reaction in the test screenings, it’s definitely going to be a box office hit. I’m going to be a box office star now!"
Leonardo, deliberately trying to put him down, smirked, "How do you know it’ll be a hit? Test screenings are just test screenings. The market might not agree. It could crash and burn, and you’ll be stuck producing!"
Tobey Maguire feigned surprise, "I’m telling Spielberg that you don’t believe in his movie!"
Leonardo shrugged, "Well, I won’t admit it!"
Tobey Maguire pretended to be upset and turned to Martin, saying, "Martin, you’re the writer. Aren’t you going to defend me?"
Martin replied, "I’ve already taken care of him in the script!"
Tobey Maguire paused for a moment before realizing, then laughed.
Leonardo, mockingly, said, "It’s supposed to be me taking care of you!"
The two started bickering.
Tobey Maguire, the good-natured one, started to play peacemaker.
He shifted the topic, "Martin, do you think Ready Player One will be a big hit? I still trust your judgment."
Martin confidently replied, "Of course it will! It’s a Martin screenplay with Spielberg directing!"
At the banquet hall, Martin and Leonardo were surrounded by women.
Especially Martin, who had helped Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron land the "Best Actress" Oscar, making him the most coveted man for all actresses who now viewed him as a golden opportunity.
Meanwhile, Tobey Maguire, who was supposed to be the center of attention that night, was left standing alone.