The success of Insidious had propelled James Wan's directorial career forward significantly. Not every director could direct two low-budget horror films with million-dollar investments and generate tens of millions in box office revenue. Perhaps it was due to his personality or his upbringing in a distant Asian-American family, but James Wan remained humble and aware that with Matthew's strong support, his future path would be even smoother.
"A suggestion?" James smiled and said, "Matthew, you're the boss, go ahead."
Matthew didn't hold back. "James, what do you think about having Insidious and The Conjuring share the same universe?"
James Wan paused for a moment. "You mean, having both stories take place in the same cinematic universe?"
"Exactly." Matthew explained further. "If you come up with other horror movie ideas in the future, you could place them in the same world. Kind of like how the Marvel superhero films work—when there's an evil spirit or entity too strong to handle, the stories could intersect."
James Wan didn't immediately respond, deep in thought.
Matthew continued, "We could create a universe together—a horror universe!"
To make such a universe successful, especially in its early stages, Matthew knew he needed James Wan's talents in the horror genre.
James Wan wasn't rigid; he was a director with strong commercial instincts, which was why he had chosen to work with Matthew in the first place.
"That sounds pretty good," James said after a brief moment of reflection. "It's a great idea!"
Matthew smiled. "I can only suggest the concept, but you'll need to come up with a concrete, actionable plan."
James nodded confidently. "No problem. Give me some time, and I'll draft a detailed proposal."
Matthew knew that for this cinematic universe to succeed, it needed a solid foundation, and James Wan was critical to this plan.
If it were left to Matthew alone, he wouldn't have the skills to make horror films work.
After thinking for a while, James asked, "Is this why you didn't want to use the same actors from Insidious in The Conjuring?"
"Exactly." Matthew chuckled. "Since both films will share the same universe, it wouldn't make sense for the same actors to have two different roles."
When James Wan first presented the script for The Conjuring, he had suggested using Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, the duo from Insidious, but Matthew had turned down the idea.
Partly, this was due to the plan for the horror universe, but it was also because of Nicolas Cage.
Matthew had promised Sophia Coppola that he would help Nicolas Cage with his career, and he wasn't one to break his word.
"By the way, Matthew," James Wan added, "We can start formal negotiations with Nicolas Cage soon. Once everything is settled, I'll need him and the female lead to undergo some specialized exorcism training."
"Exorcism training?" Matthew rubbed his nose. Though he didn't believe in supernatural phenomena, he knew that exorcists did exist in the real world.
Matthew thought for a moment and said, "I'll have someone begin formal negotiations with Nicolas Cage starting next week."
"And the female lead?" James Wan reminded him.
"Hold auditions for the female lead," Matthew responded, effectively giving James Wan the freedom to choose. "But leave one supporting role for me, preferably by aging up the character of the eldest daughter a bit."
These were minor adjustments, and James Wan agreed immediately. "No problem."
Matthew was someone who respected the rules of business dealings. "I'll send the supporting actress's details to your email later, and you can adjust the character accordingly."
"That works." James agreed.
He had no objections to this. He also understood that the larger the investment in Hollywood, the more restrictions there would be on directors. With a low-budget film like Insidious, he had creative freedom because he believed the film would at least break even.
But for a film with a budget in the tens of millions, no one would allow a director to have complete control, not even someone as supportive as Matthew.
After all, his last million-dollar project, Dead Silence, hadn't been very successful.
After discussing more of the project's details, James Wan left Matthew's office.
James now had to not only plan for The Conjuring but also begin mapping out the "Horror Universe." Besides conceptualizing this shared universe, Matthew had to consider the broader scope of the studio's films and investments.
Speaking of cinematic universes, if the Horror Universe could take off, Matthew would have two film universes under his belt—the Fast & Furious universe and the Horror Universe.
However, both were still in their early stages. One was just beginning, while the other was still in the planning phase. Success was still a long way off.
A cinematic universe wasn't just about having a few sequels. It needed a unique world-building foundation, a sprawling and extendable storyline, and a complex web of characters. All of these were necessary, though not sufficient, for building a true cinematic universe.
In the following weeks, progress continued on The Conjuring. James Wan made significant changes to the script, adding characters and plotlines that could expand into future films. Matthew approved a production budget of $15 million for the project. Additionally, Nicolas Cage formally signed a three-film deal with Studio 13, with a $3 million salary for his role as the male lead in The Conjuring.
James Wan also proposed casting Vera Farmiga as the female lead, a crucial role as the psychic exorcist.
Matthew agreed to the choice. Vera Farmiga wasn't an unknown actress; she belonged to that category of skilled but not overly expensive actors. She had previously done well in The Departed and had experience with horror films, having starred in Orphan the year before.
A lead actress with a reasonable price tag and solid acting skills was the perfect fit.
James Wan also requested Matthew's help in finding a talented child actress for the film.
Child actors with the right kind of charisma were rare in Hollywood.
In the 1990s, the notable child actors were Christina Ricci, Kirsten Dunst, and Natalie Portman. In the 2000s, Dakota Fanning and her sister Elle Fanning were the standouts.
Unfortunately, Dakota Fanning had grown up, and not in the best way. Otherwise, the Fanning sisters could have been ideal candidates... though it would have been a disaster.
The Fanning sisters had been exposed to the fame and excesses of Hollywood from a young age, and it had taken a toll on their relationship. In fact, they had even been known to physically fight in recent years.
No one would be foolish enough to cast both Fanning sisters in the same movie, as it would likely turn the set into a battleground.
Their relationship was more like a lifelong rivalry than a sibling bond.
Soon, Matthew remembered a young actress who had auditioned for Insidious: Mackenzie Foy. Her mature and poised performance, along with her radiant, fairy-like appearance, had left a deep impression on him. If not for the fact that Lily-Rose Depp, Johnny Depp's daughter and Matthew's goddaughter, had been chosen, Mackenzie Foy would have been his pick.
Now that Insidious and The Conjuring would share the same universe, Lily-Rose Depp couldn't appear in The Conjuring, especially since Vanessa Paradis didn't want her daughter acting before turning sixteen. Mackenzie Foy seemed like the perfect choice.
Matthew asked his team to reach out to Mackenzie Foy's agent, and she was very eager to collaborate.
In fact, they had already begun working together. Mackenzie Foy had been cast as Edward and Bella's daughter Renesmee in the final two Twilight films.
Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight series, was set to release during Thanksgiving, and Breaking Dawn, the fourth installment, was already in pre-production. To maximize profits, Breaking Dawn would be split into two films, scheduled for release over the next two Thanksgiving seasons.
Another young adult franchise, The Hunger Games, had finished filming and was in post-production.
Matthew, ever the businessman, had briefly toyed with the idea of merging Twilight and The Hunger Games into a shared universe.
It was just a thought, though, since both series had distinct original authors, and blending the two worlds would present numerous legal and creative challenges.
For now, it was just a distant dream, depending on future opportunities.
While Matthew was busy with these projects, he received daily calls from Amber Heard.
This actress, with whom he had shared a one-night affair, seemed increasingly interested in him. She frequently called, trying to arrange meetings, but Matthew had been preoccupied with G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation and the development of the Horror Universe, so they hadn't met.
After wrapping up his work, Matthew finally answered one of Amber's calls and invited her to the Horner estate.
Due to some vague memories, Matthew always maintained a certain level of caution with Amber. Meeting her at the estate allowed him to stay in complete control of the situation.
Besides, he wasn't a moral role model, nor was he a hopeless romantic. Sometimes, he preferred to take inspiration from "Professor Chen."
He also remembered Amber Heard's previous remarks, so he playfully asked her if she would be open to inviting another woman for a threesome. Surprisingly, Amber turned him down.
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