"Troy," another Warner Bros. epic with a production cost of up to 200 million dollars. After all, a year ago, "Gladiator" had just won the Oscar for Best Picture and achieved great box office success, briefly bringing epic films to a period of prosperity.
Naturally, Warner Bros. was preparing to assemble a star-studded cast.
Thus, Anson, who had emerged this summer, came into their sight.
Paris, the prince of Troy.
Hector, the eldest prince of Sparta, brother of Achilles.
Currently, Brad Pitt was close to securing the role of Achilles. This Hollywood heartthrob was ready to portray an ancient Greek war god, pushing his sexy image to new heights. Warner Bros. invited Anson to play Paris, and if they didn't have any other motives, Anson wouldn't believe it for a second –
"Brad vs. Anson 3.0"?
If it happened, it would be a major publicity stunt.
Setting aside the feud between Brad and Anson, these two actors were currently at the peak of their popularity. One was a sexy male god, the other a dream lover. If they could share the screen, the news media would be ecstatic.
Warner Bros. showed great sincerity. Even though Paris was just a supporting role, they were willing to offer a considerable salary. However, they didn't expect Anson to have no interest at all.
From his memories of his past life, "Troy" didn't meet expectations in terms of both critical acclaim and box office performance. It became one of the significant markers of the decline of epic films in the new century. The only praiseworthy aspect was Eric Bana's portrayal of Hector, as it was the only character with a complete arc.
Now, Anson and Jeff were engaged in a subtle confrontation.
Compared to the project in Anson's hands, Jeff was more interested in "Troy."
Anson had a hunch that perhaps Jeff wasn't the only one interested –
Chris Bender was too.
That was why Warner Bros. reacted faster than DreamWorks. He had escaped Sony Columbia, but not Warner Bros.
But this was Hollywood, an exchange of interests, fair or not.
Looking at Anson, Jeff's lips curled slightly, but he wasn't easily persuaded. "Anson, I think you may not realize your position. There's only one Anson Wood in Hollywood, no one can replace you."
Anson chuckled. "Thank you for the compliment."
"But."
"We both know that in Hollywood, no one is irreplaceable, including Tom Cruise, including Brad Pitt."
Pausing briefly, Anson quietly looked at Jeff.
Jeff was taken aback. He had a feeling:
Anson knew that Warner Bros. was in talks with Brad Pitt to play Achilles.
But how did Anson know?
Warner Bros. had good confidentiality measures in place. He believed there shouldn't have been any leaks.
A slight smile appeared on Anson's lips. Not only did he know that Brad Pitt was playing Achilles, but he also knew that Orlando Bloom was playing Paris.
With "The Lord of the Rings" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," Orlando had become a new generation male god, starring in several big-budget blockbusters with eye-candy roles, including "Troy."
Anson continued.
"Maybe I am special, but not in 'Troy.'"
"In such projects, the main characters are usually between thirty-five and forty-five years old. I'm too young, not a necessary presence no matter what."
Jeff: I see.
It seemed that the information hadn't been leaked within Warner Bros., which made Jeff slightly relieved. But then he thought, Anson actually had insights into the entire industry. This young man once again refreshed his impression.
Involuntarily, Jeff looked at Anson and teased meaningfully, "So, are you complaining about not being offered the lead role?"
This was a trap that required a careful response.
A slight smile appeared on Anson's lips, showing no panic or nervousness. "No, I'm inviting you to consider a project that perfectly fits my age and image."
Calmly, he shifted the topic back to the main point of today's meeting.
Anson took out the script from his briefcase and placed it in front of Jeff.
"And, there's more."
"I think this is an interesting script, reminiscent of '2001: A Space Odyssey' and 'Blade Runner.' We need works like this."
From the start, Anson had captured Jeff's attention.
Jeff glanced down at the script on the desk, a smile appearing in his eyes. "So, you're suggesting a project that will be critically acclaimed but a box office flop?"
He could actually interpret it that way?
不愧是Jeff, this was equivalent to asking Anson if he was preparing to make Warner Bros. lose money.
Clearly, both of them had their own agendas. They were talking based on their own needs. Just now, Anson hadn't interrupted Jeff, and now Jeff didn't interrupt Anson, but that didn't mean they wouldn't subtly challenge each other.
However, Anson wasn't flustered.
Not only that, but the smile on his lips even widened as he joked, "Phew, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Thankfully, you didn't question whether this work deserves such praise. I'm also a bit tongue-tied."
So calm, so honest.
A smile appeared in Jeff's eyes. "So, it can't compare to '2001: A Space Odyssey'?"
"No, it can't." Anson gave a straightforward affirmative answer.
Jeff laughed out loud. "Haha. So you were just using it as a gimmick?"
But this time, Anson couldn't directly admit it. "I mean they both offer room for interpretation, both use science fiction as a theme to delve into a proposition. As for the depth of that proposition, it's a matter of opinion."
"However."
"From another perspective, maybe it's a good thing that this project can't compare to '2001: A Space Odyssey' and 'Blade Runner.'"
His words clearly weren't finished. Anson was waiting for Jeff's response.
However, Jeff didn't play by the usual rules. "Why? Everyone dreams of making the second '2001: A Space Odyssey' or the second 'Blade Runner.' Whenever a new science fiction film comes out, critics and seasoned movie fans always compare it to '2001: A Space Odyssey.' Every film company hopes to surpass that benchmark."
Although Jeff regained the initiative, Anson wasn't annoyed. He countered, "So, does Warner Bros. want to make a '2001: A Space Odyssey' that performs poorly at the box office and only gains recognition five or ten years later, or an 'Aliens' that performs well at the box office but might be slightly less profound?"
A fatal blow.
Jeff opened his mouth, a smile gradually spreading across his face. "Why can't we have both? Like 'Forrest Gump' or 'Titanic'? Box office success, awards, and critical acclaim."
"Oh, no, that's having all three."
As he spoke, Jeff even held up three fingers towards Anson.
Anson spread his hands. "Sorry, my abilities are limited."
Jeff was completely caught off guard. "What?"
Anson repeated, "My abilities are limited. There's only one James Cameron. Although I also wish to be greedy and have both box office success and depth, I'm sorry, this is just my first attempt as a producer. I don't think it's healthy to harbor such ambitions."
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