Scarlett Johansson was completely immersed in the world of Girl with a Pearl Earring.
She could almost smell the damp air along Delft's canals, feel Griet's cautious stillness in Vermeer's studio, and sense the turbulent emotions beneath her quiet exterior. The restrained dialogue, suggestive glances, and vivid descriptions of light and color captivated her. She was already imagining how to portray this silent yet powerful girl with subtle facial expressions and nuanced gazes.
When she reached the final page of the script, her heart was still filled with a serene, profound emotion. She let out a long, satisfied sigh, leaning back slightly, her eyes lingering on the screen, savoring the story and the soul of Griet from a distant era.
It took a while for her to pull herself out of that immersive state. Rubbing her tired eyes, she prepared to close the document.
As her cursor hovered over the close button, her gaze inadvertently swept across the other files and folders on the desktop. Her attention was instantly drawn to a folder right next to Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Its name was simple, just one word in English: Lucy.
"Lucy?" Scarlett murmured, her brows furrowing slightly. What was this? Another script project? Leon had never mentioned it. Curiosity scratched at her like a kitten's paw.
She glanced at the study door—Leon was in the kitchen making breakfast, so no one would catch her snooping. Curiosity won over the nagging thought that she shouldn't pry.
She moved the cursor and cautiously double-clicked the folder labeled Lucy.
Inside was minimal, just one document titled: Lucy Project Concept and Preliminary Outline.
"My… God…" Scarlett gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes widening in disbelief. The calm she'd felt from Griet's story was shattered by a tidal wave of excitement.
Lucy? What was this? How many secret projects was Leon cooking up?
Her curiosity in overdrive, she clicked open the document without hesitation.
It wasn't a full script but the first few pages of a project proposal, including a concept overview, story synopsis, and some key scene ideas.
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Project Name: Lucy
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller
Core Concept: What happens when the human brain's potential is unlocked to 100%? This story explores the ultimate boundaries of consciousness, time, and life forms.
Lead Role: Lucy – Tentatively cast as Scarlett Johansson
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Those few lines hit Scarlett like a jolt, her heart racing, her breath catching. "100% brain potential"? "The ultimate boundaries of consciousness, time, and life forms"? Her mind reeled, struggling to process the flood of information.
One moment, she was steeped in the quiet restraint of 17th-century art; the next, she was yanked into a futuristic, high-energy concept that felt like a leap into the unknown—not just the present, but the future.
It was insane. And impossibly cool.
It was the polar opposite of Girl with a Pearl Earring. One was deeply still, the other explosively dynamic. One was an undercurrent of emotion, the other a cosmic-scale evolution.
She dove into the story synopsis, unable to stop.
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Story Synopsis:
The story follows Lucy, an ordinary young woman in Taipei, who's unwittingly drawn into a drug deal gone wrong. Forced to act as a "human courier," a bag of a synthetic drug, CPH4, is surgically implanted in her abdomen. But when the bag ruptures, leaking high doses of CPH4 into her bloodstream, a miracle—or nightmare—begins. Her body undergoes astonishing changes as her brain's potential unlocks at an unprecedented rate…
Scarlett held her breath as she read.
The document described vivid scenes:
- Lucy, unfazed, removing the drug bag from her body in a hospital.
- Hearing distant sounds, seeing invisible radio waves.
- Mastering any skill in seconds.
- Controlling her own cells, electromagnetic fields, even other people's thoughts.
"This… this is practically godlike," Scarlett whispered to herself.
This role was unlike anything she'd ever played. It wasn't just a character—it was a transformation into something beyond human, an evolution that transcended evolution itself.
The document outlined key scenes:
- Scene One: Taipei Street Chase and Shootout
Lucy, newly empowered, turns the tables on the gangsters chasing her. The action isn't about martial arts but an almost supernatural precision and foresight that defies physical laws.
- Scene Two: Laboratory Dialogue
Lucy meets a scientist (envisioned as Morgan Freeman), discussing her evolving perception and understanding of the universe. The exchange is rich with philosophical and scientific debate.
- Scene Three: Paris Time Warp
With her brain nearly fully unlocked, Lucy transcends time, even "shaking hands" with the ancient hominid Lucy, witnessing the origin and cycle of life.
- Scene Four: Ultimate Form
At 100% brain capacity, Lucy's physical body dissolves, becoming a omnipresent consciousness woven into the universe's information stream—a godlike entity. She leaves behind a supercomputer containing all her knowledge and the words, "I am everywhere."
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Scarlett was floored. This wasn't just a sci-fi action flick; its core was grand and philosophical. It tackled the limits of human potential, the relationship between consciousness and matter, the essence of time and life.
Lucy's arc—from a terrified, ordinary girl to a cold, superhuman intellect, and finally to a cosmic consciousness—was staggering. The performance range was daunting. Scarlett would need to portray not just complex human emotions but a state of being that was abstract, evolving, and ultimately beyond humanity.
It was more abstract and challenging than Griet's inner turmoil.
Her fingers trembled, her mind reeling. How did Leon come up with this? Girl with a Pearl Earring was the pinnacle of classical restraint and humanity; Lucy was the ultimate in futuristic, unrestrained sci-fi. Two extremes, both with her name attached.
He hadn't just crafted an awards-contending drama for her—he'd envisioned a blockbuster sci-fi epic to redefine her image and dominate the global market.
Just then, footsteps approached the study door.
Leon walked in with a coffee and a sandwich, a gentle smile on his face. "Finished? How's my Griet feel—"
He stopped mid-sentence, noticing Scarlett wasn't looking at Girl with a Pearl Earring. Her eyes were glued to another screen, her expression a wild mix of shock, confusion, excitement, and the dazed look of someone hit by a massive surprise.
Leon's gaze landed on the open Lucy folder and document title. A wry smile crossed his face, tinged with the sheepish look of being caught.