Back in the lounge, Matthew received the final version of the script from Stephen Sommers. Since Stephen Sommers had been constantly adjusting the plot, this was the first time he had seen the script.
Additionally, there was a project proposal.
"There are a few things I should mention in advance," Stephen Sommers said. "You'll need to prepare."
Matthew nodded. "Just give me the word."
Although he was happy and excited to land the lead actor role, he didn't let it go to his head. Compared to Stephen Sommers and Sean Daniel, he, as the lead actor, was really nothing.
Stephen Sommers knew Matthew was a dedicated actor and said directly, "The shoot involves a large number of action and stunt scenes. I need you to perform them personally so the camera can capture the fighting scenes as closely as possible."
"No problem!" Matthew said confidently. "You saw my performance when we filmed the scorpion king last time. My physical coordination is even better now than it was then."
"Mhm." Stephen Sommers nodded. He clearly remembered the effort Matthew put into the role of the scorpion king, which was one reason he felt comfortable casting him as the lead actor. "Your character will involve using various weapons like spears, short knives, swords, and bows and arrows during filming. You'll also need professional training."
Matthew had no objections to this. It was for his own safety, as it would be easy to get injured otherwise.
Stephen Sommers continued, "The Crew is contacting an Action Director specialized in cold weapons. Once the other actors are confirmed, you all will undergo his professional training."
Sean Daniel walked over then and said, "Keep a high profile lately. It's best if you can attract more media attention. The Crew will develop a promotional strategy for you, so be sure to cooperate when the time comes."
"No problem." Matthew made a phone gesture. "Call me anytime."
After talking with Sean Daniel and Stephen Sommers, Matthew went to chat with Director Chuck Russell for a while. This director's power was very limited; he was a veritable on-set commander-in-chief and would not be involved in post-production.
Of course, Matthew wouldn't be involved in post-production either. Aside from being the lead actor, he didn't have much power himself.
After chatting with the other three in the lounge, Matthew went out to meet Helen Herman and left Universal Pictures. It was completely different from when he arrived; as he drove out of the Universal Studios gate, many paparazzi pointed their cameras at the car window to take photos. After the car pulled away, several paparazzi on motorcycles followed.
Matthew was in Helen Herman's car, with a dedicated driver in front.
"You'll get used to it." Helen Herman seemed to see the paparazzi behind them. "For the next while, paparazzi will definitely be chasing you."
She turned her head to look and said, "The lead actor of a forty-million-dollar production still has some news value to them."
"Let them be," Matthew didn't care. "They're just trying to earn a living too."
Helen Herman suddenly changed the subject. "If you don't want exposure, you'd better not have any trysts with Britney during this time."
Matthew spoke the truth. "Britney isn't in Los Angeles. She's filming a music video recently and won't be back for a while."
"If this relationship of yours is exposed," Helen Herman said meaningfully, "at the right time..."
Before she could finish, Matthew interrupted her. "This isn't just about me. I'll say it again, Helen, let's just let things take their natural course."
Without waiting for Helen Herman to speak, he turned and asked, "Who do you plan to recommend for the female lead?"
Matthew knew Helen Herman had reached some agreements with the Crew.
For example, the right of first refusal for casting.
"There's no specific candidate for now." Helen Herman thought for a moment and added, "Just a shortlist."
"When you've roughly decided on the candidates," Matthew wasn't polite at all, "can you let me know?"
"Hmm?" Helen Herman didn't understand what he meant.
Matthew said directly, "Since you're using me as a bargaining chip, I should at least have the right to know, right?"
He wasn't stupid; he could guess some things.
"Sure." Helen Herman clearly wasn't being perfunctory. "You're the lead actor and my most important client right now. The female lead is your partner. Once there's a candidate, I'll call you."
The car arrived in Burbank and stopped in front of the Angel Talent Agency. Matthew didn't go in; he switched to his second-hand ford and prepared to go home. As he started the car, he noticed several paparazzi following him again. He had a good mindset; seeing the paparazzi snapping photos in his direction, he even waved at them.
In the past, when paparazzi encountered him, they would at most take a few photos. These few followed him all the way to the vicinity of his home.
Matthew knew very well that this was the halo effect brought by being the lead actor of a forty-million-dollar film and the Crew.
After parking the car, he returned home with the script and the project proposal. Matthew pulled up a chair and sat by the window to flip through the script. After reading about ten pages, he discovered that the story, titled "the scorpion king," didn't have much connection to the scorpion king in "The Mummy Returns." Stephen Sommers had written a completely new story.
After quickly flipping through the script, he soon summarized the main plot.
The story takes place in the ancient Egyptian city of Gomorrah. The brutal warlord Memnon, holding a powerful army, dominates the region. Other tribes in the city decide to form an alliance to deal with him together, launching several crusades, but they are all defeated by Memnon one by one.
By Memnon's side is a mysterious figure who knows sorcery. She can foresee the future and uses it to help Memnon in battle. Upon learning this, the tribal alliance decides to send an assassin to kill this mysterious figure.
This assassin is Matthew's character, Mathayus. The character is set as strong, brave, and a powerful Warrior. Following Hollywood's usual formula, where there is a Warrior, there must be a beauty. So, when Mathayus goes deep behind enemy lines to assassinate the mysterious figure, he discovers that the other party is actually a beautiful woman. Mathayus is deeply moved by the beauty of this woman named Cassandra and cannot bear to harm her. At the same time, he learns that Cassandra is not voluntarily serving Memnon but is being held hostage by him.
Then, the male and female leads naturally get together, and along with Mathayus's friends, they secretly sneak into Memnon's castle for a life-and-death struggle... The ending is, of course, a Hollywood-style happy ending, which also fits the usual routine of commercial films.
In short, this "the scorpion king" actually doesn't have much to do with the scorpion king, and it's even less like a prequel to the series as the promotion claimed.
After reading the script, it's not hard to see that the film actually has four main characters: his character Mathayus, the female lead sorceress Cassandra, the male supporting character Arpid, and the big villain Memnon.
Currently, only he has been confirmed among these four roles. Helen Herman really wanted the Angel Talent Agency to handle all the other three actors, but that would be somewhat difficult.
Before getting the script, Matthew had heard Helen Herman mention that Stephen Sommers' old habit had flared up again. Following the scorpion king, he had created another big villain for this film based on a real person. Memnon was tailored by Stephen Sommers for the Asian superstar Little Brother Ma , Nickname, but when Sean Daniel made brief contact with the other party's Agent, he was flatly rejected.
He didn't think it was possible either. Although Little Brother Ma , Nickname wasn't considered A-list in Hollywood, when had he ever played a pure villain in memory?
The requirements for the other two roles were relatively uncomplicated; simply put, a beauty and a strongman.
Hollywood has never lacked these types of actors. He had seen many of them when coming and going from the Angel Talent Agency.
After a brief look at the script, Matthew decided to study it in more detail later. He then took the project proposal co-produced by Stephen Sommers and Sean Daniel and began reading. Although the project was still in its preliminary stages, these two had clearly already done a lot of preparation, and some things were different from what he had thought.
For example, the filming locations.
Originally, Matthew thought the Crew would do what they did when filming "The Mummy Returns"—shooting interior scenes at Pinewood Studios in London and exterior scenes in the deserts of Morocco.
But it turned out he was overthinking it. Due to the film's lower budget, all of the Crew's filming would stay in the United States. Interior scenes would be filmed at the Warner Bros. Studio, while exterior scenes would go to the Arizona desert.
Without the tax incentives from the UK and Morocco, this would save a significant portion of the expenses. Especially for the interior scenes at the Warner Bros. Studio; just as Universal Studios has a tour area, so does Warner Bros. Studio. They still retain the soundstages and backlots used for filming back then, which have been developed into tourist attractions and were recently renovated. With a few adjustments, they could be used to film this movie.
Not having to run between the UK and Morocco for filming also made Matthew breathe a sigh of relief. For the coming period, Britney would be in the United States, so it would be much more convenient for the two of them to meet.
Most of the other plans were matters for the production and directing teams and had no direct relation to him as the lead. At this stage, the most important thing for him was to thoroughly understand the script, master the character, and prepare for filming.
The focus was on training, from close-quarters combat to the use of a series of cold weapons. He didn't need to be an expert, but at the very least, he had to look the part in front of the lens. Stephen Sommers specifically emphasized the beauty of power rather than the flowery fighting that had recently started to become prevalent in Hollywood.
Matthew prepared to start studying the script and figuring out the character, as well as practicing some of the character's scenes individually.
News about this film also began to circulate on the internet, in newspapers, and in magazines.