After negotiating with Han Shanping, the two sides quickly signed an agreement, and China Film invested 5 million US dollars. However, Han Shanping only had the right to issue in the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and gave up the opportunity to share accounts internationally.

Zhang Ran suggested that Han Shanping participate in the international account sharing, but Han Shanping thought twice and gave up. Zhang Ran remembered the later "Kung Fu Dream", China Film also invested 5 million US dollars, and Han Shanping only needed the distribution rights of the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but in the end, the Chinese box office of this film was only 55 million yuan, but the box office in North America reached 170 million US dollars, and the global box office was 360 million US dollars.

However, Zhang Ran believes that his film will definitely be better at the domestic box office than "Kung Fu Dream", and China Film will definitely make money, after all, "Kung Fu Dream" is a Hollywood movie with some Chinese elements, and his own film is a Chinese story packaged in a Hollywood shell.

The agreement between Zhang Ran and China Film was signed in secret, and except for Han Shanping, the others didn't know, and they didn't want to make the matter public in advance.

With the signing of the agreement, the casting began to be carried out in secret. The heroine has to be finalized, and she will go to Berlin for pre-sale in February, and if the heroine candidate is blank, it will be too unlikely.

The choice of the heroine is naturally Zhang Ziyi, she is the most popular new generation actor in China, in 2000 "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" global box office 220 million US dollars, and won four Oscars including Best Foreign Language Film, Zhang Ziyi was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the British and Austrian. In 2001, she starred in the Korean movie "Samurai" and the Hollywood movie "Rush Hour 2", and "Hero", which was released this month, has become a social topic, and the box office exceeded 100 million yuan in less than two weeks.

Previous life. Zhang Ziyi has a bad reputation and is plagued by various scandals. Zhang Ran has always admired Zhang Ziyi. Of course, what he admires is Zhang Ziyi as an actor, not her face. Not even her body, although she does look good.

Zhang Ziyi had just returned to Beiping after running the promotion of "Hero", and received a fax from Zhang Ran. Now that she is popular in China, the director invited her to act and sent her the script, but Zhang Ran only sent an outline.

However, Zhang Ziyi couldn't refuse, and wrote "Producer: Luc Besson, Starring: Keanu Reeves" at the back of the outline. Zhang Ziyi was a little suspicious, these two were too famous, although Zhang Ran had won awards abroad. But they are all awards at small film festivals, how can he invite these two with his influence? Despite this, she still decided to meet with Zhang Ran to talk, what if it is true?

The place of meeting is still Yuluxuan, Zhang Ran likes the tone of this teahouse a little, sitting in the foggy Beiping, looking at the south of the Yangtze River in his heart.

The current Zhang Ziyi is less than 24 years old, and she does not have the aura in her memory, but looks youthful and energetic. She was wearing a plain down jacket. Elegant and pure, his dark eyes are as bright as stars, and his face is almost perfect.

Zhang Ran sighed in his heart, this girl is so good-looking. Zhang Yimou is too good at choosing actors. He didn't rush to talk about the script, and talked about "Hero" with Zhang Ziyi, he liked this movie very much. What's more, every actor is unique. All have their own characteristics, and the director has to guide the actors. It is necessary to know something about the actors. If you want to cooperate with Zhang Ziyi, you must understand this person.

Zhang Ziyi was completely stunned. Zhang Ran said a lot of things that she, a participant in the movie, couldn't see. He didn't interpret it randomly, every point he talked about Ziyi was very reasonable after being confirmed by the movie. Her eyes were full of admiration: "If Director Zhang Yimou hears your words, he will definitely treat you as a confidant!"

Zhang Ran said with a smile: "I like the movies directed by Zhang Yimou very much, especially "The Red Lantern Hangs High", and I have a little research on his films. No matter what other people say about "Heroes", but I really like it, it's common for color to be used as a symbol, but color is a kind of innovation when used for storytelling!"

After talking for a while, Zhang Ziyi twisted her index finger around the teacup, and a shallow smile hung on the corner of her mouth, looking very good: "Director, I read the outline you sent, the story is very good." But I saw that it was noted at the back of the script that the producer, Luc Besson, starring Keanu Reeves, had already been negotiated?"

Zhang Ran nodded and said: "Yes, they have all been signed, in addition to Keanu Reeves, there is also Adrian Brody, the actor of "The Pianist", Donald Cetherland, the foreign old man in Feng Xiaogang's movie "Big Names", and the Chinese actor is currently set Liang Jiahui." ”

Zhang Ziyi was a little surprised, but she had acted in "Rush Hour 2", which had a larger investment, and she didn't lose her temper: "Director, you are so powerful, this lineup is really strong!"

Zhang Ran smiled and said: "Actually, Luc Besson hopes that Shu Qi will play the heroine, Shu Qi has filmed "Very Human Trafficker" for which he is the producer, but I think you are more suitable, and you have the strength I want in you." You Mou girls have encouragement, and the roles you play are a little tendony!"

There was a smile on the corner of Zhang Ziyi's mouth, I really had a relationship with Shu Qi, and said a little embarrassedly: "I'm really a bit of a tendon, it's one of my characteristics!"

Zhang Ran stared into Zhang Ziyi's eyes: "Our drama is an international production, the challenge is multi-faceted, the language is closed, the whole English dialogue in the movie, and the Hollywood production team also needs English communication; ”

Zhang Ziyi hurriedly said: "Director, I didn't take the film for more than a year after filming "My Father and Mother", and finally waited for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", as long as the play is good, I won't wait, it doesn't matter if it is a year or two." Martial arts training is not a problem, I trained for several months for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and another few months for "Hero", I have dance skills, it is not difficult for me. It may be a bit difficult to speak a foreign language, but I will study hard and I will definitely be able to practice it before the movie starts. ”

"There are a lot of students in our class who are from dancing backgrounds, and these students who have learned dance are more able to endure hardships!" Zhang Ran looked at Zhang Ziyi's figure, wearing a very thick down jacket, he couldn't see it at all, and he couldn't let Zhang Ziyi take off his clothes for himself to see, and asked, "That's right." How much do you weigh?"

Zhang Ziyi said: "45 kilograms!"

Zhang Ran shook his head lightly: "It's too light, the heroine is a heavily armed special policeman." You should be strong. Your body is a little thin, and you have to gain at least ten pounds. Even twenty pounds, we will arrange a fitness trainer, and I hope to be able to see some muscle. Questions?"

The thin bodies of actresses who are mixed in the entertainment industry are almost a necessary weapon, and if they gain ten pounds in weight, it is simply the end of the world. But Zhang Ziyi didn't think about it, nodded and said, "No problem, I can do it!"

Zhang Ran bowed slightly: "I know you can do it, and this is the fundamental reason why I am looking for you." I'll give you the script in a moment, the morning after tomorrow. You come to Qingying Studio, let's try the lens. Back to the book, let's talk about the script. You know the content of the story, the novel reflects on the catastrophe brought about by human beings' demand for natural transition, and the same is true for movies, I hope that through movies, people will have more thoughts about themselves, about human nature, and about the development of civilization and order in the future......"

Zhang Ziyi has worked with Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai, and other top Chinese directors. Coached by them, these people talk to actors very differently about scripts.

Director Zhang Yimou is very energetic and does everything himself, and he often dances when he talks about plays; Director Ang Lee likes to communicate with actors. He spends a lot of time discussing the character's qualities, details, and heart with the actors.

One of the strangest is Wong Kar-wai, the first time she met Wong Kar-wai, Wong Kar-wai played a song on a CD player for her. Then tell her that the role you're going to play is what it feels like. At that time, she was directly dumbfounded. The character is the feeling of a song, how to play this?

Zhang Ran's analysis of the script is relatively close to Ang Lee. After all, they have all studied acting and directing, and they are very professional. However, Zhang Ran spoke more in detail, first talking about the theme of the whole play, contradictions and conflicts, running through the action, the highest task, the background of the times and the meaning of the play, and then began to analyze all aspects of the characters.

At nine o'clock in the evening, the three of them came out of the teahouse and waved goodbye. Zhang Ziyi and her assistant took the car out, and when they saw Zhang Ran standing on the side of the road, looking at the highway, they stopped the car on the side of the road, poked their heads out and asked, "Are you waiting for someone to pick you up?"

"No, wait for a taxi!"

"It's a cold day, it's not easy to take a taxi at this time, let's send you!"

"No, let's go!"

"It's okay, we'll send you. ”

"Okay, thank you then!"

Half an hour later, the car stopped on Huangtingzi Road, Zhang Ran said goodnight, got out of the car and walked to the bachelor dormitory.

Zhang Ziyi looked up at where Zhang Ran lived, and then looked at Zhang Ran's back and was stunned, this person is really strange, he has tens of millions of dollars of movies in his hand, but he doesn't have a car, and he still lives in the school's single dormitory!

I don't know why, she remembered Ang Lee during the period of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", when Ang Lee mortgaged the house for the movie, all the money was spent, and there was no money for the soundtrack, and in the end, Tan Dun and they went to Sony Records, and the record company paid for it.

Zhang Yimou once said to her that only when a person can keep his heart can he keep prosperity!

She originally came for the cast of the movie, but now she feels that it will be an amazing movie. She felt a power that made her blood run wild.

Seeing that Zhang Ziyi was stunned, the assistant asked, "Ziyi, what do you want?"

Zhang Ziyi shook her head and smiled at the assistant: "It's nothing, let's go!"

Two days later, it was the appointed day to test the shots.

In the studio of Qingying Studio, three digital DVs have been set up. Audition is that the actor performs according to the requirements of the role and the lens, and shoots it for screening to determine whether it meets the requirements of playing the role.

Zhang Ran crossed Erlang's legs and sat on a stool chatting with photographer Zhao Fei and several other assistants.

Wang Yun walked in, saw Zhang Ran and them, and said with a smile: "Teacher Zhang, Teacher Zhao, I'm sorry, I'm late!" Wang Yun and Zhang Ran complained to them, and said hello to the others.

Everyone present knew Wang Yun, everyone had filmed together, and they all greeted him with a smile. Among them, there is a particularly familiar giggle and laugh: "Wang Yun, you kid is simply Director Zhang's queen actor, and the treatment is about to catch up with Jingchu!"

Wang Yun smiled and waved his hand: "That's different, people are two people living together, how can I compare?"

Zhang Ran glared and said, "Familiar, but I can also sue you for slander, I still live in a single dormitory!"

"Look at my mouth, it's too bad!" Wang Yun slapped himself, and then asked with a smile, "Mr. Zhang, when will "Burst Drummer" be released?"

Zhang Ranfeng said lightly: "At the end of January." Okay, don't talk nonsense, hurry up and change your clothes!" He didn't say that the movie hadn't passed the trial, it would have been simple if Wang Yun had interfered in the matter, but he didn't want to do it. You can't use too much favor, if you use too much, there will be no affection, and if you want to use Zhang Ran, you will only use it at critical moments.

As soon as Wang Yun got up, Zhang Ziyi walked in, wearing a ponytail and facing the sky, but the whole person was full of energy. (To be continued.) )