"Have you read the original, Kate?"

Retracting his gaze from the white clouds outside the business jet, Duke looked at Kate, who was sitting opposite. Blanchett, "If you've read it, you'll know what I mean about Queen Galadriel being one of my favorite characters. ”

Kate? Blanchett straightened up a strand of blonde hair that fell, and there was a smile on his well-defined face, "Of course I read it, this is a must-do preparation for an actor." Still, I don't quite understand why you like her, I think Aragorn and Gandalf are good, even if it's an elf, King Elon is good. ”

"Galadriel has the ability to perceive people's hearts, she is very kind and empathetic, and at the same time she is a little arrogant and willful."

Picking up the coffee cup, Duke took a sip, put it down, and continued, "She is the leader of the Noldor Elves and the last of them to remain in Middle-earth, she has overcome the ** of power and territory, and has withstood the temptation of the Lord of the Rings......"

"Anything else?" Blanchett asked.

Duke said, "She loves the righteous and good beings of the world." ”

Blanchett tilted his head to look at Duke, as if thinking, and said after a while, "But I don't feel like that's the main reason you like the character." ”

"The main reason?" Duke tapped his finger lightly on the coffee cup stuck in the card slot, "Well, I'll admit, the main reason is that Queen Galadriel is a female elf!" ”

Duke raised his eyebrows and looked at Blanchett, as if to say that you are satisfied, Blanchett laughed softly, and the crisp laughter caused Nancy, who was sitting in front of him, to turn her head curiously.

However, she then turned her head back, Duke was her most important client, but he could be happy, and these female clients were nothing.

"Presumably according to some of the descriptions in the original book. If you even count the time you have lived in Amenzhou. "Kate? Blanchett joked casually, "Queen Galadriel should be about 8,000 years old......"

"That's a problem, indeed." Duke pinched his chin in a serious way, "When I was writing the outline of the first version of the script, I thought about pairing her with Gandalf. ”

"She and Gandalf?" Kate? Blanchett's eyes widened, "Is there affection between them?" ”

"No, but there are descriptions in some places. It's still easy to make people relate. ”

Hearing Duke say this, Blanchett hurriedly asked, "What is it?" Why didn't I notice it when I read the original. ”

Duke put away his joking tone and changed his tone, "In Roslorian, in the Golden Forest, in the forest where mortals are rarely visited, only a few mortals have ever seen that light, that eternal and unchanging, dazzling and flickering light. Galadriel! Galadriel! Your well is known for its cleanliness. The stars in the hands of the white jade are shining, and the pure and immaculate forest is noble. In Roslorian, in the Golden Forest, in that beautiful woods that mortals cannot see......"

The aria-like recitation ended, and Duke looked at Kate? Blanchett, "Your Majesty, has it been an honor to invite you to a banquet when you arrive in Sydney?" ”

"Going to a banquet?" Kate? Blanchett wondered.

Duke smiled passionately. "Can you know your contact details? I can call you. ”

Hesitate for a few seconds, Kate? Blanchett opens her pouch. I took out a business card with only my name and number from it and handed it over.

As for the content and time of the banquet, Duke did not say, because there is no such banquet now.

The plane arrived in Sydney, walked out of Smith International Airport, and Duke saw Kate off first? Blanchett. Just got into the car to pick him up, Nancy? Josephson sat in the same car as him.

"Nancy, I remember a lot of Australian actors working hard in Hollywood."

Hearing Duke's question, Nancy immediately nodded and replied, "Yes." Nicole? Kidman, Hugh? Jackman, Naomi? Watts, Russell? Chloe ......"

After a moment's thought, Duke added, "Before you leave Sydney, call a banquet, huh...... In the name of the management of the banquet Warner Bros., an invitation can also be sent to the Australian gang in Hollywood......"

Nancy? Joseph immediately understood, "I understand. ”

Since Wellington is not too far from New Zealand, the flight does not take much time, and after the car arrived at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, Duke went directly to a reception room to meet Doug, who had come here to investigate. Walter.

Accompanying Doug? Walter and other Warner Bros. executives are Zach who arrived here in advance? Schneider.

"Zach?"

After sitting down, Duke first looked at his deputy, Zach? Schneider is on the verge of independence.

"I've been around Sydney with Doug."

Looked at Doug? Walter, Zach? Schneider followed Duke's habit of going straight to the point, "I think the last two parts should still stay in Sydney and shoot on the Fox set, first, because the buildings in Sydney are more in line with the crew's requirements, and second, Sydney City Hall promised us that a section of the highway that had just been built would be provided for filming." ”

Doug? Walter sighed, "I still hope the crew can go to Warner Movie World on the Gold Coast." ”

"If you go there, how will the highway be solved?"

This is his first independent directing of a large-scale film, Zack? Schneider didn't want to see any surprises, "We contacted Queensland and they refused to provide motorways, whereas the motorway in Sydney was not only newly built, but also charged a nominal maintenance lease fee. ”

"I'm going to rent a studio from Fox here." Doug? Walter still insisted on his opinion, "After the construction of the set of Warner Cinematic World, there has been a lack of heavyweight crews to move in......"

The argument between the two men was obviously not the first time, and after listening for a while, Duke raised his hand to interrupt the two men.

He beckoned to the side, Tina? Fei stood up and handed a big bag to Doug? Walter.

"This is the highway toll I have people calculate." Duke looked at him and said as concisely as possible, "If we go to Queensland to shoot and can't find a suitable highway, we need to build our own one, which is the price that Tina specially found someone to calculate according to the cost of labor and other costs in Queensland, which is estimated to cost about $15 million, and in Sydney, it is only $300,000." ”

Cost control is an important factor that every commercial company must consider, and as the controlling owner of Duke's Studios and the majority shareholder of Warner Bros., which holds nearly eight percent of the shares, Duke certainly cannot ignore this aspect.

"And taxes." Duke said directly, "Doug, I understand that you want to rely on heavyweight films to start the world of Warner Movies, but have you thought about it, why the Hollywood crew is not willing to go to Queensland, where labor is cheaper, and choose Fox sets in Sydney?" ”

Doug? Walter put down the text jiàn, "Tax incentives." ”

"New South Wales, where Sydney is located, offers a 12.5 per cent tax incentive for films." Zack? Schneider took over, "It's only four percent in Queensland!" ”

"So, Doug."

Duke stood up, walked to the map of the reception room, and looked at Queensland on the map of Australia, "The first thing Warner needs to do is how to persuade Queensland to give more tax incentives to the crew who go to Warner Movie World, if they can provide tax treatment like Sydney, we people will definitely go to shoot there where the labor cost is cheaper." ”

Sit there, Doug? Walter was silent for a moment, then finally nodded.

Zack? Schneider breathed a sigh of relief, he didn't want to get into an argument with Warner Bros. higher-ups unless he had to, and there was news circulating, Jeff? Robinoff is likely to be transferred to Time Warner as group president and take over as CEO of Warner Bros. Walter had the greatest hope.

Flying from New Zealand to Sydney, Duke just to solve Doug? Walter and Zach? Schneider's disagreement.

While Warner Bros. accepted his offer and agreed with Zach? Schneider served as the director of the last two "The Matrix", but certainly not to give him much of a voice in the same way that he gave him the power to Duke.

After working together for so many years, the two are also good friends, Zach? Schneider was deeply influenced by him, and Duke had faith in him, otherwise he would not have handed over the last two parts to him instead of going to the current pair of brothers.

The second two installments of The Matrix cost $250 million and will be filmed together.

For this, Doug? Walter also disagreed, but he trusted Duke's vision for film, and the dissent was not directed at Zach? Schneider.

"Duke, I think we need to hurry up and finish the second part first."

Seems a little anxious, Doug? Walter stood up and took a few steps, "Hacker fans are crazy, I heard the news that Warner Bros. will not release a sequel to "The Matrix" in the next two years, they have gathered thousands of people to besiege the Warner building and protest against us, and your Duke's Manor has also been besieged, if it weren't for your absence in Malibu, they would definitely be surrounded and blocked by their petition." ”

Turning around, Duke smiled helplessly, the influence of "The Matrix", which he appropriately added, far exceeded that of the past, and created a large number of crazy fans.

"The anticipation of the sequel has been pushed to a considerable height by fans." Doug? Walter continued, "If we launch a sequel in time, it will inevitably spark a market boom and relieve the pressure on Warner Bros. ”

Frowning slightly, Duke thought about it for a while, this is indeed an objective situation.

"Doug, I have a mention, doesn't Warner Bros. have an animation studio? We can create cartoons that complement the worldview, which can both meet the needs of fans and continue to drive merchandising sales, while promoting the sequel. ”

Doug? Walter thought for a moment and said, "That's a good idea, I'll talk to Los Angeles tonight." ”

The two sides discussed the details again, and today's meeting ended.

As he walked out of the reception room, Duke invited Doug? Walter, "I'm going to host a pie duì ......" (to be continued......

PS: I'm going out today, so I can only update it automatically.