On the first day of the 2000th century, Warner Bros. and Studio Duke held a grand press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, announcing that the sequel to The Matrix had officially entered the preparatory stage, and that the two-part series, titled "Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolution", would be filmed in a one-off manner.

Despite the change of director, Zach? The name Schneider is no stranger to hacker fans, his name is present in the assistant director and executive producer of the previous work, and fans who are familiar with Duke know that this is his most important deputy.

In the minds of ordinary movie fans, Duke can continue to direct is what they want to see the most, if they have to change a director, then Zack? Schneider is definitely the best choice.

But the media doesn't see it that way, and in order to pursue news sensationality, most of the media are singing about the sequel, and even think that Zack? Schneider would have completely screwed up a landmark in the history of science fiction.

There are also two parts of the series with a total budget of up to $250 million, both of which make Zach? Schneider was under tremendous pressure.

"Now I really understand why you have insomnia."

Walking down the path of Fox Studios, Zach? Schneider looked a lot haggard, and said to Duke, who was walking towards the studio, "The director is under too much pressure in a production, invisible pressure is almost everywhere, and I have been suffering from insomnia all night lately. ”

"Just get used to it."

Slapped Zach? With Schneider's shoulder, Duke walked into the huge studio, "It's hard to succeed in this industry if you can't get used to working under a lot of pressure." ”

He looked into the distance, "Zach, when you have been successful in a row, you will find that the tremendous pressure is not the driving force that drives you forward. ”

"I'm not as open-minded as you are." Zack? Schneider smiled.

The two of them walked all the way to the innermost part of the studio. Then standing on the periphery of a training ground, just as before the first filming, all the cast assembled again in Sydney for devilish hell training.

In the training ground, the expressions of the leading actors are much more relaxed than a few years ago, and in the last two parts. Most of the actors are all in place.

Keanu? Reeves, Charlize? Theron, Lawrence? Fishburne, and Duke's Hugo? With the assistance of several assistants, Weaving completed some basic ligament stretching training.

It is not without change, for example, the person who stands in the position of action director is no longer Yuan Heping.

The first part was a great success, and Yuan Heping immediately became the hottest action director in Hollywood, and after the sequel was launched, he also had the capital to open his mouth. directly shouted out the total remuneration of $8 million for the two films, and insisted that he would not let go at all.

He does have such capital, and the successive successes of "The Matrix" and "Rush Hour" have also brought new vitality to Hollywood's stale action fights, and judging from the response of the two films, Western audiences also feel very new and exciting about this dazzling fight.

Kung Fu has gradually become a buzzword in the North American film industry, and it is also a problem that Hollywood cannot solve for the time being.

Yuan Heping is undoubtedly an extremely rare resource. There is also capital that shouts sky-high prices.

But Duke and Warner Bros. and Zach? Schneider doesn't want to pay such a high price, on the one hand, the actors' salaries for the sequel are already sky-high. On the other hand, the crew also has suitable replacements.

From the time of filming "The Matrix", Duke was asking Jimmy? Carter and Robin? Grande and the Tiger? Chen Contact, a very thoughtful and ambitious young man, has not only kung fu, but also many other hand-to-hand combat techniques. It is more in line with the future development trend of Hollywood.

With only one-third of the price Yuan Heping shouted, Warner Bros. got the Tiger? Chen and some of his brothers.

Correspondingly, the fights between "Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolution" will also make appropriate changes, kung fu is a foreign product after all, and there are not a few kung fu-related films that started production after the success of "The Matrix". Like Drew? Barrymore's investment in "Breaking Bad" and so on, it won't take too long to cause the audience's aesthetic fatigue.

So, follow Duke and Zach? Schneider's negotiated plan, the latter two parts of the series, on the basis of maintaining the procedural conflict of kung fu display, will reduce those things that are too fancy and flashy, and the way of action will be cooler, sharper and more direct.

Duke's idea is simple, kung fu has an extremely short life in North America, and "Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolution" will take a long time to complete their release, and some different action elements must be shown to avoid aesthetic fatigue and gradually move closer to the future Hollywood action.

Just like the development of technology, action direction will only be eliminated by the market if it is conservative.

This can be said to be the fine-tuning of "Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolution", and there have been big changes in the plot, similar to the first part of the series, Duke did not hesitate to remove those things that were too godly and chattering, and the former "Reloaded" can be said to be a great success at the box office, but these deep philosophical reflections and tricks have strictly compressed the market space of "Matrix Revolution".

Why would the audience buy the account of this series? Is it really as the critics say, because the film brings the audience philosophical thinking?

Duke and Zach? Schneider knows very well why the film was so popular.

"Hi, Duke."

Training is over, Keanu? Reeves walked over first, took the towel handed by the assistant to wipe off the sweat on his hands, and shook hands with Duke, "It's a joy that we're working together again." ”

"yes, Keanu." Duke patted his arm, "Looks like your training is easy." ”

Keanu? Reeves immediately laughed, "Because the hardest time is over." ”

He pointed to the practice clothes on his body that were almost soaked with sweat, "I'll go take a shower and change my clothes first, and we'll talk later." ”

Last November, Zach? Schneider came to Sydney, and the crew has only officially established the project until now, and a large part of it is Keanu? Reeves' causes.

Keanu is no longer what it used to be, and although Neo was nominated for the worst actor in the Golden Sour Plum, he couldn't stop him from entering the ranks of top actors, and he also held a certain advantage in negotiations with Warner Bros. and Duke's studio.

Hollywood's commercial film sequel, the actor's salary is undoubtedly the most headache thing, unless it is a last resort, no production company will take the huge risk of the audience's disapproval to rashly change the leading role, which also gives the actor the capital to shout the price, and the production cost of many Hollywood sequels continues to rise, which is actually spent on the actor's salary.

"Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolution" are no exception, the average cost of the two sequels is as high as $125 million, in addition to the special effects that need to be strengthened, the actors' salaries are undoubtedly a major expense, among which Keanu? Reeves' salary has reached the top level of Hollywood - $20 million for a single film!

There is also a 10 percent share of the net profit of the North American box office.

Also, the heroine Charlize? Theron's salary has also reached the top 15 million US dollars of first-line actresses!

There is no way around this, but Duke and Warner Bros. are also using the method of increasing the basic salary to reduce the profit share of the actors as much as possible.

The high commercial remuneration of first-line actors is unavoidable, and Hollywood's A-level and super-A actors are a scarce resource in the entire film industry, which in itself represents huge value, and no one can underestimate their appeal and influence.

Like top directors such as Duke and Spielberg, as well as major film companies, they all form part of the top structure of Hollywood, otherwise the major Hollywood companies in the future will allow top actors to share 25% or more of the film's profits?

In fact, in this highly commercialized society, anyone who has climbed to the top of a certain industry cannot be ignored.

"Hugo, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."

After greeting King Elon who came over, Duke saw a tiger? Chan, he introduced an actor from Hong Kong who would play the role of the Prophet's guardian angel.

Originally, Warner Bros. wanted to invite Jeter? Li played this role, after all, the other party is famous for kung fu in the West, and there are not many roles of guardian angels, and Warner also offered a salary of $3 million for a single film, but what is unexpected is that the other party asked for a sky-high price of $13 million!

What kind of price is this, the commercial film salary of many first-line male stars is just that, unless the senior management of Warner Bros. and Duke Studios are collectively in the water, how can they agree to this kind of offer.

Maybe Jeter? Li and his agent had the intention of asking for a price to pay back on the spot, but after this price was quoted, the crew gave up on him without hesitation and turned to Guò Tiger? Chen hired an actor surnamed Zou from Hong Kong and paid only $200,000.

This is a multiple-choice question that does not require a choice at all.

After saying hello to the actors, Duke is ready to leave, and Charlize is finished changing? Theron hurried over.

"Duke......" she almost trotted over, "do you have time, it's been a long time since we've eaten together." ”

"I'm sorry, Sally." Duke sighed and looked at Zach who was waiting for him? Schneider, "Zach and I, along with Warners, are going to meet with the sponsors, and we have to wait until next time." ”

"It's a shame." Charlize looked regretful.

After a few words with her, Duke walked towards the door of the studio, where more than a dozen manufacturers were waiting for him, these people paid $30 million in advertising sponsorships for a single film, and Duke could not miss the contract.

After meeting with the sponsors, he was going to fly to North America to participate in the preparation of another crew in Los Angeles, which was also very important and could not be delayed, because the new project was called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".

The Little Wizard is about to start! (To be continued......)

PS: I have to go out for two days on the weekend, so I can only update it automatically, and I continue to ask for monthly passes and recommended tickets!