King of Hollywood-Chapter 566 - 287: The Premiere in New York

Although everything was going smoothly, the Battle of Helm’s Deep still had to be filmed for at least half a month to a month. As the most important plot of the second part, unlike the battle against the Uruk-hai at the end of the first part, this was a real war. The Rohan troops, numbering less than a thousand, had to defend against the attack of nearly ten thousand Uruk-hai; the brutality of the battle was imaginable. For this reason, each time they filmed, hundreds of extras were on location, needing make-up, armor, and weapons, and a single shot couldn’t be completed at once, which naturally didn’t lend itself to efficiency, let alone, this was Adrian’s first time filming a war scene.

"If I had known, I would have produced ’Saving Private Ryan’ myself," Adrian mumbled to himself, facing the somewhat chaotic location.

Although Adrian had already tried orchestrating large scenes during the production of "The Shawshank Redemption" and had done it quite well without letting the classic scene in the prison yard vanish, a battlefield was a different story altogether. Fortunately, this was all within expectations, and he had enough time to make adjustments slowly, so... he felt no pressure whatsoever about leaving again at the end of the month.

Who made him the Miracle Director? There were always social obligations he couldn’t avoid, and this time he didn’t intend to avoid them. Although Adrian felt no pressure, the other assistant directors couldn’t help but lament and sigh. As soon as he left, the burden of filming fell entirely on them and if things didn’t go well, they would be scolded by Adrian upon his return. It was truly frustrating. However, Jackson was quite excited as he was the leader of one of the sub-teams. If Adrian left, his authority would increase significantly, allowing him to shoot the film more according to his own ideas.

Adrian was aware of this, but he didn’t take it too seriously. After all, the script was very much to Jackson’s liking; giving him more power wasn’t a big deal, and whether it worked or not was still Adrian’s call to make.

This time, the route Adrian took when leaving New Zealand was the reverse of last time; he went to London first and then to New York, taking care of business there before heading back to Los Angeles. In fact, he could have gone straight back to Los Angeles and then to New York, but since the main business was in New York and the casting activities in London were in full swing, it wouldn’t be right not to look into it.

The casting efficiency of the "Harry Potter" crew was as low as the filming efficiency of "The Lord of the Rings." During this period, they only narrowed down the selection to a few hundred children, with major roles such as Hermione, played by Emma, still not having any definite consideration except for one. The only role confirmed was the Weasley twins, and as Adrian had expected, it wasn’t the Phelps brothers from Birmingham but the Adosi brothers from Liverpool.

The twins were unmistakably red-haired and also very lively and mischievous, which was why they were chosen during the audition, because they boldly played a trick on Columbus. It was certain that, if Adrian hadn’t intervened, the original cast, except for Emma, would probably not have appeared at all, reflecting the randomness and uncertainty of such matters.

As for Emma, after learning that she was about to play Hermione, she became much more engaged than she was initially.

"Regarding this issue, how did you solve it, Professor?" she often held the novel, reciting the lines in front of the mirror, sometimes even concocting her own scenes, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Although Adrian only stayed in London for two days, she made a special effort to perform a segment in front of him, and she was wearing a Gryffindor uniform—not the original one, but one tailored specifically for her by Adrian’s instructions, which fit perfectly. Coupled with her constantly waving a prop wand, it further enhanced Emma’s embodiment of Hermione’s characteristics and demeanor.

"You know, Ed, when I told Rose over the phone about the news of playing Hermione, she started screaming on the other side," the young Emma boasted about her and Small Emma’s story.

Adrian was pleased she was getting into her role, but he always felt the little girl was plotting something, especially when she gave him a mischievously wicked smile. Of course, it probably wasn’t anything bad, so he didn’t mind it too much, as there were more pressing matters to handle: getting to New York, adjusting to the time difference, and then attending a movie premiere.

In late May and early June of 1999, a blockbuster movie was about to premiere across the United States. This blockbuster was not identified by its huge investment or strong cast, but rather by its name, which was known and celebrated across the United States, having a vast fan base and having influenced at least a generation, representing one of America’s finest cultural memories.

Many movie companies postponed their own movie releases because of it, and AC Media was no exception, knowing that both "Mummy" and "Entrapment" were outstanding works. There was even a proposal to move it to the Christmas slot, but with movies like "Notting Hill" and "Spider-Man" in the Christmas slot, competing against one’s own movies like that had only happened once or twice.

In short, as soon as this movie began its preparations, countless film fans had already been eagerly anticipating it, and now, at the stage of pre-selling movie tickets, long queues had formed outside major cinemas, especially in New York where the premiere was held; the long crowd could almost stretch from one end of Manhattan to the other! Such a grand scene, receiving such fervent acclamation, could only be for one directed by George Lucas himself— one of the sequels of his space opera trilogy, "Star Wars: Episode - The Phantom Menace"!

Although Kubrick’s "2001: A Space Odyssey" and Lucas’s Star Wars series were nearly a decade apart, both are representative works of American science fiction movies and had both started different trends; Cameron had been inspired to make movies after watching "2001: A Space Odyssey".

However, "2001: A Space Odyssey" was ultimately too esoteric, although its special effects were top-notch at the time, so the space opera Star Wars series immediately won the love of the majority and subsequently became a cultural phenomenon in the United States. Despite Lucas only having a few movies, despite the Film Academy disliking him, not counting Industrial Light Magic, he remained one of the world’s greatest directors.

This was evident from the crowd of fans cheering outside the Empire Theater in Times Square after nightfall; they either wore Darth Vader helmets, held toy Light Swords, or wore Jedi Knight robes, venting their passion under the huge poster of "The Phantom Menace," in a scene far more bustling than "The Expendables".

"I know, many critics criticize me for not innovating, for having a film concept that still remains in the seventies and eighties, just with richer special effects, but so what? I don’t need to care," Lucas said nonchalantly, standing on the red carpet at the theater entrance, facing the reporters’ questioning.

As a commercial movie, "The Phantom Menace" naturally had a media press conference arranged, where most film critics thought that the visuals and special effects were good, but that the story was still stuck at the level of the seventies and eighties.

"That’s right, George Lucas doesn’t need to care about these," a voice came from behind, and Lucas immediately turned around, then smiled and hugged the comer.

"I thought you’d be coming a bit later," Lucas laughed and said to Adrian.

"How could that be? I still need to share the fans’ passion; after all, I also contributed, albeit slightly," Adrian said half sincerely and half jokingly.

The nearby reporter seized this opportunity and quickly asked, "We heard that you also participated in the screenplay work for ’The Phantom Menace,’ Mr. Adrian, what do you think about the critics’ reviews?"

"I didn’t participate much, just made some suggestions," Adrian first corrected, then gave Lucas a pat on the back, "Forget those, gentlemen, tonight, just remember one name: Star Wars! God, it’s been almost 15 years, let me just thoroughly enjoy it."

People around burst into laughter, and Lucas, standing next to him, also smiled knowingly; most of those who loved this space opera series thought this way, but it did not stop the reporters from asking questions.

"Do you think the ’Lord of the Rings’ trilogy you are currently producing will surpass the ’Star Wars’ trilogy?" a guy suddenly asked.

Unfortunately, Adrian wasn’t falling for that. "These are two completely different genres with no basis for comparison. Also, as far as ’The Lord of the Rings’ is concerned, you’ve probably heard a lot already, so let’s focus on other matters today."

As time passed, AC Media, which Adrian owned, began selectively reporting the production status of ’The Lord of the Rings’. It was clear where their information was coming from. Other media, although itching with envy, were powerless and still clueless about where Adrian was shooting this fantasy epic.

However, it wouldn’t be long before New Zealand’s shooting locations were revealed. Reporters might not think of it now, but that doesn’t mean they never would. So, revealing it at the right time, in his own way, was the correct approach. Perhaps more "flies" would swarm around him then, but at least he could prepare.

After chatting with reporters for a bit more and skillfully dodging questions about ’The Lord of the Rings,’ cheers erupted on the red carpet—Master Yoda had arrived for the premiere. Even though it was just a robotic figure and quite stiff in movements, it still fueled the fiery enthusiasm of the fans. Then, Adrian and Lucas entered the theater together.

Like all premieres, most of the guests were socializing in the lobby, waiting for the time to line up and enter the auditorium. Adrian was greeting Lucas and some key actors such as Liam Neeson, who played Qui-Gon Jin, and Ivan McGregor, who played Obi Wan—Lucas’s choice for the roles.

"By the way, how come the respected Queen Amidala isn’t here?" Adrian suddenly joked after a brief chat.

"The Queen has exams; she’s aiming for the Ivies and can’t be distracted, so she couldn’t make it," Lucas humorously responded.

Indeed, Adrian had known that Natalie wouldn’t attend the premiere of ’The Phantom Menace.’ He’d been in touch with Natalie all along; he couldn’t be the last to know compared to Lucas. His question was partly to show concern as it wouldn’t look good if he seemed unconcerned about one of the main actors not attending, and partly... to verify.

Yes, to verify. Natalie had told him on the phone that with graduation looming and her sights set on Harvard, she needed to concentrate on her SAT and AP exams and couldn’t attend the premiere. With her character of being exceptional in everything she does, her decision was undoubtedly right. Though ’The Phantom Menace’ would make her one of America’s most popular actresses and getting into Harvard would be easy, she would not want people to think her admission was due to the movie rather than her own achievements. However...

Adrian had always had a nagging feeling, one that had long been present but had been easy to ignore until now. It had become more noticeable lately. Despite being busy with ’The Lord of the Rings’ production, he had made trips to New York, but every time, Natalie either had an excuse or would meet hastily and leave.

"It’s a really annoying feeling..." Adrian tapped his forehead, "Maybe I should find a chance to have a proper talk with Natalie?"

Reflecting back, this issue seemed to have started after the Oscars. She might have begun to feel discontented, so it was time for an open and honest discussion. But that time wasn’t now. Adrian was still busy, and Natalie was still focused on her academics. Waiting until after summer, once Harvard had accepted her application and she had settled into university life for a couple of months and ’The Lord of the Rings’ production had also paused, wouldn’t be too late for that talk. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Resolved, Adrian then shifted his focus to others around him. Although Queen Amidala herself wasn’t there, her double was. Keira, who had come dressed up with her parents, mostly managed to handle the teasing quite well, except when dealing with Adrian.

"It’s...not bad, this is my first time...attending a premiere." Keira kept twisting her head, unable to meet his gaze, with a faint blush on her cheeks and her eyes swirling with shyness and annoyance.

On the plane, she was like this—Adrian invited Knightley’s family to join him on his trip to London. Clearly unsettled since that day, not only had she let a stranger touch her, but she had nearly climaxed because of it. Whenever Keira reflected on the incident, a strange indescribable feeling emerged; even though Adrian wasn’t a stranger, they were not particularly close. How could she have been so foolish?!

Therefore, Adrian didn’t overstimulate her. Besides, her parents were nearby, so after exchanging a few words, he left. Of course, the look of disappointment in Keira’s eyes did not escape his notice.

Next came the time to watch the movie. There was not much to say about it. Although some of the cuts differed from the version in his memory, overall, it was consistent. As for Queen Amidala’s costume inspired by Japanese geishas, Adrian chose to ignore it outright.

However, some differences emerged later on. After Anakin participated in the race, the slave master tried to renege and gathered a group to force the issue. They were repelled by Qui-Gon and Obi Wan, but Anakin’s mother was killed in the process. The young Skywalker held his mother’s body and wept bitterly, while Amidala, disguised as a maid, gently consoled him.

At that moment, a Sith Apprentice also arrived and, after a chaotic battle, although Anakin was taken aboard Amidala’s spaceship, he couldn’t retrieve his mother’s body, eventually crying himself unconscious in Amidala’s arms.

Lucas had wholly embraced his suggestions, even laying the groundwork for Anakin and Amidala’s love story, anticipating that their relationship wouldn’t seem so abrupt in the sequel. Besides that, the backstory of Anakin’s brother was altered to prevent an uncle from suddenly appearing when Luke was adopted.

The plot then returned to the original storyline—our heroes raided the Trade Federation on Naboo. With Amidala uniting with the local indigenous populace, the Federation was finally driven out. Qui-Gon still died in battle, and Obi Wan took Anakin as his apprentice. Honestly, if Natalie weren’t wearing that bizarre outfit, she would look quite delicate and charming, faintly resembling Matilda. Unfortunately, she wasn’t present.

Of course, it would have been even more wonderful if he could have had his way with her petite body while enjoying the movie... Well, that’s just a side effect of playing too much role-play in New Zealand.

Although "Star Wars" was undoubtedly popular and many fans supported it immediately, perhaps influenced by media comments that "the film’s target audience should be ten-year-old children and long-term Star Wars fans" or "Lucas is pushing the Star Wars franchise to the brink, and future films might just be video games", "The Phantom Menace," released in 2900 theaters, had over $30 million in ticket sales on its first night. However, its momentum seemed weak the next day, adding only $10 million more, resulting in a three-day weekend total of only $60 million.

However, everyone knew this was just the beginning. The Star Wars franchise had cultivated more fans than that. Besides, not all media had bad things to say; breaking $100 million in North America was just a matter of time, and reaching $1 billion worldwide was very likely.

But none of this concerned Adrian, who, after attending the premiere of "Star Wars," let his secretary from Los Angeles turn down a series of invitations and then quietly boarded a luxurious private yacht on the Hudson River to attend a high-profile media magnate’s discreet wedding. Yes, it was Murdoch and Wendi Deng’s wedding.

Some things might have changed because of him, but some things remained the same, especially for those cunning and proactive people. Therefore, Wendi still ended up meeting Murdoch.

During the past year, Murdoch’s divorce from his second wife had also made headlines. Although News Corporation’s media outlets tried to keep a low profile, The Sun scoffed ceremoniously, claiming that even if it was their boss, they still had to report the news as it was, but insiders knew they were merely fooling themselves.

However, he couldn’t control all the media worldwide, so there were still many unfavorable reports coming out, making it impossible for him to keep a low profile. But then, AC Media restrained its media outlets and displayed goodwill with "neutral" and "objective" discussions. Thus, Adrian was now at this discreet wedding. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote and support on qidian.com, your support is my greatest motivation.)

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆novelkiss