Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 120 This is fucking Hollywood!

"Sylvester, calm down. I've called the director and producer from the crew."

Although Sylvester Stallone's career is declining, he is still a guest of honor at the GTV. If he were willing to join the "Frequency" series, Sony Columbia would naturally welcome him with open arms, after all, Stallone's fame has been resounding for 20 years!

Sylvester Stallone snorted coldly upon hearing this:
"I heard this director is only 20 years old? Can a kid like him make a good movie? And he didn't even send me an invitation. Stanton, how about we find another director?"

Stanton narrowed his eyes, knowing the other party was testing him, and asked with a smile:

"Who do you want to replace?"

"Renny Harlin".

Renny Harlin is a renowned Hollywood director. Stallone recommended him because Renny Harlin was the director of his previous hugely successful film, "Cliffhanger."

Stanton seemed quite intrigued upon hearing Renny Harlin's name and said to Stallone:
“We have a contract with Director Wu, so we can’t fire him. If Renny Harlin is willing to co-direct, we would be happy to invite him. Of course, it’s only in name; the production team will definitely have the final say!”

Stallone picked up his phone and dialed Renny Harlin, then hung up a moment later.

“Renny said he didn’t want to bully young directors, so how could you sign a contract like this?” Stallone complained.

"The script is the director's own. Sylvester Wu is very talented; we should have more faith in geniuses."

Stanton also tries his best to appease Stallone. This guy has been famous for over 20 years, and his temper has long been notoriously bad and stubborn, but who can blame him for being so famous?

Stanton then asked, "Sylvie, are you really interested in Frequency of Black Holes?"

"Of course, did you think I was joking with you?"

"Oh, I just felt that a small project like 'Frequency' might not be able to afford your salary."

Stanton also began his own probing. If the issue of salary wasn't settled first, there was no need to let the production team be delayed because of him and waste their time.

"What do you mean? Don't you plan to increase the budget after I join the crew?!" Stallone glared at the other person.

"Of course! But we don't have enough funds right now, at most we can add another 500 million."

Seeing that the other person was about to get angry, Stanton continued:

“Sylvester, I heard you only got $300 million for your role in Police Empire.”

"That's an exception! Besides, I get a share of the box office revenue!"

"We can also offer you a share of the box office revenue. How about an 800 million fixed salary plus a share of the box office revenue? Compared to Harvey, Sony Columbia is much more sincere!"

Everyone understands that box office revenue sharing is a way for production companies to reduce risk.

Stallone was annoyed. This was obviously different. His film was an art film, while Stallone's was a commercial film, and commercial films should be paid according to commercial film standards.

These Hollywood snobs are only offering him these conditions because his performance hasn't been good these past two years. In the past, his fixed salary would never have been less than ten million!
However, Stallone isn't completely clueless; he knows he's not as sought-after as before, and that no one would agree to pay him the same salary as before.

"An $800 million salary plus 20% of the North American box office revenue!"

"Oh my god, Sylvester, this is robbery! 20% is impossible, 5%!"

After some haggling, the two finally settled on a fixed salary of $800 million plus 12% of the North American box office revenue.

……

Wu Yuchen and Jeff are on their way, both looking preoccupied.

Jeff would have welcomed Stallone with open arms if Stallone had come from the beginning. But now that he's already made a deal with Dennis Quaid, promised him the role, and is about to sign a contract, he's naturally annoyed by this interference.

"Jeff, why did Stallone suddenly get involved?" Wu Yuchen asked.

"Who knows? Maybe he's considering a career change. After all, he's 51 years old; he can't fight forever. But if he does join the cast, whether he has action scenes or not is not up to us!"

The production team wanted to invite someone in their 40s to play a father in his 30s, but if they found someone over 50, that would be a real father. Therefore, the production team publicly stated that the recruitment requirement was for actors born in the 50s. So they didn't even ask Sylvester Stallone, who was already 50, about it.

Wu Yuchen was even more furious upon hearing this. He hated the feeling of being out of control. They had signed the contract and were ready to start filming, but now it was suddenly interrupted.

He has come to realize that making movies in Hollywood is full of constraints. No wonder people in Europe say that Hollywood is the graveyard of directors. As a director, he simply cannot make decisions.

When Wu Yuchen and Jeff knocked on the door and came in, they saw Stallone sitting with his legs crossed, drinking coffee.

Stanton smiled and said to Stallone, "Sylvester, these two are Jeff, the producer of 'Frequency,' and Wu, the director."

Stallone glanced at the two men, glared at Jeff, and asked in an unfriendly tone, "Why didn't you invite me?"

The tone and expression were very domineering, just like a leader about to give a lecture.

Producer Jeff has now put on a smiling mask:

"Oh, Mr. Stallone, I'm sorry! We never imagined that a big star like you would be interested in our small production!"

"Then why did you invite Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, Bruce Willis, and Pierce Brosnan, but not me?!"

Stallone pressed further, showing he cared deeply about the issue. Don't mistake this for petty nitpicking; he was using this tactic to test the producer and director's character and bottom line. If he could use this to suppress them, all the better, then he would have complete control of the production team from then on.

Jeff was taken aback. He couldn't say he thought the man was too old, nor could he say that the others were inferior to him, because that would offend the others if word got out.

Jeff didn't expect Stallone to be so aggressive right from the start, and was momentarily speechless.

At this moment, Wu Yuchen spoke up to defuse the situation:
“Mr. Stallone, because all your past roles have involved a lot of action scenes, while our father in this movie, although a tough guy, doesn’t actually have many fight scenes. We thought you wouldn’t be interested at all.”

"Is that so, Asian kid?" Stallone shifted his gaze to Wu Yuchen.

"Of course!" Wu Yuchen met his gaze without flinching.

Stallone nodded and continued:

"Asian kid, now that I'm playing this role, how are you going to add action scenes for me?"

Wu Yuchen shrugged:

“I don’t think it’s necessary to add action scenes. The main attraction of our film is the novelty brought by the time travel, and secondly, the father and son’s cross-time cooperation to capture the villain. If the father’s character is made to be too good at fighting, the whole plot will fall apart. After all, not every man is Rambo or Rocky.”

Wu Yuchen's words weren't just directed at Stallone, but also at Stanton, who was in a higher position. The implication was that no action scenes could be added; doing so would ruin the whole thing. Ideally, Stallone's interest should be discouraged.
Stallone stared at Wu Yuchen for a few seconds, then pointed at him and said, "Kid, you're right. Whether it's Rambo or Rocky, there's only one of them."

To Wu Yuchen's surprise, Stallone didn't offer any objections and didn't mention action scenes anymore. Was he really planning to change his image? He clearly remembered that Stallone continued to make action films after the turn of the century, and even invited a bunch of tough-guy stars to make the "Expendables" series.

What Wu Yuchen didn't know was that Sylvester Stallone had just given birth to his eldest daughter last year, which is why he was so moved by the role of the father in "Frequency" and also had the idea of ​​trying to change his image.

Stanton laughed and said, "Sylvester, I told you, Wu is a very talented and trustworthy director!"

Then he turned to Wu Yuchen and Jeff and said with a smile:

"The role of the father will be played by Sylvester, the budget for the production has been increased to 3000 million, and he will have a fixed salary of 800 million."

Wu Yuchen and Jeff both felt a jolt of fear upon hearing this.

For Jeff, it meant that the male lead he had originally chosen had been snatched away, and although he had a bad feeling before coming, he was still upset.

Wu Yuchen originally thought that at least he and Jeff would have to discuss it, but now it seems that the higher-ups have already reached an agreement with Stallone and issued a direct notice, leaving no room for the two of them to participate in the discussion.

Now that things have come to this, even if the two of them wanted to resist, there was nothing they could do. Would you dare to tell Sylvester Stallone to his face that he's too old?

Wu Yuchen could only console himself that 51 years old was only five or six years older than 45, and Stallone hadn't shown any signs of aging yet; he was still usable. If all else failed, there was always makeup to make him look 10 years younger.

Circumstances dictate that you have to compromise, as long as the script isn't changed. That's Hollywood for you!

Jeff reacted quickly, immediately welcoming Stallone with a smile and praising his arrival, saying things like it would make the project a blockbuster.

Stallone had heard this kind of talk many times before, so he simply nodded. However, seeing that Wu Yuchen was frowning and not speaking, he asked, "Kid, do you have any objections?"

Wu Yuchen sighed and said, "The budget is not enough. I need an extra 200 million for special effects. I was just talking to the people at Industrial Light & Magic about this."

The original agreed salary for Dennis Quaid was only $150 million, but now it has been changed to $800 million for Stallone. Although the budget has increased by $500 million, there is still a shortfall of $150 million. If this is really done, his plan to do special effects will most likely fall through.

Stanton frowned upon hearing this. Actually, 200 million wasn't much. Since the company had given a budget of 3000 million, they could accept that the film could be completed within 3500 million. However, they couldn't add that amount now. This 500 million was reserved for any potential budget overruns that might occur during filming.

"Is it necessary to contact Industrial Light & Magic?" Stanton asked.

"This is one of the few scenes in the movie where the audience can directly experience the science fiction elements from the visuals, which is very necessary!"

Wu Yuchen now speaks his mind, and he has realized that in Hollywood, you have to fight for what you can, because once you miss this opportunity, it's gone forever.

Stallone interjected, asking, "Which scene?"

"The villain's hand was shattered by your gun. In the next shot, 30 years later, the villain's hand, which is killing your son, withers and falls apart instantly. In other words, it's the scene where you saved your son."

Upon hearing this, Stallone nodded in agreement, saying, "I think Wu is right; we should do special effects here."

After seeing what the director and Stallone said, Stanton thought for a moment and then asked someone to bring him the actors' information. If the company didn't want to increase the budget, then they would have to replace the actors.

He glanced at the actress Gretchen, whose salary was only $10, which was basically non-negotiable. Then he saw Edward Norton, who played the son, earning $150 million, and asked:
"Is there a cheaper alternative for the role of Edward Norton?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen immediately replied, "Yes, Hugh Jackman. He only needs $10. I am very satisfied with his acting skills and image, but because he is not famous enough and does not have box office appeal, I chose Edward Norton."

Sylvester Stallone smiled arrogantly upon hearing this: "Kid, with me on set, there's no need to care whether other people are famous or not. I'm the one who draws attention!"

Stanton nodded. "Then let's switch to Hugh Jackman. That will save us $140 million, which I think should be enough. Any other questions?"

Jeff opened his mouth, but seeing Stanton and Stallone, he could only smile and say, "No."

But he was extremely frustrated, because it seemed that Hugh Jackman was also one of Wu Yuchen's men.

Stallone's sudden appearance stole the role he had already chosen, while Wu Yuchen got two roles instead. How could he not be frustrated by this comparison?
Wu Yuchen no longer cared what Jeff thought; the situation on set had completely changed. With Stallone joining the crew, it became a three-way power struggle between Stallone, Jeff, and himself, with Stallone naturally being the most powerful and Wu Yuchen, the outsider, the weakest.

Now that he can take this opportunity to bring Gretchen and Hugh Jackman in, it will increase his influence on the set. Having these two important figures on his side will make things much easier for him as the director.

On the surface, Stallone's addition is a good thing for the production team, as the actual budget only increased by 500 million. However, he will bring a lot of attention to the film, which is incomparable to the actors mentioned before.

However, Wu Yuchen still dislikes this kind of unexpected situation, and it's obvious that Stallone is not an easy character to deal with. Perhaps the real challenge lies in the upcoming filming process.

……

Inside the theater, Hugh Jackman was rehearsing with his partners. Years of hard work had allowed him to establish himself in the theater, earning him the opportunity to play the lead role in the classic play "Sunset Boulevard."

"Stop! Stop!"

The shouts interrupted his rehearsal. Hugh Jackman looked in the direction of the sound and saw it was his manager, Carl. He could only apologize to the others and hurry over.

"Hey Carl, didn't you see I was rehearsing?" Hugh Jackman said with a hint of reproach.

"Huh! Why aren't you answering my calls?!"

Carl also said something reproachful, but then he pulled Hugh Jackman away:

"Put your stage play behind you for now, your chance has come!"

"Wait, Carl, what opportunity? Sunset Boulevard is very important to me!"

"No, no, no! What's most important to you right now is to come with me and the lawyer to the film set to sign the contract! Immediately, right now!"

"What kind of contract?" Hugh Jackman asked, puzzled.

"The male lead in 'Frequency'!" Carl patted him on the shoulder excitedly.

"What? Didn't they say I was eliminated? Wasn't Edward Norton confirmed?!" Hugh Jackman asked in disbelief.

"Listen, Hugh, Stallone's joined the cast, and Director Wu has managed to get you a chance! You're going to be co-starring with Stallone as the male lead!"

"Sylvester Stallone! My God, Karl, you're not kidding me, are you? I remember April Fool's Day was already over..."

Hugh Jackman was stunned by the news. He was just an extra in various movies and TV shows, but he was able to rise to the top and play the father and son of Sylvester Stallone.

This was absolutely a life-changing opportunity for him!

"I also feel like I'm dreaming, but it really happened!"
"You'd better come with me to the film set right now to sign the contract. Also, once you're on set, you must listen to Director Wu and remember whose side you're on!" Agent Carl earnestly instructed Hugh Jackman again.

"Of course, of course! I will always remember Director Wu! And thank you, Carl!"

He knew that if it weren't for the fact that Carl was also Director Wu's agent, he wouldn't have had this opportunity at all.

……

"Wu, did the aurora really appear in New York in 1969?"

"Maybe it happened, but who cares?"

Wu Yuchen shrugged and said, "It's just to give the audience an excuse to experience time travel, and the aurora is beautiful enough!"

Stallone just asked about the background setting of the movie.

In October 1969, two of the most noteworthy events in New York City were the appearance of the aurora borealis and the Mets' baseball game. The Mets, as a dark horse, won the baseball league championship, stunning all New Yorkers. At that time, even if the citizens of New York didn't know who the president was, they all knew the Mets.

However, Stallone on the radio was obviously unaware of this, which is why Hugh Jackman's son became suspicious of the identity of the man on the radio he was talking to, and guessed that the person on the other end was his father through some conversation content and details.

原版设定的是1999年10月的儿子和1969年10月的父亲，整整相差了30年，两边的日期时间线是同步的。

However, the filming took place in 1997, so Wu Yuchen shortened the time difference to 25 years, setting the son's timeline to October 1994. This is a minor issue and has no impact on the plot.

After answering Sylvester Stallone's question, Wu Yuchen called the prop master over and gave him instructions:

"Here on the table, I want to film the process of the table being burned black and leaving marks. The whole process should ideally last 3 seconds."

This doesn't require special effects; the prop master can handle it. Just make it really hot, and even using ten tables would be much cheaper than using special effects.

This scene shows the father and son talking on the radio. After Hugh Jackman expresses his guess, Sylvester Stallone in the 60s obviously thinks the conversation across 25 years is nonsense. He accidentally drops a cigarette butt on the table, igniting flammable items on the table and causing a piece of the table to burn.

Twenty-five years later, a burn mark suddenly appeared on the table in front of Hugh Jackman, confirming his suspicions and leading to the subsequent plot where he tries to communicate with his father via radio to change the fate of his entire family.

After Wu Yuchen finished speaking, he glanced at Sylvester Stallone next to him. As an action star, he was quite self-disciplined in many ways and didn't have any bad habits like taking pills or being unable to endure hardship.

But the old guy is not just an actor. Like Jackie Chan, he is a director and actor by profession. Therefore, he often wants to give orders on set and will try to find fault with him as the director or offer his opinions from time to time.

Wu Yuchen had the foresight to choose to film Hugh Jackman's scenes first. Since Jackman was one of his own, everyone obeyed him and worked hard without complaint. After a week of filming, he established the director's authority and earned the trust of the crew. With the crew running smoothly, everyone was naturally willing to listen to him.

Otherwise, if we film Stallone's scenes first, and the old guy comes in and embarrasses us before seizing power, things will get complicated.

Fortunately, Stallone didn't have a "Shi Family Team" like the Cheng Family Team on set, otherwise the entire crew would have had to listen to him.

Wu Yuchen is now trying to appease Stallone as much as possible, and he'll grant him any minor requests as long as Stallone doesn't change the script or plot.

(End of this chapter)