Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 221 Choices and Efforts

After visiting Apple and having a friendly meeting with Steve Jobs, and reaching a consensus on opposing Eisner, Wu Yuchen returned to Los Angeles.

Although there are more than just a few people who oppose Eisner, Wu Yuchen has been actively contacting key figures so far. Others will probably not mind jumping in when they see an opportunity to kick someone when they're down.

While it's said that they'll wait, in reality, Eisner would indeed be ousted in five or six years. However, Wu Yuchen wouldn't just sit idly by; he had to personally remove him. The opportunity, he said, would be to directly crush Disney's major project, *Pearl Harbor*, next year, delivering a crushing blow to both Disney and Eisner!

Therefore, Wu Yuchen is now very dedicated to the "Pirate King" project, spending every day with the special effects team discussing the production effects.

Meanwhile, he also had to frequently travel to Sony because the Spider-Man project had been officially launched and the director selection process had begun. As the project initiator, one of the producers, and also the screenwriter, Wu Yuchen certainly had to take charge of it.

At this time, Wu Yuchen and six other people formed a project review committee, five of whom were from Sony and the other was Stan Lee, the father of Marvel.

The seven of them were sitting behind a conference table, listening to a middle-aged man in his forties sitting opposite them speak:

"I've been a die-hard Spider-Man fan since I was a child, and my parents gave me a Spider-Man portrait as a 12th birthday present. Look, this is it!"

As the middle-aged man spoke, he took out a poster that he had kept, which looked quite old.

As Wu Yuchen listened, he flipped through the other party's information:
Sam Raimi, 40 years old, directed his first short film in 1978 and his first feature film in 81. He was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Director in 90 for "Black Man".

After the other person finished introducing himself, Wu Yuchen asked with a smile, "Sam, I've seen your 'Black Man' and you used some special effects techniques in it, and you also have experience with computer graphics, right?"

“Yes, Mr. Wu.” Sam Raimi then went on to describe his experience in this area in detail.

After listening, Wu Yuchen nodded and didn't say anything more. The others took turns asking Remy questions. Stan Lee, in particular, kept talking to him about various Spider-Man comic book storylines. Sam Remy answered fluently, which made Stan Lee very happy.

After Sam Raimi left, Sony's men asked, "What do you think?"

Stan Lee answered first: "I think it's great. He's a real Spider-Man fan. He knows everything about Peter Parker. He knows what kind of Spider-Man we want."

Then the group looked at Wu Yuchen. In fact, Wu Yuchen's opinion was what they valued most. Although Stan Lee was hailed as the father of Marvel, he was actually just a mascot.

"Stan is right. He really understands Spider-Man, and importantly, his understanding and perception of Spider-Man fits my script very well."

Secondly, the filming of this Spider-Man movie will involve a lot of special effects and computer-generated content, and his relevant experience is a plus.

I think he would be a perfect fit to direct Spider-Man.

The group exchanged glances and began to discuss the matter. After a moment, one of them said to Wu Yuchen, "Alright, Wu, we think you're right. But there are still a few candidates left. Don't you plan to take a look before making a decision?"

Wu Yuchen smiled and shook his head: "No need, he's the one. I trust my judgment."

Seeing Wu Yuchen's firm and confident attitude, the other members of the committee also agreed. After all, Sam Remy's performance just now was indeed good, as everyone had witnessed.

Wu Yuchen's confidence stemmed from the fact that Sam Raimi was the director of the original Spider-Man movie in his previous life, and now that he had already produced a mature version of the script, there was virtually no chance of any unexpected problems.

Then Wu Yuchen asked, "What's the situation with Tobey Maguire right now?"

"He has agreed to play the role, with a salary of 400 million."

The lead actor for the Spider-Man project remained the same: Tobey Maguire. He wasn't specifically chosen by Wu Yuchen, but rather selected by Sony after several rounds of auditions. Since Spider-Man is a comic book adaptation, finding a suitable lead actor was paramount; the committee selected the lead actor before even considering the director.

Wu Yuchen nodded and said, "Then let Maguire start training. Physical fitness, yoga, martial arts, rock climbing, and other programs should all be arranged. During filming, his scenes will require him to be able to perform various acrobatic and stunt-like actions."

"Don't worry, we've already written all of that into the contract, and Maguire will comply."

Wu Yuchen then asked, "Which role will you be auditioning for next?"

"The leading lady, Mary Jane."

Mary Jane is the goddess that Peter Parker, the Spider-Man, has always secretly loved. Wu Yuchen thought for a moment and said, "If Sam Raimi agrees, then let him participate in the selection for the female lead as well."

“Okay, we’ll finalize it with Sam as soon as possible.”

Wu Yuchen then took out the list of those who had made it to the final round of auditions for the female lead and spotted some familiar faces: Kirsten Dunst and Anne Hathaway. About six months ago, these two women had auditioned for the female lead in his "Pirates of the Caribbean" project, and now their names were on the list of female leads for "Spider-Man."

However, Wu Yuchen thought it wasn't surprising, since the age requirements for the female leads in both films were similar. Kirsten Dunst and Anne Hathaway were both outstanding among their peers. The former had been famous since childhood and had a wealth of experience, while the latter was indeed beautiful enough to be selected for the female lead roles in the same film.

Wu Yuchen thought about it and figured that if nothing unexpected happened, the female lead would probably be Kirsten Dunst. This girl was famous and had connections, so Wu Yuchen didn't object. After all, she was the one who played the role in his previous life. Although she wasn't pretty, the effect was still passable. With the achievements from his previous life, choosing her was a relatively safe option.

After Wu Yuchen got into the car, he asked his manager, Carl Murphy, "Carl, what brings you here today?"

Carl smiled and said, "Wu, you're my most important client, of course I'll dote on you!"

Wu Yuchen waved his hand and said with a smile, "Come on, I know you're not that free. Go ahead and tell me."

Carl Murphy is now a very popular agent because Wu Yuchen has also risen in rank. His position in the company has already improved, and with Hugh Jackman on his team, he is quite busy.

“You’ve received quite a few invitations, and I’ve turned down some of the less important ones for you. However, Harvey Weinstein has contacted me and wants to meet with you.”

Wu Yuchen frowned upon hearing this. Harvey Weinstein? What does this fatso want with him?

Harvey Weinstein is currently enjoying his most successful period at the Oscars, often referred to as a major Oscar promoter. However, Wu Yuchen has no desire to have anything to do with him, as a collaboration between the two is impossible.

On one hand, Miramax is owned by Disney, so his collaboration with Harvey would be a collaboration with Disney, which is simply impossible. On the other hand, this fat guy's greatest ability is Oscar PR, but you can't say he has much influence; he's not comparable to any of the DreamWorks Big Three. Besides, he'll be infamous and going to jail in a decade or so, and Wu Yuchen doesn't want to have anything to do with him.

"Canceling it is. Just say I'm very busy right now."

Cal Murphy nodded after hearing this, but did not try to persuade Wu Yuchen. He would not interfere with any of Wu Yuchen's decisions.

Back at the hotel, Wu Yuchen stepped into the elevator. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a button was pressed from the outside, and the doors slowly opened. He then saw a tall, beautiful woman standing outside the elevator doors.

Wu Yuchen felt his eyes were dazzled. He had been looking down slightly, but as the elevator doors opened, the first thing he saw was a pair of long, white legs. They weren't just white, they were practically glowing!

Furthermore, many Caucasians appear very fair and beautiful from a distance, but upon closer inspection, their skin reveals large pores, which doesn't align with Eastern aesthetic standards. However, these long, white legs before me are truly delicate, smooth, straight, long, and perfectly rounded!

Wu Yuchen's gaze was drawn to her, and he slowly raised his head. The black and white checkered shorts hugged her shapely buttocks, and the black belt cinched her waist, making her appear even more slender. Her upper body was clad in a simple and elegant white silk shirt, but the collar was not buttoned up, giving a slightly suggestive impression. Her chest appeared even more prominent due to her outstretched posture.

A cascade of reddish-brown hair fell down on either side of her white neck. At that moment, her delicate face revealed an expression of great surprise.

"Oh my god! Director Wu, I never expected to meet you here! I'm so excited!" Then she immediately pulled her arms inward and covered her mouth with her hands, making an exaggerated expression to show her excitement.

At the same time, she bent her legs slightly, leaned forward, and wrapped her arms around her two high breasts, making them bulge out from her unbuttoned neckline, which Wu Yuchen could see clearly.

Wu Yuchen's lips curled up as he looked the other person up and down, then he said with a smile, "Miss Hathaway, I didn't expect to meet you. It's really fate~" As for whether this fate was accidental or deliberate, both of them knew the truth.

"I never expected you would still remember me, I'm so honored! Wu, I'm a huge fan of yours, your movies are all fantastic!"

As Anne Hathaway spoke, she stepped into the elevator, then stood next to Wu Yuchen, her large, bright eyes filled with adoration—she looked every bit the fangirl.

“Miss Hathaway, my memory isn’t that bad, especially since a beauty like you is unforgettable.” Wu Yuchen smiled.

Upon hearing this, Anne Hathaway was immediately overjoyed. The other party's words clearly indicated that he had a good impression of her, and it seemed that today's operation might have a good outcome!

Anne Hathaway comes from a middle-class elite family; her father was a lawyer and her mother a stage actress. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a Catholic nun, a dream shattered when she later learned that her brother was gay.

She entered the entertainment industry last year and started playing some TV series roles. Although the results were so-so, she still gained some fame because of her outstanding appearance, and then she began to try to participate in auditions for various production teams.

Six months ago, when she auditioned for "The Pirate King," she was incredibly excited. After all, it was a massive production with a budget of 1.4 million. If she could play the lead role in such a big production, she would definitely become famous overnight. But when the final results came out and she learned that she had not been selected, she was brought back to reality from her dream.

The production team ultimately chose a 15-year-old girl who she felt was inferior to her in every way! This made Anne Hathaway feel that there was something fishy going on. While feeling indignant, she also wondered if the opportunity would have fallen into her lap if she had been willing to put in the effort.

Unfortunately, there's no going back. In the six months that followed, Anne Hathaway played two supporting roles, but she felt the results weren't great. Then came the big-budget Spider-Man movie, which opened auditions for the female lead, and she once again made it to the final round thanks to her outstanding looks.

This time, when she learned from her agent that Wu Yuchen was still the initiator of the project, Anne Hathaway no longer hesitated. She could not let the mistake of half a year ago be repeated!

The elevator doors closed automatically at that moment. The space inside the elevator was actually quite large, but Anne Hathaway stood right next to Wu Yuchen without making any attempt to distance herself.

"Thank you for your compliment. I'm truly flattered, after all, I'm just an ordinary girl. A big director like you, surrounded by big stars, I never expected you'd remember me! Director Wu, if you don't mind, you can just call me Annie~"

Anne Hathaway was about to move a little closer to Wu Yuchen to continue testing him, but then Wu Yuchen gestured to her with a floor button: "Annie, which floor do you want to go to?"

Anne Hathaway turned her head and looked, then gave a look of surprise: "What a coincidence, we're on the same floor!"

Wu Yuchen maintained his smile and naturally didn't expose her, instead saying, "Annie, it seems you're doing quite well."

Upon hearing this, Anne Hathaway immediately made a troubled expression:

"No, Wu. In the past six months, I've only taken on two small roles, and they were both small projects, far less significant than 'The Pirate King.' I often think that if I had tried harder, put in more effort, and given more commitment when I auditioned for 'The Pirate King,' would the outcome have been different?"

Hearing the woman's words, which were clearly veiled and probing, Wu Yuchen thought to himself, "The actresses in Hollywood are all really shrewd!"
However, Wu Yuchen didn't mind spending more time with her now. He shrugged and then said frankly:

“Anne, actually, it’s very likely not. Although you are very beautiful, your temperament is not a good match for the character of Elizabeth, so it would be difficult to choose you as the female lead.”

Anne Hathaway paused slightly, unsure if Wu Yuchen's words were a rejection. Hadn't he realized she was actually referring to the upcoming Spider-Man movie—whether she could play the lead role if she was willing to dedicate herself to the project?

Anne Hathaway was in a bit of a dilemma. Logically speaking, Wu Yuchen, who had risen to such a position, should have been able to understand the implication in her words, which meant that he was rejecting her.
But this result left her feeling very dissatisfied. They had just praised her as a beauty, and then rejected her in the blink of an eye. Is this Hollywood? What kind of door did she walk into? Did she really have no appeal at all?
Just as Anne Hathaway hesitated, a ding sounded, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened to both sides. Wu Yuchen remarked:
"Life is like this. Sometimes choices are far more important than effort. If the direction and goals are wrong, no matter how much effort you put in, the results will be minimal."

As he spoke, he slowly stepped out of the elevator.

Anne Hathaway was feeling quite anxious, and Wu Yuchen's words had left her somewhat confused. What was the hidden meaning behind his words? Did he mean that she wasn't suitable for the female lead role in this Spider-Man movie?
However, Anne Hathaway still followed Wu Yuchen out. Still somewhat unwilling to accept this situation, which remained unclear, she quickly went to his side and asked:
"Director Wu, I... I really want to play Spider-Man, and I hope to get the role of Mary Jane..."

Wu Yuchen shook his finger to interrupt her, then asked, "Annie, which room are you staying in?"

Annie opened her mouth upon hearing this. She only knew that Wu Yuchen was staying at this hotel, but she had no idea that he was staying on this floor. She had never booked a room here before. She thought that the other party should understand what she meant.

But now that the other party is asking this, is it to see if I have lied to him?

Anne Hathaway hesitated again, wondering if she should just make up a room number to fool everyone. Just as she was thinking about how to answer, Wu Yuchen next to her said, "With so many rooms, which one would you choose?"

Anne Hathaway looked up and saw Wu Yuchen staring at her with a playful smile. He then joked, "What a coincidence, we're in the same room again?"

Upon hearing this, Anne Hathaway immediately cast aside her inner turmoil, stepped forward, and nestled into Wu Yuchen's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck: "Perhaps it's just such a coincidence~"

After saying that, she stood on tiptoe and kissed Wu Yuchen.

A moment later, their lips parted, Anne Hathaway slightly out of breath, her eyes fixed on Wu Yuchen:
"Wu, I wonder if I made the right choice this time?"

Wu Yuchen ran his fingers through her hair and said, "Annie, I remember your hair wasn't reddish-brown during your last interview, was it?"

"No, I dyed my hair for the Mary Jane audition~"

Wu Yuchen buried his head in her hair, took a breath, then leaned close to her ear, gently biting it and saying with a smile, "Maybe I'm right. I like hardworking and obedient children. Are you one?"

"I will be the hardest-working and most obedient little darling!"

Wu Yuchen laughed and pinched Anne Hathaway's shapely buttocks before putting his arm around her and walking towards his room.

……

The next day, when Wu Yuchen woke up, he saw the beautiful woman in his arms still fast asleep, with a sweet smile on her face. She was indeed beautiful. Then he stroked her body with his big hand. She was tall and curvy with a great figure, and her skin was smooth and supple. Tsk tsk tsk, she was a real gem!

Wu Yuchen smiled, recalling Anne Hathaway's past life. If things had unfolded as they did in her previous life, she would have been chosen as the lead actress in "The Princess Diaries," and upon its release next year, she would have become a sensation, a beloved sweetheart across America, Princess Anne.

Unfortunately, he registered the script for "The Princess Diaries" more than six months in advance, and Disney never actually made it. Could this be considered that he ruined Princess Anne's career?
His unintentional actions ruined the other person's fate of becoming famous, and caused this beautiful woman to climb into his bed in order to become famous. I have to say, the feeling was really... amazing!

Thinking of this, Wu Yuchen smiled with pleasure and then gave her pert buttocks another squeeze.

Hollywood, oh Hollywood, you are so captivating!

……

Two days later, the female lead auditioned.

“Kristen Dunst? No, no, no, I don’t think she’s suitable to play Mary Jane!” Wu Yuchen shook his head and said calmly.

"Why? I feel her acting is superb, and she's quite famous and popular with audiences," a committee member from Sony asked.

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "I admit that Christine's performance was good, and she is indeed famous. However, that is not a plus for her portrayal of Mary Jane at all."

The Sony team members all looked at Wu Yuchen with puzzled expressions. He cleared his throat and explained to them:
“I know you all think that Mary Jane is the female lead in Spider-Man, and a very important character. But actually, the Spider-Man movie is entirely centered around Peter Parker, and Mary Jane is just a decorative figure, merely a functional character.”

As a decorative figurehead, the most important thing is to be beautiful, but Christine doesn't have much of an advantage in that regard.

Wu Yuchen's words were rather tactful. In the previous Spider-Man trilogy, the female lead was criticized by many viewers for being ugly, with many questioning why they didn't cast a beautiful woman to play Mary Jane. How could she become the school beauty? And how could Spider-Man and his rich friend fight over her?

Therefore, Wu Yuchen's reasoning is quite justified. He is aware of the audience's reaction after the film's release, and he is considering the film's quality, making its logic more coherent, more engaging, and more attractive to the audience! It is definitely not for his own selfish reasons!
(End of this chapter)