Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 325 Rubber Male Protagonist

"Wu, what prompted you to restart 'The Batman'? Many Hollywood directors are afraid to touch it."

When asked by reporters, Wu Yuchen smiled as he walked and said:

"What sets Batman apart from other superheroes is that he doesn't possess any superpowers. Instead, he trains himself to be a champion of justice against crime through willpower and determination."

Therefore, Batman is a hero that ordinary people aspire to be, and potentially can become. Because ordinary people can never become the Hulk, let alone Superman, but with sufficient training and maximum effort, anyone can become Batman.

"Then why are you creating a Batman trilogy all at once? Will it be the same as the Pirate King and Spider-Man trilogies?"

"Because the time in one movie is far from enough to show Batman, I hope to present the audience with a complete Batman, showing how Batman transforms from an ordinary person into a superhero, and exploring the responsibilities he has to bear and the meaning that Batman and heroes themselves represent."

"The Pirate King, Spider-Man, and Batman are all different; each protagonist has their own unique charm. I won't follow the same path."

These days, Wu Yuchen is constantly asked about "The Batman" by reporters whenever he goes out. It's just that the combination of his famous director status and Batman's world-renowned superhero is too attractive to the audience. Since the news was released, the discussion among Batman fans has never stopped.

Especially after the disastrous 97 film "Batman & Robin," which plummeted in popularity and is still being criticized to this day.

However, given Wu Yuchen's illustrious past, and the fact that both "The Pirate King" and the first two "Spider-Man" films have satisfied the vast majority of viewers, there is still much anticipation for the "Batman" trilogy.

"Christian, if I were to announce to the public that I chose you to be Batman, coupled with your current photos, I think the fans would be rife with criticism against me~"

Looking at Christian Bale before him, who was, if not emaciated, very thin, and gave off a sickly and unhealthy vibe, Wu Yuchen found him completely unrecognizable as Batman.
Christian Bale just starred in a movie called "The Mechanic" this year. It's not Jason Statham's "The Mechanic" series, but a thriller in which he reduced his weight to 99 pounds.

Just imagine, a tall man over 1.8 meters tall weighing only 99 kilograms. Of course, he ultimately reaped the rewards; his brilliant performance in the film won him the British Film Critics Association's "Best Actor of the Year" award.

Bell quickly replied, "Director Wu, if you're willing to trust me, I'll definitely be able to get my body into whatever condition you want within the timeframe you've requested!"

If someone else had said this, there might have been some exaggeration involved. But since Bear Grylls said it, Wu Yuchen believed it 100%!
This guy had a nickname in his past life: Hollywood's Rubber Man. It's not that Bale has the same abilities as Luffy from One Piece, but rather that he really seems to be able to control his weight at will, putting himself in any condition for a role.

Two years ago, Bale had a perfect physique with a height of 184 cm, a weight of 81 kg, and lean muscles all over his body with a beautiful silhouette.

However, while filming "The Machinist" this year, he rapidly lost 63 pounds in two weeks, equivalent to one-third of his body weight. His weight dropped from 173 pounds to 110 pounds, and he wanted to lose even more weight to below 100 pounds. It wasn't until doctors warned him that if he lost any more weight, he might die young that Bale stopped this grueling physical training.

In his previous life, after taking on the role in "The Batman 1," Bale quickly returned to his original weight of 86 kilograms, regained his muscular physique, and became the imposing superhero everyone saw.

Think this is over?

Just when everyone thought he was settling into playing Batman, he played an escaped convict in Resurrection in 2006, losing weight back to 60 kg. He then immediately filmed The Dark Knight Rises, returning to 86 kg. The Dark Knight Rises was a huge success, but in 2010, he played The Fighter, losing weight again to 62 kg. By The Dark Knight Rises, he was back to 86 kg as Batman.

The following year, in 2013's "American Hustle," he quickly gained weight to 98kg, becoming an obese man with no muscle and only fat...

To be honest, Wu Yuchen really admires Bale's dedication. Does he really think Bale has superpowers? Isn't it all thanks to his incredibly strong willpower? How many of the top-tier stars in Hollywood can do what he does?
Wu Yuchen smiled and nodded, then said to Bale, "Christian, you auditioned for 'Batman Forever' in '94, right?"

"Yes, I auditioned for Robin, but unfortunately I didn't get the part."

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "Do you know what I admire most about you? It's your willpower. Batman was able to become a superhero with a mortal body, so he had to have extraordinary perseverance. I see more of that in you than in others!"

Bell was overjoyed upon hearing this. It seemed that his previous suffering had not been in vain, as he had actually won Wu Yuchen's favor because of this!

"Christian, I'll give you more than six months, so there's no need to rush. Just gain weight slowly according to the scientific plan. Your health comes first! During this time, I hope you can transform yourself into the Bruce Wayne I want!"

Wu Yuchen is not in the same hurry as he was with "The Batman 1" in his previous life, rushing to release it next year, which gives Bale ample time to recover.

To be honest, based on Wu Yuchen's understanding of some traditional Chinese medicine theories, although Bear Grylls had a nutritionist with him for both weight loss and weight gain, he still felt that such rapid weight loss and weight gain could harm the body. However, everyone has their own choices, and he respected Bear Grylls' professionalism.

"Director Wu, thank you! I really didn't expect to receive such praise from you. Batman is a cultural symbol for me, and I was really a little apprehensive about whether I could portray him well, but your recognition has given me confidence!"

After finalizing the male lead, Wu Yuchen met with another person, not any actor, but costume designer Lindy Henmin, who had worked on costumes for Harry Potter and Tomb Raider.

"Lindy, you are very important to us. Whether we can design a bat costume that satisfies the audience depends on you. I don't want the movie to be criticized by the audience before it is even released!" Wu Yuchen said with a smile.

"Director Wu, I won't make a ridiculous bat costume like the one from '97 that would be criticized by the audience, and I don't want to become a laughing stock in the industry!"

The two were referring to the Batsuit from the 97 film *Batman & Robin*. Even during the film's promotional period, the moment the Batman poster was released, it drew fierce criticism from fans. The reason? The suit featured two pimples on Batman's chest – two protruding dots that looked... well, you know... This design was absolutely hideous. Fans were furious, accusing the costume designer of being out of their mind. With such a design, it was impossible not to be immersed in the story, casting a shadow over the film even before its release.

Therefore, this batwing suit must be of high quality; even if it's only average, it can't be criticized or complained about. This batwing suit will have multiple functions such as waterproofing and insulation, and it will also be a souvenir to keep in the future.

There's also the Batmobile. In the story, the Batmobile is actually a prototype military vehicle called "The Tumbler." It was developed by Wayne Enterprises to carry personnel and equipment across trenches and facilitate travel in open areas. However, due to its high price, Wayne Enterprises was unable to mass-produce it. But Batman discovered it and developed it into a tool for upholding justice.

Wu Yuchen made various requests based on his description, and then the designers proposed a hybrid concept of Lamborghini and Hummer, combining the agility of a sports car with the robustness of a war machine. They designed five model cars, and finally let Wu Yuchen choose one.

While Wu Yuchen was busy, Kate Beckinsale, the English rose who had previously had a one-night stand with him, came to his door.

Her purpose was self-evident. After entering Wu Yuchen's manor, she immediately snuggled into his arms. Wu Yuchen accepted her without hesitation, but he didn't bring the wild rose into the house. Instead, he went straight to the garden, which made Kate playfully scold him, saying he always liked to do things with a flirtatious touch.

That evening, after the two had washed up and were lying in bed, Wu Yuchen said, "Kate, I don't want to lie to you, but the female lead doesn't have that many scenes in the movie."

Kate asked with a smile, "Does she have as much screen time as the female lead in Spider-Man?"

"It should be about right." Wu Yuchen nodded.

"That's enough!"

For Kate, although "The Batman" is a male-dominated film, it is a super IP that Wu Yuchen knows will definitely be a global hit. As long as she plays the female lead in this film, she will be able to gain enough exposure and traffic.

Wu Yuchen smiled upon hearing this. In fact, he was willing to let Kate play the role not only because of their friendship, but also because she was very suitable for the role.

As Batman's lover, Rachel is a crucial character who witnesses his growth and transformation. As an assistant prosecutor, she possesses not only a tough stance against criminals but also a natural, intelligent side, and of course, beauty.

Kate perfectly meets all these requirements. She was chosen as the female lead in "Pearl Harbor" because of her striking looks. Her previous film, "Serendipity," was also a very successful romance movie.

With the male and female leads confirmed, the film is pretty much done. Wu Yuchen will also have people contact the other actors, such as Sheriff Gordon, the old butler, and the villainous ninja master, to confirm their schedules.

In this way, most of the time-consuming preliminary preparations can continue as usual even without him, allowing him to leave America and return home with peace of mind.

Wu Yuchen's hand traced Kate's delicate waist, lingering on her high waist before slowly twisting and teasing her. Suddenly, he realized that whether she was Spider-Man's girlfriend or Batman's lover, she had become his, Director Wu's, subservient subject.

Oh right, if we also include Jessica Alba, the future Wonder Woman, then there's another one!
Wu Yuchen then thought of Black Widow. If that's the case, should he also find a chance to "eat" Scarlett Johansson? To make it a perfect ending?
Oh, and Pepper Potts from Iron Man is also in the back!
After thinking about it, I realized that Jennifer Connelly would actually be a good fit, both in terms of age and temperament.

And Peggy Carter from Captain America! And the female scientist from Thor meeting Foster…

Sigh, it seems that Director Wu's philatelic journey still has a long way to go!

On August 6, Wu Yuchen attended the premiere of "Step Up". In fact, for low-budget films like this, the premiere ceremony is usually not very grand and it is generally not possible to invite any big stars. Wu Yuchen's arrival immediately made the premiere ceremony lively and attracted a lot of questions from reporters.

"Wu, what's your opinion on 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2' grossing over 9 million in four weeks?"

"Wu, how much do you think 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2' will ultimately gross?"

"Wu, Pirate King 2 is about to break 10 billion, do you have anything to say?"

That's right. Four weeks after its release, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" has grossed $4.16 million in North America. Meanwhile, its overseas box office has also picked up after being released in various regions during this period, surpassing North America to reach $5.67 million. The global box office totals $9.83 million and will soon reach the $1 billion mark!

Wu Yuchen smiled at the reporters but did not answer their questions. Instead, he said, "Today is the premiere of 'Step Up,' and I hope everyone will focus on the movie."

This film was inspired by some street dancers I saw, and Jessica's performance was truly amazing!

Standing next to Wu Yuchen, Jessica Alba flashed a bright smile at the reporters. She also felt a sense of relief, knowing how wonderful it was to have someone backing her up!
In its previous life, the production and distribution companies did not pay enough attention to this low-budget film, "Step Up," which had a budget of tens of millions, but it still achieved a global box office of over 100 million.

This time, with Wu Yuchen in charge, things are naturally different. As the screenwriter and nominal producer, he has already attracted the attention of theaters. Moreover, under Wu Yuchen's arrangement, the distributors have also provided a more comprehensive publicity and distribution strategy, especially targeting teenagers and ethnic minorities.

Therefore, "Step Up" achieved a respectable $3343 million in its opening weekend. This delighted Jessica Alba, as it was her best performance to date, and if the box office doesn't falter, it has a good chance of breaking $100 million in North America.

Just as her Wu Dady said, this movie will make her famous and become her representative work!
(End of this chapter)