Overall, Following heavily integrates elements from Nolan's first feature-length film in the original timeline, Memento. Both stories revolve around a man inadvertently entangled in a murder case, seeking the truth.
This phenomenon is actually quite common in the film industry.
For many directors, their first few films often end up being a collection of various ideas accumulated over the years. Moreover, certain cinematic styles established early on tend to persist throughout their careers. Quentin Tarantino is the most typical example, but Christopher Nolan is no exception.
On the big screen, as the protagonist, Bill, continues his relentless pursuit of answers, the film begins introducing numerous intercuts and flashbacks. The timeline grows increasingly twisted and chaotic, and at the same time, Bill seems to get closer and closer to the truth.
In the end, in classic Nolan fashion, the mystery is never fully revealed.
On the surface, the story seems straightforward: a mob boss orders his subordinate, Cobb, to kill his mistress, who holds evidence of his crimes, while framing Bill as the scapegoat. However, Bill ends up killing the mob boss instead.
Yet, what appears to be a simple conclusion begins to unravel as subtle contradictions emerge.
The key lies in Cobb.
Why was Bill chosen? Was it deliberate, or purely coincidental? Why does Cobb, tasked with carrying out the dirty work, remain untouched by the aftermath while the mob boss ends up dead? Did the protagonist ever truly connect with the woman he lost, or was it all in his imagination? These lingering questions serve as ongoing mysteries.
In this directorial debut, Nolan uses deliberately fragmented editing to introduce the "mind-bending" style for which he would later become famous. The result is that most viewers find it nearly impossible to piece together a cohesive story after a single viewing. Yet this is not the kind of incoherent, avant-garde style seen in David Lynch's works. Instead, upon repeated viewings and careful analysis of every detail, one can uncover a story with remarkable clarity and intricate logic.
Inside the Egyptian Theatre's main hall, the film concluded, and the creators stepped onto the stage to discuss the behind-the-scenes process and interact with the audience. Simon didn't join them on stage. Instead, he stayed seated and jotted down release strategies for Following on a memo handed to him by Lady A.
Given that this was merely a small indie film with a $3 million budget and lacked the kind of instant, dazzling appeal that could grip viewers at first glance, Following wouldn't be slotted for any prime box office dates. The plan was to release it in February, after some promotional efforts following Sundance's conclusion.
For this release, Simon didn't need to take any detours, given the successful examples from the past. His directive consisted of just two words: "Mind-bending."
As long as the campaign could stoke the audience's curiosity, the film would already be halfway to success.
After the interaction segment ended, Following's premiere wrapped up flawlessly. Simon then joined Robert Redford and others as they moved to a new venue.
The afternoon featured a luncheon hosted by Sundance's organizers, primarily to welcome the festival jury, the creators of the shortlisted films, and other entertainment bigwigs who had flown in for the event.
As one of the films in the main competition category, the Following team also attended. Simon took the opportunity to greet Nolan and the rest of the crew.
"A great movie, Chris. I've already instructed Gaomen Pictures to begin the release process. I'm confident it'll perform decently."
"Thank you, Mr. Westeros."
"Now that Following has wrapped up, Chris, I'm looking forward to your next project. Any ideas yet?"
"Not yet, Mr. Westeros." Christopher Nolan maintained a somewhat humble and reserved demeanor in front of Simon. At 26, he was only two years younger than Simon, but few could remain composed in the presence of this legendary young tycoon. He quickly explained, "Honestly, I devoted all my energy this past year to Following and haven't had a chance to think about anything else."
"Oh, that's perfectly fine. Focus is a very good habit."
At the Sundance Institute headquarters where the luncheon was being held, Simon offered Nolan a few words of encouragement, but his mind also turned to the director's future trajectory.
This time, Nolan's career path would certainly diverge significantly from his original trajectory, potentially mirroring Tim Burton's situation.
In the original timeline, Tim Burton became one of Hollywood's most sought-after directors in the 1990s thanks to the success of the Batman series. However, this time, because Simon had personally overseen the entire DC cinematic universe and wasn't fond of Burton's stylistic approach to Batman, Burton lost the opportunity to direct the series.
As a result, Burton's popularity in recent years had fallen far short of his former peak. If it weren't for last year's Sleepy Hollow, which revitalized his career, Burton might have faded into relative obscurity.
Now, Nolan faced a similar situation.
Without the Batman trilogy that catapulted him to fame in the early 2000s, it was uncertain whether he could earn opportunities to create Inception or Interstellar.
Moreover, with the DC cinematic universe already achieving substantial success under Simon's direction, Batman was unlikely to see a reboot anytime soon. Even if it were rebooted, Nolan's style would no longer align with the established tone of the DC universe.
Thus, Nolan's future was uncertain.
Simon intended to give him opportunities but wouldn't offer unlimited support.
Discovering talents like Nolan—and other filmmakers from Simon's memory—was primarily a means to consolidate control over Hollywood. The more talented directors nurtured by Daenerys Entertainment, the greater the range of choices available, which in turn strengthened Simon's influence.
After chatting briefly with Nolan, Simon didn't neglect the other members of the Following cast and crew, especially Natasha Richardson, who played the woman murdered in the film.
Natasha Richardson was best known in the original timeline as Liam Neeson's wife. Unfortunately, Hollywood's history had already been altered. Neeson, a notorious playboy, hadn't crossed paths with Richardson this time. After Schindler's List, even the Taken series, which originally brought him immense popularity, had been reworked by Simon and handed to Jet Li. Recently, Neeson seemed to have faded from the spotlight.
Aside from this, Natasha Richardson came from an illustrious lineage in European cinema. Her father, Tony Richardson, was a director in the British New Wave movement, while her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, had earned multiple Oscar nominations. Her grandfather, Michael Redgrave, was also a famous British actor who once won Best Actor at Cannes. Her family background was even more prestigious than Gwyneth Paltrow's.
Despite her privileged background, Natasha Richardson hadn't achieved significant success in her career, similar to many other Hollywood second-generation actors. This had led her to take on a supporting role in a low-budget film like Following.
After exchanging pleasantries, Simon commented, "I never expected you to take on this role, Natasha. May I call you Natasha?"
"Of course, Mr. Westeros. Actually, I really liked the script, and my agent thought the story was fantastic. Chris, even though he's a newcomer, was more professional than I expected."
"Ah, I remember you starring in Patty Hearst back in the day. Besides Following, what else have you been working on recently?"
"Mostly performing in plays on Broadway."
"That's a shame. You're so talented; you should focus on film."
"I'd love to, but Following was the only film I managed to audition for successfully last year."
"In that case, Natasha, if you're interested, I'll keep an eye out for you."
"Oh, Simon, that's incredibly kind of you. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Richardson had primarily landed her role in Following because her agent had caught wind that Simon Westeros himself was paying attention to the project. Little did she know it would actually capture his notice.
At this moment, feeling the man's gaze on her, Natasha Richardson, no stranger to the Hollywood game, shifted her expression slightly. She subtly transferred her wine glass from her right hand to her left and sipped, her eyes meeting Simon's with just the right amount of intrigue. She wondered if he noticed the absence of a ring on her left hand.
At 32, Richardson had already been through a marriage that didn't end well. While she wasn't short on admirers, she didn't currently have a steady boyfriend. Even if she knew Simon was a notorious playboy, she thought to herself, having a one-night stand with a man like him wouldn't be so bad.
Simon, however, didn't immediately make any advances. Mostly because he'd indulged himself a bit too much the previous evening and needed to practice some restraint. Instead, he gave her a knowing smile. Just as he was about to turn and mingle with other guests, a thought occurred to him. He asked, "By the way, Natasha, do you like skiing?"
"Of course. I've loved skiing since I was a child. I make time for a ski vacation every year," Richardson replied, her gaze meeting his. "Simon, are you inviting me skiing? The slopes here in Sundance are quite good."
"No, it's… um, I don't know how to put this."
Richardson noticed a fleeting hesitation in Simon's demeanor and smiled. "What's so hard to say?"
He really didn't know how to phrase it.
In his memory, Natasha Richardson had tragically died in a skiing accident in 2009 at the age of 45.
Although
Simon didn't believe that, as a metaphorical "butterfly," certain events from the original timeline would necessarily repeat—like Disney's former CEO Frank Wells, who had been destined to die in a skiing accident in 1994 but remained alive in this altered history—he couldn't help but issue a warning.
Studying her sophisticated and attractive features, which happened to align well with his personal preferences, Simon suddenly smiled and said, "Have you heard the rumors about me being a psychic?"
Richardson tilted her head slightly, looking at him. "Yes, Simon, I've heard about it. It sounds like a joke, but it's amusing."
"It's not." Simon suddenly adopted a more serious tone. "If you're willing to believe me, then from today onward, don't go skiing anymore."
Richardson looked confused. "Why?"
"Because you might die on the slopes."
"…"
Simon knew his bluntness was startling. Holding his champagne glass, he shrugged slightly, signaling "take it or leave it," and then turned away.
Later in the reception, Simon found himself in conversation with Robert Redford, who introduced him to Peter Berg, the writer of the script Very Bad Things.
Berg, who had dabbled in acting, notably appearing in Cop Land with Sylvester Stallone the previous year, was now aiming to transition to directing. Very Bad Things had quickly become a hot property in Hollywood, even earning "blacklist-level" status as one of the most sought-after unproduced screenplays.
Simon, however, recalled that in the original timeline, the film had been panned as one of the worst movies of the year. With its dark and muddled tone, it failed to find a cohesive identity, becoming neither a successful comedy nor an effective crime thriller. It was a stark contrast to something like The Hangover, which had taken a similar premise and turned it into a global phenomenon. Still, Simon was curious to see if a different production approach might yield better results.
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