"They didn't explicitly state that this was a condition for China Film's help in passing the review," Kara Faith frowned, "but the implication was very clear."
"Why James?" Margot Robbie asked curiously.
"It's simple." Murphy walked over and patted James Franco on the shoulder. "James is now very popular, a hot commodity, and already a Hollywood superstar."
This wasn't an exaggeration. If James Franco was just reaching the threshold of stardom before, with the success of "Dark City" and the popularity of the magician character, he could now be considered one of Hollywood's A-listers.
The banquet hall was quite chaotic. Murphy glanced at the crowd starting to revel and said, "Let's find a quieter place to talk."
The group left the banquet hall and requested a meeting room from the hotel staff to discuss the matter in detail.
The situation wasn't particularly complex. Due to the film's heavy and dark themes, and some parts involving Hong Kong, "Dark City" had not passed the stringent censorship review. As more Hollywood films were confirmed for import and the 34 revenue-sharing slots were filling up, 20th Century Fox naturally intensified their PR efforts. China Film, as the importing entity, subtly communicated through intermediaries.
"They're preparing to invest in and produce a major film, hoping to emulate the Hollywood model," Kara Faith, who was well-informed about the specifics, explained. "They want this film to be a model of Sino-American cooperation with genuine international influence."
Murphy nodded. This wasn't an unprecedented situation.
Kara Faith continued, "So, they want a genuinely world-class star to join. Given James's current popularity, they chose him."
James Franco spread his hands. "This has nothing to do with me..."
"Don't you want 'Dark City' to pass the review?" Kara Faith was eager for the film to be released there. "Otherwise, it will be hard to enter their cinema market."
"Who knows what kind of film they plan to make?" James Franco wasn't familiar with the film industry across the Pacific. "When Seth and I went there recently, their most popular films were mostly comedies."
He looked at Murphy. "But Chinese comedies must be fundamentally different from American comedies, right?"
Murphy nodded. "Exactly."
Even within the US, comedic tastes vary significantly between regions.
"What type of film do they want to make?" Murphy asked Kara Faith, "the one they want James to star in."
He gave James Franco a look, and Franco subtly shook his head.
It was clear that James Franco wasn't keen on accepting such conditions. However, out of respect for his relationship with Kara Faith, he didn't outright refuse and thus sought Murphy's advice.
Kara Faith wasn't entirely sure. "I've heard it's a monster movie. Apparently, in ancient times, monsters invaded, and the male lead from the West happened to pass by and saved them. Something like that."
"A popcorn flick." Murphy immediately concluded.
Kara Faith nodded. "Yes, it should be."
"I think it's best to pass on this."
Unlike James Franco, Murphy didn't need to beat around the bush with Kara Faith. "Find another way. This could have negative consequences for James."
Franco hadn't expected Murphy to say this and looked at him in confusion.
"A foreigner saving them." Murphy spread his hands. "It won't endear him to audiences over there, nor will it intrigue North American audiences. Apart from a high paycheck, it offers almost no benefit to James personally."
He looked at James Franco. "Do you desperately need money now?"
James Franco quickly shook his head. "Of course not."
Seeing Murphy and Franco's coordinated stance, Kara Faith understood and shook her head. "Alright, we'll think of something else."
Kara Faith left the meeting room first. Murphy was about to leave when James Franco followed and asked, "Was it really that exaggerated?"
Murphy replied casually, "I don't know."
Some things he didn't want to spell out, but the facts were evident.
When Kara Faith mentioned monsters, ancient times, and saving, Murphy immediately thought of a past film. The lead was also a Hollywood star, and at that time, Matt Damon was no less famous than James Franco is now.
However, after that Sino-American co-produced blockbuster was released in both regions, Matt Damon didn't gain favor with the audience across the Pacific and was heavily criticized in North America. Besides a high paycheck, he gained nothing.
Moreover, due to losing fans in North America, the hidden costs behind the high paycheck might not have been small either.
Matt Damon was undeniably a highly influential Hollywood star, popular among various ethnic groups in North America. However, when that film was released, it immediately sparked dissatisfaction among the Asian American community, leading to a trending hashtag on Twitter and Facebook: "#thankyoumattdamon."
This hashtag wasn't malicious but used humor to mock the filmmakers' motive for casting a white male star. Examples included, "Thanks Matt Damon for introducing bubble tea," "Thanks Matt Damon for warning me that being too fat means I can't get a boyfriend," "Thanks Matt Damon for telling me to use plastic covers for the sofa," etc. These ordinary things became humorous because if Matt Damon could save the entire Chinese civilization in the Song Dynasty, then all subsequent Chinese cultural essences should thank him.
This was a humorous yet helpless way for the Asian American community to criticize the filmmakers' choice of a white male lead.
Many Americans even photoshopped Matt Damon's face onto Mulan's body in the Disney animation.
At that time, the mainstream media in North America generally believed that Matt Damon's role was a significant loss in terms of popularity.
Some things, whether Murphy or others acknowledge it or not, exist and won't disappear by ignoring them.
Even if James Franco were inclined to accept such an invitation, Murphy, as a good friend and brother, would advise against it.
The reality was clear: for stars and directors striving in Hollywood, North America was the real foundation.
Murphy had seen official statistics indicating that over sixty percent of Americans don't have passports, and less than five percent have traveled abroad. In some ways, Americans are the real "frogs in the well," believing their country is the best and that all other countries should emulate the USA.
This is one reason for the prevalence of isolationism in the United States.
Most American audiences dislike seeing their mainstream actors perform in other countries. They accept sci-fi and fantasy genres like "Star Wars" and "The Lord of the Rings," or real-life heroism like "Argo" and "Zero Dark Thirty," but if their stars perform in foreign films with predominantly foreign casts, it's a "NO."
Anyone familiar with the American TV and film market knows that American audiences aren't keen on foreign films and shows.
So, as a friend, Murphy felt it was better for James Franco to stay in North America and continue with his comedy-thriller-political satire projects with Seth Rogen, even if they stirred controversy. At least they wouldn't alienate mainstream North American audiences.
As for "Dark City" not passing the review across the Pacific, if it couldn't be released, so be it.
In Murphy's view, commercial blockbusters were merely entertainment products, no different in essence from the popcorn sold in cinemas. There was no need to burden an ordinary commercial film with so much weight. Moreover, these moneymaking blockbusters wouldn't carry any cultural invasion nonsense.
As long as it made money, Hollywood could make films depicting the other side of the Pacific ruling the world or the universe...
Despite lacking access to the vast market across the Pacific, "Dark City" wasn't significantly impacted in terms of overseas box office. In North America, it continued to soar, and by late June, the film's global box office had finally surpassed the two-billion-dollar mark.
"Two billion dollars worldwide."
In a regular apartment in downtown Los Angeles, a man watched the news on TV. "In just two months, it's made two billion dollars worldwide. Murphy Stanton's film is impressive, huh?"
He stood up. "Maybe I should go see it too?"
After pacing around the room a couple of times, the man decided, "I've got nothing to do this afternoon, and I've finished my daily task of bashing Murphy Stanton. I'll go see this film."
He quickly gathered his things, put on a baseball cap, and headed out to his car, driving towards the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With some money in hand, he planned to watch Murphy Stanton's new film at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Maybe he'd even find more material to continue bashing Murphy Stanton!
Seconds after the red baseball cap started his car and left, an unremarkable motorcycle emerged from a corner near the apartment and followed.
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