System in Hollywood

Wayne immediately thought of the movie *The Hidden Face*.

"It seems... *The Hidden Face* could be shot pretty quickly, right?"

Wayne quickly recalled the entire story and realized that 60% of the film takes place in the protagonist's villa, with 90% of it being indoor scenes. It didn't require any special effects or complex props, so even considering the preparation time, the entire production could be compressed into a month.

The only issue was that the film had only been released in eight countries—Spain, France, Germany, Colombia, etc.—and had never been released in North America, resulting in a global box office of just $6.3 million.

Of course, if it could be released in North America and Asia, the box office would definitely be much higher.

After all, it received high ratings in China and was loved by many people.

But how much box office revenue it could actually make was uncertain.

"And the original director is probably lost in some obscure corner, so we'd need to replace the director."

"Also, if we want to sell it at a good price, we'll need to find a male lead who can draw at the box office."

After pondering for a moment, Wayne glanced at the time and dialed James Wan's number.

"Hey, James, are you busy with any new films lately?"

"No? You're planning to write and direct your own script? Haha, I'm rooting for you."

"But I happen to have a story here. See if you're interested."

Wayne wasn't worried that James would steal the concept of *The Hidden Face*, so he briefly told him the plot.

To be honest, except for the final twist that explores human nature, the rest of the story in *The Hidden Face* is pretty ordinary. To make it effective, it all depends on the director's control over the pacing. That's why he immediately thought of James Wan, a master of horror films.

Without a doubt, the man who became a master of horror films is definitely a genius with pacing.

And as expected, James Wan was interested in *The Hidden Face* after hearing the story, especially since the script he was working on, *Saw*, also delved into testing and revealing human nature.

"Who do you plan to cast as the male lead?"

"Matt Damon, or Russell Crowe. You decide."

No need to say much about Matt Damon; even though Wayne had taken *The Bourne Identity* from him, Damon was still an Oscar-nominated actor, a solid B-list star.

Even in terms of popularity, he wasn't much less famous than Wayne.

His salary was around $8 million.

Russell Crowe was even more impressive. This year, he was nominated for Best Actor at the 71st Academy Awards for *The Insider*.

Next year, he would win an Oscar for *Gladiator*, which would be the second-highest-grossing film worldwide in 2000.

The following year, he would be nominated again for Best Actor at the 74th Academy Awards for *A Beautiful Mind*.

Three consecutive years of nominations, with one win—this kind of achievement is rare in film history.

His current salary was at least $18 million.

"Hiss—"

"Russell Crowe?!"

James Wan couldn't help but gasp when he heard the name.

Such a big star... to be honest, he wasn't sure he could handle it.

Russell Crowe's salary alone would significantly increase the film's budget, raising the risk of losing money.

Yet Russell Crowe's popularity and acting skills were undeniable. If the film lost money, the blame would fall on James as the director and writer.

He had only directed *Happy Death Day* so far, and Wayne had made all the creative and casting decisions for that. 

Using a fantasy novel analogy, he hadn't yet built his "unstoppable momentum," so after a moment's thought, he said, "I think Matt Damon would be more suitable."

"Then it's decided. I'll contact Sera and have her start preparing. You get the script done as soon as possible."

"Alright!"

James Wan was straightforward, and given their previous successful collaboration, he agreed on the spot.

As for Wayne's request to complete the production within a month, James didn't see it as a problem. At worst, he'd just work overtime; he was still young, still Asian, and if he wanted to make it in Hollywood, how could he not hustle?

After hanging up, Wayne immediately called Sera.

"Hey, Sera, I've got two new ideas..."

That's right, two, not one.

Wayne first told her about *The Hidden Face*, asking her to be the producer and to get James Wan signed up as soon as possible. Then he told her about *Buried*.

"That's the gist of it. For the lead role of Paul, I'm thinking of Nicolas Cage. When he's in the right state, his acting is outstanding, and he's got good popularity. As for the director, I haven't thought of anyone suitable yet. Do you have any suggestions?"

"How about David Lynch?" Sera suggested after a moment of thought.

"David Lynch?" Wayne was puzzled. "Isn't he busy with the post-production of *Mulholland Drive* right now?"

"Sorry, I'm not sure about that, but his style should suit *Buried*. Plus, once he gets the script, he could probably finish shooting and post-production in ten days. It wouldn't take much of his time," Sera said.

"Alright, go ahead and reach out to him."

"Got it." Sera nodded.

"So who will produce *Buried*? Who do you have in mind?"

"It'll have to be you, or whoever you think is fit. I don't have anyone suitable on my end," Wayne said.

"And what about the lead actresses for *The Hidden Face*? I'm guessing you've already picked someone?" Sera asked with a smile.

Even James Wan, who had only collaborated with Wayne once, was well aware of his "style." He didn't even bother asking about the female leads, and Sera knew even better.

"Yep, I'm planning to cast newcomers for both the lead and supporting female roles," Wayne admitted openly.

"As long as you've got someone in mind, I'll go contact James Wan right now."

After hanging up, Sera immediately got to work.

As for Wayne, he quietly watched as Martina García entered the hotel before turning back to his room.

The night passed without incident. The next morning, when he arrived at the set, he scanned the crowd and, sure enough, spotted Martina García among the extras, already made up and in costume.

"What's your name?" Wayne asked, approaching her.

"My name is Martina García." Martina García quickly stood up, trying her best to flash a sweet smile, though if you looked closely, you could still see a bit of surprise and nervousness in her expression.

(End of this chapter)