I may be uncultured, but one "holy crap" gets me through anything!
This is Got Talent!
America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent, China's Got Talent... Let's not even get into anything else. Just selling the rights would be enough to fatten up a company—or no, to make several hundred million dollars!
That damn system either pretended to be dead and did nothing, or else it made a move that shook the world!
That's right, Zucker had watched Got Talent in his previous life. As someone who'd been half a foot in the entertainment industry, he knew the show's selection criteria and format, but not enough to plan a Got Talent show himself. Now, though, things were different. The system had helped him out.
This was going to be the death of him!
Hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth!
Normally, given Zucker's love of money, he would've immediately called his personal lawyer, Zhang Wei, to register the global rights to Got Talent.
But this time, Zucker didn't rush to make the call.
"Tomorrow marks one year since I crossed over. It's also the anniversary of my birth mother's death!"
Strictly speaking, Zucker had been an orphan in his previous life and had long since gotten used to living alone. The concept of a "mother" was foreign to him, and even made him somewhat uncomfortable. But when he got home by himself that day and things quieted down, he suddenly felt empty.
He couldn't find the energy to do anything!
Damn it, I'm supposed to be an unfeeling person. How did I get so sentimental?! Zucker was startled.
The next day.
Zucker got up early, washed and dressed, then drove to Lima's place.
"Darling, why are you here to pick me up so early today?"
When Adriana Lima saw Zucker, she went straight over and wrapped him in a bear hug. She found it a little strange. In all the time they'd spent together, she'd never seen him come by this early.
"Lima, we're not going shopping today. Come with me somewhere," Zucker said.
"Okay. Whatever you say."
Lima found it stranger still. Zucker usually dressed very casually, but today he wore a neat black suit and looked impeccably groomed.
Zucker didn't say a word during the drive.
The cemetery.
"Mom, may you rest in peace in heaven forever!"
Zucker traced a cross in the air in front of him and laid down a bouquet of flowers.
"Auntie, may you rest in peace."
Only then did Lima understand why Zucker had been so solemn all day. She immediately tried to comfort him. "Zucker, I'll be here for you from now on!"
You'll be here for me?!
"Pfft!" Even though it should've been a touching moment, Zucker suddenly burst out laughing.
His mother's death hadn't really affected Zucker that much. It wasn't that he was cold-blooded; he simply didn't know how to express maternal love.
Friends, he'd never experienced it!
So there wasn't much he could say. At least, that was what Zucker thought.
The sun rose as usual.
Another new day.
Hard Candy, Wrong Turn, and Juno had all entered preproduction at the same time. Now Hard Candy was nearing the end of postproduction, with the finished film almost ready; Wrong Turn had just wrapped filming; only Juno was still struggling to get off the ground.
"What?"
"Richard Linklater still hasn't finalized the Juno script?!"
Zucker looked at CEO Victor, puzzled.
"Yes, boss," Victor replied.
Zucker grew even more curious. As he remembered him, Richard Linklater had high standards for scripts. He wasn't the sort of speed demon who made a movie a month, but he certainly wasn't the slow, meticulous type like Wong Kar-wai, either. Why was he taking so long this time?
Zucker and Victor immediately left the office and headed to the company's screenwriting department.
The first thing they saw was Richard Linklater, the Berlin Film Festival's Best Director, excitedly explaining something to a group of screenwriters.
"Guys, the script needs more revisions!"
"That's right, Juno is a great script. There's no question about that. I admit it, and I agree. But it still has flaws."
"What? You're asking me where the flaws are?!"
"Oh, my God! I'm the director. You're the professional screenwriters!"
"Fine, I'll explain it myself, then."
"After thinking about it for a long time, I've concluded that the original Juno script has flaws in its everyday dialogue. It also lacks a sense of the times. Most importantly, it doesn't have enough warmth."
"What warmth? The underage heroine is struggling with conflicting emotions while pregnant, and her family takes meticulous care of her. The teasing, bickering, anger, and arguments between them—all of it is meant to bring out the warmth of the film!"
A sense of the times?
Warmth?
"I understand."
The other screenwriters hadn't reacted yet, but Zucker had a sudden realization.
Zucker had written the Juno script, and he'd watched the finished movie in his previous life. But he'd only watched it; how could he remember all the dialogue and details?
Besides, the film had originally been released in 2007, and it was only 1996 now. Films from different periods reflected different characteristics of their eras. Copying one wholesale could make it feel out of place and leave audiences struggling to follow it.
Take Shaolin Temple, for example. In the 1980s, it was a classic, a popular film audiences loved. But if it were copied and released in 2020, would young audiences enjoy it?
The answer was no!
Or take a Hollywood blockbuster like The Avengers. If it had been copied and released in the 1980s, would it have become a hit? The answer was yes! Its spectacular special effects would've thrilled people. How could it not have made a fortune at the box office? But the advanced technology shown in the film would've been completely unfamiliar to audiences in the 1980s, making it difficult for them to follow.
That was why capturing the spirit of the times was so important.
This was especially true of a film like Juno, which dealt with an underage girl getting pregnant out of wedlock—a subject so closely tied to its era. Such a film depended heavily on reflecting the characteristics of its time.
In 2007, an underage girl getting pregnant out of wedlock was a topic of discussion, a hot issue, and a pulse of the times.
But in 1996, the moviegoing public still consisted mostly of people who hadn't experienced the internet boom. Would they accept an underage girl getting pregnant out of wedlock?
Some would, but there certainly wouldn't be many!
It might even face resistance from some people, especially families with children.
"Without a topic that gets people talking, without a large base of young supporters, how could the film make big money at the box office?"
And the warmth in the film? Sorry, I was an orphan in my previous life, and I didn't even remember every scene. How could I possibly write those warm moments well? Zucker thought.
Zucker couldn't help sighing.
A famous director was famous for a reason. Linklater really was no ordinary man.
That $1.2 million fee had been money well spent!
After chatting enthusiastically with director Richard Linklater for a while, Zucker left with Victor.
They returned to CEO Victor's office, but before they could start discussing work, someone interrupted them.
Martha came in!
"Mr. Jones, uh... the boss is here too? Perfect. That saves me from having to inform you separately."
"What is it, Martha?" Zucker asked.
Martha said, "Here's the situation, boss. I just confirmed with several theater chains, and they're leaning toward releasing our film Hard Candy on July 19. I came to ask what you've decided."
Before you continue