Chapter 502 - Director's Turmoil

Faiza really wanted to ask, "What does this have to do with Laila?" But she was smart enough to know when to say what. For instance, right now, she didn't understand her father's intentions, but she was sure there was a reason behind it, even if she couldn't see it. It didn't matter whether she knew or not; her father knew it was enough.

So she didn't dwell on this topic any longer, nor did she immediately ask her father to take care of that woman she despised so much. "Even if we can't do anything to her, can't we at least make her leave? I really don't want to see her stay here for a moment longer. It feels like the air has been tainted by her!"

"Alright, I'll find a way to make her leave as soon as possible. Don't worry," Dawud lovingly patted his daughter's head and chuckled.

The next day, Laila received a message that the plane had already taken off. This finally relieved the anxiety that had kept her up all night. She had told the pilot that if someone boarded the plane, it should take off the next day, and if not, it should stay in place until she gave further instructions. Now that the plane had departed, it was evident that those people had indeed successfully left the country. It seemed she had not let down Jia Xiaoming's trust.

However, her relief was short-lived because later that day, she received an urgent phone call.

The call was from Louise.

"Something's wrong, Laila. There's been an incident with the 'Harry Potter' film crew, the director has resigned."

"How can that be?" Laila was surprised. She knew the director was from AMG and was signed under their management, which was why she had agreed to have him direct. But now she was being told that he had resigned? "What does AMG say about this?"

"They say he even terminated his contract with them willingly, preferring to pay the penalty. He also made some unpleasant remarks."

The incident had occurred suddenly just an hour ago. Initially, Louise knew Laila was abroad and didn't want to trouble her with such a minor issue. However, the situation escalated rapidly, and the media was now going crazy with reports. Rather than having Laila see the situation in the news, it was better to tell her directly.

"What unpleasant remarks? Did he run into trouble, or did someone challenge his directorial authority on the set?" Laila speculated about all the possibilities.

In her opinion, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was a script that could create a box office miracle. Any capable director who filmed it would instantly become a highly sought-after director. So how could a director suddenly resign and even terminate his contract with AMG, one of the biggest talent agencies in the business?

Louise looked troubled. "I swear I haven't heard of any of those scenarios. You should be aware of the way our company operates. Phoenix Films, AMG's production branch, has produced many successful films. When have you heard of a director being pushed out from below? I've also investigated, and there's no wrongdoing from any side."

"So, what exactly did he say that was so unpleasant?" Laila inquired.

"He said that he is a director, not a babysitter for children's movies and that directing such a film is an insult to him..." Louise was still upset when recalling what that guy had said to the press. It was a multi-million-dollar movie, and he hadn't even started filming, yet he ruined it!

"Are you saying he believes the movie isn't good, that directing it is beneath him?" Laila was getting angry.

While others might not know, she certainly did. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" had a global box office of nearly a billion, and even years later, it was still a film that fans talked about. Not to mention the value of the entire franchise.

She had handed over the directorship in the hopes of grooming influential directors at her newly acquired talent agency. Now, after careful selection, she had picked someone like this?

"Where is the situation now? Tell me everything!" Laila did her best to suppress her anger. She understood that Louise wouldn't have called her for something minor.

"Until earlier today, everything was proceeding smoothly with the film crew in the UK. The actors had already joined the set, and we were only days away from shooting. But at noon today, I suddenly received the director's resignation letter. AMG also called and informed us that he had terminated his contract. And it doesn't end there. At the same time, he held a press conference, accusing you of demeaning him with a subpar movie, and claimed that it would ruin his career in filmmaking."

Hearing Louise's words made Laila almost want to curse. If even a movie like "Harry Potter" could ruin a director's career, she really didn't know what kind of movies could be considered good!

"What a jerk!" She couldn't help but use foul language, and at that moment, Roy, who had pushed the door open and entered, overheard her.

Louise continued, "Now the production in the UK has come to a complete halt. Luckily, there hasn't been any chaos, and I've already arranged for someone to take over."

Laila nodded. "Good, send someone to take control of the situation in the UK, ensure everything is in order, and keep it that way until a new director arrives. I'll be heading over as soon as possible."

"Alright," Louise said, feeling relieved that Laila was taking charge. Despite being a young boss, she had a mature approach to handling matters, so there was nothing to worry about when she was in charge.

Seeing Laila finish her call, Roy asked, "What happened?"

"Some clown showed up," Laila said, summarizing the situation for him. She then opened her computer and connected to the internet to check the news.

As soon as she looked, she found reports everywhere about the incident. Even on her Facebook, many people were asking her about the situation, with some clearly being troublemakers who were viciously attacking her, as if her presence in the movie industry was the greatest disgrace in cinematic history.

The film crew had been set up, and the start of production was imminent when the director suddenly quit. Well, if he wanted to quit, that was his decision, but making comments like, "This kind of thing is meant for babysitting children; anyone who wants to do it can do it. Anyone who does it will lose face," was something that would infuriate anyone.

For one thing, anyone with keen eyes could see that this was undoubtedly someone creating trouble from behind the scenes. Given the director's experience, even directing a film with a budget of tens of millions was considered good, but now he was saying such things. It was evident that Laila had given him an opportunity, and this is how he returned the favor.