380 The first signs of success

The balance between commerce and art—an ultimate goal pursued by every director and a sought-after equilibrium by every production company. "The Dark Knight", seemingly the perfect answer since the 21st century, then could "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" become the next one?

Rumors had it that Sony Columbia Pictures had put forward a whopping budget of $100M. For a commercial film that heavily emphasized visual effects, this wouldn't be considered extravagant. However, for a film like "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", which required almost no visual effects, this was top-tier, and even when compared to the most expensive commercial films, it was not inferior.

From this, Sony Columbia Pictures' ambitions were clear. Their expectations went far beyond the global box office of $83M that the Swedish version had achieved.

As a director, David Fincher had already proven himself, whether it was in his earlier works like "Fight Club" and "Seven", or his recent comet-like appearance in the award season with "The Social Network". There was no doubt about David's directorial capabilities. This also raised people's expectations for the American version.

Without exaggeration, the focus on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" outshone any popcorn commercial film. If attention were to be rated on a scale of ten, the casting of "Thor" a year ago could be a solid eight. However, now, the attention on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was an explosive twelve out of ten.

Because this was not just a commercial film, it was also an art film capable of making its mark during the awards season.

Perhaps this work would achieve a miracle on the scale of "Titanic" or "The Lord of the Rings". Moreover, even more rare than those two works, both lead roles in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" had significant acting space. The Swedish version's female lead had harvested numerous awards, and David's "The Social Network" had earned Jesse an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

This level of allure for actors was truly immeasurable. Naturally, everyone was eager to seize this opportunity.

Based solely on the information Andy had received so far, actresses like Carey Mulligan, Ellen Page, Kristen Stewart, Mia Wasikowska, Keira Knightley, Emily Browning, Eva Green, Scarlett Johansson, Emma Watson, and Natalie Portman were all competing for the female lead position.

This was just the information Andy had casually inquired about; there were likely many names he hadn't heard yet.

It was apparent that over the past three years, almost every renowned Hollywood actress had thrown their hats into the ring. This could unquestionably be described as a spectacle, with an intensity of competition that could make one's stomach churn.

As for the lesser-known actresses, they probably hadn't even heard of casting news, let alone participated in the competition.

This was the game between top-tier talent agencies and agents. However, in this level of competition, while connections still held some significance, they had taken a back seat. The actors' personal strengths and the director's vision for the cast were what truly mattered. After all, nobody wished to botch such a crucial project.

Comparatively, the competition for the male lead was slightly less intense. Ultimately, not every actor was willing to play a supporting role, especially among those top-tier male actors.

However, the list of male actor alternatives put forth by Sony Columbia Pictures was still shocking.

Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Daniel Day-Lewis—just these few names were enough to cause a seismic wave in Hollywood. Their configurations were absolutely top-notch, whether in terms of popularity, appeal, or industry status. This series of alternative names carried considerable weight, clearly revealing Sony Columbia Pictures' ambitions.

Worth mentioning was that Renly's name also appeared on this list of alternatives.

The internal message Andy had heard was, "He's too young, not suitable. However, he's indeed an interesting candidate. Put him on the list of alternatives, but place him at the very end. Let's contact the names in front first." This was a comment made during an internal meeting at Sony Columbia Pictures, verbatim for the most part.

This wasn't exactly a flattering affirmation; it even tempted people to roll their eyes at the substitute among substitutes, just a name written on the list to make up the numbers. For certain top-tier actors, this could be considered an insult.

However, Andy felt doubly content.

There was an art to Hollywood's casting list. When selecting actors for new projects, they would compile a lengthy list—sometimes seven or eight names, sometimes as many as thirty or forty—and then gradually eliminate, leaving potential candidates. In accordance with their priority, they would contact each one. If the first choice went smoothly in negotiations, nothing could be better. But if they missed that, they had plenty of alternatives.

In truth, this casting list also acted as a compass for Hollywood's trends. Many factors determined the outcome, including the agents' public relations abilities, actors' track records, the actors' personal connections with producers, the style of actors for the given roles, and so forth.

For instance, when people thought of playing the role of a real-life ordinary hero, Tom Hanks was always the first name on the list. Similarly, when people thought of playing a gothic-style eccentric character, Johnny Depp was an inescapable choice.

For a work like "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", which had an attention index soaring to twelve degrees, Renly's inclusion in the list of alternatives indicated a significant leap in his industry status.

More importantly, Renly was merely twenty-one years old, while Mikael was forty-three. Nevertheless, Sony Columbia Pictures had still included Renly on the list. Though his impact might not be significant, it was still an indication that Renly's acting skills had gradually gained recognition among industry insiders.

Compared to the work "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" itself, the news of Renly's inclusion in the list of alternatives was the real reason that had Andy exhilarated. After half a year of preparation and brewing, Renly's acting career was finally breaking through. Following this, his name would appear more frequently on the list of alternatives for producers and major projects, and he would have more and more opportunities for selection.

Of course, if Renly could land the role in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," it would be something Andy earnestly desired.

"Almost all actresses of the right age are targeting this role. So, if you can successfully take on the role, does that not imply that you'll also enjoy some 'fortune' in the future? This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Andy joked half-seriously, which reminded Renly of his past life's trajectory. In the end, the female lead was played by Rooney Mara.

Thinking back now, it was truly hard for Renly to reconcile the image of the innocent little rabbit that he met in Telluride with the dark goddess adorned with piercings and tattoos in the movie. To be precise, the differences were truly vast.

The original Lisbeth's temperament was rather fitting, but Rooney was constrained by the inherent limitations of her appearance, making the challenge exponentially greater. However, Rooney's cool demeanor and versatile style left a profound impression, not only avoiding any discord but also successfully carrying the weight of the film. This opened up her path in the industry and set her on a Hollywood journey.

Facing Andy's jest, Renly remained composed. He just slightly raised his eyebrow at the corners, smiling and nodding expectantly.

Such a candid response actually broke the tension of the joke. There was no way to continue on that topic. Andy glanced at Renly with speechless eyes and had to redirect the conversation back to work.

"The competition for casting is indeed fierce right now. I think the age disadvantage might be hard to overcome. However, if you're interested, I can try to set up at least one meeting, exchange some ideas. At least, if it's David Fincher, that would be even better."

Andy shrugged with a grin, "If it's David Fincher, that's a win."

Renly thought for a moment and then nodded in affirmation, "Okay."

His straightforward and positive response brought a smile to Andy's face.

The project was undoubtedly incredibly challenging. Even with effort, success might not be very likely. But the point was, communication between Andy and Renly was smooth. His choice had gained Renly's approval, indicating that he was on the right track—this was a good thing.

As for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", this was Hollywood, where miracles were born. Until the results were out, everything was uncertain. No one should decide to give up before even trying, least of all Renly.

"Oh, by the way, can I borrow the DVD of the Swedish version? I want to take a look." Renly's impression of Mikael's character was truly blurry, leaving only some rough outlines, which was quite intriguing.

Andy nodded, "No problem, I'll let Nathan know." He glanced at his watch—it had been only about thirty minutes in total. The efficiency of their conversation was quite satisfactory. "If you're planning to go skiing in Canada, just let Nathan know."

There wouldn't be any updates on "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" in the short term, so Renly's vacation could continue.

After finishing their discussion, Andy stood up and left.

By now, Renly was fully awake. He didn't return to his warm bed but changed into his clothes, picked up his skateboard, and left the apartment.

Outdoors, the thick layer of snow on the roadside was tinged with a coal-black hue. The wet snowwater created a pockmarked appearance on the road, and steam occasionally billowed up from the storm drain, filling the space between New York's vintage buildings with mist. It was as if he had traversed time and entered the magical world of "Harry Potter"—dirty, chaotic, classical, elegant, yet still the fog of the steam-powered era.

Standing at the street corner for a short while, the biting cold wind vigorously nipped at his neck. Renly quickly dropped his skateboard to the ground, kicked off with his right foot, and with a "swoosh", the wheels glided over a shallow puddle, sending up low water droplets. It felt as if he wasn't skateboarding but surfing instead, a genuinely unique sensation.

Amidst the cold wind, the scarf of alternating dark red and navy blue squares rustled, as if tracing a faint warmth through the chilly and solemn streets. It was as if one could see a youth, chasing after the footsteps of the wind.