Chapter 285: Higher Aggression and Danger

"Peak Entertainment accepted a recommendation from renowned producer Avazi Gosman at the beginning of this year," Helen Herman began without waiting for Matthew to ask.

"They purchased a master's thesis work by Simon Kimber from Columbia University's Film School, planning to make an action film about assassins involving gunfights."

She looked at Matthew, "You've been going to the gun club frequently, right? And you've received systematic tactical action training on the sets of 'Band of Brothers' and 'Black Hawk Down'."

"Yes, I go often, and my shooting is not bad," Matthew boasted before asking, "Avazi Gosman? That name sounds familiar."

Helen Herman briefly explained, "He's a famous screenwriter and producer. He might not be as renowned as a producer like Shawn, but he's considered a top Hollywood screenwriter. Works like 'Killing Time,' 'Lost in Space,' and 'A Beautiful Mind' are his, with 'A Beautiful Mind' even earning him an Oscar for Best Screenplay. The screenplay for this summer's 'I, Robot' was actually his work too, though he didn't sign it."

Understanding this, Matthew realized that Avazi Gosman was a successful figure in Hollywood.

Following Hollywood's creed, the projects of continuously successful individuals tend to have higher chances of success and relatively lower risks.

"Do you have more details?" Matthew inquired.

Helen Herman nodded slightly, continuing, "Since mid-January, Peak Entertainment has been planning this project. Avazi Gosman will serve as the producer, with a budget of one hundred million dollars. The plan is to hire proven celebrities as director and lead actors. Just last week, Avazi Gosman finalized the director. Doug Liman, who directed 'The Bourne Identity,' will take the helm."

Hearing this, Matthew felt the project was incredibly promising on paper: Avazi Gosman, an Oscar-winning producer, and Doug Liman, a director known for both critical and commercial success, with a budget of one hundred million dollars.

These factors could greatly minimize the risk of failure.

"The production team has already been established and has begun preliminary preparations," Helen Herman added. "However, Avazi Gosman, Simon Kimber, and Doug Liman are still tweaking the script. They estimate that by no later than June, the team will publicly recruit male and female leads."

Matthew looked at Helen Herman, "Public recruitment?"

"That's right! Open casting calls," Helen Herman confirmed. "The type of actors, their star power, drawing power, box office success in the past three years, and their suitability for action movies are all factors the team will consider."

"That means facing intense competition," Matthew realized instantly.

"Avazi Gosman knows my father somewhat, so I'm quite familiar with him," Helen Herman stated calmly. "The team won't announce the casting call until May."

She looked at Matthew and said, "I'll contact Avazi Gosman again to see if we can get the script in advance. This way, we can further assess the project's risks."

Although the personnel involved were very reliable, whether the role was suitable for Matthew couldn't be guaranteed until the script and character designs were seen.

Matthew understood that Helen Herman was preparing in advance. Being prepared could give them an edge later on, and he also caught that Avazi Gosman knew her father, which could be advantageous if he decided to pursue the role.

Helen Herman's voice rang out again, "I wanted to give you a heads up. I'll talk specifics once I have confirmed information. Keep practicing your shooting in the meantime; it could also be an advantage."

Matthew nodded, "I understand."

For now, this was just a potential opportunity. Other than the reliable behind-the-scenes lineup, there was not much else to go on.

Given his current workload, Matthew couldn't possibly choose suitable projects from the many in Hollywood on his own; that was the job of his agent, Helen Herman. She needed to filter out projects with too much risk or unsuitable types, bringing only the most fitting ones to his attention.

Of course, a well-known actor, especially one who has starred in blockbuster hits, often receives direct invitations from production teams, as Matthew had experienced with several offers.

For instance, Dimension Films once invited him through director Robert Rodriguez to star in "Sin City." After discussing with Helen Herman, they had reservations about Rodriguez, who was known for typical B-movies, and declined the audition invitation.

Matthew hadn't seen that movie, but after watching "Desperado" and "From Dusk Till Dawn" since arriving here, he frankly felt Rodriguez's style was even more niche than "Dawn of the Dead."

Strictly speaking, although zombie films aren't mainstream commercial movies, they have become a massive part of popular culture and are not particularly niche. However, Rodriguez's films resembled those low-budget grindhouse movies from the sixties and seventies, crammed with various elements and devoid of logic, focusing solely on shock value.

Especially "From Dusk Till Dawn," which was so niche that even Matthew, who watched it on VHS, was stunned. The first half of the film was a clean-cut Western road movie, with the leads, George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino, playing a pair of psychotic killers reminiscent of those in "Natural Born Killers." However, after entering Mexico, the film took a drastic turn, transforming into a mishmash of erotica, violence, vampires, zombies, and blood plasma, leaving viewers in shock...

After watching it, Matthew even remarked that it was a good thing Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez chose filmmaking, otherwise, the world might have two more psychopathic killers.

Indeed, Tarantino and Rodriguez's films were exhilarating, but Matthew and Helen Herman agreed it wasn't the right path for him. Taking on such typical B-movies wouldn't significantly benefit his career and could drag him down if they failed, with the risks far outweighing the potential gains.

Matthew was well aware that he was just a second-tier star and couldn't afford to be picky; it wasn't time for him to choose films based on personal preference or temperament.

Later, Helen Herman discussed with Matthew some aftercare for the publicity with Scarlett Johansson. Such tactics could exponentially increase exposure in a short time but also brought some negative effects.

For instance, rumors of Matthew's unscrupulous personal life and playboy image started spreading through media and online.

Matthew didn't mind; indeed, Hollywood had its share of good men, but most male stars were playboys.

Currently, he had no plans to seriously date anyone. If he found someone compelling in the future, he would pursue her earnestly, just like he did with Britney Spears.

In such a chaotic industry, no one could guarantee anything about relationships.

Helen Herman also mentioned that she would try to invite Avazi Gosman and Doug Liman to the premiere of "Dawn of the Dead." The film featured Matthew in numerous scenes of shooting and beating up zombies, which might impress them.

Although specifics of Avazi Gosman's action film were still pending, making some preliminary preparations was certainly no mistake.

Helen Herman dared to do this because of her confidence in the film.

Universal Studios had held more than five screenings for "Dawn of the Dead" since the Oscars, including for media journalists, critics, industry experts, and select fans. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, earning rave reviews.

Even "Dawn of the Dead

" had its Rotten Tomatoes score embargo lifted early. Out of 46 early reviews collected by the site, it had a 79% approval rating with an average score of 7.5, and the popcorn index reached 80%.

For a niche zombie film, this was quite a commendable reception.

Matthew's portrayal of the male lead was particularly well-received by the general audience who attended the screenings, praised for showcasing humanity's resilience and the toughness of men.

With such backing, Helen Herman had good reason to feel confident in inviting people.

Of course, "Dawn of the Dead" wasn't without its negative news.

The producer of the original "Dawn of the Dead" expressed his dislike for the new film after viewing a screening.

"I was involved in some of the preparatory work for Zack Snyder's remake. The zombies in the film move too quickly and aren't typical enough. I remember George spent a lot of time ensuring that the supporting characters reached the level of the leads. The film had identifiable zombies like the nurse, baseball player, and many others—they weren't just minor characters. But in this new film, they all exist solely to highlight the male lead, Matthew Horner, losing the biggest charm of zombie films."

Indeed, the zombies in the new film were no longer the slow-moving types, presenting a higher level of aggression and danger.

This change was made to reflect modern sensibilities; films must evolve with the times, as stagnation leads to obsolescence.

Additionally, George A. Romero, the soul of the original "Dawn of the Dead" trilogy, also refused to attend the premiere of this new version.

These were all unfavorable pieces of news.

Regardless of how the old guard viewed the new "Dawn of the Dead," the film was set to release in mid-March on schedule.

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