Chapter 611 - Great Opportunity

"Yes." Laila took a deep breath upon hearing that name.

"We've secured the rights for a long time. When I asked you why you didn't shoot it initially, you always said you weren't ready. So, are you ready now?" Louise didn't quite understand Laila's thoughts on this movie. She felt that Laila seemed to value it too much, more than all her films combined over the years. Otherwise, she wouldn't have said "not ready" before.

Leaning back in her chair, Laila's expression was solemn. "I think I should be ready now."

In recent years, she has been studying the filming of large-scale scenes. "The Lord of the Rings" was an epic work, not easy to shoot. It was like an ant never knowing the world through the eyes of an elephant.

Over these years, she had been learning and honing her skills. Looking at her films, each one more challenging than the last - the vast seas of "Pirates of the Caribbean," the magical backgrounds of "Harry Potter," and the numerous large scenes and special effects of "Iron Man" - she truly felt ready.

The original "The Lord of the Rings" took seven years to prepare for shooting, nearly six hours combined for three movies, and even the extended edition reached over seven hours.

Laila didn't plan to take that much time. She deliberately waited for more than a year to start, partly because she wanted to learn more filming techniques, and partly to wait for more advanced movie special effects technology. One year now could accomplish more than before.

Two years! That was the time she set for herself.

It was now 2003, and by the Christmas season of 2005, she would make "The Lord of the Rings" the most spectacular and magnificent epic classic in the hearts of global movie fans!

Louise saw the excitement in her that she hadn't seen in a long time and didn't say much more: "Well, let's get started. I think we have a lot of things to deal with. 'The Lord of the Rings' alone has more than a hundred characters with lines. Do you have any specific requirements for the actors?"

Louise always arranged the casting, and Laila made the final decision. This time wouldn't be any different. She wasn't asking about all the actors but the lead roles, wanting to know if Laila already had someone in mind.

For such a large-scale film, as it required many actors, they usually preferred newcomers and regular actors. These movies were generally not stingy, meaning more funds and more sophisticated production. Consequently, the likelihood of success was high. If it succeeded, getting a recognizable face in it would be beneficial for future development.

Background actors were in high demand, not to mention the lead roles. Playing important roles in such a film would be a significant qualification for an actor. If the film accidentally became popular, it would be more than just a qualification; it would be a shining point and a cornerstone for future achievements. Such a good opportunity couldn't be given away casually.

Laila had thought about this question long ago. "I don't have anyone in mind for now. Let's choose from our own company."

"I understand," Louise replied solemnly.

After she left the office, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have confused her purpose for coming over. She originally intended to persuade Laila not to take on too much at once. Still, why did her workload increase instead? But thinking that Laila finally listened to her advice and decided not to insist on filming "Monster," she was quite satisfied with this conversation.

When she released the news that Laila hoped to find someone to direct "Monster," many people were interested. First, Laila would be the producer and supervisor, and she also wrote the script, even choosing the cast. What did that mean?

It meant that, as long as you weren't a complete waste, you could easily make this film shine with your eyes closed! For a new director, it was like Laila had already prepared all the expensive parts, and the director just needed to assemble them with their own aesthetics. As long as the director didn't have too bizarre tastes, they would contribute an outstanding piece of work.

It could be said that this was an excellent opportunity for new directors. No one would doubt Laila's ability to write scripts and choose actors. Since she had written it and had chosen the actors, it meant it was absolutely the most suitable choice.

So, shortly after the news spread, someone came to Laila's office.

"I hope I can take on that movie!"

The person who came directly to Laila was Patty Jenkins.

Laila looked at the woman a few years older than herself. "Give me a convincing reason."

Jenkins took a deep breath. "I'm very interested in the case of Aileen Wuornos and have been studying her cases." She pulled out a thick stack of documents from her bag. "This is my research material. You can take a look. I'm definitely not lying."

Laila took the material and casually flipped through a few pages. She saw many places marked with small words, clearly showing that she was very thorough in her research.

"What about the actors? What are your thoughts?" Laila put down the materials and looked at her.

"I think Theron is the most suitable choice. I saw her performance in 'The Devil's Advocate' before and thought she was perfect for this role. If it were me, I would choose her!" Jenkins said confidently.

Perhaps to others, it might seem like she was flattering her boss, but Laila knew she was speaking the truth. Because the original "Monster" was this lady's first work, and she chose Theron for a reason, just as she had said earlier. After seeing Theron's outstanding performance in "The Devil's Advocate," she was convinced that Theron would portray Aileen Wuornos the best according to her vision!

Since she came forward, hoping to direct this film, Laila was naturally happy to see it happen. In her previous life, she had sent Theron to the Oscars with this film, so handing it over to her now would undoubtedly be no problem.

"Good, it's yours," she readily agreed.

Her quick agreement almost startled Jenkins. She felt she needed to put in more effort to sell herself. After all, she hadn't directed a movie before. How many people would be willing to casually give such an opportunity to her?

"Why?" she couldn't help but ask.

Laila smiled slightly. "Because you're the first person who came to me."

"Just like that?" Jenkins couldn't believe what she heard. Was it because she got up early that she got such a great opportunity?