The Next Steps

I read through the part of the script I was writing for the Superman movie. It was a scene where Lois was speaking with Clark about the mysterious blur that had been seen in Metropolis, saving people from near-death situations and preventing vehicle accidents.

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INT. DAILY PLANET - LOIS'S OFFICE - DAY

LOIS LANE

(animated, pacing) 

Clark, have you heard about this blur that's been seen all over Metropolis?

CLARK KENT

(waving it off) 

It's just an urban legend, Lois. People are always looking for something extraordinary.

LOIS LANE

(insistent) 

It's more than that, Clark. Eye-witness accounts, security footage – there's something happening out there.

---

"We don't really need this part, but let's keep it anyway," a voice said from the laptop to my side.

On the screen was my writing partner, Scott Snyder. I was introduced to Scott by Dave. I had heard of Scott from the other timeline; he had worked on several DC projects, including the New 52.

Scott, friends with Dave, was going to work for Marvel when Dave offered him the chance to work on the script with me. Scott was very knowledgeable and knew his stuff. He has been a great help, making my ideas translate to the page.

"Yeah, I think we can work on Metallo next week," I said.

"Yes! I've been waiting for this," Scott said, holding up several pages. "I have a lot of ideas."

I, too, held up several pages. "Well, looks like we have a lot of work then," I said, smiling.

Everything relied on this script. It had to impress the guys at Nebula and DC. If it didn't, well, the DCU would take more time to get started, and that would mean Marvel would get the head start, and it would not be fun to play catch up.

Scott laughed, then became thoughtful. "Have you decided on Batman's age yet?" he asked.

"I think he should be active during this movie. There have to be mentions of him. So yeah, older... but not middle-aged old. He has already been active for a while," I replied.

Scott nodded. "I'm not so sure about that, but we can put a pin in it."

"See you next week," he said, ending the call.

I looked at the time, seeing it was already 1:00 PM. I grabbed my car keys and walked outside of my room and headed downstairs.

I had a meeting at the studio today.

I walked past the usually empty rooms, which were now filled with gifts from various people after the incredible success of Toy Story 2. It had done something remarkable by surpassing $1 billion at the box office. Everyone had expected it to peak at $700 or $800 million, but its run ended with $1.1 billion.

Though my cut was a bit less than last time due to my renegotiated contract, it was still enough to make me even more filthy rich.

My goal now was to become the youngest self-made billionaire, something that would secure my place in the history books.

"Mom, I'm going out!" I yelled as I closed the door behind me.

Today's meeting was about 12 Angry Men. A director had finally been decided on, with Chris and Dave's choices being overridden by Tom Hanks, who wished to have Ron Howard direct the movie. They had worked together on Apollo 13, and Tom was confident in Ron's ability to bring this project to life.

Ron Howard was approached. With Tom's help and Ron taking a liking to the script, he agreed to direct. Tom had privately told me he had approached Ron months ago, which was why he accepted so quickly.

Everything was coming along great. We had a fantastic cast and now a great director. Chris, Tom, Dave, and Henry were all aiming for the Oscars.

Seeing how motivated they were, I was sure we were going to win some.

"We have deep pockets now,' I thought with a smile. They were going to get the Oscars for sure.

I arrived at the studio and was taken to the large conference room where the meeting was being held. The room was spacious and elegant, with a long table in the center surrounded by high-backed leather chairs. The walls were adorned with framed movie posters from the studio, from before I got involved and the ones after I joined, and large windows allowed natural light to flood in, giving the room a bright and open feel.

Inside, Chris, Sam, Dave, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, and a few other key figures were already present.

"Am I late?" I asked, entering the room.

"No, just on time," Dave said, looking up from his notes.

"Daniel!" Tom Hanks called from the other side of the room.

He walked over to me with Ron Howard following him. "Ron, this is the young man I've been telling you about, the genius who wrote the script," Tom said, introducing me.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you, Mr. Adler," Ron Howard said, extending his hand.

"Please call me Daniel, Mr. Howard," I replied, shaking his hand.

"Only if you call me Ron," he said with a warm smile.

He talked for a minute before Chris interrupted us. "Let's start things, shall we?" Chris said from the head of the table.

We took our seats, and the meeting began.

"We need to establish the timeline for completing the movie. The set is all prepared, and the actors have the script," Dave began.

Ron Howard nodded. "Considering the caliber of actors we have, we can realistically complete this in two months. They're all professionals, and I have no doubt they'll deliver exceptional performances quickly."

Chris turned to me. "Daniel, we need you to be available at all times during the shooting. You wrote the story, your insight would be needed."

"My schedule is wide open during the shooting," I replied confidently. "I'll be there whenever you need me."

"We'll start with the courtroom scene," Ron said, flipping through his notes.

We talked more about the movie, delving into details such as the shooting schedule, scene breakdowns, and the overall vision for the film.

Chris then moved on to marketing strategies. "We need to start building buzz about the movie. Given the cast and the story, I believe we can aim for a strong awards season push."

Ron nodded. "We should focus on film festivals as well. This movie has the potential to be a critical darling."

I was learning a lot from them. I wished to direct a movie of my own in the future. Though it would take a lot of time, I knew I could learn from the best.

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Stardust Studios Announces Star-Studded Cast and Crew for Their New Movie 12 Angry Men

Stardust Studios recently took the box office by storm with Toy Story 2, and now the newly restructured studio has announced their next movie, 12 Angry Men. The project has already garnered significant attention due to the involvement of Hollywood heavyweights Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. With a screenplay penned by the prodigious young author Daniel Adler, the film is thought to be a courtroom drama.

Tom Hanks will lead the film with a stellar cast of new and familiar faces. He will also serve as the producer and has brought on board longtime collaborator Ron Howard to direct. They had previously worked together on Apollo 13.

The screenplay is the work of Daniel Adler, the 17-year-old wunderkind who has been in the spotlight since his first foray into writing novels at the age of 11 with Toy Story, which has become a billion-dollar movie franchise. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller The Percy Jackson series. Adler began writing screenplays with the surprise hit from two years ago, The Blair Witch Project.

The cast includes Mark Ruffalo, known for his compelling performances in films like Zodiac and Shutter Island; Mackenzie Astin, a versatile actor with a rich background in both film and television who has been acting since he was nine; J.K. Simmons, the acclaimed actor recognized for his roles in Juno and Burn After Reading; and Michael Stuhlbarg, from last year's critically acclaimed movie A Serious Man.

Stanley Tucci, with recent standout roles in Julie & Julia and The Lovely Bones, adds to the impressive lineup. New face Pedro Pascal, known for his roles in The Good Wife and Law & Order: SVU, joins the ensemble, as does Bob Odenkirk, previously of SNL and recently of Breaking Bad. Jim Broadbent, a veteran actor like Tom Hanks, has brought considerable attention to the movie, while the casting of Gary Oldman, the great British actor, is a major highlight. Christoph Waltz, known for his breakout role in Inglourious Basterds, and Jon Hamm, famous for Mad Men, round out the star-studded cast.

With such an impressive lineup of talent both in front of and behind the camera, 12 Angry Men has immense expectations. Let's hope they can pull it off.

Stay tuned for more updates on 12 Angry Men as production progresses.

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Two posts for the days missed.