Chapter 475: Full of Twists and Turns

Chapter 475: Chapter 475: Full of Twists and Turns

The team’s shortcomings fundamentally doomed the film’s visual ceiling, also laying fatal hidden dangers for subsequent issues such as the collapsed texture of the finished product, jarring special effects, and rough visuals.

Afterwards, the assembly of the cast was also full of twists and turns.

The film focused on a hardcore magical action style, featuring high shooting intensity, heavy action scenes, and tedious special effects scenes.

Coupled with implicit problems in the initial draft of the script itself, such as thin characters, scattered main plots, and ambiguous character motivations, this caused a slew of Hollywood A-list actors to cautiously wait and see and repeatedly decline invitations.

Universal spent months negotiating and inviting, only to be rejected in turn by multiple top-tier male actors, plunging the project into an awkward situation of having no one available and being on the verge of suspension.

With no other options left, Universal had to mobilize all the interpersonal resources and industry connections of its senior management, supplemented by multiple implicit resource transactions and subsequent film and television resource exchanges, to finally secure Hugh Jackman as the core male lead and reluctantly finalize the film’s primary starring role.

However, once the male lead was locked down, the rest of the supporting cast lineup remained full of loopholes.

The actor selections for classic monster roles such as werewolves, vampires, and Frankenstein’s monster were repeatedly overturned and re-selected multiple times.

The production team changed supporting casts three or four times, causing the integration cost, time cost, and capital cost to skyrocket infinitely, completely disrupting the initial shooting plan and budget framework.

Having managed to piece together a complete filming lineup, after the crew officially started shooting, new controversies and hidden dangers followed one after another.

On the set, Hugh Jackman, who had cultivated himself on sets for years and was serious about his works, was extremely dissatisfied with the final implemented script.

He privately expressed doubts about the script multiple times, believing that the characters were flat, the main plot logic was chaotic, the multiple monster characters were piled up and bloated, and the plot core was hollow, completely wasting the excellent monster universe theme setting.

Moreover, temporarily changing scenes, adjusting scenes, and polishing the script on set became the norm.

The shooting progress was repeatedly delayed, the crew suffered from severe internal friction, and morale was fluctuating.

The road to securing a release date was even more full of twists and turns and variables.

Universal’s executive vice president, Alan Grey, initially prepared to lock Van Helsing into a June summer release slot, intending to seize the golden summer viewing period and leverage the nationwide viewing craze to hit high box office numbers.

But plans could not keep up with changes.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End in the same release window officially announced its summer release date.

Relying on the explosive word-of-mouth of its predecessor, top-tier production standards, and nationwide popularity, it monopolized internet-wide popularity even before its release, crushing all competing products in the same window.

Everyone changed their release dates successively, and Universal’s senior management was naturally no exception.

Even though some people were full of confidence in Van Helsing, they dared not confront Pirates of the Caribbean head-on, and no one dared to bear the ending of being completely crushed, having box office failure, and losing everything.

With no other choice, they could only temporarily and urgently adjust the release date, hastily bringing it forward to May for release, trying to avoid the strongest competitor and survive in the cracks.

From project hijacking, team downgrading, difficult actor casting, script controversies, and on-set internal friction, all the way to last-minute release date changes and passive risk avoidance, Van Helsing had not a single link smoothly implemented from beginning to end, from preparation to release.

There were even rumors during internal test screenings that the film’s quality was poor, and bad reviews spread within the industry, turning it into after-dinner gossip for major film and television companies and critic circles, with countless people waiting to see Universal’s hugely expensive car crash farce.

For such a controversial work, Irene originally had zero intention of attending.

She had seen this movie in her past life; it was neither good nor bad.

But in this life, because of her intervention, this project would only sprint all the way in a worse direction, so she was very clear that this premiere was nothing more than Universal forcibly keeping up appearances, saving face with fake momentum, and was completely meaningless.

She originally wanted to completely stay out of it and focus on her own variety shows and film/television projects.

However, Adelaide Griffin called her repeatedly and invited her again and again.

That urge to watch the drama unfold was completely written on her face, making it impossible for her to decline, so she had to agree to attend.

The premiere of Van Helsing hosted by Universal Pictures was chosen at the historic Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

As Universal’s annual key promotional blockbuster, even though bearish voices in the industry were constant and the company’s internal view was generally pessimistic, Universal still exhausted its resources to hold a grand premiere for Van Helsing.

Night slowly enveloped the entire Hollywood.

Both sides of the street were covered with giant custom movie posters from Universal.

Gothic castles, dark night clouds, and Hugh Jackman wearing a long black windbreaker holding demon-hunting weapons stared directly into the lens with sharp eyes.

The corners of the posters were densely printed with the images of monsters from the film, such as vampires, werewolves, and Frankenstein’s monster.

The entire block had been heavily invested in by Universal.

Decorative light signs shaped like vintage kerosene lamps were erected along the roadside, camera stands of the media were placed on both sides of the red carpet, and countless entertainment reporters, film critics, and Hollywood insiders arrived at the scene in an endless stream.

Countless flashes burst one after another, illuminating the night street as if it were daytime.

Irene had not come as a core guest in the first place; it was purely out of industry courtesy, coupled with the fact that Adelaide Griffin was also present, that she appeared at this premiere.

While walking the red carpet, reporters continuously threw questions at her, mostly revolving around new projects after Brokeback Mountain won the Oscar, as well as the upcoming summer box office expectations for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.

Irene briefly coped with a few words, then quickly walked through the red carpet area toward the cocktail party foyer inside the theater.

She was mainly worried that Van Helsing’s unsatisfactory performance would make the media associate it with her.

After all, the matter of Universal "snatching the project" had been reported before, but neither Universal nor Irene had come out to discuss it, so the matter had simply faded away.

Now, two years later, she definitely did not want to take the blame.

Inside the hall, there was a mingling of fragrant dresses and shadows, with middle managers of major film companies, agents, well-known actors, and figures from the film criticism circle coming and going.

The buffet table was set with exquisite champagne and caviar snacks, the surrounding walls played the trailer of Van Helsing in a loop, and passionate, grandiose orchestral music echoed continuously throughout the hall.

She had arrived for barely two minutes and had not yet fully settled down when the door of the lounge was pushed open again, and the figure of Adelaide Griffin walked in briskly.

As the current helmsman of Fox Pictures, she wore a well-tailored dark custom suit today, with a steady and noble temperament, shedding the sharpness of workplace ruthlessness and gaining a bit of the relaxation of old friends chatting.

Her steps were brisk, walking straight toward Irene with a familiar smile on her face.

"I did not expect you to arrive so early." Adelaide sat down opposite Irene smoothly, her gaze carrying a hint of inquiry and playfulness as she spoke in a low voice,

"How is it? Did you see Alan Grey just after coming in? There are so many interesting things about tonight’s premiere. ℯℯ𝑙.

It is said that Universal’s CEO, Ron Meyer, is absent the whole time and will not be showing up to hold up appearances.

Many people among Universal’s senior management do not look favorably on this film’s prospects, defaulting to the consensus that it is a doomed bad movie and a money-losing piece of work.

The entire Van Helsing was forcibly pushed up by Vice President Alan Grey under the pressure of the entire company."