Cao Kun hesitated.
If it were just about the role itself, he definitely wouldn't be willing.
But now Tomb Raider has become an original movie, not an adaptation of the game.
That would make it possible for the plot of a movie to become reality.
He didn't care about anything else, but if that mysterious triangular piece also came into reality, Cao Kun would definitely have to get his hands on it.
Manipulating time—this is no longer a magic tool, but a divine artifact.
Of course, Cao Kun also knew that it was almost impossible to turn back time like in the movie.
Even a tiny bit of time-related power can be considered a divine artifact.
Cao Kun asked, "Has the complete script been completed?"
“It’s out, I brought it.” Crowley took out a dozen pages of printed material from his bag.
Cao Kun took it and started reading it on the spot.
He read it quickly, skimming through it, and finished reading it in just a few minutes.
The similarity between this and the original plot is over 95%.
The remaining differences might be some temporary changes made during filming.
It can be completely ignored.
Cao Kun asked, "Where is the project at?"
“We’re looking for investment.” Crowley: “Paramount also wants to ask you if you’re interested in investing.”
Cao Kun realized: "So, this is their biggest goal."
Now, Cao Kun is showing signs of developing into a top-notch producer, and his vision has already become known within the industry.
Any project he approves of has a very high probability of becoming a bestseller.
Paramount just wanted to test him and see if he was willing to invest.
If he's willing to invest, Paramount will certainly welcome it, and internally, they will place even greater emphasis on the project.
If he's unwilling, then Paramount might have to seriously reconsider this project.
Even if the project doesn't fail to materialize and is cancelled, a portion of the budget will still be cut.
Some might say this is an exaggeration, since Cao Kun isn't an industry trendsetter.
But this industry just believes in this kind of thing.
In fact, this applies not only to this industry, but to all industries as well.
When someone becomes an authority figure in an industry, their opinions become crucial.
Cao Kun is certainly not an authority, but he has proven his capabilities through past cases.
Crowley: "They didn't say it, but that's probably what they meant."
Cao Kun said, "This script won't do. Tell them that if they want me to invest, this script needs to be drastically revised."
Crowley: "Turn it into a male-centric movie?"
Cao Kun: "That's not necessarily true, but the male lead can't just be a pretty face."
Cao Kun remembers that the original male lead was played by the actor who played 007. He only showed his body briefly in the film and had almost no presence.
Crowley: "Okay, I'll talk to Paramount."
Paramount responded quickly upon hearing that Cao Kun was interested in investing.
That evening, Paramount's production manager, Lawrence, met with Cao Kun at a restaurant.
Upon hearing the other person's name, Cao Kun immediately thought of the wealthy man who had once asked him to find his daughter.
That guy is also named Lawrence, and he has a beautiful wife named Ellen who is determined to get rid of him.
"I wonder if this Lawrence has a young wife."
After muttering something to himself, Cao Kun greeted the other party.
After they sat down, Cao Kun said, "Crowley should have already told you my requirements, right?"
Lawrence was of average appearance and not very tall, about 1.75 meters. He wore glasses and always had a smile on his face.
He looked to be in his fifties, and his steady demeanor made him quite agreeable.
Cao Kun noticed that the production directors of these companies all seemed very composed.
Yes, this is a position that determines whether a company makes a profit or a loss. Being daring and hardworking is certainly a great advantage, but stability is what big companies like the Hollywood Big Six are looking for.
But being steady doesn't mean being rigid or conservative; it means acting only when the time is right.
Lawrence smiled and said, "Ms. Crowley has already said that Mr. Cao is not very satisfied with the script and it needs major revisions. I just don't know how Mr. Cao plans to revise it?"
Cao Kun: "Two aspects."
First, the monsters are too weak, and the protagonist's fighting ability is also weak, making the fights uninteresting. The overall combat strength needs to be significantly increased.
Secondly, the male lead's presence is too weak; his screen time needs to be increased, and his importance should be elevated.
Lawrence explained, "The female protagonist's combat skills are already very high. In our setting, her combat power far exceeds that of ordinary people."
His strength, agility, and marksmanship are all far superior to those of ordinary people.
Cao Kun: "That's not enough. We also need to strengthen those monsters."
If the process of the female protagonist obtaining the mysterious triangular block is too easy, it will lose its appeal; it needs to be made more difficult and complex.
The villainous Light and Shadow Society is also quite weak; therefore, Powell's power could be set to be twice that of the female protagonist.
"Twice as much?" Lawrence exclaimed in surprise. "That's too powerful. With such a power level, it's a bit unbelievable that the female lead still managed to get the triangular piece in the end."
Cao Kun: "This is where the male protagonist comes in. He can increase the male protagonist's combat power and become the top expert under the villain Powell."
But in reality, he was secretly in cahoots with the female lead.
On the surface, he always opposes the female lead, but in private he provides her with a lot of help.
The identity was only revealed at the very end, creating a surprising twist.
In the end, even when the male and female protagonists teamed up to fight Powell, they were still no match for him.
The male protagonist chooses to sacrifice himself, allowing the female protagonist to successfully destroy the triangular block and kill Powell.
Lawrence looked intently at Cao Kun: "Mr. Cao, I finally understand why you have achieved continuous success."
The main storyline remains the same; only the process and settings have been changed.
But just hearing it now makes the story more than twice as interesting.
Cao Kun smiled dismissively.
The plot device of identity reversal has become an overused trope in later films.
But in this day and age, it's still quite novel.
Use it at a crucial moment, and it will amaze the audience.
In the end, the male and female protagonists teamed up to fight the villain, but they were still no match for him, which increased the difficulty and appeal of the mission.
The male protagonist's sacrifice not only makes everything believable, but also adds a touch of tragedy and emotion.
This directly elevates the film's overall quality to a higher level.
Just like the Wreck of the Ship, without Jack's final sacrifice, it would never have had such a good reputation.
The revamped Tomb Raider certainly can't compare to The Wreck of Ship, but the sentiment is the same.
Of course, this is also because this version of Tomb Raider is an original film, which allows him to make such changes.
If he had any background in gaming, his modifications would definitely be met with fierce criticism from gamers.
Lawrence stated, "I'll call the screenwriter right away, and I'll add Mr. Cao's name after the screenwriter's name."
Cao Kun knew this was to increase the film's prestige.
Yes, his current fame and reputation are enough to add value to a film.
He didn't object: "Let's settle the screenwriter's fee, thank you."
Lawrence laughed and said, "Of course, not a penny less."
Cao Kun: "What's the film's budget?"
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