Outside the Hollywood Chinese Theatre, Cindy Crawford stepped out of the limousine in a stunning outfit, immediately engulfed by the cheers and screams of fans on either side of the red carpet. Even though she knew this intense atmosphere wasn't because of her, and despite having attended similar events before, she couldn't help but be affected by the excitement.
Today was Wednesday, December 14th.
It was the premiere of another major installment in the DC Cinematic Universe, Suicide Squad.
After the third Victoria's Secret Fashion Show ended, Cindy Crawford moved to the East Coast to prepare for the filming of Fair Game, set to start early next year.
Although Simon Westeros had explicitly expressed doubts about this movie, Cindy couldn't bring herself to give up on it.
Landing the lead role in a $50 million blockbuster wasn't something easily achieved.
However, Cindy did relay Simon's opinion to Fair Game's producer, Joel Silver. In Hollywood, no one takes the opinion of a young tycoon lightly, especially when it involves a $50 million investment. The script was currently being revised, and it was rumored that Silver had personally sought advice from Westeros.
Cindy's attendance at the Suicide Squad premiere wasn't due to an official invitation but was instead a proactive move on her part.
The main goal was to increase her personal exposure.
After three consecutive years of Victoria's Secret shows, the competition in the fashion world was growing increasingly fierce.
Thanks to her accumulated popularity, Cindy Crawford had remained at the top of Egret Portal's model popularity rankings for the past two years. However, her lead was shrinking, and if she were to be overtaken, her decline in the fast-paced fashion industry could be swift.
Among the five supermodels who rose to fame in the 1980s under Elite's promotion, only she and Claudia Schiffer remained in the top ten. Linda Evangelista had been squeezed out this year, Naomi Campbell had disappeared from the scene, and Christy Turlington had married and retired from the fashion industry.
While some fans questioned the fairness of Egret Portal's rankings, Cindy knew there was probably no other list as authoritative. The rankings were based entirely on public endorsements, runway appearances, and cover shoots, rather than the subjective and often PR-influenced rankings found in fashion magazines.
With these thoughts in mind, Cindy gracefully walked down the red carpet, drawing waves of screams.
After signing the wall and taking pictures, Cindy was led by a staff member to a backstage lounge reserved for important guests. Although many guests had come voluntarily today, neither Daenerys Entertainment nor Time Warner had skimped on the details of the reception.
The lounge was already crowded with people.
All of them were public figures, and even if they hadn't interacted before, they recognized each other. Cindy warmly greeted everyone, subtly scanning the room, but was disappointed not to see a certain someone.
However, there were many familiar faces in the crowd.
The pair of "waist and leg fairies" were cozily sitting on a single sofa not far away, looking like a pair of dazzling lilies. Rumors of a romantic relationship between the two had been circulating in the industry, and Cindy wondered what that certain someone would think if he knew.
Stephanie Seymour, who often made Cindy grit her teeth, had also brought her fiancé, Peter Brant, to the event. Their gazes met briefly, and sparks flew.
Also present were Eva Herzigova and Daniela Pestova, rising stars under Elite agent Grace Spelt. Some media outlets predicted that both women had a good chance of breaking into the top ten of the model popularity rankings next year and officially earning the supermodel title.
Curiously absent was Christy Turlington, likely due to other work commitments.
Nicole Kidman, who had just hugged and greeted Cindy, noticed her distracted demeanor and asked with a smile, "Cindy, are you looking for Simon?"
Cindy snapped out of her thoughts and didn't deny it: "Yes, it seems he hasn't arrived yet."
Nicole smiled with a slight sense of superiority: "I just asked Amy, and unfortunately, Simon won't be coming tonight."
"Ah?"
Seeing Cindy's confusion, Nicole pointed to Daenerys Entertainment CEO Amy Pascal, who was chatting with Terry Semel nearby.
Cindy knew exactly who Nicole was referring to, but she hadn't expected that Simon would skip such an important premiere. Could it be true that there was tension between Daenerys and Time Warner? She quickly dismissed the thought, noting that Amy Pascal was present and chatting amiably with Time Warner CEO Terry Semel, indicating no apparent conflict between the two companies.
Nicole, however, knew a bit more.
Simon was busy filming a new movie that he had personally written, which had just started production. The location was kept under strict secrecy, but it was likely outside Los Angeles, possibly in Australia, which explained why he couldn't attend the premiere.
Cindy had hoped to discuss the renewal of her Victoria's Secret contract with Simon tonight. Confirming that Nicole wasn't joking, she felt a wave of disappointment.
Among the original five Victoria's Secret Angels, Cindy was the only one who signed a three-year contract, while the others, who were less famous, had signed five-year deals.
Initially, she thought she had gotten a good deal, but now she only regretted it.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show had evolved far beyond a simple fashion show within the fashion industry.
Being able to walk the Victoria's Secret runway, particularly as an opener or closer, had become a symbol of a model's status. Most notably, being a Victoria's Secret brand ambassador meant receiving a preferential treatment across the entire Westeros system, a fact widely recognized in the industry.
Cindy Crawford's ability to maintain her status over the past few years and consistently top the Egret Portal model popularity rankings was largely due to her role as a Victoria's Secret ambassador.
Losing this status, even if she wanted to focus on Hollywood, would make things much more difficult.
The original contract offered $5 million for three years, and based on Victoria's Secret's recent growth, Cindy's asking price of $5 million per year for renewal wouldn't be unreasonable.
However, the reality was that many were vying for Cindy's soon-to-be-vacant position, and Victoria's Secret's interest in renewing her contract seemed lukewarm at best. Cindy had considered that even if the renewal offer remained $5 million for three years, she would accept it, given the continued benefits of the title.
Securing Simon Westeros's approval would be more effective than any other endorsement.
At last month's Victoria's Secret after-party, Cindy had intended to discuss this with Westeros but was interrupted by Stephanie Seymour and had to postpone the conversation. She just hoped that Westeros had forgotten about the embarrassing incident Seymour had brought up.
Even as the staff notified everyone to enter the theater, Westeros still hadn't appeared.
It was 6 PM on the West Coast.
As the hall filled with stars, reporters, and fans, the host gave a brief speech before the screening of Suicide Squad began.
Cindy Crawford temporarily set aside her thoughts, treating this as a purely cinematic experience.
After the logos of Daenerys, Warner Bros., and DC Films, the first scene on the big screen was an aerial shot rapidly approaching, accompanied by the roar of a helicopter and chaotic radio chatter. Below was a small town engulfed in smoke and flames, thrown into chaos. From the high altitude, vehicles and people looked like ants scurrying in all directions, with frequent gunfire in the background.
Just this suspenseful, explosive opening scene immediately drew everyone's attention into the movie.
For the film professionals in the audience, there was even more to see.
First and foremost, the budget.
A movie opening with such a large-scale scene was something most films couldn't afford.
Moreover, this kind of sharp, attention-grabbing opening inspired many filmmakers in the audience, who were already considering how to incorporate similar elements into their own projects.
On the big screen.
The camera quickly shifted to a man's face inside the helicopter. Anyone who had seen the Suicide Squad previews recognized him as Rick Flag, the character played by Val Kilmer.
Warner initially believed that Val Kilmer didn't have the star power to lead Suicide Squad and had considered offering the role to Mel Gibson. However, Kilmer's performance as a hardened criminal in this summer's Heat, despite it being an ensemble film starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, had left a strong impression on audiences, significantly boosting his popularity.
As the close-up of Val Kilmer settled, a frantic voice came over the radio: "The target is leaving the town. He's heading for the hills, ah…"
A short scream followed, and then the radio was filled with static.
The helicopter began to turn, and Rick Flag, his expression grim, checked his equipment one last time, donned a gas mask, and then said to his men, "Follow me."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone opened the helicopter door and threw down a rope. A dozen special forces soldiers expertly descended from the helicopter.
These scenes were shot with real special forces personnel, lending the sequence a professional and seamless feel. After editing, the audience experienced an extraordinary sense of immersion.
Once they had gathered on a rooftop in the town, a loud explosion echoed nearby.
With a warning from the helicopter above, Rick Flag charged toward the target without hesitation. The audience quickly saw a terrifying figure engulfed in flames, frantically causing destruction. As Rick Flag and his team approached, they witnessed a remaining special forces soldier on the ground being consumed by flames, turning to ashes in seconds.
This horrific scene made everyone in the audience tense, except for Rick Flag, who fired his weapon without hesitation.
Gunfire erupted.
The flaming figure let out a scream, glanced at them with a fierce gaze, and
then fled.
Without a moment's hesitation, Rick Flag gave chase, followed closely by his team. One of his subordinates reminded him, "Rick, they said they want him alive."
As they ran, Rick Flag glanced at the hellish scene around them and coldly replied, "First, we need to stay alive."
From his earlier command of "Follow me" to this moment's "First, we need to stay alive," combined with the intense series of shots, the image of a brave, tough, and brotherly special forces officer came vividly to life on the screen.
Over the next five minutes, the relentless combat and pursuit continued. With the vast difference in power, Rick Flag's team was picked off one by one, leaving him as the sole survivor. When the flaming figure was finally cornered at a cliff's edge, Rick Flag, battered and bruised, ripped off his gas mask and glared at the figure with bloodshot eyes.
"Son of a Bitch!"
He cursed venomously, raising his gun to aim at the equally exhausted figure. Just then, a black mist descended from the sky. Rick Flag barely glimpsed a slender female figure blowing a breath toward him before his body lost control, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
The screen went black.
When the lights came back on, the scene had shifted to a hearing room where a large, imposing black woman was giving a presentation to a group of officials. Meanwhile, a large screen displayed footage from Rick Flag's mission.
"Vengeance Demon, possesses the ability to control flames and has a strong healing factor, making him impervious to regular weapons. During this mission, we lost 37 special forces operatives. If it weren't for the intervention of the similarly powered Enchantress, he would have escaped, proving once again the necessity of my proposed plan. The Federation needs a team of super-powered individuals to help us carry out missions that regular soldiers cannot complete."
As Amanda Waller discussed her plan with the top government officials, the opening credits began to roll on the big screen.
In the theater, the thrilling opening chase scene captivated even those unfamiliar with DC Comics, achieving the exact effect Simon had aimed for.
After the exposition-heavy scene that introduced the movie's premise, the title Suicide Squad appeared, and the main plot began.
Having been severely injured in the battle with Vengeance Demon, Rick Flag had just been discharged from the hospital when a car pulled up in front of him. A seductive woman in a black business suit stepped out.
The last memory before he lost consciousness flashed through Rick Flag's mind, and he became wary: "It's you?"
The woman extended her hand to Rick Flag: "Hello, Mr. Flag. I'm Joan Moon."
Rick Flag hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand: "Thank you for saving me last time."
The woman smiled, a smile tinged with wickedness and allure: "Mr. Flag, it seems you're quite self-aware."
Rick let go of her delicate hand: "So…"
The woman handed him a file she had brought out of the car: "This is your transfer order. Starting today, we'll be working together."
In the theater, as the seductive woman appeared on the big screen, many couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
This was Nastassja Kinski.
Some also recalled the rumors of her past relationship with Simon Westeros.
However, the role of the Enchantress, played by this alluring European actress, seemed perfect.
Simon's choice of Nastassja Kinski for the role of the Enchantress, despite not having been in contact with her for a long time, was far from a personal preference; it was simply because she fit the role so well.
In fact, the first choice for the role was Isabelle Adjani. If there's one actress who could perfectly portray a seductive and sinister witch, it's Adjani. Her performance in Zulawski's Possession left a deep impression on Simon. Unfortunately, at 39 years old, Isabelle Adjani had gained some weight, whereas the role of the Enchantress required a slender, seductive figure.
After she refused Simon's condition to lose weight, he reluctantly had to move on. The role of the Enchantress ultimately went to the second choice, Nastassja Kinski.
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