Following Amber Heard's gaze, Matthew looked over at Mackenzie Foy, who was chatting with another young actor on set. She was, by any measure, an adorable and charming girl.
"She's very cute," Matthew agreed, nodding.
A girl like her could definitely attract a large audience—she might even be the next Dakota Fanning. Although Dakota's appeal had faded somewhat as she grew older, she had been one of the rare child stars with real market appeal in her early years. Matthew hoped Mackenzie could bring similar appeal to The Conjuring.
Amber, however, seemed to have a different idea. She leaned closer and whispered, "Should I bring Mackenzie over to your place sometime?"
Matthew frowned instantly, giving her a stern look. "Amber, what are you suggesting?"
He wasn't joking—this was something he wouldn't even consider. The consequences of crossing such a line were severe, and even someone as powerful as Spielberg or Lucas wouldn't be able to withstand the fallout.
Amber was taken aback. She had thought it would please him, but hadn't expected such a strong reaction.
Matthew shook his head. "Enough. Go back to work."
Amber hesitated. "Did I say something wrong?"
"It's fine," Matthew replied tersely, his tone turning sharper. "But don't ever bring that up again."
Amber nodded quickly. "I understand."
With a wave, Matthew dismissed her, and she left to return to her work on set.
Matthew put Amber's ill-considered suggestion out of his mind immediately. In a civilized society, the protection of children was paramount; from government agencies and social services to the general public, there was a consensus to defend children's rights. Violating these laws resulted in harsh punishment, as the case of Roman Polanski had shown.
Some mistakes could be made repeatedly, while others would ruin a person entirely with just one incident.
With Insidious laying a strong foundation, production on The Conjuring was going smoothly. Matthew had faith in James Wan's capabilities, and even with its budget increased to $15 million, The Conjuring was a relatively modest investment for him.
In contrast, The Martian was a high-stakes sci-fi project on par with Hollywood's top-tier productions.
"Matthew, you know we'll need a substantial budget to make a sci-fi movie truly exceptional," Ridley Scott remarked during a meeting in one of Disney's sound stages. "One hundred million dollars is the bare minimum—any less, and I can't guarantee the quality of the visuals."
Matthew nodded. "A hundred million is fine."
As an investor, he had to consider the profit ratio, though he could always add more funding if needed to ensure the film wouldn't suffer from lack of resources. He had already arranged for Bella Anderson to secure the financing.
Last year, after Fast Five finished its theatrical run, its DVD and Blu-ray sales in North America alone amounted to 3.536 million units, generating $80 million in revenue. Combined with the film's TV and digital rights income, this was more than enough to fund The Martian.
Matthew was prepared to invest heavily, recognizing that true sci-fi films were costly. It wouldn't make sense to pass off a film as sci-fi simply by giving the lead character a monologue about scientific principles.
Ridley Scott continued, "We'll start filming in the second half of the year. There's a lot to prepare, and I'd like you to review some of the details."
"Of course." Matthew didn't hesitate to agree.
He wasn't just the lead actor but also an investor and producer. Since pre-production had started last year, a significant amount of groundwork had already been laid, including obtaining substantial support from NASA. The space agency granted the team access to multiple NASA facilities for on-site filming. The finalized script included 50 pages detailing NASA's operations, aiming for an accurate portrayal of astronaut life and procedures.
Ridley Scott estimated the shoot would last about 70 days, with 21 of those dedicated to NASA scenes. NASA's involvement would simplify production by providing technical support and flagging unrealistic elements in the source material, which the team had adjusted to better align with real science. NASA representatives even mentioned that the protagonist's Mars mission mirrored one of their potential plans.
Coincidental or not, the collaboration was a fortunate one.
However, the spacesuits modeled on NASA's design were immediately rejected by both Matthew and Ridley Scott. The real suits were bulky and impractical, resembling Buzz Lightyear's gear from Toy Story. They instructed the costume designer to rework the suits to be more functional and visually appealing, while still grounded in NASA's designs.
Though this was a hard sci-fi movie, it was ultimately still a commercial film.
In January and early February, Ridley Scott had led a team to scout various desert locations abroad for Mars surface scenes. Their first stop was Morocco, Hollywood's traditional desert filming location, but the country's current instability made it unsuitable.
They then checked out the famous "Rose Desert" in Wadi Rum, Jordan, only to dismiss it due to the escalating unrest in the Middle East, where safety was a concern.
After multiple site visits, they ultimately decided on a barren desert area in Queensland, Australia. Filming there would come with local government support, and Queensland offered film tax incentives. The production team was negotiating to secure the maximum rebate. A project like this could create hundreds of local jobs.
Some interior scenes would also be shot in Queensland, where the crew had already rented studio space. Ridley Scott, committed to realism, planned to grow a small crop of potatoes in the studio to film the scenes in which the protagonist attempts to survive by cultivating food on Mars.
Bella Anderson was negotiating the film's distribution with Walt Disney Studios, which seemed the most suitable choice.
American Sniper had been released by Warner Bros., but The Martian was better suited to Disney. Unlike American Sniper, which could never pass censors abroad, The Martian had a good chance of approval, and Disney had a strong distribution network there.
Matthew and Ridley Scott also discussed incorporating elements from the overseas space agency to enhance the film's appeal there, possibly adding a supporting female role from that region's space program.
Matthew had already contacted Nina for the role, though he wasn't looking to complicate his personal life with more relationships there. He was wary of the potential risks and preferred not to draw too much attention.
He would personally review all related scenes to avoid any basic missteps.
In recent years, foreign censors had become more lenient with commercial films, as long as sensitive topics were avoided. Though the exact standards could be unclear, general guidelines were there.
The production was also actively seeking product placement deals abroad to boost revenue.
Several major companies were already in talks, and if all went well, the film might feature an astronaut using Lenovo computers connected to an Inspur server to complete NASA's mission from the "Long March" rocket ship.
As for the release date, while a summer debut next year might be tight, a Thanksgiving or holiday release could be more feasible.
Casting was another priority.
Matthew had reserved a role for Lily Collins, with other roles to be determined through auditions.
The female lead, Melissa Lewis, had attracted considerable interest in the industry. Actresses like Amy Adams, Emma Stone, and Jessica Chastain had all expressed interest in the part.
In a pre-Oscars interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Matthew mentioned his upcoming projects, focusing on Fast & Furious 6 and The Martian.
The former needed little introduction as a blockbuster sequel with built-in appeal, so Matthew focused on The Martian and, in particular, on Ridley Scott's involvement.
"Ridley is undoubtedly one of the greatest genre filmmakers in history. He has extensively explored various genres, with unmatched accomplishments that have enriched and expanded cinematic genres," Matthew remarked, clearly admiring Scott. "Especially in sci-fi, Ridley has dedicated incredible effort, creating unforgettable films from Alien to Blade Runner, and now The Martian—each one a classic."
By late February, like most of Hollywood, Matthew's attention turned to the Oscars.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]