"This series is quite unique."
In the Angel Agency's office, Helen Herman remarked to Matthew, "Since the novel is written from the female protagonist's first-person perspective, it's best to hire a female director."
Matthew nodded slightly. "I was thinking the same thing."
For some reason, he had been hiring female directors a lot lately. Sofia Coppola and Patty Jenkins had successfully helmed The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games, respectively. Now, he was looking for another female director to lead Fifty Shades of Grey.
Was he really a friend of women?
Helen continued, "The film's appeal lies in its lead characters. You'll need to cast actors with exceptional looks."
Matthew smiled. "I already have someone in mind for the female lead."
Although the project was still on paper and wouldn't enter pre-production until next year, Matthew planned to cast Amber Heard as the female lead.
He had discussed the role with Amber, and she was more than eager to take it on. Being the lead in an adaptation of such a wildly popular novel would attract massive attention even before filming began.
Helen, flipping through some documents on her desk, added, "I reached out to four female directors, and they all declined. The novel's content is just too sensitive." She rubbed her temples lightly.
Matthew sighed but kept his tone calm. "Take your time. We'll find the right candidate eventually."
Just like actors, there were plenty of directors waiting for an opportunity.
However, there was no denying the controversy surrounding this series.
Despite Fifty Shades of Grey selling astonishing numbers daily, its meteoric rise was accompanied by overwhelmingly negative reviews from the media and the public.
Compared to the magical world of Harry Potter or the epic landscapes of A Song of Ice and Fire, Fifty Shades of Grey was just another clichéd story of a domineering CEO falling for a Cinderella-type character. Besides its boundary-pushing BDSM elements, it was indistinguishable from countless Mary Sue novels that dominated female-oriented fiction.
The media largely scoffed at its literary value. When the novel climbed the bestseller charts, The New York Times published a critique stating, "This book is poorly written, with some truly terrible descriptions. It will never win any awards. But if you can suppress your skepticism and resist the urge to slap the spineless heroine, you might actually enjoy it."
Even readers who purchased the book often expressed dissatisfaction with its plot, apart from the titillating scenes.
One online commenter claimed, "I've never read anything worse. By comparison, Twilight feels like War and Peace."
When Publishers Weekly named Fifty Shades of Grey the "Publishing Phenomenon of the Year" later that month, numerous media outlets lamented, "Civilization has ended."
But Hollywood had proven time and again that the general public's appetite for the sensational far outweighed their interest in highbrow content.
The success of Fifty Shades of Grey was the perfect example of this phenomenon.
While readers criticized its dull writing, they couldn't stop peeking at the explicit scenes. The book normalized taboo topics, bringing themes of bondage and domination out of the shadows and into mainstream bookstores and book clubs worldwide.
Moreover, the series had already inspired countless pieces of fan fiction online, catering to the unspoken fantasies of millions of readers.
Such books existed solely to entertain.
Matthew had already envisioned how the movie adaptation could push boundaries within the limits set by the MPAA. Sensitive scenes would be explored to the fullest extent allowed.
For home entertainment releases like DVDs, they could even consider an NC-17 rating.
Perhaps the project could also attract unconventional sponsors—there were plenty of manufacturers specializing in... niche products.
As for the screenplay, Matthew knew that making the film more engaging than the novel would require a great director and a skilled screenwriter. The ideal writer would have to be an experienced storyteller, someone unafraid to "go off the beaten path."
Matthew considered the screenwriters he knew. Neither Akiva Goldsman nor Chris Morgan, nor even Sofia Coppola, seemed suitable.
Goldsman and Morgan were both aligned with high-end commercial films, while Coppola preferred projects where she could write and direct.
Given their status, none of them would likely join a project like this.
Finally, Matthew asked Helen to keep an eye out for a seasoned writer—preferably a woman.
"You could adapt it yourself," Helen suggested suddenly. "When I visited your house six months ago, I noticed an... interesting game room on the first floor."
Matthew didn't deny it. He hadn't bothered to hide it from her at the time; the door had been left open.
Helen continued, "You have plenty of experience. If you incorporate your... practical knowledge into the script, it's bound to be interesting."
"With my writing skills? Is that even possible?" Matthew retorted.
"Fair point," Helen admitted, stating a simple truth. "Writing a script is probably an impossible task for you."
Matthew nodded. "My educational background isn't strong enough."
It had taken him years of effort and considerable time to improve his basic reading and writing skills. While he could now write coherently without glaring grammatical errors, actual scriptwriting was far beyond his abilities.
Helen pondered for a moment. "You could hire a writer—preferably a woman. You dictate, and she uses her professional skills to turn your words into a script."
She laughed suddenly. "Matthew Horner, screenwriter—what a selling point!"
Matthew resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Didn't you once mention trying your hand at screenwriting in school?" Without waiting for her to respond, he quickly added, "Why not take on this project yourself?"
Helen adjusted her glasses, unfazed, and replied calmly, "I'm a talent agent. I can't directly involve myself in filmmaking."
"You'd just be a ghostwriter," Matthew countered in her own matter-of-fact tone. "I'd put my name on the script. Problem solved."
Helen hadn't expected the conversation to turn on her. Giving Matthew a sidelong glance, she said, "Let's finalize the director before discussing the screenwriter."
Matthew nodded. "Find the director first."
For a commercial film, the director was far more critical than the screenwriter—especially for an adaptation like this, where the writer's job was essentially to execute a pre-set vision.
After discussing some confidential matters with Helen, Matthew left her office around noon.
On the second floor, he found Margot Robbie idly playing video games in the entertainment room.
"I'm meeting with Nolan for lunch," he told her as he entered. "Will you head home?"
Margot held up her phone. "I got a call from my agent. I have to stop by Warner Bros. this afternoon. But Helen invited me to lunch first. Go ahead."
Matthew nodded and prepared to leave for Warner Bros. to meet Christopher Nolan. Just as he reached the door, Margot called after him.
"Wait—your phone." She handed him his smartphone.
Matthew had left it in the car earlier and had asked Margot to retrieve it, so he wouldn't miss any important calls.
Taking the phone, Matthew heard her say, "A girl named Emma called you. She said something strange—something about winter coming, feeling cold, and wanting warmth."
"Got it." Matthew offered no explanation. "It's the usual stuff."
Margot understood. "She seemed irritable. When I asked her to clarify, she cursed at me, so I hung up."
Matthew sighed internally but reassured her, "Don't pay her any mind."
Margot nodded and dropped the subject.
Leaving the agency, Matthew guessed the call was from Emma Roberts. Seeing an unfamiliar landline number on his phone, he chose not to return the call. Instead, he instructed the driver, "To Warner Bros."
Ten minutes later, Matthew arrived at the newly opened Warner Bros. cafeteria and met with Christopher Nolan. Their discussion revolved around Interstellar, with Nolan handing Matthew several books on astronomy and technology, encouraging him to study them.
The film touched on complex scientific principles that Matthew knew little about, but he would do his best to keep up.
After spending Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, Matthew returned to London to complete the remaining scenes for Fast & Furious 6.
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