"Martin?!"
After Spielberg heard the name, he immediately exclaimed and laughed: "To be honest, he is also the most suitable director in my mind to make this movie!"
After that, Spielberg added: "Martin's style is more realistic and the tone is colder. The overall style is very suitable for the movie "Infernal Affairs", and he will definitely be able to combine the image of police and gangsters in the United States. The conflict is very American. I believe that if Martin had directed it, the film would have been even more successful. I believe that Martin himself would also be very interested in this film. This content is perfect for him."
Li Mu nodded. As a big-shot director in Hollywood, Spielberg must know his colleagues in Hollywood very well and see things more clearly than himself. He is so optimistic about Martin and believes that Martin will know the script of this movie. If you are interested, then this matter is basically stable.
So Li Mu asked him: "Steven, I will arrange for someone to mail you a DVD today. During your break, call Leonardo and Tom to watch this movie together. Don't tell them about me yet." Whatever you want to do, let them see it, feel it, ask them what they think of the movie, and then tell me.”
Spielberg asked in surprise: "What, you want them to star in this movie?"
Li Mu smiled and said, "I really can't hide anything from you."
After that, Li Mu said calmly: "Yes, I really want them to play the role, let Leonardo play the police undercover, and then let Tom play his boss, the two of them will work together."
"I understand." Spielberg thought for a moment and said, "I think it's very good. Leonardo is suitable for playing such a relatively complex role. As for Tom, he can play anything you want. This guy is almost the planet." Get the best actor!”
Li Mu smiled and said: "Well, please help me first to see if they are interested in this movie. If they are interested, I will go and talk to them."
"OK." Spielberg nodded slightly and asked: "Where are the other leading actors? Do you have any general ideas? Especially the one starring opposite Leonardo."
Li Mu said: "Matt Damon, what do you think?"
Spielberg thought for a while and said seriously: "Matt is a good actor. I have collaborated with him on "Saving Private Ryan" a long time ago. But Mr. Li, to be honest, I think Matt It’s not a perfect fit for the role.”
Li Mu asked curiously: "Oh? Why do you say that?"
Spielberg said: "I have watched the Hong Kong version of "Infernal Affairs". I think that if you want to remake this movie in Hollywood, no matter how you change it, the background setting of the story cannot be changed significantly. For example, the police Undercover, he was originally a sunny, handsome and promising young man on the right path, but because he took on the task of being an undercover, he became vicissitudes, depression and slovenliness. This is a great contrast for this character, Leon Nadeau can interpret this contrast very well;"
"However, another dirty policeman who provides intelligence to the underworld was originally a self-destructive and slutty little gangster. But after he succeeded in the police world, he became glamorous and beautiful, and became famous among others. Always maintain a perfect image in front of you. If you are not prepared for this setting, then the image and temperament of this role player will have very high requirements. The first is handsomeness, and the second is ruffian. Matt is indeed a good actor, but... to be honest , he is not that handsome, and ruffian... to be honest, I don’t think it is his specialty.”
Speaking of this, Spielberg said seriously: "Mr. Li, in addition to having a deep understanding of the actor's acting skills, personality and character, when choosing an actor, in fact, many times it is more superficial. Take a look at his appearance. He is visually The temperament shown to others, like Matt, he is great, so I chose him to play Ryan in "Saving Private Ryan", but James Cameron would not choose him even if he chose him ten thousand times. Playing the leading role in "Titanic", you know what I mean?"
"Hmm..." Li Mu frowned, thinking about Spielberg's words, and fell into silence.
After watching "The Departed" in his previous life, Li Mu didn't notice much of this problem. He just felt that although the framework of the two films was roughly the same, they were both endowed with their own unique cultural characteristics. After watching the original version of "The Departed", Chinese audiences would feel that The American version of "The Departed" has no connotation, but when Americans watch the Hong Kong version of "The Departed", they feel that there are too many twists and turns, and the speech is also a bit formal and pretentious, without enough passion.
However, Li Mu is relatively objective. He feels that both movies are excellent movies, and based on different cultures, there is no need to compare oneself with others, just like the plot in Cheng Long's "Double Dragon Club", even if it is If one twin brother is raised in Western culture and the other is thrown into the streets of Hong Kong and struggles, the two people's personalities will be completely opposite. You can't say that the one who grew up in the West can play the piano better than the one who grew up on the streets of Hong Kong. The one who can fight is stronger.
But now that Spielberg has said this, Li Mu really feels that Matt Damon in the American version of "The Departed" is a bit inappropriate for the portrayal of this character.
In the Hong Kong version, when they were young, one was Chen Guanxi and the other was Yu Wenle. Both of them were very good-looking, but Yu Wenle, after several years of working undercover in the underworld, became the decadent and vicissitudes of Tony Leung. There is no need to take pictures of how Liang Chaowei has been undercover in the past few years, but this transition of image and temperament can very well illustrate how difficult Liang Chaowei endured during his several years of undercover;
And the handsome and slightly arrogant Chen Guanxi has become the equally handsome, sunny, well-dressed suit-wearing and talented Liu Dehua after a few years. It is enough to see from the image how prosperous he has been in the police field in recent years. When the water rises, the good people are down and out, and the bad people are cool and unrestrained. This contrast is very strong.
However, Matt Damon is really not a handsome guy. Therefore, in terms of image and temperament, a person like him is basically not suitable to play a successful person in upper class society, so he was asked to play Andy Lau in "Infernal Affairs" The character is somewhat lacking in image and temperament.
What Spielberg means is that Li Mu needs to find a character like Liu Dehua, who is handsome, successful, and very nice, so that he can better play the contrast between the character and his opponent. Leonardo's stark contrast.
Just imagine, if Andy Lau in the Hong Kong version of "Infernal Affairs" were replaced by Cheng Long, it would really not feel right...
After being convinced by Spielberg, Li Mu immediately gave up the plan to use Matt Damon. However, if he was asked to think about which actors were suitable, he couldn't think of one for a while.
So he said: "Why don't we contact Martin Scorsese first? If he takes this film, let him choose the role. What do you think?"
Spielberg immediately said: "Mr. Li, based on my understanding of Martin, he will definitely take on this drama, and he will definitely let Leonardo play the male lead. This coincides with yours. But, frankly speaking, Martin’s vision for casting is not very good, so I suggest that it is best not to let him choose the core role.”
Li Mu nodded: "I understand, we have to choose someone handsome."
After speaking, Li Mu asked him: "What do you think of Brad Pitt?"
Spielberg laughed: "He is very handsome, but he is not suitable to wear a suit and tie and play a young, promising and successful person."
Li Mu thought about it, and the image of a brother with a slovenly beard was indeed inappropriate.
Johnny Depp is also handsome, but not suitable either.
Tom Cruise? Forget it, he was suppressed by himself, and he would not use him to star in any movie he participated in.
Keanu Reeves? This eldest brother is handsome, but he is already 39 this year. Playing opposite Leonardo is obviously not in the same age group. Moreover, this eldest brother always looks full of awe-inspiring righteousness. Playing a bad guy can easily cause drama...
Li Mu thought for a long time but couldn't think of any suitable candidate, so he smacked his lips and asked Spielberg: "Steven, do you have any good suggestions about this role?"
Spielberg thought for a moment and asked Li Mu: "Have you seen Michael Bay's "Pearl Harbor"?"
"Seen."
Spielberg laughed: "Then you should know Ben Affleck, the actor who has collaborated with him more often, right?"
"Ben Affleck?" Li Mu searched for the impression of this actor and suddenly felt enlightened.
"You mean, let Ben Affleck star opposite Leonardo?"
"Yes." Spielberg smiled: "Ben Affleck, his acting skills are OK, his image and temperament are also OK. Putting on a suit and tie, he can definitely control the role of a young successful man, and he can also control the evil character. He has one side, and he is about the same age as Leonardo, so it should be very suitable to use him to co-star with Leonardo."
Li Mu nodded in agreement and said, "Then list him as the first candidate. Then we can ask him to come over for an audition."
"OK." Spielberg said with a smile: "Let DreamWorks contact Martin next. We still have a very good personal relationship. If he has no problem, then try to let him set up the production team. After all, directors I like to work with a close-knit production team. As for the selection of other actors, we can discuss it at that time. The most important thing right now is to confirm the intention with Martin first, and then start adapting the script, remake this movie, and hope that it will be popular in Hollywood and To achieve good results in the North American market, the adaptation of the script is very important."
"That's right." Li Mu said with great agreement: "The script issue is very critical. After Martin agrees to cooperate, I will communicate with the screenwriters of the original "Infernal Affairs" team and let them participate appropriately."
After finishing speaking, Li Mu said to Spielberg: "Steven, I will trouble you to produce this movie when the time comes."
"no problem!"
(End of chapter)