Chapter 314: Time Warner's Opinion

The Cruises didn't stay long. They soon returned to Los Angeles, and it wasn't until late October that Tom Cruise gave Duke a definite answer: he would move forward with the Mission: Impossible sequel. Duke's words had certainly played a part, but so had the film's overseas box office.

It had to be said that Tom Cruise's star power in this era was staggering. Give him a movie and a role that perfectly showcased his cool, handsome persona, and he was an absolute weapon at the box office.

The North American box office for Mission: Impossible was only a little over 180 million dollars, but by late October, its overseas gross was already approaching 300 million and still climbing.

Unless Tom Cruise was truly a fool, he wouldn't pass up making a sequel to such a massive hit.

Duke handed the sequel's preliminary work over to Duke Studio. Meanwhile, after two months of pre-production at the Wellington sets, his new film was finally ready to start shooting.

The set in front of the cameras had been dressed as a messy apartment. The first test shot had just finished, and Duke walked into the center of the room to call Jason Statham and Gerard Butler over.

"Jason, your character is a man of few words, and he defers to Emil Matasareanu. You need to maintain that quiet presence."

There were two robbers, but in every movie, one always took the lead while the other played a supporting role. Duke's setup was no exception. He turned to Gerard Butler. Compared to Larry Phillips, his character, Emil Matasareanu, had a richer backstory and far more room for dramatic interpretation.

"Jerry, there's a slight issue with your performance," Duke said.

Pacing around the set, Duke turned back to Gerard Butler. "Because of his family background, Emil Matasareanu has extreme, radical views. He also suffers from epilepsy after being beaten by a psychiatric patient, but his condition is controllable. In his daily life, he isn't manic or restless. As the brains of the duo, he's actually quite calm most of the time."

"Your performance just now," Duke said, holding up a finger. "It was too fierce. This is just a slice-of-life scene. Emil Matasareanu is alone with Larry Phillips right now. You two are partners who have pulled heists together for years. There's a deep trust between you, even a special kind of friendship."

Gerard Butler thought for a moment before asking, "Can you give me five minutes?"

"Sure."

Duke nodded and returned to his spot behind the director's monitors. Gerard Butler paced back and forth across the set, tracing his designated blocking. He focused his thoughts for a moment, then called Jason Statham over. The two huddled together, discussing their characters and the upcoming scene.

Five minutes passed quickly. Seeing Gerard Butler wave in his direction, Duke had an assistant director notify all departments to get ready. The shoot officially began.

"Collision, Scene One, Take One."

The assistant director snapped the clapperboard in front of the camera lens. "Action!"

Just as with their past films, John Schwartzman operated the camera himself, while Duke sat behind the monitors, watching the feed.

Sunlight, carefully adjusted by the gaffer, streamed through the window and into the room. Gerard Butler, lying on the couch, suddenly jolted awake. Unconcealable panic and ferocity lingered on his face. It was as if his dreams had dragged him back to the family he refused to remember, back to being beaten by that psychiatric patient...

His sudden movement woke Jason Statham, who was resting on a single armchair. The man wore a look of utter apathy, softening only slightly when his gaze fell on Gerard Butler.

"Another nightmare?" he asked. "You look terrible."

"I've been having this dream for over a decade." Gerard Butler slowly sat up. "You get used to it after a while."

He pulled over a large metal box and popped the lid. Casually tossing a handgun from inside onto the couch, he rummaged through a pile of loose bullets until he found his epilepsy medication. He tapped out two pills, tossed them into his mouth, and swallowed them before gesturing with the bottle toward the other man.

"Want a couple? They calm you down."

Jason Statham shook his head. He stood, walked over to a table, and picked up an AK47 fitted with a drum magazine. Racking the bolt, he reminded him, "We need to find a new target..."

"Cut!"

Duke called the cut. Seeing both actors look his way, he said, "Jerry, Jason, you did well, but I need you to do even better. You have five minutes to adjust."

The shoot had just begun, and the crew needed time to gel. The actors, especially, needed to find their rhythm. Rehearsing in private and performing in front of a camera were two entirely different beasts. Having produced so many films, Duke naturally understood this. He did his best to fine-tune Gerard Butler and Jason Statham's performances through direction, breaking down the scene, and adjusting their blocking.

He didn't have sky-high expectations for them. Even at the peak of their careers, neither man was known for his acting chops, much less now.

It took Duke the entire morning to shoot that single two-minute take before he finally called it a print.

"The director is so strict."

Standing at the edge of the set, a young girl in a hood held her mother's hand and muttered, "Will he yell at me if I can't do it, Mom?"

"Darling, don't you have confidence in yourself?"

Before her mother could answer, Kate Beckinsale walked up from behind and reached out to rub the hood on the girl's head. "You did wonderfully when we read lines together."

The ten-year-old girl turned her head and offered a mischievous smile. "Hello, Mom."

Kate Beckinsale laughed as well. "Don't worry, Ellen. Among the big Hollywood directors, Duke has one of the best tempers. He's very patient. Besides, you're excellent. He's going to like you."

"Do you know him well, Kate?"

Ellen Page tugged on her hand, asking with burning curiosity, "I've seen you two eating and chatting a lot lately. Is he pursuing you?"

"Darling, you're overthinking it," Kate said.

Kate Beckinsale's gaze drifted back to the set. She and the director could always find plenty of common ground when it came to literature and film, but she was no fool. She could guess his general motives. After all, Director Rosenberg was a notorious playboy.

"Hey, Kate, aren't you going to grab lunch?"

With the shoot temporarily paused, someone passing by extended an invitation. "Want to head to the dining hall together?"

Not long after lunch, Kate Beckinsale stepped into the makeup trailer. She had scenes that afternoon, so she had to prep early and wait for the director's call.

Over on a soundstage dressed as a police precinct, extras in uniforms and plain clothes bustled back and forth. The towering Liam Neeson was a veteran Hollywood actor who knew exactly how to adjust on the fly. After two test shots and one stoppage by Duke, he rapidly found his rhythm and slipped into character. The five shots required for this scene were wrapped in just over an hour.

Standing behind the monitors and watching the playback of his performance, he asked, "Was my acting alright? I've kept in touch with two plainclothes detectives from the Los Angeles County Police Department, and I've also met with people from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Los Angeles Field Office. I've picked up a few insights."

Duke turned his head. After an assistant handed Liam Neeson a cup of coffee, he said, "You have this rare, righteous aura about you. You were born to play figures of light, like a Jedi Knight, a cop, or an agent."

"Thank you."

Liam Neeson took a sip of his coffee. "I've done far more preparation for this role than I ever did for Qui-Gon Jinn."

"When the opportunity arises," Duke said as he switched off the monitors, "we can work together again."

"What kind of role?" Liam Neeson asked jokingly. "Another cop?"

"How about a secret agent?" Duke replied in the same tone. "Or someone who commits acts of terror in the name of justice."

"Whenever you need me!" Dropping his joking tone, Liam Neeson spoke with absolute sincerity. "Duke, I'm at your beck and call."

Duke smiled and told his assistant, "Tell everyone we're moving. Head to Soundstage 3."

While Liam Neeson went to get his makeup redone, Duke left the area in his assistant's hands and headed straight to Soundstage 3 in the southeast corner of the lot. This space had been dressed as a warm, cozy home—a typical North American middle-class household.

Setting up the cameras, arranging the lighting, positioning the director's monitors... the crew was already hard at work.

About half an hour later, everything was ready. The three actors walked over one by one. Duke gave Ellen Page and Kate Beckinsale—the first ones up—a brief rundown on their blocking, and then they began rolling.

The scene was incredibly simple. It relied on this mother-daughter pair to showcase the joy and warmth of family life, which would form a stark contrast to the grim aftermath when Liam Neeson's character arrived to deliver terrible news.

For someone like Kate Beckinsale, who had starred in numerous films, this scene was a breeze. But for Ellen Page, who was acting in her very first movie, it was a different story. The young girl had been stunning in her audition, but an actual set was a far cry from an audition room. She was visibly nervous, her entire body uncharacteristically stiff.

"Cut!"

Calling a temporary halt to the take, Duke walked onto the set. Ellen Page watched him approach, seemingly even more terrified.

Children and animals were always the most uncontrollable variables on a film set. Duke knew this all too well. He also knew he absolutely could not be harsh with child actors; doing so would only backfire.

Duke sat down on the prop couch and pointed to the opposite side. "Ellen, Kate, take a seat anywhere."

"Director Rosenberg..." The little girl looked at him, a trace of fear in her eyes.

"Hey, darling, just grab a seat."

Flashing her a gentle smile, Duke said, "Am I that scary? Or am I so ugly that you don't dare sit across from me and look? I'm not Godzilla, you know."

The little girl forced a smile, grabbed Kate Beckinsale's hand, and sat down across from Duke.