Chapter 599: The Negotiations Conclude

It was a classic battle from 2,500 years ago, a visual feast of flashing blades, and an epic film with an unconventional style.

Of course, in an era when the historical epic was steadily declining, if its style hadn't been so notably unconventional, 300 Spartans would likely have suffered the same disastrous box office fate as King Arthur, Alexander the Great, and Kingdom of Heaven.

Setting aside the historical context, more than half of the film's appeal stemmed from its breathtaking visual impact. Zack Snyder had pushed blue- and green-screen technology to its absolute limit, crafting a CG-composited image quality with a transcendent, hyper-realistic allure.

Its dark, warm color palette, splattering blood, and churning mud were emphasized repeatedly. Freeze-frame shots appeared frequently amid the alternating fast and slow pacing, effortlessly rousing the audience's emotions. It blended almost every existing technique for expressing visual tension, keeping viewers captivated throughout.

Naturally, it also featured tall, powerful men with eight-pack abs who ran with the dazzling might of Hercules. Whenever the camera gave them a close-up, shrieks from female viewers would erupt from the back of the theater.

As an epic film, it naturally featured intense scenes of warfare.

In the multiple offensives repelled by the Spartans, the tragic devastation of the Persians was beyond words. The three hundred men were essentially portrayed as Gods of War, slicing through ordinary foes as easily as chopping vegetables. Amid this brutal, blood-soaked slaughter, the Spartan warriors faced death without flinching, fighting until they shed their very last drop of blood.

It was a film practically devoid of tenderness. Broad shoulders, bulging biceps, rivers of blood, and severed limbs filled the silver screen at every turn.

300 Spartans didn't need softness; all it offered was strength and grit.

The film's strengths were highly prominent, but its flaws were equally obvious.

Because viewers were so deeply enthralled by the visuals and pacing, most found it difficult to retain a lasting impression of the characters or their personalities after the credits rolled. Even for the protagonist, Leonidas, his characterization probably left less of an impact on the audience than Gerard Butler's exaggerated, muscular physique.

Acting in this movie could only leave an extremely faint mark.

However, for a commercial film, that didn't matter, nor would it provoke any backlash from mainstream audiences.

Technically speaking, 300 Spartans employed the industry's most mature blue- and green-screen CG technology. The highly complex multi-layer image compositing was on par with, if not superior to, that of Iron Man.

Especially with the frequent, seamless transitions between fast and slow motion, Zack Snyder had taken this technique—one Duke had often used in his early days—and practically pushed it to its zenith.

What truly made a good movie?

If judged by thematic depth, 300 Spartans, which relied on showing off various techniques to win over crowds, absolutely did not qualify as a good film.

But for the majority of audiences, getting what they wanted out of a movie was enough. These people came for the spectacle and the adrenaline-pumping thrill. If it felt exhilarating, then it was a good movie. After all, one couldn't expect every film to reflect real-world social issues, could they? Mainstream viewers simply wanted straightforward entertainment.

From that perspective, 300 Spartans was a good movie.

Not just Duke, but Zack Snyder as well positioned themselves strictly as commercial directors.

Commercial performance was naturally their primary focus. So when 300 Spartans raked in 71.88 million dollars at the North American box office in its opening weekend, the critiques and the praises alike ceased to matter all that much.

What mattered was that the film had already achieved a massive commercial victory.

With the back-to-back successes of The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and 300 Spartans, Zack Snyder instantly became a highly sought-after director.

In this circle, commercial performance ultimately did the talking. No matter how artistic a film might be, a production company's willingness to invest stemmed from a desire for commercial profit, not some lofty pursuit of art.

"Zack has already become a very successful director."

In the banquet hall, taking advantage of the time before the dinner officially began, many members of Duke's team gathered to chat.

"Wallace Lee also got the chance to direct independently later on. Even though Underworld only pulled in over 60 million dollars in North America, it still turned a profit through overseas markets and Videotape rights. Word is that a sequel is already in the works."

At this point, Tina Fey looked over at Anna Printz. "Don't you want to direct on your own?"

Having worked together for years, Anna Printz knew Tina Fey was simply asking out of curiosity. She answered directly, "When I first entered the film industry, I really wanted to become a director at the helm of massive productions. But the more exposure I got, the more I realized that the pressure involved is simply too immense—so huge it could drive a person to a breakdown."

She let out a laugh. "I don't want to shoulder that kind of burden. I'll let Duke carry the immense pressure, and I can just complete my work with ease. That's enough for me."

"Anna's pursuits are too simple." Scarlett Johansson walked in from outside, catching the tail end of the conversation. She pulled up a chair, sat down next to Tina Fey, and said, "Simple pursuits make it much easier to feel satisfied and happy."

"Are you talking about yourself, Scar?"

Having successfully lost weight, John Schwartzman was much thinner now, yet he still occupied a wide sofa chair. He gestured with his hand to indicate a height of only about four feet. "The first time I shot a scene for you, you were only this tall."

"Do I need to call you 'Uncle', John?" Scarlett turned her head, raising an eyebrow at him. "Mr. Schwartzman?"

John Schwartzman had suffered at Scarlett's hands quite a bit in the past, and he hurriedly shook his head. "You'd better stick to calling me John."

The group joked around for a while before Anna Printz asked in curiosity, "Where's Duke? He said he was treating us today, so how come there's no sign of him yet?"

"He was just about to come over with me," Scarlett Johansson explained. "But when we were walking down the stairs, he got a call and hurried off to the study. It seemed urgent."

She picked up the silver pot, refilled everyone's coffee one by one, and said, "Don't mind him. Let's talk about dinner instead. Duke recently hired a Chinese-American chef whose Chinese cuisine is extremely distinctive. You all have to give it a good try later."

Dinner was still being prepared. The chef Duke had hired was a second-generation immigrant who was equally adept at making authentic Eastern dishes and Westernized Chinese food.

Naturally, the dishes Duke had instructed him to prepare were decidedly Westernized.

Upstairs in the study, Duke was on the phone with Rupert Murdoch. The media mogul was speaking very politely, as the proposals Duke had made back then were now playing a massive role.

While coming down the stairs, Duke received definitive news from Time Warner. The joint delegation formed by Time Warner and News Group had concluded their negotiations with the parties across the Pacific Ocean, and the two sides would formally sign the investment agreement on July 1st.

Over a year of hard work had finally yielded results. Duke breathed a sigh of relief, feeling incredibly pleased. This meant that the boundlessly expansive market on the other side of the ocean had finally opened its arms to him and his films.

After returning to the study and exchanging a few words with Doug Walter, Duke received the call from Rupert Murdoch.

Although the media mogul from Australia didn't say much explicitly, there was a clear note of excitement in his words. The conclusion of the investment negotiations for Warner Fox World brought an immediate ripple effect for News Group. Phoenix Television, a subsidiary of News Group, would fully enter the television market across the Pacific Ocean as a satellite channel within the next year.

While there would undoubtedly be a series of restrictive policies and measures in place, for Rupert Murdoch—who had been trying to pry open this market since the 1990s—it could be considered the fulfillment of a long-held wish.

Moreover, merely securing entry meant there would be far more opportunities to come.

Just as Hollywood had always done, markets were constantly cultivated; they were never naturally formed.

Finally, Rupert Murdoch extended an invitation to Duke, asking him to travel across the Pacific Ocean together to witness the official signing of the Warner Fox World investment agreement.

Duke was going to be on vacation for the entirety of June. Come July, he would officially begin preparations for his new film, The Dark Knight. For a production of that scale, a one-year timeline was exceptionally tight, and a massive amount of work awaited him.

Therefore, after only a brief moment of consideration, Duke politely declined Rupert Murdoch's invitation, opting instead to have Tina Fey travel across the Pacific Ocean in his place.

Of course, Doug Walter would also be making the trip to represent Time Warner Group.

The market across the Pacific Ocean was more than worthy of such high regard.

After wrapping up the phone calls, Duke left the study. He first went downstairs to check on the kitchen, and upon seeing his housekeeper, Emma, present there, he felt assured enough to head into the dining room.

The spacious dining room was decorated with a futuristic, sci-fi aesthetic. The dozen or so people gathered around the dining table were all core members of Duke's team. Shortly after he came down, Sofia Coppola and Zack Snyder also arrived, one after the other.

It wasn't as if there were no conflicts within the team. For instance, between Zack Snyder and John Schwartzman, the number of non-work-related conversations they'd had over the past dozen years absolutely did not exceed ten. However, these people were all acutely aware that they weren't just partners; they shared indivisible common interests.

Conflicts only ever occurred in private settings. They never flared up when the team needed to cooperate.

In fact, this was also linked to Duke's way of doing things. From the moment he first assembled this team, he knew perfectly well that relying on personal friendships to sustain team cooperation was incredibly unreliable. In this profit-driven circle, airtight contracts and shared financial interests were clearly much more effective.

Even though some had gone independent, they still maintained close ties and collaborated frequently with Duke. It didn't matter at all what dishes were being served at this dinner party. What mattered was that these people were working together now, and for a long time to come, they would continue to work together.

Their next collaboration was titled The Dark Knight.