After attending the premiere, Gilbert took a private jet to Toronto that evening to check on the construction progress there.
On the way to the site in the morning, Gilbert received the midnight screening data report.
"The average occupancy rate is as high as 85%, with 2,300 midnight screenings generating $15.27 million in box office revenue," Gilbert said, looking at the data in his hands without any surprise. "Not bad, this is a solid performance."
Ivanka asked, "Do you ever regret not directing it yourself?"
She remembered Gilbert mentioning last night that the global box office for Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest could surpass $1 billion.
So far, only the Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by Gilbert had exceeded $1 billion in box office revenue. Therefore, many critics who discredit Gilbert claim that he relied on IP bonuses rather than his own talent.
In reality, before Gilbert adapted Lord of the Rings, this fantasy epic was regarded as one of the hardest novels to adapt, and no one dared to attempt it.
After its successful adaptation, many regretted not tackling it earlier.
Ivanka felt that the key was never how great the fantasy novel was. Without Gilbert, how long would it have taken for a film version of that novel to emerge?
Facing Ivanka's question, Gilbert shook his head with a smile: "No regrets. I enjoy doing things that are difficult and challenging."
Ivanka rolled her eyes at him. "You look so relaxed and confident, not like it's that much of a challenge."
The two of them arrived at the bustling construction site, overseen by James, Gilbert's longtime deputy.
James introduced the plan: "We're planning for 100,000 square meters. Later, the Toronto city government granted us an additional 50,000 square meters.
With this much space, I think building a true Night City is feasible."
Gilbert and Ivanka put on safety helmets; safety on the construction site was still important.
Looking at the design plans and the busy site before him, Gilbert said, "Let's build a portion of the area first to meet filming needs."
"Don't worry," James replied. "Although the schedule is tight, part of the scenery can be completed within two months."
"Excellent," Gilbert said, clearly satisfied.
In fact, several zones of Night City are being constructed at the Toronto film studio, while the remaining parts will be in Nevada and New Mexico. For example, the wilderness areas shown in the game are mostly filmed in New Mexico.
The red cliffs, deserts, cacti, and various desert plants here perfectly fit the desolate background.
In the game, the Nomad family is active in this wilderness, and the main character Panam comes from the Nomad family.
As for the main character V, Gilbert plans to give V a street gang background to make it feel more immersive.
In Gilbert's plan, after telling the story of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the narrative starts with V.
The first film will depict V becoming a mercenary, adventuring with Jackie Wells. Then, when Arasaka's assassination plot unfolds, the two escape, Jack Wells dies, and V is shot in the head, ending the film.
The second film will flash back to Johnny Silverhand's past, blowing up the Arasaka Tower, and introduce concepts like Alt, Soulkiller, and more.
The third film returns to V, showing V merging with Johnny Silverhand to survive.
The plan is clear, with a distinct main story for each stage, and everyone knows what to do. Gilbert provides the main outline, while the studio writers fill in details using the tabletop game and original material for inspiration.
Hollywood's professional screenwriters sometimes lack imagination, but in content filling—a kind of assembly-line work—they can perform well.
Moreover, Gilbert supervises the process.
As for the role of V, although Scarlett wanted to play the character, Gilbert felt it was better not to reuse actors from the same series, as it could be distracting.
As for whether to cast a male or female V, that would be decided later.
Additionally, the series has many standout characters, including Johnny Silverhand, Panam, Judy, Jack Wells, and Viktor.
It must be said, although CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077 had a disastrous launch due to optimization issues, its script and character design were excellent, leaving a host of memorable characters.
Now, after the film succeeds, CDPR can still develop the game as long as it isn't a disaster.
After three days in Toronto, Gilbert returned to Los Angeles. Most of the actors were already on site, and regarding Adam Smasher Gilbert had also discussed the role with Dwayne Johnson.
Looking at the character design, Dwayne Johnson was stunned. He asked, "Director, is Adam Samsher considered human?"
Gilbert thought for a moment and replied, "In a sense, he really can't be considered human anymore. Adam Samsher's cybernetic modifications are extremely exaggerated, far more than the protagonist David.
To put it simply, only about four percent of Adam Samsher is original flesh."
Dwayne Johnson rubbed his bald head. "My God, is this guy crazy?"
Unexpectedly, Gilbert nodded in agreement. "In a way, Adam Samsher really is crazy—a cyber-psycho."
Dwayne Johnson was speechless. He read through the background information: Adam Samsher was nothing less than a complete villain. Born in New York, he became a worthless street thug.
Later, his criminal gang was wiped out. With nothing left to do, Adam Samsher had no outlet for his murderous urges. Conveniently, during the corporate wars, he enlisted in the military.
However, due to his extreme behavior in the army, he was discharged and returned to New York to become a mercenary.
During one mercenary mission, Adam Samsher was blown to pieces by a rocket. His comrades salvaged what remained of him.
Later, a mysterious corporation approached him and offered two choices: die as he was, or undergo full-body cybernetic reconstruction to become the company's enforcer.
What intrigued Dwayne Johnson even more was the story of the corporate wars, which was only briefly mentioned in the background.
It only stated that Adam Samsher severely wounded Johnny Silverhand and fought Morgan Blackhand fiercely until the nuclear explosion.
Dwayne Johnson asked Gilbert, "What exactly happened in the Fourth Corporate War?"
Gilbert said, "If you're interested, you can check the tabletop game and original lore. Let's just say you play the ultimate villain, the most powerful man in Night City."
"Wow, I like that phrase—I'm the most powerful man," Dwayne Johnson exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.
Gilbert added, "Of course, you're a cyber-modified human; after all, only four percent of you is real flesh."
Dwayne Johnson fully embraced the concept. "That's great, I think it's really cool."
Gilbert chuckled secretly, hoping that when countless angry fans criticized the character, Dwayne Johnson would still think it was cool.
Compared to Adam Samsher, the other characters were much more normal, at least still human and retaining human traits.
Of course, in this world, those who have undergone cybernetic modifications are essentially a new type of human.
For Gilbert, the biggest challenge was how to get the audience to accept and appreciate such a world.
He believed that emotion was the core—every film's core is driven by emotion. This was undeniable.
...
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