In the original timeline, *Stargate*, released in 1994, not only achieved excellent box office results but also, like Paramount's *Star Trek*, used the "Stargate" from the film as its main creative concept, forming an enduring science fiction film and television series.
It successively produced more than ten seasons of related TV series and a large number of sequel films.
Simon had seen the original *Stargate* and some *Stargate* TV series. By his personal standards, the plot of *Stargate* was not outstanding, but the key was the very novel idea of applying the wormhole concept to film.
As a sci-fi action movie, the action scenes in the original version were also very crude, almost unbearable compared to the action blockbusters of Hollywood's later mature period.
Simon's decision to have Michael Bay direct this time was also to compensate for some of the original version's shortcomings.
Michael Bay's specialty of "boom-boom—bang-bang—clatter-clatter," by the standards of a popcorn movie, is actually very enjoyable. The subsequent complete collapse of the *Transformers* series was mainly due to the plot, and ultimately, it was probably due to Michael Bay's own weariness of repeatedly directing a single series. Paramount's lack of courage to change directors was also one of the reasons.
"Regarding character development, Colonel O'Neill is a tough, decisive, and resolute soldier, which is fine, but Dr. Jackson's character setting is a bit vague." In the office, Simon recalled James Spader's uninspired performance in his memory and the thin portrayal of Dr. Jackson in the script, saying, "As a male lead whose role is even more important than Colonel O'Neill's, I hope his personality can be more distinct. For this, you can refer to the performances of Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum in *Jurassic Park*."
Although it was a standard commercial film, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum successfully portrayed two completely different types of scholars in *Jurassic Park*. One was gentle and meticulous, the other witty and unconventional.
In comparison, James Spader in *Stargate*, rather than an archaeologist and linguist, seemed more like a down-and-out high school teacher, even giving off the vibe of the struggling young man in *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*.
Ultimately, James Spader was still more suited for art-house films.
Roland Emmerich had clearly considered this issue and said, "So, Simon, what do you think about having Jeff play Dr. Jackson?"
Simon immediately understood Emmerich's meaning, his expression a little strange, and said, "Are you planning to replicate Dr. Malcolm?"
Roland Emmerich nodded, then shook his head, saying, "Of course there will be some changes."
If Jeff Goldblum were cast in this *Stargate*, then the next *Independence Day* would be a bit problematic.
Levinson in *Independence Day* largely replicated Malcolm from *Jurassic Park*, both unconventional, both talented, and perhaps, both a bit down-and-out.
Shaking his head, Simon rejected Emmerich's idea, saying, "In that case, the emotional arc of the script would need a major adjustment, and Jeff is too old. Moreover, replicating a 'Dr. Malcolm' would be too obvious, and *Jurassic Park* is still in theaters; even next year, audiences might be quite sensitive to it. I think since Jackson could become a doctor at such a young age, he should have a somewhat academic, bookish personality, a bit naive and dull, yet sufficiently knowledgeable."
Michael Bay, who had mostly been listening attentively like an apprentice, now said, "Simon, with two male leads, one serious and one dull, the movie will definitely feel boring. According to the traditional buddy film model, the personalities of the two leads should show a clear contrast."
Simon nodded at this, saying, "That is indeed a problem. Then let's adjust Colonel O'Neill's personality to make him more humorous."
As he spoke, noticing that both men had thoughtful expressions, Simon checked the time and said, "Never mind, you two can discuss this privately again and come up with a revised opinion. We'll schedule another time then."
The two agreed, and everyone discussed some detailed settings. Roland Emmerich and Michael Bay then stood up to leave.
---
After seeing them off, Simon also rushed to another conference room in the office building.
Many people were already waiting for him there, including Robert Rehme, who was now serving as president of Paramount Pictures after several transfers.
The others were mainly the creative team behind the *Mission: Impossible* series.
Apart from Nicolas Cage, who was already confirmed as the male lead for the *Mission: Impossible* series, casting for the project had begun in the second half of last year.
The original *Mission: Impossible*, at least the first few installments, was entirely centered around Tom Cruise. Although the film started with a good prototype of a team, given Tom Cruise's strong personality, he wouldn't allow anyone to overshadow him in a movie. Also, due to considerations like salary, he wouldn't allow stars with similar status to Cruise to appear.
It wasn't until later, when Tom's appeal to audiences was no longer as strong, that the *Mission: Impossible* series began to place more emphasis on other team members, successively introducing 'Hawkeye' Jeremy Renner and 'Superman' Henry Cavill to enhance the film's box office appeal.
This time, frankly speaking, Nicolas Cage still had a significant gap in box office appeal compared to Tom Hanks. Therefore, Simon intended to adopt a relatively clever team model from the start.
Of course, for sequel salaries, the team members would not be completely fixed. However, the computer expert Luther, played by Ving Rhames, and auxiliary comic relief characters similar to Benjamin, played by Simon Pegg, would be fixed from the beginning.
Considering the factor of freshness, the female lead needed to be changed.
This also gave the project a lot of room for maneuver.
In the original version, due to Tom Cruise's various principles, the female lead was basically not an A-lister, absolutely could not overshadow the male lead, and could not be too tall. Cage, of course, did not need these 'taboos.'
Therefore, compared to Emmanuelle Béart, who had very low popularity in North America in the original first film, Daenerys Entertainment planned to use an A-list actress this time.
As of now, besides Nicolas Cage, the director has been decided. Because Brian De Palma, who directed the original, was going to shoot *Carlito's Way*, Simon also felt that he wasn't quite suitable.
After much searching, Australian director Philip Noyce, who had just directed *The Ring*, successfully took the helm. This Australian director had also directed Harrison Ford's *Patriot Games*, *Clear and Present Danger*, and Angelina Jolie's *Salt* in the original timeline.
The box office success of *The Ring* also proved that this Australian director, who had been making his own films since childhood and was similar to George Miller in being a versatile filmmaker, was capable of carrying this project.
The roles of hacker expert Luther and colleague Benjamin have also been confirmed.
Luther will still be played by Ving Rhames, who played him in the original. Simon and Rhames had collaborated on *Pulp Fiction*, and Simon was well aware of the black actor's excellent acting skills.
Simon Pegg is still an unknown at the moment, so the role of Benjamin had to be recast. Dana Carvey, who partnered with Mike Myers in *Wayne's World*, was ultimately chosen. Although this actor's comedic talent is not as good as Mike Myers', it is perfectly suited for a major commercial production like *Mission: Impossible*.
The character of Franz, played by Jean Reno in the original, was largely cut this time.
As a major European film star, Jean Reno wouldn't always play a supporting role in a Hollywood film project. The original decision to use Jean Reno and Emmanuelle Béart, both European stars, was likely due to their affordability and consideration for the European market.
Simon, however, was not worried about this.
Hollywood films already possess sufficiently strong export capabilities and do not need to deliberately employ local actors to gain market favor. In fact, sometimes forcing this can make the film seem incongruous.
The female lead is still in the final discussion stage.
Both Paramount and the creative team were more inclined towards Famke Janssen, the 'Wonder Woman,' to be the female lead in the first film.
Famke Janssen's performance in the first *Wonder Woman* last summer truly left a deep impression on audiences and immediately established her image as an A-list actress and action star.
Simon, however, was somewhat hesitant about this.
In the original timeline, 'Hawkeye' and 'Superman' successively joined *Mission: Impossible*. On one hand, Hawkeye was not a core character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series. On the other hand, the rough journey of the DC Extended Universe meant that Warner couldn't restrict Henry Cavill from choosing other action films.
The current DC Extended Universe, however, is different.
For Daenerys Entertainment, the DC Extended Universe must be a priority. Simon would never allow DC Extended Universe actors to play roles similar to their superhero personas in other films, thereby consuming the popularity of the DC Extended Universe.
In recent years, female characters in the DC Extended Universe, such as 'Catwoman' Valeria Golino, have developed very well outside of the superhero series. However, the corresponding roles, such as the demure young woman in last year's *Indecent Proposal*, are completely different concepts from the sexy and fiery Catwoman in the *Batman* series.
For this *Mission: Impossible*, Simon wanted the female lead to have enough personality, not just be a pretty face. Simon wasn't even worried that she would overshadow Nicolas Cage; sparks flying between the male and female leads would make the audience more excited.
If Famke Janssen, an actress who just became famous with *Wonder Woman*, were cast in an action film and played a 'tough woman,' her character development would inevitably lean towards Diana Prince, which is something Simon absolutely did not want to see.
In the conference room, everyone discussed the preparations for *Mission: Impossible* for over half an hour, and finally, the topic of the female lead inevitably came up.
Simon no longer hesitated. He didn't want this matter to drag on, so he directly rejected the idea: "Famke is out. You all should discuss other options. And no, don't even think about Valerie. I don't want a second Catwoman in the film. Besides that, you can contact any other A-list actresses, but I must remind everyone, you only have one month."
According to the plan, *Mission: Impossible* is scheduled to start filming in late February. If all goes well, filming and post-production will take a total of six to seven months, completing by late September at the latest, with a release date directly set for the end of the year.
If a female lead cannot be found by the time filming begins next month, they will have to cast while shooting, which is very common in Hollywood, and the female lead's role in the first film is not too extensive.
For an action film, it is certainly more suitable for an action actress to participate. This is not only about the character image but also about filming experience. Actresses who have participated in action films are definitely more suitable than those who have not participated in similar genre films.
Simon directly passed on Famke Janssen and Valeria Golino, the two actresses the team favored most. Everyone was a bit dejected, but work had to continue.
Robert Rehme said, "So, Simon, do you think Ms. Nicole Kidman would be suitable?"
Simon smiled and shook his head: "Nicole doesn't have availability."
*Batman: The Dark Knight*, set for next summer, is also scheduled to begin filming in the first half of this year.
Nicole Kidman is the confirmed actress for Poison Ivy, and her temperament is indeed quite suitable for *Mission: Impossible*.
Rehme, however, did not give up immediately, saying, "I know, but an adjustment should be fine."
Simon once again dismissed Rehme's idea: "I hope Nicole can focus on developing Poison Ivy."
Alright.
Everyone looked at each other.
Hollywood blockbusters have only just begun to rise in recent years, and there aren't many actresses suitable for action films.
Simon passed on all the actors the team was quite optimistic about, and for a while, they couldn't find a more suitable candidate.
Temporarily skipping this topic, everyone began discussing other matters.
They remained busy until noon, and lunch was still a working meal, as usual with his female assistant, as well as Amy Pascal and Danny Morris, head of New World Pictures.
In the restaurant, after a brief discussion with Amy about the progress of Daenerys Entertainment's 1992 corporate financial audit, Simon turned to Danny Morris to inquire about several projects under New World Pictures that he had recently been paying attention to.
Mainly three scripts.
A vulgar comedy called *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective*.
In the original timeline, *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* was released earlier than *Dumb and Dumber* and was Jim Carrey's breakout film.
The other two scripts are titled *The Haunting in Connecticut* and *The Conjuring*.
Just by their names, you know these are two horror films.
In the original timeline, *The Haunting in Connecticut* and *The Conjuring* were both filmed after the new millennium. However, both stories were based on real events that occurred in the United States. For example, *The Conjuring*, before its production began in 2013, had been in development for a full 20 years. *The Haunting in Connecticut* was also a true story that appeared in American newspapers more than a decade ago.