"We've reached an agreement with New York City Hall," said Akiva Goldsman at the head of the conference table in a meeting room at Warner Bros. Studios. "Most of the exterior scenes, including those at Washington Square and the Brooklyn Bridge, will be shot on location in New York City."
Matthew leaned back in his chair, listening to Akiva while flipping through the script in his hands. He had marked a few sections with a red pen.
The meeting room was not crowded; in fact, only four people were present: Matthew, David Heyman, Akiva Goldsman, and Guillermo del Toro. Together, they represented the top tier of the production team for the film.
Matthew looked up from the script and made eye contact with Guillermo del Toro across the table. They both nodded in acknowledgment. This wasn't their first meeting since Guillermo had signed on to direct "I Am Legend." Akiva Goldsman had introduced them shortly after Guillermo's contract was finalized.
Goldsman had chosen del Toro for his distinctive directorial style and partially because of Helen Herman's recommendation. Del Toro, with his short stature and round glasses, appeared unremarkable at first glance. However, Matthew had been briefed by Helen Herman that Guillermo wasn't a client of Angel Agency but a friend of hers, and had originally intended to compete for the director's role on "I Am Legend." When Akiva initially chose Francis Lawrence, del Toro had to set his sights on another project.
After Lawrence was dismissed, del Toro signed on and postponed his other project, which Matthew recalled del Toro mentioning was in its early script stages and titled "Pan's Labyrinth."
Through their limited interactions, Guillermo del Toro had left a deep impression on Matthew. The Mexican director exhibited a vibrant, intricate inner world, teeming with chaotic and flowing thoughts and a deeply emotional spirit. In more artistic terms, del Toro possessed an extraordinary flair for dark, fantastical cinema.
Akiva Goldsman continued speaking, "The shooting schedule has been adjusted. The latest plan is to film from October through February next year. The exterior scenes might take a bit longer due to the necessity of coordinating with New York City's schedule. We can't expect a global city like New York to adjust to our needs."
David Heyman chimed in, "Barring any unforeseen issues, we're aiming for a December holiday release next year."
Matthew didn't have much to add. His input wouldn't significantly affect these logistical details, so he simply listened.
Akiva then looked at Matthew and Guillermo, asking, "Any thoughts?"
Guillermo del Toro shook his head slowly, indicating he had nothing to add.
Matthew flipped through the script, asking, "Akiva, is this the final version of the script?"
"No," Akiva replied, glancing at the script in Matthew's hands. "I've been working on this for a few years and recently incorporated some new ideas."
Akiva wasn't the type of producer to be overly authoritative; otherwise, he wouldn't have waited for Francis Lawrence to step down before changing directors.
"I've integrated feedback from multiple sources," he added. "Everyone's familiar with the original novel. If you have any ideas, feel free to share."
Matthew didn't hold back, saying, "In the script, Robert, the protagonist, is forced to kill his only companion, Sam. Do you think that might be a problem?"
Guillermo del Toro looked over in curiosity.
"We show the protagonist killing a dog, even if it's out of necessity..." Matthew paused, searching for the right words. After a moment, he continued, "Sometimes, people won't reason with us. Some love dogs more than anything, and if we depict such a scene, it could provoke protests."
Guillermo del Toro nodded in agreement, "You have a point."
"It's a possibility we can't ignore," David Heyman agreed.
None of them were newcomers to Hollywood. While they might have overlooked it initially, Matthew's observation brought immediate clarity.
Akiva Goldsman accepted Matthew's suggestion, "That scene does need some adjustment." He then asked, "Matthew, what do you propose?"
Matthew shook his head, "I just think it might trigger protests from dog lovers and animal rights groups. As for how to adjust it, I'm not an expert."
He could suggest adjustments based on practical concerns, but writing a script was a highly specialized task he had never attempted. After all, who can write a screenplay just by watching a film, especially without professional training?
Akiva Goldsman himself couldn't come up with a suitable adjustment on the spot, so he said, "I'll think this over more carefully."
Finding a way to make Sam's death impactful without upsetting dog lovers was indeed challenging.
Matthew couldn't offer a solution.
The original script might not lead to issues, but none of them wanted to take that risk. The Hollywood film industry had reached a point where issues raised by dog lovers, cat lovers, and various protection groups could create significant problems for a production.
In mainstream Hollywood productions, there was an unspoken rule to avoid scenes depicting the killing of pets like dogs or cats. This was to avoid unnecessary risks. Often, in big-budget films, you'd find scenes where characters even risk their lives to save pets in danger.
Matthew recalled a scene from Zack Snyder's Superman movie where Superman's father sacrificed his life to save a dog.
It's not that movies can't show dogs dying. Just like with children, many mainstream films include the deaths of children, but they never show the death process directly on screen. Depicting a dog being brutally killed or a child meeting a gruesome end would surely provoke a backlash.
It's not about principles; it's about avoiding unnecessary controversy unless a director intentionally wants their film to be attacked.
For example, in "Léon: The Professional," the four-year-old brother of the protagonist Matilda is killed off-screen during a shootout. The film implies his death without showing it, while the bodies of the rest of the family are shown on screen.
"And another thing," Matthew added, flipping to the end of the script. "The ending where the protagonist dies, isn't it a bit too tragic?"
"I think it's fine," Guillermo del Toro responded first. "A combination of loneliness, tragedy, and shock makes death a fitting conclusion."
Akiva Goldsman interjected, "Actually, I have an alternate ending in mind that's not in the script. How about we film two different endings and choose based on test screenings? The alternate can go on the DVD."
David Heyman nodded in agreement, "That sounds like a good plan."
Matthew and Guillermo del Toro had no objections. Having an alternate ending would provide more options.
Matthew's suggestion was influenced by his knowledge of the film's two endings from before. In one, the protagonist, Robert, discovers a serum to kill the virus but sacrifices himself to protect it and the infected survivors, aligning with the Hollywood trope of the hero becoming a legend to save humanity.
This was the theatrical ending, adhering to Hollywood's formula of heroism and audience expectations.
In the second ending, Robert releases the captured creatures, acknowledging them as sentient beings. They go their separate ways, leaving a more profound impact.
Matthew hadn't seen the second ending in the script, so he brought it up today, only to find that Akiva Goldsman had already considered it.
It made sense. Although many writers contributed to the script, only two were credited, and the main storyline followed Goldsman's vision. Goldsman, who had won an Oscar for Best Screenplay, was a producer and writer with plenty of creative insight.
Matthew was content to offer suggestions based on the script and leave the execution to Goldsman. Over the years, he had learned a lot, mainly related to acting, but hadn't ventured into screenwriting.
He never intended to get into screenwriting. With his relatively modest educational background, he had improved his English reading and writing skills through long practice, but professional writing was beyond his scope.
Moreover, his memories of popular films were just that—memories. Writing a script from memory? He didn't have the built-in capabilities of Google to pull that off.
The meeting quickly concluded. After Akiva Goldsman and David Heyman left, Matthew and Guillermo del Toro discussed the film's production in more detail.
"I Am Legend" was still in pre-production, and Warner Bros., as the production and distribution company, had started to release some early promotional material. With "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" still in theaters, any news about Matthew was bound to generate buzz.
This would not only capture the public's attention but also attract others looking to capitalize on the hype.
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