"I never thought I'd see you again."
These were Ross's first words upon seeing Murphy. He then added, "I never imagined we'd meet here once more."
Murphy simply smiled without saying much.
They were in the visiting room of the California State Prison. Thanks to Robert's connections, they were not separated by bars and glass but had a private room to themselves.
Ross shook his head at Murphy. "You shouldn't have gotten involved."
"It's nothing," Murphy said, appearing unconcerned. "Just a minor inconvenience."
In reality, many media outlets had recently been questioning him, with tabloids speculating that his films were fronts for laundering drug money.
Murphy didn't need to say much; Twentieth Century Fox had already come forward to refute the claims. For the past few years, they had been the producer of Murphy's films. Accusing Murphy of money laundering would imply Twentieth Century Fox was also involved, which was absurd.
This was the advantage of having a large corporation behind you.
As for reputational damage, Murphy didn't care. Directors are judged by their work, not by their morals.
Murphy looked Ross up and down. "Have they been giving you a hard time?"
"Some things are unavoidable," Ross said, looking surprisingly relaxed. "This place is my old turf."
Murphy nodded and lowered his voice. "Don't worry. I've already had people talk to the folks here."
Murphy knew well the unwritten rules that existed beyond the law in prison. It had been a long time since Ross was last here, and there was no telling if the people inside would still respect him.
Many of Ross's men had also been arrested and sentenced. With some maneuvering, these men would gradually be transferred to the state prison.
This way, Ross wouldn't be alone.
Because of the surveillance in the room, Murphy didn't speak explicitly, and Ross didn't touch on sensitive topics either. They chatted about miscellaneous things until visiting time was almost over.
"Is there anything you need?" Murphy asked. "Don't hesitate to ask me."
Ross smiled. "Do you remember what I talked to you about last time?"
"Last time?" Murphy hesitated for a moment, then remembered. "You mean making a movie?"
"Yes," Ross said, becoming serious. "I've told you a lot about my life. Do you think it's suitable for a movie?"
The events of Ross's life certainly had the makings of a movie. Murphy knew this well, but such a project wouldn't be easy, especially given their friendship. If his portrayal was biased, the film could become a joke.
So Murphy said, "Aren't you afraid I'll portray you as a complete jerk?"
"I am a jerk," Ross said, unfazed. "Why would I be afraid of being shown as one in a movie?"
Ross looked at Murphy and asked, "Is it doable?"
Murphy thought for a moment before replying, "Of course it's doable."
During their time in prison, Murphy had listened to Ross's detailed recounting of his past, particularly the tragic events of his youth, which were key to Ross's transformation into the man he was today.
"Alright then," Ross said, having been thinking about this for a long time. "I'll arrange for a written authorization. If your..."
He was interrupted by Murphy, who raised his hand.
Murphy knew what Ross was going to say and shook his head. "You just need to give me the authorization. Don't worry about the rest."
Ross nodded. "I'll be waiting for your good news."
"You'll have to wait a while," Murphy said as he stood up. "I'm currently working on another project and won't have time soon."
"I can wait," Ross said, gesturing to their surroundings. "I've got plenty of time."
Leaving the state prison and driving back, Murphy continued to ponder Ross's words. Adapting such a story would not be easy, especially given their close relationship, which could unconsciously bias his portrayal—a major taboo in filmmaking.
The best approach would be like adapting "The Wolf of Wall Street," presenting the person to the audience without passing judgment.
But now was not the time to dwell on this, as he had another film in production.
In the following days, Murphy continued filming the new project, focusing on scenes shot at the Venice set. With the film's official title, Twentieth Century Fox had begun promotional efforts, including a press conference Murphy had to attend.
Murphy never shirked promotional responsibilities, understanding their critical importance for any film.
The press conference was held in the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel's press room. Compared to past events, it was fairly routine.
Hollywood is highly procedural. After the formalities, the press conference moved to the key part: the Q&A session with reporters.
The first question came from a reporter from Fox News, a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox. "Director Stanton, can you reveal the general content and theme of the new film?"
A microphone was passed to Murphy. He nodded slightly and said, "The new film, tentatively titled 'City of Chaos,' is a crime action film about the protagonist's struggle to eliminate evil forces in New York City. Audiences will see a new New York, a metropolis presented from a dark perspective, blending elements from cities like London, Paris, and Mexico City."
The next question came from a male reporter from The New York Times. "Murphy, does this mean the New York in your film will differ from reality?"
"Yes, very different," Murphy acknowledged. "This will be an exaggerated modern New York, a suffocating metropolis that entraps people, making them feel boundless. I want the audience to feel that New York City is both familiar and dangerous."
He paused before adding, "I define the New York in the film as 'Cubed New York.' To capture the essence of the city, my team and I are fully prepared."
Although unable to film on location in New York, advanced CGI could compensate for this loss.
The purely urban exterior scenes would be shot on location as much as possible. However, Murphy would not hesitate to use computer-generated imagery where necessary. He was neither a traditionalist nor a technophile, refusing to insist that every frame be shot on location or with models. In today's highly developed digital era, CGI often proved more cost-effective, time-saving, and efficient.
From the preparation stage, Murphy had been familiarizing himself with IMAX equipment. Starting with this film, he planned to use IMAX technology more frequently in future projects.
In essence, he was never a film purist and always open to advanced technology.
Just as sound films replaced silent films and color films replaced black-and-white, digital technology replacing film was inevitable. A few directors clinging to the past wouldn't change this trend.
Murphy didn't reject film technology nor did he support its complete withdrawal from the industry. Films should maintain diversity. If all films became digitally-produced Hollywood blockbusters, it would be a tragedy for global cinephiles. Unlike some, Murphy never dwelled on past glories.
Change was an unchanging theme in this world.
Shortly after the press conference, major media outlets updated their news sections with related content. Most media adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards Murphy's new film.
After all, crime action films were considered passé.
This press conference was just a minor interlude in Murphy's filming process. For now, all promotional activities were handled by Twentieth Century Fox. Gal Gadot was responsible for liaising, meeting with Carla Faith daily to ensure smooth communication between the crew and Twentieth Century Fox.
She spent the rest of her time on set, even when she had no work, standing on the sidelines watching Murphy direct.
Recently, Murphy had been filming scenes between Henry Cavill and Liam Neeson.
"That Henry Cavill talks very little…" Margot Robbie, with no scenes to shoot, stood next to Gal Gadot, gossiping about Henry Cavill, who was preparing on set. "He's as silent as a log, very boring."
Gal Gadot ignored Margot Robbie's remarks, focusing on the set where Murphy and Philippe LaSalle were positioning cameras. A cumbersome IMAX camera was being hoisted onto a track.
A few days ago, Gal Gadot had tried this IMAX camera herself. It was much heavier and more cumbersome than regular digital cameras, but the footage it captured was breathtaking, truly unique.
As a producer, she knew well that operating such a camera meant burning through a significant amount of money.
"Murphy is calling over that blockhead Henry Cavill again," Margot Robbie continued, "This British guy is slow to catch on. This scene is particularly important. Murphy will likely give him a good lesson."
Gal Gadot turned to Margot Robbie. "Is this scene very important?"
"Of course," Margot Robbie explained. "The second day's shoot involved Chris Dane and Raynor's ideological clash. This scene is about Chris Dane learning to control his anger."
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