King of Hollywood-Chapter 275 - 3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Seven
Chapter 275: Chapter 3 “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Seven Deadly Sins
Chapter 275 -3 “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Seven Deadly Sins
“Sorry, we’re late, I hope we haven’t held you up too long.” Adrian said apologetically as he entered, with Sarah following behind him looking no different from usual.
“No problem, we just chatted a few words with Joss.” The head of the television department, Hudson, stood up immediately. Even if he had any complaints, he couldn’t possibly express them, as Adrian was the boss. Moreover, this was his first time being late, and though the delay was a bit long, who hasn’t been late before? Best to put it behind us.
“This must be Joss, hello there.” Adrian walked straight to the man sitting in front of Hudson who looked to be about thirty years old and smiled as he extended his hand.
“Hello, Ed, I’m Joss Whedon, pleased to meet you.” The other party was quite gregarious and didn’t show any impatience from the wait, instead warmly shaking hands with Adrian. However, he was also an impatient man, and before Adrian could even settle in his seat, he asked eagerly, “Did I hear right that you want to adapt this movie into a TV show?”
“I thought Robert had made that clear.” Adrian smiled, looking toward Hudson.
“Oh, yes, but…” Whedon gestured, pausing for two minutes, then after organizing his thoughts, continued with a different question, “What about the film version?”
“The script is good,” Adrian’s smile grew stronger, “but clearly, the director didn’t understand the theme of the story, which is why it ended up as a comedy. It was an absolute disaster.”
“Oh? Why do you say that, Ed?” Whedon tried to maintain a calm appearance, but his clenched fist had betrayed his true feelings.
“For a long time, in Hollywood horror films, the petite blonde girl getting killed after walking into a dark alley became almost formulaic, and your script clearly intends to subvert that. What’s more eye-catching than a strong woman killing those vampires who are supposed to be killed by men and then saving the world?” Adrian spread his hands.
Whedon bowed his head, and after a long moment, he sighed and laughed, scratching his head, “I knew it, shouldn’t show off in front of you, you are one of Hollywood’s most insightful… screenwriters, directors, and producers.”
“Wow, that sounds like something I should be proud of.” Adrian laughed heartily.
“Just telling the truth.” Whedon laughed along, “Alright, I’ll get the script out as soon as possible…”
“Don’t rush, Joss,” Adrian waved his hand to interrupt him, “I want you to not just be in charge of the main script, but I also want you to be the producer of the TV version of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’!”
“Sorry, did I hear you wrong…” Whedon was stunned for quite a while before he asked subconsciously. His mouth twitched, raising his hand meaninglessly then dropping it, obviously shocked by the news and unable to find his bearings.
“You heard me right, Joss, I want you to be the producer of this TV show.” Adrian continued calmly, “You know, our production of ‘Friends’ is currently hot on NBC, and we can’t spare more people to produce a new TV show, especially since we’re just getting started in TV production.”
When Hudson heard “can’t spare more people,” he looked up in surprise, wanting to say something, but then he swallowed back what was on the tip of his tongue upon realization.
“But… but I…” Whedon stumbled over his words, looking somewhat comical in his fluster.
“Don’t worry, Joss, you should have relevant experience, right?” Adrian said nonchalantly, “And we can still have someone assist you from the side. This is your work, it should be you who produces it, right?”
That last sentence had its effect, and Whedon finally calmed down, taking a deep breath before nodding, “I have no reason to refuse, and I have no reason not to give it my all, Ed, thank you.”
“Very good,” Adrian laughed, “Now let me introduce someone to you.”
He waved Sarah over, who had been sitting quietly beside him since entering the room, and then continued to speak to Whedon, “This is Sarah Michelle Gellar, and I believe she is the perfect choice for Buffy in the television series version.”
“Her?” Whedon looked at the girl with some surprise, while Sarah reached out her hand generously, “Hello, Mr. Joss.”
“Do you know how I got the idea to turn ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ into a TV series?” Adrian said with a smile, “It was about two months ago when the company was preparing a new movie, and I thought Sarah would be suitable for a role, so I had her come over for an audition. However, she didn’t get the part in the end. While consoling her, I made some small talk and found out that she had been practicing Taekwondo, and she already had a blue belt at that time.”
“I’m now at red belt,” Sarah added from the side.
“That fast?” Adrian raised his eyebrows in surprise, “It looks like it won’t be long before you get your black belt, right?”
“Not so soon. Just the systematic training requires at least one more year, not to mention other restrictions, like age and etiquette cultivation,” Sarah said, shrugging her shoulders.
“Let’s not talk about that now.” Adrian waved his hand and continued to speak to Whedon, “I was really curious at that time, because it’s rare for girls to practice Taekwondo, and even rarer for them to advance belt colors, so I went to the dojo where she trained to have a look. The reality was quite astonishing—I never imagined she could achieve such ability, especially the power in her flying kicks. For some reason, I suddenly thought of your movie.”
“You mean… because Sarah practiced Taekwondo, you got the idea to adapt… that movie into a television series?” Whedon asked, incredulously.
“I know it sounds ridiculous, like a wild fancy, but it’s true,” Adrian said earnestly, looking at him, “I don’t know what came over me; it just popped into my head, and at that moment, I knew the role of Buffy was made for Sarah. Then, due to a series of events, it’s only now that I’m getting in touch with you to start preparation.”
Whedon didn’t say anything and pondered for a while before looking at Sarah, “May I ask you a few questions, Sarah?”
“Oh, of course, please do,” Sarah said, smiling and straightening up.
“Have you seen the movie ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’?”
“No, Ed showed me your original script; he thought it would help me understand the story better.”
“Wow, that’s surprising. So, what do you think of Buffy?”
The two of them began to chat, while Adrian sat silently on the side, not interfering. He knew Whedon wouldn’t refuse because he had made his pitch very clear. Even if Whedon did refuse because of this, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Although the success of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ as a classic show is not unrelated to the involvement of Joss Whedon, who excels at describing stories involving mutants and aliens, here, no one is irreplaceable.
Just as Adrian was able to produce ‘Friends’ with different producers, he could certainly do the same with ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’ Of course, Whedon wouldn’t be so foolish. Given such a generous offer, if he were to refuse, he would have to be out of his mind.
A few minutes later, Whedon finished talking with Sarah and turned to look at Adrian, “I pretty much have no objections, Ed. Of course, it would be even better if I could see Sarah in action myself.”
“No problem. When you start casting for the series, I guarantee you’ll see it,” Adrian said, laughing.
And that’s how the preparation for ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ was decided. The specifics would be negotiated between Hudson and Whedon. Adrian then left the television department and returned to his own office, oh, and Sarah did too.
“Do you think I’m suitable for playing in a vampire-themed TV series?” The girl asked, somewhat puzzled. She was currently sitting on Adrian’s desk, swinging her legs playfully and cutely. However, she was wearing a denim skirt that just reached her knees, and if she swung her legs a little too high, one could catch a glimpse of the unrestrained view underneath.
“This is different from those old vampire movies or TV series, dear,” Adrian said as he took off his coat and hung it on the rack, “To be specific, this TV series can be categorized as a campus youth idol vampire show, integrating action, comedy, and drama. It features both the life of ordinary high school students and the different life of the chosen one.”
As he spoke, he walked up to Sarah, placed his hands on the table, and leaned in to press against her forehead: “Remember what I told you at the beginning? I’m going to make you into the finest idol star, and this is just the first step.”
In memory, Sarah had become one of the rare high-quality idol stars in the United States at the end of the 90s. The role of Buffy the Vampire Slayer played no small part in this. Although the TV series’s ratings weren’t as high as classic works like Friends, and it had merely millions of regular viewers, it received considerable praise and spurred a lot of merchandise, such as comics, novels, games, etc., and was quite popular among teenagers.
It was also because of the relatively low investment and the stable viewership that Adrian chose it as the first TV series to produce after acquiring TBS. After all, TBS couldn’t yet compare with networks like NBC and needed to catch up step by step.
“Of course, I remember,” Sarah said softly, her eyes darting about, seemingly lost in thought.
“That’s right, so just focus on playing this role well, consider it a way to hone your acting skills,” Adrian said with a smile as he pinched her chin, “Don’t forget, I’ve also prepared a youth idol horror film for you in the second half of the year.”
It’s not easy for any TV star, especially a popular one, to make a transition. Of Friends’ six stars, only Jennifer Aniston could be considered successful, and it’s even harder with a youth idol title. However, since Adrian had prepared this for Sarah, he naturally had corresponding strategies and would not let her “repeat the past.” She was his woman now.
“Alright, I got it,” Sarah said, pushing against Adrian’s forehead hard, but instead of moving him, she found herself tilting back slightly. Her hands involuntarily propped herself up on the desk, and at the same time, her legs wrapped around Adrian’s waist, and suddenly they were in close contact.
“Hey, wasn’t it enough earlier?” Adrian teased half-jokingly.
Sarah’s cheeks turned a slight red, and she gave Adrian an annoyed glance but said no more. The carriage, despite its small space, held its own unique flavor and excitement. Their wild ride matched the intensity of the bedroom, and they both enjoyed it immensely, but it wasn’t easy to clean up afterward, which is why they were late getting to the television department.
“Oh, by the way, it looks like you forgot this,” Adrian said, pulling a white item from his pocket and waving it teasingly in front of Sarah, “Better to put it back on, it’s definitely not comfortable being so bare.”
“No way, I don’t want it after it’s been in your pocket for so long,” Sarah snarked, her face turning an even deeper shade of red.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door and Sarah, startled, shrank her neck and pushed herself off Adrian wanting to jump down from the desk, but Adrian promptly caught her arm and called out to the door: “Come in.”
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“Ed, they are already…” Charlize, dressed in an OL suit, appeared in front of them, and couldn’t help but pause upon seeing the young girl perched on the desk and Adrian leaning forward, especially upon spotting the white panties in Adrian’s hand, which caused her to frown. But two seconds later, she regained her composure and said in a matter-of-fact tone: “They’re all waiting for you, Ed. You have at most ten minutes.”
Without waiting for Adrian to respond, she turned and walked out, but the force with which she closed the door was slightly stronger than necessary, making a loud bang that left the two people in the room with varying expressions.
“Well, I still have some things to take care of, so…” Adrian said, looking at Sarah apologetically, “And… I’m sorry, I might not be able to keep you company today.”
“It’s okay, I can go home by myself,” Sarah said, adjusting Adrian’s clothes sympathetically.
“What about this?” Adrian waved the white panties in his hand again.
“You keep it,” Sarah said as she jumped off the desk, “I’ll just go to any supermarket and buy a pair.”
“But… I feel like if I do that, I’m essentially admitting to being a creepy collector,” Adrian said with mock seriousness, but what he got in return was Sarah rolling her eyes and making a face at him.
After tidying up a bit, Sarah prepared to leave but turned back after reaching the door.
“Ed,” she looked at him, “you and Charli… are you also…”
Even though she didn’t finish her sentence, Adrian understood her meaning and nodded promptly.
“I just knew it.” The girl shrugged, looking as though a great weight had been lifted from her heart.
“Knew what?” Even Adrian couldn’t help but ask that.
“It’s nothing,” Sarah smiled and shook her head, “as long as…”
Her bright eyes gazed at him for a few seconds, then the girl stepped forward and hugged him, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest for a long time. Adrian hugged her, gently patting her back, before saying after a while, “Charli’s situation is a little different…”
“It’s okay,” Sarah interrupted him, raising her head with a smile, “as long as I can still hug you, lean on your chest. If one day I get tired of it, I will leave on my own.”
With those words, the girl kissed him on the lips, turned around, and walked out. Adrian stood there for a few minutes, rubbing his lips, laughed softly shaking his head, and left his office as well.
Following the corridor to the conference room, he had just pushed the door open when he heard a somewhat effeminate voice telling a joke: “A British gentleman and a French woman shared a compartment on a train. The woman, wanting to seduce the gentleman, stripped down and complained of being cold. The gentleman gave her his blanket, but she kept saying she was cold. ‘How else can I help you?’ the gentleman asked, looking quite upset. ‘When I was little, my mother would warm me with her body.’ ‘Miss, I’m afraid I can’t assist you with that. I certainly can’t jump off the train to find your mother, can I?'”
His voice mimicry was quite good, perfectly imitating the woman’s coquettishness and the gentleman’s helplessness, naturally drawing laughter from the other few people. Even though he hadn’t seen the person yet, Adrian already knew who was telling the joke.
“Nice joke,” he said with a laugh as he reached the conference room’s long table.
“Hey, Ed.” Dennis was naturally the first to jump up, followed by Morgan Freeman, then by one of the production department heads, Tom Fisher, and his assistant. As for the two most important others, they seemed a bit restrained.
“Hello, Kevin, hello, David.” After greeting Dennis and the others, Adrian shook their hands warmly, “Pleased to meet you.”
“Me too, Mr. Adrian.”
“I’m also glad to meet you, sir.”
They both shook hands and replied at the same time.
“Just call me Ed, no need to be so formal, I don’t think you’re like that, are you?” Adrian said with a smile, his relaxed demeanor immediately putting them at ease.
“Of course, Ed.” The man on the left, with a prominent forehead and narrow eyes, who looked to be in his mid-thirties, nodded, then returned to his previous joke-telling demeanor. The man on the right, wearing a baseball cap and casual clothes, with a goatee and appearing a couple of years younger, nodded as well, giving off a quiet and reserved air.
Adrian gave a slight smile, exchanged glances with Dennis, Freeman, and the others, then promptly asked, “So, gentlemen, what are your thoughts on the script for ‘Seven Deadly Sins’?”
Well, there was no need to guess anymore; the thirty-five- or thirty-six-year-old man with the somewhat effeminate voice could only be Kevin Spacey. The man wearing a baseball cap, with a face full of goatee, naturally, was David Fincher. (To be continued, for more, please visit www.qidian.com. More chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)
