Echoes of Hollywood

Murphy's approach to directing always prioritized his own people, so he promptly notified other members of the Stanton clique. With the significant influence he wielded and the clique's proven track record of success, as long as people like James Franco were available, they could appear in the film and receive substantial compensation.

This call was not mandatory; if they had better opportunities elsewhere, Murphy would not hold them back.

Firstly, Robert Downey Jr. was unavailable as he had just finished shooting "Iron Man" and had taken on Guy Ritchie's adaptation of Lionel Wigram's "Sherlock Holmes," where he would play the famous Sherlock Holmes.

Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill were also tied up. The massive success of "The Hangover" had made the leaders of that project extremely sought after, and they were planning another comedy film with financing from David Ellison's Skydance Media.

The only one available was James Franco. Murphy had already communicated with him, and it was almost certain that Franco would play Lieutenant Aldo Raine, the leader of the Basterds.

For the remaining key roles, Murphy needed a young female actress who did not look stereotypically Jewish—either Jewish or non-Jewish would work; a strong, burly Jewish type actor, for which he considered his former collaborator Dwayne Johnson, although his appearance was somewhat problematic; and a typical Germanic blonde, for which Uma Thurman or Diane Kruger seemed fitting. Thurman was busy caring for her good friend Quentin and was unavailable, so Bill Roscoe had already sent an audition invitation to Kruger...

These roles would be determined through auditions.

For two other important characters, Murphy couldn't think of anyone more suitable and had sent out audition invitations to Michael Fassbender and Christoph Waltz.

In recent years, Fassbender had gradually gained fame in Hollywood, and Murphy had reviewed his detailed profile at CAA. Fassbender's German background and fluent German, which was his first language, made him a perfect match for the role.

As for Christoph Waltz, virtually everyone who saw him in "Inglourious Basterds" for the first time asked, "Who is that Nazi officer?"

It's no exaggeration to say that before that film, Waltz was virtually unknown to cinema audiences, even in Austria or Germany. After his rise to fame, fans could only find a few mediocre films in which he had played serious yet uninspired roles.

Almost immediately after sending out the audition invitations, Murphy received responses. Both Fassbender and Waltz agreed to audition and would arrive in Los Angeles soon to prepare, even though they hadn't seen any scripts for their characters yet.

Such is the pull of a top-tier director, for actors dreaming of fame, such invitations are a godsend.

Before Christmas, the production team for "Inglourious Basterds" was officially established in Los Angeles, comprising veterans who had worked with Murphy for years—a tightly-knit team, essential for crafting an outstanding film.

With the first installment of $30 million from 20th Century Fox and The Weinstein Company transferred into a third-party escrow account, preparations for "Inglourious Basterds" officially began.

First was the selection of filming locations. Two assistant directors and Harvey Weinstein traveled to Paris to scout potential shooting sites.

Then came the choice of film stock. Unlike "Man of Steel," as Murphy had said, regardless of the medium, his ultimate goal was to serve the film. This time, he chose to shoot entirely on film.

The reason was simple. The film was set to premiere before the next awards season, and Murphy was considering not just the box office but also the Oscars. To the conservative Academy judges, film was always the superior medium for movies. Using digital technology would inherently lower the film's standing in the Oscar race.

Regarding the actors, the production team first confirmed James Franco for the role of Lieutenant Aldo and a comedic actor for Hitler.

Jonah Hill was interested in the role of Hitler, but unfortunately, his schedule didn't align, and his physique was also a poor match.

Since the film would not include any war scenes, and the only action sequences were limited in scope, the preparatory work was relatively simple compared to "Man of Steel," especially since the historical details involved did not need to be meticulously researched.

In Murphy's words, this was not history as it had happened but a universe belonging to the bastards.

Indeed, Quentin Tarantino's works could easily constitute a universe of their own, always filled with blood and violence, and all characters were thoroughly despicable.

"What's Murphy's main purpose in taking over this film?"

In a Century City restaurant, Margot Robbie, her golden ponytail swishing, looked across at Gal Gadot. "You know, right?"

Gal Gadot shook her head, "I haven't asked Murphy."

"You're always like this," Margot Robbie said, sipping her water and shaking

 her head. "Gal, not to criticize, but you often lose yourself by always prioritizing Murphy. That can be problematic."

"I think it's fine," Gal Gadot smiled. "I'm happy."

Margot Robbie shrugged off the topic and circled back to her original question. "Murphy's your boyfriend. Guess what his purpose is?"

"Dear," Gal Gadot replied, treating Margot Robbie as a close friend without any reservations, "You ask such questions because you have your own thoughts. Why don't you guess?"

Margot Robbie didn't hold back. "To honor his friendship with Quentin Tarantino?"

She shook her head. "No, that doesn't fit Murphy's character. He would do this for you and the other Stanton devotees, but Tarantino isn't there yet."

Although never discussed, Gal Gadot knew what kind of person Murphy was and had some idea why he took on this film. She nodded in agreement with Margot Robbie.

"For the money?" Margot Robbie shook her head again. "I've read the script; it's not a typical blockbuster. Even if it's a box office hit, it won't be like 'Man of Steel.'"

Gal Gadot also took a sip of water. "Maggie, you're becoming quite knowledgeable."

"Don't always think of me as some country bumpkin from Australia." Margot Robbie, now looking refined and well-dressed, hardly resembled the Australian cowgirl of old.

"At least not from your appearance."

"You're now a beautiful, pretty young lady," Gal Gadot complimented, causing Margot Robbie to look surprised. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course." Gal Gadot nodded. "Anyone who says you're not beautiful must be blind."

She remembered clearly; Margot Robbie was now seventeen, maturing into a tall, sexy figure with a delicate, striking face and the unique charm of a young woman—a top-tier blonde beauty.

Not just for men, even a woman like her found it heart-stirring.

Margot Robbie posed smugly, causing Gal Gadot to laugh uncontrollably.

"I can't guess anymore." Margot Robbie brought the conversation back. "You must know!"

She looked at Gal Gadot. "Isn't that right? Tell me!"

"I can guess a bit, but don't take it too seriously." Friends often share little secrets, and Gal Gadot was no exception. "Part of why Murphy took this film is indeed due to his relationship with Quentin. Quentin helped him a lot in the past, and Murphy wouldn't watch him get sued for breach of contract by 20th Century Fox; on the other hand, Murphy is making it for the Academy judges..."

"The Academy judges." Margot Robbie, having been in the industry for a while and with a smart brother like David Robbie, quickly grasped Gal Gadot's meaning and eagerly added, "I get it now!"

"Ah..." Thinking of Gal Gadot's ethnicity, she hesitated, opened her mouth, then swallowed her words.

Gal Gadot guessed what Margot Robbie wanted to say and smiled, "Maggie, it's okay."

"Then I'll just say it."

Seeing Gal Gadot nod, Margot Robbie spoke out the words she had swallowed, based on the script, "Murphy's making this movie to tell Hollywood's Jewish bigwigs: 'I made a film where Jews scalp Nazis, does that thrill you? Not enough? Then let's make a bunch of stupid Nazis look foolish, add a dumb Hitler, and shoot him a hundred times, a hundred times over. Then lock up the Nazi high command in a cinema, set it on fire, spray them with machine guns, and blow them up again with explosives. Satisfied? Can it win an Oscar, can it earn a few little gold men?'"

"You..."

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