Hollywood Road

To put it simply, whether it's Superman or Wonder Woman, all physical attack methods are straightforward and brutal—no fancy tricks, just direct and forceful.

The foundational concepts of action design and the superhero costumes are the primary focus at this stage.

Since the actors have not yet been confirmed, the most crucial task in costume design is currently underway.

Wonder Woman's ancient Greek gladiator outfit is no issue at all; the armor worn by Murphy and Gal Gadot was crafted in Jack Watson's studio. They plan to make some appropriate modifications based on this design.

Superman's new costume will undergo significant changes, including the design, manufacturing techniques, and materials.

It must be acknowledged that designing anything for "Superman" is challenging. To reimagine an iconic character that's deeply embedded in public consciousness is no easy task. Paramount Pictures had already faced skepticism with Michael Bay's expensive redesign of the "Transformers" look, let alone the globally recognized classic image of "Superman."

For this Superman series reboot, Murphy had the concept artists redesign Superman's classic S emblem, and based on that, Jack Watson designed the new look for Superman.

According to Murphy's sketches, Jack Watson crafted the first version of the costume. The classic "S" logo on the chest of the blue-black battle robe is no longer just sewn on with fabric; different materials are layered to give it a three-dimensional, embossed feel.

Additionally, the new uniform is no longer the lusterless "long johns"; complex material textures and detailed embellishments give it a more designed and technological appearance.

Murphy also provided a technical explanation at an internal production meeting, "Many scenes in 'Man of Steel' will take place in sunlight. I don't want Superman's outfit to be too shiny and reflect the sunlight, so I intentionally lowered the saturation of the clothing color. Besides, the sun is Superman's energy source, and I want the costume to reflect that."

Contrastingly, Murphy chose to shoot entirely with digital technology, an approach that, if done using film photography and traditional special effects, would not only be costly but also incredibly time-consuming.

From the project's inception, the media was bound to take notice of 'Man of Steel.' However, currently, no particularly valuable news has leaked, and most media outlets only mention it in passing in entertainment news, with a few tabloids mockingly predicting that Murphy's new 'Superman' would suffer a dismal fate similar to 'Superman Returns.'

Murphy ignored these comments, as directors ultimately prove themselves through their films.

As more and more news appeared in the media, Warner Bros. officially kicked off the preliminary promotion for 'Man of Steel.'

At the end of August, Warner Bros. and DC Comics held an event in Times Square, New York, to celebrate the launch of the 'Super.Man: Man.of.Steel' website. Murphy appeared at the event to inform all fans that his new film 'Man of Steel' had officially begun.

The newly established 'Super.Man: Man.of.Steel' is a somewhat charitable website where fans can buy Superman-themed merchandise. Notably, after purchasing gift items, fans also receive a form of entitlement—by uploading pictures and writing texts to share their personal "heroes" and deeds.

Superman, portrayed by Christopher Reeve, is prominently featured on the website and is the "hero" most shared by fans. His portrayal of Superman in the films from 1978, 1980, 1983, and 1987 has already deeply resonated with many.

Indeed, he has achieved remarkable accomplishments in various fields, especially after becoming paralyzed from a horse-riding accident, inspiring many. Reeve is rightfully promoted on the website as a true "hero."

The website's "heroes" are not limited to well-known figures like Christopher Reeve; ordinary people can also be considered "heroes" if fans believe they deserve the title.

Soon, fans created a "Wall of Heroes" on the website as a tribute to their heroes.

Most of the heroes in people's hearts are ordinary, from neighbors who died in Iraq to their teachers and even their family members.

Additionally, the website sells merchandise in large gift packages, ranging from $4.99 to $149.99, including Superman-themed T-shirts, hats, mugs, and other unique member benefits. All proceeds from the sales are donated to the Clark Kent Foundation, established to help those with spinal cord injuries.

Using charity to spread the positive energy of the "Big S" is an effective promotional strategy.

"The greatest role of Superman is to convey hope."

Upon entering the Warner Studios, Murphy was interviewed and specifically mentioned the charitable event, "I feel a great sense of positive energy, and I hope the spirit of the Big S will continue to be passed on."

Today, auditions for Superman were being held. Murphy briefly spoke before heading into the studio where the production representative from Warner and actors' guild representative had already arrived, just waiting for him, the director.

"

Let's begin," Murphy said as he sat behind the monitor, nodding to the camera assistant, who immediately started the camera.

Outside the audition room, in the photography studio, sat many young male actors, all sharing a common feature: they were incredibly handsome. Not exaggerating, aside from the actors' agents or assistants in smart suits, everyone else was truly top-tier handsome.

However, no staff member glanced over, not even the most infatuated female workers.

They were all veterans of following Murphy; over the years, they had seen countless superstars, but what kind of good looks hadn't they seen? In any major Hollywood production, there is never a shortage of handsome men and beautiful women.

"Haicheng, I've pulled some strings to get the list of all actors auditioning for Superman."

On a relatively empty bench, an agent was advising a young, handsome actor, "Among everyone, you are the most famous and have the best physical attributes."

He was undoubtedly boosting his client's confidence, "I and the agency have also done a lot of work; your chances are the highest."

"Okay!" Haicheng Christensen casually nodded, confidently saying, "I'm not a small-time actor anymore; those people should know how to choose."

Compared to others, having starred in the Star Wars trilogy, he undoubtedly had more leverage, and it was revealed by insiders that the actor for Superman must be exceptionally good-looking.

Speaking of looks, how many could compare to him?

Haicheng Christensen glanced at his reflection in the large mirror ahead—slender, trim, handsome... a true heartthrob.

His agent continued, "I've done some PR work; you'll be the first to audition. Just perform normally and leave a good impression on Murphy Stanton; the others won't pose much of a threat."

As long as Haicheng Christensen made a lasting impression on the director, the performances of others would naturally be diminished.

"Don't worry," Haicheng Christensen replied confidently, "Superman is mine!"

Like many Hollywood actors who became famous at a young age, he inevitably had a bit of an ego, even veering into arrogance, but he indeed had the credentials, as it had been just over a year since his Anakin Skywalker days.

The audition soon began, and a staff member came to inform him to proceed to the audition room, which, being the first audition, would not involve makeup.

Before leaving, Haicheng Christensen told his agent, "I have prepared enough for this role."

Full of youthful vigor... more precisely, the youthful and reckless Haicheng Christensen followed the staff into the audition room.

Standing in front of the camera, Haicheng Christensen looked across at the row of people, easily spotting Murphy, the director who would decide the fate of the Superman role.

This was the initial audition, and things were relatively simple; the focus was mainly on personal appearance. Murphy glanced at Haicheng Christensen's slender body and frowned slightly; this actor recommended by CAA was indeed very handsome, even more so than Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars prequels.

"Introduce yourself," Murphy said casually.

"Haicheng Christensen, from Canada," the young actor replied confidently, "Previously starred in George Lucas's 'Attack of the Clones' and 'Revenge of the Sith' as Anakin Skywalker."

Murphy nodded slightly; with such a stellar resume, he indeed had a reason to be confident.

"In a few words..." he continued, "describe your personal view of Superman."

Haicheng Christensen, well-prepared, slightly tilted his head back and delivered a rather poetic statement.

"When you look up, showcasing your sharp jawline, or face 45 degrees north to display your brightness and sorrow, what is that? A bird? A plane? A UFO? No, that's just the little S flying out of Metropolis by accident..."

Hearing this, Murphy turned to look at the producer from Warner Bros., who also looked back at him; both saw a kind of inexplicable emotion in each other's eyes.

He hadn't expected Haicheng Christensen to be such a poetic young man.

Although Haicheng Christensen had once been considered box office poison, Murphy wouldn't judge him by past perceptions now that he had shown up; he asked a few more questions, then said, "Please take off your shirt."

Haicheng Christensen didn't hesitate and quickly stripped to his upper body.

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