章節 61: C 61
The next day, Anton flew to Hollywood, and the production of Cyborg officially began. In his previous life, a large-scale Cyborg movie had been repeatedly delayed, leaving its plot largely unknown.
This time, however, after discussing with Toby and drawing from each other's knowledge of DC Comics and experience, they finalized a storyline.
It would follow a familiar formula: the protagonist gains powers, discovers a threat, and ultimately saves the day. The structure mirrored many superhero movies—a journey of self-discovery and heroism.
Anton knew that, in this world, superhero movies still felt fresh and innovative. Confident in the success of his project, he compared Cyborg to Iron Man 1 from his original reality.
The first Iron Man movie had a budget of about $140 million and took around 105 days to shoot. Anton had set aside a similar budget of $140 million and aimed to complete filming within 90 days, using the production methods he'd established on Batman Begins.
By having special effects developed in parallel with shooting, he hoped to release the film just two months after wrapping, completing the entire process in about four months—a rare feat for a big-budget superhero film.
Given this world's slightly advanced technology, including cutting-edge visual effects, Anton was optimistic that such a timeline was achievable.
He also had his eye on a particular talent to enhance the film's special effects. If he could recruit this individual and their team, technical challenges would be manageable.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, the lead actor, a young Black performer, launched into a passionate performance in front of the camera.
Casting a Black actor in the lead was a strategic choice. Anton believed it would help Cyborg at least break even, if not turn a profit.
In his previous life, the superhero film Black Panther, which featured a Black protagonist, became a cultural phenomenon in the U.S., appealing deeply to African-American audiences and celebrating their heritage.
It generated around $700 million domestically and $1.346 billion worldwide, proving that representation matters and can be extremely profitable.
In this world, while there was an actual Black Panther, superhero films featuring Black leads remained rare. Anton saw an opportunity to resonate with the Black community, boost Cyborg's fanbase, and ensure a strong box-office performance.
A month flew by quickly.
The crew had wrapped up Hollywood's closed set scenes and some simpler outdoor shots. Next, Anton divided the team into two.
He led the main cast, including the Black lead, back to New York to shoot scenes where Victor Stone transforms into Cyborg at STAR Labs, following an explosive encounter with a Mother Box.
The rest of the crew stayed behind to finish smaller scenes and speed up special effects production.
For the New York scenes, Anton arranged to borrow the latest lab facilities at Oscorp, thanks to his friendly relationship with the company. Additionally, Oscorp's heir, Harry Osborn, was an investor in the film, making negotiations smoother.
After signing a "Guarantee Agreement" to ensure the lab's availability without disrupting its regular operations, Anton and his crew moved into Oscorp. They planned to use the facility for two weeks.
As a bonus, Anton noticed that the lab he had arranged was located near Oscorp's "Limb Regeneration Technology" department. To his surprise, Peter Parker was working there as an assistant to Dr. Curt Connors, head of the department.
During the shoot, Peter found out about the movie crew filming in the lab and eagerly went upstairs to watch. He lingered until Dr. Connors finally urged him to return to his work.
Anton was aware of the possible implications of Peter's work with Dr. Connors, but he chose to stay focused on the film.
After all, Connors had not yet turned into the Lizard, and Anton couldn't justify intervening in events that hadn't happened yet. It was impractical to shadow Connors daily in anticipation of his transformation or to confront him prematurely.
Anton resolved to let events play out, trusting that Peter would ultimately handle any future crisis involving Connors.
After a day of filming, Anton announced a short break. He returned to the DC Company office nearby, eager to meet a long-awaited special effects expert.
"Mr. Beck, it's a pleasure to meet you," Anton greeted the man in his 30s, extending a hand.
"I admire your work in special effects, especially your holographic system. It's a revolutionary concept with limitless applications—it could change how people live and entertain themselves."
"Mr. Anton, do you really think so?" Quentin Beck's face lit up with excitement. This might have been the first time he felt genuinely appreciated in his career.
Previously, while working at Stark Industries, Beck had found that his innovative ideas often went unrecognized. His colleagues were more focused on weapon development and didn't value his creative pursuits.
Even Tony Stark had dismissed his holographic work as trivial, seeing it as far behind the advanced projection systems integrated with JARVIS at his mansion in Los Angeles.
Unaware of the tech held by Tony, such dismissal hurt Beck, who had spent years perfecting his technology, but it seemed his efforts were never truly valued.
Frustrated and increasingly resentful, Beck had become isolated. In Anton's original timeline, this bitterness led him to become "Mysterio," where he tried to infiltrate the superhero world and ultimately clashed with Spider-Man, attempting to claim Stark's legacy as his own.
Tragically, his ambition only turned him into a stepping stone for the young hero.
But this time, Anton's intervention had the potential to change Beck's path. For Anton, Beck's skills were invaluable.
As a master of special effects who had once deceived the world, Beck was a perfect fit for the DC Company. With his expertise, Anton's projects could achieve unprecedented levels of visual spectacle.
Interestingly, in the comics, Mysterio had always been a Hollywood special effects expert, so bringing Beck into the film industry felt like a fitting match.
"Beck, you don't belong at Stark Industries. You should be with us," Anton said, shaking Beck's hand firmly. "Only here can you realize your full potential."
Beck looked at Anton, visibly moved. Years of ambition and rejection melted away in that moment. He finally felt that he had found someone who saw the value in his work and shared his vision.
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