For a film where he already knew the original version, finishing the post-production editing was almost effortless.
For Gilbert, Hollywood had one clear advantage—there were no suffocating restrictions. The boundaries could be pushed further.
In other words, what couldn't be filmed in Chinese cinema, he could film here. What couldn't be shown in Chinese theaters, he could release in Hollywood. Still, Gilbert personally felt that the original ending of the film was already strong enough. For the theatrical cut, he wasn't going to make changes.
But he did prepare one alternate ending—an extra version where painter Ido Dash and the fake Mary successfully escape.
When the police later tracked down the real Mary sketching somewhere in Europe, they finally realized the Mary from that night had been an imposter. Ido had lied, and the pair had vanished beyond the authorities' reach.
Finally, when Mexican police raided a hidden safehouse, they discovered two unidentified corpses, appearing as if the pair had chosen to die together.
This alternate ending, Gilbert decided, would be included as a DVD-exclusive, a little extra incentive for fans to buy it.
With no pressing projects of her own, Charlize Theron often dropped by the studio to watch the film's post-production work. She was quite pleased with her own performance.
Especially one scene of her smoking—she felt it could rival Monica Bellucci in Malèna.
Gilbert, of course, delivered a merciless blow: "When it comes to sheer allure, Charlize, I still think Monica has the edge."
That remark nearly made Charlize explode. She gave him a sharp twist in the waist, a perfect 180-degree move.
She also struggled to understand why both endings ended the same way—with Ido Dash and the fake Mary dying.
Gilbert patiently explained: "Remember the postage stamp Ido sketched while in prison?"
"Of course I remember."
"He didn't just forge a fake stamp to call for help from the fake Mary—Fina. Within that letter, he also drew Fina's real face.
It was seeing that portrait that stirred Fina's sympathy, gave her a glimmer of hope. That's why she impersonated Mary in the first place—to rescue Ido."
Charlize's eyes widened with sudden realization. "So, in the end, when Fina discovered she was nothing but a substitute, all her hope was shattered.
No matter the version, she'd drag Ido to die with her?"
"Exactly…" Gilbert smiled faintly. "That's the danger of words. Sometimes you have to lie. Women will believe what they want to hear, even if it isn't true.
Ido built his world on lies, but when it mattered most, he refused to lie. And so, inevitably, everything collapsed."
Charlize gave him a sharp side-eye. "No wonder… every time I ask if you love me, you always say you do. Turns out, you're lying to me."
Gilbert threw his hands up in mock innocence. "I swear to God, Charlize—I really do love you. I love Naomi and the others too. I treat you all equally."
Charlize huffed. "That's exactly what God says—He loves everyone equally."
After venting her little tantrum, she struck again, twisting Gilbert's waist with another merciless 180-degree magic move that made him cry out in pain.
Watching her stomp off with firm steps, Gilbert rubbed his sore side, grimacing.
Why was it that no matter the era—ancient or modern, East or West—every woman seemed to master this technique instinctively, as if they were all born with it perfected?
Back to the post-production of The False. Truth be told, it was a bit unfair to Tom Cruise. For most of the film, he strutted around bragging as though he were the lead character.
Only for it to be revealed that he was merely a construct—an illusion dreamed up by Ido Dash.
Not that he didn't exist at all, but in truth, he was only a low-level cop, a far cry from the grand criminal mastermind he was imagined to be. The two roles weren't even in the same league.
Still, Gilbert made sure to balance it out. He gave Tom Cruise plenty of explosive action sequences—scenes where he could fight to his heart's content. It carried the same adrenaline as starring in another Mission: Impossible.
At the core of the story, the film still revolved around Tom Hanks' portrayal of Ido Dash. In terms of character weight, there was no question—Cruise's Charlie Dyke was the stronger figure.
That balance was important. Without it, Cruise might have felt demoted to nothing more than a side character.
Of course, Gilbert also offered Cruise a promise—future projects would likely give them another chance to work together.
As for the score, Gilbert entrusted it once again to Hans Zimmer.
Over the years, Gilbert had worked with several legendary composers: John Williams for Saving Private Ryan back in 1997, Howard Shore for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
And of course, he'd partnered with Hans Zimmer on multiple projects already. The Rock and Pirates of the Caribbean stood as some of Zimmer's most iconic works.
Zimmer's signature was clear—his music was fresh, modern, never bound by rigid orchestral rules. He wasn't afraid to use electronics, vocals, modified instruments—always chasing new sounds that resonated with younger audiences.
Most importantly, Zimmer understood Gilbert's vision. His compositions always aligned perfectly with Gilbert's tastes.
Together, they worked seamlessly. Their partnership wasn't just long-lasting—it was defining. Without Zimmer's touch, many future films might have lacked the brilliance they eventually carried.
During the busy post-production phase, Gilbert often stopped by to listen as Zimmer's compositions came to life.
Hearing the completed score, Gilbert felt a strange sensation—as if he were listening to Inception's soundtrack.
Not that Zimmer had simply recycled the music. Rather, the score for The False was so good that it could easily have worked in Inception itself.
Which meant, without doubt, that the film's music was a triumph. Paired with the story, it would grip audiences and refuse to let go.
Time flowed quickly. As the New Year's bells rang, 2003 came to a close. Gilbert stepped forward into 2004.
Looking back at the past year, one thing was clear—the North American market had shown limited growth. But the overseas box office had skyrocketed, cementing itself as Hollywood's most vital source of revenue.
Every studio had its own priorities.
Compared to the increasingly picky North American audience, the overseas market—still unaccustomed to the relentless flood of Hollywood blockbusters—had become a goldmine for mediocre films to turn profits.
For Gilbert's Melon Studio, several projects had performed exceptionally well. Pirates of the Caribbean spoke for itself. The Fast and the Furious 2 grossed $187 million domestically, with a worldwide total of $523 million.
Jackie Chan's Rush Hour 3 pulled in $174 million domestically and $488 million worldwide—both outstanding numbers.
By contrast, Bad Boys II, released around the same time, was completely crushed by Rush Hour 3's results. But that hardly shook Michael Bay's standing in Hollywood. He quickly secured his next directing opportunity.
DreamWorks and Michael Ovitz's new project, The Island, was set to be helmed by Michael Bay.
This time, Bay wasn't partnering with powerhouse producer Jerry Bruckheimer. That gave him greater authority and much more freedom in casting.
His first move? He extended an invitation directly to Scarlett Johansson, asking her to star in The Island.
Scarlett hesitated, then turned to Gilbert for advice.
"Take it. Why wouldn't you?" Gilbert encouraged her without hesitation.
Scarlett blinked. "But isn't Michael Bay supposed to be your enemy?"
"Enemy?" Gilbert chuckled, as though hearing a ridiculous joke. "Scarlett, 'Explosion Bay' isn't even qualified to be my enemy. Not even Michael Ovitz himself, for that matter."
"Really?" Scarlett was unconvinced. "I heard David Ellison has a serious grudge against you. He's Ovitz's biggest partner right now.
And I also heard they're prepping a fantasy film this year called Van Helsing, and the whole plan is to go head-to-head against The False."
"Then let them try," Gilbert said coolly. "I don't believe for a second that Van Helsing can rival The False."
"But Van Helsing has a lineup full of famous characters. It's adapted from a novel, and while it doesn't have Lord of the Rings' level of name recognition, it still has a built-in audience."
"The False has Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Charlize…
And in the end—there's me."
Gilbert wasn't afraid of competition. If anyone should be worried, it was everyone else. After all, his entire career had been forged in the crucible of ruthless competition.
Looking at Gilbert's unwavering confidence, Scarlett felt her own faith in him strengthen as well.
She was used to it. Since she was young, she had witnessed this man's unbroken string of successes. He made a film, released it, and it succeeded. Over and over again.
It had become almost formulaic—so much so that even The Los Angeles Times remarked: "We're still waiting to see what it looks like when Gilbert finally fails…"
But that day seemed impossibly far away. He was always confident. He never failed.
Though she teased him often, Scarlett still stood firmly on Gilbert's side.
"Since you're not against it, I'll take the role," she finally said.
"No problem at all, Scarlett," Gilbert reassured her. "Right now, your issue is that you've been tied up in too many art films. You've spent too long with Sofia Coppola.
Shifting toward commercial blockbusters won't hurt you. If The Island performs well at the box office, your market value will rise significantly."
Scarlett trusted Gilbert's judgment. If he said it was fine, then it would be fine.
Besides, Gilbert had already mapped out her future. Soon enough, she would appear in the Marvel superhero films. She especially liked the role of Black Widow.
Of course, from time to time, Scarlett would still bat her eyes at Gilbert and ask whether there was a role waiting for her in one of his own films.
Her reputation as Hollywood's "princess" was impressive, but in truth, that status was mostly due to Gilbert. Without his influence, her current market worth would be somewhere in the second or third tier at best.
And so, Scarlett's work slate for 2004 was set: The Prestige and The Island.
...
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)
Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(40 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)
The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu