"You're right, Director," Luke said.
"So, you're really going for it with that scene?" Director Verbinski asked.
He wasn't fully aware of just how wild Luke had gone in the recently wrapped King of Espionage, so when he saw the underwater scene Luke proposed, he initially assumed it would rely on special effects.
"Yep, Mr. Eisen's already handled the prep work. The California Marine Animal Research Institute will be supporting our shoot," Luke replied.
"Holy crap, that's insane. You're actually going into the ocean to tangle with a great white shark," Verbinski said.
"Not tangle, just collaborate on an action scene," Luke clarified.
"I'm not so sure it'll want to play nice with you. Do you really have to go this hard?" Verbinski asked, shrugging helplessly.
"No choice. I've raised the audience's expectations too high. If I don't deliver something legit, our movie's gonna get torn apart…" Luke paused, then added, "You know what great white sharks mean to audiences."
"I get it. If we pull this off, the audience will eat it up! My movie's gonna drive them wild again!" Verbinski nodded, his excitement growing.
In Western culture, shark-themed movies carry a unique cultural weight, much like zombie films.
Back in 1975, Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws was a massive hit, kicking off the shark movie genre.
Over the past four decades, Hollywood has churned out countless shark-themed thrillers, most of which were total flops.
Read at 101Kan.com, fully hand-typed with no errors!
Now, when audiences hear "shark movie," they instinctively think "trash," yet they still can't resist buying tickets. It's a weird kind of dark humor.
At its core, sharks tap into humanity's fear of the ocean.
They embody the terror of the deep.
Western societies, rooted in maritime culture, easily connect with this fear.
In contrast, China, with its land-based, agricultural roots, doesn't have the same emotional tie to the sea. So, things like great white sharks or deep-sea monsters don't hit the same nerve.
That's why, in the future, a movie like The Meg might aim for big bucks in China but struggle to make a splash, no matter how well it's made.
In the West, though, a great white shark in a movie is a huge draw and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Thanks to decades of films, that gaping, toothy maw has become a symbol of death and fear.
In this cultural context, if word got out that Luke was going underwater to actually face off with a great white shark?
The buzz would be unreal.
Luke's move was a calculated strike at the audience's sweet spot.
It would crank their curiosity to the max and fully satisfy their expectations.
No one would dare accuse him of slacking off in this movie.
Truth is, though, Luke was taking it easy on Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Compared to his recent projects, this was his most relaxed shoot.
Aside from the shark scene, the rest of the movie was a breeze for him.
Not because he wanted to slack, but because, as mentioned, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 leaned heavily on fantastical visual effects and a humorous vibe.
For action scenes to stand out, they need to feel real, but that realism often clashes with the movie's whimsical, effects-driven tone. You have to pick one.
So, aside from the shark sequence, the filming process for Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was smooth and comfortable for Luke.
"I tweaked the shooting schedule a bit. Let's start with Phi Phi Island," Verbinski said.
"Changed the order?"
"Yeah, we'll hit Phi Phi Island first, then back to L.A. for the studio scenes, followed by the shark scene at sea, and wrap up in the Dominican Republic," Verbinski explained.
"I talked it over with Mr. Eisen, and he thinks it's a solid plan. You should take it easy for a bit—don't push yourself too hard," he added.
Luke felt a pang of gratitude hearing Verbinski's words.
For Pirates of the Caribbean 2, they'd chosen stunning tropical locations, making winter ocean shoots far less grueling.
Phi Phi Island, a tourist hotspot southeast of Phuket, Thailand, was where they'd film the cannibal tribe scenes.
The Dominican Republic, a tropical Caribbean paradise with gorgeous white-sand beaches, was set for the beach scenes.
The locations were locked in ages ago, but the shooting order showed Verbinski's thoughtfulness.
He knew Luke had just come off King of Espionage. While he didn't know the specifics of the death-defying stunts, Mr. Eisen had clued him in that it was tough and dangerous.
So, Verbinski wanted Luke to ease in with the laid-back Phi Phi Island scenes to recover from his exhaustion.
Then, they'd ramp up for the high-stakes shark scene.
Finally, they'd close with the relaxed Dominican beach scenes, giving Luke's nerves a break at the end of the shoot.
That way, he wouldn't be wiped out when filming wrapped, ready to dive into his next project.
Luke appreciated Verbinski's consideration.
"Thanks, Director," he said with a nod.
Latest chapter released first at [website]!
"No, I should be thanking you. Luke, you're the most enjoyable actor I've worked with in years," Verbinski replied sincerely.
An actor like Luke—funding the production, delivering flawless performances, helping with promotion, and consistently starring in hits—was a director's dream. Verbinski meant every word.
After wrapping up with the director, Luke headed over to Mr. Eisen.
"Found the person we talked about last time?" Eisen asked.
Eisen needed someone to gradually take over his responsibilities, someone who could keep supporting Luke down the line.
He was talking about influence, not wealth.
"Yeah, I've got someone in mind. I'll bring them to meet you after we get back from Phi Phi Island," Luke said, pulling out Taylor's profile from his pocket and handing it over.
"Pretty blonde girl. Think she can handle the pressure?" Eisen asked.
"Oh, yeah. She's got some serious fire in her," Luke said.
He thought back to how, in the future, she faced storms and controversies with fierce determination and relentless grit.
Taylor wasn't a pushover. She was a fighter, not someone to mess with.
"You two need to have a kid someday," Eisen said.
"Huh?"
"Worried about what your girlfriend might think? I can talk to her for you if you want."
Luke felt Eisen was getting a bit too enthusiastic, jumping in to play matchmaker.
But on second thought, it made sense.
Eisen wouldn't meddle in Luke's love life, but the successor he was grooming needed a deeper bond with Luke.
Eisen was ready to step in and handle things Luke might find tricky.