The Greatest Showman #636 - High Hopes

Andy looked up as Renly placed the beer on the table and sat upright. He knew Renly was ready. Glancing at the two scripts in front of him, Andy picked up the top one and handed it over. "I just got this script. I haven't read it in detail yet, but I've seen the original TV series—an ABC fantasy comedy from 1966 that ran until 1970."

"First Dragon Tiger Youth Team, and now this?" Renly hadn't even opened the script but smirked at Andy's introduction. "It seems Hollywood is really running out of ideas. I wonder when The Grievances of Giants will be adapted."

Andy chuckled, unfazed by the sarcasm. The Grievances of Giants was a soap opera that aired on CBS in the late 1970s, and Renly's remark made his skepticism clear.

"I didn't know you were a fan of soap operas," Andy quipped.

Renly pursed his lips and shrugged, noncommittal. Andy steered the conversation back on track. "The original show is an adventure-fantasy about a vampire traveling through time and space with other supernatural beings. The adaptation has a lot of potential, depending on the creative direction."

Renly nodded in agreement. TV series have complex narratives that often require major changes for film adaptations. The success of Dragon Tiger Youth Team was proof that a well-executed transition could work.

"The vampire craze is still going strong, and zombie films are gaining momentum. Warner Bros. has high hopes for this project," Andy continued. Twilight had fueled a surge of vampire-themed media, while The Walking Dead had reignited interest in zombie stories. These genres, once considered cult favorites, were now box office gold.

"They've allocated a massive budget of $150 million," Andy added. "The director is already on board—Tim Burton. Warner Bros. is aiming for an all-star cast."

Warner Bros. was notorious for its love of big-budget films. It had the highest number of projects exceeding $150 million among the major studios. Their willingness to invest heavily had led to massive productions like Superman Returns, the first film in history with a $300 million budget.

"Tim Burton?" Renly raised an eyebrow. "If Tim is in charge of an all-star lineup, then Johnny Depp must be his first pick."

Tim Burton, the mastermind behind Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow, and Sweeney Todd, had cemented his signature gothic style in Hollywood. His latest film, Alice in Wonderland, had grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, setting a new personal record.

Burton and Depp had a legendary partnership. Since Edward Scissorhands, they had collaborated on seven films, including the critically acclaimed Ed Wood. Depp had once said that if Tim called, he would accept the role unconditionally—no script, no salary negotiations, no scheduling conflicts. The duo's chemistry was undeniable, but it had also become predictable.

"Warner Bros. wants a younger cast. Something like..." Andy hesitated, seeing the amused glint in Renly's eyes. He sighed and admitted, "Something like Twilight."

"So, I'm supposed to be Robert Pattinson?" Renly teased. "We're both British, both in our early twenties when we became vampires... Does that mean I'm about to become a global sensation?"

Andy and Roy burst into laughter.

"Is there a love triangle too?" Renly held up the script. "I'm surprised Tim Burton would go for a romantic storyline."

"I'm not sure if it's a romance," Andy admitted. "But I know Warner Bros. is ambitious. The female lead auditions include Anne Hathaway, Lindsay Lohan, Emma Watson, and Jennifer Lawrence."

Renly raised an eyebrow. The range was impressive—Lohan, a veteran of teen films; Watson, a beloved franchise star; Lawrence, an acclaimed rising talent; and Hathaway, a mix of popularity and critical recognition.

"And for male leads, the shortlist includes Andrew Garfield, Liam Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, and Channing Tatum."

Again, a varied selection—Garfield and Hemsworth, fresh faces from blockbuster franchises; Cooper, a more seasoned actor; and Tatum, a commercial favorite.

"Also," Andy added, "Tim wants to make this a comedy—something like Ed Wood, blending melancholy and humor with his signature gothic style. Even for a commercial film, it's an interesting challenge."

A Tim Burton-directed comedy was intriguing. Alice in Wonderland had been visually stunning but critically divisive, with a Metacritic score of just 53. Some critics felt Burton's dark gothic style had grown repetitive, lacking the spark of his earlier works. His frequent collaborations with Depp, once magical, now seemed to be running on autopilot.

Renly flipped open the script's dark blue cover and skimmed the synopsis:

A wealthy playboy is cursed by a scorned witch after rejecting her love. She kills his beloved and turns him into a vampire, sealing him in a coffin. Two centuries later, he is accidentally unearthed by a construction team. Returning to his ancestral home, he finds it controlled by the same witch, who has ruled it for two hundred years. As he fights to reclaim his legacy, he encounters a girl who resembles his lost love and faces supernatural beings—zombies, werewolves, ghosts, and other creatures.

Renly closed the script. "Dark Shadows, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Dark Shadows," Andy confirmed with a chuckle. "I didn't think Brits watched old American soap operas."

Renly didn't respond. He hadn't seen the original show, but he knew about the movie adaptation. He just hadn't expected this highly anticipated project to be Dark Shadows.