Mr. Eisen and Director Zhang Mou shook hands briefly before stepping aside. "I'm Luke's agent," Eisen said. "You can discuss everything directly with him today."
Director Zhang's English wasn't great, so when Eisen moved aside, leaving the young and striking Luke in focus, he was momentarily taken aback.
Seeing this, Zhang Ziyu quickly translated, "Mr. Eisen is here today as Luke's agent. He said all decisions will be made by Luke."
Only then did Director Zhang shift his attention to Luke.
It wasn't out of disrespect or arrogance—normally, agents of Eisen's status dominated the relationship with their artists. Actors usually had to follow whatever these powerful agents decided.
But today, things were clearly different. Luke was the one in charge.
That realization made Zhang instantly change his approach—he needed to focus his relationship-building efforts on Luke instead.
---
"Mr. Luke, you're of Asian descent, right? Can you understand me?" Director Zhang asked, switching to Mandarin.
"No problem at all, Director Zhang," Luke replied with a friendly smile.
"You're young, accomplished, and have an impressive presence. Standing next to you makes me feel my age."
"You're in your prime, Director Zhang," Luke said sincerely. "There are still many peaks ahead waiting for you to conquer."
He wasn't just being polite—Luke knew this director's true golden years were still to come.
This trip back to Asia wasn't only to discuss cooperation on *Hero*; Luke also wanted to use this opportunity to build deeper connections within the film industry.
He had long-term plans for his career in Asia , and forming those relationships early was a necessary step.
Both men had reasons to establish rapport, so the atmosphere was relaxed and positive.
After everyone sat down, Zhang Ziyu continued the introductions. "Director, you mentioned wanting to learn more about the European and American film markets. Luke has a lot of experience there—he's been in three major films this year, all very successful."
"I know about Ang Lee's *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*, but what were the other two?"
Because those two films were still running in North America and hadn't yet released in Asia , and because Zhang's English wasn't great, he hadn't kept up with international movie news.
"*The Fast and the Furious* and *Jurassic Park III*. Together, they've grossed $760 million at the box office."
---
"How much did you say?" Zhang nearly spat out his tea.
"Seven hundred sixty million U.S. dollars," Zhang Ziyu repeated proudly. "That's roughly 6 billion yuan."
"Incredible," Zhang exclaimed. "That's more than seven times Asia entire annual box office revenue. The domestic market is still too small. If commercial films want to grow, they have to go global."
"Luke can help you make that happen, Director Zhang," Zhang Ziyu added.
"Really?"
"Of course! For all three of those films—including *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*—Luke played a huge role. He was even the male lead in *Jurassic Park III*."
"Amazing. Truly, heroes emerge young," Zhang said sincerely.
He now understood that Luke wasn't just some actor riding on others' coattails—he was someone who could drive a film's success. And for a Asia actor to land a lead role in such a major Hollywood production? That was no small feat.
This revelation made Zhang reevaluate Luke's worth entirely.
But then he wondered—why hadn't this information been highlighted in the briefing materials Zhang Ziyu had prepared? It had only been briefly mentioned.
Seeing Zhang's surprise, Zhang Ziyu smiled knowingly.
She'd done that on purpose. First, because she knew Zhang wouldn't have paid much attention to the details beforehand—he would've focused entirely on Eisen.
And second, revealing Luke's achievements in person created a stronger emotional impact. It left a deeper impression on Zhang, making it easier for Luke to achieve his goals later.
Zhang Ziyu was pulling every string she could to help Luke.
---
Thinking about the massive potential of the Western movie market, Zhang couldn't help but get excited.
Whether for fame or fortune, he knew that to become a truly world-class director, he had to break into the international scene.
In recent years, he'd made a name for himself with realistic dramas and even picked up some international awards—enough to rank among Asia top directors.
But in the Asia industry, Western awards were still seen as the true mark of prestige.
Now, Zhang was ready to pursue profit as well. And for that, Hollywood was the ultimate goal.
If he could partner with Luke—and, more importantly, with Eisen's powerful network—that would be a dream come true.
So he decided to speak plainly. "I'm a straightforward person, so I'll just get to the point. Ziyu told me you're very interested in my new project, *Hero*, and that you're hoping for a deeper collaboration?"
"Yes," Luke said. "A full-scale collaboration."
"Full-scale?"
"I want to act in *Hero*, invest in its production, and handle its distribution across the European and American markets," Luke said directly, not bothering with small talk.
Zhang felt both pleased and troubled.
Pleased because this meant guaranteed overseas distribution and a solid source of funding. Troubled because he didn't yet know what role Luke wanted—or how to fit him in.
"Before we talk casting," Zhang asked, "can I ask how much funding you're willing to contribute?"
"How much have you already secured?" Luke replied coolly. "Whatever's left, we'll cover completely."
Thanks to his studio's strong finances, he could say that with confidence.
He knew that *Hero*'s actual production cost had been around $30 million—roughly on par with *The Fast and the Furious* in Hollywood terms. That was considered mid-range for America, but top-tier for Asia .
And because production costs in Asia were much lower, that same $30 million could deliver the visual quality of a $60 million Hollywood movie.
Luke's studio had a $500 million cash reserve, so covering the entire budget would've been no problem.
But he knew better than to take it all—hogging every share would only alienate local investors. So his offer was to cover all remaining costs after their current funding.
Zhang nodded. "We've raised about $10 million so far. The remaining $20 million would be up to you."
"No problem. And if production costs go over budget, we'll handle all additional expenses as well."
Zhang couldn't help being impressed again. He hadn't expected this young actor's studio to be so financially powerful.
No hesitation, no negotiation—just a clean, confident promise to fund everything, even overruns.
And the fact that such massive funds were under the control of this calm, composed young man… Zhang found himself deeply impressed. *The younger generation is truly remarkable,* he thought.
Of course, once he remembered the powerful Eisen standing behind Luke, it all made sense.
Still… Luke's investment was so substantial that Zhang knew he'd have to give him a role worthy of that contribution.
But there was one big problem—every major role in *Hero* had already been cast and confirmed.
Now what was he supposed to do?
Zhang's head began to ache.