On September 10th, although the script was still being revised, the film *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* was officially greenlit within Dunn Pictures. The budget was set at $15 million, but externally it was declared to be $35 million.
Dunn Pictures sent out dozens of audition invitations to various agencies.
Since the script was tailored for Nicole Kidman, the other roles were supporting ones, and Dunn delegated the casting authority to his assistant, Glenn Fierro. Dunn , however, had his own significant task—choosing a director!
Dunn knew that he lacked the experience to direct the film himself, and he could only rely on the "Mirror Possession" skill from his sunglasses system. It was thanks to the beginner's package that Dunn had gained access to James Cameron's professional skills, enabling him to successfully direct *Titanic*.
Luckily, the "Mirror Possession" skill could be triggered whenever Dunn 's films accumulated over $1 billion in global box office revenue. With *Titanic* surpassing that milestone, Dunn had another opportunity to use the skill.
The key question was: which renowned director's abilities should Dunn possess?
James Cameron was out of the question—he wasn't suited for family dramas or comedies. After much consideration, Dunn narrowed it down to two candidates: Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen.
Steven Spielberg hardly needed an introduction. He was the top director in Hollywood at the time, with an impressive track record to back it up. His producer scores were outstanding: Production 92, Market Judgment 94, Art Appreciation 89, Project Evaluation 85, and Screenwriting 80, giving him an overall score of 88, significantly higher than Cameron's 81. As a director, Spielberg scored 91 in Cinematography, 97 in Plot Design, 86 in Visual Thinking, 93 in Directing, and an overall score of 90, equal to Cameron.
Despite any personal differences Dunn might have had with Spielberg, he still held great respect for the director.
In contrast, Woody Allen's numbers were less impressive. His producer score was only 69, and his directing skills, though notable, didn't quite match up to Spielberg's: 89 in Cinematography, 96 in Plot Design, 71 in Visual Thinking, 93 in Directing, and 80 in Cinematography, with an overall score of 86.
While Allen's overall skills were less than Spielberg's, Dunn was troubled by the fact that Spielberg had never directed a comedy, whereas nearly all of Woody Allen's works revolved around family and comedy. In the realm of comedy, Woody Allen was unmatched.
Additionally, Allen's screenwriting score was a remarkable 93, and his acting skills were close to 80. If Dunn were to possess Allen's abilities, he might even consider making a cameo in the film, fulfilling a dream of performing on screen.
"Woody Allen... Spielberg..." Dunn pondered, unable to make up his mind. This film was crucial to his future career plans, and he needed to be extra cautious in his decision.
"Wait, how could I forget?" Dunn suddenly slapped his forehead. Glenn Fierro's "Casting" ability was rated at 97, and since selecting a director was part of a producer's duties, it fell under that category too!
The preparations for the production were being handled by another assistant producer, Erin Kelly. However, just the task of casting had left Glenn Fierro overwhelmed. When he heard Dunn 's request, he was momentarily stunned.
"Boss, with our budget, we can't afford either Spielberg or Woody Allen!"
Dunn waved his hand. "I'm not suggesting we hire them; I just want to analyze which director's style would best suit our film. I'll study and learn from it."
Glenn Fierro couldn't help but feel a deep respect for Dunn . Who was this man? A super-director with a single film grossing $1.5 billion! Yet even someone like him was constantly learning and researching. How could he not succeed?
After some thought, Glenn Fierro responded, "Spielberg is definitely not suitable!"
"What? Why?" Dunn was surprised. "Spielberg might not have directed a comedy before, but his films are always touching and heartwarming, often bringing audiences to tears."
"That's true," Glenn said. "Spielberg has a wealth of directing experience, and he knows how to fully grasp the audience's emotions, making them cry, laugh, fear, be surprised, or applaud. That's why his films are consistently box office hits."
However, under Dunn 's puzzled gaze, Glenn Fierro shook his head. "But all of this is based on complex and harsh human nature hidden behind warmth! Spielberg excels at making cruel stories heartwarming and at portraying complex human nature in a touching way. But our film is different. We're trying to make a heartwarming story genuinely heartwarming, and such gentle emotions aren't Spielberg's forte. You can see this from the love stories in his past films."
Dunn nodded. It was true that the romantic developments in Spielberg's films were somewhat abrupt.
Glenn Fierro then added with a serious tone, "But more importantly, Spielberg is Jewish!"
Dunn was taken aback and looked at him deeply, silently praising him. Glenn was indeed a casting genius with a rating of 97—his insights were nothing short of astounding!
*My Big Fat Greek Wedding* is a film that views Greek culture from an American perspective, leading to various comedic situations. However, Greek civilization and Israeli civilization...
Having a Jewish director for this film would undoubtedly stir up significant controversy, potentially escalating into a debate about Jews satirizing Greek civilization.
Dunn sighed. "So, it's Woody Allen, then?"
Glenn Fierro frowned. "Woody Allen is even less suitable!"
"What? Why? Isn't he a comedy master?" Now Dunn was even more surprised.
Glenn Fierro clearly had a low opinion of Woody Allen, his face tinged with a hint of mockery. "Woody Allen is indeed a comedy master, but his films are always niche comedies, whereas our film needs to be a mainstream hit. Our goal is box office success, and Woody Allen has never been a guarantee for that."
Hearing this, Dunn realized that there was no need to borrow Woody Allen's abilities after all.
Glenn Fierro seemed eager to continue airing his disdain for Woody Allen. "His films have a strong personal style and artistic quality, but it's very much a European artistic style. And with Woody Allen's notorious reputation now, his films in North America would never be a box office smash!"
Dunn chuckled, surprised by the extent of Allen's scandals' impact, and shook his head. "So, in your opinion, which director would be the best fit for our film?"
"Hmm..."
Glenn Fierro thought for a long time, while Dunn patiently poured him a glass of whiskey.
Suddenly, Glenn Fierro's face lit up, and he stood up excitedly. "I've got it! I'm sure he's the one!"
"Who?"
"**Garry Marshall!**"
Glenn Fierro pronounced the name with conviction, clearly enthusiastic about his suggestion.
Dunn , however, was taken aback. "Garry Marshall? Who's that?"
"What?" Glenn Fierro was stunned, unable to believe his ears. "Boss?"
"Ahem..." Dunn quickly tried to cover up his embarrassment. "Well... you know, Glenn, I haven't seen that many movies..."
"Boss, you've never seen *Pretty Woman*?"
Dunn blinked a few times. "Of course, I've seen such a classic romance film! Are you saying... the director of that movie is Garry Marshall?"
"Exactly!" Glenn Fierro sighed with relief. "When Marshall directed *Pretty Woman,* the situation was quite similar to ours—an independent film with a tight budget. Yet he turned a $14 million investment into $460 million at the box office and catapulted Julia Roberts to stardom!"
Dunn squinted thoughtfully. "It seems that Garry Marshall might indeed be the perfect choice... Alright, I'll go study Marshall's directing techniques."
Glenn Fierro, seizing the moment, praised Dunn , "Boss, you work so hard! By the way, the day after tomorrow, I have a very important audition session for several key female supporting roles. Perhaps you could come and oversee it?"
Dunn understood the implication behind the suggestion. These were minor roles, and there was no need to make a big deal out of it. Even if a breathtaking beauty were cast, once she was in the crew, with Dunn 's status and position, she would be easy to handle.
"No need, you handle it." Dunn waved it off, his tone suddenly turning serious. "This is the first film from Dunn Pictures; don't mess it up!"
The warning was clear.
Glenn Fierro smiled. "I understand, boss."