It is reported that Andrew Garfield, who rose to fame starring in Transformers, has joined Gilbert's series project.
Scarlett Johansson was the first actor confirmed to participate. After returning from a European publicity tour, she eagerly expressed her desire to join the project.
Famous WWE wrestler and former star of the The Adventure of Jackie Chan, Dwayne Johnson, recently stated that he greatly enjoys collaborating with Gilbert and is expected to appear in this as-yet-unknown series project.
British action star Jason Statham mentioned that he received a personal call from Gilbert, inviting him to take on a role.
Although the summer blockbuster season was still in full swing, both Warner and Disney felt the need to hype Gilbert's series project.
Indeed, a world-renowned film director moving into television attracted considerable discussion.
Gilbert cooperated by posting several concept images on his social media, including one of a person carrying a gun next to a classic motorcycle, in front of a neon-lit city.
There was also an image of the mantis-blade prosthetic and one of a hovering car in flight.
These concept designs instantly sparked extensive discussion among fans. Even from the art style, the strong sense of cyberpunk technology was evident.
At the same time, Gilbert announced the series title on social media: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
"This is the first story set in a cyberpunk world. Starting with the protagonist David, we will delve into a high-tech city rife with crime and poverty.
Walkers, do you wish to become renowned across the world, or remain an anonymous nobody?"
Paired with the promotional images and this striking tagline, many fans immediately felt a surge of excitement, leaving comments about rising to fame.
Of course, some rational fans felt this might not be a wise choice. A film director transitioning to television is not impossible, but fans worried that this genre might not appeal to a broad audience.
Previously, Ridley Scott had attempted something similar with Blade Runner, which was praised but not commercially successful. Many had anticipated a sequel over the years, but it never materialized.
This concern wasn't limited to fans. The Hollywood Reporter explicitly raised the point: "We trust Gilbert's storytelling ability, but cyberpunk remains a niche genre. This is another high-investment limited series. Whether a film director can manage it successfully is still questionable."
Facing these doubts, Gilbert addressed the internal development meeting: "I believe past cyberpunk stories were overly abstruse, even pretentious.
The 1982 Blade Runner, constrained by the technology and capabilities of its time, coupled with narrative complexity, limited the film's accessibility.
Today, the film is widely regarded as a sci-fi classic, and past unfair criticisms have been vindicated.
Our script, in some ways, adapts the story more suitably for commercial appeal. We do not delve into high-tech elements excessively; the core message is simple: survive, and then become a legend."
That said, in Night City, becoming a legend would undoubtedly require great effort. The only way to achieve legendary status is to die gloriously.
After Gilbert set the basic tone, the casting process gradually began.
First, the actors mentioned in media reports were basically confirmed. Dwayne Johnson's character, unexpectedly, would be the villain Adam Smasher.
Jason Statham would play Maine, the mercenary squad leader. Since the series adaptation differed significantly from the anime, Gilbert had almost complete freedom in casting.
Rebecca's brother, Pilar, was cast as Paul Bettany, recommended by Jon Favreau; he had voiced the AI Jarvis in Iron Man.
The actor for the character Dorio was unique: professional boxer Ann Wolfe. Recently retired from boxing, she now works as a trainer, coaching Hollywood actors.
Knowing Gilbert wanted a fierce female character, Nicholas Cage recommended Ann Wolfe, being a fan of her boxing career.
For the character Falcon, considering the series required elements for the Japanese market, a Japanese actor, Tomokazu Miura, was selected.
As for Rebecca, a character with significant screen time, Gilbert required her to be sufficiently cute, beautiful, and petite.
Consequently, many tall, long-legged actresses were eliminated from consideration, and Gilbert did not want to use unknown performers.
He hoped the actress playing Rebecca would have a certain level of recognition—at the very least, a familiar face for the audience.
Originally, this role was intended for Emma Watson, but she declined. She considered it a minor role in a series, particularly as a supporting character to Scarlett Johansson, and she was also busy filming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
With no other options, Gilbert ultimately held a small-scale audition.
"Hi, Director Gilbert," said a petite, unfamiliar woman, standing in front of Gilbert.
Gilbert looked puzzled. "And you are?"
At that moment, Ivanka exclaimed in surprise, "Kim? You're here at the audition?"
"What? Am I not allowed?" Kim responded.
Gilbert frowned. "You two know each other?"
"Not exactly, we've just met a few times at parties in New York," Ivanka explained. "This is Kim Kardashian, daughter of Robert Kardashian."
Gilbert suddenly realized who she was. The name rang a bell—not because Robert Kardashian was the lawyer in the Simpson murder case, but because Kim Kardashian was going to release a tape next year.
Next year, it wasn't just about photos of Ms. Chen; Ms. Chen withdrew from the entertainment industry because of the photos, whereas Kim Kardashian entered show business due to the tape. It was undeniably surreal.
Gilbert had even reviewed it himself. Honestly, the footage wasn't very clear and didn't compare favorably with later Western high-quality productions.
"And Miss Kardashian is here for?" Gilbert asked.
Kim Kardashian answered naturally, "I think I'm suitable to be an actress, so I came to give it a try."
"Really? Well, good luck then!"
Gilbert raised his eyebrows but didn't take it seriously. Kim Kardashian was not suitable for this role, even if she was under 1.6 meters tall..
....
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