Chapter 264: Turtle

"I believe Aniston is up to the task."

At a regular crew meeting, director Danny Boyle concurred, "I discussed the lead role with screenwriter Brandt. The character itself doesn't necessitate superior acting. Aniston's experience is more than sufficient to tackle a particularly complex performance."

The director preferred experienced actors to make filming smoother and less labor-intensive, as he didn't want to bother with teaching inexperienced actors.

Kelly raised a practical concern, "What about her salary? She won't ask for $20 million, will she?"

Martin clarified, "Aniston's salary for an entire season of 'Friends' was $20 million or more. Her movie salary won't be that high."

Jessica, responsible for contacting CAA, shared, "I inquired, and their bottom line is around $5 million."

Kelly asked, "The box office response to her lead role in 'Derailed' was only average."

Louise Si turned to Martin and suggested, "Properly leveraging Rachel's fame and appeal could boost the film."

Martin pondered for a moment and stated, "My suggestion is to allow her to proceed directly to the third round of auditions. It's the treatment a star of her caliber deserves, and her casting will depend on the audition results."

Boyle was the first to agree, "This seems like the best approach."

Louise concurred, "Then let's proceed accordingly."

The brief meeting concluded, and Martin prepared to head to the photography studio to meet with the action director, Chad. They planned to incorporate some of Bruce Lee's action routines into the film's choreography.

In the story, after the male lead takes the smart drug, he gains combat skills from the movies he's watched, eliminating the need for training.

As they walked along the Warner Studios sidewalk, Louise asked Martin directly, "Is something bothering you?"

Louise, acting like a couple, reached out and held his arm. "You haven't shared a new formula with me for a while."

Martin found an excuse, "I've been occupied with work lately and haven't had time to experiment with new formulas. Didn't I lend you a notebook last time?"

"It's almost used up," Louise reminded him. "You seem to find plenty of time for parties and picking up girls."

Unashamed, Martin responded, "It's all part of the job. How can I invite Danny as the director without attending Leonardo's party? And how can Pacific Pictures regain its momentum so quickly without being busy with work?"

Louise smiled and shook her head, "Blake might have reservations."

Martin was nonchalant, "Idols' halos are bound to fade."

When they reached a crossroad, Louise headed toward Warner Pictures and said, "Don't forget the new recipe. I'm attending the World Sommelier Conference during the New Year. I need a piece to present."

Martin assured her, "I'll make time to test the new formula."

The two parted ways at the intersection, heading to different destinations.

Louise arrived at Warner Pictures' large conference room, where she met Barry Meyer and Alan Horn, the current heads of Warner Bros.

Others at the meeting included key figures from DC Comics and Legendary Pictures, as well as Warner's top producer, Charles Rowan.

Charles, familiar with Louise, asked, "Has Pacific Pictures made a full recovery?"

Louise smiled, "Thanks to my treasure, Martin Davis, I own two of his projects, 'The Hills Have Eyes' and 'Wanted.' Not only did they cover the shortfall from 'Alexander the Great,' but they also generated substantial profits. Most importantly, investors have regained their confidence in Pacific Pictures."

Barry Meyer, standing nearby, couldn't help but admire, "You've indeed turned Martin Davis into a cash cow. From the 'house of wax' project last year to now, he continues to surprise."

Louise was aware that Warner Bros. held a dominant position in the industry, and the benefits from these projects primarily flowed back to the studio.

Alan Horn asked, "How long can his popularity last?"

This question suggested they were keen on pushing him to his limits. Louise delicately replied, "As far as I know, Coca-Cola is eager to extend Martin's endorsement contract and sponsor any of his films with suitable branding. Their group, however, can't substantially impact the film industry; the effect of their resources on a single star is limited."

Alan Horn quickly changed his tone, saying, "Warner Pictures has always been optimistic about Martin's future and hopes his upcoming films will continue to succeed."

Barry Meyer realized that everyone was present and got to the point, "Today's meeting has only one agenda: British director Nolan has submitted an idea for a sequel to a new Batman movie. It's expected to have a budget of over $150 million..." Given the substantial risk, Warner Bros. was reluctant to shoulder the entire burden.

That's why Warner invited long-standing partners like Legendary Pictures and Pacific Pictures to join the discussion.

...

In Century City, within a business club, Brad Pitt waited for Aniston's agent, Steve, and voiced his frustration, "She changed all her contact info, and I don't even have her new address. I can't reach her."

Steve, well aware of Aniston's feelings, approached the matter professionally. "What do you want with Jennifer? You know she doesn't want to see you anymore."

Pitt understood that he couldn't tell an agent that he wanted to reconcile. He spoke with care, "The response to 'Derailed' was average, so I've been helping her find a new project, a biopic. It has the potential to win awards!"

Steve held Aniston's career in high regard and was the last person who would want to see it stagnate. He inquired, "What project?"

Peter unzipped the bag and pulled out a sizable stack of documents, handing them to Steve. "Take a look, it's about the biopic of Miss Potter, the author of 'Peter Rabbit.'"

Steve immediately noticed the film company marked on the documents – Weinstein Films. The words Aniston had emphasized still echoed in his mind. Steve was aware that suggesting Peter and Weinstein's collaboration again would be a terrible idea, possibly causing Aniston to consider changing her agent. To avoid this, he spoke the truth, "Jane has refused any further cooperation with Weinstein."

He didn't even touch the script that Brad Pitt had brought along and quickly excused himself, saying, "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

Brad Pitt had no choice but to gather the information and leave. As he passed by a newspaper stand, he noticed Aniston's picture on one of the newspapers. Curiosity piqued, he grabbed a copy and sat down at a nearby bench to examine it more closely.

"Aniston's new romance? The man is suspected to be Martin Davis!"

Underneath the headline was a photograph of Aniston and Martin engrossed in conversation, a closeness that suggested more than just a professional discussion, perhaps related to the movie shooting. But Peter couldn't be bothered with the details and tossed the newspaper aside. All he could think of was the name Martin Davis.

"F**k!" Pitt was convinced that Martin had snatched Jolie from him, and now Aniston seemed to be his next target. The audacity of this man!

Fuming, Brad Pitt left the club, got into his car, and instructed the driver to head home. Along the way, he called his housekeeper, demanding, "Come to my place immediately, right now!"

He needed to cool down and then figure out a solution.

Not far from there, in the Weinstein Films offices, the Weinstein brothers were in a rare joint meeting.

Bob inquired, "Have you made a decision regarding the lead actor for the Miss Potter project? Renee Zellweger called me and expressed strong interest."

But Harvey, the true decision-maker, had other ideas, "Have her wait for a while. I've found more suitable leads – Aniston and Pitt."

Though Bob wasn't actively involved in the film business, his experience made him understand the implications, "Are you planning to use a Mr. and Mrs. Smith-style publicity stunt to generate buzz for the film?"

Harvey was ambitious, "We're experts at winning awards, and with the right publicity, I'm confident we can turn a profit in North America based on box office earnings alone."

That was a feat not many films could achieve, not even Quentin's works, which excelled in critical acclaim but often fell short at the box office.

Suddenly, Harvey's phone rang, and he answered the call, his expression turning sour. He then activated the intercom, and his secretary quickly delivered several newspapers.

One of those newspapers revealed that Martin Davis, in partnership with a group of producers, was planning to adapt the novel "Dark Fields" into a movie, with Aniston likely cast as the lead!

Harvey slammed the newspaper onto his desk, uttering a curse, "Damn it!"

Bob inquired, "What's going on? Did something go wrong?"

Harvey explained, "Aniston has turned down our collaboration and decided to join Martin Davis' new project 'Limitless' as the female lead."

Bob recalled, "I remember that Martin snatched this project from Craven, right? Didn't it feature a character created by him?"

"That's the one," Harvey confirmed.

Bob, in his characteristic manner, suggested, "Can we do something to bring him down?"

Harvey responded, "If it were that simple, I would have dealt with him a long time ago. Do you think he's still around because he's easy to deal with?"

He expressed his frustration, "Martin Davis is the spokesperson for Coca-Cola now, and if we engage in any unethical activities, don't you think the big capital bosses will come down on us? Warner Bros is one thing, but when it comes to the returns from their investments and distributions, they won't treat us like we don't exist."

He continued, "Furthermore, he has deep connections with local forces in the state. If their interests are threatened, it could turn into a life-and-death battle."

Bob sighed, "What on earth is this guy doing? Does he think he's invincible, covering himself with so many layers like a turtle?" Harvey shook his head, "That's why it's so challenging. We either don't act or we find the right leverage point."