Chapter 417: Poaching Plan

[Chapter 417: The Plan to Poach]

After impulsively expressing the desire to start a production company, Nicole felt like she was being foolish.

To her, the situation with the film company was quite special. Although Elisabeth held the largest stake and was undoubtedly Eric's woman, she also had the identity of the Murdoch family's second daughter, which could gain her support from 20th Century Fox.

As for Drew, during their time together, Nicole deeply understood Drew's admiration and dependence on Eric. The girl nearly worshipped Eric as if he were her god. In a way, Drew became a stand-in for Eric; if he decided to get involved in a project, Drew would undoubtedly be the most adamant executor. Julia, on the other hand, was Eric's first leading lady in his film.

All signs pointed to those three women having a closer relationship with Eric than she did. Reflecting on her own position, Nicole felt like she had nothing that would entice Eric to invest in her. If she did nothing, she was bound to be left behind in the future.

Just as she was feeling down, she suddenly heard Eric say, "It's not impossible. If you can pull those two completely to your side, I will support you in establishing a production company."

Surprised yet somewhat confused, Nicole asked, "Those two? Which two?"

"Pat Kingsley and Paula Wagner, Cruise's agent and partner," Eric replied, a cryptic smile on his face.

Eric had previously entertained this thought. Pat Kingsley and Paula Wagner were undoubtedly two very capable women in their respective fields. Saying they were benefactors in Cruise's career would be an understatement. However, Eric remembered that these two women gradually distanced themselves from Cruise in the coming years, coinciding with Cruise's career taking a downturn.

"That's unlikely," Nicole said, her tone lacking confidence. Although she was considered a top-tier Hollywood actress now, her status in the industry still couldn't compare to Cruise's. She understood very well that not to mention Paula Wagner, even Pat Kingsley would have no hesitation in choosing Cruise over her.

Eric seemed to grow more interested. He put the documents he had been holding on the coffee table and said, "I actually think this could be quite easy. As long as you can make Cruise feel like Pat Kingsley and Paula Wagner are leaning more toward you and neglecting him, it would work. If, in the meantime, Cruise's career falters while yours progresses, it would all fall into place."

In the original timeline, Cruise and Pat Kingsley had a falling out due to Nicole's successful career, which even led to her winning an Oscar. In the following years, Cruise's career declined, and he parted ways with Paula Wagner, ultimately becoming a lonely figure.

Nicole's eyes lit up with excitement, not because of Eric's plan to poach Cruise's team, but because of the phrase "your acting career progressing." This meant Eric would definitely lend her a hand. If that little rascal could put some effort into her, Nicole would be willing to give up on the idea of a production company altogether. She leaned closer to Eric, playfully complaining, "You're always so indifferent to me. Moving up in my career all on my own isn't as easy as it sounds."

"You're trying to play games with me again," Eric chuckled.

Nicole giggled in return, grabbing Eric around the neck. "You always say I'm your woman, so this is exactly what you should be doing."

Eric put his arms around Nicole's waist and tilted his head in thought. "That does sound reasonable."

"Uh-huh..." Nicole agreed, watching as Eric stood up and started to walk away. "Where are you going?"

Eric paused, looking back at her. "To the terrace, the pool. Are you coming?"

Nicole looked at Eric's thin clothing and said, "Right now? Outside? It's freezing! You want to catch a cold?"

Eric brushed it off, saying, "I can set the pool to warm, perfect for a hot bath, and we can see the stars. How romantic."

Nicole felt tempted. She stood up, contemplating, "I should grab a robe or something. We'll have to come back eventually, right?"

Eric pointed outside. "No need, there's a changing room there."

At this point, Eric no longer shared the same status as Cruise. Despite not being fond of Cruise, he had no desire to directly target him. Swaying Nicole to poach Cruise's associates was merely an amusing side note for him.

Indeed, it wouldn't be difficult to steal Pat Kingsley and Paula Wagner away from Cruise. Just as in the previous timeline, Eric planned to elevate Nicole's status, creating a situation where Pat Kingsley and Paula Wagner would favor Nicole while neglecting Cruise, hence causing a rift between Cruise and the two women.

...

In the following days, Eric quickly unearthed a good script from his memory, the one previously starring Sandra Bullock in The Heat. This comedic story revolved around the mismatched partnership of FBI agent Sarah and Boston policewoman Shannon as they hilariously investigated a case. The most memorable part for Eric was when, after a series of setbacks, they raised their glasses to celebrate their victory. Then in a comedic mishap, Sarah smashed her beer glass and cut her hand, causing the usually tough Shannon to faint upon seeing the blood.

The story was filled with laughter and lighthearted moments, and Eric found the perfect actors for the leads. Nicole was to play the socially awkward, nitpicking FBI agent, while Rosie O'Donnell, who starred alongside Nicole in Sleepless in Seattle, would fit perfectly as Shannon.

Eric planned for Nicole to invite Paula Wagner to be the producer. If next year, Pat Kingsley could secure a Golden Globe nomination for Nicole for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, that would be even better. Then, during the summer, he would arrange for a promising blockbuster for Nicole. If both films succeeded and Cruise's film Running Out of Time didn't perform, achieving the desired outcome would be rather straightforward.

This goal did not seem too challenging either. From details revealed about Running Out of Time, its prequel was slated to have a nearly $100 million production and distribution budget, which meant it needed to surpass $300 million globally to be considered successful.

In the original timeline, The Heat was made for $40 million but grossed $200 million worldwide. Eric didn't expect this female-led R-rated comedy to achieve the same success, but as the budget was cut to $20 million by being pushed forward over a decade, even half the previous success would be very profitable for Firefly Films.

The Heat's title was a playful nod to the classic flick Heat, which had not yet been produced. To generate some buzz, Eric named the film Sarah & Shannon, coinciding with the end-of-year release of Thelma & Louise, another film with feminist undertones.

The concurrent release of these two slightly feminist films -- with complementary themes -- could produce a beneficial cross-promotional effect.

...

Before the Oscars, the lavish Sony Pictures and Firefly Films struck a deal for the rights to Running Out of Time, with the sale of half the film rights going for $100 million, drawing envy from several other studios.

Yet, once the funds arrived, a chunk went to Pixar for the production of Bug's Life, another portion went towards building the Playa Vista studio base, and the remaining money was allocated to Twister's budget. The $100 million disappeared before it even warmed up.

Eric couldn't help but marvel at how quickly the rapidly expanding film company was spending money. If he hadn't held enough chips in hand and was unwilling to go public for financing, Firefly would undoubtedly find itself in the same debt-laden path as many other production companies in Hollywood. Countless promising second and third-tier studios frequently fell victim to the vicious cycle of crippling debt.

...

After months of promotional efforts, the 63rd Academy Awards took place on March 25, 1991, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

For Eric, this year's Oscars felt like a mere transit, with only a handful of nominations from Ghost having any relevance to him.

As for the award presenters, the Oscars committee was more than willing to have Eric present an award, but they struggled to decide which one.

In Hollywood, stars around Eric's age often found themselves only allowed to present technical awards, which required a significant amount of connections and fame. For instance, Nicole was awarded the title of presenter for Best Cinematography by Pat Kingsley. However, given Eric's current status, he wouldn't have agreed to present unimportant technical awards. Yet, he wouldn't qualify to present major awards like Best Director or Best Picture, leading to an impasse.

The limousine slowly came to a halt at the end of the red carpet. Eric calmly exited the vehicle as waiting reporters perked up, raising their cameras, eager for a glimpse of Eric's companion. No matter who Eric walked the red carpet with, they could turn it into a sensational story, whether true or not.

*****

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