Passing the buck

Inside the conference room.

Several people sat in a relaxed manner.

The visiting reporter was from the WB Television Network, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. They had exchanged pleasantries before, and their relationship was relatively good. Moreover, they had been generous with red envelopes and travel expenses, so they considered themselves on the same side.

After the assistant poured a few cups of coffee, she discreetly exited the room.

The person responsible for the camera equipment on the side was tinkering with the machines. When the time was right, the formal interview began.

This reporter was diligent, keeping his questions concise and avoiding pitfalls. Most importantly, his questions were on point. One couldn't help but admire his professionalism. The money spent on him was well worth it.

"Nowadays, many people have given this movie negative reviews, and some have criticized your performance in it. How do you personally view this?"

Brad sat upright and replied, "That's not an entirely accurate way to put it. When a movie doesn't resonate with the audience or falls short of expectations, there are usually multiple factors at play. It's unfair to solely blame any particular actor. 'Troy' followed the usual production process, starting with the concept, script, and the film crew before casting the actors. I joined the cast and began shooting in less than a week, and even the script I received only contained my character's scenes. I had no idea what the final product would be like."

The reporter followed up, "So, you're saying that actors had the least involvement in this?"

"Exactly. In my case, I finished filming this movie and even took part in other projects, only to be informed just before its release. It wasn't until the premiere that I fully understood the entire storyline."

"Did you have any thoughts when you watched it?"

"I thought it was terribly done, and it didn't feel like me."

"So, you're not satisfied with your own performance?"

"Somewhat, but mostly because my scenes felt disjointed, which is probably why the audience felt I wasn't immersed in the role."

In the end, all the implications pointed toward the director. The actors weren't willing to shoulder the blame.

Even the early promotions were merely fulfilling contractual obligations, not an active exaggeration of the film's quality. It couldn't be called deception because even the actors themselves didn't know if the movie would turn out good.

The exchange between the two flowed like a rehearsed act, with one question and one answer, a seamless performance.

As the interview neared its end, the reporter touched on the rigid and assembly-line nature of Hollywood production and offered his expectations for the future of the film market. Then, the camera shut off.

The group exchanged handshakes and polite words.

Brad Grey once again handed over a payment, mentioning the expenses for their long journey and accommodations.

The TV station representatives received it, very satisfied. After personally escorting them to the parking lot, they assured that the interview would air on television the following day.

After seeing them off, Brad Pitt and Brad Grey returned to the office.

They continued to discuss their plan.

It was clear that the focus of public opinion couldn't be shifted so easily. Since they needed the director to take the blame, it was best if Warner Bros. cooperated privately.

Of course, they were willing to do so.

After all, this project needed a scapegoat, so why not make it the director, Wolfgang Peterson?

Moreover, there were several benefits to this approach.

First, it would naturally divert attention. Brad needed positive publicity, and Warner Bros. did too.

Second, because director Peterson was a German with shallow roots in Hollywood, even if they threw mud at him, he couldn't do much. If he were a prominent director, the blame might have fallen on the actors in the film. Unfortunately, he wasn't.

Third, the talent agencies needed a suitable scapegoat as well. Agencies like CAA and ICM had actors involved in this movie.

To put it plainly, this operation would be more convenient for Warner Bros., reduce their losses, and allow them to use the combined efforts of various parties to mitigate the situation.

It's very pragmatic, isn't it?

As for whether this would directly end the director's career, it was not within Brad and Warner's consideration.

As the saying goes, "A drowning man will clutch at a straw."

Who else could take responsibility if not them?

In any case, Warner Bros. definitely wouldn't collaborate with a tainted director again.

Brad, on the other hand, was different. He still had utility.

With this in mind, everything became clear.

...

"Warner Bros. wants you to participate in a program."

In a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills, an agent from ICM looked at the furrowed brow of Orlando Bloom as he spoke.

The failure of "Troy" had not only caused significant losses for Brad but also posed a risk to Orlando's acting career.

You see, he didn't have as many projects under his belt as Pitt. He had only recently gained some recognition for his role as the Elf Prince in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the blacksmith in "Pirates of the Caribbean". Facing such a setback as a young actor was truly terrifying.

What made this young man even more uncomfortable was the changes happening around him.

Just a few weeks ago, he was the most highly regarded newcomer at ICM, and even high-ranking figures in the agency were willing to greet him, select films for him, and invest resources in his career.

During that period, he received project proposals from his agent every day and competed for roles based on them. Not long ago, thanks to the company's connections, he even won the Best Breakthrough Performance at the MTV Movie Awards & TV Awards.

Such a promising start should have led to smooth sailing.

But as the negative impact of "Troy" gained momentum, he, as one of the main supporting actors, also faced criticism from many quarters.

In just a few days, the company's attitude had changed dramatically.

If it weren't for the lifeline he still had, perhaps he would have been abandoned by the capital, like those actors who had achieved success and then suddenly fell into obscurity, sinking to the bottom.

This was a very frightening prospect that no one would willingly accept.

So, when he heard his agent's words, Orlando asked, "When?"

"Tomorrow. You'll follow my instructions."

Orlando adjusted his posture uncomfortably. He felt that his agent had become less polite in recent days.

Such directive words made him feel quite uneasy.

Meanwhile, "Troy" continued its decline, with the reduction of screenings at theaters making its downturn even more pronounced.

The daily box office earnings plummeted from over $15M to just over $10M.

On weekdays, it fared even worse, unable to reach $10M.

For a major production, such a situation could only be attributed to the film's tarnished reputation.

Moreover, Warner Bros., as the distributor, was cutting corners.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, they even slashed the promotional expenses by half.

Without publicity and positive audience reviews, there was little hope for improvement.