Chapter 128: Starting to Pull

"Sean, I know you're very angry. I advise you not to do anything irrational," Martin Bob said in a calm tone, trying to soothe Sean Connery's temper.

After all, this old man was still of some value, and Martin Bob didn't want to give up on him just yet.

Sean Connery looked as if he was barely suppressing his anger. He questioned, "Does CAA really have no way to handle this? That bastard has repeatedly interfered with CAA's interests, and you're just letting him go?"

Sean Connery's spit landed on Martin Bob's face, who disdainfully wiped it off with a tissue.

He continued, "Sean, we both know this: Gilbert has grown to a point where no agency can easily manipulate him. He's not like those struggling directors waiting for a chance, or unknown actors hoping for fame. He's a nationally recognized genius director, and Disney, Warner, and Fox all support him. Dealing with someone like that isn't easy; you need to be careful and wait for an opportunity."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Sean Connery asked as he calmed down slightly, waiting for Martin Bob's response.

Martin Bob said, "In business, unless Gilbert messes up himself, no one can do anything to him. But at the Oscars, we have a lot of options. Although he hasn't openly expressed a desire for an Oscar, he can't become one of Hollywood's top directors without its recognition."

Although the Oscars are essentially a publicity event involving business, interests, and favors, Martin Bob didn't believe Gilbert could become the next George Lucas without Oscar acknowledgment.

Sean Connery looked coldly at Martin Bob and said, "I hope things are as you say..."

After soothing Sean Connery, Martin Bob returned to the CAA office in Century City.

"How did it go?" his confidant, Lovett, asked.

"Not bad," Martin Bob said, rubbing his temples, feeling slightly annoyed. "This rude Scottish old man—if he weren't still valuable, humph!"

Though he didn't say more, Lovett clearly understood what Martin Bob meant.

If he had no value, such a rude, drug-abusing old man would have been abandoned by CAA long ago. Thankfully, they hadn't angered Gilbert too much, keeping it within normal business competition. If Gilbert decided to retaliate, CAA would have no choice but to offer up Sean Connery as a scapegoat to calm his anger.

Martin Bob placed his hopes on the Oscars, asking Lovett, "What's the status of Mel's project?"

Lovett responded, "Mel says Braveheart will premiere on May 5th."

"Facing off against Gilbert's release?" Martin Bob frowned. "Who decided this—Sherry Lansing or Tom Rothman?"

"No, it was Mel who insisted on this release date," Lovett answered.

"That won't work," Martin Bob shook his head. "We should avoid that date as much as possible. I'll talk to Mel."

Competing with The Rock in the same release window? Keeping an eye on Braveheart's production progress, Martin Bob didn't believe it would succeed in the competitive summer season. In fact, 20th Century Fox, which invested in both The Rock and Braveheart, didn't want these two films to collide either, so they requested a date change.

Paramount, the main investor and distributor, also didn't want to compete with Gilbert, the so-called "Prince of the Summer Box Office." If it were a film by a mainstream commercial director, they wouldn't worry, but placing an Oscar contender in a direct clash with a commercial blockbuster in the summer season? It seemed unwise.

Mel Gibson had an overconfidence that made him resist changing the release date. He even privately claimed, "I'm not afraid of a kid. I'll show Gilbert who Hollywood's most beloved figure really is."

This statement soon reached Gilbert's ears, but he didn't respond, knowing Mel Gibson would only be further provoked. Instead, he focused on other ways to gain the upper hand. Fortunately, Mel hadn't made the remark publicly, avoiding a more intense fallout.

Eventually, under pressure from Paramount and Fox, Mel Gibson admitted he'd misspoken, saying he was drunk and expressing admiration for Gilbert, hoping to work with him one day. Along with this admission, Braveheart's release date was moved to May 24th, avoiding a clash with Gilbert's film.

Though Braveheart had moved out of the way without much public fuss, Gilbert wasn't about to let it slide. With the publicity team, he crafted a promotional plan. Gilbert's idea was to promote Roger Moore by putting him up against Sean Connery.

Gilbert had a chat with Roger Moore: "We're planning to promote you as the strongest Bond, so we'll need your cooperation."

After his role in The Rock, Roger Moore had enjoyed renewed public interest. Revitalized, he responded enthusiastically, "Say no more, Gilbert; I'll go along with it."

"Great," Gilbert nodded. "I remember you starred in the most Bond movies, with the highest box office revenue—better than Sean Connery's. And you worked with Christopher Lee, who had real-life spy experience, in The Man with the Golden Gun. We can highlight that as a talking point."

Earlier, when the production team considered casting Christopher Lee, they'd discovered his espionage background, which was intriguing but ultimately went with Roger Moore.

Roger Moore added, "Gilbert, you might not know, but I served in British Intelligence during World War II."

"Wow!" Gilbert was genuinely surprised. "Is that true?"

"Of course," Roger Moore replied. "I didn't kill anyone, but I was stationed in France and North Africa, and at one point, I was within fifty kilometers of Rommel, the Desert Fox."

That distance, on the battlefield, was quite close. Gilbert admired Moore's experience, "That's perfect. The publicity team will play it up and embellish it a bit. If asked, just neither confirm nor deny."

"Don't worry," Roger Moore said with a knowing look. "I understand."

After coordinating with Warner and Disney's publicity teams, they confirmed Roger Moore's service record. Though he had been a desk officer with no dangerous assignments, paired with his Bond experience, it was enough to create a legend. Without the internet back then, the media controlled the narrative, and the story quickly spread.

Many fans privately discussed how Roger Moore was a real-life spy, making his portrayal of Bond feel authentic. Soon, media began touting Roger Moore as the "strongest Bond," surpassing Sean Connery.

Sean Connery, already feeling wronged, couldn't hold back when he saw Gilbert's team using him for Moore's publicity. Ignoring Martin Bob's advice, he publicly declared, "Roger Moore's experience is exaggerated; he never saw any action or took on any dangerous assignments."

Christopher Lee, who had worked in intelligence and acted alongside Moore, jumped in to confirm Moore's service, further piquing media interest. Reporters sought confirmation from British Intelligence, who verified that both Moore and Lee had served, and that was enough for the story to take off.

With Sean Connery sidelined, Roger Moore and Christopher Lee, propelled by this publicity stunt, gained significant attention. The story resonated with fans who loved the idea of real-life spies playing spies on screen.

CAA attempted to counteract the story, casting doubt on Moore's experience, but this only fueled more public interest. Riding on the hype, The Rock gained even more anticipation from fans eager to see a real-life veteran play a starring role.

Thus, poor Sean Connery found himself outmatched by his successors.

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