Chapter 573: Warner’s Mysterious Operation!

David Fincher, immersed in his work, eventually departed from the bustling studio, leaving behind an air of creative fervor. The dimly lit room was adorned with vintage movie posters and overlooked by a tall shelf stacked with film reels.

In the corner, Bruce sat alone, engrossed in a screenplay. Daniel, with a purposeful stride, approached Martin, who seemed lost in thought.

"I've watched those three classic films you handpicked," Daniel began, his voice carrying the weight of intrigue. "The production costs were staggering. Are you truly optimistic about their remakes?"

Martin responded with an air of vagueness, his eyes focused somewhere beyond the conversation. "At the moment, I do see potential in them," he replied, but then hesitated, his words trailing off. "I'm still assessing the others."

Daniel maintained his inquisitive gaze, pressing further, "Could you enlighten me on the choice of these three films: 'Peter Pan,' 'Exodus,' and 'The Wizard of Oz'?"

Martin shifted uneasily, a shadow of paranoia crossing his face, possibly an aftereffect of working closely with acting maestro Nicholson. "I chose them based on the current and future trends in the film market," he finally divulged.

Daniel, unrelenting, probed, "Oh? They say you have an uncanny knack for film selection. Seems like you've stumbled upon something special."

Martin's response was a blend of truth and deception. "There have been some discoveries, but nothing truly extraordinary," he claimed. "I picked 'Peter Pan' and 'The Wizard of Oz' because Disney recently scored big with 'Alice in Wonderland,' a live-action fairy tale that raked in $116 million in its opening weekend. It suggests a thriving market for 3D live-action fairy tales in the coming years."

Daniel nodded in agreement, considering the impact of 'Alice in Wonderland.' Indeed, 'Peter Pan' and 'The Wizard of Oz' had more significant recognition and potential influence.

Martin continued, half-concealing his motives, "As for 'Ben-Hur' and 'Exodus,' it's mostly due to Warner Bros.' enthusiastic support for another project."

Daniel speculated, "The 'Hobbit' trilogy?"

"Yes," Martin affirmed. "It's precisely due to this enchanting epic series. In recent years, traditional epic movies haven't fared well, but magical epics, following the success of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy and Disney's 'Narnia' series, have thrived. While there have been some missteps, most can be attributed to issues with the films themselves, or lesser-known source material."

He refrained from citing failures, continuing, "I'm highly optimistic about Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit,' and I'm confident the 'The Hobbit' trilogy will surpass a billion at the box office, igniting a new era for this genre. 'Exodus' incorporates magical elements and offers a familiar tale, so riding on 'The Hobbit's' coattails..."

Daniel found Martin's reasoning increasingly compelling. Movie investments were inherently risky, but piggybacking on a trend minimized the gamble.

After a moment of contemplation, Martin added, "That's my current perspective, but adjustments will be necessary during execution. No one can guarantee a film's success with absolute certainty."

Daniel concurred, encapsulating the essence of their conversation, "In the realm of Hollywood, aside from discussing work in hotel rooms, it's all about following the trends."

Martin pondered briefly and then confided, "That's my strategy for now, but the particulars will emerge in the actual implementation. No film can be guaranteed a 100% success rate."

Daniel nodded thoughtfully, contributing to the atmosphere of the scene, "Among these three films, 'Exodus' avoids copyright entanglements, but the latter two raise copyright concerns."

"Find someone to initiate discussions with Warner Pictures," Martin instructed.

"I'll arrange for the necessary talks," he affirmed.

Martin had previously noted, "I've checked Warner's information, and 'Exodus' originates from the Bible, so there should be no copyright disputes."

"The Wizard of Oz" and "Peter Pan" were beneficiaries of Disney's unwavering dedication. Copyrights for works predating 1978, under the Copyright Act, have been extended, keeping them out of the public domain.

Warner Bros. held the film and television rights for the former, while the latter's copyright was jointly licensed to Disney and Warner by a hospital. Negotiating with Warner would suffice.

Although Martin harbored reservations about engaging in these discussions himself, he decided to have Jessica reach out to Warner Pictures instead.

After a brief exchange, Daniel concluded his inquiries and departed.

Martin leaned over to Bruce, seated in the corner, and asked, "Do you sense anything unusual about him?"

Bruce, pondering carefully, shook his head. "No, I didn't detect anything out of the ordinary. He rarely engaged in these discussions before; usually, you handled film market matters."

"In that case," Martin suggested, "have Jessica contact Warner Pictures. If they're genuinely interested in discussing remake authorization, we may avert potential complications. I'd rather not engage directly; Daniel or Warner Bros. might view me as their film selector."

Bruce interjected, "Alan Horn has left."

"Ah, he's about to assume his position at Disney Pictures," Martin lamented. "Unfortunately, this is a production company, not a distribution company."

Bruce inquired, "I recall you randomly selected those three films?"

Martin explained, "Warner Brothers is about to enter a turbulent period, and I was merely cautious."

Back at the Warner Building, Daniel promptly reached out to Kevin Tsujihara.

Kevin Tsujihara, brimming with energy, had just arrived. He swiftly alerted Warner Pictures and assembled a dedicated team to discuss the feasibility of Martin's proposal with Daniel.

While "The Wizard of Oz" and "Peter Pan" had previously been overlooked at Warner Bros. Pictures, the idea of reimagining "Exodus" sparked fervent discussions.

Hollywood had no shortage of epic narratives. Each year brought forth high-budget epic productions, often slipping under the radar of the general public but attracting a dedicated following.

Furthermore, the idea of a "magical" rendition of "Exodus" had gained momentum with the success of "The Hobbit."

With Alan Horn's resignation, Warner's producers and executives, who had long been stifled by his leadership, now felt liberated to unleash their creative potential.

Deprived of a dominant figure's restraint, Warner's executives embraced ambitious ideas. They not only found the concept of a magical adaptation of "Exodus" feasible but also saw Christian Bale, a longtime collaborator, as the ideal choice for the role of Moses.

A list of esteemed directors emerged, with Hollywood's epic maestro, Ridley Scott, at the helm.

Initially baffled by this sudden turn of events, Martin eventually realized that eccentricity had become the norm at Warner Bros. They thrived on the unconventional.

Jessica's discussions with Warner Pictures reached an impasse after some time.

Subsequently, Warner Pictures deliberated on "Peter Pan" and "The Wizard of Oz." Buoyed by the colossal success of "Alice in Wonderland," numerous Warner executives believed that these classics could be reimagined as 3D live-action spectacles.

However, "Exodus" remained the focal point, bolstered by support from influential Jewish backers. By late January, Warner Pictures presented it to the review committee and secured the coveted green light for production.

Warner Pictures promptly reestablished contact with Christian Bale.

Amidst the bustling environment of Warner Studios, where the "Horrible Bosses" crew was hard at work, Martin paid a visit to Jennifer Aniston, who was also involved in this project.

As they settled into lounge chairs outside the studio, Aniston shared exciting news. "Warner Pictures has sent a proposal to Plan B, aiming to secure at least $150 million for production and filming."

Martin was impressed. "A hefty $150 million; Warner is indeed a major player."

Aniston, with a natural tone, asked, "You've had remarkable success. Do you have any advice for me?"

Martin, thoughtful, admitted, "Hollywood invests heavily in epic films each year. Personally, when I encounter such projects, I tend to steer clear."

Aniston inquired, "You're not a fan of epic movies?"

Martin handed her a bottle of water and replied, "Not particularly."

Aniston accepted the water, took a sip, and agreed, "I might avoid epic films in the future as well."

Their conversation was interrupted by a dark-skinned woman emerging from the studio. Spotting Martin and Aniston, she approached with eagerness, akin to a devoted fan.

Upon reaching them, she introduced herself, "Jennifer, I'm Meghan, Meghan Markle."

Martin inquired, "Do you know her?"

Aniston shook her head, "No, not really."

Meghan reminded them, "We've both worked on the set of 'Horrible Bosses'; we're colleagues."

Aniston recalled, "Oh, right."

Martin signaled to Bruce, who stepped aside. Meghan swiftly retrieved her iPhone and asked, "Could we take a photo together?"

Martin, known for his friendliness towards young actors, pulled Aniston up and agreed, "Sure."

Meghan put away her phone and handed it to Bruce, positioning herself affectionately beside Aniston, clasping her arm.

Bruce snapped three photos in quick succession.

"Thank you," Meghan expressed her gratitude to Martin and Aniston before taking her phone back from Bruce and departing.

As she walked away, Meghan opened Twitter on her phone to compose a new tweet. She selected the photo taken with Martin and Aniston and added a caption:

"In my years in Hollywood, the greatest treasure I've found is the friendships I've made. Today, I had the pleasure of running into my friend Martin Davis on set, along with another wonderful friend, Aniston. We had a delightful chat about the future of Hollywood films and this year's Oscars, among other things."

She posted the tweet and followed it with a selfie featuring Aniston in the background, captioned, "Nothing beats working on a film with friends."

Exiting the studio, Meghan drove back to her rented apartment. Upon returning, she checked her phone and Twitter account, finding only a handful of followers. It was a challenge for ordinary actors to gain recognition, even on social media.

Undeterred, Meghan navigated to the main Twitter page to explore the trending news. At the top was a headline concerning Harvey Weinstein facing lawsuits from over 120 victims.

Intrigued, she delved into the story, scrolling through images of the victims, all wearing "Me Too" badges. Meghan noticed something significant—there wasn't a single black victim among them.

A revelation struck her, and she decided to share it with the world. She posted a comment under the news, then intercepted an image of Harvey and a link to the story, composing her tweet:

"Harvey Weinstein's transgressions extend beyond sexual assault; he's also a racist. Not one of his victims is black!"

Within a day, Meghan's tweet gained traction, trending on Twitter and being picked up by numerous websites and media outlets. Meghan Markle had suddenly become a household name.