Chapter 725: Cutting the Trouble Quickly

Martin found himself thoroughly captivated by the gritty narrative of "Sicario," finding its approach refreshingly unique.

Characters like Thanos and the Werewolf were memorable, but it was the central heroine portrayed by Emily Blunt that truly stood out to him.

Blunt's character initially seemed like the quintessential lead, commanding the screen with authority. Yet, as the plot unfolded, her character's confusion became a defining trait, eventually yielding the spotlight to another figure.

Even though Blunt's character seemed sidelined in terms of plot progression, her perspective offered a crucial lens into the murky world of the US-Mexico border.

As Martin neatly tucked away his script and business cards, the memory of the film's sequel lingered in his mind, serving as a testament to its commercial viability.

Aware of the industry's bottom line, Martin wasted no time in reaching out to Denis Villeneuve, the mastermind behind "Sicario."

In the quaint beach house in Santa Monica, Villeneuve Lennoir emerged from a sea of distractions, grappling with the aftermath of a wild night.

Struggling to compose himself amidst the chaos, Villeneuve managed to gather his bearings and engage with Martin's proposition.

Ignoring the clamor of the women around him, Villeneuve made a swift decision to seize the opportunity, promising to deliver the missing pieces of the script in record time.

"I'll be there in an hour, tops," Villeneuve assured Martin before abruptly ending the call.

Fumbling to save Martin's contact information, Villeneuve's urgency was met with protests from his entourage, still reeling from the festivities of the previous night.

Calling Taylor Sheridan, the co-conspirator in their creative endeavors, Villeneuve navigated through the haze of revelry, determined to make the most of the opportunity presented by Martin's call.

Enraged, Villeneuve stormed into the bathroom, grabbing a basin of water and unceremoniously dousing its contents.

A chorus of exclamations filled the room as five naked women and one man scrambled to their feet, their language colorful and charged with frustration.

Taylor Sheridan eyed the basin in Villeneuve's grasp, a glint of confrontation in his eyes as he moved to confront his collaborator.

Echoing Villeneuve's sentiments, the other women voiced their disbelief, labeling his actions as reckless.

Halting Sheridan with a single sentence, Villeneuve's demeanor shifted, urgency replacing anger as he relayed the news: "A company has expressed interest in your script. They want to see more, now."

Sheridan, momentarily taken aback, redirected his ire towards the departing entourage, commanding them to vacate the premises.

"Farewell, False Squid!" came the defiant retort from several of the departing women, their farewell punctuated by raised middle fingers.

  Swiftly locating his trousers, Sheridan retrieved his wallet and extracted a wad of bills, pressing them into the hand of the lead woman with a resigned gesture: "This is all I have."

Accepting the money, the woman nodded appreciatively, ushering her companions out the door with a wave.

As the room emptied, Sheridan hastily donned his attire, his curiosity piqued: "Which company? Who reached out to you?"

"Martin Davis! The acclaimed producer and investor who took home Best Actor just last night!" Villeneuve replied, a hint of disbelief coloring his tone. "I handed him a copy at the Oscar party, not expecting a response."

With a sense of urgency, Sheridan hastened his preparations: "Let's not waste any time. We promised Martin we'd be at Davis Studio within the hour."

As Sheridan hastily dressed, he confided in Villeneuve, "I haven't completed the script yet. It's been rejected countless times, but I refuse to give up."

Villeneuve, drawing from his own experiences, offered words of encouragement: "I remember the struggle with 'Incendies' back in 2003. Persistence pays off. We must seize every opportunity, no matter how fleeting."

Sheridan, deeply moved by his friend's words, reflected on his own journey. Despite a decade-long stint in Hollywood as an actor with little progress, he found renewed determination in his newfound path as a writer.

Armed with their document bags, Sheridan and Villeneuve departed, their destination clear: Burbank.

Thirty minutes later, the duo arrived at Martin's office, where preparations were already underway to vet Sheridan's credentials.

Taylor Sheridan's journey in Hollywood began back in 1996, where he carved out a niche for himself in roles like "CSI" and "Crush," often relegated to the sidelines in supporting capacities.

As Villeneuve facilitated introductions, Martin wasted no time cutting to the chase: "Where's the rest of the script?"

Unfazed, Taylor-Sheridan produced a bundle of printouts, acknowledging, "This is just the first draft, it needs refinement. We'll work on it."

Martin gestured for them to take a seat as he delved into the pages before him, his scrutiny palpable.

Aware of the pivotal moment this meeting represented after years of industry setbacks, Taylor-Sheridan's gaze flickered between Martin and Villeneuve, seeking reassurance.

Meanwhile, Villeneuve, despite his outward calm, harbored his own anxieties, knowing full well the stakes riding on their collaboration.

Martin methodically pored over the script, his brow furrowing in concentration. Though the specifics of the scenes eluded him, the essence of the plot remained intact.

Ten minutes later, Martin skipped to the ending, his interest piqued as he addressed Sheridan and Villeneuve: "The script shows promise. Are you willing to partner with Davis Studio?"

Sheridan and Villeneuve had encountered numerous rejections in their attempts to shop the script around, leaving them cautiously optimistic about Martin's offer.

"Mr. Davis, will this actually get made into a film?" Sheridan interjected, his skepticism rooted in industry cynicism.

Aware of the all-too-common fate of scripts gathering dust in studio archives, Sheridan made it clear that mere acquisition wasn't enough.

While Martin possessed the resources, Sheridan knew his own limitations in such negotiations.

Villeneuve, sensing Sheridan's hesitation, reminded him of their shared commitment: "Remember what we agreed upon."

Sheridan nodded in agreement, adding, "Dennis provided invaluable guidance during the script's development. He's the ideal director for this project."

Martin, acknowledging Villeneuve's past work, expressed his admiration: "I thoroughly enjoyed 'Incendies.' It was a remarkable film."

With agreement reached, Martin proposed involving agents to iron out the finer details of their collaboration, recognizing the inherent challenges in bringing such a project to fruition.

Reluctant to endure another eight-year odyssey akin to their previous endeavor, Villeneuve subtly nudged Sheridan forward, silently urging him to seize the opportunity before them.

Though Sheridan wasn't lacking in resolve, facing off against a titan of the industry like Martin left him acutely aware of his own insecurities.

He hurriedly interjected, "I'm onboard with Davis Studio, but there's something I need to make clear upfront. The current script is just the first draft, and it'll need refining. Shooting isn't something we can jump into right away. It might take a few months... or even longer."

Martin's response was unfazed, "Those aren't hurdles we can't overcome."

Sheridan let out a relieved sigh, stepping outside to place a call to his agent.

Villeneuve followed suit, recognizing the golden opportunity Davis Studio presented. Missing out on it could mean waiting indefinitely for the next big break.

With a sense of urgency, preparations began in earnest. Martin, Sheridan, and Villeneuve huddled together to discuss the script, realizing that the project wouldn't hit production until at least the latter half of the year.

Sheridan's agent arrived promptly, diving into negotiations with Jessica.

Martin seized a moment with Villeneuve, his mind racing with possibilities. The "Prince of Thieves" project had been in need of a director, and Villeneuve seemed a perfect fit.

Directly, Martin inquired, "Dennis, aside from this project, do you have any other commitments?"

Villeneuve, ever astute, replied, "Not at the moment." A wry smile crossed his lips. "Despite the Oscar nod for 'Incendies,' my situation hasn't changed much. No new offers have come my way."

Martin handed him the script for "Prince of Thieves," explaining its origins. "It's based on Chuck Horor's novel. Graham King and Louise Meyer are producing."

Perusing the script, Villeneuve nodded knowingly. "I'm interested in directing this. Can you arrange an interview?"

Martin, acknowledging his limitations, admitted, "I can secure you an interview, but Graham and Louise will have the final say. You'll need to impress both of them."

After assessing Sheridan's script progress, Martin expressed his willingness to take a chance on it.

Promptly, Martin reached out to Graham and Louise, passing their contact details to Villeneuve. "The meetings will be at Disney Studios. Schedule with the producers directly."

Eagerly, Villeneuve accepted the note, ready to make the calls. Graham King and Louise Meyer represented dream collaborators for directors like him.

Soon, Villeneuve's agent joined the fray at Davis Studio.

Negotiations sped along briskly, Martin mindful of avoiding another Megan Ellison situation. Quickly, he made the decision to buy out Sheridan's script for $100,000.

And so, the script officially became known as "Sicario."