Chapter 334

James Cameron's new movie not only grabbed Arthur's attention but also captivated others. Last year, he directed the action blockbuster True Lies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Now, he began preparations for Titanic. True Lies was set to be released this summer!

Arthur remembered that the filming process of Titanic was extremely challenging, and James Cameron's spending habits were quite astonishing.

During the production, 20th Century Fox sought financing from Paramount by exchanging North American distribution rights for funds.

In Reseda Boulevard, Northridge, San Fernando Valley, a Mitsubishi 3000GT stopped by the roadside, not far from Arthur's old house.

Shortly after, Arthur and Winona Ryder got out of the car. "The damage is quite severe. Luckily, I moved out early; otherwise, it would have been a pity!"

This time, the Los Angeles earthquake resulted in a total of 62 deaths. Though not many, Arthur wasn't sure if he would have been one of those unlucky ones had he still been living there.

However, after more than a month of recovery, life in Los Angeles returned to normal, and many houses in Northridge were also renovated.

"It's quite a pity. We had some great times here," Winona Ryder said. She was back in Los Angeles for the Independent Spirit Awards.

Moreover, the filming progress of Little Women was nearing the end.

"This apartment was left to you by your parents. What do you plan to do with it?" Winona Ryder inquired.

Arthur shook his head. "Just have someone sell it. I won't be coming back anyway."

In the afternoon, the two returned to the seaside villa in Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica. The results for The Pelican Brief, starring Winona Ryder and Denzel Washington, were in - $100 million in North America and nearly 200 million globally.

Naturally, The Pelican Brief became the highest-grossing film starring Winona Ryder.

"Amy got Drew Barrymore to cameo in Little Women," Winona Ryder said, talking about her movie while sitting on the couch.

"Drew Barrymore?" Arthur was a bit surprised. It seemed Amy Pascal still had high hopes for her.

After successfully losing weight, Drew Barrymore transformed into a sizzling hot sexy lady. Coupled with her long-standing fame as a child star, she still had market appeal, especially considering her charismatic performance in Scream 2.

In the evening, they went to an upscale bar in West Hollywood to unwind, as the Oscars were approaching, making Los Angeles nightlife even more vibrant.

More and more Hollywood stars frequented the nightclubs in Los Angeles.

Arthur and Winona Ryder saw Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone enjoying themselves in the bar. After all, they had just finished filming the action movie The Specialist.

Arthur held Winona Ryder close, saying, "Having Stallone and Sharon Stone in a steamy love scene, Warner Bros. sure has a wild idea."

"That sex scene in The Specialist, was it real?" Winona Ryder, of course, knew about The Specialist, set to be released this summer. The promotional team even used the love scene as a selling point.

Arthur nodded. "Of course. Nowadays, none of Sharon Stone's films waste her figure."

Sharon Stone, after her breakthrough in Basic Instinct, now carried the label of a sex symbol.

As for Stallone, he developed a fear of marriage after becoming a laughingstock in Hollywood due to his ex-wife Brigitte Nielsen.

Over the years, he refrained from settling down, cycling through various women as long as it didn't involve marriage.

Winona Ryder glanced over at Stallone and Sharon Stone, who seemed very intimate and not just ordinary acquaintances.

"Stallone's film Cliffhanger from last year did quite well in both box office and reviews. He's still one of Hollywood's top stars," Winona Ryder reminded Arthur.

Arthur smiled. "Relax. You've seen how explosive Speed was. The days of muscle-bound action films dominating the market are over. Films like Speed and The Fugitive that excel through plot and spectacle are on the rise. Stallone's peak has passed. Even his sci-fi action film Demolition Man from last year was a flop!"

Stallone's paychecks remained high mainly due to his massive overseas appeal.

After all, he had consistently underperformed in both box office and reviews for several consecutive films.

However, Stallone didn't lack scripts. Currently, he was filming the big-budget film Judge Dredd, developed by Disney.

Soon, Arthur encountered director Jan de Bont at the bar counter, the director of the previous hit Speed.

"Arthur, good evening. I didn't expect to see you here," said Jan de Bont, whose debut Speed couldn't have succeeded without Galaxy's support.

"Hi, Jan. Are you here to unwind as well?" Arthur shook hands with him.

Jan de Bont shook his head. "Producer Ian Bryce asked me to come. We're discussing an idea for a disaster movie script. Arthur, would you like to join us? Ian Bryce says it could be a blockbuster!"

As the boss of Galaxy, Jan de Bont hoped Arthur could get involved, especially after hearing from Ian Bryce about this grand project.

The required filming budget was quite substantial, the kind of big-budget film only a major studio like Galaxy could handle. Galaxy was Hollywood's top-grossing studio last year, after all.

"A disaster film?" Arthur thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll be there soon."

After all, Jan de Bont had directed Speed, a huge hit for Galaxy. Arthur would at least give him the face to listen to a project pitch.

Moreover, Ian Bryce had a respectable track record. He served as an assistant director in Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and in Robert Zemeckis's Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

He had also participated in producing Batman Returns and Rising Sun starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.

Shortly, Arthur, Winona Ryder, Jan de Bont, and Ian Bryce met.

As the youngest cinema mogul in Hollywood, Arthur Smith had an extraordinary reputation among film professionals.

Ian Bryce quickly started introducing his script idea. "Oh, Arthur, I worked with writers like Michael Crichton to adapt a story about tornado disasters..."

*****

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