Chapter 358: Production Cuts

[Chapter 358: Production Cuts]

The group around Eric broke into laughter. A portly producer, who had just been introduced as someone from Fox, said, "Eric, I have a few scripts here too. How about I drop them off at the Liberty City Manor tomorrow? You can take a look. These projects are still under consideration, and if you can pick one, the lead actress will be Miss Connelly."

As soon as he finished speaking, the others who had been watching the scene quickly realized this was a fantastic opportunity. While it wasn't easy to get Eric to write a script personally, getting him to help select one and only needing to secure a lead actress was quite a profitable deal.

"Eric, I have some scripts..."

"Eric, tomorrow I'll also have someone..."

Realizing the opportunity, several executive producers around eagerly began to recommend their projects.

"You guys can't just do this," Amy Pascal complained helplessly from the side.

Noticing that many at the party were curiously looking over, Eric gestured for silence, making a shushing motion. The people in front of him were smart enough to understand that if word got out, their chances would diminish. They promptly closed their mouths.

"Here's the deal. You can send me the scripts to look over, but if you want me to help make a selection, I'll need to take 30% of the investment. Of course, I'll only invest and won't interfere in any other matters."

The executives exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. With Eric investing, they could use that as a promotional point. As an investor, they couldn't object to having him credited as an executive producer.

Eric quickly saw through their intentions and added, "I'll invest under Jenny's name. Just so we're clear, once the movie is made, it won't have anything to do with me. You can't use my name for promotion."

Everyone turned to look at Jennifer Connelly, who innocently shrunk her neck, unsure of what was happening.

After a brief hesitation, they quickly agreed. Eric personally would select the script and invest in the film while ensuring his woman played the lead. This showed his confidence in the project. If it floundered, the reasons would fall squarely on him.

Once the arrangements were settled, Eric tentatively asked, "By the way, what was the reason behind those scripts getting cut last time? I refuse to believe it was simply because I spoke a few more words."

Amy Pascal smiled and said, "Eric, you can stop trying to argue. While there are some other factors, those projects got scrapped mainly because of you."

Eric shrugged, "Okay, so what are those other factors?"

Amy Pascal replied, "Production cuts. I don't know what other studios are planning, but Columbia has already decided to cut back. Pat, how about you guys?"

"Our project is similar, but it isn't finalized yet. Mr. Ross believes the chances of conflict are low."

"I think the chances of conflict are quite high."

Eric interrupted, "Excuse me, can someone explain?"

Seeing Eric's expression, Amy said, "Eric, if you've been paying attention to the international news, you should've noticed that tensions in the Middle East are very high. The Federal Government may take military action against Iraq, possibly within the next year. If that happens, public attention will definitely shift to the war, making it essential for film companies to cut production."

Eric suddenly felt alarmed.

The Gulf War!

He almost forgot such an important event.

Seeing Eric lost in thought, Amy asked with concern, "Eric, are you okay? War doesn't necessarily have to break out. After so many conflicts, public anti-war sentiment runs high, and Bush can't completely ignore public opinion to force a war."

"I'm fine. Sorry, I need to excuse myself," Eric said with a strained smile, pulling Jennifer Connelly along as they headed out of the crowd.

"Eric, what's wrong?"

Eric continued walking with her and said, "Jenny, we need to go. I suddenly remembered something very important."

Jennifer Connelly nodded obediently, and after saying their goodbyes to a few people, they quickly left the Hilton Hotel.

...

Back at Angle Manor, Eric told Jennifer to go to bed. Then, he grabbed recent newspapers and headed straight to his study.

After spending a couple of hours scanning through international news, he found that papers like The New York Times and The Washington Post were increasingly filled with Middle Eastern news. Eric could begin to piece together the broader context.

It all seemed quite simple: Iraq and Iran had fought a war for eight years, which only ended in the latter half of 1988. This war left both nations battered, greatly damaging Iraq's economy, which ended up in severe debt to several Middle Eastern countries, with Kuwait alone owed $14 billion.

There was no way Iraq could repay that debt. Ultimately, they brazenly demanded that Kuwait forgive it, claiming that Iraq's war with Iran was a contribution to all Arab nations.

Kuwait could not possibly agree to that, and so negotiations began. Those negotiations had now reached their final stages, with the conflict between the two countries practically imminent. It was evident from newspaper reports that the U.S. had decided to intervene. Of course, the U.S. couldn't stand by idly while Iraq attempted to persuade Middle Eastern countries to reduce oil production and increase prices -- this directly threatened American interests.

This was only the information available at the moment.

Recalling memories from a previous life, Eric knew the negotiations eventually broke down, leading to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Saddam's forces took over the country within just eight hours, declaring Kuwait the nineteenth province of Iraq on August 2, 1990, which was just over a month away. Six months later, on January 17, 1991, the Gulf War erupted, and a coalition led by American forces took 42 days to liberate Kuwait.

During the Gulf War, Eric was already in middle school. While he was no longer as naive as a child, he wasn't as aware of current events as he would be in college. Most of the information he gathered about the war came from brief news segments after school or conversations overheard among adults, so his memories were quite fragmented.

However, remembering a few key dates was enough. Even with his butterfly effect on this timeline, he believed his current influence was insufficient to change the course of the war. Therefore, he could use those memories to maximize his benefits from this impending conflict.

*****

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