Chapter 306: Eric Thought So Too

[Chapter 306: Eric Thought So Too]

"Hey there, Ms. Kidman, I'm Tom Cruise, but you can call me Tommy. Wow, you're gorgeous -- almost more beautiful than in the movie! Can I call you Nicole?" Eric was chatting with Paula Wagner when he heard Tom Cruise's enthusiastic voice behind him.

"Of course, that's fine, Mr. Cruise," Nicole replied, her tone slightly distant. However, it seemed that Tom didn't pick up on that and went on to discuss other topics.

Paula shot Eric an awkward smile, internally scolding Cruise for his lack of decorum. After all, Nicole Kidman was Eric's date, and their relationship was all too clear.

Eric turned slightly to see Cruise already seated across from Nicole. He resignedly said to Paula, "Well, Ms. Wagner, shall we sit down?"

"Sure, Eric, I'm really... sorry," Paula replied in a low voice.

"It's no big deal," Eric said, returning to the table, signaling the waiter over so they could start ordering.

"Nicole, the pan-seared foie gras here is fantastic. They say all the ingredients are flown in directly from France. I think you should try it," Cruise said after flipping through the menu, quickly looking up with a smile.

"Sorry, Mr. Cruise, I'm on a diet," Nicole lightly shook her head and ordered a salad from the waiter, then closed the menu.

Cruise hit a snag with his remark; his smile dimmed, but his eyes glinted with interest.

Eric and Paula also finished ordering, and after the waiter left, Cruise spoke without hesitation. "Sorry, Eric. I've read the script for Ghost, but Paula's production company is gearing up to shoot another film, so I can't take that role. Honestly, I think playing a ghost sounds pretty silly. Furthermore, I didn't see anything special in that script. I suggest you consider a different film, like a sequel to Running Out of Time. Even though I can't be involved, I'm sure the sequel will be a box office success thanks to the first film's popularity."

Hearing Cruise say this, Paula placed a hand on her forehead and softly rubbed her temples. Clearly, Cruise's self-importance was on full display again, as he had completely forgotten her prior warning.

Nicole opened her mouth slightly at his words, then discreetly raised her juice to her lips, shielding a hint of sarcasm at the corners of her mouth.

Eric sat back in his chair, his hands resting on the tabletop, fingers intertwined as he listened with mild interest to Cruise's words. Once Cruise finished speaking, Eric looked at him intrigued. "So, Tommy, what was the purpose of inviting me here today?"

Paula quickly jumped in to prevent any further faux pas from Cruise. "Mr. Williams, Tommy is just like that; he never keeps things to himself, so please don't take offense. We think the script for Ghost is quite good; it's just that Tommy's schedule is already booked, so he can't collaborate this time."

"Oh, well then..." Eric continued to inquire.

As Cruise was about to respond, he felt a gentle kick at his calf from beneath the table. He glanced at Paula and saw a light plea on her face, prompting him to shrug and fall silent.

Finally relieved that Tom Cruise had stopped speaking, Paula turned to Eric and said, "It's like this, Mr. Williams. Flower Films, under Firefly, acquired many novel and film rights last year, including a TV series called Mission: Impossible. I wanted to ask if you could transfer the rights to us. We will certainly offer a very reasonable price."

Eric raised an eyebrow, curiously asking, "Ms. Wagner, what interests you in this TV series? If adapted into a film, it should be an action-spy flick, which differs greatly from Tom's current screen image."

Cruise couldn't help but interject again. "See, Paula? Eric thinks so too. So I believe we should just drop this matter. I've always said I'm not suitable for pure action films -- those roles should go to Schwarzenegger or Stallone. I'm better suited for drama, even if it has some action elements. It should be more like Top Gun from a few years back or our recent film, focusing on the story. Eric, you must agree, right?"

Eric smiled lightly and nodded. "Of course, I think Tommy is much more suited for narrative-driven films. A sudden shift would be very risky."

With the two men diverting the topic, Paula found herself at a loss for words, her expression turning fraught. She glanced at the man who appeared to be gloating over his 'recognition' and then at Eric, whose slight smile seemed somewhat peculiar to her.

Moving past the issue of the original Mission: Impossible series, Eric quickly suggested, "Tommy, why don't you tell us about the movie you're currently preparing? I believe many fans would be very excited to hear about it."

"Absolutely," Cruise said, suddenly interested. His gaze drifted back to Nicole. "A few years back, when I worked with Paul Newman on The Color of Money, I developed an interest in racing and have been wanting to make a racing film. The script envisions massive and thrilling racing scenes. Paramount has agreed to invest $60 million in this project. I'm sure it can create the same box office glory as Top Gun did in '86. By the way, Nicole, we're currently lacking a female lead. Would you like to audition? The moment I saw you, I thought you would be perfect for the role of Claire."

Nicole perked up at the thought of a $60 million investment. She glanced at Eric, noticing the noncommittal expression on his face, then tentatively asked, "Mr. Cruise, could you provide more details about this role?"

"Of course! Claire is a doctor. The male lead, Cole, meets her after an accident during a race, and he quickly finds himself drawn to her strength and resilience, ultimately falling in love with the main character..."

Cruise animatedly described the role for about seven or eight minutes, only pausing when the waiter brought their meals to the table. Nicole would occasionally throw in a playful question in rhythm with Cruise.

Paula, watching the couple's conversation anxiously, glanced at Eric. Seeing him calmly enjoying his meal, she felt a bit reassured.

"Ms. Wagner, are you still serving as Tom's manager?" Eric suddenly asked, breaking from the ongoing chatter surrounding him as he took a few bites and looked at Paula.

Paula wasn't sure why Eric asked that, but quickly replied, "No, I'm currently responsible for managing C/W Productions, so Tommy has a new manager named Pat Kingsley."

Eric secretly sighed, realizing how fortunate Tom Cruise was. Even though he had intruded on this timeline, two immensely significant women for his career were still by his side.

Paula Wagner had been a significant benefactor to Tom Cruise, helping elevate him from a nobody to one of Hollywood's A-list stars. She had also assisted in establishing his production company and produced several of his films. One could say that half of Cruise's success was due to Paula Wagner.

Subsequently, Cruise and Paula went on to establish Cruise/Wagner Productions, and Paula became the head of the company. Tom then hired another manager, Pat Kingsley, who performed excellently, taking over Paula's responsibilities and diligently managing Cruise's affairs for fourteen years. Throughout this time, despite Cruise's personal controversies, Kingsley maintained his public image perfectly.

In the past, both Cruise and Nicole had Kingsley as their manager, but after the couple's divorce, Cruise's career stagnated while Nicole soared, eventually winning an Oscar and joining the $20 million club.

Feeling an acute sense of imbalance, Cruise irrationally dismissed the hard-working Kingsley over a flimsy excuse linked to Oscar's negative reception. He thoughtlessly replaced her with his sister, who had little professional experience as a manager.

Not long after, Cruise faced the repercussions of his decisions. Without a strong manager to negotiate and manage his public image, a series of misfortunes followed -- including a fallout with Paramount, the infamous couch incident, media scrutiny of his beliefs, and frequent tabloid rumors with co-stars. In just over a year, Cruise's public image plummeted, and his acting career took a significant hit.

Disheartened, Paula eventually left Cruise's production company. Following that, aside from the Mission: Impossible series, Cruise's films mostly flopped, and his leverage with Paramount diminished. His days of commanding a hefty $75 million from a single film were long gone.

*****

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