Chapter 156: A Reluctant Decision

"And Robert Downey Jr.," Harvey Weinstein said with a puzzled look, "If I remember correctly, he was still in prison, wasn't he?"

"He's been released," Murphy explained. "I've already talked to him."

Regardless of anything else, Robert Downey Jr. was out of money now and would consider Murphy's proposal even just for the salary.

Harvey Weinstein closed the project plan, looking at Murphy and asking, "Why choose them two?"

Murphy spread his hands, "Because this film needs a gimmick."

He would never overlook the critical role of marketing and publicity in a film's success.

Although the project wasn't financed by Stanton Studios, as a director, Murphy couldn't just carelessly hand over the film to the producers. Exaggeration aside, the success or failure of his films was closely tied to his future, even intertwined.

Weinstein on the other side didn't speak but looked at Murphy as if waiting for him to continue.

"A star with enough market appeal plays a very significant role for a film," Murphy tapped his fingers lightly, organizing his thoughts as he spoke. "Our project has limited investment and isn't aimed at awards or showcasing acting talents, so we can't attract big-name stars. But Jenna Jameson is different; a salary of three to four hundred thousand dollars is sufficient."

He coughed lightly, "Her fame in the US could even rival that of A-list Hollywood stars, holding a special place in the hearts of many viewers, especially men."

"Your idea isn't bad," Harvey Weinstein suddenly spoke up, "But have you considered the negative impact her identity might bring to the film?"

The gap between San Fernando Valley and Hollywood is real and nearly insurmountable.

Weinstein was aware of this, and so was Murphy. He continued, "In most cases, Jenna Jameson's identity would be a drag on a traditional feature film, but this project is different. The female lead is a stripper, and she comes from a stripper background. The project is filled with absurdity, and the entire film leans towards satire."

Casting someone like Jenna Jameson as the lead in a conventional film would be suicidal, but Murphy's extremely absurd project was an exception.

In essence, the stripper's role was mainly to flaunt her sexuality.

Weinstein pondered.

Murphy continued, "And then there's Downey, who's not what he used to be, but his topicality remains. Compared to the negative effects of him and Jenna Jameson, the buzz they generate would be greater."

"Essentially, this absurd film is a spectacular farce," he added. "Incorporating more absurdity and nonsense, I believe, is beneficial and harmless."

Weinstein, propping his chin with one hand and flipping through the script with the other, carefully weighed Murphy's words.

Murphy didn't stop there, "Miramax has always had superior public relations and promotional skills. If we collaborate, I believe you could easily convert the buzz into fame."

Everyone knows that media promotion requires skill, and the person in front of him was a master in this area.

"Let's do this, Murphy," Weinstein finally said. "I will give it serious consideration, and we'll get in touch if there are any questions."

Murphy stood up, shook hands with Weinstein, and politely said goodbye before leaving Miramax.

This was a project involving nearly ten million dollars in investment, and Weinstein and Miramax's caution was understandable. Murphy didn't expect a few words to instantly persuade them to collaborate.

After discussions with Bill Rosesis, Murphy also made contact with DreamWorks and Harbor Entertainment. Such projects couldn't be greenlit after just one conversation, even if pushed by CAA as a packaged project. Production companies still had to conduct a lot of preliminary assessments and evaluations.

Murphy knew this and was patient, understanding that the entire plan also needed time to be refined. The project proposal submitted wasn't necessarily the final version the director would execute.

Moreover, while continuing to refine the new project, Murphy also had to write the script for the sequel to "Saw." With a successful start to the series, the risk for subsequent films was much lower. He had no plans to direct again and had notified Bill Rosesis and Fox Searchlight to look for a suitable new director.

With the first film as a foundation, shooting the sequels would be much easier. Following the original's structure, combining numerous killing devices with suspense and a final twist might seem like an old routine but was the safest and most likely to succeed production model.

Apart from a few sequels, Hollywood series films almost always fall into formulaic pitfalls.

Like the "Saw" series, it's impossible to come up with much more variety. Also, the film must control the investment size, as the audience for such films is limited. Over-investment could likely result in a failure to recoup costs.

Murphy and Fox Searchlight were aware that, despite being excellently made, a film as bloody and brutal as "Saw" could not possibly break the one hundred million dollar barrier at the North American box office.

Niche films aren't defined by their small investment but by their limited audience.

Just like with Murphy's new project, many Hollywood companies were cautious, even Miramax, the most interested collaborator, kept trying to reduce the investment cost during negotiations with CAA.

Market forces determined these decisions.

Some films struggle to achieve box office success due to the lack of entertainment value in their themes.

Years of development in the North American film market have shown that certain themes usually struggle to achieve good box office results: sports movies, with boxing and American football as exceptions, psychological thrillers, noir films, drama, etc.

Conversely, horror, romance, teen-themed movies, action, and sci-fi films are well-received by the market.

However, there are no absolutes. It's not that niche film themes can't achieve box office success; it's just that the box office risk is too great, and some production teams and film companies simply cannot afford the risk.

Often, avoiding niche film themes is a reluctant decision faced by commercialized cinema.

By handing the project over to the agency, Murphy significantly reduced his troubles. In his spare time, he also handled many personal affairs.

Selling the problematic second-hand Ford and buying a van for Stanton Studios' work; having another agent, Grace, contact relevant companies to thoroughly clean up the rented house, and after finding a moving company, he and Kerry Mulligan packed their few belongings and moved in.

The separation of work and living space also gave them more privacy.

After moving, Murphy invited his friends to a party, though not many showed up in the end.

When work gets busy, it's often beyond control.

For instance, Cara Fes, who became busier after her promotion, working day and night. Murphy found out she had gone to Seattle for an event when he called to invite her, and it would be a while before she could return to Los Angeles.

Those who could attend the party were people with time and leisure. Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, and James Franco arrived together, and Robert Downey Jr., with no money for entertainment, also came over.

As night fell, a long dining table was set up by the backyard swimming pool. Murphy and Kerry Mulligan welcomed their four guests to sit on either side of the table. The barbecue grill inside was in full operation, and two hired chefs prepared delicious Brazilian barbecues, continuously brought over by an assistant.

Kerry Mulligan, not fond of meat, had the chefs prepare a special vegetarian grilled vegetable skewer.

"The house is nice."

Downing a beer, Robert Downey Jr. surveyed the backyard, "Just a notch below my old residence."

Jonah Hill swallowed his grilled meat and teased, "Can you stop talking about the past?"

"We're looking at the present and future!" Seth Rogen, like Hill, was somewhat annoyed with Downey Jr.'s frequent references to his past glory, "Downey, you're just like us now, homeless."

"I..." Robert Downey Jr. wanted to retort but, considering his current situation, swallowed his words.

"Drink up! No going home sober tonight!" James Franco smoothed things over, "Congratulations to Murphy on the new house, and to Kerry."

"Congratulations!" Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill raised their glasses to Murphy, "Cheers!"

Murphy and Kerry Mulligan clinked glasses. Robert Downey Jr., sitting next to Kerry, seemed quite downcast, quickly downing a large beer.

His activity had significantly decreased recently, speaking much less than before. The contrast before and after his incarceration had made this once smooth-sailing individual realize the harshness of the industry.

However, Jonah Hill remained as lively as ever. Wiping his mouth, he said to Murphy, "Why did my character have to die like that?"

James Franco looked at him curiously, "You're the villain, aren't you supposed to die?"

Hill shook his head, "My point is, my character died too quickly! I was about to get with the female lead, and then suddenly, I'm dead. Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Murphy and the others laughed.

"The female lead is Jenna Jameson!" Hill protested, "Can't you make some changes? Let me get with Jenna Jameson before I die?"

Murphy tossed a skewer stick at him, "Go to hell, Jonah!"

Dodging the skewer, Hill pointed at Murphy and the others, "None of you dare compete with me for her. I'm warning you, lowlife scumbags, Jenna Jameson is mine!"

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