Convincing Nolan

4 Chapter drop as the story is nearing 100 chapters

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"This is the second time in the last two weeks!" Haley exclaimed, her tone a mix of disappointment and anger. "You keep canceling on me."

"I know, Haley," I sighed. "I'm really sorry. I didn't plan for this to happen, but things at work have been insane lately. I'm trying to get everything under control, but—"

"But what?" Haley cut me off, her voice rising. "It's always something with you, Daniel. You say you're sorry, but then you turn around and do the same thing again. How am I supposed to believe that I matter to you when you keep doing this?"

I felt a pang of guilt twist in my chest. "You do matter to me, Haley. You know you do. It's just… I'm under a lot of pressure right now. The new book, the new project—I'm being pulled in a million different directions."

"I get that you're busy, but what about us?" Haley shot back. "Do I even fit into your schedule anymore? Or am I just another thing you have to juggle?"

My frustration bubbled up despite my best efforts to keep it in check. "It's not like that, Haley. I'm trying to make this work, but I can't just ignore everything else that's happening."

"Maybe if you actually tried, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Haley snapped. "But it feels like I'm the only one who's making any effort here."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Haley spoke again, her voice colder now. "You know what? Just forget it. I'm tired of fighting about this."

"Haley, wait—" I started, but she cut me off again.

"No, Daniel. I'm done. I need some time to think." And with that, the line went dead.

"Fuck," I muttered softly as I slid my phone into my pocket. I looked outside the car, watching the buildings go by. We were in one of the company cars, heading to an important meeting with none other than Christopher Nolan. The silence was only broken by Dave, who was sitting next to me.

"Angry girlfriend?" he asked, his tone casual but with a knowing edge.

"Yeah," I replied with a sigh. "Things have been rough lately."

Dave nodded, his expression sympathetic. "You've got to find a way to balance work and personal life, kid. It's not easy, but it's crucial."

"We've been fighting a lot," I admitted, my thoughts drifting back to the arguments Haley and I had been having over the past few weeks. It seemed like every conversation ended the same way.

Dave glanced over at me, his usually relaxed demeanor turning serious. "This your first relationship, right?"

I turned to look at him and nodded. "Yeah." 

' well in this life anyway' I thought.

Dave's face softened as he considered my situation. "Listen, Daniel, you're only going to get busier from here. The more successful you become, the more demands there will be on your time. You need to have an honest conversation with her about this. If you don't, it's only going to get worse."

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to confide in him. "I feel like we're drifting apart. She's going to college next year, and…" I paused. "Well, she might be." 

 " She's kind of immature, to be honest. She doesn't really understand what's happening with my career and why I'm so busy."

Dave listened carefully, nodding as I spoke. "Sorry, Dave. You didn't need to hear all that," I added.

"It's all right," Dave said, his voice filled with genuine concern. "I'm not trying to dictate your life, but if you both feel like this can't continue, at least consider ending it amicably."

"End it?" I thought, the words hitting me like a ton of bricks. Had things really gotten that bad? I searched my mind, trying to think of a time in the last month when we hadn't argued, but every memory seemed tainted by something.

"No," I told myself. We just needed to talk, to work things out. That's all it would take—communication, understanding, and maybe a little patience. We could fix this.

The car slowed to a stop, pulling up in front of the restaurant where we were set to meet Christopher Nolan.

"Come on, let's get this done," I said as the valet opened the door.

We entered the restaurant, and the atmosphere immediately struck me as exclusive and refined. The space was dimly lit, with soft, ambient lighting that created an intimate and elegant environment. The walls were lined with dark wood paneling, and the tables were draped in crisp, white linens. Expensive artwork adorned the walls, and there was a quiet hum of conversation in the air—executives from Hollywood and other industries gathered here to dine and discuss business in privacy.

The host, a well-dressed man with a calm demeanor, greeted us as we approached the podium. "Good evening, gentlemen. Do you have a reservation?"

Dave nodded. "Yes, we do. It's under Rickman."

The host checked his list and then smiled. "Of course, Mr. Rickman. Right this way."

He led us through the restaurant, past a series of elegantly set tables. As we reached our table, the host pulled out our chairs for us. Dave gave him a nod. "When Mr. Nolan arrives, please bring him directly to our table."

"Certainly, sir," the host replied before excusing himself and leaving us to settle in.

We sat down. "So, what do you think about Steele's proposal?" Dave asked, taking a small sip from the glass of water.

I leaned back in my chair, considering the question. "You mean renaming Nebula Studios to DC Studios if we move forward with the DCU?" I asked. "And putting Steele in charge of it?"

"Exactly," Dave said, watching me closely.

Stardust Entertainment had three main divisions: Stardust Studios, Stardust Animation, and Nebula Studios. Victor had proposed rebranding Nebula as DC Studios and putting him in charge of it. I liked the idea of the rebranding but wasn't keen on Steele running it.

Dave tilted his head, waiting for my response.

"Honestly, Dave," I began, "I'd rather have you in charge. Now that Sam is heading up Stardust Studios, I think you'd be perfect to lead DC Studios. We've worked together for a while now, and I trust you. Victor seems like a nice guy, sure, but I know you. We've got history, like we do with Sam."

Dave looked surprised. "You want me to run DC Studios?"

"Yeah, I do," I replied earnestly. "I know you'd do a great job, and it'd be reassuring to have someone I trust at the helm."

Dave smiled but shook his head slightly. "I appreciate that, Daniel, but I don't think it's going to happen. Victor was one of the top guys at Nebula. If he wants to be in charge of DC Studios, he'll probably get it."

I nodded, understanding his point. "You're right. Victor does have a lot of influence. From our conversation earlier, I realized he's really passionate about the DC IP. I genuinely believe he wants to see the DC Cinematic Universe succeed. But… I'm not completely sure. I think I could work with him, but I'll need to get to know him better before I can fully trust him."

"It's smart to be cautious. If Victor ends up in charge, you'll have to find a way to work together, but it's important to make sure you're both on the same page. This is too important to let internal conflicts derail it."

We talked more on the subject for a few minutes before Christopher Nolan arrived. He was dressed in his usual understated style—a dark suit with a neatly pressed shirt—exuding the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it.

Dave and I stood up as he approached the table. "Mr. Nolan," Dave greeted, extending his hand. "It's an honor to meet you."

Nolan shook Dave's hand with a firm grip, offering a polite smile. "Good to meet you as well, Mr. Rickman. Please, call me Chris."

I stepped forward, offering my hand as well. "Chris, it's a pleasure to see you again. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us."

"Daniel, great to see you again as well," Nolan replied, shaking my hand. His tone was cordial but reserved, as if he was already assessing the situation. "Let's sit down, shall we?"

We all took our seats, and after a brief moment of settling in, I decided to get straight to the point. "Well then, why don't we get right to it? Let's get that out of the way," I said, eager to address the elephant in the room.

Nolan gave a slight nod, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I like that, Daniel. I read the email you sent me. Quite an ambitious project you're undertaking." He paused, his expression turning more serious. "But as I told you before, I don't like it when studios interfere in my movies, and with something like this, I feel I wouldn't get the free rein I prefer."

He continued, leaning forward slightly as he spoke. "Batman, to me, works best when grounded in realism. No aliens, no magic, no superheroes flying around. And I'm not interested in making a film where I have to shoehorn in references to a larger world. That's just not something I do."

I could sense Dave's worry beside me. He knew as well as I did that getting Christopher Nolan, a director with such a strong following, to helm the Batman movie would draw significant attention to our project. Nolan's involvement would also attract a broader audience, including those who might not typically be interested in superhero films. This was crucial for our plans.

But I had anticipated Nolan's concerns. I remembered reading about his aversion to studio interference and his preference for grounded, realistic storytelling in my previous life. I had come prepared.

"I understand, Chris," I began, my tone respectful but firm. "You don't need to deal with fighting aliens or battling gods. I'm not asking you to abandon your vision of Batman. We want the first movie to be grounded, with some small references thrown in—nothing that would undermine what you're aiming for."

Nolan raised an eyebrow, still clearly skeptical. "I'm not sure," he said slowly, his arms crossed as he considered my words.

I leaned forward, pressing on. "You get to direct the first two Batman films your way. Semi-realistic, grounded in Gotham, without being overtly fantastical. I'm not going to tell you to change Batman's tone or undermine the core of his story. But we need to introduce the audience to the possibility that Gotham isn't isolated in this universe. Small hints—subtle nods to the larger world. Think of it like world-building, not interference."

Nolan uncrossed his arms, his posture relaxing slightly as he listened. He was clearly considering the proposal, weighing the pros and cons.

"Your movies will be the most grounded in the entire project and the ones with the least references to the world beyond Gotham," I continued, sensing his interest. "I just need you to make some adjustments to Batman by the time the second movie ends."

Nolan looked at me, his gaze steady. "What kind of adjustments are we talking about?"

I smiled slightly, leaning back in my chair. "We can discuss the specifics if you decide to accept the project."

There was a moment of silence as Nolan considered the offer. I could see the gears turning in his mind, the prospect of maintaining his creative vision while contributing to a larger project intriguing him.

Christopher Nolan put his hands on the table, considering the conversation before speaking again. "So, let me be clear—I would be allowed complete control over the film. And if there is any studio interference, Daniel will be the one I work with since this project is his vision. That would keep any other voices out of my process."

Dave nodded, his expression serious. "That would be acceptable. We're looking for more out-of-the-box thinking and new directors for these movies. But, of course, the project's continuation would depend on how well your films perform."

Nolan chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Well, that's unnecessary pressure, but I suppose that's the nature of the business."

He paused for a moment, then continued with a slight smile. "Here's my offer: as I said before, Daniel can work with me on the movie, and I expect no further studio interference. I'll send you what I've written so far, Daniel. If you like it and if I like the changes you suggest, I'll accept and direct the film."

I met Nolan's gaze, feeling the gravity of the moment. "Very well, Chris. Send me your draft, and we can make our decision from there."

Nolan nodded in agreement, a sense of resolution settling over the table.

Dave, sensing that the business portion of the meeting had concluded, smiled and said, "Well, now that that's out of the way, let's have something to eat."

"Absolutely," Nolan agreed, his demeanor lightening as he laughed. "I'm starving."

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Haley was at her friend's house, sitting on the edge of Stephanie's bed with her legs crossed, fiddling with the hem of her sweater. The room was filled with soft music, and the smell of vanilla-scented candles wafted through the air. Stephanie was lounging on a beanbag chair, scrolling through her phone, while Lacey was sprawled out on the bed, flipping through a magazine.

Haley sighed heavily, drawing the attention of her friends. "Daniel canceled our date tomorrow," she said, her voice laced with disappointment.

Stephanie glanced up from her phone, her brow furrowed. "Again? That's the third time in, what, a month?"

"Second time in two weeks," Haley corrected, her tone defensive but weary.

Lacey sat up, her eyes wide with concern. "What's going on, Haley? He's been canceling on you a lot lately. Is everything okay between you two?"

Haley shook her head, trying to dismiss the growing knot of anxiety in her stomach. "He says he's just really busy with work. There's this big project he's working on, and it's taking up all his time."

Stephanie exchanged a knowing look with Lacey, then leaned forward. "But don't you think it's a little suspicious? I mean, he's canceling dates, not just once but repeatedly. That's not normal."

"No, it's not like that," Haley insisted, though doubt crept into her voice. "He's really into this new project. It's important to him, and I get that. He wouldn't… he wouldn't just blow me off for no reason."

Lacey raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Are you sure about that? I mean, he's always working, and when he's not, who knows what he's doing?"

Haley's defenses went up. "He's not doing anything wrong. He's just busy."

"Well, then why is he hanging out with these girls?" Lacey asked, her voice tinged with accusation. She leaned over, showing Haley a series of photos on her phone—pictures of Daniel with Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie, laughing and smiling together as they exited a restaurant.

Haley's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the images. "Where did you get these?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"From this gossip group I'm part of," Lacey replied, her tone nonchalant. "Looks like he had time for them."

Stephanie, still scrolling through her phone, added, "Yeah, if he's so busy, how does he have time to hang out with these bimbos? That's not exactly work, Haley."

Haley's mind raced as she looked at the photos. A surge of jealousy and fear gripped her, but she quickly tried to push it down.

"No, it's not like that," Haley repeated, more to herself than to her friends. "He's working with them. That's all. It's part of his job."

"But you can't deny that it looks bad," Stephanie said, her voice soft but insistent. "I mean, if he has time to be with them, why can't he make time for you?"

Haley's eyes lingered on the photos, doubt gnawing at her resolve. She didn't want to believe what her friends were suggesting, but the images made it hard to dismiss the nagging fear in the back of her mind. That fear quickly turned to anger. Without another word, she grabbed her phone, dialed Daniel's number, and stood up, walking out of the room.