Chapter 58 Fire
"Why are we holding the party in the studio?"
Sitting in the golf cart, Sophia asked Duke, who was in the driver's seat, "Wouldn't it be better to rent out a hotel banquet hall or a nightclub?"
"I'm not sure either."
Waving his hand behind him, Duke said somewhat helplessly, "Robin and Charles, the two production managers, consulted a lot of people from the crew before making the decision. It seems they really miss life in the studio."
"Maybe."
The golf cart passed through the front area of the Warner Bros. studio and slowly approached the main studio used for filming *The Rock*. Sophia pointed to a warehouse across from the studio and said to Duke, "The rented equipment is temporarily categorized and sealed in the warehouse. The film reels have been..."
Before she could finish, the sound of a golf cart horn interrupted her from a nearby intersection. Nicolas Cage, driving a six-seater cart with five young women of various hair colors, zoomed past them and stopped in front of the studio.
"Hey, Duke."
Jumping out of the cart, Cage called over, "You guys are too slow!"
"Because I've got a VIP on board." Duke turned his head and gave Sophia a look. She was long used to her cousin's antics. "Who exactly are you talking about? It doesn't seem to concern me."
Parking the golf cart, Duke walked over to Cage and took a quick glance at the five women surrounding him. They had long legs, slim waists, and tall, model-like figures.
"Ed and Lee said they won't be coming," Cage said as he put his arms around two of the women and motioned for Duke to join them inside the studio. "I heard many in the crew couldn't find dates, so I brought a few extras."
A round of giggles echoed around them.
Seeing the somewhat exasperated look on Sophia's face, Duke slowed his pace slightly, staying just far enough behind Cage and his entourage to walk into the studio together.
The large studio was brightly lit. The sets that had been built for filming had long been dismantled. Several long banquet tables filled with various foods and drinks were set up in the middle of the room. To the right were tables and chairs arranged as a dining and rest area. Near the left, a dance floor had been set up, though after enduring months of noise, the music being played was oddly serene and soothing.
"You have a certain magic," Sophia said, a touch of sarcasm in her voice, as she walked with Duke toward the rest area. "Duke, you've managed to change the tastes of die-hard metalheads."
"Thank you!" Duke accepted the 'compliment' without hesitation.
"Your golden cat is over there. Aren't you going to join her?"
Sophia pointed to a table across the room where Naomi Watts was chatting with a curvy blonde woman.
"I find sitting with you much more relaxing." Duke decided to hit back, nodding at Sophia's outfit. "That shirt really doesn't suit you. Its tight design exposes all your figure's flaws."
"Men's eyes only focus here, right?" Sophia, unbothered by the jab at her flat chest, retorted with a grin. "As you said, as long as I like it, why should I care about others' opinions?"
She finished with a playful raise of her eyebrows.
Tilting his head, Duke couldn't be bothered to argue with her. After all, if she really didn't care about others' opinions, she wouldn't have quit acting over harsh reviews from critics.
"Want a drink?" Duke asked, standing up.
"Whiskey or brandy," Sophia replied without hesitation. "And bring some fruit too."
At the fruit table, Duke grabbed a tray, selected some of Sophia's favorite fruits, and then poured two glasses of whiskey before returning to their table.
"Hey..." A pleasant voice called out nearby. "Mind if I sit here?"
"Feel free..."
Sophia gestured invitingly, and Naomi Watts sat down next to Duke. The blonde woman with her smiled at everyone and pulled up a chair next to Sophia.
"This is Jennifer Aniston," Naomi introduced simply. "She's a new client Nancy just signed..."
"You can call me Jenny..."
As Jennifer Aniston greeted Sophia, Naomi leaned closer to Duke and whispered, "She'll be starring in *Friends*... I mean, *Friends* now. She's going to be one of the leads."
This wasn't surprising to Duke. Since Nancy was in charge of the casting package for *Friends*, it was natural she'd sign any actors with the potential to become stars.
As for Jennifer Aniston, she probably hadn't yet succeeded in losing weight. From the look of her, she weighed at least 150 pounds — a bit heavy for an actress expected to look good on camera.
"I've been on a strict diet under Nancy's orders lately," Aniston admitted, turning down both food and drink. "She warned me if I don't hit my target weight, I'll be cut from the project."
Zack Snyder passed by holding a clear plastic bag, waving it in their direction. "Hey, Duke, want some?"
"Enjoy yourself," Duke said with a casual wave.
"Come on, let's dance," Naomi tugged at Duke's sleeve. He was about to stand up when he noticed production manager Charles Roven walking toward him, so he shook his head. "Looks like Charles needs me."
Sure enough, Charles Roven arrived, sat down next to Sophia, and handed Duke a file folder.
"Sorry to bother you," he said with a smile. "You asked to be informed as soon as Warner finalized the promotion schedule."
"Thanks!"
Seeing that Duke and Charles had work to discuss, Naomi exchanged a few more words with Duke before leaving with Jennifer Aniston.
The marketing plan from Warner Bros. didn't contain anything out of the ordinary—standard screenings, newspaper ads, posters, trailers, and TV spots. They planned to highlight Christopher Lee's real-life military experiences. If any news surfaced about Sean Connery, they would play it up to promote Lee. Otherwise, they'd save it for post-release marketing.
"Can post-production be sped up?"
Charles, evidently a workaholic, had turned the party into an office. Fortunately, no one interrupted them, and anyone who walked by would divert their path under Sophia's gaze.
"Two months at the earliest," Duke said, shaking his head. He took a sip of whiskey but found the taste off, so he set it aside. "There aren't any particularly complex effects, but that's the shortest schedule I can manage."
If he wanted to maintain the film's quality, cutting post-production time wasn't an option.
"Alright then," Charles said, not sounding surprised. "Duke, the screening is set for mid-April, about half a month before the May release. You have to finish by then. We can't shorten the gap between the screening and the official release."
"I understand."
Seeing Duke nod, Charles brought up another topic. "The *Interview with the Vampire* production should be entering post soon. If all goes well, CAA and 20th Century Fox are aiming for a May release."
"It's definitely going to be May," Duke said firmly.
Tensions between him and CAA had been escalating due to ideological and financial disagreements, especially after rejecting two of CAA's biggest clients—Tom Cruise and Sean Connery. CAA wouldn't stand by idly and let *The Rock* succeed without a fight. The most conventional move would be to release a competing film at the same time, and behind-the-scenes maneuvers were likely as well.
While Duke initially thought Lovett's signing of Rick Solomon was strange, it now seemed clear that CAA's target was Robert Solomon. By pushing their package deals into Warner's territory, they aimed to expand their influence. Warner had agreed to collaborate with Duke because they believed in *The Rock* and his potential, essentially investing in his future. Otherwise, they wouldn't have signed a 1+2 contract with him.
If *The Rock* flopped or underperformed, the partnership with Warner would end, and CAA would have more opportunities to push their way into Warner's projects. With some internal support, they might even secure a significant foothold at Warner.
From any angle, it was clear that CAA wouldn't just stand by and let *The Rock* become a hit.
Duke sighed lightly, realizing that Hollywood was even more complicated than he had imagined. Right now, he was clinging to Warner Bros., but if he were an independent filmmaker, the industry giants could easily crush him.
Then there was Sean Connery, a true veteran of the industry. Duke had almost angered him to death last time, and who knew what Connery might do in retaliation?
Duke wouldn't let any past admiration for a character influence his current view of a celebrity.
Lost in work, the two men lost track of time. By the time Sophia spoke up to say goodbye, the studio was in disarray, with only a few people still there. The partygoers had long moved on to more private venues.
"I'm heading out. Looks like they're still waiting for you over there."
Sophia pointed to a corner of the rest area where Naomi Watts sat. Duke waved goodbye to her and Charles before walking over.
"Care for drink,"
As Duke sat down, Naomi slid a glass toward him and poured champagne for both of them. "Looks like we're the last ones here."
Duke picked up his glass, raising it to Naomi before taking a sip. "The crew's disbanded. We're the final members standing."
They shared a lighthearted conversation, enjoying two glasses of champagne each. After about ten minutes, they started making their way toward the studio exit. Before they could get far, Duke caught a whiff of something burning.
"Is there a fire?" He frowned.As they turned toward the studio entrance, Naomi suddenly screamed,
"Duke!"
Her finger pointed toward the source of the sparks and smoke—coming from the warehouse across from the studio where equipment and film reels were temporarily stored!