Arthur Smith's Hollywood Odyssey

[Chapter 606: Relentless]

After Arthur finished reading the script for Speed 2: Cruise Control, he couldn't help but sigh.

"This script," Arthur chuckled helplessly, "is it really going to work?"

Amy Pascal shrugged, "The idea for this script was considered for Die Hard with a Vengeance two years ago, but they passed on it!"

"Setting the story on a cruise ship and moving the action to the ocean, aside from driving up costs, I can't see any benefits," Arthur said as he leaned back in his chair.

Die Hard with a Vengeance had grossed $360 million globally when it was released two years ago. Arthur also knew that Warner Bros. was currently filming Lethal Weapon 4, which initially planned to use the concept from Die Hard with a Vengeance. However, that idea had been preemptively grabbed by Die Hard with a Vengeance!

Amy Pascal glanced at Arthur. "You don't think it's viable? There are people who convinced Jan de Bont to come on board to develop the script."

Jan de Bont had directed Speed and Twister for Galaxy, both of which had been huge hits.

Arthur looked at Amy Pascal. "Given the scale of this script, the budget is bound to exceed a hundred million dollars. And what about the original leads, Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman? Would they accept this?"

Amy Pascal shook her head. "The script has already been shown to both of them. Johnny Depp doesn't want to do another action movie like this, and he felt the script didn't meet expectations. As for Nicole Kidman, while she hasn't turned it down, she's willing to star in something directed by Jan de Bont."

"Let's abandon the idea of developing a sequel. At the very least, this script is all over the place, lacking any highlights. It's filled with empty thrills and excitement, blindly so, and shows a clear lack of creativity." Arthur set the script down. "Besides the intense action scenes, what made Speed such a hit was its ability to draw the audience into tense, thrilling moments. This sequel is clearly a cash grab; MGM really doesn't need to force the development of such a project."

Clearly, Arthur rejected the development of Speed 2: Cruise Control, as he well understood the magnitude of its impending failure.

Amy Pascal blinked in surprise. "Are we really not going to make Speed 2: Cruise Control?"

"Hmm," Arthur chuckled, "why would we make a film destined for failure?"

"Fine," Amy Pascal did not argue. Whether Speed 2: Cruise Control was good or bad was evidently apparent; however, the first Speed had been too successful. A sequel could leverage the success of the first for promotion, offering some measure of security.

Arthur inquired, "Is David Fincher about to start filming The Sixth Sense?"

"Yes, Harrison Ford and the supporting cast are all set; they're going into production this August."

"Great," Arthur nodded. "And what about the next James Bond installment?"

"They're adapting the script now. It's called The World Is Not Enough!"

"Yep, let's have Jennifer Connelly cast as the Bond girl," Arthur suggested, touching his face, having promised her that role.

"No problem; Jennifer Connelly is already sexy and beautiful; she'll fit perfectly," Amy Pascal smiled. "By the way, Kevin Costner's self-directed sci-fi drama The Postman is rescheduled for a Christmas release, right?"

"That's right. It's a Warner Bros. film, and The Postman wasn't cheap to make; the budget hit $80 million."

Amy Pascal chuckled, "What's your opinion on that?"

"What opinion could I possibly have?" Arthur tapped his fingers.

"Kevin just suffered a major flop with Waterworld; he's in a low period. If The Postman bombs again, ha, that 'box office poison' label on him is definitely going to stick more firmly. Regardless, it's a Warner Bros. project. Right now, I'm more focused on the newly established DreamWorks; those three people in there are anything but ordinary."

Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg -- together, there was no way Amy Pascal could overlook their significance.

Arthur waved his hand dismissively. "The three of them together have at least ten times the cleverness; let alone animation and live-action films, they're also diving into television, music, publishing, and magazine ventures. Do they really think running a company is that easy?"

Amy Pascal had absolute confidence in Galaxy. She had risen from a small producer at Columbia Pictures to President of one of the Big Seven, and it certainly wasn't all due to Arthur's support.

"Hollywood is definitely not that easy!"

"It won't hold out for long," Arthur asserted with prophetic confidence.

With the current development of the Internet, connections became tighter than ever, and film distribution wasn't as regionally focused as before.

The film distribution industry had become much more market-driven and scaled up; the Big Seven had established themselves as undeniable leaders, making the disadvantages of independent distributors increasingly evident in the race for screen time.

...

In the afternoon, Tina Brown, head of the Mirror Group in the UK, came to see Arthur. "Conde Nast has made an offer for both Premiere and Wired magazines."

Arthur smiled. "Is Newhouse trying to snag my two magazines? Decline. Conde Nast owns over a hundred magazines and weeklies, and now they want ours too!"

Premiere was a magazine under Galaxy that focused on entertainment, while Wired catered to the tech industry.

"By the way, last month's UK elections saw the Labour Party win big, right?"

"That's correct! Labour leader Tony Blair has now become the new Prime Minister of the UK."

"Tony Blair," Arthur pressed on his forehead, "if there's a chance, we should offer him some media support."

"Sure. By the way, Polygram wants to sell their 30% stake in the Mirror Group. You should discuss it first with Bertelsmann. Either buy back the shares or bring in new investors."

As of now, The Sun, The Daily Mirror, and The Daily Mail remained the three largest tabloids in the UK.

Especially The Daily Mirror, as the flagship publication of the Mirror Group, it quickly turned its fortunes around under Tina Brown's leadership and grew rapidly.

Tina Brown looked at Arthur. "News International is interested in acquiring shares in the Mirror Group; they're keen on buying Polygram's stake."

Arthur could only sigh. "Rupert Murdoch really is relentless!"

*****

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