King of Hollywood
Chapter 403 - 125: Summer Blockbuster Acceleration

Chapter 403: Chapter 125: Summer Blockbuster Acceleration

"Look what they’re all saying," Adrian, sitting at the dining table, rustled the newspaper in his hand. "Miracle Director keeps mum about new work, appears troubled as if things aren’t going smoothly." He laughed. "They even included a photo. I was just a bit impatient, but they interpreted it as worry and concern, journalists really live up to their reputation."

"That’s just what they do; otherwise, we wouldn’t find them so annoying," the lady said, carrying a plate as she walked out, laying breakfast on the round table.

She wore a silver-white silk nightgown that gleamed with slickness in the bright indoor light. The deep neckline revealed pale skin stretching from her throat to her navel, with ample softness mostly exposed. The waist belt was loosely tied around her slender waist, seemingly ready to slip off at any moment. The hem was quite short, ending at the tops of her thighs, and as soon as she sat down and crossed her legs, a brief glimpse of her undergarment flashed.

"This is actually the better scenario. In the United Kingdom, the tabloids would exaggerate everything tenfold and they would throw all the nasty words at you," Zetajones said with a light laugh, brushing her hair back and occasionally toying with it. Her lifted feet, sometimes gently raised, carried a hint of laziness and were incredibly enticing.

"Looks like me attending ’Saving Private Ryan’ was a mistake?" Adrian thought to himself admiringly about the goddess before him and then frowned seriously.

Having been fully financed by himself and personally directed by one of the Three Giants, Spielberg, DreamWorks had spared no expense on the promotion. The premiere was especially grand. Not to mention the excellent sound effects they arranged with the theatre, on the night, more than a dozen media outlets came with flashes popping all over and reporters asking questions. The lively atmosphere was almost on par with the Oscars.

Adrian had been the center of attention lately for taking over Kubrick’s work. Naturally, the reporters wouldn’t miss this chance, seizing every opportunity to ask questions and take photos. The mainstream media were okay, asking about ’Saving Private Ryan’, such as how he wrote the screenplay and why it was entirely handed over to Spielberg for production. The tabloids, however, were utterly brazen; they didn’t care who you were. Whether or not you responded to the microphone thrust in your face was irrelevant—they always had something to write about, and if you got angry at their rude behavior, so much the better.

Adrian, who had been dealing with these folks for years, of course wouldn’t make such a mistake and always responded appropriately. But sometimes, he couldn’t help feeling a bit irritated and just then, a lucky journalist had captured that expression. Hence the laughable article he now read.

"All right, Adrian," Zetajones said with a charming smile, "stop worrying about all that—try the breakfast I made. Though it might not compare to the chefs’, I’m quite confident in my skills."

"Okay, I’ll give it a try," Adrian picked up his knife and fork without any reservation.

The breakfast was simple: milk, fried eggs, and bacon. Admittedly, Zetajones’ cooking skills were quite decent. The fried eggs were ordinary, but the yolk and the white were rounder than many. The bacon was cooked just right, tender and delicious in his mouth—maybe not quite chef-level but almost on par with Mrs. Galen’s.

"It’s really great. I should give you a thumbs up," Adrian said earnestly after tasting it.

"Then you have to finish it all," Zetajones said, resting her chin on her crossed arms on the table, eyes curling as she watched Adrian, her delighted expression full of tender affection was no different from any woman pleased to have her cooking skills appreciated by her lover.

Truly a woman who understood men. Adrian praised her in his mind again as he enjoyed his breakfast. Among the women he was with now, Zetajones was the one who most understood men.

Kate’s feisty personality was merely tucked away, occasionally bursting out at the most inappropriate moments; Sarah, though clingy or perhaps reliant on him, was still a bit too young and didn’t quite understand many things; Charlize, on the other hand, did understand men but often pretended not to; Monica was mature and quite seductive, but growing up in Italy, she still harbored a sense of naivety at heart; Julia, Gwyneth, and Blanchett sometimes wavered between love and interests, with Gwyneth being slightly better off; as for Liv, with her carefree and careless attitude, not caring about anything, one couldn’t expect her to change for a long time, not to mention the several Lolitas.

Although Zetajones had been his woman for less than a year and was a relationship born of a transaction, she always managed to exhibit her charm just right. There was no need to mention the film crew members of "The Mask of Zorro" who spoke well of her; after the reporters outside the cinema had completely left last night, Adrian drove straight to her villa. Zetajones perfectly displayed her surprise and melancholy, which was tantalizing.

Moreover, in bed, the foreplay of resisting yet welcoming expertly kindled Adrian’s desire; what followed was sheer passion. Even without using any special positions, it still allowed him to thoroughly enjoy himself.

"By the way, Kate, have you read the script I sent over a few days ago?" After breakfast, Adrian, admiring Zetajones changing clothes in front of him, asked.

"Of course, it’s an interesting script, but don’t you think the female supporting character is a bit underdeveloped?" Zetajones asked as she slid into a tube dress and then began putting on her bra. When she bent over, the pair of soft quivering things were quite tempting indeed.

She soon furrowed her brows, then with her left hand supporting her front and her right hand reaching behind to lift her long hair, she gave Adrian a pleading look. He immediately came over, fastened her bra from behind, and kissed her smooth shoulder as she had wished before smiling at the mirror and saying, "I did it on purpose. You know, being nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars requires more strength than winning, so if you can fully demonstrate your skills during filming, grabbing a nomination will be a piece of cake."

At this point, he kissed the nape of her neck again and continued to smile at the ambivalent Zetajones in the mirror, "Don’t worry, what I promised you was an award, not just a nomination."

His hands reached her waist and began to gently knead as she, cooperating, closed her eyes and softly moaned, then quickly scolded as she swatted his hands away, "You’re always so insatiable, Ed."

"No one could be satisfied in your presence," Adrian said admiringly, and although Zetajones maintained a look of mock anger and joy, a hint of pride flickered in her eyes.

"Anyway, just give your all in your performance. I believe that having read the original novel, you definitely won’t disappoint me. Plus, I’ve found several heavyweight actors to act alongside you this time," Adrian said with a smile.

"Several heavyweight actors?" Surprise and curiosity sparkled in Zetajones’s eyes.

"While they may not have the title of Oscar-winning actor like Anthony, one is the youngest winner of the Venice Film Festival’s Best Actor, another just won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and another just got nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars," Adrian teased.

Zetajones blinked, unable to immediately think of who they could be, but her smile deepened, and she wrapped her arms around Adrian’s neck, "It seems I do need to work harder. I won’t let you down."

Her bright eyes seemed to carry a touch of emotion, and then she rested her head on his shoulder, "Will you continue to be with me today, Ed?"

"This?" Adrian showed a hesitating expression, to which Zetajones immediately became as melancholic as the night before, "You don’t know how much I’ve missed you these past days, although I know I am just... but still..."

The hesitance in her demeanor added an almost imperceptible touch of sadness. Adrian immediately embraced her, "Hey, Kate, I haven’t refused; I’m just contemplating how we should spend today—how about you plan it?"

"No problem, I guarantee you’ll love it," Zetajones readily agreed. "Of course, after I get dressed, and no more handsy stuff!"

With that, she gleefully went to the wardrobe and started rummaging through it. Watching her back, Adrian chuckled inwardly. Zetajones might understand men well, but she didn’t completely understand him.

After spending a rather pleasant weekend with Zetajones, Adrian plunged back into work. "Eyes Wide Shut" was nearing the end of shooting, and with Nicole’s scenes completed, she was almost never on set, which allowed Adrian to focus more on other matters, such as preparing for some movies to shoot.

The first was "Double Conspiracy," which he had sold to Sony as a favor. Although the film wasn’t as profitable as "Twisters" and the like, it was still doing much better than other movies Sony had invested in the past years, having made over a hundred million in North America. Of course, to ensure the successful repayment of the favor, Adrian specifically requested the power to choose the director and actors. Sony-Columbia didn’t hesitate at all, as the reputation of the Miracle Director was well established.

The male lead was still Tommy Lee Jones, because Adrian had acquired the rights to the film version of "Men in Black" early on, and it had started shooting at the end of last year, starring him and Will Smith. The female lead role naturally went to Monica, who, under Adrian’s arrangement, played the doctor in "Men in Black," making her quite familiar with Jones.

Monica needed more excellent films to build her credentials, and Adrian already had a vague new concept in mind, but it wasn’t yet definite.

Next was "A Time to Kill" for Kate. The film rights to this novel had also been bought up by Adrian early on, and Kate was cast as the female lead well in advance, but due to Lily, the film which was supposed to be released this year had been held up and hadn’t started shooting yet.

However, the little one had already begun weaning, and it wouldn’t be long before Kate could be free; even if she had to wait a while longer, as most of the preparatory work for the film was done, thorough preparation was still necessary.

The last project, naturally, was "L.A. Confidential," which he had promised would get Zetajones an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and had River Phoenix cast as one of the male leads. This film, slated to be released in a year’s time, had received many positive reviews, with several lead actors giving excellent performances, and Kim Basinger had won an Oscar statuette, fulfilling her own dream with it.

The film was indeed great, with well-crafted characters, a grip on the plot, a series of surprising twists, and an unraveling development that garnered much praise from film critics. Additionally, part of its charm was nostalgia.

Everyone has moments of nostalgia, Americans no exception, and the Hollywood of the ’50s and ’60s was known as the golden age. Back then, outstanding films and actors seemed to emerge in abundance, representing what many considered the most perfect era in their hearts. This is another aspect of nostalgia; people tend to subconsciously overlook certain things, even though stories like Fox boss Zanuck’s Four O’clock Girl and Grace Kelly’s rumored path to the top by sleeping her way up are still commonly known. Not to mention specifics like casting couches for actresses, at that time probably only two Hepburns could somewhat remain aloof.

Well, bringing the topic back, in any case, the fond memories of that era added a lot of points to this film. If not for the overwhelming strength of "Titanic," "L.A. Confidential" had a significant chance of winning Best Picture, and no cop/gang film has reached the same heights since then.

Just like with "Men in Black" and "A Time to Kill," Adrian had obtained the film rights to this novel early on. If someone else had snatched something away despite having the advantage of foresight, that would have been a true failure.

At first, Adrian only wanted River to play the male lead, the character of Edmund, who joins the police force because of his father, sticks to his principles, but ultimately changes. As for the female supporting role, he hadn’t quite figured it out; none of the women around him seemed quite right for the image until Zetajones came along.

Since he promised her the best supporting actress role, using this movie to earn her qualifications didn’t seem like a bad idea. To be honest, Kim Basinger’s performance in the movie was not particularly outstanding, and her presence was completely overshadowed by the three male leads. However, she was still a standout in a field of green, and because Oscar owed her somewhat, she managed to take home the Oscar statuette.

That’s why Adrian didn’t show any regret about taking away her chance, with her qualifications, even without this movie, it was only a matter of time before she would win an award.

Regarding the issue of the character’s image, in the movie, Katherine plays a prostitute posing as a Hollywood star, and at the time, the most popular image was blonde hair and blue eyes. However, there were also many dark-haired female stars, so all that was needed was a slight rewrite of the script and to find a Hollywood actress from the 1950s who resembled Zetajones.

"You see, I keep my promises, Catherine," Adrian said with a light laugh while flipping through the script in the office.

However, what he was most looking forward to was River’s performance. This young man, who should have died, had started to shine again after surviving the huge storm. It was true that the statement "the entire ’90s belonged to him" included the factor of his untimely death, but it couldn’t be denied that he was indeed exceptional and wouldn’t let anyone underestimate him once he seized the opportunity.

Adrian had intended to observe him for a while longer, but after the release of "Heat," he knew there was no need to wait. At first, he had thought of casting him in "Titanic," but Cameron was adamant about using DiCaprio, and if the film’s potential drawbacks weren’t handled well, it could be disastrous, so Adrian didn’t insist. The role of Edmund in "L.A. Confidential" was undoubtedly quite suitable.

"Bring out all your strength, River. You have to live up to my expectations," Adrian whispered once more.

Apart from these movies in preparation, the summer releases also required his attention. The early release of "Saving Private Ryan" had kicked off the summer of ’96, with an opening weekend of $30 million and $70 million over two weeks, placing it firmly on top of the North American box office chart. Moreover, the critics unanimously praised it, lavishing countless accolades on the film, making it extremely popular.

Given such a warm reception, it was almost certain that "Saving Private Ryan" would break $100 million within three weeks, meaning it could likely continue to sit atop the box office for several more weeks. As such, the major film studios were all aiming for the second-place spot on the charts, but unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to compete for that position. In the two weeks following the release of "Saving Private Ryan," the battle was quite intense, but once Bossworth’s "The Sixth Sense" premiered, the second-place seat was firmly secured.

With an opening weekend of $26 million and $69 million over two weeks, it looked very likely that it would also break $100 million within three weeks, and the critics showered this movie with praise, considering its suspense perfectly maintained.

"The suspense is revealed only at the last moment, creating a shocking effect that is indescribable. Just go to any movie theater and see the faces of the audience at the ending, and you’ll understand. Although this doesn’t erase some plot holes, the story’s humanity is enough to make people overlook them," wrote one film critic.

Bruce Willis was also, unusually, praised by critics for showing a hint of acting skill, albeit still coming off a bit wooden-faced. Rumor has it that Willis cheered like a child at home when he saw these reviews in the newspaper—whether this rumor is true or false is unknown.

Silver Phoenix received even more praise, with many people saying he was very spirited and perfectly captured the character’s personality.

"Old Phoenix would surely be proud. The youngest Venice Film Festival Best Actor River Phoenix was embroiled in a huge scandal in ’93 but was always an outstanding actor. Joaquin Phoenix, although he long lived in his brother’s shadow, also began to carve out his own path. His role in ’Saving Private Ryan’ might not be large, but it left a lasting impression. Now, their youngest brother, Silver Phoenix, has also demonstrated his exquisite acting talent. Oh, God has truly favored them; it’s enough to make one envious," expressed one article with great emotion. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)