King of Hollywood
Chapter 409 - 131 Additional Investments and More Movies

Chapter 409: Chapter 131 Additional Investments and More Movies

Without any suspense, Yuan Heping agreed. The more movies, the better—no one does not want to break into Hollywood, especially since this "foreigner" Adrian had a high opinion of him. However, formally arranging actor training would have to wait for about two months. Monica was currently working on a new movie with Tommy Lee Jones, where the female lead was a rather ordinary housewife, so they at least had to wait for the majority of the shots to be completed before starting.

This was not a big issue. Adrian had also made it clear to Yuan Heping that there would definitely be some differences in work habits between the two sides, and they could use this time to adapt to each other. Moreover, Adrian would personally helm the first film and needed to fully understand the action and fight choreography they designed to see if it was suitable for what the film wanted to express. As for the second film, another role had yet to be decided, so naturally, it was not possible to arrange training.

Everything was thus settled. Calculating the time, Adrian also began preparing to dive wholeheartedly into the post-production of "Eyes Wide Shut." Of course, he still had to pay attention to and inquire about the necessary matters, such as at the end of July, Gwyneth finally returned to Los Angeles from Rosarito, finally escaping the nightmare!

"That’s right, it was an utter nightmare, God, James Cameron is definitely the incarnation of Satan!" Gwyneth complained resentfully to Adrian, who had flown over to pick her up.

Compared to half a year ago, she had indeed slimmed down quite a bit, but her figure was still well maintained, at least to the touch, it was still as comfortable as before. She had all the reasons to complain; although Adrian did not often go to Rosarito, he was well aware that Cameron’s severity on set was significantly greater than what he remembered. After all, Adrian had unflinchingly handed over 200 million US Dollars for him to squander. Although Cameron had immense confidence, he also felt considerable pressure.

As such, situations like staying in water in full costume for four to five hours were common occurrences. These two months had been bearable, seeing as it was already summer, but the first few months of the year had been terrible. Though Rosarito was in southern Mexico, the temperature of the cold water in winter was still low, and Gwyneth had contracted pneumonia and spent several days in bed because of it.

Of course, Adrian had rushed over as soon as he heard. She spent a few days in bed, and he spent a few days by her side, which moved Gwyneth a little. Women are quite sensitive to these details. Maybe, on the surface, they pretend it doesn’t matter, but inwardly, they really care. To sweet-talk a woman, one must put in enough effort in the details.

"Alright, you’ve already punished him like I told you, right? James knows he went too far, so he was willing to be punished by you," Adrian said, trying to comfort her.

On the day Cameron announced the wrap, Gwyneth, who had suffered a lot, recalled the words Adrian had previously planted in her mind. She quickly contacted DiCaprio and several other actors who played corpses, beckoning Cameron before proceeding to douse him in bucket after bucket of water, soaking the tyrant director from head to toe. However, after it was over, Cameron said nothing and simply shrugged; in this regard, he was indeed a good director.

"Stop thinking about it so much. No matter what, the movie is finished. When it’s released, you will see that all this hardship was worth it." Noticing that Gwyneth was still somewhat begrudging, Adrian then kissed the corner of her mouth, and with an enticing drawl, added, "And I can assure you, as long as James meets my requirements, then..."

Although he didn’t finish his sentence, Gwyneth knew what he was implying. Right away, she sat on his lap and seductively offered a kiss—had she not stayed by his side precisely for these moments, aside from being attracted to him?

As for whether "Titanic" could be released by year’s end, Cameron, who was fully in charge, was not very sure either.

"I can only say I’ll do my best. Although the shooting took a little longer, many of the scenes for post-production are being worked on simultaneously. I can’t give a definite answer unless you give me some time," he had said.

Adrian, though keen to see the clash of the big ship with the soldiers, could only wait upon hearing the other party say this. However, sometimes things happen that one does not want to see, and two months later, Cameron, who had dived headfirst into the studio, approached Adrian with a difficult request.

"An additional 20 million in investment?" Adrian did not hide his surprise, while Cameron was grabbing his head, stammering unable to articulate his words.

"James, you must know that the total investment has already reached 200 million, and that’s not including the marketing costs," Adrian said in an unruffled tone, "Besides, you should still have some funds on hand. Isn’t that enough?"

"I know, Ed, I know..." Cameron said with a bitter smile as if unsure of what else to say.

Adrian was not a Fox executive from "history." In "history," the initial investment for the big ship was just over 100 million, which grew to 200 million due to Cameron’s repeated requests for additional funding. For this reason, the executives at Fox were prepared to jump off a building in case of failure. But now, Adrian had agreed to provide a whopping 200 million in funding in one go, and he was doing this as a private investor. Cameron could get angry and threaten those executives, but he dared not do the same in front of Adrian.

"Listen to me, Ed," Cameron took a deep breath, finally calming down, "I know this request is a bit much, but I truly believe that an additional 20 million in investment will make this movie even more perfect. Originally, there were a few technical issues we couldn’t solve, so some scenes had to be replaced with alternate solutions, which didn’t look very good. But just two weeks ago, we solved that problem, and I am absolutely confident that we can make it bigger and more realistic!"

He paused for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind, "I am well aware of the huge risk involved, but Ed, please believe me, I can make it even more perfect. Moreover, no matter the result after the movie is released, I and my team are willing to give up all our salaries and bonuses!"

After speaking, Cameron looked at Adrian with a hint of unease, while Adrian pursed his lips and remained silent with lowered eyelids. He wasn’t considering whether to agree to the request. He remembered clearly that the investment for "Titanic" was 240 million US dollars! His direct offer of 200 million was meant to push Cameron to learn to save and strive to finish the big ship within 200 million. But now, it seemed impossible, so an increase in investment was pretty much a certainty. Even if the marketing costs were 25 million, there would still be 15 million to spare, right?

So, Adrian was actually marveling. Cameron, though a tyrant on the set and a technical maniac, was also a pure director, ready to stake everything for his work. "Giving up all salaries and bonuses" seemed pointless as there would be no profits to share if the movie failed, and that little salary was just a drop in the ocean compared to the losses. But this was also Cameron’s statement, implying that he would never direct again if he failed. This reminded Adrian of the time Cameron sold the "Terminator" script for 1 US dollar. It was no wonder that some say only the obsessed can succeed in this world. Compared to that, he himself was nothing.

Adrian’s musings were one thing, but Cameron was getting even more nervous beside him, nearly certain he would be refused. Fortunately, Adrian finally came back to his senses, and just as Cameron was about to stand up and leave, he spoke, "I have decided."

"And?" Cameron’s eyes brightened, hopeful as he looked at Adrian.

"I’m not going to add another 20 million," Adrian said seriously, and only after Cameron showed a look of disappointment did he smile, "I’m going to add another 40 million to the investment."

"Okay, I understand your... What did you say?" Cameron’s eyes widened in shock, staring at Adrian in disbelief, even rubbing his ears suspiciously, wondering if he had heard wrong.

"You heard me right, James. I am indeed saying, add another 40 million to the investment," Adrian said with a smile, "If we’re doing this, let’s make it perfect. If I could trust you with 200 million US dollars, I won’t be stingy over a mere 40 million."

"My God! This is simply..." Cameron jumped up from the sofa, shouting joyfully like a child, and even went so far as to give Adrian a firm hug.

"Thank you, Ed! I am so grateful! I will make sure you see the most perfect work, I will! I promise!" he said somewhat incoherently.

"Alright, alright, James, don’t get too excited, mind your surroundings, okay?" Adrian stood up, chuckling and patting his shoulder, "Since I said you would create a miracle, then you definitely will!"

He paused, waiting for Cameron’s emotions to stabilize before he cautioned, "But just 40 million, not a cent more!"

"No problem, no problem," Cameron grinned, "That’s enough, more than enough."

"I’ve heard you say that more than once, James," Adrian said, looking skeptical.

"Take care, I mean it this time," Cameron stated as he started to leave, "Alright, I’ll disappear now, and get back to post-production right away."

Adrian didn’t stop him, but just as Cameron was about to leave, he called out, "By the way, at the end of this year..."

"It’s definitely not possible," Cameron killed any possibility with a single sentence, "Some parts need to be completely redone, and there’s not enough time."

"Alright, alright, it doesn’t matter, we’ve waited this long anyway, waiting a little longer is no big deal." Adrian sighed.

Although it was a pity that he couldn’t see the clash of the great ship and soldiers this year, postponing the release to next year wasn’t a bad thing. With ample promotion, the film could achieve even better results. The reason he was willing to add an additional 40 million instead of the 30 million Cameron requested was likely because, including the promotion costs, it could approach the 300 million mark—an immense investment even after the turn of the 21st century, especially at a time when the US Dollar was particularly strong. But to Adrian, it was necessary.

What was the global box office for "Titanic" again? 1.8 billion, right? Why not find a way to push it up to 2 billion? Achieving that figure would be such a huge accomplishment and glory for him. The mere feat of using nearly 300 million of private investment to create a global blockbuster that earns 2 billion at the box office is enough to turn heads, not to mention the many other gains.

Yes, he was never just a pure director; his goal was to build his own media empire and gain control over Hollywood, then collect the women he wanted. Everything he did was aimed at this ambition. He could admire directors like Cameron, but he didn’t need to learn from them; he just needed to advance in directions that were beneficial to himself.

"It won’t take too long." Adrian, who poured himself a glass of whiskey, stared at the glass and chuckled.

Of course, all these were later concerns. In the two months between, Adrian did quite a lot, like finally starting on the montage editing for "Eyes Wide Shut" or checking the post-production status of "Wedding Crashers," "Jerry Maguire," and "The English Patient."

There wasn’t much to say about "Wedding Crashers;" the post-production could be finished by October. The release date for this R-rated comedy wasn’t particularly crucial, so no special scheduling was needed. A release in the tail end of the New Year period would suffice. Adrian watched some of the completed scenes, and Liv’s performance was mediocre, with some highlights but not many, mostly just a beautiful vase.

"You said it, I’m just a vase, so I might as well be a pretty one," Liv still looked unconcerned, but she kept complaining that the surprise promised earlier had not been delivered yet.

"Don’t worry, after your next film is done, I guarantee you’ll see a surprise," Adrian said, then he looked at her earnestly, "But you might not like this surprise."

"It’s okay, even if it’s something I hate, I won’t blame you," Liv thought for a moment and then said, tilting her head, "Ed wouldn’t hurt me, right?"

"Of course." Adrian smiled and embraced her.

There was nothing much to say about "Jerry Maguire," progress was relatively swift, with a complete wrap expected by early November. The promotional work could now begin. Whether it was Little Cuba Gooding or Tom Cruise or Kate Blanchett, Scarlett Johansson, all had eye-catching aspects.

Having watched most of the film, Adrian could relax. Although there were significant character changes, like the switch from a little boy to a little girl, this version wasn’t too far off from the one in his memory. Scarlett discussing football with Cruise was convincing; her precocious demeanor surely would be well-received.

Adrian had lavished praise on Melanie’s daughter in front of her many times. For Melanie, who was hell-bent on making her daughter a star, this was undoubtedly a good opportunity, especially since Scarlett also had a good impression of Adrian. It was just unknown what kind of expression she would have if she knew Adrian’s thoughts.

However, those were concerns for the future. Adrian’s main focus was still on the women around him, such as Blanchett. It was rare for Gwyneth to return from Rosarito after filming "Titanic," and Blanchett also happened to be resting at the time. How could he miss the opportunity to enjoy the company of two women of extraordinary yet different charm, letting them moan beneath him - a pleasure that always delighted him.

Although Blanchett sometimes resisted fiercely, it was futile in the hands of Adrian, who had already understood her masochistic psyche. Moreover, Gwyneth seemed to enjoy this as well and was always very active, which left Blanchett with no choice. Under Adrian’s guidance, she seemed to have forgotten there was another option, as some things can be addictive.

As for "The English Patient," progress had always been quite good, although it might finish later than "Jerry Maguire" due to Anthony Minghella’s perfectionism—a trait common to many outstanding directors. Still, a release by the end of the year should be no problem.

"Think back, Sophie, Ralph, think back to the situation then, the feelings at that moment. Ralph’s voice isn’t deep enough, and Sophie’s is a bit thin," Minghella instructed the two voice actors in the recording studio, then gestured for them to stop with his hand, "Okay, let’s do it once more, and after we finish, we can officially call it a day."

However, after another take, Minghella was still not satisfied. While he was in deep thought, the always observant Adrian spoke up, "Anthony, perhaps you don’t need to cling to the feeling during the shoot."

"Oh?" Minghella looked up, puzzled, at him.

"This scene is a conversation between Almásy and the nurse, Hannah, about the past. It leads the entire story forward. As long as you can convey that emotion to the audience, it doesn’t need to fully replicate the feeling from the original shoot," Adrian explained.

"Let’s give it a try...," Minghella rubbed his chin, pondering it for a moment, and then instructed the two actors behind the glass.

After four or five attempts, Minghella finally found the tone he wanted, and the roughly ten-minute voiceover session came to an end. This completion also meant that "The English Patient" took another step forward in post-production. Minghella expressed his gratitude afterward, "Thank you, Ed, without your reminder, I really don’t know how many times we would have repeated this. You truly are one of Hollywood’s finest directors."

Of course, much of this gratitude was because Adrian had invested in the movie and had appointed him as director.

"Indeed, if it weren’t for your reminder, I wouldn’t know how long Anthony would have kept us going. You know, he has quite a knack for honing people," Ralph Fiennes quipped as he came out of the recording studio.

"It’s nothing really, just looking at the problem from a bystander’s perspective. Naturally, I can see the whole picture better than those who are involved," Adrian replied modestly.

The hair styling for "The English Patient" was entrusted to Miramax. As soon as Adrian hinted at the film’s purpose, the Weinstein brothers readily agreed to it. It remained to be seen how well "The English Patient," with their support, would fare against "Saving Private Ryan."

"Excuse me gentlemen, I must leave now," Sophie Marceau said politely at that moment, her expression impassive.

Just as she was about to turn around and leave, Adrian suddenly spoke up, "Wait, Sophie, if you have time, could we talk privately for a moment?"

Sophie hesitated, glancing at Minghella and then Fiennes, seemingly unsure of how to respond.

"It won’t take too much of your time, just a few words," Adrian quickly added.

"Alright," Sophie sighed lightly and eventually agreed.

However, she had not expected that as soon as they entered the lounge, Adrian would embrace her waist from behind and deeply inhale the scent of her hair.

"What a refreshing scent. What shampoo do you use? I can’t quite place it," Adrian exclaimed in admiration.

"A type of plant fragrance..." Sophie blurted out her response without thinking and then abruptly realized what she was doing, turning around and pushing him away in annoyance, "Please have some respect..."

Before she could finish, she stumbled over her words again. It wasn’t like she hadn’t said such things before, but the outcome didn’t require much guessing. This time seemed no different. Adrian immediately gently pinched her chin, appraising her with a look of approval before lifting her face and then leaning down to kiss her lips.

Sophie shrank back, but not with much determination, and soon she was being kissed by the other party. However, Adrian did not take too many liberties. He only touched and sucked gently on her lips before letting her go.

"In your eyes, am I just a woman for you to manipulate?" Sophie asked, half-joking and half self-mocking.

"In my eyes, you are a woman who needs to be cherished," Adrian replied with a shrug.

"Do you say this to every woman of yours?" Sophie’s tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

"No, I only say it to women who need to be cherished," Adrian said with a smile, not taking her jibe to heart. His fingers glided over Sophie’s cheek, pushing a few strands of her hair aside with utmost care. Coupled with his gazing eyes and slightly upturned lips, he seemed to be caressing some precious treasure.

Feeling the tingling sensation on her cheek, Sophie was momentarily lost but quickly came back to her senses, "If all you wanted to say was this, then I better leave sooner rather than later."

"Of course not. I’m considering a movie, but I’m not sure if you’re up for the role. After all, you don’t quite have that Russian woman’s temperament. Then again, you do possess a different kind of air, melancholic and gentle, which is very moving. Maybe a non-traditional Anna Karenina could be interesting," Adrian said softly.

"Are you saying... you mean... you’re planning to adapt ’Anna Karenina’ into a movie?" Sophie asked hesitantly.

"Sort of. After all, ’Anna Karenina’ is a classic in literary history, and it’s been filmed in many versions. So, when someone suggested it to me, I immediately thought of you and was intrigued," Adrian continued in a gentle tone, stroking her cheek. "In my view, you have some similarities with Anna Karenina, but casting you might still not be quite right, so I’m hesitant and want to hear your thoughts."

"I... I don’t know," Sophie answered with a blank expression. For any actor, playing the protagonist of a classic literary work is a highly coveted opportunity, from any perspective.

Moreover, Adrian had made his stance clear. Despite not saying so outright, Sophie knew that if she said yes, the preparation for the movie would commence, even if it ended up with poor reviews and box office returns.

"Give me some time... to think about it..." Sophie said eventually, but her unwavering gaze betrayed her deep interest – such an opportunity was not something she could refuse. Her reluctance to agree in front of Adrian was merely because, in her eyes, doing so would be akin to admitting defeat.

"No problem, if you decide, remember to give me a call," Adrian replied, not pressing her. But then he asked, "So, which hotel are you staying in? I’ll take you."

"I can get back by myself..."

"Tell me. Which hotel are you staying at?"

"You don’t need to take me. I can walk back just fine..."

"Just tell me, Sophie, which hotel you’re staying at."

"You can look it up..."

"No, I want to hear it from you. Tell me, Sophie."

Eventually, while being fondled in Adrian’s arms, Sophie gave him her address. What happened next needed no further explanation; she showed her libertine and wild French side once again in her hotel room.

Most of what Adrian said was true, except for one thing: no one had actually suggested adapting ’Anna Karenina’ into a movie. It was his own idea.

In his memory, ’Anna Karenina’ was one of Sophie’s few works in Hollywood. And while her temperament was somewhat similar to that of the novel’s protagonist, there were enough differences, along with the director’s poor handling of the pacing, which meant her version of the movie was not very well received.

Sophie undoubtedly loved the novel, and, compared with Monica, Julia, or Gwyneth and others, she was more desperate for fame. Adrian was, of course, happy to fulfill her wish, hence the scene he had arranged. With just a few tweaks to the original script and finding a suitable director, it might even receive high praise.

And even if it were only close to the original, at least the image of Adrian willing to do anything for her was firmly planted in Sophie’s heart.

What he found slightly regrettable was that upon hearing that the main actors for ’The English Patient’ had arrived to do the voiceovers, Rachel had already finished her work and left a day earlier. It was a pity, for it would have been great to force her into bed with Sophie. That would have certainly been enjoyable.

But such thoughts were merely wishful thinking; Sophie had not completely fallen for him yet. Despite being wanton in bed, she turned into a reserved lady once she was out of it. Even if he really managed to get them both into bed, Rachel might not have cared, but Sophie might never see him again. Besides, Adrian already had plans...

Well, that didn’t really matter, after all. If not here, there were plenty of other options, not Monica, Julia, or Gwyneth, not Blanchett, Kate, or Charlize, not Sarah, Liv, but...

"Thank you, miss. Next," Adrian said with a gesture to his assistant.

The Asian-looking girl who had just performed in front of the camera left with a tinge of disappointment. Then, called in by the assistant, another Asian girl entered.

Following the assistant’s instructions, the girl changed clothes and did a few turns in front of the room’s occupants, then recited a few lines and did several actions in front of the camera—some of them quite challenging—before leaving. After more than a dozen such iterations, Adrian was finally informed by the assistant that today’s audition was over.

"Very well, what are your thoughts and feedback?" Adrian then asked.

"I think people with tags 22, 31, 38, and 42 are all suitable," one of them said after some discussion.

"Numbers 18, 22, 27," another person added their suggestions.

With their lead, the rest of the group quickly responded, and Adrian listened while flipping through the documents in his hand. After pondering for a while, he turned to the two young women on his left who hadn’t spoken yet.

"What do you two think?" Adrian asked, then added, "Go with your gut, don’t overthink it."

"We both agree that number 33 is more suitable," Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz exchanged glances, then chuckled as they gave their already prepared answer.

"Okay, I got it," Adrian nodded, then stood up, "That’s it for today. Tomorrow is the final audition."

Just as he left the audition room, Drew and Cameron both quickly caught up to him.

"Ed, you can’t do this," Drew said reproachfully, clutching his arm.

"Yeah, you haven’t made your stance clear since the beginning of the audition. Even if you don’t say who’s suitable, you ought to at least tell us your criteria," Cameron latched onto his other arm.

The two women unabashedly made these intimate gestures, not minding the occasional passersby in the corridor. Adrian immediately laughed and wrapped an arm around each of their waists. Perhaps he wouldn’t dare to do this in public, but here, why not?

"Don’t worry, the audition will be over soon, and I’ll discuss it with you afterward," Adrian said.

But this obviously didn’t satisfy Drew, who immediately dragged him toward her office, "That won’t do, Ed. You have to give us some clear explanations today at least."

Saying this, she even threw him a coquettish look, while on the other side, Cameron also revealed a suggestive smile. Adrian felt a stir in his heart and let them take him to the office.

"Honestly, your office is quite interesting," Adrian took a sip of the coffee Drew handed to him and looked around the office decor with admiration.

Drew’s office was decorated in shades of pink and white, filled with feminine knick-knacks and plenty of delicate dolls. From this, it seemed she probably missed the carefree times when she was shooting "E.T." as a child.

"Indeed, it’s beautiful. Suddenly, I feel like I want an office like this too," Cameron also exclaimed with admiration.

"Well, why don’t you invest in my film production company? Then I can guarantee you’ll have an office like this," Drew suggested playfully.

"Your company is too small. If I joined, having two offices like this would be superfluous," Cameron responded with a light huff.

"Then you can share this office with me. Besides," Drew glanced at Adrian, "the company will grow eventually."

No matter what they said, Adrian remained nonchalant with his cup, sipping the coffee as though it was very fragrant and sweet.

"Okay, Ed, it’s time to talk business," Drew and Cameron finally couldn’t wait any longer. They couldn’t compete with Adrian in this regard.

"What would you like to ask?" Adrian asked with a smile, putting down his cup.

"About the audition, we just asked you," Cameron said with a feigned displeasure.

"Well, it’s quite simple," Adrian shrugged, "The reason I wanted you to go with your instinct is that once someone is chosen, the three of you will be the absolute leading ladies and will undergo three months of systematic fight training, practicing some Chinese kung fu. So your relationship needs to be good. If your first impression based on instinct is positive, the chances of conflicts arising during interactions will be reduced, just like the two of you."

"Anything else?" Drew asked with her chin supported by her fists.

"Next, she must be pretty enough, at least to match you two," Adrian said mischievously, stretching out his hand and pinching the cheeks of the two women, who not only didn’t get angry but Cameron even opened her mouth as if to bite.

"She must possess Asian features and temperament but also conform to the general public’s aesthetic. You know, American men’s views on Asians can sometimes be almost completely opposite," Adrian spread his hands.

The two women propped their chins on the back of their hands, watching him without blinking for a while before Drew finally broke the silence, "Do you believe him, Camy?"

"Of course not. We both know very well what kind of jerk he is," Cameron half mockingly and half flirtatiously said.

"Oh, don’t look at me like that," Adrian revealed a "displeased" face, "I have a lot more to consider than you do. Her acting skills, her experience, her appearance, other people’s feelings about her, your feelings about her, and so on. I have to take all these into account when I’m casting. That’s why I had Drew organize a casting event. You all know, I rarely do this and usually decide on the roles before starting."

"That’s true," Drew nodded, then turned to Cameron, "It seems like Ed really does consider us, Camy."

"Indeed, he always knows how... to consider women," Cameron chuckled at Adrian, "so how should we thank him, Drew?"

"There’s no need for that," Adrian waved his hand, "Let’s just finish the job first... sss..."

He had barely finished speaking when he inhaled sharply. Cameron’s hand had already grasped below him, her blue eyes staring unblinkingly at him, her tongue teasingly circling her lips.

"Finish what first?" Drew immediately pressed up against him, her breasts gently rubbing his arm.

"This is your office, Drew."

"You’re right, this is my office." (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)