On a moonlit white beach, a dozen voluptuous bikini-clad women ran across, drawing whistles and cheers. Many members of the crew quickly followed these hired models, indulging in the eternal themes of any Hollywood-style party: alcohol, beauties, handsome men, drugs, and revelry. In Fiji, where the laws are relatively lenient, combined with Duke leasing a private island for three days, the team and invited guests could fully relax.
Duke was indeed a workaholic, but that didn’t mean everyone around him shared the same mindset. Besides ensuring fair compensation, he turned a blind eye to many behaviors that didn’t cross his bottom line.
For example, his team included gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Core members like Zack Snyder and John Schwartzman, who held significant influence, sometimes used minor roles to lure actresses. Even art director Hannah Selina made it a habit to recommend a few handsome men for minor roles in every film.
This was the norm in Hollywood’s ecosystem, where fame, temptation, desire, and competition were amplified infinitely. Many actors and other top professionals, even after achieving fame and no longer needing such means to gain benefits, still indulged in reckless behavior for thrills, to vent desires, or to relieve the pressures of fame and fortune.
Lying on a beach chair under a parasol, Duke, wearing dark sunglasses, looked at the tranquil sea in the distance. He reached out to grab a few grapes from the fruit platter and tossed them into his mouth.
Nearby, Tina Fey and Nancy Josephson were seated at a small table, sipping chilled beer. They had just arrived from Los Angeles.
Duke turned and spat the grape skins into a trash bin. "Let’s hear the results."
Although Nancy Josephson had led the negotiations, she didn’t speak. Instead, she looked at Tina Fey. As a shrewd professional agent, she knew Duke trusted his personal assistant more.
This was normal. Any celebrity who entirely trusted their agent was undoubtedly a fool.
The long, drawn-out negotiations and discussions had already been covered in their constant phone communications. Tina Fey went straight to the point. "After half a year of evaluations and market research, Warner Bros. and Time Warner have recognized the potential of the Harry Potter series. On this point, Duke Studio and Warner Bros. have reached full consensus with no objections."
No company or management would rashly invest a large sum of money in a project based solely on someone’s impassioned pitch.
Even if that person were Duke, Spielberg, or Michael Ovitz, it wouldn’t happen. Otherwise, calling the decision-makers in such companies "pig-brained" would be a compliment.
Duke glanced at Tina Fey. "Just give me the outcome."
"We’ve reached a verbal agreement," Tina Fey said. Known for her rigorous approach to work, she opened her work log. "Duke Studio and Warner Bros. will jointly promote the Harry Potter series and co-found Harry Potter Studio. The equity distribution between the two parties will be 40% for us and 60% for them."
Duke had already been informed of this result and had no objections. It was entirely normal for Warner Bros. to take the larger share. If Warner Bros. hadn’t desperately needed his cooperation and support, Duke Studio wouldn’t have been able to secure 40%.
Without sufficient anticipated returns, why would Warner invest heavily in resources that Duke Studio lacked?
To put it bluntly, even if Duke Studio held the rights, they still needed Warner or another media group as a partner. Meanwhile, those media giants didn’t necessarily need Duke Studio.
The idea that he could call upon these companies to provide resources without expecting sufficient returns was laughable. Could such a thing happen in Hollywood?
Moreover, Warner Bros. wanted more than just the 60% stake. They wanted to ensure he was firmly tied to their ship.
Tina Fey looked up from her work log and mentioned the most crucial point of their trip. "Warner’s management hopes to acquire 20% to 40% of Duke Studio’s shares by exchanging them for an equivalent value in Warner Bros. shares."
Seeing Duke frown and remain silent, Tina Fey continued, "Nancy and I have had private discussions with Jeff Robinov and Time Warner’s Executive CEO. They want a closer, more binding relationship with us. If the exchange succeeds, you’ll become the largest individual shareholder of Warner Bros. Additionally, Warner has formally promised to add a board seat. You’ll become a Warner Bros. board member once the exchange is completed."
Duke remained silent. Such decisions couldn’t be made on impulse. It was evident that Warner Bros. and Time Warner had grown confident in him after years of consistent success and hit films. Coupled with the fallout from the Batman series, Warner likely needed a shot of adrenaline to reassure shareholders and rebuild market confidence.
Building a deeper partnership and shared interests with Duke Studio and himself was undoubtedly one of the most suitable approaches.
This reminded Duke of another director who later worked exclusively with Warner and also became one of its major individual shareholders.
However, Warner Bros., facing one of its toughest periods since the turn of the century due to the Batman franchise’s negative impact, had reached out a sincere hand. Should he take it?
Hollywood was always a game of giants. Orion Pictures, once glorious with Dances with Wolves and The Silence of the Lambs, collapsed under pressure. Carolco Pictures rose rapidly in the 1990s, briefly being called Hollywood’s eighth major studio, only to falter. Even DreamWorks, supported by its three giants, only managed to reach seventh place before facing challenges.
All these companies shared one trait: their glory was short-lived. When faced with pressure from Hollywood’s giants, they couldn’t hold their ground. Even Lionsgate, whose box office soared with Twilight and The Hunger Games, fell into trouble as their franchises neared their end.
With his additional experience, Duke could consistently produce massive box-office hits. But could he break through the barriers of established powers, forming a new entity to rival or surpass them? Was there a more unrealistic fantasy than this?
This industry’s foundation was filmmaking, but filmmaking alone wasn’t enough for a company’s rise.
David Geffen, one of America’s top billionaires; Jeffrey Katzenberg, the architect of Disney Animation’s peak in the late 80s and 90s; Steven Spielberg—no introductions needed...
Even the collaboration of these three titans couldn’t withstand the siege of traditional forces. Could Duke, with his limited business acumen, compare to their combined efforts?
Imagination was crucial for filmmaking but useless in business negotiations.
Hollywood was just part of the commercial world, where fantasy solved nothing. Duke had never entertained such impractical illusions; pursuing them might squander years of effort.
From the start, he had collaborated with the giants, with competition supported by powerful groups. Future plans still involved partnerships with Warner and the like.
Collaboration and competition were constants in the business world. Surviving in a fiercely competitive environment like Hollywood required strong allies. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
"Tina..." Duke removed his sunglasses and looked at his assistant. "Return to Los Angeles as soon as possible and continue negotiations with Warner. In principle, I agree to the share-swap collaboration. You handle the specific terms."
He then turned to his agent. "Nancy, I want you to gather as many ICM stars as possible for the Titanic premiere before Thanksgiving!"
Nancy Josephson didn’t hesitate. "I’ll return to Los Angeles with Tina and personally visit our top-tier clients."
Tina Fey and Nancy Josephson soon left the beach. Within ten minutes, a helicopter rose into the sky, departing the private island.
Lying back on the beach chair, Duke put on his sunglasses again, his mind entirely occupied with the upcoming partnership with Warner, leaving no room for leisure.
Not far away, Natalie Portman, her mother, and her agent sat together, occasionally glancing in Duke’s direction while enjoying tropical fruits unique to the South Pacific.
"I heard you’ve met him a few times?" asked her agent, a man with typical Jewish features. He looked at Natalie. "What’s your impression of him?"
"Very creative, thoughtful, and talented," Natalie replied smartly, vaguely guessing the agent’s intentions. "Martin, you’re not planning to poach him for William Morris, are you?"
"Why not?" Martin Miller stood up. "Though we have Clint Eastwood in directing, his market appeal can’t compare to Duke’s."
Natalie’s eyes sparkled. "Need me to make introductions? I get along well with him."
"No need. I’ve met him before," Martin Miller said as he strode toward Duke, ready to start his poaching attempt.
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