Chapter 253: Gossip
The next day's newspaper indeed carried the report of Lyman Lattes's intention to collaborate with Warner Bros. The content was a mix of truth and falsehood, with some fabricated details added. For instance, the article claimed that the two parties were clashing due to unfair profit sharing from "Saw", implying that Paramount was taking advantage of Lyman, leading him to switch to Warner Bros.
Although this report didn't garner much attention from readers, those who paid attention couldn't help but wonder for whom this show was staged.
The current newspapers were filled with Warner Bros.'s good news: the premiere box office earnings of $48.47M for "The Matrix Revolutions", which continued to incite a wave of viewers worldwide after its international release, accumulating nearly a hundred million on its first day globally.
This was Warner Bros.'s much-vaunted international distribution capability—a rarity to be able to achieve simultaneous global releases for a movie company.
Companies like EuropaCorp could manage simultaneous releases in France and the United States, but dealing with so many countries and regions, coordinating with theaters, and determining release dates made it incredibly difficult.
It had to be said—Warner Bros. was Warner Bros. As a movie company that would later give even peak Disney a run for its money, its production and powerful marketing abilities were beyond the reach of ordinary movie companies.
Even among the Big Six of Hollywood, there were disparities in capability.
And without a doubt, Warner Bros. was the pinnacle among them.
The day after the banquet, Lyman was at the company, tending to affairs.
After finally clarifying the company's internal personnel situation, the next important task was to hire people.
The job advertisements had been posted long ago. Lyman also enlisted CAA's help to spread the word within the industry. However, most of the applicants were unreliable. When asked about their qualifications, they had only recently entered the industry. When asked about work experience, most had none. And when inquired about their desired position, they all wanted executive roles. How could anyone agree to that?
Talent development had to start from the grassroots level, to ascertain if there was true potential. Those who immediately wanted managerial positions without much work experience were casually dismissed by Lyman.
The whole morning saw no progress. In the afternoon, John called first and informed Lyman that he had found the author of the novel, arranging a meeting location.
"Million Dollar Baby" was actually one of the stories in a collection of short stories. It had gone through some artistic processing, making it more dramatic.
After all, movies weren't reality. If there was no story, and it was too plain, the audience wouldn't really buy into it.
Lyman wanted the author's assistance in polishing the script. The adaptation script from Warner Bros. didn't quite satisfy him, whether in terms of dialogue or character background. Moreover, he had some questions about boxing rules.
John was tactful; he scheduled the meeting for three in the afternoon.
Lyman drove to a bar called "Josh's Cabin". Taking in the relaxed and unruly decoration, it didn't really look like a bar at all. He shook his head with a smile.
True to its name, it seemed like the sort of place where regulars in the neighborhood came to unwind with a drink.
Of course, this meeting place was chosen by the other party. If it were John's style, he would've definitely chosen a cafe.
Pushing open the bar's door, the interior was not spacious, and the seating was clustered around the bar.
It was working hours, and the bar only had one bartender wiping glasses and a customer sitting at the bar, drinking and chatting with the bartender.
He wore a blue and white checkered long-sleeved shirt, paired with simple loose pants, and sturdy boots. He had nearly fifty strands of hair on his head.
Hearing the sound, he turned around and upon seeing Lyman in a black suit, he greeted him with a smile. He politely gestured, "Mr. Lattes, please come and have a seat."
While his attire was at odds with the surroundings, who could have foreseen the circumstances after arriving?
This was his first meeting, and the location was set in a bar. Quite intriguing.
Upon hearing the greeting, Lyman didn't hesitate. He adjusted his stride and walked directly towards the bar counter.
The bartender was also smiling cheerfully, wiping glasses without missing a beat. He spoke contentedly, "Buddy, this isn't the place for serious business."
"That doesn't matter, Josh. I actually find this place quite appealing. It's perfect for a chat."
The bartender, Josh, before him was clearly the owner of this establishment.
And the two were familiar with each other.
Lyman took a seat, and Josh placed his glass down. He raised his chin slightly towards Lyman and greeted, "Sir, what can I get you?"
"A draft beer."
Then he turned to the person beside him, "Actually, I was quite surprised that we'd meet at a bar, but in truth, the atmosphere is quite nice."
"Of course, if it were evening, it would be livelier. We're all regulars here, so there's no need to be too formal."
Lyman examined his face and smiled, "Yes."
This elderly man, brimming with ruggedness, seemed contradictory in a sense, yet that's what made him unique. Judging solely by age, his face was creased, and half of his hair was a silvery white, indicating he was quite old.
However, he was lively.
His slightly unkempt silver beard appeared as if it had grown wildly without any grooming. Due to drinking, his cheeks were slightly flushed, altering the color of the age spots beneath his forehead.
His pupils were not dull; instead, they had a robust aura. With a smile on his lips, it was almost instinctive to overlook his age.
The draft beer arrived.
Lyman lifted his glass, raised an eyebrow, and clinked it against Josh's. "Destiny brought us together, let's drink."
"You're an interesting person," the man said, raising his own glass and taking a big gulp, then displaying a satisfied expression.
"Jerry, are you going to spend your whole life around alcohol?" Josh said, somewhat exasperated.
"Why would I leave alcohol? It's God's gift to mankind, and I can't disappoint God." He said and took another large gulp.
Lyman listened from the side and learned the man's name was Jerry.
The novels he published used a pen name—F.X.Toole. John had inquired for a long time before obtaining the contact information from the publishing company. Since Paul Haggis completed the adaptation rights of the script, strictly speaking, this movie's copyrights were no longer connected to him.
Of course, he didn't seem to mind. Otherwise, he wouldn't have proactively sold the film adaptation rights of his work.
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