Chapter 371: Chapter 372: The Fairy
[Chapter 372: The Fairy]
In Eric's memory, the actress playing the fairy in Hook was Julia. With Julia's recent streak of leading roles in three blockbuster films, her box office appeal had left Nicole far behind.
Thinking about this, Eric realized why Nicole had been mentioning Julia's name so frequently since yesterday. The sudden drama that unfolded yesterday afternoon surely stemmed from an intense feeling of imbalance within her.
In this competition for the fairy role, Julia was undoubtedly Nicole's biggest rival. Even though Nicole's last movie had just flopped, she had built up enough star power from Sleepless in Seattle to still be considered an A-list star. In this context, the odds of her securing the fairy role were still quite favorable against other Hollywood actresses.
However, Julia's involvement changed everything. The fact that she had starred in three consecutive films that had each grossed over a hundred million meant something significant. Just look at Schwarzenegger -- after two consecutive box office hits, he demanded $15 million for his role in Terminator 2.
It's safe to say that Julia had become the most bankable box office queen in Hollywood. If she expressed interest in a film, be it from one of the big seven studios or an independent production company, they would be more than willing to cough up a huge paycheck to have her on board.
Under these circumstances, unless Julia voluntarily stepped aside, other actresses didn't stand a chance for roles she was eyeing.
Steven Spielberg could tell from Eric's expression that he must have known whom he had just referenced. With a highly publicized film project like Hook, any move from the crew would attract intense scrutiny. News of Julia auditioning for the fairy role had already been uncovered by the tabloids.
Sitting quietly beside them, Nicole discreetly studied Eric's face. Noticing a hint of uncertainty, she tightened her grip on her utensils.
"Eric, Sony Pictures is backing this project heavily. The funding is not an issue at all, and the producer from TriStar is keen on having Miss Roberts participate. So, the real question now is, unless someone can persuade Miss Roberts to step aside, how can Miss Kidman secure this role?"
As Spielberg finished, his tone turned a bit ambiguous. Everyone knew that Julia had shot to superstardom within just two years, and it was clear that Eric's support played a role. Three of Julia's films came from Firefly Films, that'll tell you everything.
Despite Julia's recent film, Sleeping with the Enemy, seemingly unrelated to Eric, Robert Shea had also been touting his own contributions. Anyone with a grain of sense in the industry wouldn't be fooled. Thus, Eric's connection to Julia was obvious, but Spielberg was indifferent to the exact nature of their relationship. The reason he had come today had another purpose, leading him to say, "So, Eric, if you can persuade Miss Roberts to withdraw, I can personally ensure that the role goes to Miss Kidman."
Eric shot a glance at Nicole before saying, "I'll have a word with Julia. As for the role, I'll leave it to you, Steven. If there's anything you need my help with in the future, just ask."
"Actually, I happen to need your help with something today," Spielberg said with a smile.
Eric paused, feeling like he had fallen into a trap but was happy to help out right away. "Why don't we discuss it over lunch?"
Spielberg nodded. "Sure thing."
...
After lunch, they settled by the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean. Spielberg opened the satchel he had brought along and pulled out a bound screenplay, sliding it across the table toward Eric.
"Eric, here's the Hook script. You can take a look at it."
Eric placed the script on the coffee table and rubbed its cover. "Steven, what's this about?"
Spielberg leaned back against the sofa and gazed out at the sea, a hint of weariness crossing his face before he spoke. "Eric, newspapers are claiming I've had a fascination with the story of Peter Pan since I was a child and have always wanted to make it into a film. There's truth to that. However, now that I'm in my forties, I have to confess that my interest has waned. I turned down this project multiple times before, but Mike McDawell, the CEO of TriStar, who used to be my agent, personally begged me to take it on, so here I am."
"You're not confident in the script?" Eric asked directly.
Spielberg didn't deny it, replying in a subdued tone, "I feel that if the movie is made based on this script, it could seriously tarnish my personal reputation."
Eric still hadn't picked up the script and asked again, "What can I do to help?"
"I recently rewatched your Home Alone series, especially the second one. The sequel blended adult and child-friendly elements perfectly. That's actually part of my frustration with this movie. I hope you can help look over this script. I know with your stature, a modest writing fee wouldn't do, so if you'd be willing to participate in revising the script, I could get you involved in part of the investment."
Spielberg was genuinely sincere, and Eric, unable to turn him down, picked up the script to begin reading.
...
As Spielberg quietly sipped the coffee Nicole had delivered, he occasionally glanced at Eric's expression. Even though Eric didn't show it outwardly, Spielberg noted the subtle frowns that would occasionally appear.
The script was long -- if filmed in its entirety, it would likely run two and a half hours. Eric, in his previous life, had never seen this movie; he had only heard bits and pieces about it.
Initially, Eric thought that being a Spielberg film, it couldn't be that bad, even if it didn't receive great reviews. But as he read through the script, he felt a deep sense of conflict, wanting to give up multiple times and urging Spielberg not to proceed.
However, the project was already in motion; the two lead actors, Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman, had contracts in place, and significant funds were already allocated to the initial preparations. With most people brimming with confidence about the film, halting production seemed impossible.
It took Eric nearly an hour to finish over a hundred pages of the script.
Setting the script down, he turned to Spielberg and said, "Steven, you have far more experience making films than I do, and you're aware of where the script's problems lie, right?"
Spielberg nodded. "TriStar wants to make this a family-friendly film, like E.T., but the script..."
"In my view, if produced as it is, the film won't please either adults or children," Eric stated.
Spielberg replied with a slightly bitter smile, "That is indeed the case."
"Let's talk about E.T. The reason it became a successful family movie was that it included elements that fascinated everyone. First, the alien theme draws in adults, while E.T.'s friendship with the child protagonists resonates strongly with children. That's why it achieved massive box office success."
As Spielberg smiled, remembering his proudest creation, Eric quickly redirected the discussion back to the script. "But Hook isn't like that. From the screenplay, it tries to convey too much. If someone hasn't read the original work, it would be hard for most people to grasp the character relationships. While many have heard of Peter Pan, I'd wager that most only understand him as 'a boy who doesn't want to grow up.' As for the deeper stories of Hook and the crocodile or Peter Pan's ties to Tinkerbell, very few know of those."
Spielberg seemed to realize something but couldn't pinpoint it. As a common struggle for many readers with dyslexia, Spielberg just didn't have a knack for scriptwriting. To date, none of the most successful films of his career were scripted by him. Spielberg could turn a story into a good film but lacked the talent to adapt a concept into a great screenplay.
"So because most people aren't aware of the original Tinkerbell story, we don't need to include all those details from the source material. Doing so would just confuse the audience," Eric continued.
"Indeed, I just realized I had fallen into a trap," Spielberg interjected. "When my mother read me the original story, I subconsciously assumed everyone knew the film's stories. So when I worked with James on the screenplay, I tried to incorporate these details, which ended up making the story bloated."
Eric joked, "Yes, but that's just one issue. The other is the film's positioning. Even as a family movie, it should have a focus -- like Home Alone 2. While it incorporates many adult elements, it's primarily aimed at children. From what I've read, the story's positioning feels incredibly muddled. Young kids won't engage with the lengthy setup in the first thirty minutes. They have no patience -- the first thirty minutes is enough for them to lose all interest. On the other hand, adults probably wouldn't find Peter's adventures on Neverland appealing either."
"Perhaps we should find a universally appealing element to connect the two segments," Spielberg suddenly said, excitement bubbling over.
They exchanged glances, both looking at Nicole, who sat quietly not far away looking through a magazine. "Tinkerbell!"
"Exactly! I believe Tinkerbell could serve as a charming character, similar to how E.T. appealed. As a tiny, pretty fairy, she would draw love from both adults and kids. Yet, the script doesn't feature her enough; her appearance comes too late. She should show up within the first ten minutes."
Spielberg took the script, flipping through it for a moment, and said, "That's indeed a great idea. Also, I suddenly feel we should cut out the scene where Tinkerbell grows big and kisses Peter. That's just not right -- there shouldn't be any romantic subplot. Well... to appeal to adult viewers, maybe we could add a hint of flirtation. But the focus should remain on their friendship..."
Once their ideas began flowing, they engaged in an enthusiastic discussion until the sun set. Only after Eric saw Spielberg off from the villa did he feel a sense of accomplishment.
"Eric, I genuinely hope you'll get involved in this film. I can negotiate with TriStar for at least a 20% investment share for you. Please consider it; I believe once we implement the changes we discussed this afternoon, the film will show great potential," Spielberg said just before getting into his car.
After a long afternoon of discussion, Eric felt a renewed sense of confidence in the story but still had no intention of investing. "Steven, this is your project. I'm just offering a bit of script feedback, and I have my own film to focus on."
Although Spielberg sensed Eric was only deflecting, he didn't press further. "Well, let's leave it at that then. By the way, please give me an accurate update on the casting for Tinkerbell so I can help arrange things. I'll take off now; goodbye."
"I'll do that. Goodbye," Eric waved, watching Spielberg's car drive away.
...
"Eric, this should be a great opportunity! Why are you hesitant to invest?" Nicole couldn't help but ask after Spielberg departed.
"While the screenplay might see some improvements, the story itself has fundamental issues, and the profit margin isn't wide," Eric replied, shaking his head. "Plus, Spielberg and the two lead actors aren't taking any salaries this time but will share the final profits of the film. Do you have any idea what their cut will be?"
"Hmm?" Nicole glanced at Eric, curious.
Eric extended four fingers. "Those three will be taking 40% of the film's profits. That's not split among outside investors from Hollywood; it's the overall profit across the board. That means the production companies likely won't earn much, and Sony will only gain some prestige. Honestly, it's better to invest that money into making another movie."
Nicole had seen reports about Hook's expected profits. Rumors claimed it could rake in two hundred million, with 40% making for a whopping $80 million.
"Eric, if... I mean, if I got the role, how much do you think Sony would pay me?"
"I've just done Spielberg a huge favor and turned down his investment offer, so trust me, he'll make sure you get a pretty decent deal. He hinted at that before leaving."
Nicole immediately recalled Spielberg's offhand comment about "arranging things," clearly concerning the Tinkerbell role. She felt a surge of excitement but quickly grew anxious. "And what about Julia Roberts...?"
Eric reassuringly patted her back. "I'll give Julia a call tonight."
*****
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