Chapter 93: Chapter 93: It's All in Your Hands
[Chapter 93: It's All in Your Hands]
"I can't believe it! You knocked out the whole script in just four days?" Jeffrey exclaimed as he picked up the top copy of Scent of a Woman, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"It's just a first draft. There will definitely be some changes made during filming depending on how things unfold," Eric replied, taking a few steps back to comfortably sink into the sofa. "Did you hear back from Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise about the script outline I faxed you? I was hoping to get them on board."
Jeffrey flipped through his notes. "Yeah, they both responded. I sent Andy's invite to Tom Hanks, but Hanks wants to play the role of Sean. He thinks the character has that moral ambiguity and a lot of room for interpretation. As for Tom Cruise, he expressed strong interest in the script but concerned about how dsiguising as a woman might affect his image with fans."
Eric's next project was set to be Running Out of Time. He renamed the characters to have the names of the original actors Andy and Sean from the movie.
If he had to pick two actors to replace the originals, could there be anyone better suited than Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise? One was a heartthrob and the other a powerhouse actor.
"Jeffrey, they probably don't know each other received invitations. Why don't you spill the beans and see if we can arrange a meeting?" Eric suggested.
"Okay, I'll reach out to them," Jeffrey replied. "By the way, Herbert Ross agreed to have Firefly produce Steel Magnolia, but Kepler is adamant that Julia's fee is $5 million. That would push the production costs to at least $13 million. Ross only managed to secure $4 million in investments, so Firefly needs to fork over another $9 million. Do you want to have a chat with Kepler to see if he can negotiate Julia's salary down a notch? After all, it's an ensemble film, and Julia's role isn't that significant. I think $3 million would be fair; any higher, and it wouldn't be worth it."
"I'll give Kepler a call," Eric nodded. "Oh, and make a copy of the Scent of a Woman script and give it to Al so he can start prepping. Also, for that last script, send the outline to Wes Craven, William Friedkin, and Jonathan Demme to check if they're interested in directing."
Jeffrey jotted that down and glanced at the last script, "The Others?"
Eric nodded. Among those directors, Wes Craven had made a name for himself with the A Nightmare on Elm Street series and later the Scream franchise. William Friedkin directed The Exorcist in 1973, which had once been dubbed Hollywood's scariest film -- until Japanese horror films started to come onto the scene and chipped away at that title. As for Jonathan Demme, at this point, he was still an up-and-coming director, but he would soon become famous for directing The Silence of the Lambs in just two years. Eric saw no harm in including a less known director like Demme alongside these established masters; it was for Virginia's benefit.
Eric had no doubts that Craven and Friedkin would recognize the potential of a twist-filled horror film like The Others, but he couldn't be sure they would approve of Virginia as the lead. That was non-negotiable for him, and Demme didn't have the leverage to push back on that.
"Should we send out the invites individually or at the same time?" Jeffrey asked.
"Send them out simultaneously. Make sure to note that the leading role is filled; that's not up for discussion."
Jeffrey flashed a sly smile, "So, Eric, who's the lucky lady this time?"
"Virginia Madsen."
Jeffrey recalled seeing Eric leave the wrap party for a film with that voluptuous actress.
"Eric, I have to remind you," Jeffrey said, taking on a mentor-like tone rarely used, "Investing in films is something you have to be incredibly cautious about. You can't just promise a leading role because of one fling. That is just not worth it, even if you throw a hefty check in the mix. If a film flops because of the lead actress, you could be looking at losses in the millions, even tens of millions. That's a big chunk of change, and you could easily hire a thousand high-class escorts for the same amount."
Eric had never been one to lash out or ignore those offering well-intentioned advice. He listened patiently as Jeffrey laid out his concerns and then reassured him, "Don't worry, Jeffrey. I know what I'm doing. I've already had Kepler secure Virginia. If she didn't have potential, I wouldn't have moved forward. Remember when you and Kepler had doubts about Julia? Look how that turned out."
"As long as you know what you're doing," Jeffrey replied.
"Then it's all in your hands, Jeffrey," Eric said as he rose to his feet. "I mentioned on the phone that Amy wanted to talk to me, and I have a meeting today with Barry Diller."
"You seem to have gotten used to saying 'It's all in your hands' -- I'm considering asking for a raise," Jeffrey joked, though he truly enjoyed his busy and fulfilling life these days. Compared to their first meeting when he had looked somewhat downcast, he now appeared much younger and completely vibrant.
Eric knew Jeffrey was joking. As the president of Firefly and someone managing the profits from Eric's films, while he hadn't yet gained shares in Firefly, his income already placed him among Hollywood's elite. "If you're adamant about it, I'll bump it up a dollar."
After sharing a few chuckles, Jeffrey escorted Eric to the door, reminding him, "Don't burn bridges with Fox; try to keep things mellow."
Eric shrugged, "When millions of dollars are on the line, no amount of diplomacy matters. After all, Fox dropped the ball on the contract specifics. I'm not in the wrong here. I'm not letting this chance with Columbia slip by. Even if Barry Diller were in my shoes, I'm sure he'd make the same choices I do."
*****
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