Capítulo 309: Chapter 310: This is a Misunderstanding
[Chapter 310: This is a Misunderstanding]
Robert Shea finished his sentence, and a brief silence fell between them. They locked eyes, neither willing to back down. After a moment, Eric was the first to look away from Robert Shea, who then flashed a victorious smile.
"Alright, Robert, if you insist," Eric said, his voice slightly hoarse and a little lower in pitch.
Upon hearing Eric's words, Robert Shea let out what he considered a hearty laugh. He reached out slightly, as if wanting to pat Eric on the shoulder, but the conference table stood between them, making the gesture impossible.
"Eric, don't think that way. You have to believe me, in Hollywood, money is the most important thing. Without money, everything is just talk. Distributing channels don't get built overnight; just look at the other film companies out there. Which one doesn't have decades of history?"
After Robert Shea spoke, Eric nodded slightly, whether in agreement or something else was unclear. "By the way, Robert, Jeffrey told me you didn't have much faith in the Basic Instinct project?"
Robert Shea paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, Eric, I think..."
Eric didn't have the patience to hear Robert Shea's reasoning. He interrupted, saying, "Then let's cancel the project."
Robert Shea opened his mouth in shock. "What? Cancel it? But Jeffrey has already started casting for it, hasn't he?"
"I mean cancel it from this year's production slate," Eric raised his head. "This movie, if made, would definitely run into major issues with ratings. So, to mitigate risk, I plan to pull investment from the majors and I will also invest a portion personally, setting up a shell company to handle it."
Having been in Hollywood for twenty years, Robert Shea understood perfectly what Eric meant. He didn't have much faith in the Basic Instinct script, but he hadn't been entirely opposed to it either. Now, by doing this, Eric was effectively pulling the movie's production out from under Firefly Films. If the movie ended up being a success later on, both the rights and profits would have nothing to do with Firefly -- meaning it wouldn't concern him at all.
Robert Shea realized this was Eric's counterattack against his earlier stubbornness. Shea had just acted on impulse, and Eric, as the major stakeholder, had every right to be more headstrong.
After pondering for a moment, Robert Shea said, "Eric, even though I don't see it working out, I'm not entirely against it..."
"According to the current plan, we will release the film you are responsible for, Sleeping with the Enemy, alongside TG Films' The Silence of the Lambs this summer. There's also Ghost, which we are co-releasing with Disney. I think Firefly won't be able to spare too many resources for Basic Instinct, so it's a good choice to separate this project to mitigate risk."
After thinking things over, Robert Shea gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe Eric would keep succeeding indefinitely, so he quickly nodded. "Fine, Eric, let's do it your way."
In reality, even if Robert Shea had disagreed, Eric had already planned to do this.
In the past, Basic Instinct only grossed a little over $100 million. In terms of both reputation and box office, it couldn't compare to Ghost or The Silence of the Lambs. It might not even do as well as Sleeping with the Enemy. However, given Robert Shea's stubborn decision to hand the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles over to Disney, Eric had to react to keep Shea in line. Otherwise, Eric knew Shea would continue pushing boundaries.
"So, I'll get back to work," Eric said, nodding at Robert Shea's answer, then stood up and left the meeting room.
After Eric left, Robert Shea smugly smiled, finished his coffee, and slowly rose to leave.
...
North of Malibu, in the Santa Monica Mountains, dozens of crew members were bustling amid the trees with various photography equipment scattered around.
This was the set for The X-Files. Although the stories in The X-Files took place across various states in America, it was impractical to shoot all over the country. Instead, they filmed around Los Angeles or built sets in studios, only going to the relevant states for unavoidable exterior shots and editing those into the final cut.
...
Mulder and Scully drove a black Ford down a small road through the woods, chatting leisurely when suddenly the radio sprang to life with strange static noises, quickly turning chaotic. Mulder promptly stopped the car.
...
"Cut! That shot is good, Raymond, take down the camera from the car quickly. Brad, Famke, you guys can take a break," director Kim Manners shouted into a megaphone. The crew members promptly got busy.
Brad Pitt and Famke Janssen heard the director as well, laughing as they got out of the car. Brad fetched a bottle of water from the production team and handed it to Famke, who smiled and thanked him.
"Hey, Famke, just two more hours before we get off. How about we hit a bar tonight?" Brad Pitt asked, seeing her in a good mood and seizing the opportunity.
Famke hesitated for a moment. Although she had grown fond of Brad after spending time together, even earning some attention from paparazzi during a walk that made the papers, a shadow from the past flashed in her mind. She was all too aware of how she landed this leading role. That guy had given this part to her -- a complete newbie without any acting experience -- amidst fierce competition. It was clear that he took a special interest in her. She knew signing that actor contract implied her acceptance of certain realities.
She initially thought Eric Williams would be quick to extend an invite to her, but soon after landing the role, a scandal had engulfed him, leaving her completely at a standstill.
Besides, with Brad Pitt's relentless charm, Famke found herself enjoying his company. He was gentle and caring, which began to drive her heart to flutter.
"Maybe he's already forgotten about me," she thought. Months had passed without any significant action, and clearly, a playboy like him wouldn't be lacking for women. Perhaps she was just a fleeting presence in his life.
Beautiful women tend to carry an air of pride, making such thoughts leave her feeling somewhat dejected, more so than when she initially signed the contract for this role.
"I think... maybe, alright," Famke finally nodded gently.
Brad Pitt beamed even brighter. "By the way, do you have a bar you like to go to?"
Famke shook her head. "Sorry, I used to live in New York, so any place you choose is fine."
"No problem," Brad Pitt nodded.
...
The two were about to continue their conversation when a car rolled into the set. One of The X-Files producers, Hans Whitler, stepped out, glancing around and spotting the two chatting, a frown creasing his forehead as he walked over.
"Hey, Hans, what brings you here?" Kim Manners welcomed him before he could reach them.
Hans Whitler smiled and shook hands with Kim Manners, gesturing toward Brad and Famke. "I'm looking for them."
"What's up?" Kim Manners asked.
Hans shrugged, looking a bit resigned. "Mr. Williams wants to see them."
"Mr. Williams..." Kim froze for a moment, then quickly connected the dots. The only person Hans could be referring to was Eric Williams. "Is there something wrong?"
Hans handed Kim a newspaper. "You might want to see for yourself."
At that moment, Brad Pitt and Famke Janssen approached as well. Upon seeing the newspaper Hans had given to Kim, their expressions dropped. The front page featured a photo of the two of them together.
Brad recognized Hans Whitler as a producer from Firefly Films and an uneasy feeling washed over him. He thought to himself, "I can't be that unlucky." He still vividly recalled an incident in New York where he had been kicked off a TV set after chatting up one of the actresses.
Even though he hated everything about Eric at the time, as the situation settled and Eric shone brighter, Brad felt smaller in comparison. People often envied those just ahead of them, but when it came to someone who was far beyond, such emotions faded away.
Though Eric was much younger, Brad felt more reverence than animosity toward him. At the start of the production, he had worried Famke Janssen might be Eric's woman, so he initially kept his feelings in check. However, time proved Famke was seemingly unrelated to Eric, which made him more confident in pursuing her.
But now, he realized he had misjudged the situation again.
Casting a glance at Famke, Brad wanted to smack himself. This woman had no acting background, yet she was selected from a large group of auditioners; it was hard to believe it was mere luck.
If it wasn't luck, then there had to be another reason. And since both the male and female leads for The X-Files were handpicked by Eric, that 'other reason' was all too apparent.
Kim Manners eyed the newspaper showing Brad and Famke strolling together, noting the article discussing their apparent romantic sparks. Curiously, he asked, "Hans, what does this mean?"
Hans leaned in and whispered a few words into Kim's ear. Kim turned to look at the pair standing before him and immediately said, "Hans, I think there's been a misunderstanding here. I thought this piece was for our series promotion."
Brad couldn't hold back anymore and chimed in, "Mr. Hans, it's really just a misunderstanding. Miss Janssen and I have absolutely no relationship."
Famke, hearing Brad's words, looked at him wide-eyed in disbelief.
Brad shot a somewhat guilty glance at Famke but quickly rectified, "Fam... Janssen, we just happened to bump into each other yesterday, chatted for a bit, and then parted ways. Nothing happened between us, right?"
Famke finally caught on. She didn't know about Brad's past in New York, and seeing him deny their earlier interactions without hesitation made her feel like the kind words he'd shared were mere illusions, erasing the slight fondness she had felt for him.
"Yes, Mr. Hans, I have no relationship with Mr. Pitt. The gossip in that article is entirely fabricated by the tabloids," Famke said coldly.
While Brad felt a wave of relief wash over him, he couldn't help but feel a bit despondent. But soon, he adjusted his mindset.
As long as he could keep the leading man role, he would have no trouble winning over women in the future. He had heard from his agent that Fox valued The X-Files as much as Friends; imagining himself enjoying that level of fame made him feel all the sleepless nights and hard work in Hollywood were worth it.
Hans Whitler gave a blank look at the two, then focused his attention on Famke, implying, "Mr. Williams wants to see you two; you can discuss this with him in person."
Director Kim Manners observed the situation and asked, "Hans, does it have to be right now? The next shot is ready to go."
Hans clapped a hand on Kim's shoulder apologetically. "Sorry, Kim, but we might have to stop here for today. It takes more than an hour to drive to Firefly's headquarters, and Mr. Williams instructed me to bring them over before we wrap."
"Come on, Hans, it'll only take about ten minutes. This shot isn't that long; it's just a few simple lines?"
Hans shrugged.
"Alright then, I'll have the crew shoot other shots in the meantime." Knowing the discussion was futile, Kim Manners resignedly said goodbye to everyone and headed straight to the crew.
*****
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