章 522: Chapter 522
Monterey Bay is located in central California, just north of San Jose and San Francisco. Monterey is only 120 miles away from San Francisco. Monterey Bay is a private yacht docking point for many wealthy people from the Bay Area.
After departing from Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, the Star stopped in Monterey Bay. Charles took Scarlett Johansson to meet Kate Beckinsale.
The three soaked in a hot tub on the yacht, enjoying the night view of the Pacific Ocean. Charles leaned back with his eyes closed, savoring the warmth.
"Charles, I heard your shares in Capet are decreasing. Aren't you worried about being kicked out?" Scarlett Johansson hugged Charles's neck tightly, pressing her chest against him.
Charles opened his eyes, glanced at Kate Beckinsale, who had a towel on her face enjoying the warm water, and sighed, "I told you to read more books, but you rushed into the entertainment industry so early, you wouldn't understand. Look at Kate, she went to Oxford University and wouldn't ask such questions!"
"But you didn't go to college either," Scarlett Johansson retorted quickly.
Kate Beckinsale removed the towel from her face and came over to Charles's other side, laughing, "Although I went to Oxford University, didn't I also enter the entertainment industry? Charles may not have gone to college, but he's great at self-study. Ordinary people can't compare. As for Charles's shares in Capet decreasing, there's nothing to worry about. He is still the major shareholder and has absolute voting power. The company still listens to him!"
Kate Beckinsale tried to explain simply to Scarlett Johansson.
"Charles, are you planning to have Universal and Sony co-produce The Green Hornet?" Kate Beckinsale had signed an intent contract to play the female lead last month, since the formal contract is signed before filming begins!
Charles nodded, "Many of Universal's projects were canceled by me. The Green Hornet is compensation for them, Capet Pictures doesn't lack projects. From now on, all movies will be distributed under Universal's label. Capet Pictures can just focus on being a film production company!"
Charles had molded the relationship between Capet Pictures and Universal into something similar to New Line and Warner Bros., where marketing and distribution were handled by Universal.
"I heard the director arrived in Los Angeles. How's the progress?" Charles was quite busy and hadn't paid much attention to The Green Hornet.
"The script is still being adapted, and they're in talks for the male lead. It seems that Sony thinks Robert Downey Jr. is suitable, but Capet's and Universal's producers believe that using the leads from Iron Man would be distracting for the audience," Kate Beckinsale explained.
"Robert Downey Jr., Sony Columbia can really come up with ideas," Charles laughed. "Isn't that just too obvious?"
"Though The Green Hornet is defined as a comedy action film, it still has quite a few explosion, car chase, and action scenes. How would Robert Downey Jr.'s image fit as The Green Hornet?" Charles shook his head. "Let's adapt the script first; at least there are still more than six months before filming starts."
If The Green Hornet's main lead wasn't a white character, Charles would quite like to use Will Smith, especially given his performance in Hancock!
"Oh well, let's just enjoy the night," Charles said as he pulled the two ladies into his arms and kissed them...
...
While Charles, Kate Beckinsale, and Scarlett Johansson were enjoying their vacation on the yacht, a series of film projects canceled by Capet Universal left many in Hollywood lamenting. Not just those distant but even those in the early preparatory stages were affected.
The projects that had completed preliminary preparations and were about to start shooting left many feeling helpless and heartbroken.
DreamWorks was preparing an adaptation of the novel Cowboys & Aliens, produced by Steven Spielberg. Originally, Universal had agreed to support the production.
Now, word from Universal indicated the production had been canceled. The project had even decided to have Jon Favreau, the director of Iron Man, to direct.
The original choices for the leads were Robert Downey Jr. and Eva Green. However, Robert Downey Jr. would be filming The Avengers next year, and Eva Green flat-out refused.
Recently, discussions with Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde had been finalized for them to play the leads.
In Universal City, Steven Spielberg's office, DreamWorks' President Stacey Snider was sitting on the sofa, looking resigned.
"I've met with Adam Ferguson and Donna Langley, and there's no doubt that Cowboys & Aliens is canceled. Capet Universal thinks a western sci-fi film doesn't have much appeal, and the 160-million-dollar production budget is too high. They believe the budget shouldn't exceed 70 million dollars!"
Stacey Snider, formerly the president of Universal Pictures, had Adam Ferguson and Donna Langley as her deputies.
But now, Donna Langley had become the chairman of Capet Universal, and Adam Ferguson had become Universal's co-president.
Donna Langley had even surpassed Amy Pascal, the chairman of Columbia Pictures, to become the most powerful woman in Hollywood. After all, Sony Columbia couldn't compare to Capet Universal now!
Steven Spielberg sighed, "Since Universal's acquisition, the higher-ups have been replaced. Ron Meyer left, Marc Shmuger and David Linde were directly fired. Even Jeff Zucker left. Charles Capet's vision is unrivaled. From now on, Universal won't pay much attention to us."
Steven Spielberg had always had a good relationship with Universal, but in business, who talks about feelings?
"Shall we talk to Disney again?" Stacey Snider asked.
"Let's give it a shot," DreamWorks Animation had signed a distribution deal with Disney after leaving Paramount, but DreamWorks didn't really have good projects now.
Paramount and DreamWorks still had about twenty projects in cooperation. Cowboys & Aliens had been discussed with Disney, but Disney wasn't very interested. Spielberg then turned to Universal for a partnership.
Universal Pictures' Ron Meyer didn't have many big projects this year and fully supported Cowboys & Aliens. But once Capet took over, it brought a big wave of replacements, using people from Capet to replace the old Universal team.
"Recently, Universal's production department has gradually been moving to Capet's headquarters in Burbank," Spielberg said, looking around at his office.
Without Universal's production department, did his office still have any significance?
*****
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