King of Hollywood-Chapter 613 - 21 When are you planning to delay until?

Nicole’s choice was exactly as Adrian had anticipated. Given her desire to express her repressed character, choosing the second option was almost inevitable, even though she knew it would be harder. So be it, Adrian was prepared for whichever option Nicole would choose and if she opted for the second one, he would have more time to train her.

Of course, to appease Nicole and to explain in detail to Naomi, Adrian also made it clear that the musical prepared for Naomi wouldn’t be released at the same time as her own because Naomi still needed to accumulate credentials. Naturally, Naomi had no objections, and Adrian could see her mindset changing right before his eyes.

Well, this was an interlude, similar interludes were numerous in that period, such as Sophie having already finished shooting "What Women Want" and then, under Adrian’s "coercion," started preparing for the new movie "Chocolat"—Adrian had always said he favored movies adapted from novels.

"Chocolat," published in the United States by AC Media’s publishing arm, had a precedent with "Harry Potter," making AC Media’s publisher a top choice for British novice authors for a long time. Naturally, Adrian got the adaptation rights immediately, so he didn’t have to make a round trip to Miramax.

Yet, it ultimately had to be released by the Weinstein brothers, who were skilled in public relations. Given "Chocolat" had inherent story disadvantages, they did not expect awards, nominations and using those nominations to generate decent box office revenues were enough. The male lead was still Johnny Depp. After everything with Winona had long passed and the Phoenix brothers maintained a good relationship with Adrian, he wouldn’t decline the role, as for Juliet Binoche, oh, sorry.

"You have to give me some time to spend with the kids, Monica is also about to shoot ’The Bone Collector’, you can’t possibly leave Deva and Juliet without a mom," Sophie complained.

It was undeniable, her relationship with Monica was genuinely close, and Adrian did not try to persuade her otherwise anymore. You see, when the acquisition had just ended and they hadn’t even started celebrating, Juliet suddenly developed a low fever in the middle of the night. Fortunately, Adrian was staying over and upon hearing his daughter’s cries, he immediately got up to check on her and then took her straight to the hospital.

Fortunately, the little one was alright and quickly recovered her energy. However, just to be safe, Adrian also had Deva brought to the hospital for a thorough check-up, both kids staying in the same room. So letting Sophie spend more time with both children wasn’t an issue, whether "Chocolat" was released this year or not.

Similarly, "Training Day" was the same. At the "Vanity Fair" party, Adrian spoke to Denzel Washington about this movie. Although in the past the screenplay was original, with his current resources, it was easy to find out if there were any similar screenplays, also he had a whole bunch of screenwriters working for him, making it too easy to draft a screenplay ahead of time.

However, some movies still had to be completed within the year, like "The Cider House Rules."

"28 Days" had already premiered in over a thousand theaters during the slow season in early April, with around ten million dollars in box office revenues during the opening week. After customized adjustments for the female lead’s image, Kate’s acting, as expected, received positive reviews from many. Though lacking the original’s buoyant girl-next-door feel, the image of a refined lady with British elegance and a crazed drunk provided a stark and striking contrast.

"It created a wonderful chemical effect that made people think deeply while laughing heartily," the San Francisco Chronicle commented.

With good reviews, there was no need to worry about the box office. "Miss Congeniality" had already been scheduled for the summer season. Having seen part of it, Adrian believed it would undoubtedly not be inferior to the original; Kate’s unpolished, tomboy appearance added its own comedic touch. So, as long as "The Cider House Rules" successfully premiered at the year’s end, it would definitely add to her credentials.

This was where Kate’s major bottleneck lay; British actors in Hollywood certainly had advantages, but at the same time, there were many disadvantages, especially for someone as beautiful as her, getting Oscar judges to relax their standards wasn’t an easy task. Adrian did not want to rely mainly on public relations to help her win honors—other women maybe, but not Kate, it wasn’t the same—so he planned to spend a few more years to enhance her credentials first.

It is worth mentioning that Lasse Hallström was still hired to direct "The Cider House Rules" this time around, and in his previous life, he had also directed "Chocolat." Given the conflict, it was natural to prioritize "The Cider House Rules," especially since Sophie had other arrangements, and changing directors might even enhance the film.

"Yes, children always enjoy meddling, they are lively and energetic, always brimming with energy, but it is for this very reason that we want to make movies about children who are spies, isn’t it?" In the studio, Adrian said this to Robert Rodriguez, the director of "Spy Kids."

In his previous life, Rodriguez had directed the series, and although the following installments were not as well received, at least the first one was popular, so there was no reason not to let him continue directing. It was quite easy to pull him over since New Line had invested in "The Faculty" last year. He was an interesting guy, capable of directing all-ages films like "Spy Kids" and cult-style films like "From Dusk Till Dawn."

Despite these conflicting styles, which would likely lead him to a downfall later, he was still a decent director for now.

His surname, Rodriguez, made Adrian think of another Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, whom after he managed to get Penelope Cruz’s part in "The Fast And The Furious" crew, they immediately found a newcomer of Latin descent, focusing on Michelle Rodriguez. After all the twists and turns, the role still went to her, which was quite amusing. Of course, she had no blood relation to Robert Rodriguez, just the same surname.

What a pity for Penelope. Adrian couldn’t help but sigh internally. It was not so much regret, but he was reminded of Matsushima Nanako in Japan, who he almost ruined back then. Although he was not that kind of beastly man, he had to admit that seeing a woman ruined brought a twisted sense of pleasure to him.

Adrian was still rational, such things could not be done often, and there were various conditions limiting them, so only Nanako enjoyed such treatment. And Penelope could have been similarly manipulated, making such foolish decisions and offending two major media conglomerates, not many would speak up about how Adrian dealt with her.

However, European women and Japanese women are different, and ruining Penelope would take quite a lot of time and energy, which Adrian did not have the luxury to spare, so he simply ended her career and sent her packing.

Controlling his rampant thoughts, Adrian chatted with Rodriguez for a few moments before leaving the set of "Spy Kids." His main reason for the visit was to check on Leighton Meester, who, having just turned 14, was slightly older than ideal, but her petite stature made her appear between 11 to 13, and the script had been adjusted accordingly, deeming her suitable.

However, the growth of children is fast, and if there was any delay, and with two more sequels in the lineup, they would likely have to recast—of course, what actually would happen would depend on what Leighton thought.

"Mr. Adrian, Mr. Adrian!" As Adrian was leaving the studio and about to hop on an electric cart, a man came rushing over, calling out as he approached.

But he didn’t stop his motion, starting the cart before looking up with a smile at the man who came running: "Do we know each other?"

The man was around thirty to forty, slightly balding at the forehead with very short hair, wearing a light blue, somewhat wrinkled T-shirt and ordinary long pants, looking somewhat nervous after catching his breath.

"No, I just..." Faced with Adrian’s question, the man grew even more nervous and somewhat stuttered, "I... my name is Michael Arnt... I graduated from New York University Film School... I’ve been a script assistant for a long time... handled script reviews... also worked as a personal assistant to Mr. Matthew Broderick... now... a screenwriter..."

Listening to this well-prepared self-introduction, Adrian couldn’t help but chuckle, then patted the seat next to him: "Don’t be so nervous, Michael, sit down and take your time."

"Thank you... thank you." Realizing Adrian’s kind gesture, Michael finally stabilized his emotions and got into the golf cart.

"So, Michael, do you have anything to say?" Adrian asked as he slowly drove the cart.

"Well, Mr. Adrian, I am now an independent screenwriter," Michael Arnt calmed down and spoke much more fluently. "Last year I wrote a script, a very simple story. Then I spent several months getting feedback and made over eighty revisions. Originally, I felt that the story was too small and too independent and considered shooting it as an experimental film with a DV camera, but my friends advised me to try my luck with some producers first, so I thought of you, since you are one of the most famous screenwriters in Hollywood and you pay a lot of attention to screenwriting, always listening to the screenwriters’ opinions, so..."

He licked his lips and made a gesture, looking at Adrian with a hopeful and anxious gaze.

"You see, Michael, I am very busy all the time. I just finished shooting a movie not long ago and am about to start a new one," Adrian began. Seeing Michael’s disappointed expression, he quickly changed his tone, "So, from here to the parking lot is five minutes. You have five minutes to describe the main content of your story to me."

"Okay... alright!" Michael, who had mentally prepared himself, certainly would not miss this opportunity and immediately began to narrate: "It’s about a family where members clash with each other, from quarrels to understanding, everyone experiencing moments when their dreams are shattered. This family is strange, each person has their own problems, but at the same time, no one wants to spend time listening to others, hence the dinner table often becomes a battlefield for arguments..." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Five minutes is neither too short nor too long. Before long, the parking lot appeared ahead on the road through the studio area. Michael Arnt, who was quite articulate, managed to describe the whole story clearly within the five minutes, although some parts were not very clear and the latter part was a bit rushed due to time constraints, but overall, it was quite good.

"We’re here," said Adrian as he parked the golf cart at its designated spot and stepped out. "I have just one question, Michael."

"Please ask, sir," Arnt followed and began to feel nervous again.

Adrian smiled slightly, "Do you have the script with you?"

Stunned for about two seconds, the other man quickly realized, and was overjoyed as he began searching in his shoulder bag, "Yes, sir, please wait."

Soon, a neatly bound script was handed to Adrian. He flipped through a few pages and then said, "Can I have your phone number, Michael?"

"Of course." Arnt began frantically searching again, finally writing down his number on a small notepad he carried with him, and then tearing off the page to give to Adrian.

"Thank you. I’ll go back and read this script in detail, and I’ll get back to you by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. How does that sound?" Adrian said, looking at it and putting it into his pocket.

"No problem, Mr. Adrian," Arnt replied with no doubts. Adrian smiled and patted his shoulder, then got into the car and left.

It was all too common to encounter screenwriters, directors, or producers trying to sell themselves on movie sets, sound stages, or wherever else. After all, Adrian was known as one of the most insightful people in Hollywood, and there were many actors, directors, and producers as examples of his acumen. Moreover, many knew that he was usually approachable—unless he was handling something extremely urgent, he would take a few minutes to listen to anyone who approached him, no matter how unknown they were.

Actually, Adrian didn’t like doing this because 70% of the pitches from these screenwriters and directors were rubbish and the remaining 30% were just average; some stories were downright torturous to listen to. But he had to patiently entertain each visitor, not just for the sake of his reputation, but mainly for the sake of collecting scripts.

He wasn’t omniscient or omnipotent and couldn’t possibly remember all the scripts off the top of his head—someone, somewhere might have quietly crafted a script that was destined to be popular. Although Adrian had ways to prevent missing out on these opportunities, spending a few minutes listening to those stories wasn’t too bothersome, and for this reason, he now had a promising script in hand: "Little Miss Sunshine"!

"This is a great road movie, Michael," he said the next day after calling Michael Arnt to his office. "I really like it, although there are a few small issues, but the unique blend of satire and inspiration is very appealing. I even have the perfect candidates in mind for the grandfather and granddaughter roles. So, would you like to give us the opportunity to manage this script?"

"I would very much like that, Mr. Adrian," Arnt said, clearly excited. Being recognized, especially by the renowned Miracle Director, was thrilling.

"Then, would you be willing to work for a while in the screenwriting department at Universal, Michael?" Adrian asked next.

After a two-second pause, containing his ecstatic response, Arnt repeated his earlier words: "I would very much like that, Mr. Adrian."

Anyone who had worked as a screenwriter knew that working for the Miracle Director in Hollywood was most valuable. Not only were the salary and benefits superior, but it also provided countless learning opportunities. Screenwriters who had worked under the Miracle Director were always in demand, and Arnt knew well enough how to make his choice, especially when Adrian had personally invited him.

Nodding with satisfaction, Adrian then allowed Arnt to leave. He remembered that "Little Miss Sunshine" had been around for over five years before it was produced, but for various reasons, its value hadn’t been recognized, resulting in delays until it finally secured investment and production in 2006, and then it received critical acclaim.

Adrian naturally wouldn’t pass up such a film, especially since it had come to him directly. He also took the opportunity to bring Michael Arnt into his team of screenwriters. Being able to devise such a script showed that Arnt had talent, and fostering that talent would definitely be beneficial—Adrian was now in no position to face another five years of failure.

Adrian had previously been considering what kind of project would be suitable for Emma Roberts, when "Little Miss Sunshine" just fell into his lap—clearly, this was fate.

He wasn’t worried that Small Emma wouldn’t be able to handle the role. Having spent so much time around Julia and Adrian, Small Emma had developed a strong interest in acting. Furthermore, she had played the daughter’s role quite well in "The Others", so this role shouldn’t be too challenging, especially with Adrian’s guidance. If the movie could be completed and released within the year, it would certainly be very interesting and surprising.

Of course, he wasn’t going to tell Small Emma about this just yet. Firstly, the script was a bit different from what Adrian remembered, as mentioned earlier. Arnt hadn’t yet experienced five years of continuous sales failures, and his understanding of the theme "life isn’t just about winning or losing" wasn’t deep enough, so it needed further development. Secondly, he planned to surprise Small Emma and have a bit of fun teasing Julia.

However, that would have to wait until the start of the second film, so he needed to hurry to get many things in order, such as casting for "X-Men". The trilogy’s scripts had been completed, and the partnership with Sony Pictures was also finalized. It was naturally time to start preparing for filming, but this also led to a complication.

"I’ve been waiting for your invitation for over half a year now! How long do you plan to keep me waiting?" In Adrian’s office, Scarlett stood with her hands on her hips, her tone forceful and commanding. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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