novelraw Chapter 413: Chapter 414: The Sequel
Chapter 413: Chapter 414: The Sequel
Chapter 413: Chapter 414: The Sequel[Chapter 414: The Sequel]
Even though Eric Williams didn't show any displeasure, Jim Carrey eagerly defended, "No, Mr. Williams, that's not what Carl meant. I'm really looking forward to working with you. It's just that there doesn't seem to be much about the film in this contract?"
"Due to the need for project confidentiality, we can only discuss the details of the film after the contract is finalized," Eric replied.
Carl Maxson interjected again, "Mr. Williams, may I ask boldly, is Jim's role the lead?"
Eric nodded. "Of course, otherwise I wouldn't go through so much trouble. I'm very optimistic about this film project, and I'm confident it will elevate the lead to the level of A- list celebrities. So, this contract is not harsh; it's a fair exchange of interests. Don't forget, there are 200,000 people in Hollywood waiting for such an opportunity every day, and over 90% of them will never see it in their lifetime. My time is tight, so I apologize for not being able to give you much time to consider. If you don't agree, then it's too bad. I will immediately arrange for other candidates."
Jim nervously glanced at his agent. Carl Maxson initially intended to ask Eric for a few days to think it over, but after hearing Eric, he could only give Jim a look that suggested he needed to decide for himself. Deep down, though, Carl hoped Jim would agree, as Eric pointed out, many actors in Hollywood might never get such an opportunity.
Jim quickly made up his mind and asked, "Mr. Williams, do we sign the contract now?"
Eric flashed a faint smile. "Yes, of course. You can also notify your lawyer to come over and review this contract again. If there are no issues, we can sign this morning, and you'll have the script within a week."
Jim exchanged glances with his agent again, then nodded in agreement.
From then on, there was no need for Eric to intervene.
...
Once Allen escorted the two out, Elisabeth spoke up, "Eric, you just said that he would see the script in a week. So where is the script?"
Eric retrieved a story outline from the filing cabinet and handed it to Elisabeth. "Here's the story outline I wrote. The detailed script is still being revised by the screenwriters."
Elisabeth picked up the thin pages and glanced at the title on top, Dumb and Dumber. She laughed a little, saying, "Just from the name, it's a comedy. And that title is really not creative."
Eric sat down in his office chair and ignored Elisabeth's customary little taunts. He picked up another document that needed attention. Securing Jim Carrey meant that for the next few years, Firefly Films would have unmatched achievements in comedy. Jim was one of the rare comedy kings in Hollywood's history. When it came to Hollywood's $20 million pay club, many would rattle off a list of stars, but the first to earn a $20 million paycheck wasn't Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, or Harrison Ford; it was Jim Carrey.
Eric had watched many of Jim's films, with the most memorable being The Mask, which was also one of Jim's peak works.
The reason he chose Dumb and Dumber was primarily due to copyright issues. The Mask was a 1980 comic work by Dark Horse Comics. Although Eric found that the film rights for this comic still belonged to Dark Horse, acquiring the rights now would indeed come at a high cost. Besides the foreseeable competition, Dark Horse certainly would raise the price.
However, Eric was already planning a strategic move. Once Disney and Robert Shea's Co. released their film, Cutthroat Island, it would be well-known in Hollywood how Robert had snatched the script away from him. If this movie flopped at the box office, just like its original version, then those competing with Eric for scripts would have to ask themselves if they were stepping into another trap.
As for the original creators of Dumb and Dumber, the Farrelly brothers were not yet a presence in Hollywood. After registering the story, Eric handed it over to Firefly's screenwriting department for further development.
In addition to Dumb and Dumber, Eric found out that Jim had collaborated with another scriptwriter and director, Tom Shadyac, for another project. Tom was also registered with a similar script like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
In the original timeline, Tom Shadyac had worked with Jim on several movies. However, Tom was just an obscure screenwriter under Warner Bros. at that moment. Eric intended to recruit him to gain experience working on the Dumb and Dumber project and create a consistent duo with Jim.
After glancing over the outline for Dumb and Dumber, Elisabeth didn't see anything particularly special, but out of trust in Eric, she didn't express much doubt and simply asked, "Eric, do you have a suitable director in mind for this story?"
"Well, have you seen Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure? I plan to have director Stephen Herek for this film. Oh, by the way, all these details concern you. I'll get you the necessary materials as soon as possible. Just make sure to have the finished film by the end of the year."
Elisabeth responded, "What about Thelma & Louise? It took me ages to convince Ridley Scott to direct it. Now you're asking me to prepare Dumb and Dumber, and there's no way I can
juggle both."
"Don't you have Drew to help you? Besides, if the boss had to do everything themselves, they'd be overwhelmed. Aren't you going to hire a professional producer?"
"I can think of that, but... never mind, I won't waste time explaining to you." Seeing her stubborn side, Eric understood that Elisabeth wanted to challenge herself. "If you don't want to explain, then don't linger here. I've got a lot of work to do. Tomorrow, I need to head to Oklahoma for scouting and won't be back for a week. There's a pile of work waiting for me to handle today."
Elisabeth seized on Eric's words and countered, "Isn't the boss still going to take on all the work themselves? Be careful not to wear yourself out."
"Even if I wear out early, I can still handle you easily. If there's nothing else, please shut the door on your way out. No need to see you out."
Elisabeth huffed twice, stood up, then sat back down for a moment. Leaning over the other side of the desk, she asked with a hint of excitement, "Hey, by the way, for the Oscar ceremony at the end of the month, who are you planning to take on the red carpet?"
Eric looked up and asked directly, "Do you want to come with me?"
Elisabeth's face flushed red, and she couldn't meet Eric's gaze, mumbling a small yes with her
head down.
Eric shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I plan to walk the red carpet alone."
"Why?"
"Because there are too many women, and it wouldn't be fair to take one over the others, so I
won't take anyone."
Elisabeth stared at Eric. "You really are... blunt."
"Alright, do be good, and stop pouting. If you find it uncomfortable to walk alone, just take Julia with you. I'll be generous and won't hold it against you if you guys want to be close."
"Ugh, don't think I can't find another male companion to walk the red carpet with."
Eric squinted slightly. "You can certainly try."
Elisabeth huffed a little self-consciously, no longer addressing Eric, and left his office.
...
That morning, Jim Carrey signed the contract with Firefly, but Eric didn't have time to meet with him again. The next day, he flew to Oklahoma with the digital effects team and several
key members from Twister.
Oklahoma was located in the south-central region of the United States and at the southern end of the Tornado Alley, which often experienced frequent tornadoes from April each year. The crew spent a full week scurrying around various northern areas of Oklahoma, and that was with the prior scouting team having done a lot of groundwork; otherwise, there's no way so much could be accomplished in a week.
In addition to location scouting, Eric also gathered real data on tornadoes from a meteorological re
In such circumstances, no film company dared to recklessly work with Tom Cruise on another mega-budget film. Moreover, Cruise didn't want to revert back to making low-budget indie films. Over the past two years, Hollywood had experienced a series of blockbuster waves, which gradually formed the mindset among filmmakers that if you wanted to make big money, you must be ready to invest heavily.
Just as Cruise would kick off a Mission: Impossible series whenever his popularity began to wane, this time he strategically chose Running Out of Time. Interestingly, the first company he approached was Columbia, which had recently been acquired by wealthy Japanese interests,
rather than Firefly.
*****
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