System in Hollywood

Considering all the terms, his income from this film ended up being higher than Leonardo DiCaprio's and Will Smith's at the same time.

But since "Rush Hour" couldn't go on without Jackie Chan, Warner Bros.' subsidiary New Line Cinema had no choice but to grudgingly accept the deal.

As a result, the production cost of "Rush Hour 2" skyrocketed to $90 million. For a non-sci-fi action film, that cost was quite shocking.

However, Hemera Pictures rarely budged, even when dealing with A-list directors and stars.

Back when they were shooting "The Bourne Identity," Hemera originally wanted to hire Joel Silver, but negotiations fell apart over box office profit sharing, and they ended up replacing him. This kind of tough stance caused quite a stir in the industry.

So, many insiders knew about Wayne's strict rule.

If even a bigshot like Joel Silver couldn't secure box office shares from Hemera's projects, how could someone as small as Melanie Sloan hope to get any?

"Alright, it's settled. Tell her to contact Sarah as soon as possible."

"Got it! I'll tell her right away!" Scarlett immediately agreed. After all, Melanie's rise in fame and status would benefit her daughter the most.

But in truth, Scarlett was still more concerned about her own matters.

"By the way, darling, when do you have time? I miss you~" Scarlett spoke like a lovestruck teenager, her voice sweet and seductive, enough to make anyone's heart flutter.

Unfortunately, Wayne was no rookie and wasn't so easily swayed.

"I miss you too, baby. But I've got to finish writing the script for 'Taken' in the next few days, so I might not have much free time. But I'll try to find time to visit you."

After a little more sweet talk, Wayne hung up the phone under Hannah's disapproving gaze.

Yes, Wayne had been learning how to write scripts lately, but most of his time was spent on other things.

"Assistant Hannah, could you please manage your facial expressions?"

Hannah scoffed and turned her head away. If the driver weren't present, she would've already "taught" Wayne, this guy who even deceives girls, a lesson.

Though none of her "lessons" had ever succeeded—she always ended up on the losing side.

Time flew by, and it was now January 13th.

Just as James Wan had predicted, "The Dark Side" wrapped up two days ahead of schedule. Then, in just two days, James Wan completed the initial cut of the film.

This kind of speed is usually only seen in cheaply made cash-grab films or in movies where the director also handles the post-production process.

Normally, only low-budget films costing $100,000 to $200,000 and sold on VHS or aired in late-night slots achieve such speed.

But despite its $14 million production cost, "The Dark Side" was fully handled by James Wan, from filming to post-production.

"Sir, your car is ready."

"Thank you, Maeda."

On the morning of the 16th, after breakfast, Wayne picked up Martina, Anne, and Eva Green and headed to the office for the screening of "The Dark Side."

Since it was just the initial cut, only internal personnel were invited.

If it weren't for Wayne, Anne and Eva Green wouldn't have had the qualifications to attend.

On the other hand, Sarah extended a courtesy invitation to Matt Damon, the male lead.

A year ago, Matt Damon might have declined the invitation, using work as an excuse. But after two consecutive box office flops, he was now more eager than anyone to assess the quality of "The Dark Side."

To be honest, if Wayne had been a bit more ruthless and deliberately made "The Dark Side" a disaster, leading to a third consecutive flop for Matt Damon, his Hollywood career might not end entirely, but his star power would definitely plummet. He might not land any roles for a year or two.

But since Matt Damon hadn't wronged him, Wayne had no reason to sabotage him.

Still, when Damon saw Wayne entering the screening room, flanked by Martina and the others, he quickly stood up and walked over.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne. Thank you for inviting me to this internal screening!"

What he said didn't matter as much as his posture and attitude.

Seeing Damon's warm, humble smile, so different from his usual arrogance, Wayne couldn't help but find it amusing as they exchanged pleasantries.

To be honest, while Matt Damon might not be as strikingly handsome as DiCaprio, his smile did make him look honest and wholesome.

And he had reason to be proud.

Not only did he excel academically, getting into Harvard's Literature program, but he and his friend Ben Affleck had also had a smooth journey in Hollywood.

Though not on the same meteoric rise as Wayne, Damon's solid acting had brought him close to A-list status within a few years.

But this year, after two major box office failures, his career had taken a dive, putting him at the bottom of the B-list, even below Wayne.

However, according to the original timeline, Damon would soon bounce back with "The Bourne Identity," reclaiming his A-list status in Hollywood.

Too bad Wayne had already snatched up "The Bourne Identity."

After some brief small talk, Damon wisely stepped aside, as Sarah entered the screening room with James Wan.

"Hey, James, you're not looking so good. Didn't the herbal soup I ordered from Chinatown help at all?" Wayne jokingly said when he saw Wan's gaunt face and dark circles.

James Wan immediately rolled his eyes and grumbled, "I appreciate the soup! But don't you know too much of a good thing can be bad? Having it once at lunch and dinner is fine, but you sent it four times a day, even at midnight! I really have to thank you for that!"

"Ha ha!" Wayne laughed, patting Wan on the shoulder. "I heard that stuff's great for your health."

Wan rolled his eyes again and replied, "I know, but next time, don't send it. Otherwise, I might end up in the ICU before I finish editing the final version."

(End of chapter)