Burbank.
On the same morning, at 9 a.m., Jamie Spears arrived at Universal Studios. Despite using his daughter's pass, he was stopped by a vigilant security guard at the entrance and had to call Barry Weiss's office for clearance.
After a brief wait, Jamie was allowed in and made his way to Barry Weiss's office.
The soft-voiced secretary who had answered the phone informed him to wait. Jamie, clutching the recorder in his bag, obediently sat in the waiting area, his eyes wandering to the curvaceous secretary in a pink business suit. He imagined that once he secured his $200 million, he would start his own company and hire at least two such secretaries.
After waiting for over ten minutes, just as Jamie was growing impatient, the inner office door finally opened. Barry Weiss emerged, chatting and laughing as he escorted a group of young men out. Jamie recognized them as the popular Backstreet Boys.
Weiss gave Jamie a polite nod before returning to his office and motioning for Jamie to follow.
Once inside, Weiss shook Jamie's hand and gestured for him to sit. "Jamie, what brings you here today? You look like you haven't been sleeping well. Everything okay?"
He then asked his secretary to bring in two cups of coffee.
Jamie realized he had been slighted by the secretary earlier—no coffee had been offered during his long wait. Resentful, he brushed off Weiss's pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Barry, no need for coffee. I have something important to discuss."
After all, once he struck it rich, he could have all the coffee he wanted.
Weiss, sensing something amiss, dismissed the secretary and sat down across from Jamie. "So, Jamie, what's this about?"
Jamie subtly pressed the recorder in his bag and stared at Weiss. "Barry, I need to see Simon Westeros. I want to talk to him about my daughter."
Weiss raised an eyebrow, studying Jamie for a moment before his tone turned cold. "Jamie, you'd better explain yourself."
Seeing no point in holding back, Jamie smirked, his bloodshot eyes adding to his unsettling demeanor. "Barry, you know what I'm talking about, don't you? I need to see Simon Westeros about what happened between him and my daughter," he paused, then added bluntly, "Just like Michael Jackson and Jordie Chandler."
The room fell silent.
The two men stared at each other for over a minute before Weiss finally spoke. "Jamie, you're making a huge mistake. I suggest you go home, get some sleep, and forget everything you just said."
Weiss's calm tone only infuriated Jamie, who glared at him. "I don't need you to tell me what to do, Barry," he snapped, pulling out the recorder and pressing play. "Or I'll call the police right now and hand this recording over to the Los Angeles Times."
The room filled with the sound of the recording.
A gentle male voice: "Britney, my sweet, did something happen between you and Simon Westeros? I mean, something sexual?"
A weak, listless girl's voice: "Yes, Daddy."
Weiss frowned and waved his hand. "Enough, Jamie. Turn it off."
Jamie stopped the recording and grinned triumphantly at Weiss. "I told you, Barry. This is beyond you. I need to see Simon Westeros."
Weiss ignored him. As a music professional, he was highly sensitive to sound. The brief exchange had revealed obvious edits. This fool thought he could fool everyone with such shoddy evidence.
Moreover, the girl's tone in the recording explained Britney's recent behavior.
This wasn't some new game of Simon's. Instead, like the infamous Jackson case, Jamie had drugged his daughter and coerced her into saying what he wanted.
It seemed Jamie had studied the Jackson case meticulously and was now trying to replicate it.
Since the man was determined to be a fool, Weiss had no choice but to let him.
With that thought, Weiss stood up and walked to his desk. "Wait outside. I need to make a call."
His tone was no longer polite.
Jamie, sensing the shift in Weiss's attitude, felt a surge of anger but kept his smug grin. He sauntered out of the office, leaving the door open, and returned to the waiting area, clutching the bag with the recorder. He looked around the office with disdain.
This place was mediocre. Once he got his millions, he'd spend a fortune on the best office.
Maybe he'd even model it after Simon Westeros's office. And, of course, he'd hire a few beautiful secretaries.
Malibu.
Daenerys Studios.
Simon had just finished reviewing some documents in his office when A-Girl informed him of an urgent call from Barry Weiss.
Simon pressed the speakerphone button and continued skimming through a market report on Asia's recent performance as Weiss recounted the morning's events.
It all sounded absurd.
What was this?
The audacity of ignorance?
Simon kept flipping through the documents as Weiss finished. "I see, Barry. Have him wait there. I'll send someone to handle it."
Weiss agreed and hung up.
Simon pressed the intercom again. "Connect me to George Norman. Also, have Neil Bennet come see me."
A-Girl acknowledged.
Simon continued working. Moments later, George Norman, Janet's uncle and a trusted lawyer for the Westeros family, was on the line. After exchanging greetings, Simon said, "George, head to Universal Studios and meet with Barry Weiss. He'll fill you in. Your job is to talk to the guy and stall for a few days. That's all."
Norman, a loyal confidant, agreed without question.
Shortly after, Neil Bennet, who oversaw the Westeros family's security and private intelligence network, arrived. Simon briefed him and instructed him to send a team to monitor the Spears family, ensuring no unexpected trouble arose.
With that handled, Simon returned to his work.
Calm amidst the storm.
Simon understood the importance of addressing issues early, but with the Westeros family's current power and resources, if they couldn't handle such a minor hiccup, it would be time to retire.
Thus, this small disruption barely registered.
In fact, it paled in comparison to the news A-Girl delivered after the Matrix production meeting, just before the AOL video conference.
"Justin Lin didn't show up in person. Ms. Pascal only met with his representative. Lin wants to collaborate with Disney on a pseudo-documentary film before fulfilling his contract with us."
Simon, reviewing the Matrix meeting notes, asked, "How much is Disney offering?"
A-Girl, having already gathered the details, replied, "$6 million plus 10% of the domestic box office. Additionally, this is a joint project between Disney and Panasonic, with most of the funding coming from Panasonic to promote their digital cameras."
"$6 million, huh? And 10%—that's a full cut, right?"
A-Girl nodded.
Box office splits varied—domestic, global, gross, net, or even profit-sharing after costs. It all depended on the contract.
Simon quickly realized this was a deal potentially worth tens of millions.
In comparison, Daenerys's offer of $1 million for Lin's next project seemed paltry.
Simon wasn't angry, just disappointed.
But he understood.
$10 million versus $1 million—how could they compare?
For a Hollywood veteran, the choice would be obvious. The industry was too unpredictable; one flop could end a career. Thus, securing the money upfront was crucial. Promises of future success were often empty.
Simon, however, had genuinely planned to give Lin a stable future.
It was a shame.
Now, Lin was as good as gone. The conflict of interest was too great, and forcing him to stay would only breed resentment. This wasn't like the Jim Carrey situation, where too much was at stake to compromise.
"Boss, should we stop him?" A-Girl asked.
Simon thought for a moment. "Let him go. But two conditions: first, we reclaim the $1 million bonus we gave him. Second, his next film can't be released until 1999—about 15 months from now."
A-Girl quickly grasped Simon's intent. The 15-month gap was akin to a non-compete clause, minimizing Lin's ability to ride on The Blair Witch Project's success.
She added, "Boss, maybe we could also seek some compensation, like 20% of his contract fee?"
Simon chuckled. "No need."
A-Girl didn't argue, sensing Simon's lingering regard for Lin. Still, she pressed, "Should Lin still participate in The Blair Witch Project's global promotion?"
Simon shook his head, this time with finality. "No. Notify him to lay low and focus on his own project."
Simon valued talent but wasn't a pushover. Until their next collaboration, Lin wouldn't receive any further resources from Daenerys.
"We should also refine the terms," A-Girl suggested. "Lin's next film can't reference The Blair Witch Project in any promotional material."
"Agreed. Handle the details."
With that settled, A-Girl left, and Simon turned his attention back to the Matrix meeting notes.
Lead Actor: Keanu Reeves.
No question there.
Key Supporting Roles: Agent Smith—Hugo Weaving, also a lock.
As for Morpheus, Simon considered replacing Laurence Fishburne with Samuel L. Jackson, who had more screen presence. But Jackson was already cast as Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequels. Even though the roles didn't overlap much, Simon decided to stick with Fishburne to avoid confusion.
Then came the most crucial role: the female lead.
Trinity, living in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by machines, needed to be tough and cold.
The original actress, Carrie-Anne Moss, had the right look but lacked star power. While Simon could overlook that, Moss's chemistry with Keanu had been lackluster, and her performance had been forgettable.
This time, she had to be replaced.
Simon's first thought was Kate Beckinsale.
Her look in Underworld would have been perfect for Trinity. However, like Jackson, Kate was already tied to Charlie's Angels, and having her play two similar roles would be confusing. Moreover, despite their personal relationship, Simon couldn't funnel all the best roles to her.
Balance was key.
So, regretfully, Kate was out.
Next, Simon considered Sandra Bullock, who had worked with Keanu twice before. But after a moment, he crossed her name off the list.
Sandra was better suited for dramas or comedies. An action role like Trinity didn't fit her.
Simon continued scanning through actresses from the 60s and 70s.
The DC Universe actresses were a possibility, but they were off-limits to maintain balance. However, he briefly considered Courteney Cox, who had played Lois Lane and recently wrapped Deep Impact. Unfortunately, he couldn't recall Cox ever doing action films, so she was out.
Then an idea struck him.
Given Trinity's character, why not consider an Asian actress?
Mainland China was a long shot, and Lucy Liu, already familiar in Hollywood, didn't fit. But Hong Kong, despite its declining film industry, had plenty of beautiful, action-ready actresses who spoke English.
In fact, the iconic "bullet time" effect from The Matrix wasn't original. It had appeared in John Woo's Hard Boiled in 1993. The Matrix had drawn heavily from Hong Kong cinema.
Thinking of The Heroic Trio's three leads… Simon ultimately decided they didn't match Keanu's vibe.
Still, he made a note to consider them for auditions. The priority, however, remained Hollywood actresses. Casting an Asian lead was too risky.
After jotting down and crossing off several names, Simon finally settled on one.
Demi Moore.
Upon reflection, she was a perfect fit.
First, in this timeline, Simon had cast Moore in Ghost, and despite Patrick Swayze's lack of chemistry with her, Moore had delivered a tear-jerking performance.
That kind of on-screen chemistry was a rare talent, and perhaps she could spark something with Keanu.
Chemistry was crucial.
In terms of action, Moore had proven her potential in G.I. Jane and Charlie's Angels 2.
Moreover, at 35, Moore was only two years older than Keanu, and her age wasn't a disadvantage. In fact, Simon thought Keanu would pair well with an older co-star.
Finally, despite her personal life controversies, Moore was known for her professionalism. The Matrix would be physically demanding, and a less committed actress might struggle. Plus, given her recent career slump, Moore's fee would be reasonable, and she'd likely agree to a three-film deal.
As an assistant reminded him the video conference was about to start, Simon circled Demi Moore's name and handed the notes to Linda Vagos for casting.
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