Just over half an hour later, Bella Anderson returned.
"I made calls to both the publisher and the Kyles, and I got a clear picture," Bella said as she sat down across from Matthew. "Ever since American Sniper hit the bestseller list, many mid-sized film companies have approached Taya Kyle, just as we expected. Taya is holding out, hoping to drive up the price, and is using interest from other companies to put pressure on us."
Matthew nodded slightly. If it weren't for Taya Kyle's hesitation, the film rights to the book would have been secured by now.
But this was standard practice in the business world. Just as he sought to maximize returns on his film investments, Taya Kyle wanted to get the best possible price for her husband's unique story.
Bella continued, "The Weinstein Company has also taken notice of the book. The autobiography aligns well with the types of films they usually produce. Apparently, the editor responsible for American Sniper had a rival within the publishing house who facilitated the meeting between Harvey Weinstein and the Kyles, leading to today's discussion."
She cleared her throat. "No agreement was reached between Harvey and the Kyles. When I spoke to Chris Kyle, he seemed very disgusted by Weinstein. He hinted that Weinstein tried to strong-arm them, but Chris pushed back."
"That sounds like classic Harvey Weinstein," Matthew said with a shake of his head. "But a Texas cowboy isn't going to fall for that."
Bella added, "At the moment, the Kyles haven't reached any deals with anyone else. We're still their top choice. Taya Kyle's talks with other companies are mainly to pressure us."
Hearing this, Matthew thought for a moment and then quickly made a decision. "Keep negotiating with the Kyles. You have authority for anything under ten million dollars—just get the film rights to American Sniper as soon as possible."
"Got it." Bella nodded. "I've been holding back the offer, letting Taya think that five million is our limit. I'll raise the bid at the right time, and they'll likely sign soon after."
"Good. Handle it from here," Matthew said, signaling her to proceed.
Bella didn't linger, preparing for the next round of negotiations with the Kyles.
"One more thing," Matthew added. "I heard Harvey Weinstein is planning to scout films at the Cannes Film Festival this year?"
Bella thought for a moment before answering. "The Weinstein Company participates in the commercial markets at all three major film festivals each year, often buying the rights to independent films for North American distribution."
Matthew nodded thoughtfully. "After you secure the deal with the Kyles, go to the Cannes Film Festival yourself."
"We don't have distribution capabilities," Bella said, assuming Matthew was also looking to acquire film rights.
Matthew shook his head lightly. "Your goal is to keep an eye on Harvey Weinstein. Wherever he's looking to buy, intervene. We don't need the rights to those independent art films—they're of no use to us. Our goal is to drive up the price and make Weinstein pay more for the films he wants."
Bella nodded immediately. "Understood."
After Bella left, Matthew sat quietly, contemplating. Whether Harvey Weinstein had targeted American Sniper specifically to annoy him or not, Matthew was determined to strike back.
For now, it would be a minor blow. But in the future, it would be a crushing one.
Ronan Farrow had recently shared news that, after months of effort, he had convinced several actresses, including Rose McGowan, to speak out about Weinstein's behavior. However, a few testimonies weren't enough—they needed more voices to come forward.
There was also the matter of Bob Weinstein. If both internal and external forces attacked simultaneously, Harvey would find himself in an even more precarious situation.
And then there was the social climate.
This wasn't just about gathering evidence. The timing would be critical. The ideal moment to strike would be when the women's rights movement gained more traction, and when the progressive left had more influence in shaping public discourse.
When the time was right, with society rallying behind them, the overwhelming pressure of public opinion would be too much for even a Hollywood heavyweight like Harvey to withstand.
Patience was essential.
Matthew sighed and then made a few phone calls to Helen Herman and Amanda, arranging to meet at the Angel Agency. There, they further discussed their plans regarding Harvey Weinstein.
Both Amanda and Helen agreed that it wasn't time to act just yet.
After a few days of rest, Matthew returned to the set of Fast & Furious 5, resuming filming.
The outdoor set at Disney Studios had been transformed into the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Ideally, these scenes would have been shot on location in Rio, but the high crime rate there made it too risky for the crew.
In front of the camera, Matthew vaulted over a low wall and climbed onto a rooftop, sprinting after a muscular Latin man who was fleeing ahead of him. The man was nimble, performing parkour-like moves as he ran.
The camera, mounted on a dolly track, moved rapidly alongside Matthew, capturing the action from close up.
Having fully recovered from the chaotic night in Rio, Matthew's body was bursting with energy. Within seconds, as per the scene's design, he closed the distance between himself and the fleeing man.
Seeing the large green foam mats laid out ahead, Matthew knew the moment had arrived. He pushed off hard with his legs, diving forward to tackle the fleeing man, and they both crashed onto the mats.
As soon as Matthew hit the foam, he quickly rolled to his feet. His movements were faster than the Latin man's, and before the man could get up, Matthew pounced, wrapping an arm around his neck.
The man tried to fight back, but Matthew subdued him with ease.
"Cut!" Director Justin Lin's voice rang out. "That's a wrap for this take!"
Matthew released the stuntman and helped him to his feet. The stuntman nodded in gratitude.
The scene then shifted to another location, where Paul Walker was filming a high-speed train heist. Matthew joined in for those shots, which, though they looked dangerous on screen, were filmed under controlled conditions. Most of the high-speed action was created by moving the camera, not the actors.
For Matthew and Paul, much of the work involved striking cool poses.
In an action-packed blockbuster like this, there was always room for shots that emphasized style and charisma.
Of course, there were also high-difficulty stunts.
After finishing a simpler scene, the stunt coordinator approached Matthew and Paul to explain the key points of the next action sequence.
"Paul, you'll be running on top of the train," the coordinator said, pointing to the prop train. "Run as fast as you can."
He then turned to Matthew. "You'll be in the bed of the pickup truck driven by Daniel Wu, ready to catch Paul. The truck will be moving along with the train, but it won't be going too fast."
Matthew and Paul both nodded.
If the train were moving at high speed, this scene would have been much more challenging and dangerous, but the prop train's speed was comparable to a slow jog.
The cameras rolled, and the scene began. The prop train started moving, and Paul Walker sprinted across the roof, soon catching up to the pickup truck.
"Jump!" Daniel Wu shouted from the driver's seat. "Brian, jump!"
Matthew glanced ahead, imagining a cliff looming in the distance, and shouted, "Now, Brian! Jump!"
The train's tracks were slightly elevated, and the truck wasn't that close, making the jump more difficult.
Without hesitation, Paul ran toward the truck and leapt into the air, aiming for the bed of the pickup truck. Matthew quickly made room for him.
Paul's body arced through the air like a bird, landing in the truck bed, which was lined with soft padding to absorb the impact.
But that wasn't the end.
Paul had jumped with such force that his body tilted forward, nearly tumbling out of the truck.
Matthew immediately grabbed his arm, helping Paul steady himself.
"Let's go!" Matthew banged on the roof of the truck and shouted to Daniel Wu, "We're out of here!"
Both Matthew and Paul crouched down as the scene continued.
Justin Lin called cut, and the take was a success.
Paul Walker stood up, stretching his legs and shaking out his arms. "Man, action scenes aren't easy."
Matthew clapped him on the arm and shrugged. "Let's get ready for the next one."
For the next few days, the crew focused on shooting scenes featuring both Matthew and Paul, the film's two leading men. With their characters playing major roles, many of the scenes involved them fighting side by side.
In Hollywood, teamwork wasn't just a slogan—it had to be shown through action.
During the following week, Matthew stayed on set as they continued filming. Overall, the shoot was going smoothly, with Justin Lin keeping things on schedule.
By early April, although the production was still ongoing, Matthew had completed all of his scenes at Disney Studios. He temporarily left the set to head to New York for a previously scheduled charity event.
The event, organized by UNICEF, several major women's and children's rights organizations in North America, and prominent media outlets like The New York Times, aimed to raise awareness and support for women's and children's rights. Numerous wealthy individuals, celebrities, and influential figures had been invited to attend.
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