In the United States, several film companies stood on the brink of bankruptcy. A little investigation on Henry's part yielded a long list.
Henry tasked professionals with analyzing which companies held acquisition value, subsequently directing them to make purchases directly.
Within just a few days, Henry's team completed an acquisition, targeting a company named UFO Film Company headquartered in Hollywood for a mere $8 million.
Once the acquisition concluded, Henry wasted no time. He immediately reorganized the company, bringing in superior talent from headhunting firms to manage operations. The company was rebranded as Galaxy Film Company, with Pixar Animation Studios designing the new company logo and title logo. Following this, Henry injected $80 million into Galaxy Films—an investment that would ultimately go towards *Terminator 2* under the company's umbrella.
Henry's investment wasn't solely for Galaxy Film Company; together with Warner Bros. and Universal Studios, a group of investors supported the project. The involvement of the latter two studios was essential for distribution purposes, as individual companies typically struggled to secure favorable film placements in theaters—being a lone player in Hollywood left one hung out to dry unless they were a major player themselves.
As *Terminator* had established itself as a blockbuster series, other studios were initially hesitant to invest in *Terminator 2* due to its massive budget and high-risk nature. However, with Galaxy Film Company willing to take the plunge, these larger studios were eager to join in—securing valuable distribution rights while leaving film copyright ownership strictly with Galaxy Film Company.
In the funding arrangement, Galaxy Film Company contributed $70 million while Warner Bros. and Universal each invested $15 million, bringing the total to a robust $100 million—sufficient to meet James Cameron's demands.
Now that the funding was secured and the crew assembled, *Terminator 2* was set to begin shooting a year earlier than in reality!
Soon after, Galaxy Film Company announced the casting call for *Terminator 2*, invoking interest from a plethora of actors eager to join such a high-profile project.
With an investment count in the hundreds of millions, *Terminator 2* was set to make waves. Any actor fortunate enough to land a role in this film would have a standout highlight in their career—an undeniable credential! Additionally, since *Terminator 1* garnered less attention upon its release, *Terminator 2* appeared poised to break records, further elevating the starring actors' market value.
Henry watched as numerous star actors came in for auditions; the sheer magnitude of investment wielded a magnetic pull! But when Arnold Schwarzenegger requested a staggering $10 million salary, Henry nearly lost his composure. How could anyone think it was acceptable to demand such an amount? Even James Cameron, despite treading cautiously with his own funds, acquiesced to Arnold's demand, claiming that offering $10 million was merely granting him proper respect.
Henry recoiled at this!
"Ten million?! That's ridiculous!!!" He gritted his teeth, feeling helpless.
In the month that followed, Henry's team managed to recruit seven or eight actors. By the time filming began in March, he found himself looking for excitement. However, on set, Henry experienced boredom! Coupled with the dominating presence of James Cameron barking orders, the atmosphere was intimidating.
"Schwarzenegger!! Can you even act?! Your role requires a blend of coldness and emotion, yet you come across like a block of wood! I can't stress enough how poorly you're performing!" Cameron bellowed.
"Linda Hamilton!!! You too! You resemble someone off the street—this isn't about playing a mentally unstable patient, you know!"
"..."
Henry couldn't help but feel daunted by the ferocity of Cameron's critique!
After standing idly by, he reflected on how daunting it was to work with someone like Cameron. Following this experience, he resolved to avoid any future roles alongside the explosive director, even if it meant cameo appearances!
Would he willingly endure such torment?
Henry decided to step back and allow others to shoulder the brunt of Cameron's wrath—he'd simply enjoy the compensation that came from it!
For *Terminator 2*, in addition to contributions from Galaxy Special Effects, they enlisted Industrial Light & Magic. When George Lucas encountered Henry, he immediately jested, "Henry, you are a sly one! You've been picking off talent from my Industrial Light & Magic!"
"Heh…" Henry chuckled, "Not at all! You have plenty of talent roaming around Industrial Light & Magic—losing a few doesn't make a dent!"
Every year, Industrial Light & Magic experienced talent poaching, and Henry regarded himself as only one of many—being selective in recruitment focused on a handful of qualified experts who had been overlooked by the main company!
With George having previously witnessed the financial return from acquiring Pixar, he was aware of its past difficulties. "Heh, there will be better days ahead…" he commented wryly.
Indeed, those days would emerge! But Henry silently chuckled, yearning to witness George's expression when his decisions bore fruit.
This partnership with Galaxy Special Effects and Industrial Light & Magic became the backbone for achieving excellence in *Terminator 2*. Although primary production responsibilities remained with Industrial Light & Magic, Henry viewed this collaboration as a vital opportunity—one that allowed Galaxy Special Effects to learn from the very best in the business!
With the film company's foundations set, Henry needed to shift focus toward acquiring more cinematic resources—such as adaptation rights for novels, superior scripts, and comic book rights—ensuring proper positions in the industry that could provide fruitful returns in the future!
For him, whether or not they moved ahead with filming remained secondary.
Henry shifted gears and honed in on his first major target: *The Lord of the Rings*. Recognized throughout literary history as the original epic fantasy, Tolkien's influence on modern literature is unparalleled! Historically, in 1968, United Artists acquired adaptation rights from Tolkien for a mere $15,000. In 1976, Hollywood producer Saul Zaentz purchased the adaptation rights from their former deal.
Knowing this, Henry set his sights on securing the adaptation rights from Saul Zaentz.
After some negotiation, it became evident that Zaentz would summon a staggering $5 million—a figure that baffled Henry, especially knowing even the most popular Hollywood scripts rarely fetched such sums! Given the pre-1990 landscape, million-dollar scripts were few and far between!
Henry quickly pushed back against Saul's demands and continued discussions, which eventually led to an agreed price of $2.5 million for the rights to adapt *The Lord of the Rings*.
Having acquired the prize he sought, Henry eagerly embraced the ongoing pursuit for his next target. His sights were now trained on acquiring Marvel Comics, yet learned billionaire Ron Perelman was poised to secure the comic powerhouse for $85 million.
Henry muttered out loud, "Such audacity cannot go unchallenged! This is unacceptable! No one simply hoards something so significant!"