Simon naturally wasn't as 'leisurely' as Terry Semel that afternoon; since Semel hadn't left after lunch, Simon simply took him along to Culver City in northeast Santa Monica.
One of Highgate Films key projects this year, 'Short Cuts', had already started shooting in Culver City.
Since returning to Los Angeles, Simon had been run off his feet; though they'd spoken every day, Terry Semel still hadn't found a chance for a deep talk, today he obviously meant to nail a few things down.
Riding together in Simon's car to Culver City, Simon held nothing back, again laying out all his ideas about the DC Cinematic Universe, Warner's 'The Flash' and 'Cyborg' included.
"To keep the DC Cinematic Universe intact and let every film cross-promote so that one plus one is greater than two, there can't be a second voice during execution. Terry, since Warner won't open 'The Flash' and 'Cyborg' to outside investment, here's the deal: I'll serve as executive producer on both, with full creative control. Daenerys Entertainment won't share in the profits; I'll take only my personal fee. Have your people work out the details with Amy and her team. How does that sound?"
Inside the car, Terry Semel couldn't keep a grin off his face when he heard this.
That was exactly the solution Warner's internal discussions had hoped for.
The only worry had been that, after Warner rejected Simon's co-financing proposal, Simon might wash his hands of 'The Flash' and 'Cyborg'.
Now Terry Semel was completely certain: Simon truly cared about the DC Cinematic Universe plan.
Otherwise, given Simon's current net worth and status, he could simply have ignored a project unconnected to his own company, no matter how generous Warner's fee.
"I'll head back and talk to Amy right away", Terry Semel agreed quickly, then added, "But, Simon, for these two projects, are you still planning to cast complete unknowns?"
Simon didn't answer directly; instead he asked, "How much did Marlon Brando finally pocket for that 'Superman'?"
In the Christopher Reeve 'Superman', Marlon Brando played Clark Kent's father, appeared on-screen for less than ten minutes, and still walked off with a staggering sum thanks to a back-end deal signed in advance.
Without Simon's intervention, years later Warner would make the same mistake with Jack Nicholson on the first 'Batman'.
Terry Semel blinked, thought for a moment, and said, "Close to twenty million".
"Worth it?" Simon asked.
"No", Terry Semel replied, then quickly added, "but this time we just won't sign any gross-participation deals".
"Terry, you still don't get it. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, these superheroes are bigger stars than any real life Hollywood A-lister. We don't need human celebrities to pull an audience. We just have to make the movies as good as they can be".
Terry Semel nodded, understanding dawning.
Simon went on, "And starting next year, for the first ten DC Cinematic Universe films, take The Flash, that Hero will appear in 'The Flash', 'The Flash 2', and 'Justice League'. Sign an A-list star and they'll never accept a long-term contract; by 'Justice League' the salary would be sky-high, and then, poof, game over. Cast newcomers now, just like the Batman series: Daenerys Entertainment locked them in for five pictures, exactly enough to finish Phase One".
Under the current five-year plan, Daenerys Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures will jointly release ten DC Cinematic Universe films: 1991's 'The Dark Knight' and 'The Flash'; 1992's 'Wonder Woman' and 'Superman'; 1993's 'The Dark Knight Rises' and 'Suicide Squad'; 1994's 'Batman v Superman' and 'The Flash 2'; and 1995's 'Cyborg' and 'Justice League'.
Suddenly Terry Semel thought of something. "Simon, Adam Baldwin only has a five-picture deal, what happens after Phase One?"
"Everything ends", Simon said. "At that point we rest Batman for a few years, then recast".
"That'd be a shame", Terry Semel said. "If all goes well, after 'Justice League' Batman's popularity will climb even higher, and the other heroes too. A 'Justice League 2' would be a guaranteed hit".
"We'll see. If Adam Baldwin is still willing and his quote is reasonable…", Simon shrugged. "One thing's certain, Daenerys Entertainment won't work for stars. I'll pay only what I consider fair".
Terry Semel recalled the recent attempt by the Batman team to renegotiate; at Amy's request he'd even made a public statement to the press.
Adam Baldwin was bound by contract and had to honour it.
But once the deal was done, getting him back without paying dearly would be impossible.
If it were Warner, Terry Semel thought, he would definitely cave, just like the upcoming 'Lethal Weapon 3'. Thanks to 'Lethal Weapon 2's success, Mel Gibson not only commands a $10 million base salary for 'Lethal Weapon 3' but also pockets twenty percent of the film's total profits.
And that's just Mel Gibson.
Director-producer Richard Donner and Gibson's two co-stars, Danny Glover and Joe Pesci, have all signed various back-end deals to return for the third instalment.
Because of those participations, 'Lethal Weapon 3's projected production cost is only $35 million, barely higher than the second film, but even if the third out-grosses the second, most of the profit will go to the talent, leaving Warner with little more than a modest pay check.
It really is working for the stars.
Yet Warner has few alternatives: the lethal weapon series at least promises some profit; other projects could sink without trace.
Daenerys Entertainment stands in sharp contrast.
Last year's Thanksgiving release, 'Look Who's Talking', has already taken $156.26 million through the week just ended.
At its current pace of two-to-three million a week, it should add another ten million before it closes. Hit by 'Batman Begins', it fell about ten million short of projections, but its expected domestic take of over $160 million still beats Summer Box Office Season's 'Lethal Weapon 2'.
Per the original contract, once 'Look Who's Talking' crossed $100 million, sequel rights reverted to Daenerys Entertainment.
However, when it came to the sequel, Daenerys Entertainment only sounded out Mel Gibson and the key creatives once and never brought it up again.
After all, 'Lethal Weapon 2' has so far earned just over two hundred million dollars worldwide, whereas Look Who's Talking will easily clear three hundred million once its overseas run is finished.
A franchise that has grossed more than three hundred million globally, and Daenerys Entertainment simply walks away, Simon Westeros's conviction and self-confidence in the film business is breathtaking. He obviously believes the company's new projects will outperform a 'Look Who's Talking' follow-up.
Warner, on this matter, has no such certainty.
Perhaps that's why this young man has risen so fast.
The two talked the whole way; twenty minutes later they reached Carlson Park, south of Culver City, where 'Short Cuts' was shooting.
Arriving at the set, Terry Semel merely greeted Highgate Film president Ira Deutchman, who was also visiting that afternoon, then jumped back into his car and left. His vehicle had been trailing Simon's the entire time; with everything settled, there was no reason to stay.
A scene was in progress, so Simon and Deutchman stayed quiet on the periphery, watching Robert Altman direct.
This sequence concerned the Finnegan family, one of the film's eight parallel storylines.
Howard Finnegan is a TV anchor, Ann Finnegan a homemaker; they have a son, Casey, and life is perfect, until Casey is hit by a car.
According to the script, their neighbours are a mother and daughter: Tess Trainer, an aging singer grinding out sets in a jazz bar, and her cellist daughter Zoe Trainer.
In Simon's memory he knew three of the four actors: Bruce Davison, Andie MacDowell, and Lori Singer. solidly recognizable Hollywood faces. The fun bit is that Lori Singer's cousin is Bryan Singer.
Piecing together the rest of the original cast, Simon realized that the earlier incarnation of 'Short Cuts' had basically been a package put together by ICM, one of the Big Three agencies; Tim Robbins, Robert Downey Jr., Andie MacDowell, Julianne Moore, and others were all ICM clients at the time.
Now the project is essentially a WMA package.
Apart from Julianne Moore, whom Simon slipped in for reasons he'll never admit, most of the original cast is gone.
In the scene being shot, both neighbouring families have been recast.
The role once meant for Lori Singer went to Simon's chosen Wonder Woman, Famke Janssen; because the character is a cellist, Famke spent months learning the instrument. Dubbing will still be needed, but on-screen it won't show.
Amy told Simon on his return to Los Angeles that Jonathan had approached Daenerys Entertainment hoping to renegotiate Adam Baldwin's deal. It never blew up, yet everyone understood: different interests meant Simon and Jonathan could never be as close again.
Still, Simon felt no need to freeze Jonathan out.
Studios and agencies have always been codependent and adversarial at once; Disney CEO Michael Eisner and CAA president Michael Ovitz are famous Hollywood friends and even neighbours.
Jonathan once helped Simon enormously; as long as nothing too bitter surfaced, they could stay on good terms.
At heart Simon dislikes conflict, yet as his empire keeps expanding, clashes of interest are inevitable.
Today's shoot involved only the Finnegans; the Trainers aren't needed.
Simon and Deutchman chatted about recent events while the crew wrapped the shot.
A dishevelled, heavier Robert Altman finally came over to say hello. After a brief blaze of glory in the seventies, a string of flops in the early eighties had left him nearly unemployable, so the fate of 'Short Cuts' matters enormously to him.
After a short conversation with Simon and Deutchman, Altman hurried off to prep the next setup.
The actors playing the Finnegans came up to talk.
Simon knows the WMA-repped pair well.
Howard Finnegan is played by Sam Neill, another of Simon's choices.
Ann Finnegan is played by Sela Ward, an elegant woman who in the original timeline would appear in 'The Fugitive', 'Independence Day', and TV's 'CSI' franchise.
Anyone who survives in Hollywood can read a room.
Sensing Simon's interest in Sela Ward, Ira Deutchman and Sam Neill drifted away as if something urgent had come up.
Deutchman knows his boss's tastes inside out.
Sela Ward stood by the make-up trailer chatting with the valuable young man until she noticed no one was calling her for the next take.
She brushed a strand of hair back, clasped her hands awkwardly, and took a small step back. "Simon, I... I think I should get back to work".
Simon nodded. "I should be leaving too".
Sela blinked; she hadn't expected that and suddenly felt at a loss.
Not knowing how to respond, she heard the young man add, "Are you free tonight? Dinner?"
That felt normal again.
For some reason she exhaled, relaxed a little, and asked, "Just dinner?"
Simon answered righteously, "Of course".
She rolled her eyes lightly and said, "Do you... ever have dinner with other women?"
Simon spread his hands. "So, to keep tomorrow's tabloids quiet, we'll have to dine quietly at my villa".
Sela shot him a sideways glance. "Mr. Westeros, may I refuse?"
"Sure".
"And then I don't come back Monday, right?"
"Of course, tomorrow's Saturday".
"I meant next week".
"We'll talk about next week next week", Simon said, checking his watch. "So it's settled; someone will pick you up after wrap".