Simon's main task for the upcoming week after returning to Los Angeles was finalizing the plans for the two DC Cinematic Universe projects, 'The Flash' and 'Wonder Woman', including details like the script, main creators, and budget.
Additionally, after repeated deliberation during this period, Simon also planned to adjust the pacing of the DC Cinematic Universe.
The two DC Cinematic Universe films scheduled for next year, 'The Dark Knight' and 'The Flash', are confirmed, and 'Wonder Woman' for the 1992 summer slot is also set in stone.
None of these can be changed.
However, Simon hopes to adjust the originally scheduled late-1992 release of 'Superman' to the 1993 summer slot, and appropriately postpone other DC Cinematic Universe projects like 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'Suicide Squad', and 'Batman Vs Superman', ultimately establishing a production rhythm of one film per year or three films every two years, rather than the initial dense schedule of two films annually.
In the original timeline, the 1990s in Hollywood were an era that produced many classics.
Simon is doing this partly to prevent superhero films from prematurely dominating the big screen, thereby preserving sufficient market space for excellent commercial and artistic films that once shone brightly, such as 'Jurassic Park', 'Independence Day', 'Forrest Gump', 'Men In Black', 'Twister', 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'Scent Of A Woman', and 'The Crying Game', allowing Hollywood to flourish. On the other hand, it also provides more preparation time for these superhero films in terms of scripts and special effects.
Especially special effects.
Because Daenerys Effects was established early and has invested relentlessly in CG Technology research and development, Daenerys Entertainment's current accumulation in special effects technology has reached the level required to produce the 1993 'Jurassic Park' from the original timeline.
After Daenerys Entertainment secured the adaptation rights for the unpublished 'Jurassic Park' novel from Michael Crichton earlier this year, the Daenerys Effects team, following Simon's instructions, produced a realistic CG dinosaur segment in just one month.
As for the currently filming 'Terminator 2', the Daenerys Effects team is more than capable of handling the liquid metal robot special effects.
However, Simon's planned reboot of 'Superman' aims to reference Zack Snyder's version, 'Man Of Steel', from his memory. To achieve the terrifying, world-shattering effects seen when Clark Kent fights General Zod, Daenerys Effects' technological accumulation is still far from sufficient.
As a fallback, Simon hopes that this version of 'Superman's special effects standard can reach the level of 1996's 'Independence Day' in the original timeline, which will require at least a year of targeted technological research and development.
Returning to Los Angeles after nine last night, work proceeded as usual on Saturday.
After a full day of busy work, in the evening, the Female Assistant knocked and entered Simon's office, carrying a black suit. The Female Assistant's own little Assistant followed behind her, holding a shoebox.
Simon looked up from the project file for 'Waynes World' in front of him and smiled, "It's just a party. We can go straight there after dinner. We don't need to change, do we?"
Jennifer had her attendant put down the shoebox and dismissed her, saying, "There will be a lot of people. Plus, Jenny had this sent back from Europe yesterday. She said if your outfit at a public event is laughed at while she's away, she'll dock my pay".
Simon was only wearing a shirt. Seeing the Female Assistant take the jacket out of the garment bag and walk over, he stood up and extended his arms to cooperate, laughing, "I think I'm the one who pays your salary, right?"
"That's right", the Female Assistant nodded, unfolding the suit for the man to put on, and said, "Both you and your wife bully me".
"..."
The Female Assistant dutifully buttoned up Simon's suit, stepped back to inspect him, nodded in satisfaction, and then asked, "Why are you silent?"
"I'm thinking about how I'm going to bully you tonight".
The Female Assistant rolled her eyes at Simon and handed him the trousers, saying, "I've already had Neil and the others prepare. We're going to Seattle after the party. I really like that house on Mercer Island in Lake Washington. We'll return on Monday".
"..."
The Female Assistant took out a pair of custom leather shoes from the shoebox, held them, watched Simon change into the trousers, and seeing his silence, she curled her lips: "What is it now?"
"I thought you'd want me to go bully someone else".
"I'm not Jenny. I won't let you go bully others".
"Aren't you Jenny?"
"No".
"You didn't say that last time".
"Last time was last time".
Simon finished putting on his trousers, took the shoes from the Female Assistant's hand, sat in the leather chair, and began changing his shoes, saying, "That's why I say you Earthlings are really uncreative when it comes to naming. The right to name our future children belongs to me".
The Female Assistant took away the trousers and shoes Simon had taken off and said, "Give me a unique name first, let me hear it".
"Where did you just say we were going tonight?"
"Seattle".
"That name is pretty good".
"What?"
"Seattle. Seattle Westeros".
The Female Assistant was about to put the leather shoes in her hand into the shoebox. Hearing this, she blinked her eyes and teased in a playful tone, "You can give that name to Jenny's child in the future. She'll definitely be delighted".
"Yes, to this Jenny right here".
"I don't want it".
"You can't refuse. I'm the father, and what I say goes".
"Suddenly, I don't want to go to Seattle tonight. I want to go to... hmm... Hawaii".
"No way. We can only go to Seattle, and the name can only be Seattle. I'm the father, and what I say goes".
"..."
The issue of children was actually quite sensitive.
Ever since Simon and Janette got married, they had been trying hard to have a Little fellow. However, after half a year of busy effort, Janette's belly remained quiet. Deep down, Simon actually hoped to father a group of super-rich second generation little bastards who would turn the world upside down.
However, this sort of thing cannot be rushed.
During their time at the small cabin in Tasmania previously, the Female Assistant had discussed this with Simon. She hoped to have a child when she turned 30, and she didn't care if the child carried her surname and lacked formal status. Simon agreed, though naturally, the child would still carry the Westeros surname.
Simon had also spoken to Janette about this. The woman didn't say much verbally, but that night, she bit Simon's ear fiercely several times, almost holding onto it even in her dreams.
After changing clothes, Simon and the Female Assistant had dinner at the company's internal restaurant in the administrative area, and the sky had already darkened.
Because the main structure and interior decoration were more complex than other buildings within the studio, the large Activity Centre on the second floor office area of Daenerys Studios only recently opened for use. The celebratory party for 'Short Cuts' winning the Venice Golden Lion Award can be considered the first major gathering since the Activity Centre was put into service.
Although it was said to be a celebration for 'Short Cuts' winning the Golden Lion Award, it was actually considered a comprehensive celebratory event following the conclusion of Daenerys Entertainment's summer box office season.
Not only the team from 'Short Cuts', but the main creators of Daenerys Entertainment's box office hits from the past summer slot, 'Ghost', 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', 'Sleeping With The Enemy', 'The Hand That Rocks The Cradle', and the earlier release, 'Pretty Woman', were all invited.
By late September, 'Pretty Woman', released during the Valentine's Day Slot at the beginning of the year, had officially finished its run in North America, with its domestic box office ultimately reaching $178 million. Moreover, the overseas cumulative box office for 'Pretty Woman' was even better than its North American domestic take, recently surpassing the $200 million mark.
According to estimates from Daenerys Entertainment's distribution department, the worldwide box office for 'Pretty Woman' is expected to reach $450 million.
With a production cost of $10 million, the worldwide box office alone could recoup $450 million. Even though Daenerys Entertainment has created many miracles in recent years, such box office results astonished the entirety of Hollywood.
However, this was not the end.
At the start of the summer slot, Daenerys Entertainment's fantasy romance film, 'Ghost', subtly became a sensation again. Its tear-jerking plot harvested countless tears from audiences, and over three months of release, the film's box office steadily increased.
From its opening on June 1st to Thursday, September 20th, over 16 weeks of screening, the domestic box office for 'Ghost' had accumulated $181 million, successfully surpassing 'Pretty Woman'. Furthermore, 'Ghost's weekly box office volume remained around $5 million, making the push towards the $200 million mark virtually certain.
Judging by the recent feedback from the gradually expanding overseas distribution market for 'Ghost', the film's box office performance in international markets is no less impressive than that of 'Pretty Woman'.
Therefore, just 'Pretty Woman' and 'Ghost' combined could bring in over $900 million in worldwide box office revenue for Daenerys Entertainment, a figure comparable to 'Batman Begins', which Simon personally directed late last year.
Excluding all costs, the box office profit scale for these two blockbuster romance films will be no less than $300 million. Although the subsequent income from merchandise, video sales, and television broadcast rights implies a long recoupment cycle lasting several years, the expected revenue can reach about twice the film's box office profit.
It was this series of highly profitable blockbuster projects that supported the multi-billion dollar valuation previously given to Daenerys Entertainment by Forbes magazine.
Besides 'Pretty Woman' and 'Ghost', the three films 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', Sleeping With The Enemy', and 'The Hand That Rocks The Cradle' were also successful. 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', which has already accumulated $119 million at the box office, is destined to be among Daenerys Entertainment's top ten films for the 1990 annual box office chart, alongside 'Pretty Woman' and 'Ghost'.
Daenerys Entertainment's outstanding box office performance this summer slot was clearly more deserving of celebration than 'Short Cuts', which had just won the Venice Golden Lion Award.
However, the hundreds of guests from all walks of life attending the party in the studio Activity Centre tonight were mostly there for a certain young man.
Everyone knew that Simon Westeros was the Hand of God who created all this current brilliance.
Furthermore, the Forbes 400 richest American's list published earlier this month highlighted Simon Westeros's personal net worth of $21 billion, making his influence in Hollywood even more prominent.
An anecdote has been circulating within the industry recently.
Premiere magazine in Los Angeles had been discussing creating a list of Hollywood's most powerful figures since the first half of this year, and Simon Westeros was undoubtedly the top candidate. However, when Forbes magazine released its wealth list this year, Premiere magazine simply cancelled its plan to create the list.
Because the person ranked number one on the list was simply too dazzling.
Everyone knew
Simon Westeros was top of the list, and everyone would only see Simon Westeros.
As for those ranked second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth... they were not as household names as John Kluge, Warren Buffett, and others who followed Simon Westeros on the Forbes wealth list. Therefore, even if these people were listed one by one after Simon Westeros, probably few people would care.
Since no one cared, compiling such a list held little meaning.
Inside the hall.
Jon Peters, the President of Columbia Pictures, who was originally chatting with Bruce Willis and Demi Moore about having them join one of his company's films, heard something his young girlfriend whispered in his ear. He immediately raised his glass to the Willis's and turned toward the hall entrance.
At the same time, the entire crowd in the hall seemed to suddenly feel a powerful attraction, and a noticeable stir arose.
Although everyone understood that Simon Westeros must have arrived, there were over 600 guests in the hall alone at that moment.
Even if their hearts were restless, they couldn't all rush over at once.
Most people quickly calmed down, or pretended to calm down. Only a small fraction of guests who felt they were qualified to approach Simon Westeros moved their feet.
Simon wore the black Armani suit he had changed into before dinner, while the Female Assistant wore a simple white long dress. The two appeared side by side in the hall, exuding a very obvious sense of chemistry.
However, Simon was no longer a bachelor, and the current occasion was too public. The Female Assistant did not link arms with Simon but stood slightly apart, like a genuine assistant, occasionally leaning in to remind him of the identities of guests who came forward to greet him.
"This is Barbara Broccoli, and her maternal half-brother, Michael Wilson".
Having just finished chatting with Fox Pictures President Joe Roth, and seeing an unfamiliar man and woman walking side by side, the Female Assistant noticed Simon's confusion and quickly whispered a reminder.
Just by hearing their names, Simon understood their identities.
They were the heirs of the Broccoli Family, which holds half the copyright for the 007 series and has long controlled the production rights for this spy franchise.
After everyone shook hands and exchanged greetings, the noticeably more talkative Barbara Broccoli began discussing the most recent 007 film.
With MGM stabilizing and the 007 copyright dispute successfully resolved, the Broccoli Family and MGM management can now dedicate themselves fully to the production of '007: Goldeneye', for which the script has long been completed.
However, Barbara Broccoli was clearly dissatisfied with Simon's insistence that the lead actor of the 007 series be replaced: "Simon, the 007 series should be a matter between the Broccoli Family and MGM, shouldn't it? I think whether or not to change the lead actor should be our own concern".