"Why not make a spin-off movie about Hobbs?"
This topic initially sounded incredibly absurd, but when it spread on the internet, it quickly gained credibility. Over the past month, riding the wave of the summer box office, it gradually took shape, becoming a direct reflection of Renly's skyrocketing popularity. Renly was now considered "red-hot" in the entertainment industry!
Although Andy had hoped for this outcome when they initially chose "Fast 5", even the boldest novelists couldn't have dared to dream of such a fairy tale. Accumulating praise from previous performances, Renly achieved a remarkable feat through this commercial film, surpassing Vin Diesel and Paul Walker to become the biggest winner of this action-packed movie. And this was happening in real life.
When the discussion first started, Andy had heard about it but hadn't paid much attention.
He thought it was just one of Universal Pictures' promotional tactics. From an objective standpoint, it sounded too far-fetched, even unbelievable. His first reaction was to doubt whether he had issued any relevant instructions and inadvertently fueled this topic online. However, he was certain he hadn't. But if it was Universal Pictures' doing, then everything made sense.
If the word of mouth was strong and the praise abundant, it made sense to stir things up a bit more, using the free resources of the internet to attract more viewers to theaters, thus contributing to the box office.
But Andy didn't take it too seriously because he believed it was merely a publicity stunt.
So far, Renly's achievements during this summer box office season were more than enough, and one couldn't get too greedy. The immediate task was for Renly to wholeheartedly invest himself in the shooting of "Detachment". To avoid a recurrence of the disruptions during the filming of "50/50", Andy didn't intentionally promote online discussions. Instead, he allowed word-of-mouth to gradually spread and settle down. This approach might be slower, but it was thorough.
Meanwhile, Andy began contacting various major film companies, one by one, to prepare for Renly's next project.
This wasn't just precautionary but also standard procedure. Most top-tier commercial films began their preparations two to three years in advance, and during this preparatory phase, all sorts of unexpected events could occur, including changes in actors, directors, screenwriters, and even producers. Therefore, early contact and having more resources at hand while preparing for multiple contingencies were standard practices.
However, during this process, Andy unexpectedly discovered that Universal Pictures was seriously considering a spin-off film centered around Luke Hobbs, with Renly as the lead. It was real! At the very least, the possibility had reached a point where it needed to be taken seriously!
The origins of the online rumors couldn't be verified, but it was certain that within Universal Pictures, there was a lot of interest in this proposal. It sounded ridiculous at first, but upon closer examination, it seemed quite plausible.
Firstly, Universal Pictures wasn't known for developing sequels; this was widely known in Hollywood. It was a rare feat that the "Fast & Furious" series had been resurrected. Naturally, they wouldn't easily give it up. If they could create a spin-off movie with Luke Hobbs as the core, it would be an excellent opportunity for Universal Pictures, something they would wholeheartedly embrace.
Furthermore, "Renly Hall" became the best reason to start a spin-off. Not because Renly was such a big star, so dominant, or so valuable. It was because Renly had the potential to carry a commercial blockbuster independently. The recent wave of support from netizens was undeniable proof of this. However, he still lacked experience in shouldering the entire project, and his salary remained at a moderate level, making him a prime example of excellent value for money.
Additionally, the media's amplification played a crucial role. While "Fast 5" was still hot in theaters, major media outlets were eager to plan for the sequel. In the eyes of mainstream media, besides director Justin Lin, Renly was undoubtedly the most important figure on the renewal ranking list. Even Vanity Fair referred to Renly as the "core catalyst that drives the success of the film series".
If they could replicate the miracle of the first "Fast & Furious" series installment, investing moderately and reaping over a $100M in North American box office returns, Universal Pictures was certainly willing to give it a try. Such projects were their specialty. So, this was by no means nonsense or baseless speculation.
From the resounding success at the box office to the newfound online fame and the focus of major film studios, taking one step at a time, Renly had achieved an incredible breakthrough this summer. He could undoubtedly be described as riding high, entering a whole new phase in his career.
Of course, all these were analyses on paper, and only the top executives at Universal Pictures knew the actual situation.
Moreover, even if all of this were true, Universal Pictures seriously considering a spin-off didn't necessarily guarantee anything. In the real world of Hollywood, a project that had been greenlit could drag on for several years before actual production and could eventually be canceled. Such cases were numerous.
However, this piece of news gave Andy a new inspiration.
In fact, regarding Renly's next project, Andy hadn't settled on a specific plan. He held an open-minded attitude, welcoming various possibilities, whether it was independent art films or commercial blockbusters.
After the consecutive success of "Buried", "Like Crazy", and "Fast 5", Renly's acting career had reached a turning point. For his next project, Andy needed to carefully consider various factors. These included the theme and script, the role itself, the salary, and other related terms, all of which needed to be taken into account.
Especially the salary.
Before the summer season, Renly's asking price ranged from one to three million. However, so far, his highest salary was merely $800,000 for "50/50". This was the basic salary figure, and after the North American box office tally for "Fast 5" was finalized, Renly would receive a share of the box office earnings, which would undoubtedly set a new high for his salary.
So, where should the salary for his next project fall? This required careful consideration.
On the one hand, "Fast 5" was just a third-tier character, nominally a supporting role, and the gap in salary between supporting and leading roles wasn't easily bridged. On the other hand, Emmy Awards, Sundance Awards, Golden Globe nominations, Oscar nominations, combined with his outstanding performance in the summer box office, placed him squarely between A-list and B-list status. His salary should fluctuate between $8-15M.
Salary wasn't just about income; it was also a reflection of an actor's status in the industry. The salary negotiation between Dwayne Johnson and the "Fast 5" production team still lingered in Andy's memory. Now, it was Andy's turn to engage in salary negotiations with Universal Pictures for Renly. Even if it fell within the range of eight million to fifteen million, the difference between eight million, ten million, twelve million, and fifteen million was significant, especially for a newcomer.
Initially, Andy had intended to gather more information and carefully assess various projects before formulating a plan. However, Universal Pictures' intentions led Andy to a new idea. Perhaps this could be the breakthrough for Renly's next project. Currently, Renly was in a seller's market, and Universal Pictures was the buyer. The outstanding performance of "Fast 5" and the potential for a spin-off provided Andy with enough bargaining chips to aim for a higher salary.
Even if the recent rumors were entirely unfounded, and Universal Pictures had no such plans, Andy wouldn't incur any losses by trying. Who knew, maybe they'd achieve a breakthrough?
Now, Andy was in a taxi heading to Universal Pictures' office building. The previous meeting had lasted longer than expected, and he was almost running late. Andy abandoned his plan to drive himself and instead hailed a taxi. This way, he had some time to prepare.
At this moment, his phone screen displayed his preparation material: recent posts from the Yahoo Community. The content he had previously ignored might now hold the key to the next step, so Andy needed to carefully read through it.
The taxi pulled up to the side of the road, and after paying the fare, Andy, with his plump figure, swayed as he hurried into the building. The refreshing air conditioning inside blocked out the scorching summer heat, and the harsh sunlight, piercing through the bright windows, illuminated the space, making it both well-lit and cooling. Andy let out a long breath, feeling relieved.
For top-tier megastars, these matters could easily be handled through phone conversations or by meeting at resorts like Malibu, where they could relax while discussing business, enjoying work as if it were leisure. But for now, Renly was still a rising star. Before he reached the pinnacle, Andy had to continue working diligently.
After checking in at the front desk, he took the elevator to the corresponding floor and entered the glass-enclosed meeting room. However, upon pushing the door open, Andy immediately sensed that something was amiss. The stifling air hit him, and he even took a step back before fully entering.
Glass-enclosed meeting rooms were trendy, providing a modern aesthetic and offering views of the city. The higher the floor, the closer you got to a godly perspective, the sensation of standing at the pinnacle of power, which intoxicated everyone. However, these meeting rooms had a fatal flaw—the sun had no hindrance. Even if you closed the sunshade curtains, the temperature would continue to rise, causing high energy consumption for air conditioning.
At this moment, the temperature in this meeting room was worse than a sauna. Andy then heard an apologetic explanation from the side, "I'm sorry, the air conditioning in this meeting room is broken."