Andy had expected Universal Pictures to take a hard stance.
They had done the same with Dwayne Johnson initially, refusing to budge, and Neal wasn't willing to compromise either, which ultimately led to a breakdown in negotiations. Andy had cleverly used this situation to secure Renly's opportunity. Now, as Renly sought an increase in his salary, Universal Pictures wouldn't easily yield.
But comparing Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Renly Hall on the same scale? Andy couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Any industry insider knew that commercial value could be cultivated. In the past thirty years, box office champions had changed several times, from Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Johnny Depp, to Robert Downey Jr. However, alongside them, a new wave of actors with box office appeal had continuously emerged. Fresh faces in commercial films were always popular, even for male leads, and Chris Hemsworth was the latest representative.
However, in the past thirty years, the outstanding veteran actors remained the same—Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Penn, Denzel Washington, among others. That's why the topic of the rise of Gen Y at the Oscars generated so much buzz. It was because Gen X actors hadn't lived up to expectations, failing to take the mantle from the Baby Boomer generation. Now, Renly was undoubtedly one of Gen Y's leading actors, and that was precious in itself.
In simple terms, Renly and the two Chrises had different positions and different future potentials. They weren't comparable situations at all. Yet, Michael had conducted such a crude "statistical analysis", which was both absurd and amusing.
Andy still wore a radiant smile on his face, but the strength in his words was as heavy as a thousand pounds. He retorted directly, not mincing words, "This is actually quite good. You can go find Chris, any Chris will do. I'm not entirely sure if Disney has signed an exclusive agreement, but I believe you'll receive a response that exceeds your expectations."
In this meeting, Andy's response could even be considered impolite. Even Neal's expression stiffened, not to mention Michael. The atmosphere rapidly cooled down, and Michael didn't even want to maintain a courteous smile. He stared at Andy with a serious expression, seemingly questioning, "Are you joking?"
"$10M for the spin-off movie, $8M for two sequels. In addition, a five percent share of the box office." Hidden beneath Andy's amiable smile was a lion-sized ambition.
From the very beginning of today's meeting, Universal Pictures had applied pressure. Every detail reminded Andy not to act recklessly. In the face of Hollywood's big six like them, Renly was still just a small fry. Just as they could have given up Dwayne Johnson and chosen Renly before, they could also choose to abandon Renly now and select another actor to join the sequels' filming.
Since the other party had put in so much effort, Andy decided to go along with the situation and make a hefty demand, expressing Renly's "ignorance of the world." Failing to do so would be a disservice to Universal Pictures' painstaking efforts.
With such conditions, it could be said that it met the standards of an A-list actor. It was on par with Vin Diesel's status in "Fast & Furious". For Renly at his current level, it was undoubtedly beyond his capabilities.
After Andy uttered those words, Neal found himself momentarily stunned, while Michael burst into laughter, assuming that Andy was joking. However, when he saw the seriousness in Andy's expression, the smile froze on Michael's lips.
Originally, Andy hadn't intended to be this radical. But now, he had perfectly showcased his dominance and assertiveness, and this wasn't the end. "Of course, we have other methods of cooperation," he continued. This sentence caused Michael's stiff expression to relax slightly, but it was short-lived.
"We can start by discussing the spin-off movie. We can gradually talk about the sequel's cooperation agreement afterward," Andy proposed a "wait and see" attitude. His confidence expressed trust in Renly, and as time passed, he believed Renly's salary would only increase, leaving Universal Pictures to regret their decisions. "Regarding the spin-off movie, I think it's a perfect proposal. As a member of CAA, I'm more than willing to lead the entire team in casting for this spin-off and create a perfect ensemble."
CAA was currently the undisputed industry leader in Hollywood. Their actors represented nearly thirty percent of Hollywood, definitely more than less. As such a giant, even in front of top-tier giants like Warner Bros. and Disney, they showed no signs of weakness.
Any actor was replaceable; that was a fundamental rule in Hollywood. Offending Renly was no big deal, but offending Andy and the CAA, represented trouble. However, CAA was also an industry heavyweight. Would they tear up their relationship with Universal Pictures over just Renly? Clearly not.
In the blink of an eye, Michael's mind was racing, and it ultimately turned into hearty laughter. "Haha, I've heard you're quite humorous, and I finally got to witness it today. We're very much looking forward to comprehensive cooperation in the future. But as for the signing agreement for Renly, that's absolutely impossible."
Andy didn't refute him either, and his smile remained unchanged. "I make a clear distinction between personal and professional matters. I believe you do too. Regarding Universal Pictures' signing agreement, you should know that it's also absolutely impossible."
Both Michael and Andy stood their ground, and for a moment, the atmosphere became incredibly tense. This wasn't just a personal clash; it was a strategic maneuver between two top-tier companies. Neither party was willing to concede easily.
Neal, sandwiched between them, looked visibly uncomfortable. He cleared his throat softly, breaking the frozen silence. "Today is just our first meeting, and our conversation has been quite eventful. It seems we can look forward to future cooperation. Next, there are many details we need to discuss slowly, right?"
Neal glanced at both of them, seeking answers, but neither of them immediately responded, leaving the conversation hanging in the air. Finally, it was Andy who broke the silence with a laugh. "Of course, what we call "cooperation" hasn't even taken its first step yet."
In this clash, where Michael had briefly held the upper hand, he lifted his chin slightly, straightened his posture, and exhibited the demeanor of someone in control. "Well then, let's conclude for today. I wouldn't want to delay your trip to the airport. After all, family is always the most important."
There were no pleasantries, no small talk. The conversation ended abruptly and with a certain stiffness, reaffirming Universal Pictures' dominance when it came to core interests. When it came to the struggle for control, the unyielding stance of the six major film companies was unquestionable.
Andy knew that Michael was showing him the door. He remained unfazed, stood up, and with a cheerful smile, said, "I think there's still a lot of work to be done within Universal Pictures. I won't delay your serious business any further. Goodbye."
He left decisively, and while his departure seemed straightforward, the implications in his words struck back forcefully: Neal and Michael weren't on the same page. Plus, what was Ron Meyer's stance in all of this?
Michael didn't leave his office; it was Neal who escorted Andy to the elevator. Today's meeting ended on this unsatisfactory note, but it hadn't started out very pleasant to begin with. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the summer blockbuster season, negotiations for the "Fast & Furious" series hadn't gone as smoothly as expected.
After leaving Universal Pictures, Andy wasn't angry. Instead, he calmed down and reorganized the whole situation. Subsequently, he informed his company and began to gather information through his vast network.
CAA was renowned for resource sharing. The resources of agents were open to all the company's signed artists, and likewise, the resources of signed artists were open to all agents. In the end, this resulted in shared benefits. This was Andy's advantage, and he wouldn't easily let it go.
As for the preparations for the "Fast & Furious" sequel, it was currently one of Universal Pictures' top-secret projects, and only top executives were involved. Gathering information about it wasn't easy. However, CAA had still managed to obtain some information, allowing Andy to piece together the whole puzzle.
Universal Pictures' stance wasn't hard to guess. They wanted to make money through the "Fast & Furious" series, and the spin-off and two sequels were indeed in the works. But they didn't want to spend too much money, with each film's budget hovering around $100M, especially when it came to salaries. They were reluctant to let go easily.
Although it was clear that Renly had played a significant role in catalyzing the success of "Fast 5", when looking at the bigger picture, there was only one film, "Fast 5", that had proven Renly's commercial box office potential. Beyond that, there was no evidence of his outstanding talent, and, more importantly, carrying the lead in an artistic production and saving the world in a commercial film were two different things. Not everyone was suited to be the lead in a blockbuster.
The most famous case was George Clooney, an absolute top-tier Hollywood actor who was ill-suited for the role of a blockbuster male lead. First, in 1997, "Batman & Robin" was a disastrous failure, leading Warner Bros. to shelve the Batman series for nearly a decade. After the turn of the millennium, consecutive failures followed in "The Perfect Storm", "The Monuments Men", and "Tomorrowland". The only fairly successful series was "Ocean's Eleven," consisting of three films, but the box office earnings for each installment declined, and it was only the excellent overseas box office for the final installment that prevented it from being a complete disaster.
If even George Clooney faced such challenges, what about Renly, a newcomer? Universal Pictures wasn't willing to take unnecessary risks.