The people from Paramount left, feeling somewhat disheartened.
Afterward, the representatives from EuropaCorp also left one by one, leaving only Lyman and Luc Besson in the spacious conference room.
Luc knew that Lyman must be feeling puzzled at this moment, so he chose to stay behind.
"In this new project, Paramount will invest $60M, and they will have a significant say in it," Luc said, starting the conversation.
Lyman was even more confused after hearing this, and he shot a questioning look.
No wonder the people from Paramount were so assertive; they had the confidence.
"They gave up the film's copyright and only asked for a share of the profits. They also handed over the overseas distribution rights, excluding North America, to us and declared that they won't interfere," Luc stood up and said slowly, "It's an irresistible proposal, so we agreed to their above-average investment proportion."
To ensure that all investors' interests were protected in the offline revenue-sharing, theoretically, each investor should have a part of the film's copyright based on their investment proportion. For example, even though the "Mission: Impossible" series was primarily produced by Paramount, Tom Cruise invested a considerable amount and took on the risk, which resulted in him holding more film copyrights than Paramount. This also meant that the series couldn't move forward without Tom's involvement.
That was why Sherry advocated for Tom Cruise to join.
Everything revolved around an exchange of interests.
Paramount wanted to expand their performance, which was also Sherry's way of self-preservation.
Tom wanted to transition and not be just a screen idol.
EuropaCorp didn't want to take on too much risk but wanted to have long-term benefits.
As for Lyman, it was no different. At the moment, they were at a deadlock concerning the revenue sharing and investment amount, and he also had his considerations.
"Ah, I understand."
After saying that, Lyman shook hands with Luc, politely bid farewell, and left.
Once he left the headquarters building, he called his agent, John, and instructed him to reach an agreement with EuropaCorp as soon as possible, even if they had to slightly lower their conditions.
After giving the instructions, Lyman put down his phone and looked up at the deep blue sky, unable to help but smile.
He had initially thought it was just a simple meeting, but he didn't expect so many twists and turns to happen.
But it was good; life was all about experiencing more twists and turns while alive.
...
In Tom Cruise's mansion, after having lunch and taking a short nap, his agent, Pat Kinsey, called.
Tom wasn't surprised because he knew that Paramount's people had flown to Paris to negotiate with Lyman. He thought everything had worked out, and he was feeling somewhat relaxed, "Hello, Pat, it's Tom."
"Are you at home now?"
"Yes, I'm at this property in Beverly Hills."
There was a moment of silence on the other end, which made Tom realize something was wrong, "What happened with the new project's role?"
"Because of what?" he asked calmly.
To be honest, he didn't expect to be rejected. When it came to being willing to lower his pay to join a project, as long as he did it, things usually worked out.
"Lyman is not willing to change the story setting in the script, so..."
Although Pat's words were ambiguous, Tom roughly understood what had happened.
In essence, his value wasn't of great concern to Lyman, and he wasn't willing to make any changes for him.
"I'll come over right away. Let's meet and talk. It's hard to explain over the phone," Pat continued.
Upon hearing the busy tone on the phone, Tom instantly lost his good mood.
He never expected that he took the initiative, but the result disappointed him.
The idea of transitioning had been in his mind for quite some time.
The poor reception of "Mission: Impossible 2" made him realize that his market appeal was gradually declining. For an actor like him, who had always been mocked by critics as "lacking acting skills" and a "pretty face", this was a terrifying prospect.
Later, he appeared in romantic arthouse film "Vanilla Sky", Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report", and many other films that focused on storytelling rather than the commercial action roles he had taken in the past.
He no longer considered the amount of his paycheck but pondered the depth of his roles. Yet, unsurprisingly, those harsh critics still didn't let him off the hook.
After years of struggles in the film industry, there would never be a day when he earned enough money. But who wouldn't want to earn praise and money simultaneously? Constantly being criticized, how could one's mood ever be carefree?
He increasingly wanted to prove that he wasn't just a pretty face actor. However, there were no suitable roles for him.
From last July to the present, he hadn't taken on a single film. Why? It was because he realized that apart from those cool action roles, no one sought him out for anything else.
In essence, even people within the industry believed that he was best suited for roles that didn't require much acting.
An actor's life was truly strange. Tom had experienced the sensation of overnight fame, but when he felt that he shouldn't continue developing in that direction and wanted to break through his typecasting, he discovered that he had already been bound by too many constraints.
People's impressions of him had already solidified.
To be honest, he envied Nicolas Cage. People were willing to cast him in any kind of role, and he had even won an Oscar. He excelled in commercial films as well; it seemed like nothing could hold him back.
Even "Windtalkers", the small blimp, doesn't count.
He didn't want to waste his life and be remembered only for the screen images in "Top Gun" or "Mission: Impossible".
Who would want to be labeled as a "pretty vase" when they could become a "powerhouse" in the industry?
You see, even the most handsome "vase" will eventually age. He was already 41 years old, far from being young.
At his age, many roles were naturally limited.
Moreover, competition among male actors over thirty was extremely fierce. Though not as exaggerated as for female actors, most opportunities for "vase" actors were cut off once they crossed the threshold of thirty. Without transitioning, they would be doomed. He could keenly feel the changes in this market.
If he didn't progress, he would regress. It wasn't until he discovered Heath Ledger that he had a new idea.
He might not be as handsome, but his acting skills were acknowledged by a host of critics.
And from being unknown to his current status in the industry, it only took two films: a solo performance in "Buried" and an ensemble role in "Fury".
Both films were directed by Lyman and showcased two distinct screen characters, both of which received critical acclaim.
Since then, Tom had been invited to the premiere of "Fury" and kept a close eye on its market performance. He had been passionate about this ever since Lyman announced a new project.
However, it seemed like he failed.
...
Around 2 p.m., Tom's agent, Pat Kingsley, arrived at his home.
Both of them were not in a good mood. They sat on the couch facing each other and remained silent for a moment.
The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, and Pat was the first to break the silence. "Shortly after Paramount returned to Los Angeles, Mrs. Lansing called me. She said she was powerless in this matter. Later, I asked the people who attended the meeting in detail, and I found out that Director Lyman's attitude was very resolute. He couldn't tolerate any changes to the story's ending or character settings." She glanced at Tom Cruise and continued, "Tom, what do you think?"
"Can we still fight for it?" Tom didn't hide his sense of urgency and said anxiously, "Should I continue to lower my salary? Do you think he will agree?"
"I don't think he cares much about the salary." Pat said tactfully.
A joke! A big-budget production with a budget of $100M. There was at least $30M left for the actor's salary, which would be no problem to hire a top-tier star.
"What should we do then?" Tom was at a loss for ideas.
The situation didn't develop as he had anticipated, leaving him feeling helpless.
But Pat was a person with ideas. She had been in charge of Tom's agency business for many years and had unique insights. She had some thoughts on the way here. Seeing Tom's strong attitude in fighting for Lyman's new project, she straightforwardly said, "Let's find Kevin Huvane first, have him introduce us to Lyman, and we can negotiate the role face to face."
"But will he be willing?"
"He is a smart person, and he will be willing." Pat continued, "After the meeting, no one, including Paramount, can change the character setting. Even if we continue to propose it, it won't work."
She took a deep look at Tom Cruise and suddenly asked, "Will this harm the screen image you have accumulated in the audience's mind? Are you sure you want to take on the role of a villain, under the condition that Lyman agrees?"
Tom Cruise pondered for a long time and said, "If the character is truly fascinating, I think I would be willing to take it on."
"Well, it's good that you have ideas. Remember to gauge the situation during the negotiations and, if necessary, reveal your willingness to accept further salary cuts."
Pat clearly knew that her client had encountered a bottleneck in his acting career. Without a breakthrough, the path ahead would only become narrower.
And Lyman was currently one of the hottest rising star directors in Hollywood, clearly in a period of rapid career ascent. It was essential to establish a good relationship with him.