Simon didn't expect Nicole to suddenly say that, a smile appearing on his lips, "Really obedient?"
Nicole Kidman, sensing something different in the man's smile, nodded, "Really."
"So..." Simon glanced at the bottle of water Nicole had just placed on the table and pointed, "Drink this bottle of water."
Nicole, puzzled, "Hmm?"
"I said," Simon gestured again, "Drink this bottle of water."
Nicole understood.
This must be a test, right?
It's just a bottle of water, easy enough.
Nicole didn't see it as a big deal, lifted the bottle to her lips, and drank, while casting sly glances at the man next to her, a very alluring sight.
Simon watched with interest as Nicole finished the bottle, then handed her his own, "And this one."
Nicole looked at the bottle, partially drunk by Simon, and although she didn't feel repulsed, she hesitated, "Why drink so much water?"
"It's nothing," Simon shook his head, "You said you'd be obedient, I'm just testing it."
"I," Nicole gave Simon a sidelong glance, "There are so many things to do, no need to drink water, right?"
Simon nodded, but his expression turned cold, leaning back on the sofa, "Go back to the hall, I'll stay here for a bit."
Nicole pursed her lips, looking a bit aggrieved. Seeing Simon unresponsive, she reluctantly lifted the bottle to her lips again.
After all, it was touched by him, and as she sipped, she felt a strange emotion, inadvertently flicking her tongue across the bottle's mouth.
Of course, she felt nothing.
After finishing another 500ml bottle of water, Nicole placed the empty bottle down, wiping her mouth, and timidly asked, "Now, do I get the role of Wonder Woman?"
Simon shook his head: "No."
She wanted to lash out at that infuriatingly handsome face.
Of course.
That was just wishful thinking.
Nicole, holding back, launched another grievance attack, her eyes brimming with tears as if about to cry.
Simon, however, glanced at his watch, "There's about 100 minutes left of the movie. Go back to your seat in the hall, and don't leave before it ends."
Nicole blinked.
She had just drunk 1000ml of water.
"Simon, you're really mean."
Simon shrugged, "You said you'd be obedient."
"I meant, if you'd give me the role of Wonder Woman..."
"I said no. But, if you can prove you're truly obedient, I'll definitely consider you for suitable roles in the future."
Nicole bit her lip, still glaring at him slightly, "You promise?"
"I don't promise," Simon sat up straight, ignoring the looks from some staff, lifted a finger to Nicole's chin, "Actually, 'obedience' doesn't attract me at all, Miss Kidman. In Hollywood today, if I wanted, I could find a hundred girls more obedient than you. So, you're in no position to negotiate with me."
Simon's finger retreated as quickly as it had approached, but Nicole lifted her chin, like a swan trying to maintain its pride.
She wanted to hold his gaze for a moment, but he didn't respond, instead picking up a copy of "Variety" magazine from the table to read.
After a moment, Nicole finally gave in, pointing towards the restroom, "Can I go there first?"
Simon nodded with a smile, easygoing, "Of course, you can go anytime. The last thing I like to do is force someone."
Yeah right, as if she'd believe that!
Hesitating, Terry Semel, CEO of Warner Bros., appeared backstage. Seeing Simon, he walked over directly.
Knowing Semel had business with Simon, Nicole politely stood up, greeted him, and hesitated before obediently returning to the hall.
She had drunk both bottles of water; it couldn't be for nothing.
If she did as he said, this jerk probably wouldn't completely ignore her.
Many in the circle were aware of why Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" featured a new actress, and why Demi Moore, an actress of little renown, suddenly landed the lead role in Daenerys Entertainment's "Ghost."
Compared to those who turned their backs after getting what they wanted, he was somewhat reputable.
Simon noticed Nicole heading back to the hall, the smile on his lips deepening.
After all, she was just a 22-year-old naif. Most girls her age were just graduating college, and Nicole couldn't possibly fathom Simon's nefarious intentions.
People are very vulnerable in certain situations.
Pushed to the limit, the subject will inevitably form a very, very deep impression of the one issuing commands.
Since the initial screening, Terry Semel had seen "Batman: The Beginning" numerous times, so inside the hall, he focused more on observing the audience's reactions.
Movie business is the most uncertain.
Even films praised by professionals during internal screenings can fail to achieve good box office results upon release. Conversely, films not initially noticed often become dark horses.
As the first large-scale premiere for the general audience, just over thirty minutes in, Terry Semel was convinced from the feedback of over 1200 viewers that Simon Westeros's new film would definitely be loved by the audience and recognized by the market.
Warner Bros.' performance this year was red-hot.
Summer's "Lethal Weapon 2" and Thanksgiving's "Awakenings" both reached over a hundred million, breaking Warner's streak of years without a domestic blockbuster.
Now, "Batman: The Beginning" was also a sure bet to break the hundred million mark.
Though Warner had to share profits with Daenerys Entertainment for both films at year's end, just the domestic box office projection of over $170 million for "Awakenings," as the distributor able to draw a distribution commission, meant this project brought profits equivalent to a blockbuster for Warner. Even without involvement in the sequel, Warner had little to complain about.
Of course, the current focus was "Batman," or the DC Cinematic Universe plan.
If the movie universe plan described by Simon could be realized, Terry Semel believed Warner's film business wouldn't fare poorly over the next decade.
Though Daenerys Entertainment held the rights to the DC Trinity, according to this young man's description, DC still had superheroes like Green Lantern and The Flash, not far behind the Trinity in fame, which could be developed independently and intersect with the planned cinematic universe.
Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern...
Multiple superheroes collaborating to fight villains and save the world, even without considering comic fans, Terry Semel could imagine the thrilling grand scenes of heroes assembling.
Therefore, with only over thirty minutes of the director's cut played in the hall, Terry Semel, finding Simon not at his seat, eagerly came over, hoping to finalize the matter in one go.
Having secured the DC Trinity, Simon no longer aspired to obtain more superhero rights from Warner.
However, Simon didn't mind Warner independently developing superheroes like The Flash and integrating them into the collaborative DC Cinematic Universe.
Since becoming the federal top rich in September, compared to quickly earning more wealth, Simon's focus gradually shifted towards expanding his influence. Of course, making money was still essential,
but in the process, gaining more power and influence in Hollywood and the sectors involved by Westeros Corp was Simon's goal.
If one only had a pile of money without corresponding influence, the richer one became, the more they appeared as a target in others' eyes.
Collaborating for mutual gain, though it seemed like giving up some profits, Simon could actually gain more.
If the DC Cinematic Universe could be established and Warner became heavily reliant on it, Simon's influence on this media giant would be on par with Terry Semel.
By then, inserting one or two individuals into Warner's film projects would be the least of concerns, allowing Simon to obtain resources and channel support in print media, music, cable TV, and more from Time Warner Bros., which was nearing merger completion.
Simon and Semel continued discussing the DC Cinematic Universe plan backstage, and after a while, applause suddenly came from the direction of the hall.
Not enthusiastic, but both paused their conversation to listen attentively.
Applause during a movie's playback is undoubtedly the greatest affirmation.
Having watched the film multiple times, they didn't need to hear the hall's sound to guess the current plot.
Black Mask Roman Siennis took control of Sal Maroni's gang and began plotting to kill Batman.
The past fifteen minutes marked Batman's first confrontation with Black Mask.
Sal Maroni's body, marked with Batman's emblem and hung in a public place, sparked media debate over Batman's right to vigilantism, forcing Gotham's Police Commissioner James Gordon to publicly declare Batman's capture.
Meanwhile, Black Mask set a trap to lure Batman, leading to a fierce battle where both suffered losses. Batman managed to escape amidst a large police siege.
At a critical moment, Batman used an ultrasonic generator to summon a swarm of bats, using them as cover to escape.
The hall's applause likely celebrated Batman's successful escape.
After all, the audience in front of the big screen, unlike Gotham's citizens kept in the dark, knew well what Batman had done and always saw him as a hero, naturally applauding his escape.
Simon had no intention of returning to the hall before the movie ended, continuing the discussion with Terry Semel on the DC Cinematic Universe plan.
On the big screen in the hall.
Though Batman escaped, he was also severely injured and had to lay low for a while.
The now crazed Black Mask, to maintain control over the JANUS Corporation, began targeting those aware of the 'Angel' cream's safety issues.
Two JANUS Corporation engineers responsible for product testing were the first to be eliminated, followed by several reporters from "The Gotham Times." The reporter who had tipped off Roman Siennis was the first to suffer, with Black Mask conveniently leaving Selina Kyle's fingerprints at the scene to implicate Catwoman.
The police issued a warrant for Selina Kyle based on the fingerprints and other 'evidence' left by Roman Siennis.
Catwoman, a morally ambiguous character in the comics without a no-kill rule, was portrayed more as a vigilante in the film. Thus, after being framed, Catwoman began investigating the matter to prove her innocence.
With the city rocked by a series of murders, Batman abandoned his recovery to delve into the case.
Following some clues, Batman quickly located Vicki Vale, who coincidentally faced an attack from Killer Croc.
After several fights, Batman subdued Killer Croc at an abandoned dock, with the police arriving simultaneously.
Despite the previous conflict, Batman held no grudge against the police, knowing Commissioner Gordon to be a just man.
By then, Gordon had also clarified that Sal Maroni's death was unrelated to Batman, recognizing the need for force in some situations.
Thus, the comic duo began their first tentative collaboration in the film.
Based on Killer Croc's testimony provided by Commissioner Gordon, Batman learned the whole affair was orchestrated by Black Mask, Maroni's successor.
However, Killer Croc was unaware of Black Mask's true identity, and although the police noticed the turmoil within Maroni's gang, they were at a loss. Commissioner Gordon then tasked Batman with uncovering the truth.
Batman's investigation into Black Mask's identity led him to encounter Catwoman, who had just suffered a defeat at Black Mask's hands.
Before falling unconscious from her injuries, Catwoman revealed some inside information to Batman, who, after consideration, didn't hand her over to the police but instead detained her in the Batcave, beginning to... oh, no, began persuading the wayward girl to turn over a new leaf.
Meanwhile, Batman shared the whole truth with Commissioner Gordon, trying to resolve the matter through legal means.
But the exposed Black Mask went completely mad, causing heavy casualties among the police with Deadshot and his men, planning to flee Gotham.
Batman had to intervene again.
In the Batcave, watching Batman trapped between Black Mask and Deadshot through remote surveillance, Catwoman, aware of their formidable skills, persuaded Alfred to let her go to Batman's aid. Alfred agreed and sent Catwoman to the battlefield in the Batwing.
The climax was a fifteen-minute ultimate battle.
___________________
(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)
If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters
Read Ahead
Patreon.com/INNIT