"Welcome, everyone, to this splendid soirée," Meryl Streep's voice echoed through the grand entrance of the lavishly decorated banquet hall, her gaze fixating momentarily on the trio approaching. With a practiced smile, she stepped forward, arms outstretched for embraces.
Taking in the triumvirate of Hollywood personalities, she paused before speaking, her tone deliberate. "Inviting you all here took some serious effort and resolve, you know?"
Martin, ever the collaborator, chimed in, "Oh? And why's that?"
Meryl met their collective gaze, her expression serious. "I had genuine concerns that you gentlemen might treat my humble gathering as a battlefield, redecorating with the ceiling as your canvas."
Leonardo playfully nudged Nicholson forward, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Fear not, for the sake of Jack, we promise to behave. Your party, after all."
With outsiders now absent, Martin wasted no time redirecting attention, his gaze fixed on Nicholson. "Jack, why not stand by Meryl's side and play the gracious host?"
Meryl, ever the enigmatic figure, hinted at her intentions with a coy smile. "I'm quite fine, Martin. Tonight, I require a male counterpart."
Nicholson scoffed, his demeanor nonchalant. "Come on now, who could possibly fill those shoes?"
Meryl's gaze lingered on Nicholson, her hand idly reaching into her handbag, retrieving a small box. Martin observed with keen interest, while Leonardo watched the scene unfold.
Nicholson made a swift exit into the hall, ignoring any further banter.
"Don't rush off," Leonardo feigned a tug at Nicholson's arm, his attempt to detain futile as Nicholson disappeared into the throng.
Meryl, unfazed, touched up her makeup, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Not one for backing down, are you?"
Martin and Leonardo followed suit, entering the bustling hall.
Nicholson, hidden from view, leaned in, his eyes darting back to the doorway. "She didn't say anything, did she?"
Martin shook his head. "Not a word. Worried she might propose to you in front of everyone?"
Nicholson's concern was palpable. "What if she does? Refusing could put me out of the running for good."
The trio mingled with familiar faces, their laughter filling the air.
Suddenly, a blonde figure approached. "Hi, Martin, Leo."
She greeted Martin and Leonardo warmly, ignoring Nicholson's presence.
Martin's eyes traced her form appreciatively. Tall and elegant, with delicate features reminiscent of Meryl's, yet possessing a distinct beauty of her own.
"We've met before," Martin recalled. "You're Meryl's daughter, Louisa."
Louisa Jacobson nodded, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Indeed, a few years back in New York."
Leonardo offered a nod of recognition. "You were just a kid then. My, how time flies."
Louisa's smile lingered briefly before she turned away, addressing Martin directly. "I'm throwing a bash next week. Will you be there?"
Before Martin could respond, Nicholson materialized beside him like a specter.
Sensing Nicholson's unspoken intentions, Martin replied, "I've got a lot on my plate lately, might not make it."
Leonardo, ready to interject, was promptly whisked away by Nicholson.
"Let's catch up when we can," Martin added, excusing himself from the conversation.
Louisa's gaze lingered on Nicholson's retreating figure, a hint of resentment flickering in her eyes.
In a more secluded spot, Leonardo voiced his dissatisfaction. "Jack, what's your game here?"
Martin shook his head, a quizzical expression crossing his features. "That's not your daughter, is it?"
"Don't pin this on me!" Nicholson shot back defensively. "She's Meryl and Gumo's kid."
Martin and Leonardo exchanged skeptical glances, unconvinced.
Nicholson, sensing their skepticism, opted for silence.
Looking for new distractions, Leonardo announced, "I'll find someone else to chat with."
Martin spotted an acquaintance and followed suit, excusing himself to engage in conversation.
Meanwhile, Nicholson, left to his own devices, scanned the room before seeking out Meryl Streep.
Spotting Martin, Spielberg adjusted his iconic glasses before approaching. "Heard you ruffled Megan Ellison's feathers the other day?"
Martin shrugged nonchalantly. "Just business. Her film 'Seventh Son' was a gamble at $30 million."
Segueing smoothly, he continued, "Nolan dropped by, mentioned 'Interstellar' and time travel."
Spielberg nodded thoughtfully. "In big-budget ventures, the lead should be a megastar. You or Tommy fit the bill."
Martin nodded in agreement. "It all hinges on Jon Berg at Warner Pictures."
Spielberg grinned knowingly. "He's on his way."
Sure enough, Jon Berg approached, taking a seat opposite Martin.
"Let's chat," Jon Berg began, prompting a smile from Martin.
"A few years back, at New Line Cinema," Jon Berg reminisced, "I heard your name tossed around. Fresh talent, just starting out with Warner Pictures."
The insinuations weren't lost on Martin, who didn't bother to refute them. "Your eyes were opened by the Warner Pictures collaborations. Interesting."
Jon Bogner leveled a penetrating stare at Martin. "You owe your current standing to Warner Pictures!"
He underscored the cultural significance of Martin's marriage to Kevin Tsujihara's Japanese-American wife. "The lack of respect and gratitude towards Warner Pictures begs the question: why not lead the charge in suing them?"
Martin maintained his composure. "Let's keep business separate from moral posturing. Warner Pictures breached the contract first by failing to respect our agreement."
Jon Berg's lip curled in disdain. "Warner extended an olive branch, but you spurned their goodwill."
"It's easy to gloss over contract breaches," Martin retorted. "But come June, your default period exceeds six months. Do contract stipulations mean nothing to you?"
Jon Berg countered, "Your share will still be paid next month, with full bank interest coverage."
Martin waved off further discussion. "Direct your legal department to contact my lawyer."
Leaning in, Jon Berg issued a chilling warning. "Remember, you're up against Warner Brothers."
He continued coldly, "Warner Brothers has weathered nearly a century, witnessing the rise and fall of countless stars. You're not exempt."
Martin sensed the underlying threat but remained composed. "I recall Jack's fruitful collaborations with Warner, living quite comfortably."
"Do you truly wish to provoke Warner's ire?" Jon Berg's tone turned menacing.
Martin shook his head, countering with facts. "Yes, Warner boasts a century of history. But how many presidents have they cycled through? The one prior to Alan Horn barely lasted eighteen months before being ousted. In the '90s, two more presidents barely made it past two and a half years each, bungling big-budget projects and being shown the door..."
Jon Berg's expression shifted dramatically, his face darkening.
Rising to leave, Martin extended a parting wish. "Jon, may your upcoming film 'Jack the Giant Catcher' soar at the box office, and may you see a promotion and salary bump."
As Martin exited, the film's poster flashed before Jon Berg's eyes, triggering a realization. Warner Bros., distributor of "Transcendental" and "The Lone Ranger" for Annapurna Pictures, saw both ventures flop. This led to terminating the distribution deal for "Seventh Son" with Annapurna. Recently, Annapurna tried to offload the rights without success, a $40 million burden no one wanted. Rumor had it that all three projects were poached by Megan Ellison from Martin Davis.
Warner Pictures found itself in a similar predicament with Martin Davis, as projects like "Pharaohs and Gods" and "Dark places" met with equal failure.
Jon Berg's body went numb, a chill creeping up his spine.
Where had the inspiration for "Jack the Giant Slayer" originated?
Jon Berg recalled his visit to the Davis studio, noticing two weathered fairy tale books, "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Jack the Giant Slayer," along with a script of the same title. The well-thumbed pages betrayed Martin's familiarity with the stories, leading Jon to greenlight the epic project.
"It's inconceivable," Jon Berg muttered, shaking his head. "No one expected me to stumble upon those books that day. I conceived the project independently."
He refused to acknowledge any deception. "Martin Davis's underhanded tactics won't elude my scrutiny."
With Warner Pictures investing over $200 million in "Jack the Giant Slayer," Jon Berg couldn't entertain the notion of backtracking now, the sunk costs were astronomical.
Turning his attention to Martin's retreating figure, Jon Berg resolved to defer dealing with him until after the film's release and, hopefully, success.
Nicholson, left to his own devices, approached Jon Berg. "Was he threatening you just now?"
Martin's response was nonchalant. "He warned me about the impending avalanche called Warner, ready to crush me to a pulp."
Nicholson chuckled before remarking, "You should keep your guard up."
Martin nodded knowingly. "I've anticipated this day for a while. That's why I've deepened my collaboration with Disney, given Warner's remarkable new management team."
Leonardo chimed in, "Playing defense isn't our style. We need a strategy to counter him."
Martin glanced at Leonardo. "You've been cozying up to Warner lately. When the time's right, lend me your support."
"Consider it done," Leonardo assured him.