```
Leaving the eting room, Jon Berg returned to the building, with McDonald, the assistant, following behind him.
He glanced at his boss's expression and knew the eting hadn't gone well.
As he walked, Jon Berg said, "Has the legal departnt been negotiating again with Nolan and Martin Davis's lawyers?"
"Yes," McDonald replied honestly, "they're insisting on enforcing the contract violation, or they won't drop the lawsuit."
Jon Berg said, "Then drag it out." He walked a few more steps and stopped, "Try to get in touch with Emma Thomas. As long as Nolan gives up using Martin Davis as the lead actor, I'll greenlight the project for him."
"Yes," McDonald took out his phone, preparing to make contact.
Continuing towards the Warner Building, Jon Berg had his reservations ever since Martin Davis intended to leave Warner Bros. and go into the arms of the ex, Ellen Horn.
It is well known that exes are always a sensitive issue to the incumbent.
Jon Berg returned to the Warner Building and imdiately sought out Daniel to personally inquire about "Jack the Giant Slayer's" promotion and distribution matters.
There was just over half a month left before the film's release in North Arica.
After increasing the production budget to $250 million, Jon Berg had assembled a formidable professional screening team that spent two months professionally reviewing six different edited versions.
Everyone picked out the most quintessential shots and segnts, and then the best were selected for use based on the variety of choices.
In the end, Jon Berg personally directed an editing team and, based on McDonald's main storyline, rged the best shots and segnts to craft an unprecedented blockbuster!
This was unheard of in Hollywood.
Jon Berg even skipped the test screening because his formidable screening team had watched the base version countless tis.
Like Jas Caron with "Avatar," Jon Berg believed the version he made would set a record in Hollywood!
This wasn't about the box office earnings, but about the film's success, which would completely change Hollywood's post-production mode.
Perhaps, in the future, Hollywood would na it "The Jon Berg Editing thod."
When Jon Berg returned to his office, an assistant brought him an invitation.
"Mr. President, it was sent by ryl Streep," the assistant said, "She's holding a party at her Malibu mansion this weekend and has invited many people from the industry."
Jon Berg opened the invitation and saw ryl Streep's na on the sender's signature.
The actress has always collaborated with Warner Bros., and Jon Berg graciously told the assistant, "I will attend."
The assistant would give ryl Streep a definite reply.
......
In Century City, at the WMA headquarters.
In a lounge, Nolan was furiously venting about the previous project coordination eting.
Initially, Spielberg summoned the eting to coordinate and resolve issues, but as the eting progressed, not only did they fail to resolve the issues, but Spielberg himself also had differing opinions.
Nolan felt like his head was about to explode, "I swear, I'll never direct a script whose rights I don't hold ever again!"
The final screenplay had the nas of Nolan and Jonathan Nolan in the credits, but the core idea ca from DreamWorks' Linda Obst. When DreamWorks was nearly bankrupt, Spielberg had signed a joint production contract with Paramount and Warner Bros. on this project.
Now, there were endless issues and problems to deal with. Others were manageable, but dealing with Jon Berg from Warner Bros. was like facing a problem factory.
Martin said, "It sounds like Jon Berg has a prejudice against , opposing for the sake of opposition."
Nolan completely agreed, "Exactly, his reasons for opposition are sanctimonious but all stem from personal vendettas."
After taking a sip of water, he added, "Jon Berg's assistant, McDonald, contacted Emma in private, stating that as long as I give up on recomnding you as the lead actor, Warner Bros. will completely greenlight the project."
Martin refrained from saying anything as presumptuous as voluntarily giving up and just patiently waited.
When Nolan faced the crisis of the kidnapping incident in Morocco, Martin unhesitatingly stood by Nolan's side.
Nolan didn't make Martin wait and directly said, "I had Emma give a clear response—if you're not playing the lead role in this project, I absolutely won't take the director's chair."
This was not only because of Martin but also ant that his authority in the crew would be greatly undermined.
Martin said, "Chris, thank you."
This Englishman, Nolan, chose the Arican way to fist-bump with Martin, "We're a strong collaboration, you know."
"Exactly, Christopher Nolan plus Martin Davis equals both a box office and critical sensation!" Martin first boasted for both, then continued, "Jon Berg is clearly targeting us, the more he does, the less we're going to give up."
Nolan nodded, "That's exactly what I'm thinking."
Martin took the initiative to ask, "Are the only ones targeting us at Warner Bros. Jon Berg and his group?"
```
"Of course," Nolan could be sure of that, "Jon Berg is the helmsman of Warner Bros. If he wants to push a project to greenlight, he needs the approval of the committee, but if he wants to stall a project, it's too easy."
Martin thought for a mont and asked, "Chris, do you think 'Jack the Giant Slayer,' created from Jon Berg's genius-like creativity, will be successful?"
Nolan seriously considered it and answered, "I don't know what Jon Berg was thinking to create such a peculiar final cut mode, but from my personal viewpoint, can a movie produced in this mode truly avoid stylistic confusion?"
It was just Martin here, so he added one more line, "I think the chances of this film being successful are less than ten percent."
Martin said, "I share your view, but I think the chances of success are at most five percent."
Nolan had collaborated with Martin several tis and grasped his thoughts, "I've heard from the people at Warner Bros. that this movie has a production budget of 250 million US dollars, and marketing costs of 200 million US dollars. Even though the North Arican market mostly uses Warner's dia, the actual investnt is still 100 million US dollars. If this movie fails, it will result in a loss like 'Green Lantern.'"
"My judgnt is, if this movie fails, the loss will be even more severe than 'Green Lantern,' which has a fan base." Martin, through Louise, understood a lot about Warner's internal affairs, "'Gods of Egypt,' 'Dark Places,' and this hugely invested 'Jack the Giant Slayer,' were all led by Jon Berg. The first two have already failed, causing severe losses…"
He asked Nolan, "If this one screws up too, will Jon Berg be held accountable by the Warner board?"
Nolan likewise was in the know, "The reason Jon Berg has put so much money into this project is because he wants to use a comrcial victory to recover from the previous failures he's caused."
Martin remarked, "Chris, let's wait and see, wait until 'Jack the Giant Slayer' is released. Perhaps things will be different then."
Compared to Martin, Nolan, who had recently been tornted by the 'Interstellar' project, was even more annoyed with Jon Berg: "If Warner Bros. changes its person in charge, this project will have no problem."
Under normal circumstances, forcing a film company to change its head is almost impossible.
But Jon Berg, a mber of the Warner Bros. Team, was really too cunning.
Cunning to an extre!
Martin put out his fist, "We truly are the best partners."
Nolan touched his fist with his own and said, "Since he dislikes us, and we dislike him, let's find a way to take him down!"
Martin completely agreed.
Of course, this agreent wasn't about physical destruction; it was about finding a way to replace a mber of the mythical Warner Bros. Team.
It's just unknown whether cunning as a disease could be contagious.
After Emma Thomas returned from her eting with Ari Emanuel and chatted with Martin for a few monts, she and Nolan left first.
Afterwards, Thomas ca over and said, "Emma Thomas is putting pressure on Ari, demanding that WMA must fully support Director Nolan on the 'Interstellar' project."
Martin said, "Please go find Ari when you have the ti, and tell him I want the male lead role in 'Interstellar.'"
Now Nolan is WMA's number one director client, and Martin is WMA's number one actor client.
The agency, other than supporting them, has no other choice.
Thomas continued, "I've already talked it over with Ari, WMA will fully support you guys."
"If there's nothing else, I'm off." Martin was planning to enjoy so dancing tonight.
Silsa Ronan had directly ssaged him, saying she learned a new type of dance.
Elegant art, after all, is especially good at cultivating lofty sentints.
Thomas said, "So colleagues at the company, clients under …"
Martin waved his hand, "Handle these minor matters yourself, contact Jessica for anything. She's in charge of the studio's routine affairs."
Thomas said no more.
Martin left WMA and got into a car driven by Bruce.
Bruce handed him his phone, "Harris just called; Depp has taken down the penthouse at the top of Columbia Tower, 9 million US dollars."
Martin replied with a smile, "Not bad at all."
"Now Depp has enough money to handle the next round of tax repaynts and fines, as well as pay for his entourage and lawyers," Bruce continued, "Harris found out Depp's other fixed assets will be sold off gradually."
Martin nodded, "No rush, wait for the next cycle."
The amount of money seed substantial, but with taxes, team salaries, Amber Heard's lawsuit, attorney fees to sue the Mandel brothers, alongside Depp's daily expenses, it couldn't last very long.
It is said that Depp's minimum monthly expenditures are 2 million US dollars and there's no cap on his maximum.
Without facing a financial crisis, these wouldn't be problems.
As Martin neared the dance villa, he received a call from Nicholson.
"ryl is throwing a party in Malibu this weekend and invited the three of us," Nicholson asked Martin, "Do you have ti?"
Considering his relationship with ryl Streep over the decades, Martin imdiately accepted on the account of his boss, "Sure, let's go together."
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