In the gossip media in recent times, about Duke and Catherine? Zeta? Jones has had quite a few scandals, but both of them tacitly abide by Pani? Kelis's master plan, which appears in public from time to time, does not have any overly intimate behavior, and when asked by reporters at some events, he is neither admitted nor denied.

Of course, the focus of the crew's early publicity has always been on this Duke and Tom? Cruise's first collaboration was as effective as the attention that was generated in "Saving Private Ryan" to promote his collaboration with Hanks, just like Spielberg and Harrison? Ford's cooperation is the same, the cooperation of top directors and top superstars can attract a lot of attention with a light yì.

During this period, Duke also went to Lucasfilm once, and there were a small number of special effects in "Chicago", which were handed over to Industrial Light & Magic, which he had been working with, to accompany George? While Lucas was chatting, he also heard him mention the new Star Wars program.

"Star Wars" is about to be re-screened again, and the film will soon enter the mainstream theaters in Europe and the United States again, which may be the most widely released film in film history.

"Since 1994, I've been writing new stories about the Skywalkers."

The person who spoke was George? Lucas, across from him, Duke was flipping through the scripts of the first two Star Wars prequels, "George, so the main character of the film is Padmay?" Amidala and Anakin? Skywalker? ”

Lucas nodded lightly and added, "And Obi-Wan." ”

He saw that Duke had been reading the script carefully. After thinking about it, he said, "I'm good at building world backgrounds. But the detailed progress of the story is a weakness. Duke, give me some advice. ”

If it were someone else, Duke would be absolutely silent, George? Lucas is an exception, after all, the relationship between the two families is different.

After reading it for nearly an hour, Duke closed the script and smiled at Lucas. "Did I say it straight?"

"Just say it." Lucas asked his assistant to change two cups of coffee.

Picking up his coffee, Duke took a sip. That's when he said, "Padme? Amidala and Anakin? Skywalker is a sibling relationship, but in the second script, the romance comes too suddenly. It's too unprepared, and I think in the first part, the two should have more communication and show their emotional conflicts, especially Padmé. ”

"And the death of Anakin's mother, if I'm not mistaken, is this paving the way for his transformation into a Black Knight?"

Seeing Lucas nodding, Duke thought for a while before speaking. "There are too few scenes in the script that express Anakin's psychology, and I'm worried about ......"

After a moment's hesitation, Duke didn't say any more. Lucas spoke, "Worried about the transformation for the sake of change? ”

Gently tapping on the armrest of the sofa, Lucas laughed, "Do you know why the third script hasn't been completed until now?" I've been thinking about Anakin's move to the dark side. Duke, you've given me a lot of tips. ”

"Just some very personal opinions." Duke said modestly.

George? Lucas suddenly turned his head and looked at him earnestly. "Duke, are you really not thinking about Star Wars anymore?"

"I'm sorry. George. Duke shook his head slowly but resolutely, "My work plan has been scheduled for 2003, and I really don't have time. ”

"What a pity! I think you've surpassed me in the realm of pure commercial films. "George? Lucas was clearly not joking, "There is no one in all of Hollywood, including me, who is more suitable to be the new director of the Star Wars franchise than you!" ”

He added, "Admit it or not, Steven and I are behind the times. Duke, you'll be the most successful director in Hollywood! ”

The most successful director?

When he left Lucasfilm, Duke couldn't help but think of this sentence, if there is one person who can crush Hollywood and the world of cinema with only the box office, it is not James? Cameron.

The filming of "Chicago" continued to have some problems, and the pace was always slower than expected, but fortunately, there was constantly encouraging news coming in other areas, especially about the film split, which always lifted people's spirits.

Duke can also find Twentieth Century Fox to collect debts.

"Saving Private Ryan" grossed $325.79 million in North America and $649.27 million worldwide, automatically triggering a 20% sharing clause in the tiered sharing agreement, because the film went through an extremely long screening period in North America, and by the end of June, when the contract deadline came, Fox was not ready to pay Duke a share, and there were still many difficulties. Rothman specially invited Duke to the headquarters of Fox in Century City.

"Townsend, we've been happy working together."

Sitting in the CEO's reception room, Duke's face was full of dissatisfaction, "There are three days left, June is about to end, and the North American share of "Saving Private Ryan", the first month of VCD, videotape and TV copyright share in North America has not arrived!" ”

VCD and videotapes will hit a peak sales in the first month of the film's release, and can even reach more than one-third of the total annual revenue, according to the contract, Fox Films, as the North American copyright owner, must pay Duke's share by the end of the first half of the year, which is also a large amount.

The film won nine awards, including Best Picture, with eleven Oscar nominations, and became a big winner in the videotape and television broadcast market.

In the whole month of April, the sales of "Saving Private Ryan" videotapes reached $23.5 million, the rental income of videotapes was $15.25 million, even the VCD discs, which were not popular in North America, sold $570,000, and the first-round broadcast rights of North American television also sold $4.5 million.

In just one month, "Saving Private Ryan" brought in a total of $43.82 million in North American revenue, of which six percent belonged to Duke, that is, $2.62 million, plus $65.15 million in North American box office, Twentieth Century Fox is about to owe him a lot of money.

If it had been three years ago, Twentieth Century Fox could have procrastinated as much as it wanted, but now it has to think about the consequences.

After years of working together, they could see what Duke was thinking and knew that he would soon return to the mainstream commercial filmmaking, and what studio wouldn't want to continue working with a director who was so commercially successful?

But it's a lot of money, and Fox is having some difficulty.

"Duke, we'll definitely pay your share."

Start by sitting down, Townsend? Rothman's brow kept frowning, "We're old friends, we both believe in each other's credibility, and Fox has always supported you." ”

"Yes, I appreciate your support." Duke wasn't exactly polite.

Mel? In the Gibson case, Fox's media has always been firmly on his side, even if it is the right thing to say, but they do help.

"But you should know, Townsend." Duke's words turned back, "Our cooperation has always been friendship to friendship, and business to business." ”

"I'm not hiding it, Duke."

Next, as long as someone has a heart to do some investigation, you can get relevant news, Townsend? Rothman simply said directly, "Fox's liquidity is very tight, after the North American box office share of "Saving Private Ryan" arrives, the part that belongs to Fox has been invested by us in the sequel to "Life and Death" and other projects, and we haven't moved your share, but ......"

He sighed, "There's another guy besides you chasing after Fox and asking for money." ”

Hearing this, Duke gradually remembered something, but his face was unmoved, he was now fully qualified to bargain with Twentieth Century Fox.

"Fox wants to defer your share." Thomson? Rothman said slowly, "The board of directors has agreed to pay interest at the bank's rate. ”

"Why don't you turn to a group company for help?" Duke asked tentatively.

Tom? Rothman shook his head, "Duke, you're asking a completely layman's question. The finances between Fox and News Corp. are all accounted for separately, and although the two parties have an affiliation, there is very little direct financial exchange. ”

Picking up the coffee cup and slowly drinking half a cup, Duke asked, "Is there something wrong with your project with Paramount?" ”

"You've probably heard of it, it's not a secret." Thomson? Although Rothman maintained his calm, there was anger in his eyes, "Fox invested a hundred million dollars back and forth!" James? Cameron also chased after us and asked for more investment, and we even threw in some of the liquidity to keep Fox running, but he replied that the film could not be released this year! ”

In the past two years, Fox has invested in more than this project, and the $100 million invested by Big Ship does not seem to be much, but it has used a considerable part of the working capital, and in the residual memory of Duke's mind, some senior Fox executives have said that if Cameron's project fails, Fox is likely to go bankrupt.

Duke gradually had a calculation in his heart, "So Fox wants to temporarily withhold my share and continue to add James?" Cameron's investment? ”

"We will invest some more money to revitalize this project."

Now that things have come to this, there is nothing to say, not to mention that Twentieth Century Fox has other plans, "James? Cameron has been delaying for too long, and both Fox and Paramount are interested in replacing him as a director! ”

For Townsend? Rothman's words, Duke is not surprised at all, once Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures did intend to replace James halfway? Cameron.

But Townsend? Rothman's next words made him stunned.

"Yes, we're going to replace James? Cameron, he's been putting off a project for too long, and we need to change a director who is fast enough and can maintain quality and quantity! ”

Having said so much today, Townsend? Rothman was actually paving the way for that last sentence, "Duke, we want to ask you to replace James?" Cameron, as the director of "Titanic"! (To be continued)