Chapter 330: Stepping Down in Disappointment

Although Duke and Warner Bros. never officially announced the filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Duke, as a frontline director, had always been a media focal point. Last year, a large number of second- and third-tier actors frequently traveled to and from New Zealand, with some even receiving scripts. All of this ensured that the project would inevitably be leaked.

The media's reaction was quite subdued. After all, it wasn't particularly unusual for Hollywood to invest in films of this nature—it was merely routine reporting.

However, there was one group that couldn't remain calm upon hearing the news.

"He will destroy this magical world! He will ruin this great work!"

Muttering softly, Brad Miller walked into his study and sat at his desk, turning on his computer. Yet his brown eyebrows remained tightly furrowed, as though faced with an intractable problem.

As Windows 98 booted up, his gaze moved away from the monitor to a thick stack of three hefty volumes on his desk. These were Tolkien's fantasy masterpieces, The Lord of the Rings.

Though not yet fifty, Brad Miller was a die-hard fan of the series. Since reading the books in his teens, he had been captivated by the Middle-earth world Tolkien depicted. He was intimately familiar with every race, place name, and battle described within. He could even recount every single action performed by Legolas, the least described member of the Fellowship.

Now, the series was about to be adapted for the big screen...

When this news first broke, Brad Miller felt no joy, even though the director was one of Hollywood's top talents, with several glorious achievements to his name.

The reason was simple: nearly every literary work adapted for film ended up unrecognizable. If an adaptation retained 50–60% fidelity to the original content, Hollywood was considered to have done a conscientious job. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, however, was too lengthy and contained far too much material to be fully captured in a short film.

Many parts would inevitably have to be sacrificed. Based on Hollywood's usual practices, The Lord of the Rings would undoubtedly be altered beyond recognition. But if such a version no longer aligned with the original, could it still be called The Lord of the Rings? Rather than witnessing a film so detached from the books, he would rather see no adaptation at all.

For those who felt the same, some might choose to simply ignore the films. But Brad Miller was different. As a devoted fan of the original, he felt a duty to defend its authority and prevent Hollywood from ruining a classic.

Thus, ever since rumors of a Lord of the Rings adaptation began circulating, he had been protesting—not just alone, but alongside many like-minded fans he had met over two decades of attending Lord of the Rings fan conventions across the United States.

When his computer finally booted up, Brad Miller began checking and sending emails. One by one, impassioned messages spread across the internet to every corner.

"We cannot sit idly by. We must unite and do something for this masterpiece. Let us rally more people to protest this adaptation in New Zealand!"

Every time Hollywood adapted a classic, there were always die-hard fans who protested. Given The Lord of the Rings' status—not as a highbrow literary masterpiece but as a cornerstone of popular fantasy with a vast readership—the outcry was even greater.

The devoted fans' efforts to organize significant protests would require time. But at that moment, CAA and Hollywood's famous talent agency giant had no time left to spare.

A CAA partners' meeting was being held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. The agency's shareholders and partners had grown weary of stagnant business and repeated failures with packaged deals.

They now hoped for a stronger leader to take the helm and guide CAA toward greater market share and profits.

Martin Bob sat in his seat, his usually composed face now ashen. He could do nothing to stop Ino Martin, who held speaking rights, from delivering his address.

"Ladies and gentlemen, CAA's total revenue for 1998 was $165 million!"

The partners looked equally displeased, but Ino Martin continued unfazed. "Compared to 1997's $163.5 million, there has been no growth. Despite an overall increase in client paychecks, our revenue remains stagnant. Why? Because our core revenue stream—comprehensive package deals—has been failing repeatedly!"

"Last year, our flagship project was DreamWorks' major production, Deep Impact." His tone was measured but left no room for interruption. "To date, that film has been a financial loss, meaning CAA hasn't earned a cent from its commission!"

He turned his sharp gaze toward Martin Bob. "I believe someone must be held accountable!"

"I will take responsibility for my actions," Martin Bob said slowly. "Over the past five years, my packaged projects have indeed encountered various issues, causing some negative impacts on the company. However, I've recently secured a partnership opportunity with Walt Disney. They are prepared to—"

"Apologies, Mr. Bob."

Another senior partner interrupted him abruptly. "This isn't the time to discuss business. I believe CAA has reached a point where change is imperative."

"Indeed."

"CAA must undergo reform."

"We need someone with outstanding leadership to guide CAA forward."

One after another, partners holding over 5% of the company's shares voiced their opinions, leaving Martin Bob's expression darker than ever.

While he was CAA's largest shareholder, the agency operated under a partnership model, and his stake didn't even reach 25%. If the partners voted no-confidence against him, he would have no choice but to step down.

"I think there's one thing everyone has overlooked."

Pat Kinsley, who had been silent, suddenly stood up and fixed her gaze on Martin Bob. "Let me remind you all of the gravest mistake in CAA's history."

"Yes, we should never have let Duke Rosenberg go."

Another partner chimed in immediately.

"If Duke Rosenberg were with CAA, things would be different."

"Think of the profitability of his films. If he were under CAA, we could take a 10% cut through package deals!"

Hearing this, Martin Bob sneered internally. Why hadn't CAA signed Duke back then? Package deals? If a CAA agent dared propose a package deal to Duke, they would've been shown the door immediately...

But he said nothing. Explaining wouldn't change his current situation. Rather than wasting words, he preferred to retain some semblance of dignity.

Even if he left CAA, he wasn't without prospects for a comeback.

The partners' meeting continued as one proposal after another was raised. Ino Martin exuded confidence; after waiting years, he had finally seized his chance.

As expected, the results were in his favor. Partners representing 65% of the shares voted no-confidence in Martin Bob, forcing him to step down.

Leaving the Four Seasons Hotel, Martin Bob sighed as he waited for his car. From that moment on, he would be just another passerby at CAA, like Michael Ovitz before him. The days of wielding influence seemed to be fading away.

In Hollywood, everyone experiences ups and downs—how many truly remain at the top forever?

Though initially melancholic, he was seasoned enough to adapt. At least outwardly, he appeared composed.

As his car pulled up, Martin Bob got in and instructed his driver, "Home. North Hollywood."

Just as he gave the command, before the car had even merged onto the main road, his phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, his brow furrowed.

What could he want? To mock him? Or to congratulate him on becoming another disgraced ex-executive?

Answering the call, he was met with a familiar voice—that of his old friend and former partner.

"Martin, the meeting's over?"

Michael Ovitz's voice was as robust as ever. "Do you have any plans? Or are you considering retirement?"

It didn't surprise Martin Bob that Ovitz had learned of his dismissal so quickly. "I've never considered retiring," he replied coolly.

"Interested in joining AMG?" Ovitz's voice came through again. "We founded CAA together and seized half of Hollywood's talent agency market. We can do it again!"

Start over?

Martin Bob frowned but didn't immediately respond. After a few moments of thought, he said, "Michael, I'll need to consider it."

As the car entered Hollywood, Martin Bob continued to weigh Ovitz's proposal. Perhaps this was indeed a chance to rise again.

Laurel Canyon Boulevard was as congested as ever. Near the American Bank's Los Angeles branch, traffic forced the car to stop. Looking out the window, Martin Bob was drawn to a crowd of reporters with cameras and microphones gathered nearby. It seemed a media event was underway.

"That's a commemorative event sponsored by Warner Bros.," said his assistant from the passenger seat, seizing the moment to provide some context. "Today marks the second anniversary of the North Hollywood shootout. Warner Bros., American Bank, and the Los Angeles County Police Department organized this ceremony together."

Pointing to a large poster hanging in front of the bank, the assistant added, "Warner Bros. is involved to promote their new film. Duke Rosenberg adapted a movie based on the North Hollywood incident..."

Gazing at the large poster and the actors and police officers surrounded by reporters, Martin Bob sighed inwardly. The rival who had partly caused his downfall was about to release yet another film!

...

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