The Greatest Showman #669 - Life and Death

There was no need to wait for tomorrow or the day after. Before the sunset had even fully sunk, Jack received an unexpected call from Michael. Even more strangely, Michael was brimming with praise, stating that it was an honor for the crew to work with Dawn and guaranteeing that the final discussions on the $3.5 million remuneration were almost settled. With no unforeseen issues, it was all just waiting for Dawn's nod of approval.

$3.5 million—this had been the target that Jack and Dawn had been working towards for so long. It was almost within their grasp, with just the final agreement to complete the deal, officially making Dawn part of the Fast and Furious sequel's cast. With this, they wouldn't have to worry about Andy Rogers or Renly Hall anymore. This was a fixed salary, opening up a new chapter for Dawn's career.

But Jack hesitated.

First Andy, then Michael—it all felt too coincidental.

Even though he tried to convince himself that Andy's call might have been a trap, and he should take the opportunity to avoid repeating past mistakes, there was still something inexplicably off about the situation. Could he trust Andy? Could he trust the person who had once tried to sabotage him?

"I'll tell Dawn and let him think about it."

That was Jack's answer. After hanging up, Jack couldn't help but sigh, wondering if he had lost his mind. The dream deal had been within arm's reach, yet he had pushed it away. Was he being foolish or reckless? As he replayed his words, Jack still couldn't believe he had actually rejected Michael's offer.

If he missed this opportunity, he felt like he might have to consider a new career path altogether.

After the call, Jack began using his contacts to dig deeper into the matter. Something big must have been going on at Universal Pictures. Apart from Andy's involvement, Michael's strange behavior seemed too suspicious. What was even stranger was that the usual tight-lipped security surrounding Universal Pictures had been absent this time:

Rumor had it that Renly Hall was about to sign a contract for three films with a total salary of $8 million to star in the Fast and Furious spinoff and sequel.

This was staggering news. Even the rumors themselves were unbelievable. Jack couldn't help but take a deep breath—$8 million. This was the salary of a second-tier actor playing a leading role, putting him on par with Paul Walker and Vin Diesel!

But the problem was, Hobbes wasn't even a lead character! Could it be that Renly would take the lead role in the sequel? Even if he did, it seemed utterly impossible—even with Renly's recent rise to fame.

If Renly were to earn such a salary, the three main leads would demand a combined salary of nearly $30 million or more, and that didn't even account for the supporting cast. How would the sequel's budget handle that? Were they really planning to divide the sequel's budget among so many people?

This was pure madness!

Eight million? That was the kind of salary someone like Marlon Brando received for his ten-minute cameo in Superman (1978), when he earned $4 million, or a superstar like Harrison Ford.

In 2015, Harrison Ford returned as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens after 32 years, with an added 0.5% box office bonus. That salary was understandable considering his iconic status—but Ford wasn't the lead role. In fact, the two new leads earned only $300,000 each.

Could Renly have reached Ford's level of stardom? That seemed impossible. Or was it because Renly and Ford shared the same agent? But the Creative Artists Agency operated on a much broader scale, and actor-to-actor relationships weren't so tight-knit.

Jack regretted his decision, though he wasn't sure what exactly he regretted. Was it because Dawn had once again become entangled with Renly? He had rejected Michael, while Andy had secured an $8 million deal elsewhere. Was he being foolish? Or had he set his sights too low with the original $3.5 million target? Should he have aimed for $5 million—or at least $4.5 million?

But before Jack could fully contemplate the situation, a more explosive rumor surfaced: Vin Diesel was opposed!

Things had taken a drastic turn. Although it was said that Vin had opposed the decision as a producer and had a heated argument with Neil H. Moritz, people in the industry knew that Neil was in charge of the budget, and Vin was responsible for the production. If Neil had agreed to the salary, Vin had no real grounds to object.

However, everything in filmmaking is interconnected. If Renly truly earned $8 million, Universal Pictures would expect a significant return on that investment, which would lead to an increase in his screen time. This meant that the script would need to be reworked—something under Vin's purview.

Jack couldn't shake the feeling that all the puzzle pieces were starting to fit together. Despite not being one of the top agents in the industry, Jack could sense that something big was afoot. He was only one step away from understanding the bigger picture.

Meanwhile, in Michael Forte's office at Universal Pictures, the tension was palpable. Vin Diesel, Michael Forte, and Neil H. Moritz were at each other's throats. The room was charged with anger, their sharp gazes locking as if ready to spark a full-blown confrontation.

"You need to be reasonable!" Neil growled, gritting his teeth, each word coming out like a challenge. "This is a cost-effective deal! Trust me!"

"Fuck!" Vin exploded, throwing all pretenses aside.

Neil took a deep breath, ignoring Vin's outburst as he turned to Michael. "Are you even listening to yourself? If we pass on Renly and bring in someone else—whether Dwayne Johnson or Jason Statham—their salaries may be lower, but we'll still end up spending more. Besides, they'll want more screen time, and that means higher costs in the long run. Renly's proven himself. He's a proven box office draw. Replacing him would be a bad decision for the studio."

Michael said nothing, but Vin had more to add, trying to argue his point. But the facts didn't support him, and after a moment of frustration, he slammed his fist onto the table, venting his anger.

Neil tried to calm things down, his voice lowering. "Look, I'm not saying we're signing Renly for $8 million. My target is $6 million, and my bottom line is $7 million. I believe Andy will compromise."

The rumors about the $8 million were part of Neil's strategy to show Universal Pictures' commitment, but the real negotiation was still happening behind closed doors. This was merely a bargaining chip.

Vin, however, was not so easily appeased. His voice was filled with fury as he slammed his fist on the table, yelling, "And what about the dividends? Three percent dividends? Are you out of your mind?"

That wasn't just a threat. At a $300 million domestic box office, 3% would mean a $9 million payout—more than enough to catapult Renly into the A-list, eclipsing everyone else's interests. But that meant cutting into the producer's dividends, which directly impacted Vin, Michael, and Neil's stakes in the film.

"Impossible!" Vin roared, refusing to back down.

Neil tried to reason with him, but Vin was relentless. "Six million? Fine. But no dividends! I'm not agreeing to that nonsense! Three million, that's my final offer. Take it or leave it. Renly joins, and I walk!"

It was a standoff. The stakes were high, and every word felt like a battle for control.