The Greatest Showman #1005 - Hungry

"Twenty million? And plus dividends?" Renly couldn't help but chuckle at the extravagant suggestion.

Even Robert Downey Jr. had starred in Iron Man 3, and the treatment here seemed to follow that model. But, you must know, the production cost of Iron Man 3 was $200 million, while Gravity only cost $100 million to make. Not to mention, the latter's technical support alone was far more expensive. It was clear that Alfonso had no idea how much was left in the crew's bank account.

Yet, Alfonso, the single-minded director, seemed oblivious to these financial concerns. Discussing numbers like these seemed as foreign to him as a book from another world. What mattered was the art.

The look on Alfonso's face was sincere, and even though Renly knew that sincerity was genuine, he couldn't help but laugh. "Alfonso, I appreciate your offer. But I think you might be mistaken in thinking you have the final say on this." He said it lightly, without getting into too much detail or negotiation.

Alfonso paused, a bit stunned, then returned to his senses. A shy smile crept across his face, and he muttered in embarrassment, clearly unsure of how to explain himself.

Renly found it interesting. After all these years in Hollywood, he had never once heard a conversation where someone said, "20 million pay? Wow, I feel like a king now! Does that mean the next stage of filming will be incredibly difficult? You know, you get what you give?"

Alfonso, realizing Renly's point, smiled awkwardly, his true intentions laid bare.

But Renly didn't seem to mind. He gave Alfonso a reassuring nod. "Of course, let's keep the conversation going. But remember, I'm still working on Les Misérables."

Alfonso seemed to almost disbelieve that Renly was even considering joining the project. "Yes, I will talk to David about your role. I'll try my best to get you the best deal possible."

David Heyman, the renowned producer behind Harry Potter, was also overseeing Gravity on behalf of Warner Bros. He was British, with a sharp eye for market potential. He had produced other notable films like I Am Legend, Mr. Good, and Paddington Bear. Unlike others, his style was quieter, more humble, but his reputation and connections in both the UK and Europe were unparalleled.

"So, about the script," Alfonso asked, eager to return to the creative side of things, "You mentioned The Tree of Life earlier. Was Emmanuel Lubezki the cinematographer on that? I remember he worked with Terrence Malick."

Renly confirmed it. "Yes, Emmanuel was involved."

Alfonso, suddenly more animated, nodded. "I've only seen the trailer, but I need to watch the whole film when I get a chance."

And so, the conversation continued, with Alfonso enthusiastically discussing the entirety of Gravity — from its early conceptual stages to the script, the technical aspects, and ultimately, the characters. By the time brunch was over, they were still deep in conversation, and Renly, always curious, dug into some philosophy and astronomy books, diving deeper into the topics with Matthew.

It seemed as though they would never stop talking. However, lunch loomed, and their conversation was temporarily interrupted by hunger.

"Renly, if I have more ideas, can I email you?" Alfonso asked before he left. "You know, because this movie really revolves around the protagonist. I need your feedback."

Renly chuckled lightly. "Sure, no problem. But my responses might not be timely. If it's urgent, you can contact Nathan."

"Of course!" Alfonso nodded understandingly. Over the next few months, Les Misérables would remain Renly's priority, but he did his best to accommodate Alfonso's requests.

However, Alfonso's sincere and passionate nature led to a daily influx of emails. On some days, as many as eighteen emails arrived, each filled with ideas for the plot, characters, and revisions. Alfonso would revise, rewrite, and send the drafts back and forth with his son Jonas, ultimately asking for Renly's thoughts.

Renly, ever the relaxed one, didn't feel the urgency. The unread email count on his phone climbed to 35, but he shrugged it off.

Matthew, however, found this daily deluge of emails to be a challenge. After a full day of performance, Matthew took it upon himself to organize and summarize the emails, making it easier for Renly to respond.

The script, as simple as it seemed, was proving to be the most challenging part of the project. The content was deceptively straightforward, but the core ideas were anything but simple.

After sending Alfonso off, Renly greeted the others in the house, preparing to leave for dinner.

Tom Holland, clearly excited, stammered, "Aren't we eating... at home?"

"No," Renly smiled, "I'll take you to dinner."

For aristocrats, hosting guests at home is an elaborate affair, but Renly wasn't concerned with such formalities. Cooking, after all, was a different matter entirely.

Bill Skarsgard and Tom looked deflated. Meadow Ryan, who had been looking forward to it, said bluntly, "I thought you were going to cook yourself. I was hoping to taste your cooking."

Renly sighed dramatically. "I'll go grab my coat, and we'll head out."

Matthew, who had witnessed Renly's cooking disasters firsthand, interjected. "Trust me, you don't want to try it."

The group, including Tom and Bill, were curious. "What happened?"

Matthew explained, "Last time, Renly nearly burned down the kitchen. It was a disaster."

"Now I'm even more curious," Meadow said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

The others agreed. "Tell us more!"

Matthew smiled ruefully. "You'll thank me later."

Paul, always quick with his wit, grinned and added, "I haven't tasted Renly's cooking either, but from what I've heard, it's best avoided."

The conversation moved to their dinner plans. Renly had already made arrangements for lunch at the Riverside Restaurant.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to Gordon Ramsay's?" Matthew asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

Renly replied easily, "Let's go by the river. It's quieter in Bray."

The group was left speechless, trying to figure out how Renly could make such a simple decision sound so complex.