The Greatest Showman #1078 - Do What You Like

Barry is a strong believer in bold choices, and he relishes the power of conviction.

When the "Batman Prequels" trilogy concluded, Warner Bros. was willing to sacrifice box office profits just to keep Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan onboard. However, both men, being more artistically driven than commercially minded, rejected the offer without much consideration, opting instead to conclude the trilogy on their terms.

Despite this, Warner Bros. didn't flinch and continued to lavishly fund a series of films under Christopher Nolan's direction, undeterred by the end of their Batman franchise.

Now, as they aim to restart both the Batman and Superman series, Warner Bros. is once again focusing on securing top-tier talent, from A-list actors to first-rate directors.

At his core, Barry embodies the pride of a leader, refusing to simply replicate Marvel's success. His vision is to carve out a distinctive path for Warner Bros. and secure its place in cinematic history. Whether this persistence will prove to be a blessing or a curse is uncertain.

Originally, Renly had been at the top of the list for potential candidates, but after Edge of Tomorrow, Barry's perspective shifted.

Unlike Robert Downey Jr., who cemented his reputation with Iron Man, or Johnny Depp, whose charisma shone through the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Renly possesses a unique set of qualities. His acting skills, temperament, image, audience rapport, and professional demeanor have all contributed to a brand that is unmistakably his own.

In the 1980s and 90s, actors like Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, and Will Smith were prime examples of such "brands." Even Tom Hanks fits into this category. These actors continued to remain relevant beyond their iconic roles, whereas Downey and Depp's star power began to fade as they were typecast by their respective franchises.

The difference between these two categories of actors lies in the following:

The first group—actors like Ford, Cruise, and Smith—work to solidify their image across multiple films, gradually strengthening their personal brand, often through a single long-running franchise. Studios, in turn, can leverage this image to drive continued success within the same series.

The second group—actors like Downey and Depp—benefit from personal brand management. Their public relations and talent teams handle the branding, leaving the studios free to prepare suitable projects and extend offers. In this model, actors can move seamlessly between different types of films, with the studio simply needing to support their personal image rather than a character in a series.

Of course, in practice, this ideal situation isn't always so clear-cut. There are complications, but generally, this is the framework through which the industry operates. This is also why the film market continues to revere top-tier actors—those rare superstars like Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise.

Since the era of Star Wars, Hollywood has matured, but in the past 35 years, only Ford, Cruise, and Smith have maintained consistent box office dominance. It takes about a decade for such stars to emerge, with each breakthrough marking a true rarity.

After the success of Pirates of the Caribbean, studios tried to replicate Johnny Depp's success, hoping to find another "Will Smith" or "Tom Cruise." However, Depp's limitations soon became apparent, and the industry was disappointed.

Similarly, after the smash hit of Iron Man, the market felt much calmer.

Now, with Renly showing potential to become the next major box office star, Warner Bros. is looking to him to elevate their projects. Renly's appeal doesn't require a superhero brand like Batman; his marketability stands on its own. For Warner Bros., it makes sense to capitalize on Renly's talents across a variety of projects to maximize his value.

In recent years, the global film market has shifted toward franchise films, sequels, and fan-favorite properties. Personal star power is waning, particularly with the rise of social media and grassroots stars. In this new landscape, actors like Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr., despite their success in the early 2000s, couldn't replicate the same level of stardom from the '90s. Now, with Renly on the rise, the question remains: can he reverse the trend and usher in a new era of stardom?

For Barry Mayer, everything boils down to numbers. While films like Fast & Furious 5, Crazy Rich Asians, and The Pursuit of Happyness are still too few to draw definitive conclusions, the unexpected success of Edge of Tomorrow—particularly its performance in an otherwise crowded market—caught Barry's attention.

This film's performance has convinced Barry to take a gamble on Renly's potential, wondering just how far Renly's star power can take Warner Bros. in the future.

So Barry took the rare step of flying to London, not to discuss a specific project, but to explore the possibility of making Renly Hall a cornerstone of Warner Bros.' future.

After their meeting, Barry's confidence was clear. "I just received the global box office numbers for Edge of Tomorrow. Congratulations—you've really knocked it out of the park." He raised his glass in a congratulatory gesture.

Renly was somewhat taken aback by Barry's direct approach, bypassing pleasantries to get straight to the point. At the same time, Renly hadn't fully grasped the sheer scale of Edge of Tomorrow's success. While Nathan had repeatedly mentioned the box office numbers, Renly hadn't fully internalized them. But now it was clear: the film had far exceeded expectations.

"Thank you," Renly responded, raising his own glass in return. "I'm glad that our bold attempt paid off. Paul will be happy too." The mention of Paul Greengrass, the film's director, was casual but meaningful.

Barry chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Of course. But tell me, what are your thoughts on a sequel?"

It was more of a statement than a question, as Barry already knew the answer. He'd had a conversation with Paul Greengrass just the day before about the sequel's creative direction, and Paul had mentioned that Renly's input during the production process was invaluable. It seemed only natural that Renly would also contribute to the sequel's development.

Renly smiled and shook his head. "Honestly, I haven't thought much about it. My focus has been on the current project—it's been a tough grind. Even during the promotional period, I've been reading through the script and staying in the moment. So, no thoughts on the sequel just yet."

Renly raised an eyebrow, a hint of playfulness in his tone. "Honestly, before the movie even released, none of us expected a sequel to be on the table. Are we seriously discussing it now?"

Barry's eyes gleamed with determination. "Yes, we're already planning it. If you're on board, we'll move forward."

Barry's confidence was evident. He didn't need to waste words—his simple invitation spoke volumes.

Renly, sensing the weight of Barry's words, felt a hint of amusement. "Without a script?" he asked, half-joking.

Barry smiled. "It's not surprising you'd ask. But tell me, if there's no script yet, are you really unwilling to sign on? Even if we offered you $20 million?"

Renly could sense Barry's high-ranking demeanor, which reminded him of Harvey Weinstein—both top executives with a commanding presence. But Renly wasn't intimidated.

"Yes," Renly answered without hesitation, his tone clear and firm. "I'm not interested in signing without a script."