The Greatest Showman #1268 - Ups and Downs

Everyone keeps an account in their mind.

In Ron Mayer's view, Vin Diesel holds more value than Renly Hall, which is why he made his decision. On the other hand, Barry Mayer views Renly as comparable to Christopher Nolan, which is why he extended an offer. Both of these Hollywood titans are far from foolish; they simply made the choices that best suited their personal interests and objectives.

Now the question arises: what does the "Boom Drummer" project mean? How should it be evaluated?

Could this indicate that Renly is willing to become more involved in the production process as a producer? Will his unique vision for film selection bring more ancillary benefits? Or is this an opportunity for Renly to expand his influence in the industry, growing his circle of interests—perhaps not in terms of commercial success, but at least in the realm of awards season?

As these questions linger, the industry began to stir.

Ron Mayer sat silently in the conference room, his cigar burning quietly. After a long period of stillness, the dark red flame began to fade, leaving only a faint curl of smoke. He appeared frozen, as if time had slowed, and the room had fallen into an uneasy silence.

But Ron was not alone.

Around the oval table, ten staff members sat, nervously nibbling on fruit, their eyes darting toward their boss, waiting for him to break the silence. The longer it stretched, the more tense the atmosphere became. Everyone exchanged furtive glances, silently urging someone to speak first—but no one wanted to be the one to break the deadlock.

Hector Richardson, the deputy general manager of the production department, sighed inwardly. He wasn't the top leader, but it was clear that Ron had chosen to remain silent, pushing Hector into the uncomfortable position of having to speak. Hector knew this was a setup, a way to make him the scapegoat, and yet, he had no choice but to bite the bullet.

Finally, Hector cleared his throat, attempting to break the silence. "Lang? Lang!" he called out, raising his voice slightly. He needed to get Lang's attention.

"What?" Lang's gaze shifted slowly toward Hector, his cigar bobbing up and down as he spoke. The pressure in the room was palpable—each second seemed to stretch into eternity, the weight of Lang's stare suffocating.

Ron Mayer, at sixty-eight, was a formidable figure. His bushy gray hair and gold-rimmed glasses gave him the appearance of a grandfather—though not one who would win any "neighborly" awards. His demeanor was calm, but not friendly. He exuded an air of quiet authority that left no room for misunderstanding.

Hector met Lang's piercing gaze, feeling the invisible weight of his scrutiny. He knew if he backed down now, he'd lose the little ground he had left.

In 2004, when DreamWorks faced turmoil on its tenth anniversary, Lang had been the one to handle the negotiations. His refusal to compromise on even a 1% box office dividend had caused the breakdown of talks, paving the way for Paramount to step in. Lang was known as the "iron rooster" of Hollywood—calculating, precise, and highly respected, even feared.

Now, Hector found himself trying to meet Lang's stare, though it felt like sitting on a bed of nails. He could feel the heat of the pressure building, knowing this was a battle he could not avoid. "What about Renly Hall's new project..." Hector ventured, his voice shaking slightly.

The room relaxed a fraction as the topic was finally brought up, but all eyes now turned toward Lang, awaiting his response.

Surprisingly, Lang didn't react with anger. Instead, he nodded, his face unreadable. "Oh, that. I thought we'd already agreed on this. We're not interested, remember? It's not for us."

There was no room for negotiation.

Hector took a deep breath, pushing forward. "But what about the 'Jurassic Park' reboot? Are we going to ignore it as well?" The department head was avoiding responsibility, but Hector had no choice but to step up. "Steven has officially submitted his proposal. Other actors are involved—"

Lang interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "We can wait and see. I remember the casting director gave us a list today, right? Let's start auditions first. Renly is an actor, but he's not the only one in Hollywood. Don't lose sight of the bigger picture. 'Jurassic Park' is about dinosaurs, not humans."

"But Steven emphasized that the human protagonist is key. Renly is the best fit, and besides, this could be a chance to improve our relationship with him." Hector tried again, though he could feel the intensity of Lang's gaze like a physical weight.

Lang leaned back, silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Let's see the auditions first."

With that simple statement, Hector's argument was effectively dismissed. He could only exchange glances with his colleagues, silently conveying that the matter was out of his hands now.

Helena Lynch, the head of the Propaganda Department, saw her chance. She knew it was now or never. "Lang," she began, her voice steady but laden with urgency, "the issue is that other companies are already making moves. If we remain indifferent, we risk falling behind. You must know that even if Universal isn't involved, Focus Pictures has already taken steps."

Lang shifted his attention to Helena, a subtle shift that carried all the weight of the room. "What do you mean, 'other companies are moving'?" he asked, his tone neutral but charged with underlying tension.

Helena felt the pressure mount but continued, "Warner Bros. has already expressed interest, offering to invest in the project. Barry even met with Andy, and Damien Chazelle is on board... "

Lang waved his hand dismissively, signaling that this was well known. The close relationship between Warner Bros. and Renly was hardly a secret.

Helena pressed on. "Sony Pictures and Fox Searchlight have also made offers. One's offering five million dollars; the other has brought in a gold-medal producer, rumored to be Damien's pick. Fox Searchlight is ready to collaborate as soon as Renly gives the nod."

In Hollywood, Focus Pictures was the only real competition to Fox Searchlight in the independent film sector. If Focus was absent, others would fill the gap. Damien Chazelle's excitement was palpable, but Lang remained unmoved by the news.

Helena's words came quickly now, the floodgates opened. "Other companies like Bad Robot, Sky Dance, and Roadside Attractions have also reached out to Damien, all because Renly is now mostly hands-off and leaving it to Andy and Damien. Even Weinstein Pictures is showing interest."

The storm was raging, all sparked by Renly's project—a simple independent film. Yet here they were, navigating the waves of a shifting Hollywood landscape.