Although Edgar had his own thoughts and plans, in that split second, he made a judgment and choice—
After all, all five script projects were the same. Since he had decided to bring them to Anson, it meant he could accept any of the options.
"So, we should go all out to secure it?"
Anson quickly caught onto the verb. "Secure? I thought all these scripts were invitations, with producers or screenwriters hoping I'd join?"
As expected, Anson was as sharp as ever.
Edgar let out a small breath. "Yes and no. It's similar to the situation with 'Ocean's Twelve.' There's a slight difference in attitude among the producers."
Anson tilted his chin slightly, revealing a thoughtful expression but didn't interrupt Edgar, waiting patiently for him to continue.
The situation wasn't complicated—
Although Charlie Kaufman's screenwriting works have consistently had mediocre box office performances, this maverick screenwriter has an excellent reputation in the industry. Additionally, "Adaptation" has been gaining traction this award season, not just for Best Original Screenplay but also for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and other awards, further spreading Kaufman's fame.
The script for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" isn't actually complete yet. Kaufman is still in the process of writing it. However, industry insiders have already begun discussing it, and word of mouth has sparked a lot of interest.
After rounds of negotiation and competition, Focus Features emerged victorious, beating out Sony Columbia, the production company for "Adaptation," to secure the production rights. They will be responsible for investing, producing, and distributing the film.
Focus Features, previously known as Good Machine Productions, started with the production and distribution of Ang Lee's directorial debut, "Pushing Hands." After a decade of cultivating in Hollywood, the company has made a name for itself through production and distribution, showcasing a series of impressive performances. Earlier this year, it was acquired by Universal Pictures and has since transformed into a specialized label to help Universal break into the independent film market.
The company's predecessor had already established a solid foothold in Hollywood with a good reputation. After being acquired by Universal, Focus Features is currently in its early exploration phase, and no one knows if this new company can continue its previous success.
From the actions of Focus Features, there is still a lot of uncertainty.
Not long ago, Focus Features invested in Sofia Coppola, daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, to film "Lost in Translation" in Tokyo. This investment sparked controversy in Hollywood. Some agreed, some opposed, and many couldn't understand their investment strategy.
Now, Focus Features has won over Charlie Kaufman to jointly produce "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," which is another risky move.
Purely from a screenwriting perspective, Kaufman is indeed trustworthy. Even if the script isn't finished, it's worth taking the risk.
But that's not the point here.
Rumor has it that Kaufman stated that this project requires extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI), so he requested a production budget of at least $20 million.
This particular demand made Sony Columbia hesitate.
"Adaptation," a Sony Columbia production, despite not having CGI, featured Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep as the leads, with a production cost still amounting to $20 million.
However.
As of now, "Adaptation" has grossed only $4.5 million at the North American box office, which is far from a satisfactory figure.
Even though "Adaptation" is an award-season film aiming for the Oscars, and box office numbers aren't as crucial, film companies still need to strike a balance. They chase awards but also seek profits.
If "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" again requires a $20 million production budget, would they face the same dilemma?
Sony Columbia hesitated.
Meanwhile, Focus Features promptly agreed.
Thus, Focus Features secured Charlie Kaufman.
However, there's a question here—
Is Focus Features being reckless, or are they simply flush with cash?
Twenty million dollars is not a huge amount, but it's not small either. For an independent art film, it's not a trivial sum. Especially considering the potential lack of box office appeal, this investment is essentially a gamble on the awards season.
If they win awards, at least it's a worthwhile return. But what if they don't?
Moreover, Focus Features has just been acquired by Universal.
Among Hollywood's Big Seven studios, Warner Bros. is known for being the most extravagant, while Universal Pictures is the most frugal—some might even say stingy.
To be precise, since Ron Meyer took over as president of Universal Pictures in 1995, they've entirely shifted their production strategy, moving away from large-scale productions to focus on mid-range films, adopting a "small-scale gamble" approach to reposition themselves in Hollywood.
Over the years, the number of Universal's big-budget productions exceeding $100 million has been the lowest among the Big Seven—not entirely absent, but carefully controlled in quantity, with the company's emphasis still on mid- and small-scale productions.
Thus.
Universal's ranking among Hollywood's Big Seven has gradually declined. However, their lean and solid business strategy has reduced risk, solidifying their position at the top of the pyramid.
Now that Focus Features has been acquired by Universal, whether its investment strategy will be affected is a key focus of Hollywood's observation.
From a professional standpoint, Universal and Focus Features are parent and subsidiary companies with separate management. Focus Features retains its independence in production and distribution, distinct from Universal.
But that's just theoretical.
Looking at Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, the surface is the same. However, in practice, New Line still has to align with Warner's strategy, with Warner influencing some of New Line's decisions to a certain extent.
Now, the situation is the same between Focus Features and Universal.
So, what's really going on with Focus Features agreeing to Kaufman's $20 million budget? Did Universal know?
The answer quickly revealed itself—
Anson Wood.
There's no denying that Universal's plan is shrewd.
Currently, with "Catch Me If You Can" raking in profits, Universal hardly had to put in any effort. A simple, routine operation allowed Universal to earn a hefty sum.
Moreover, Universal astutely spotted a gap, a window of opportunity. Anson has not yet raised his asking price. If they can fully exploit this, they might be able to change the narrative that Kaufman's films don't make money.
Conversely, Universal can leverage Kaufman's reputation to entice Anson into joining the project at a low price. For a young actor like Anson, who started as a pretty face, Kaufman's name holds significant allure.
Thus, a win-win scenario is born.
The most crucial part is Universal's bold strategy:
Fully capitalize on Anson's youth, popularity, and hype to redefine "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," shedding the middle-aged aura of "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation" to make it the new love bible for the younger generation.
No matter how you look at it, it's perfect.