1597-1599

Chapter 1597: Audacious Madness 

Calm, one hundred percent calm. At the peak of unexpectedness, the peak of chaos, Edgar instead found his calm. His mind was clear; he could even hear the sound of his brain working. 

"And also our CEO," the voice said warmly and familiarly, introducing himself to Anson. 

"Wow," Anson exclaimed. "Lucas, he's the CEO of William Morris. You knew that, right? Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Because he showed up in the capacity of an agent, not management," Lucas explained. 

Anson, "Sorry, Captain, my brain isn't working right now. I'm just doing whatever Lucas tells me step by step. I really can't think right now, haha. I'm Pinocchio right now; if it weren't for Lucas, anyone could be my Gepetto." 

A small joke, showing Anson was very relaxed. 

"Anyway, he came knocking, trying to poach me. That's the whole story." 

"Do you have time now? Are you willing to sit down and talk? I'm not sure what's going on inside William Morris, but clearly the situation is more complicated than we imagined." 

Edgar, "Of course. No problem. Anson, give me thirty seconds, no. Twenty seconds. I'll immediately..." 

Knock knock knock. There was a knock on the apartment door. 

Lucas glanced at Anson, his brow slightly furrowed. Who else would be coming at this hour? 

Unfortunately, Anson didn't respond at all. 

Lucas gently shook his head and gestured to Noah, who was waiting by the door. Only then did Noah open the door and immediately saw the panting and sweating Edgar. 

"Hey, Noah, hey, Lucas." 

Noah looked at Edgar, his face full of surprise, his gaze shifting back and forth between Edgar and Anson in confusion, as if he couldn't understand how Edgar had appeared at the apartment door from Anson's phone. 

Edgar patted Noah's shoulder and stepped into the apartment, still panting. 

Anson was lying on the sofa, eyes closed, his phone resting flat on his cheek. You could feel his exhaustion without needing words. 

Edgar looked at Lucas, not even having time to grab a drink of water. "Sorry, I know Anson is tired, but this matter... five minutes, I just need five minutes..." 

Lucas's face was dark, but he didn't stop Edgar. "I don't want internal matters at William Morris to affect Anson." Changing the subject, "But I understand, which is why I didn't stop Anson from calling you just now." 

Before Edgar could respond, Lucas had already turned away. 

"Ten minutes. Edgar, you have ten minutes, otherwise I'm afraid Anson might fall asleep while talking." 

Edgar entered the living room. By this time, Anson had already opened his eyes. "Goodness, Captain, you actually came right over. It seems things are worse than I imagined." 

Anson sat up lazily. Despite his fatigue, he exuded a dangerous aura he didn't usually have, like spreading wings in the dark night. 

"Bryan suggested I change agents because the current one can't get me work. He believes a top superstar needs the help of a top agent, not just in personal ability, but also connections and resources, etc. He believes he would be the best choice, and the smart choice." 

Noah happened to come over carrying a glass of water. He immediately saw Edgar's ashen face and quietly placed the glass on the table, turning and leaving lightly. 

Edgar was slightly startled—guessing was one thing, but getting actual confirmation from Anson himself was another. In that instant, heaven and earth spun; the whole world turned upside down. 

Then, Edgar smiled. "Heh." 

Although he was burning with rage right now, in fact, the rage had surpassed its limit and he had calmed down instead. Moreover, he didn't want to lose composure in front of Anson. 

Looking at the smile on Edgar's face that held no warmth, Anson just chuckled softly. "What, aren't you angry?" 

Edgar waved his hands repeatedly. "Angry, of course I'm angry. Right now, I'm absolutely fuming! But precisely because I'm angry, I need to stay calm even more. Otherwise, wouldn't I just be giving my competitors a chance to prove my shortcomings?" 

Clearly, Edgar still had the presence of mind to be self-deprecating, which showed he had control of himself. 

But Anson still said, "Being angry is normal. You're not a robot. Right now, the world of fame and fortune is full of cyborgs with no emotions, only interests. To be honest, it's a bit terrifying. I seriously doubt whether they've had too much Botox or if their brains have been standardized. Why don't you vent your anger first, and then we can continue." 

Edgar, "Ha!" He laughed loudly, then raised his hand to signal. "Three seconds, just give me three seconds." 

Edgar picked up the glass of water Noah had left, gulped it all down in one go, then turned towards the window, clenched his fist, and let out a silent scream—Ah! Ahhh! 

After venting, Edgar straightened himself up a bit and looked back at Anson. "I'm ready. Alright, let me see how bad the situation is." 

Anson's eyes were full of laughter. "Captain, this is the spirit we need! Hahahaha, the battle has begun!" 

Seeing Anson, who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle a bit too much, Edgar's tense mood couldn't help but relax slightly. He placed his right hand on his left shoulder, bowed slightly, and nodded. "The gladiator serves you." 

"Haha." Anson just laughed out loud. 

Edgar, "So, what terms did Bryan Swarthmore offer?" Getting straight to the point, cutting to the chase. 

Edgar had indeed entered battle mode, ready. 

Anson didn't keep him in suspense any longer. "First, he offered me Peter Parker." 

Clearly, the competition for "Spider-Man 3" was far from simple. It wasn't just a contest between Michael Linton and Amy Pascal; Bryan Swarthmore had not only joined the battle but had also prepared two different approaches. 

One possibility: find someone to replace Anson and work with Sony Columbia to create a brand new future. Another possibility: poach Anson and have Bryan secure higher terms for Anson. 

It has to be said, the old guard is shrewd. Bryan being able to navigate Hollywood for many years and climb to his current position was absolutely not just luck. 

Edgar was slightly surprised, but not astonished. "What terms did he offer?" 

Anson, "Fifty million dollars, a flat fee." 

The air became slightly quiet— 

In the world Anson was familiar with, in 2008, Disney invited Johnny Depp to film "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" with a salary of fifty-six million dollars, and everyone thought Disney was insane. 

But just a few years later, after "The Avengers" exploded at the global box office, Disney again invited Robert Downey Jr. to film "Iron Man 3" with a salary of seventy-five million dollars. 

Of course, numbers are just numbers. In reality, when Johnny Depp signed for "Pirates of the Caribbean 4," what was popular in Hollywood was salary plus box office percentage. But Disney believed the movie's box office could be even higher, and rather than giving a percentage, it was better to give a flat fee directly. That's why they created that astronomical figure. 

Bringing our focus back to the present. 

In 2004, with the twenty-million club still being the top benchmark in the industry, Bryan directly offered the figure of fifty million dollars in salary—it has to be said, Bryan displayed a posture of ruthless and audaciously mad ambition that made people look twice. 

Chapter 1598: Highest Bidder Wins 

Fifty million dollars, fixed price. 

You could imagine with your toes the level of sensation it would cause, both inside and outside Hollywood, once that contract was signed. 

Not only would Anson Wood completely overturn Hollywood, but Sony Columbia and the William Morris agency would also go down in history together. 

Insane! 

Unbelievable! 

It completely shattered the limits of imagination. 

Just a set of numbers, no need for more words, it could effortlessly place Anson at the very pinnacle of Hollywood, looking down on all other mountains. 

Edgar slightly raised his chin, a meaningful look on his face. "It seems Michael Linton gave an Oscar-worthy performance today, but it's not unexpected. Since they could offer that number, it proves that wasn't their ceiling. Michael Linton must have been wavering between Brian and me as well." 

Just as Sony Columbia had to choose between Michael and Amy, Michael and Amy also had to choose between Brian and Edgar— 

Who could represent Anson? Who could persuade Anson? For long-term cooperation afterwards, who was a better fit? The salary number was just one aspect; the subsequent details of the cooperation negotiations were another. How much profit should they sacrifice in terms of numbers to ensure smooth long-term cooperation? 

It was all calculation. 

Anson looked at Edgar. "You don't seem surprised? Honestly, when Luca heard that number, he was shocked too." 

Edgar noticed the detail that Anson said Luca was surprised, not himself. 

Edgar became a little more confident. "If he could persuade Sony Columbia to come up with a hundred million dollars, then I'd be willing to admit defeat. But unfortunately..." Edgar spread his hands and shrugged slightly. 

This gesture made Anson chuckle outright. 

Edgar continued, "Indeed, he's very capable, he unearthed Sony Columbia's limit. My guess is fifty million dollars probably isn't the final number yet; but the key point is, he doesn't know your ambition." 

The "Twenty Million Club" was never Anson's goal; profit sharing was. 

Starting from the Twenty Million Club perspective, a fifty-million-dollar salary is indeed an astronomical figure, completely changing the Hollywood landscape. But from the perspective of box office profit sharing, fifty million dollars also limited the upper potential, cutting off other possibilities. 

At this point, perhaps some would say that with a 20% box office percentage, the North American box office would need to exceed two hundred and fifty million dollars to earn fifty million dollars in salary. Only two or three films in the entire North American continent reach such heights annually. Instead of nervously waiting for box office numbers, fifty million dollars in a check safely in hand is better. 

Furthermore, a 20% box office percentage is frankly too outrageous; whether it could even be negotiated down is another matter entirely. 

Regarding this, Edgar believed the key point wasn't that they were discussing the "Spider-Man" series—which had already grossed nearly four hundred million dollars in just two weeks at the box office; the real key was the influence gained through box office percentage, the weight to stand as an equal rival to the film studio on the producer level. 

Joining a new project with box office percentage could potentially result in a higher or lower final salary, and indeed, they would face risk. But in return, Anson could gain control over the film's production, which was also an important guarantee for the film's quality. 

Edgar and Anson had discussed this, so this was the key thing Brian didn't know. 

Fifty million dollars would be a heavy punch to any actor; probably no one could refuse it, but Anson was the exception. 

After learning of Brian's offer, Edgar wasn't nervous; instead, he relaxed. 

"At least we know one thing, Sony Columbia still has room to explore. We haven't hit their bottom line yet. It seems we were still too conservative, not crazy enough." 

Edgar spread his hands, looking regretful. 

This made Anson snicker. "Indeed, we underestimated these big companies. The numbers they see must be different from the numbers we see. We still need to keep honing our skills and growing, broaden our horizons." 

Back and forth, the two of them were rubbing their fists and palms, eager for the challenge. 

Edgar continued, raising his eyes to look at Anson. "This shouldn't be everything, right?" 

Anson's eyebrow slightly raised, but he just smiled without speaking. 

Edgar pressed on, "What I mean is, this isn't Brian's entire offer, right? He shouldn't believe you would easily jump ship for a fifty-million-dollar check. If he really thinks that, it means he still sees you as just a pretty face, and he's not worth worrying about at all." 

"And you wouldn't have needed to call me immediately." 

Anson responded, "Captain, the premise of all this is that I still trust you. How are you so sure I'm not switching allegiance right now?" 

Edgar replied, "No, there's another possibility. You're weighing the chips, telling me Brian's offer to see if I can match it." 

"After all, if you were switching allegiance, there'd be no need to inform me at all. Anson Wood ditching his agent? That's not even news." 

Pausing, Edgar added, "And, you're not an impulsive person. It took me countless effort to persuade you into this partnership back then. It's the same for Brian now; he needs to show more sincerity." 

The corner of Anson's mouth lifted slightly. "I feel like a piece of meat right now. Highest bidder gets it, right?" 

Edgar spread his hands. "A piece of meat doesn't have this much autonomy." 

"Haha." Anson laughed. "Indeed, that's not everything. He also offered me two projects." 

"007 and 'The Departed.'" 

Brief, simple. 

Anson didn't keep him in suspense, directly throwing out two keywords, which made the air go quiet. 

007, naturally, needs no explanation. It's one of the world's top and most famous film series. There had been rumors before that 007 was considering Anson, and Edgar had also tried to push for it, but unfortunately, the series producers were fixated on James Bond having to be British. 

Of course, age was also a key point. 

Incidentally, the production company currently responsible for the latest 007 series is Sony Columbia. 

They had been searching for the new James Bond, but as of now, there had been no further news, and the actor selection was still ongoing. 

"The Departed," although the project was currently still in the preparation stage, all sorts of rumors were flying around. This project was an adaptation of the hit film "Infernal Affairs." The script was in the adaptation phase, and rumor had it that Martin Scorsese was confirmed to take over and would personally select the entire cast lineup. 

Oh right, this was a heavyweight project for Warner Bros., highly ambitious— 

Not only aiming for the box office, Warner Bros. was hoping the film would ignite the market; they were also aiming for the Oscars, replicating the feats of legendary gangster films like "The Godfather," "Goodfellas," "Once Upon a Time in America," etc. 

With Martin Scorsese at the helm and the original work's global sensation, this was undoubtedly the hottest topic in Hollywood. 

In other words, this was almost a guarantee of cinematic success. Any actor would likely crave joining it. It had both box office potential and awards potential, and one could also collaborate with top-tier cast members in Hollywood, expanding connections and broadening horizons. It was absolutely an excellent project with multiple benefits. 

Needless to say, it was obvious at a glance that Brian came prepared. 

It was more than just being insane. 

Chapter 1599: The Black Sheep 

One film 007, one "The Departed." Both works were undoubtedly absolute talking points, the highest honor for any actor. 

Starring in just one of them was already crazy enough; it's hard to believe that if someone starred in both works simultaneously, it would be a shock to all of Hollywood. 

From this, you could see that Bryan wasn't joking. 

However, in Edgar's view, the real point wasn't here, but in the hidden message: one, from Sony Columbia; one, from Warner Bros. 

These were precisely the two film companies with which Anson currently had close working relationships. This wasn't a coincidence; on the contrary, this was Bryan's declaration. 

"I know you're working with these two film companies. Look, I can not only continue your working relationships, but I can also go further and get you roles and projects that Edgar can't. This is my capability, and it's a height Edgar can't reach." 

This was a challenge. 

As expected, truly Bryan. He doesn't act unless necessary, but when he does, it's a killer blow. He gave Edgar no chance at all, accurately hitting the critical point. 

If Edgar said he wasn't nervous, it would certainly be a lie. 

But Edgar still controlled himself, examining Anson closely. "So, how did you respond?" 

Anson slightly shrugged. "I asked him if he knew about Jake Gyllenhaal competing for Peter Parker." 

Right on the money. Sharp, direct, and pointed. 

The real message wasn't asking about Jake Gyllenhaal, but hinting that Anson knew about William Morris vying for Peter Parker behind the scenes. 

Edgar wasn't surprised by Anson's directness. Bryan must have been startled. "Let me guess his response. He said you were the only Peter Parker." 

He didn't respond directly, neither admitting nor denying. He refused to get involved in Anson's topic, but instead used this stance to indicate that no matter the competition, Anson was still the only Peter Parker. 

Such pleasantries were very effective in Hollywood. Actors were often narcissists, and hearing they were the only choice, they naturally became immersed in joy—of course, not everyone was like that. Some could remain clear-headed, some could remain calm. As it happened, Anson was in that category. 

Anson chuckled softly. "Clearly, he didn't realize I was trying to shake off the Peter Parker label. Originally, I estimated it might take ten years, but now it looks like it might take even longer. I appear on the streets of New York now, and people even directly call me Peter Parker." 

"I never thought that one day I would need to work hard just to get my own name back." 

For struggling actors, this is a good thing. They need a breakout role; it's the fastest way to create opportunities. However, for top actors, it's not like that. It means they are trapped in their past image, unable to create opportunities in their careers. 

Edgar wasn't surprised. "Even if you told Bryan that idea, he would tell you not to refuse a check like that. It's foolish behavior." 

"Acting work is full of uncertainty, including for top actors. You only get a check if you have work, and income is always unstable. But at the same time, you lose concept of monetary figures; you don't know how much you earn or how much you spend. A slight lack of attention can lead to difficulties." 

"So, for an opportunity like 'Spider-Man,' and with Bryan able to secure a fifty-million-dollar salary, there's even less reason to refuse." 

Anson, "That's why I handed over all my bank accounts to Lucas to manage. I don't even trust myself." A self-deprecating remark made Edgar's lips curl up slightly. Anson, however, seemed exceptionally frank. "So what about you? What's your suggestion?" 

Edgar, "I understand Bryan's thinking. If it were other actors, I would also suggest this: unless the actor has truly established a firm foothold within the industry, don't easily refuse invitations for these genre films. Because this is Hollywood, and no one knows what will happen tomorrow." 

"But clearly, you're not just any actor." 

One sentence, but it was enough. Anson and Edgar hadn't been working together for very long, but Edgar truly understood Anson. 

Up until now, apart from the little maneuvers behind the scenes on "The Princess Diaries 2," their cooperation had always been pleasant. Including this time working together against Sony Columbia, Edgar and Eve not only supported his actions one hundred percent but were also his key allies— 

If you switched to another agent, even if the agent had to fight the film company for a higher salary, they wouldn't choose to directly provoke them like this. Once you break face like that, both the actor and the agency could face a pile of mess. So agents would often persuade the actor, "Leave it to me to handle." 

Everything would be resolved at the negotiating table. 

However, Edgar always supported Anson. Precisely because of this, Anson and Edgar's cooperation had always been smooth. 

Anson looked at Edgar, pausing for a moment. "Then, I asked him, I have a good working relationship with the Captain; there haven't been any problems. And you both belong to William Morris, so I don't see the need to change agents. Has your work perhaps slipped up?" 

Edgar held his breath—this was the key piece he was missing in the puzzle: why did Bryan suddenly attack, trying to steal from under my nose? 

However, Anson didn't give a direct answer; instead, he looked at Edgar. 

Edgar was startled. "What's wrong?" 

Anson, "What do you think?" 

Edgar laughed in spite of himself. "Wait, are you testing me, seeing if I've already sensed the crisis?" 

Anson, "Of course. The entire agent market is open to me. I have the right to consider whether my choice is correct. I need a smart agent." 

Edgar's lips curled up completely, and he covered his chest. "Anson, I'm hurt." Anson looked over. "Need a band-aid?" "Haha." Edgar just laughed out loud, not speaking immediately. Instead, he calmed down and thought seriously, trying to sort out his thoughts clearly. 

"First, I must admit, I didn't anticipate this. They really caught me completely off guard. I was blinded by the smooth sailing recently; my attention was entirely focused on dealing with Sony Columbia, so much so that I missed some details and let myself fall into a passive position." 

Facing his mistakes frankly wasn't easy, but it was crucial. 

"Secondly..." Edgar took a deep breath. The bustling thoughts in his mind slowly sorted themselves out. The details he had overlooked gradually connected. 

"Bryan thinks I'm losing control." 

"On one hand, I'm changing the salary negotiation strategy. It's not a flat fee salary, but a box office percentage." 

"Although from the current situation, we're getting more gains, at the same time, this means we need to take on risk. It's not just you; William Morris also needs to venture with you. Especially for a series like Spider-Man, agencies tend to want to ensure our income." 

"Box office percentage? No problem for independent films, art house films, low-budget films, and so on, but absolutely not for a two-hundred-million-dollar big production." 

"I guess I'm changing the industry rules, and what William Morris dislikes most is changing industry rules." 

One sentence, full of deeper meaning. Anson immediately understood: the five founders of Creative Artists Agency left William Morris and completely changed industry rules to reach the top.