321-325

Chapter 321: A Hero Role

The next day, Richard met Adam Pritz at a wine bar in West Hollywood. Adam, a man in his 40s or 50s with a prominent nose, was accompanied by producer Charles Roven and a young director, Christopher Nolan.

“Mr. Brad, your talents are truly impressive,” said Adam Pritz as they shook hands.

“I just do my best,” replied Richard.

“Mr. Brad, I wanted to explain the situation with The Aviator in person. Three years ago, our production team signed a three-film deal with Miramax. This collaboration is part of that agreement, and we can’t change it,” Pritz explained.

“That’s fine. Mr. Brad has one of the strongest box office draws around, and we’re not lacking in projects. Fox, Columbia, Universal—they’re all eager to work with us,” said Anthony, shrugging nonchalantly. He genuinely didn’t mind.

Speed 2 was still a massive success, and Richard had offers for more big-budget films. Every studio wanted to work with him. His problem wasn’t a lack of projects but figuring out how to get Richard to take on more films.

Pritz laughed. “Yes, Mr. Brad is box office gold. Everyone wants to work with him, including us.”

After ten days in theaters, Speed 2 had grossed $118 million, a surprising result. Despite not having the same budget or appeal as The Matrix Reloaded or Bruce Almighty, Speed 2 was holding its own at the box office.

Media analysts credited Richard for the film’s success. His star power and involvement in promotion were major factors. He used bold, headline-grabbing tactics to promote the movie, saving on marketing costs while maximizing exposure.

In addition to Speed 2, Richard had roles in XXX, The Matrix Reloaded, and X-Men 2, all of which were among the top five grossing films of 2003. This only made studios more eager to work with him, with some offering deals worth at least $40 million.

“So, you want to work with us? How exactly? Let’s be clear: we won’t negotiate with Miramax. They interfered with casting and tried to push us around. We’re not working with them,” Anthony said firmly.

Pritz sighed. He had previously tried to mediate with the Weinstein brothers, but Harvey wouldn’t budge. Pritz didn’t want to lose the chance to work with Richard, so he was looking for alternatives.

“Mr. Brad, aside from The Aviator, we’ve just launched a new project—a major one with a starting budget of $100 million.” Pritz took out a script titled Batman.

“In 1997, Warner Bros. released Batman & Robin, which did well at the box office, so we’re planning to continue the series.

"Mr. Brad, you’re hugely popular and talented. Playing a famous figure like Howard Hughes may not be the best fit for you. You’d be more suited to play a superhero. How about Batman?”

Richard flipped through the script. It was meticulously written, with detailed plotlines and well-developed characters.

“This is a great script. Who wrote it?” he asked.

Pritz chuckled. “Richard, the script was written by Nolan. He’ll also be directing the project.” He gestured toward Christopher Nolan, who smiled.

“Oh, Mr. Nolan, I’ve seen your film Memento. Your talent is impressive,” Richard said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Nolan replied politely. Since arriving, he had been quietly observing Richard from the corner of the couch, as if studying him.

Richard rubbed his chin. “Director Nolan, do you think I’m right for the role of Batman?”

“Absolutely. It would be an honor to work with you,” Nolan said.

Richard smiled lightly. He was impressed by Nolan’s credentials and was considering the collaboration, but he didn’t give an immediate answer. He needed to discuss it internally first.

After chatting for a while, Richard and Anthony left the wine bar.

“So, Richard, what do you think of the script?” Anthony asked as they drove away.

“It’s pretty good. The character suits me,” Richard said, rubbing his forehead.

“As long as you’re happy. If you’re not, we can keep looking. You’re an A-list actor now, and no one can match your box office draw. The big studios are all fighting to work with us, so we have plenty of options,” Anthony replied.

“Let’s go with this one for now. We can discuss the others later.”

“Alright.”

The car pulled up to Beverly Hills. As soon as Richard stepped out, he heard O’Neal shouting from the rooftop. The guy never called when he wanted to talk. His preferred method was yelling, like he was stuck in the ’80s.

“What’s up?” Richard shouted back.

“Come play ball!”

“Hold on!”

Richard went inside, showered, changed into sports gear, and headed over to O’Neal’s house to play basketball.

O’Neal had been cooped up at home with a foot injury. Whenever Richard had time, he would drop by to play and keep him company.

“When will it heal?” Richard asked, pointing at O’Neal’s foot.

“Doesn’t matter. I can beat you on one foot,” O’Neal said, dunking the ball.

“I heard you and Kobe had a falling out,” Richard laughed.

“Hmph, that guy wants to take my throne,” O’Neal grumbled.

“I also heard the Lakers might trade you.”

“So what? I’m still MVP no matter where I go,” O’Neal said, flexing his muscular arms.

“Have you ever thought about owning a team?” Richard asked while dribbling the ball.

“What do you mean?” O’Neal blinked.

“Buying a team. We could run it together. What do you think?” Richard smiled.

At the time, NBA teams weren’t overly expensive. In 2001, the Thunder sold for $200 million, while Michael Heisley bought the Grizzlies for $160 million. The Kings were valued at $230 million. Richard could afford a team with the money he made from just a few films.

O’Neal grinned. “Richard, you make $60 million a game and $20 million a movie. Owning a team for a year might net you $10 million if you’re lucky. And you don’t even know basketball.”

Richard smiled. “You know basketball. I have money.”

“No way I’m working for you,” O’Neal said, rolling his eyes.

“Fine, forget I said anything.”

Richard easily slipped past O’Neal and dunked the ball.

After the Speed 2 press tour, Richard stayed in Los Angeles to train and study the script for The Bourne Supremacy. The film was in pre-production, and shooting in Europe was scheduled to begin at the end of the month. Richard was spending time preparing his character, finalizing costumes and props, and getting to know the new director and crew.

The director of the first film, Doug Liman, had transitioned to producer and consultant for the sequel.

The new director, Paul Greengrass, had made a name for himself with Bloody Sunday the previous year, winning several awards, including the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Best Director and Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards, and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He was a talented filmmaker.

In addition to preparing for his role, negotiations for Batman Begins were entering their final stages.

With several of his films becoming huge hits, Richard had become one of the hottest stars in Hollywood, and his commercial value had skyrocketed. Anthony was more confident in negotiating his salary, which now stood at $20 million plus 10% of the global box office—a major step into the A-list category, with the potential to soon reach the SS-tier.

“Richard, Summit Entertainment has a new project they want to collaborate with us on. They hope you’ll play the lead. The script’s pretty good. Want to check it out?” Frank Marshall called before Richard left for the set.

“Sure.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 322: New Stockings

“Good afternoon, Mr. Brad!”

The New Century Pictures office was bustling with people in the hallway, and everyone stopped to greet the big boss as he passed by.

“Good afternoon!”

Richard nodded and walked into the office, asking,

“Frank, what movie is this?”

“A new action film. It’s about a married couple who are assassins, and after discovering each other’s identities, they fall in love but also end up in a deadly game of cat and mouse. The script is pretty interesting. You should take a look,” Frank Marshall said, sliding the script across the table.

*Mr. and Mrs. Smith.*

Seeing the title, Richard was a bit surprised. He remembered this movie from the files on Jolie and Brad Pitt. They starred in it, and it seemed to do quite well when it was released.

“How's the collaboration?”

“The budget for the movie is over $100 million. Peak Films wants to lead the project and invest 60%, while New Century would invest 40%. But the condition is that they want you as the lead actor. What do you think?” Frank asked, his hands folded.

“$100 million budget?”

Richard smiled lightly. “Do you guys know my latest asking price? It’s $20 million upfront, plus 10% of global box office earnings. A $100 million budget won’t cut it.”

As his fame had grown, so had the narrowing of roles he could accept. Many opportunities weren't even viable unless he was willing to lower his price.

“The budget can be reworked. What matters is your opinion,” Frank responded with a smile.

Richard gave him a look. “According to last year’s plan, we’re supposed to focus on mid- to low-budget projects for the next five years. Taking on something like this would go against that.”

“I understand, but a $40 million investment still counts as a mid-budget project, right?” Frank shrugged.

Richard chuckled. “What does Arnold think?”

“He said it’s up to you. He’s been busy lately and doesn’t have time to get involved with this project,” Frank explained.

This year, New Century had already launched two films: Crash 2 and Hotel Rwanda, both with multi-million-dollar budgets. Arnold Kopelson, the chief producer at New Century, was responsible for overseeing everything and was quite busy.

Richard rubbed his chin, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Frank, much like Anthony, always seemed to be finding ways to make things more complicated for him.

According to New Century's initial strategy, large-scale projects like Mr. and Mrs. Smith weren’t even supposed to be discussed at this stage.

But Frank was more of an aggressive figure. After some notable successes at the company, he wanted to start bigger productions, making blockbuster commercial films to earn more money.

On the other hand, Arnold Kopelson was more conservative and leaned towards smaller, high-quality art films. The two older men often clashed over this, and Gwyneth and Ms. Jane Wilson would frequently have to mediate their arguments—otherwise, they might have ended up in the hospital, still bickering.

Richard glanced at Frank. If Frank wasn’t so capable, Richard might’ve already replaced him.

“Uh, Richard, what’s wrong?”

Frank was startled by the look Richard gave him and quickly added, “If you’re not interested, we can always choose another project.”

Richard shook his head. If he hadn’t seen the script, he could’ve feigned ignorance and only felt a bit regretful if the movie did well later.

But now that the script was in his hands, passing on it would feel like turning down a golden opportunity. And Frank would surely mock him later for lacking vision.

After thinking for a moment, Richard replied, “We can collaborate, but I won’t tie this to New Century. I’m planning to set up my own film studio for my personal investments. Mr. and Mrs. Smith can be a joint venture between my studio, New Century, and Peak Films. I’ll need at least 30% of the shares.”

When he and Gwyneth originally founded New Century, it was meant to handle their personal films. But as the company grew too fast and became a top-tier independent label, using New Century as a personal studio no longer felt appropriate.

Frank nodded. “That could work. I’ll start negotiating with Peak Films. Do you want to be involved?”

“I don’t have time. The Bourne Identity 2 is about to start shooting, and I need to be on set. Anthony can handle the studio matters for now.”

“Alright.”

They continued discussing the company’s projects. Monster, The Butterfly Effect, and Saw were all nearing completion, but as these were low-budget genre films, they wouldn’t be suitable for the summer release window. They’d probably be released after September.

“How’s David doing at the company?” Richard asked, referring to young Ellison.

Frank shook his head. “Don’t even mention him. During the casting for Hotel Rwanda, he tried to suggest a white actress for the lead role. Arnold almost had a fit. After Arnold rejected him, David stopped showing up to work.”

“Is that so?”

Richard was speechless. Hotel Rwanda was based on the Rwandan genocide, and since it took place in Central Africa, with a focus on Tutsis and Hutus, casting a white lead would indeed be absurd.

Back in his office, Richard gave David Ellison a call. As the son of Larry Ellison, he couldn’t ignore the situation.

The call connected, and Richard heard the sounds of women shrieking—apparently, David was out having fun. Like father, like son, indeed.

“Richard, what’s up?” David answered casually.

“Aren’t you planning to be a producer anymore?” Richard asked with a smile.

“Producer, my foot! They just made me an assistant when I got to the company,” David grumbled.

“That’s a production assistant,” Richard corrected him. Production assistants have significant influence in a crew and can sometimes act on behalf of the producer.

“It’s still just an assistant. I had a friend who wanted to star in a movie, so I recommended her for the lead role in Crash 2. But the director said her acting wasn’t good enough. Then for the second movie, everyone was Black, and when I asked them to change the script, they refused. What’s the point of me being there?” David complained.

Richard chuckled. Kopelson, being a producer known for making films that expose social injustices, had no use for “eye candy” actresses. Of course David’s recommendations wouldn’t fly.

“David, are you sure you don’t want to come back? Should I ask Larry to send someone else to help out? We’ve got a lot of projects, and we could really use the manpower.”

“No, Richard, please don’t tell my dad. He’s so busy with work; let’s not bother him. I’ll come back in a few days.”

David had originally pitched the idea of investing in films and had convinced his father, Larry Ellison, to provide funding after much persuasion.

Initially, he hoped to take this money and start his own film company, but Larry didn’t agree. Instead, Larry invested in New Century Pictures and told David to learn the ropes there. Larry said if David did well and could successfully run a project and turn a profit, then he’d give him more investment money, starting at $100 million.

If Larry found out David had been skipping work to party in LA, he’d lose out on that future investment.

“Alright, just make sure you hurry up. We’ve got a big project coming up with a budget of at least $100 million.”

“Really? I’ll come by this afternoon. By the way, has the female lead been chosen yet? I have a great suggestion.”

“Heh, talk to Frank about that,” Richard said, ending the call.

——

“Richard, are you busy?”

Gwyneth knocked on the door, smiling as she leaned against the frame. She was holding a blue folder, dressed in a sleek, silver-gray skirt suit with heels, looking quite sharp.

“Come on in!”

Richard left his desk and poured her a cup of coffee.

“How’s the script?”

“The role is pretty good, but I don’t want to work with the Weinstein brothers again,” Gwyneth said, shaking her head.

“Then let’s pass on it.”

Last time, Warner Bros. had rejected him for The Aviator and went with Miramax instead.

Anthony had wanted to negotiate hard, trying to secure casting rights for the female lead in Batman.

Warner Bros. refused, saying the male lead would be decided by Warner’s production team, and the female lead had to be chosen by director Christopher Nolan, as per their agreement.

After some back-and-forth, they were given casting rights for the second female lead in The Aviator. BAA could recommend an actress, but the choice had to fit the character’s description.

Initially, Anthony wanted to recommend Naomi Watts, but the role was for a glamorous old Hollywood star, and Naomi didn’t have the sultry or sexy look needed for the part.

Meanwhile, Jessica lacked the classic, vintage feel of a 1930s starlet. None of BAA’s actresses really fit the role.

Richard thought of Charlize Theron, but she declined, preferring to focus on leading action roles.

Now that Gwyneth had passed on it as well, he didn’t care anymore. He’d let Anthony handle the mess he created.

“How do you like being a producer?”

Richard asked, pulling her closer.

"Too busy."

Gwyneth settled herself into his lap and said, "From the beginning of The Butterfly Effect project to post-production, I've been busy for six months straight. After the internal screening, we revised it fifteen times and worked on it for another two months. Now that the film has been handed over to the distribution department, I can finally relax a bit."

"Then you should take a long vacation and go traveling. I have a vineyard in France, along with two horses. Do you want to check it out?"

"That sounds nice. Will you be going too?"

Gwyneth asked, holding him close.

"I'm not sure. There are many filming locations for The Bourne Supremacy, so I'll be flying back and forth. If I have time, I'll head over."

"Great! So, what are we going to do next? I just changed into a pencil skirt and stockings," Gwyneth said, biting her lip with a seductive smile.

"Haha, what do you think? Get ready!"

Smack!

—

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 323: I'm the Most Loyal

“Richard, our filming schedule is as follows: in June, we'll shoot in Goa, India, and Naples, Italy. In July, we’ll move back to Berlin for about fifty days, and then we’ll shoot in Moscow for around ten days. The entire shoot will take roughly three months,” explained producer Doug Liman aboard the plane.

“Alright, I'll make sure to arrange my time,” Richard nodded. Just like in the first movie, the male lead in the sequel is always on the move. The story begins with the protagonist, Bourne, and his girlfriend Marie living in seclusion in Goa, India.

Meanwhile, some issues arise within the CIA. The new head of the agency discovers a questionable $20 million transaction while reviewing files. After an investigation, it’s revealed that an insider has been making illegal deals with a Russian oil tycoon, pocketing huge profits.

During one of these shady deals, the insider arranged for Bourne to assassinate someone in the know.

That insider happens to be Bourne’s superior's superior. To cover up the truth, he frames Bourne for the crime and hires a hitman to take him out.

In a shootout, Marie is fatally shot, prompting Bourne to come out of hiding, seek the truth, and avenge his girlfriend.

The screenwriter cleverly added a layer of redemption to the plot by having Bourne meet the daughter of a couple he had previously killed, giving the story more depth and meaning.

“Richard, what do you think about the ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ project?” Doug Liman asked.

Richard looked at him, puzzled. “You’ve also been invited?”

“Haha, yes. Summit Entertainment approached me early on, and at first, I wasn’t interested. Then they said they were casting you as the male lead. There will be a lot of great fight scenes, and you're amazing with action sequences. I thought it’d be fun to work together again.”

Richard smiled. “The script is indeed solid. With you as the director, the film's quality is guaranteed. Seems like a great project.”

Earlier, Frank had mentioned that Summit was considering working with Chinese director John Woo, and Richard had thought that would be interesting. Now that Doug Liman was attached to the project, that seemed like a great option too.

“My studio is in talks with Summit right now. We should have a decision soon.”

“Looks like we’ll be seeing each other a lot over the next two years,” Doug Liman joked.

“Yes, looking forward to working together,” Richard raised his glass for a toast.

By late June, the crew arrived in Goa, India.

Goa, located on India’s west coast, has a tropical monsoon climate and boasts numerous beautiful beaches, attracting two to three million tourists from around the world each year.

This is where Bourne and Marie are hiding.

The natural scenery of the Goan coast is stunning. Since the 1960s, it has been a popular tourist destination.

However, the infrastructure is quite outdated. Many of the buildings along the scenic coastal streets are run-down, there are slums, and the roads are often muddy—especially during the monsoon season in June and July, when navigating through the mud becomes a daily struggle.

Sometimes, if you're unlucky, you might step into a mud pit—only to discover there's a fresh pile of cow dung in it.

“Richard, what do you think of this place?” asked Franka Potente, who played Marie, with a smile.

“It’s not bad—except for the cow dung,” Richard said as he washed his rain boots in a puddle.

“Cheer up, Richard! The locals say cows are symbols of good luck. Stepping in cow dung means good fortune is coming your way,” Franka laughed.

“Is that so?” Richard glanced at her shoes. “Looks like you’re pretty lucky too.”

“Ahhh!” Franka let out a loud scream.

“Hey, Richard!” called out another familiar face from the crew—Karl Urban, who played the hitman. Karl had also portrayed Éomer, nephew of the King of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings series.

“What happened to her?” Karl asked, confused, looking at Franka.

“Looks like she just found some money. We should get her to treat us later,” Richard laughed.

“Haha, alright!”

The three of them arrived at the new Calangute Beach set. The filming conditions were basic, with only low barriers around the area.

Occasionally, during filming, a herd of cows would wander onto the set. Out of respect for local customs, the crew would stop shooting and wait until the cows left before continuing.

In addition to the cows, Richard’s fans posed another challenge.

Every day, there were thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of people surrounding the set. Whenever Richard appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers. Some girls, seemingly crazed, would break through the barriers and rush toward him.

Luckily, Richard had four bodyguards, so no accidents occurred.

To keep the crowd calm, Richard spent half an hour each day greeting fans, signing autographs, and taking photos with them. But this only made things more complicated for him.

In the following days, fans began waiting outside the set before filming started, equipped with pens, posters, and cameras, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Richard couldn’t say no and spent another half-hour interacting with fans. As the days went by, more and more fans showed up. Initially, it was mostly Western tourists, but eventually, many local Indian fans joined in. Some were even lining up overnight to secure an autograph.

With the growing crowd, local police had to increase their presence to maintain order.

“Mr. Pitt, my name is Katrina Kaif, and I love your movies,” a beautiful Indian girl said excitedly, holding out a notepad for Richard to sign.

“Thank you!” Richard smiled as he signed. “Are you an actress too?”

“Ah…” The girl was surprised. Richard had only signed autographs without saying much to anyone else, so she was shocked when he spoke to her. After a brief pause, she quickly replied,

“Yes—no, not yet. But I’m planning to become one.”

“Good luck!”

“Thank you, Mr. Pitt, I will do my best,” the girl replied, overjoyed.

Richard smiled and signed his name.

Once the time was up, Richard returned to the set to resume filming.

This scene involved a car chase, with Karl Urban’s hitman shooting at Bourne during the pursuit. One shot hits Marie.

“Scene 49, take 3—action!”

The cars roared down the road. Bourne glanced at the pursuing vehicles and said to Marie, who was driving,

“Here’s the plan: I’ll get out on the bridge and stop him. You keep driving home, and we’ll meet up in an hour.”

“What if he’s not the hitman you think he is?” Marie asked, concerned.

“It’s him. He’s from Treadstone,” Bourne replied.

“Bourne, don’t kill him. I don’t want you to do that,” Marie pleaded.

“I warned them not to come after me. They didn’t listen.”

“If you kill him, this will never end,” Marie shouted.

“I have no other choice.”

“Yes, you do!” Marie insisted.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out, and Marie was hit. She slumped over the steering wheel, and Bourne grabbed hold of her.

“Cut!”

In the next scene, the car veers off the bridge, and Bourne escapes underwater.

All the underwater scenes were completed in two days, as Richard was a strong swimmer.

After Marie’s death, Bourne leaves Goa.

The crew wrapped up the Goa shoot after two weeks.

At the start of July, the crew split into three groups: Unit C headed to Naples, Italy, Unit A went to Berlin to shoot the main scenes, and Unit B stayed in the U.S. to film the CIA headquarters scenes.

Richard spent two days filming in Naples before moving to Berlin to shoot the primary scenes.

Since the crew needed some prep time, Richard took a short trip back to the U.S.

First, he checked in on Gisele Bündchen and accompanied her to a doctor’s appointment. Then, he attended the premiere of Johnny Depp’s new movie, Pirates of the Caribbean.

“Haha, Richard, great to see you!” Depp laughed and hugged him at the premiere.

“Don’t mention it—just happened to have some free time,” Richard smiled.

“Haha, Richard, I didn’t know you were such a loyal guy,” teased Keanu Reeves, adjusting his sunglasses.

“Of course! Loyalty is my strongest suit.”

“Hmph! If you were that loyal, you wouldn’t have competed with me like that. My box office almost hit $300 million, almost, do you understand?” Reeves complained.

“I get it, I get it. Let’s go,” Richard waved him off and walked into the theater.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 324: She’s Pregnant

On July 2nd, Pirates of the Caribbean was released. In its first three days, it grossed $74.82 million, surpassing Terminator 3 and The Hulk, making it a strong contender for the weekly box office champion.

Meanwhile, 2 Fast 2 Furious wrapped up its run after a month in theaters, grossing $215 million in North America, placing fourth in the summer box office rankings.

The top five are as follows:

1. Disney’s Finding Nemo, grossing $319 million.

2. Warner Bros.’ The Matrix Reloaded, at $289 million.

3. Universal’s Bruce Almighty, with $225 million.

4. 2 Fast 2 Furious, with $215 million.

5. Fox’s X2: X-Men United, grossing $214 million.

With both 2 Fast 2 Furious and Bruce Almighty being Universal projects, the studio was leading the summer box office race at this point.

“Making movies is insanely profitable. A project costing tens of millions can easily make hundreds of millions. Dad, why don’t you give me a few million more and let me manage my own production company? I guarantee I’ll do better than Richard’s New Century Films,” David Ellison said.

“You?” Larry Ellison glanced at him. “Last year, I gave you $2 million to invest in websites, and not only did you fail to make a profit, you lost $5 million. If I give you tens of millions, you’ll lose everything, including yourself.”

“Dad, trust me, it won’t happen again. I’ve spent half a month learning at New Century, and I’ve pretty much got the hang of it. First, pick a good script, then find a good director, assemble a crew, keep the budget under $20 million, and when it’s time for release, just make sure to connect with enough theaters. There’s no way to lose money,” David vowed confidently.

Larry, holding a golf club, nearly threw out his back when he heard this. He put down the club, straightened his posture, and looked at David coldly.

“How do you judge a good script? How do you pick a good director? How do you choose the right actors? How do you set a budget without wasting money? And what about marketing and distribution? Do you know any of that? Do you think making movies is that simple?”

“Well, I can hire professionals to handle that,” David replied.

“If you need professionals for everything, what’s your role? The company mascot?”

“…”

David shrugged, realizing he didn’t have much of a point. Suddenly, he noticed Richard, across the grass, slowly walking with Gisele Bündchen.

“Dad, New Century runs exactly like this! Richard just invests; he doesn’t handle anything else. Sometimes he doesn’t even show up at the office for a month. Why can’t I do the same?”

“Ha! What do you know? You think you can compare yourself to Richard?” Larry waved his golf club in frustration, tempted to hit him. “First of all, Richard has money. He invested in New Century, so he can do whatever he wants. Even if he loses money, it doesn’t matter; he’s still a young billionaire.”

“Second, everyone at New Century was handpicked by Richard. They follow his orders and report to him. He sets the company’s direction, and the rest take care of the day-to-day tasks.”

“It’s not just Richard who runs his company like this—I do too. Otherwise, would we have time to be out here playing golf on a weekday? Third, Richard is an actor, an action star, so he’s a professional. He has connections and resources. His relationship with New Century is complementary, and he can better supervise the company’s operations. What about you? Want to become an actor too and work your way up from the bottom so you can understand the industry better?”

Larry stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“No way! I did background acting once, and I only made $120 a day. That barely covers a meal!” David shook his head.

Larry tightened his grip on the golf club, fighting the urge to hit him again. “$120 is not enough? When I was at my lowest, I didn’t even have a single penny, and now you’re complaining about $100?”

“Come on, Dad, you’re a business genius, an IT mogul. I’m just an average guy; how can I compare to you? I’m not even worthy to shine your shoes.”

David flashed a cheeky grin.

“Damn it, why do I suddenly want to hit someone?” Larry swung the club at David.

“Dad, don’t! Don’t hit me!” David shouted, running with his arms over his head. “You’re getting older; getting angry isn’t good for you. I’m not ready to inherit your fortune yet!”

Larry clutched his chest and staggered, almost passing out from anger.

“Hey, Larry, David, what’s going on here?” Richard and Gisele, who was seven months pregnant, walked over. Her belly was now clearly visible under her loose dress, and her figure had become a bit fuller, with an even more gentle and serene aura.

“Richard, you and David are about the same age. Give him some pointers when you can. Compared to you, this kid is a total waste of space,” Larry said, still catching his breath.

Richard smiled gently. “David’s only twenty. Why rush? Give him a few years to figure things out. You were the same at his age.”

“Exactly, Dad. You had nothing at thirty, and I’m only twenty. Why should I rush? I’ve got ten more years to figure things out before I start grinding.”

“Get lost!” Larry roared, truly furious this time. He coughed twice before continuing, “You want to compare yourself to me? Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Look at Richard. He’s only five years older than you, but at your age, he was already a world boxing champion and a millionaire.”

“At 21, he was a multimillionaire, a boxing and film star. At 22, he became a billionaire. Now, at 25, he’s worth over a billion dollars, runs three or four companies, and has more accolades than I do. That’s what makes someone extraordinary.”

“You’re the same generation as him. Aren’t you ashamed of the gap between you?”

David glanced at Richard, then shook his head. “Not really. No matter how hard he works his entire life, he won’t inherit as much as I will.”

“Inheritance? You little bastard, I’m going to beat you!” Larry couldn’t hold back any longer and swung at him again, but David, young and quick, dodged and ran off.

“Dad, I was just kidding. Don’t be mad.”

“Get lost! I don’t want to see you again!” Larry’s face was red with rage.

“Larry, don’t be mad. David’s just joking. He’s quite amusing, actually,” Richard and Gisele couldn’t stop laughing.

Larry’s face darkened further. “David, get back here. I need to talk to you.”

David hesitated but returned, keeping a safe distance of five meters from his father.

“What is it, Dad?”

“Hmph! Let me make this clear. Last year, you wanted to invest in websites, so I gave you money. You lost it all. This year, you wanted to try Hollywood, so I invested in New Century and sent you there to learn. But all you do is party and chase girls. What do you want out of life?”

Larry’s powerful tone made David lower his head in guilt.

“Dad, it’s not my fault. New Century only has two or three small projects each year. There’s nothing worth learning. I need to be at a big company like Disney, Warner, or Universal, involved in major productions. That’s where I can learn.”

“You… you really…” Larry was trembling with anger. “Last year, New Century invested $7 million in Crash, and it grossed $168 million worldwide, ranking 18th on the 2002 box office chart.”

“This year, Lost in Translation, which cost $4 million to make, grossed $102 million, and it will rank in the top 50 of the annual box office. That’s way better than those hundred-million-dollar blockbusters.”

“I’m telling you, the size of the project doesn’t matter. Making money does. I sent you to Hollywood not to learn how to waste money or pick up girls, but to learn how to make hit movies. Got it?”

“I understand, Dad. Don’t worry. I’ll work hard and learn,” David promised.

“Hmph! I don’t care if you do or not. Let me tell you this—if you succeed in the future, I’ll give you more support. But if you fail, I won’t leave you much money. If you lack ability, having too much money will only be a curse.”

“So, starting today, we’ll play a little game. If you can make $100 million, I’ll give you $1 billion in family trust shares. If you make $1 billion, I’ll leave you $10 billion in shares.”

“What if I make $10 billion?”

David excitedly asked,

"Get out of here! You think you can make ten billion? If you do, I'll hand over all of Oracle to you."

"Deal, you better stick to your word."

David eagerly raised his hand, ready for a high-five to seal the promise.

Larry Ellison's face darkened. He grabbed a golf club and swung it. "I'll have that written into a contract today. In a few days, my lawyer will have you sign it. We'll see how much you can really make."

"Fine! Just wait, Dad. Oracle's going to be mine one day."

David pumped his fist in the air and ran off, full of excitement.

Sigh.

Larry Ellison looked worried.

"Larry, David's only twenty. Going to college would be better for him," Richard said with a smile.

"College? For what? You didn’t go to college and still became a billionaire. Me, Bill Gates, Paul Allen—we all dropped out. College is a waste of time. He'd be better off learning while working."

Larry replied.

Richard just smiled, not saying anything more. He continued walking on the lawn with Ms. Bündchen, enjoying the sunshine and scenery.

"Ah!"

As they walked, Ms. Bündchen suddenly cried out in pain.

"What’s wrong?"

Richard quickly helped her sit on the golf cart.

Ms. Bündchen held her belly and laughed. "The little one kicked me."

"Haha, such a mischievous little thing!"

Richard rubbed her belly, laughing.

"So playful—it must be a boy," Ms. Bündchen joked.

"Actually, I'd prefer a daughter."

"You don’t want a son?"

Ms. Bündchen asked, a little displeased.

"Of course I do! If you gave me a soccer ball, I’d love it too."

"Don’t be silly!"

Ms. Bündchen playfully punched him. "Watch out, or our son might end up like David, making you mad every day."

"He wouldn’t dare. I’d knock him out with one punch."

"You jerk! I’ll beat you up first!"

Ms. Bündchen grabbed his collar and playfully punched him a few times.

Sigh.

Not far away, Larry sighed again. It’s so unfair, making a sixty-year-old man like me watch this lovey-dovey stuff. He waved over his assistant, signaling them to call his girlfriend. He needed some company to shake off this annoyance.

After spending half a day at Oracle's club, Richard and Ms. Bündchen returned to the Blyde Estate. Patricia had stayed home for three months before heading off early to start at Columbia University.

Richard, worried about leaving Ms. Bündchen home alone, arranged for four professional nannies to stay at the estate. He even brought Susan from her house in the Bronx to help.

He chartered a flight to invite his mother-in-law, Carolyn, to New York for a vacation. Carolyn, excited that the baby was coming soon, agreed to stay for a while.

After two days at home, Richard flew back to Berlin.

Right after he left, Anthony arrived in New York looking for him, only to find Richard was gone.

"Richard, why didn’t you stay home a bit longer? I was going to invite you for a drink,"

Anthony said over the phone.

"The film isn’t finished. I can’t stay long. What’s up? If it’s important, tell me. I have to get back to filming."

Richard replied.

"Yes, I have news. The supporting actress role in The Aviator. Guess who I gave it to?"

"I don’t know. Who?"

Richard asked, curious.

"Liv Tyler."

"Liv?"

Richard was surprised. "Why her?"

"Remember when you wanted her in National Treasure? I knew something was going on between you two, so I gave her the part in The Aviator. Didn’t she tell you?"

Anthony asked, laughing.

"Well, she texted me a thank-you the other day, but Bündchen was with me, so I didn’t ask what for. Thanks for thinking of her, though."

"Yeah, for that role, I stressed over it for days. That’s when I realized BAA doesn’t have enough actors. Naomi’s talented but fits the strong female type, Jessica’s gorgeous but more for action films, Lisa’s your average city girl, and Amy Adams is the sweet, innocent type. But we were missing a truly sexy and glamorous actress. Liv fit the bill, so I asked if she’d join BAA. She agreed right away, knowing she’d get this part. The Lord of the Rings made her popular for a while, but she’s had a rough patch. At BAA, she’ll have more opportunities, and we needed a glamorous actress."

Anthony explained.

Richard rubbed his forehead. "You have an average eye for casting. Liv’s pretty, sure, but she lacks mature acting skills. She’s glamorous but not the Monica Bellucci level of sexy. Anyway, she’s signed now, so handle it yourself. Just remember, BAA is your business, not my personal harem. Got it, you big idiot?"

"Alright, alright. I’m just helping out, so why are you upset?"

Anthony said, frustrated.

"Helping? More like causing trouble. You should sign more male actors. They get paid more. Keep guys like Franco, Vin Diesel, and Evans busy. Don’t focus on me all the time. By the way, did you finalize Mr. & Mrs. Smith?"

"Yes, $22 million plus 10% of global box office."

"Good. Next year, I’ll only do two films—Batman and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. No more than that. Have you chosen the female lead for Smith?"

"We have a few options: Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, or Sally. Want me to just choose Sally?"

"Sally’s out. She’s pregnant."

"Really?"

Anthony was shocked.

"Why would I lie? Alright, I’ve got to go. Call me tonight if there’s anything else. You can also email me."

Richard hung up and headed back to the set.

On set, Bourne purposely let himself get caught by customs agents. While one was making a call, he knocked the agent out, took his communication gear, and used it to investigate who was after him.

"Scene 125, take 1. Action!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 325: I’ll Give This Performance 99 Points*

"I am Jason Bourne!"

On the rooftop of the BOSCH headquarters, Bourne set up his WA2000 sniper rifle, aiming at the floor-to-ceiling window of the special agent headquarters in the building opposite. He held a phone in his hand.

“Bourne?”

The female CIA director was momentarily surprised and asked, “What do you want?”

“Are you in charge of Treadstone now?”

Bourne stared through the scope, watching the middle-aged woman in the opposite office.

“The Treadstone project was shut down two years ago, you know that.”

The director stood by the window, saying calmly.

“Then who’s running the operation now?”

Bourne asked.

“No one. There’s no mission.”

“Then why are you after me?”

“Berlin, Bourne. Have you forgotten? You killed two people in Berlin.”

The director responded.

"Hold on!"

Director Paul Greengrass stepped in.

“Next, Bourne gets triggered, and his mind starts flashing with fragmented images and sounds. You need to portray that with more intensity, like a migraine, but remember not to overdo it. Bourne is a top-tier agent, with incredible mental resilience.”

“I understand.”

Richard nodded. In the first film, no one expected the box office to be so high, so they didn’t plan for a sequel. The ending was written to show Bourne remembering his past. For the second movie, the script was changed—Bourne now only recalls part of his memory, with other parts only coming back when triggered, which gives him painful headaches.

For Richard, this wasn’t too difficult. He had experienced similar symptoms himself. His brain was filled with information that wouldn’t come to mind unless triggered. As a child, when he remembered these things, it would make his head spin with pain, though it’s better now. Still, thinking too much could cause a buzzing in his head, sometimes with sharp pain.

“Scene 6, take 2. Action!”

Greengrass shouted.

The crew cameras turned, zooming in on Richard’s face for a close-up.

Richard held the sniper rifle, phone in his left hand. After hearing the words through the phone, his breathing grew rapid. He blinked, his fingers on the rifle trembled slightly, and a vein on his forehead subtly bulged. Tiny beads of cold sweat appeared.

He exhaled and immediately lowered his head, realigning his sight through the sniper scope.

"Perfect!"

"I’d give this performance 99 points."

“Richard’s acting is phenomenal. Why do some people still say he’s just an average actor?”

In the director’s area, Paul Greengrass pounded the table in admiration.

Before working with Richard, he was worried that the star would be hard to work with on set. Richard was a superstar and an undefeated boxing champion, while Greengrass was a newly promoted A-list director without any physical prowess.

But after a month of working together, Greengrass was relieved. Richard was incredibly low-key and humble on set, completely dedicated to the craft. He never missed any internal crew discussions, and was always patient during rehearsals, never once showing the airs of a billionaire.

What surprised him even more was Richard’s acting. It wasn’t that he started off as an amazing actor, but his ability to learn was remarkable. His progress was fast.

Coming from an art film background, Greengrass had high expectations for the actors’ performances, often working with masterful actors. Before filming began, he had watched all of Richard’s work carefully. Richard was an excellent commercial film actor with a top-notch image and action scenes, but his acting fell short compared to art film actors.

So Greengrass had prepared to lower his expectations for acting, especially since this was a commercial film. But once they started filming, every time he explained a scene or how to perform it, Richard absorbed it all and diligently rehearsed. His improvements came quickly.

Seeing Richard’s cooperative attitude, Greengrass was happy to give him more guidance, which improved the quality of the performance. After a few weeks of working together, their partnership became seamless.

Just like in the recent shot—Greengrass only needed to give a little direction, and Richard instantly understood and delivered the performance. It was a delight to work with someone so in sync.

“Paul, calm down, don’t get too excited,” said assistant director Assam with a laugh.

Greengrass smiled, “Richard is a surprising guy.”

"Yeah, during the first movie, director Liman often said the same thing. You know, when they were filming the first one, Liman didn’t really want to work with Richard. During the first scene, Richard kept messing up—it took him over twenty takes, and they spent two days shooting just one shot."

"You’re kidding, right?" Greengrass was shocked.

"Nope, everyone on set knew about it. They were filming in Marseille, and it was so hot. Richard had to crouch inside a tiny boat cabin, repeating the performance over and over. He was almost driven mad by Liman.”

"That was in 2001, right? Richard was already a billionaire and world champion boxer. How did he not punch Liman?”

“He didn’t. Liman just kept saying ‘No, do it again,’ and Richard kept going without a word of complaint. By the end, the whole crew was exhausted, and Liman finally let it go. After working together for a while, Richard’s performances kept improving, and Liman eventually admitted he was wrong. He even treated Richard to a drink to apologize.”

Assam chuckled.

Greengrass nodded slightly, looking at the camera feed. He wondered if he should be even stricter, like directing an art film.

“Cut!”

“Richard, remember, this is a long-distance confrontation scene. When you’re acting, your eyes need to convey control, like you’ve got the entire situation in your grasp,” Greengrass instructed.

Richard thought for a moment, “So, I’m controlling the scene?”

“Yes, Bourne is powerful. He has the strength to take out everyone, but he chooses not to. He wants to solve the mystery, to find the real enemy,” Greengrass explained.

Richard nodded. His girlfriend, Marie, had asked him not to kill indiscriminately before she died, or he would never be able to turn back. He didn’t want to become a killing machine again. So, he was struggling to break free from his assassin identity and live a normal life as Bourne.

Understanding this gave Richard deeper insight into the character, making the performance easier to handle.

As his acting mentor, Naomi, had once said, acting is like painting. The script provides a character’s traits through words, but the actor must flesh them out through performance, piece by piece.

Actors with great skill create rich, charismatic characters that audiences love, like Daniel Day-Lewis. On the other hand, more commercial actors often bring themselves into the character, which audiences enjoy, but it limits their range. They end up playing variations of the same role, and viewers can grow tired of it. Richard fell into this latter category.

But he aspired to become an actor like Daniel Day-Lewis—an extreme method actor who fully immerses himself into his roles. Whether it was eye contact, movements, speech, or expressions, he wanted to completely transform into another person. People who didn’t know him wouldn’t even recognize it was the same actor.

Reflecting on his past roles, Richard realized he had only fully achieved this with a few characters, such as the painter-conman in A Perfect Murder, the ranger king in The Lord of the Rings, and the special agent Bourne in The Bourne Identity. Other roles hadn’t quite reached that level.

“Scene 186, take 7. Action!”

The crew took a short break before resuming filming.

—

“How much longer until the movie wraps up?”

Charlize Theron asked.

“We’re almost done in Berlin. After this, we’ll head to Moscow for two more weeks of shooting, and then we’re pretty much done. Another month or so,” Richard replied.

In the foggy morning at Wannsee, a small lake outside Berlin, Richard and Charlize walked along the shore. Charlize had been bored back in the U.S. after becoming pregnant, so she decided to visit the set.

"In a few months, your baby bump will become more obvious. Why don’t you stay here for a while?” Richard suggested.

"Are you afraid of people finding out?” Charlize frowned.

Richard smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. “I’m not afraid of criticism, but I don’t want the media attention to stress you or Gisele out. It wouldn’t be good.”

"Hmph, so you care about Gisele more than me, huh? You’re responsible for both of our pregnancies, so why does she get to walk around proudly with her belly out while I have to hide? No way, in a few months, I’m going to walk around with my bump on full display too,” Charlize huffed, placing a hand on her still-flat belly.

Richard chuckled. “Alright, how about I rent out the Champs-Élysées for you to shop all you want in a few weeks?”

“Not much. I’m going shopping on First Avenue in New York.”

“Alright, whatever you want,” Richard said as he wrapped his arm around her.

“You liar! You've been deceiving me since ’97—tricking me into being your friend, tricking me into sleeping with you, then tricking me into having your child. You’re just a shameless liar!”

Ms. Theron bit her lip and playfully punched him a few times, clearly upset.

“Alright, alright, I’m a liar. But don’t be mad; it’s not good for the baby. Do you really want to bring a little grumpy baby into the world?”

Richard pulled her close, laughing.

“Hmph! I can’t beat you, but when your baby is born, I’ll spank him every day until he cries!” Ms. Theron playfully gestured at her belly, but couldn’t help smiling.

“I wouldn’t mind that. If the kid’s too naughty, they deserve it. And if you get tired, you can call me—we’ll do tag-team discipline.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Ms. Theron shot him a glare. “If you ever hit the kid, I’ll fight you to the death.”

“Got it,” Richard replied.

They reached a bench, and Richard sat down, pulling Ms. Theron into his lap. “Does Mrs. Martinez know you’re pregnant?”

“She does,” Ms. Theron leaned against him, smiling. “Guess what her reaction was?”

“Excited? Thrilled?”

“Yes! She was over the moon, and even said the next time she sees you, she’s going to beat the crap out of you.”

“Haha, will you help me?” Richard asked, grinning as he held her.

“Of course not! You bully me all the time and now you want me to help you?”

“But what if I just want to keep bullying you?” Richard teased.

“Ugh, you jerk! Stop touching me!” Ms. Theron pushed him away playfully.

As the sun rose higher, laughter echoed across the misty lakeside.

---

After spending a week in Berlin, Ms. Theron returned to Los Angeles to wrap up work. Her contract with her previous agency had expired, and she brought her team to join BAA.

Richard also transferred 20% of his shares in BAA to her, keeping only 8% for himself after giving 10% to Anthony at his request. Anthony, being a top actor, needed to have a stake in the company just like the other big names at BAA.

Since Ms. Theron was pregnant and unable to work, she planned to return to South Africa to rest—her hometown, where Mrs. Martinez was also working, making things convenient.

Meanwhile, Richard stayed in Berlin, continuing to shoot a film for over a month. The crew later moved to Moscow for filming.

Before arriving in Russia, there was a small hitch: since Richard had a public role as an FBI agent, his visa approval was delayed. The Russian customs office said they needed higher-level authorization.

It was similar to the 2001 World Boxing Tour, which was originally set for Guangzhou but had to change locations due to Richard’s sensitive status.

This time, after three days, the embassy intervened, and a Kremlin official personally approved his entry.

The filming took place in Moscow's eastern district and involved two car chase scenes with shootouts.

Through his investigation, Bourne (the character) discovered that the man framing and hunting him was a Russian oil tycoon who had made shady deals with high-ranking CIA traitors.

In Moscow, Bourne was pursued by the same assassin who had mistakenly killed his girlfriend, Marie, in Goa, India.

During a high-speed car chase and shootout, Bourne eventually killed the assassin.

Before leaving Moscow, Bourne found Neski’s daughter. He had killed both of her parents—Russian official Vladimir Neski and his wife—during a mission, faking the wife’s murder as a suicide.

Filled with guilt, Bourne confessed the truth.

“That photo must be important to you,” Bourne said quietly, looking at the family portrait of Neski’s family on the counter.

“It’s just a picture,” Neski’s daughter said nervously.

Bourne shook his head slightly. “That’s because you don’t know how they really died.”

“I do know,” she replied.

“No, you don’t,” Bourne said slowly. “Your mother didn’t kill your father. And she didn’t kill herself.”

“What?” she asked, confused.

“The report wasn’t accurate,” Bourne continued, looking into her eyes with a complex expression. “I killed them. I killed your parents. It was my job—my first mission. Your father was supposed to be alone, but your mother showed up unexpectedly. I had to change the plan, and things turned out the way you know them.”

Bourne, overwhelmed with guilt, revealed the truth, unsure how to face her. In the end, he muttered a “sorry” and left quickly.

This scene was particularly difficult. The performance required a mix of deep, raw emotions to make it compelling. Without it, the confession could come across as arrogant rather than remorseful, adding a second layer of harm.

To prepare, Richard read several books on psychology and watched relevant films. He spent an entire day getting into the right emotional state. When delivering the lines, he felt as if he truly bore the weight of an unjust killing.

“I’m sorry,” Richard said as he rushed out of the room.

“Cut!”

“Good job!”

The crew clapped in appreciation.

Richard rubbed his face and walked off the set.

---

(End of Chapter)