America: My Time

Chapter 472 The power of capital

Chapter 472 The Power of Capital
Tom Cruise's attempt to defy capital was overthinking things, and he placed too much trust in his agent, leading to a grave mistake. For an actor to challenge capital and Hollywood giants was simply arrogance. This wasn't Hollywood of the future; it was Hollywood of the 1980s, still a market driven by capital.

Although unwilling and resentful, Tom Cruise had no choice but to cooperate with Paramount Pictures' publicity efforts under the persuasion of his agent. However, Tom Cruise was unaware that his actions had caused Paramount Pictures to have reservations, and the resources originally intended for him were being questioned, leading to changes in the casting of films like Mission: Impossible.

"Give up on this greedy and foolish little guy. Although he was only misled by his agent in this matter, that's no excuse. He has to pay the price for his mistakes. When we first started working on Top Gun, some people complained about his dissatisfaction with the contract. Now he's done something like this. I don't think he should be included in our film series anymore. He'll become a major problem."

"That's true, but we also need to consider the company's interests. The success of 'Top Gun' has made this young guy famous, and we can't give up such an opportunity. This is also for the company's benefit!"

“I think it’s better to give up. If he does something ignorant and foolish again in the series, who can bear the consequences? Neither you nor I want to accept it. So I think it’s better to give up on him and replace our cooperation with medium-budget or low-budget films. With such resources, we can fully support actors who know when to advance and retreat!”

“Okay, since everyone insists, let’s do it this way. But we need to tell the boss about all of this, which is not a simple matter. I’m worried that someone is plotting against Paramount. I believe that our previous arrangements for Tom Cruise have been known to outsiders, otherwise how could he dare to go against Paramount and make such an irrational move? Once the contract is amended, he will get more pay.”

"Yes, we do need to inform the boss about this, but don't get your hopes up too high. The boss doesn't have that much time and energy to waste on such trivial matters. If it weren't for the French beauty at the 'Soaring Ambition' event, I'm afraid the boss wouldn't even bother with it. So we'll have to handle all of this ourselves!"

When John learned about Paramount Pictures' situation, he didn't think it was anything to worry about. Even if someone was plotting against him, it wasn't worth his attention. It was just a conflict between a star and a film company, a small matter that they could handle themselves. Changing the protagonist of "Mission: Impossible" wasn't a big problem either. John fully approved of Paramount's decision and left everything to Paramount to handle.

John didn't believe that what happened at Paramount was the work of those old guys like Rockefeller. Those old guys wouldn't care about such a small matter, much less target Paramount Pictures. After all, it was too small a deal; at most, it was done by their Hollywood counterparts. So it wasn't worth his attention.

Tom Cruise had no idea that his impulsive act would come at such a high price, instantly impacting his resources. The blockbuster series originally slated for him would be recast, and he would find it increasingly difficult to secure top-tier resources from Paramount Pictures. This was a price he hadn't anticipated, nor had his agent.

After Paramount made its decision, they had to start working again, beginning a new round of casting. Although the bosses didn't seem to care about the change or express any dissatisfaction with their work, Paramount executives were seething with anger. They were determined to terminate Tom Cruise's contract as quickly as possible, one film a year, giving him no chance to refuse or catch his breath.

When Paula Wagner learned of Paramount Pictures' decision, she was furious and dissatisfied with her agency. She felt it was all the agency's fault; they had misled Tom Cruise into making the wrong decision, and now Tom Cruise was bearing all the consequences without the agency offering any help.

At this moment, Paula Wagner felt a pang of regret. If he had persisted and refused the company's arrangement, things might not have turned out this way. But it was too late now. Paramount Pictures had already made its decision: top-tier resources were gone, and Tom Cruise would only get films with medium budgets.

Actually, Paula Wagner was too confident this time, believing Paramount Pictures would compromise. After all, Tom Cruise's meteoric rise following the huge success of Top Gun led her to believe they had the ability to negotiate with Paramount. However, she was wrong. She overestimated Tom Cruise's value to Paramount and the power of his agency. Finding connections and easing tensions with Paramount was what Paula Wagner wanted most. Although she had many connections in the industry, she couldn't influence Paramount. Moreover, this time Paramount was determined to teach Tom Cruise a lesson and establish their authority through him.

Hollywood is never short of handsome men and beautiful women. While Tom Cruise's image is quite good, that's not a reason for Paramount Pictures to compromise. Moreover, Paramount Pictures has changed. Backed by Phoenix Media, they won't care about a single star. If you want Paramount Pictures to stop targeting Tom Cruise, it would be impossible unless their own boss intervenes.

Despite Paul Wagner's extensive efforts, he couldn't change Paramount's decision: one film a year until the contract expired. There was no choice in the matter. Faced with this situation, the entire Hollywood was shocked. No one expected Paramount to make such a decision, even at the cost of some financial loss, to teach Tom Cruise a lesson and abandon him. This intense reaction stunned all the stars.

This is yet another case of Universal Pictures' blunder. Tom Cruise's experience has made many stars wary of their agents. Ultimately, the reason Tom Cruise fell into this crisis is the fault of his agency; their greed led to this situation. It dealt a heavy blow to Tom Cruise, who was on the rise. However, no one will stand up for Tom Cruise; those stars all wanted to seize the resources that belonged to him and wanted to be the lead in Paramount's blockbuster films.

There's always a reason why someone is pitiful. If Tom Cruise hadn't been so arrogant, things wouldn't have turned out this way. It's true that his agency had problems, but he himself also had issues. He didn't wake up from his fame in time, which led to this. Tom Cruise, as someone in the industry, was aware of Universal Pictures' domineering and powerful nature. He knew, but he still harbored a sliver of hope that Paramount Pictures would compromise for the sake of profit.

However, Tom Cruise overestimated his influence and underestimated Paramount's determination. If Paramount were to compromise and back down in the face of a minor actor like Tom Cruise, how would it maintain control of the industry in the future, and how would it keep its collaborating stars obedient? Therefore, Tom Cruise's fate was self-inflicted.

"Paula, what should we do now? Paramount Pictures' decision will affect my career and severely damage my reputation. Doesn't the company have any solutions?" At this moment, Tom Cruise was seriously dissatisfied with his agency and also with Paula Wagner, who had helped him become famous. In his opinion, his current predicament was all due to her instigation.

"Tom, the company won't help you at all. Nobody dares to mess with Paramount right now, and the company won't stand against Paramount Pictures and Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media just for you. No talent agency would dare to do that or withstand that kind of pressure. You should understand that. What you need to do now isn't to secure Paramount Pictures' blockbuster series, but to change Paramount Pictures' perception of you. The pressure you're facing isn't just from Paramount Pictures itself, but also from Phoenix Media and their ally, Legendary Entertainment. You only have a future if you change Paramount Pictures' perspective, and you can't shoulder all the responsibility yourself."

"Paula, you're the only person I can trust right now. What do you think I should do?"

"Leave the agency and let Paramount Pictures know that your previous decision was not your own, that you were forced by the agency. Don't worry, I will leave the agency with you and won't let you bear this pressure alone!"

This decision sounds good, but it also has significant consequences. It might change Paramount's opinion, but it will also offend his agency. How to choose depends on Tom Cruise's decision. Paul Wagner has already outlined his strategy for resolving the crisis; whether he dares to take the plunge depends on Tom Cruise's own determination. Will he offend his agency, or will he offend Paramount and face future suppression and a blacklist from Paramount?

Faced with this situation, Tom Cruise was also at a loss for a moment. After all, he was just a small-time star and had no power to resist capital. The previous results made him realize how weak he was in the face of capital. So at this time, he needed to think carefully. Paula Wagner did not urge him and waited quietly.

(End of this chapter)