America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 648 Lone Ranger

I had arranged to have tea with Leonardo and Nicholson in the afternoon. After Martin got in the car, he went home.

Midway through, he received a call from Nicholson asking him to buy a newspaper.

Bruce stopped the car and bought a newspaper. Martin noticed that it was a Spanish-language newspaper with a picture of a shooting in Tijuana.

Similar cases occur frequently in Tijuana, with a clearance rate that is almost zero.

Martin showed it to Bruce and said, "The newspapers have already reported it so quickly."

Bruce understood the logic: "This is also a way for employees to prove to their employers that they have completed their tasks."

Martin nodded, then suddenly remembered what Old Brooks had just said and asked, "Does this newspaper have a large circulation in Los Angeles?"

"It's alright." Bruce knew a little about it: "Los Angeles has a large Mexican population, so this should be one of the largest Spanish-language newspapers in circulation."

Martin pondered for a moment and asked, "Old Brooks, if you were Megan Ellison, what would you think when you saw this news?"

Bruce said, "Get a few bodyguards quickly, 24/7 protection, so you don't mess with us."

"You're still used to fighting and killing, messing around with people." Martin simply took out his phone and called Leonardo and Nicholson, telling them to hurry up and come over.

Half an hour later, the three met at Nicholson's house.

Nicholson's butler had prepared black tea and snacks, and the three of them sat in the garden, basking in the warm winter sun, discussing what had just happened.

Leonardo DiCaprio also has a film company called Open Road Pictures.

Martin asked him, "From a film studio owner's perspective, if you were Megan Ellison, what would you think when you saw this news?"

Leonardo considered for a moment and said, "If Megan Ellison has connections with those Mexicans, she'll definitely suspect that we were behind it. From an investor's perspective, she'll pay even more attention to the two scripts you dropped."

Nicholson chimed in: "This morning, Annapurna Pictures announced additional investment in 'Seventh Son' and 'Transcendence,' which confirms this speculation."

Leonardo looked at Martin with a question in his mind: "What's the situation with these two projects? You really think they're promising, so you're keeping them in a safe?"

"On the contrary, I'm not so optimistic." Martin didn't know how to say it: "The script is indeed well-written and of a very high standard, but after studying it carefully, I have a feeling that it may not be the type of content that audiences generally like."

Leonard seized on Martin's weakness: "If you didn't have a good eye for it, why lock it up in a safe? Is your head full of seawater?"

Nicholson habitually scoffed, "A bastard even Satan wouldn't take, how can he be mentally sound?"

Leonardo DiCaprio, also a film company owner, couldn't help but ask, "Why do you think these two projects will fail?"

"Since the success of 'The Lord of the Rings,' Hollywood has seen a constant stream of fantasy epics, but how many have truly succeeded?" Martin picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued, "Perhaps the influence and inertia of Hollywood over the past few decades have persisted, resulting in big-budget epic projects every year..."

Leonardo DiCaprio carefully recalled, "I will never touch an epic project again!"

Martin continued, "As for Annapurna Pictures' big-money offer to Depp for Transcendence, in my personal opinion, the more successful Depp's portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow is, the greater the obstacles he will face in achieving success in other projects and roles."

He added, "These two projects also have a chance of success. Before a film is released on a large scale, who can guarantee 100% success or failure?"

Leonardo said, "Although you're a bastard who likes to sleep with other men's wives, in the five years I've known you, you've proven your judgment and foresight time and time again."

Martin ignored the second part and gave Leonardo the middle finger: "You amateur sprinter who only runs 20 seconds a 100-meter dash, stop slandering me!"

Leonardo DiCaprio, too lazy to argue with this jerk, opened a phone and texted a middleman: "After the Oscars, I'm planning to organize a gathering of Asian actresses. Please invite a few more beautiful and sexy actresses who are married or engaged."

The reply came quickly: "Your hobby is really unique!"

Leonardo DiCaprio retorted, "Don't slander people."

"Megan Ellison must be very happy right now, having really enjoyed fleecing you." Nicholson, always eager to stir things up, continued, "People have a tendency to follow patterns. Megan just messed with you and seemed to enjoy it. If you have another project you're interested in, won't she step in?"

Leonardo put away his phone: "Dig a hole and bury someone? I like that!"

Martin said, "The bait shouldn't be cast too obviously, otherwise it won't attract the fish."

Nicholson asked, "Do you have any suitable projects in mind?"

"Not for now." Martin only thought of these things after seeing the newspaper article; he wasn't prepared at all.

Nicholson was already intrigued: "You find the projects, I'll throw out the bait."

Leonardo DiCaprio interjected, "What about me?"

"You can go ahead and compete for the awards without any problems," Martin reminded him. "If you lose Best Actor, Jack and I will send you to the Sacred Valley so you can make a movie with Pitt!"

The trio's gathering for today has come to an end.

Back home, Martin was still pondering the bait. Successful films were hard to find, but what about films that were a complete disaster?

It's actually quite difficult to find something that meets the criteria of high investment and low returns while still attracting investor interest.

Martin's first thought was Ridley Scott, whose epic films generally meet this requirement.

But it's best if it's not an original type.

Ridley Scott also gave Martin a hint: people can be used to deduce the works. After 2010, besides Ridley Scott's works, whose works have the most plot holes?

Martin thought of two top contenders, Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp.

The former is alright, but the latter is a complete disaster!

Having already seen Depp's "Transcendence," Martin tried to recall the Depp films he had watched, not wanting to trouble himself with two others.

Movies like *Alice Through the Looking Glass* and *Pirates of the Caribbean 5* are out of the question; the rest…

To be honest, Martin actually remembered one. I think it was adapted from a famous TV series, and Johnny Depp, that eccentric guy, played a weirdo with his face covered in greasepaint. I think it was called "The Lone Ranger".

He picked up his phone, dialed Thomas's number, and asked, "Do you know a TV series called 'The Lone Ranger'? Go check which company owns the copyright to it."

"I know, no need to check, it's a classic old show." Thomas had seen related films and television shows and knew about it: "The Lone Ranger was originally an ABC radio drama, I think it had 3000 episodes. Later, after ABC expanded its television business, it was made into a TV series. The male lead was the veteran actor Clayton Moore. I remember that in the 1950s, ABC also made two Lone Ranger movies."

He thought back carefully: "The copyright should have always been in the hands of ABC. After ABC was acquired by Disney, the copyrights for films and television series were all transferred to Disney Studios' film library. The current head of the company is your old friend Alan Horn."

Martin couldn't help but say, "What a coincidence!"

Thomas asked, "Should I contact Disney Studios?"

"No need," Martin said, feeling there was no time to lose. "I'll call Alan Horn myself."

Thomas, recalling the recently lost books "Seventh Son" and "Transcendence," specifically reminded everyone: "Maintain strict secrecy."

Martin hung up the phone and immediately called Alan Horn, who also lived in Beverly Hills.

The two agreed on a meeting time, and Martin arrived at Alan Horn's house on time.

Alan Horn said, "Wait a moment, I've had Cody go to Disney to get the information about 'The Lone Ranger' himself."

Martin said, "No rush."

Alan Horn further stated, "Someone had mentioned this classic series to me before, and yes, it was Jerry Bruckheimer. He wanted to adapt it into a blockbuster with an investment of over $1.5 million, but Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer had a serious disagreement over the revenue sharing of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, so I temporarily shelved his proposal."

He looked at Martin: "If you're interested in adapting it, Disney Studios can work with you."

Martin tentatively suggested, "I have an idea that might allow Disney to reap huge profits without investing any money, simply through a ten-year adaptation rights license. Spending $1.5 million to adapt a Western-themed work like this is too risky."

Alan Horn wouldn't have paid any attention to such comments from others, but since it was Martin who said them, he couldn't help but take them seriously.

He recalled the worst fall of his life, during the filming of Terminator Salvation.

The two started talking about this topic, and after a while, Cody Horn returned with information about "The Lone Ranger".

The information is very comprehensive because Jerry Bruckheimer once wanted to adapt it, so he specially compiled it and even had a preliminary plan.

This saved Martin a lot of trouble.

More than half an hour later, Martin left with the documents and called Nicholson and Leonardo. The three of them met at the former's house.

"Jerry Bruckheimer has always had a good eye," Nicholson said, flipping through the documents Martin had brought. "Do you think there will be problems with this project?"

Martin explained, "An outdated Western genre, but endorsed by a top producer like Jerry Bruceheimer."

Leonardo added, "And Martin Davis, who has an exceptional eye for choosing scripts and projects, is also in the background."

Martin continued, "My point remains the same: the key issue is Johnny Depp. Depp is currently working with Megan Ellison on 'Transcendence,' and while we were in contact with Disney, we were also in contact with Depp..."

Nicholson immediately grasped the point and continued Martin's train of thought: "Megan Ellison snatched two projects from you, and you stole Jessica Chastain right in front of her, but that's too small a matter, not in line with our trio's style of doing big things, so we'll use this project to poach Depp!"

He knows Hollywood inside and out: "Hollywood production teams have an exit mechanism. Transcendence is still in preparation. According to Hollywood rules, Depp can leave the production team before filming officially begins, provided he pays a certain price."

Martin said, "We made it appear as if we would pay Depp's breach of contract penalty."

"I've dealt with Depp before, and I know him and the people around him." Nicholson has seen too much in this industry: "Depp is a good guy, but he's also an alcoholic and a blabbermouth, and the people around him are a bunch of unreliable individuals. It's too difficult to get them to keep secrets."

Leonardo DiCaprio said, "Jack is right, things are a mess around Depp."

Martin's memory is the same.

Nicholson declared, "The digging project has officially begun!"

(End of this chapter)