At the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Beverly Hills, Simon stepped out of the elevator, where Sherry Lansing was already waiting. She personally led him through the hallway to a lively banquet hall, where several individuals who had received the news of his arrival were already waiting at the entrance.
"Simon, let me introduce you," Sherry Lansing said, taking the initiative. "This is Bernd Eichinger, Chairman of Constantin Film."
"We already know each other," Simon interjected before she could continue, extending his hand to the middle-aged man with a buzz cut and a kindly face. "Bernd, it's good to see you again."
Bernd Eichinger warmly shook Simon's hand. "Yes, Simon, I'm glad we're able to work together this time."
Simon's earliest dealings with Constantin Film dated back to reclaiming the rights to Fantastic Four from them. Later, he even had dinner with Bernd during a trip to Germany, though they hadn't interacted much since.
Constantin Film is often remembered for Resident Evil, but in reality, this German film company has produced many box office hits and is one of the largest film distributors in Europe.
More than that, in the original timeline, Constantin Film had a close relationship with another Hollywood film company, which Bernd Eichinger co-founded and where he was also a major shareholder.
That company was Summit Entertainment.
For this external cooperation plan, Constantin Film would represent a pool of German capital, contributing 20% of MGM's five-film package project. Based on an estimated total investment of $350 million for the five films, Constantin would contribute $70 million and handle some of the European distribution.
Constantin Film was one of the most successful cases of Simon guiding foreign capital into Hollywood.
Without this guidance, Bernd Eichinger would likely have focused on Summit Entertainment in the coming years, making notable investments in Hollywood production, participating in hit films like Evita, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, American Pie, and eventually achieving success with The Twilight Saga.
Now, thanks to the dominance of Daenerys Entertainment in Hollywood, other major studios were struggling, let alone second- and third-tier companies. Simon's efforts to guide these foreign investors into MGM's projects had effectively diminished the chance of such capital running rampant in Hollywood or growing too influential.
After their brief conversation, Sherry Lansing, still smiling, introduced the next person: "Simon, this is Laurence Birnbaum, Chairman of the German Forge Investment Fund… And this is Christian Stern, President of Germany's Vanguard Films… And over here…"
Starting with Bernd Eichinger, she introduced six people in total, four of whom were from Germany, the main target for fundraising in this project.
There was also one from the UK and one from Spain.
Simon had reviewed their profiles on the plane. These individuals represented capital investments in the project, ranging from a minimum of 5% to a maximum of 20%, covering 70% of the total $350 million investment. The remaining 30% was split between MGM and Daenerys Entertainment.
When they reached the last person, Sherry Lansing leaned in and whispered, "A friend of the President," before continuing, "Simon, this is Frank Giustra. He's from Canada and primarily works in the mining industry, but he's very interested in Hollywood."
No introduction was necessary. With Simon's extensive knowledge of Hollywood, he immediately recognized the short, sharp-eyed middle-aged man with graying hair before him.
Frank Giustra, founder of Lionsgate.
Unlike other speculators who had come and gone in Hollywood, Lionsgate was once the most promising contender for becoming a new major studio. They produced blockbuster hits like The Hunger Games and later acquired Summit Entertainment, owners of The Twilight Saga. In the TV industry, they even had hits like Mad Men.
If Hollywood's landscape hadn't already been dominated by massive media conglomerates in the 21st century, Lionsgate might have become the seventh major studio.
Though Giustra came through Clinton's introduction, Simon felt a slight sense of hostility toward him.
This was a disruptor.
Frank Giustra was not on the list of investors for this package project. He was simply using his connection to Clinton to network in Hollywood, preparing for his future foray into the film industry.
From Simon's previous life memories, he knew quite a bit about Giustra's relationship with Clinton.
This Canadian businessman had managed to climb the political ladder in the U.S. by facilitating donations for Clinton. While U.S. law prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to political campaigns, there are many loopholes. For instance, Clinton was still operating a foundation, the "Clinton Legal Defense Fund," which was nominally for providing legal aid to disadvantaged groups but could also accept foreign donations.
Even Giustra's rise to wealth was a typical case of capital maneuvering.
In the 1980s, Giustra started as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch. After building enough connections, he founded a finance company specializing in mining investment, accumulating his first fortune through capital operations. Then, in the 1990s, through Clinton's introduction, he broke into Hollywood and founded Lionsgate, gradually climbing to the top.
Giustra never abandoned his primary business.
In 2005, in the original timeline, Giustra was involved in a uranium mining scandal orchestrated by Clinton, which included donations of over $30 million to the Clinton Foundation.
To Simon, Giustra resembled another broker navigating the intersection of capital and power.
That's right.
Jeffrey Epstein.
Both came from similar backgrounds, rose through capital operations, and relied on relationships with influential figures to ascend.
Western media later portrayed Epstein as merely a pimp, but it's hard to say whether this narrative was intended to obscure his deeper identity. After all, while catering to certain 'distinguished' guests with teenage girls may have been his private hobby, amassing billions solely through pimping would be absurd.
Underneath it all was an intricate and far-reaching web.
Enough said.
If Giustra didn't intend to disrupt Hollywood, Simon might have been interested in cultivating him as a hidden ally like Epstein.
Simon didn't engage Giustra in much conversation. After briefly acknowledging him, Simon moved on to mingle with other guests involved in MGM's package project. The key players from Species 2, Independence Day, and Contact were all present, provided they were in Los Angeles.
The first to approach Simon was Natasha Henstridge, who was currently filming Species 2.
The film was being shot in the Los Angeles area, and with the weekend off, Natasha was able to attend the party.
It had been a while since they last saw each other, and Natasha was a little anxious about whether Simon still remembered her.
Back then, she had signed a one-year contract on a plane, which should have granted her freedom after a year. However, after becoming Simon's lover, she enjoyed various privileges: the mansion she had been assigned, the respectful treatment from those around her, the ease of landing roles and endorsements, the perks of being one of Simon's women, access to high-level social circles she wouldn't normally reach, and even receiving lavish gifts during the holidays.
Over time, she became accustomed to this lifestyle. Natasha even wondered if she could survive without it if she lost everything one day.
Moreover, she had only been 19 when she became involved with Simon.
Now, she was 22.
Still young, there was no rush.
Before she knew it, more than two years had passed.
The only issue was that, during those two years, she had only seen Simon a handful of times—literally, she could count the occasions on one hand.
If not for the two Westeros family attendants assigned to her later, she might have believed she had been dumped. These attendants—one serving, one guarding—were the standard setup for Simon's lovers. If he wanted to break things off, he would simply send them away. Simon never forced anyone to stay.
When Natasha approached, Simon naturally raised his hand to hug her, complimenting, "Natasha, you look beautiful tonight."
Sensing the ease in Simon's tone, Natasha relaxed and boldly kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Simon."
She then slipped her arm around his, clearly not planning to let go for the rest of the night.
As Hollywood's most powerful figure, everyone was accustomed to seeing Simon Westeros surrounded by a revolving door of women. No one reacted oddly to Natasha's gesture, though several actresses who had lit up upon seeing Simon now looked at her with envy.
Next, Simon greeted the Independence Day crew.
As the first major film following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the first outside the DC Universe, Roland Emmerich understood how much this film would determine whether he could escape the label of a DCU director. He was taking it very seriously.
After extensive discussions, Emmerich had secured a budget of $90 million, matching Contact and exceeding the original by $15 million.
Combined with Species 2's $40 million budget, the first three projects had a total investment of $220 million.
That left only $130 million for the final two projects, averaging $65 million per film. Though still blockbusters, they were noticeably smaller in scale.
Simon had personally overseen the casting for Independence Day, sticking closely to the original choices, including Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and Will Smith, who had gained fame from his role as 'Cyborg.' Additionally, Simon cast Sherilyn Fenn, who played the perfect housewife Bree Van De Kamp in the new Desperate Housewives, as Jeff Goldblum's ex-wife working at the White House.
The ensemble cast offered exceptional value. The three male leads' combined salaries amounted to only $10 million, yet their star power was on par with big names
like Mel Gibson or Harrison Ford, who each commanded over $10 million per film. If Independence Day succeeded, Hollywood's top-tier stars, already impacted by the DC Universe, would see their fortunes decline even further.
It had been a while since Simon last saw Sherilyn Fenn, whose elegant and sharp demeanor remained unchanged.
Of course, Simon was one of the few who dared to approach her.
After a brief hug, Simon looked her over and complimented, "Still as beautiful as ever. By the way, are you married?"
"Of course I am," Sherilyn replied, glancing at the woman on Simon's arm—a 'vase,' in her eyes. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Simon. I'm married and even have a one-year-old baby."
Simon nodded approvingly. "I actually prefer married women."
Sherilyn gave him a sideways glance, her eyes full of charm. "From the spectacle you made in China, I thought you'd become a big shot, but you're still the same troublemaker."
"Didn't you know? The higher up you go, the more trouble you like to cause."
"I see that now."
After some playful banter, Simon noticed a subtle crack in Sherilyn's demeanor but didn't press further. He led Natasha to mingle elsewhere.
Contact wasn't set to begin filming until the end of the year. Besides director Robert Zemeckis, Simon planned to recast both the male and female leads.
The female lead role was already given to Sandra Bullock.
Despite lacking the prestige of an Academy Award like Jodie Foster, Sandra's popularity was on par, and her age and appearance suited the role perfectly. Plus, Simon's personal connection to her made it impossible to pass the role to anyone else.
As for the male lead, a change was also necessary.
Matthew McConaughey, whether in the film or real life, never quite fit the role of a preacher—he came across as too much of a rogue.
Simon initially considered Nicolas Cage.
At this point in his career, Cage was still incredibly handsome and versatile, with a brooding quality that fit the preacher role perfectly.
But Simon quickly abandoned the idea.
Too expensive.
Cage's latest film, Mission: Impossible 2, was set to release this summer, and with other recent hits, his asking price for a commercial film wouldn't be less than $10 million.
Contact was a major blockbuster.
Since it was also a female-led film centered on Sandra, the male lead didn't have much screen time. Bringing Cage onboard would feel like overkill, and negotiating his fee would be challenging.
The same went for Keanu Reeves.
Since Run Lola Run, Sandra and Keanu had become a beloved on-screen couple. But having recently co-starred in Speed, pairing them again so soon, not to mention the financial implications, wasn't ideal.
So the search for a male lead continued.
There was still time.
At the party, Simon discussed casting with Zemeckis, settling on one key criterion: the male lead had to be exceptionally handsome. The kind of handsome that could make women swoon, to compensate for Sandra not being particularly stunning.
Of course.
Sandra playfully punched Simon for that remark.
Then came Species 2.
This film had already begun shooting, and after much discussion, the sequel's plot diverged from the original. The core attraction was the battle between the first and second-generation alien species.
The story picks up where the first film left off.
After Natasha's character was killed, scientists retrieved tissue samples from the alien to continue research, resulting in the creation of a second-generation alien through genetic mutation.
Smarter, stronger, and more bloodthirsty.
Due to a researcher's negligence, the second-generation alien escapes the secret base, prompting the authorities to summon the original team to hunt it down.
They fail miserably.
Desperate, someone suggests cloning the first-generation alien from tissue samples and using the species' inherent territorial instincts to force the two aliens to kill each other.
The plan works.
After a fierce battle, Natasha's first-generation alien kills the second-generation one. However, instead of disposing of her, humans freeze her for future use.
The story ends.
Of course, it's not over.
If there's a third film, it will undoubtedly be about the third-generation alien.
One thing was clear: to ensure the series' success, Natasha Henstridge, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator series, would need to make an appearance in future sequels. In the original timeline, Henstridge didn't appear in the third film because the second one was a disaster. The subsequent sequels didn't even make it to theaters, heading straight to video instead.
If the new Species 2 flopped, the series would likely follow the same path.
However, the Species series had always been a hit in the home video market.
Since the main draw was the showdown between the two generations of aliens, casting the second-generation alien was crucial. If the actress didn't measure up to Natasha, the film's appeal would be significantly diminished.
The role ultimately went to Australian actress and model Megan Gale.
Thanks to the surge in Hollywood productions being shot in Australia in recent years, Australian actors had been gaining more exposure.
Megan Gale was one of them.
Though not widely known, fans of comic book adaptations were familiar with her. Gale was almost cast as Diana Prince in George Miller's Justice League film. She had even completed a screen test, but the project fell apart due to internal issues at Warner Bros., leaving only a 2007 documentary titled George Miller's Justice League: Mortal.
Gale later appeared in George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, a 2015 masterpiece, prompting many to wonder which of Miller's harem she belonged to.
She wasn't part of the harem.
In Mad Max: Fury Road, Gale played the woman standing naked on a platform as bait to lure in travelers—one of the "Mothers." By then, she was 39 years old, and having missed her chance to play Wonder Woman, she never got another big break.
At the moment, Megan Gale was only 21 and in her prime.
George Miller's decision to cast her as Wonder Woman was based on her physical resemblance to the character. In particular, she possessed certain attributes that distinguished her from the TV version's Lynda Carter and the film version's Gal Gadot. Gale's selection for Species 2 was also largely due to her physical appeal.
In this sequel, Natasha represented nostalgia, while Megan Gale was the film's sex appeal. Not only was her figure stunning, but her 180 cm height also surpassed Natasha's 178 cm.
As Simon chatted with the Species 2 team, sparks began to fly between the two actresses.
When women throw sparks at each other, it's usually over a man, unless they're developing romantic feelings for each other. In this case, it was definitely the former. Although Megan Gale, at 21, was relatively unknown in both acting and modeling, she had been in the industry long enough to know how Natasha Henstridge had risen to fame, especially now that she had met Simon Westeros in person.
If she didn't seize this opportunity, she might never get another.
So Megan took a proactive approach.
After several rounds of subtle glances and body language, she boldly mimicked Natasha and linked arms with Simon on his other side.
By the time Simon had finished chatting with the Species 2 crew, he had a woman on each arm.
Since he had just returned and wasn't planning to stay out late, Simon was about to let go of the two women and head home. However, he noticed Peter Jackson across the room, looking radiant and clearly enjoying a successful period.
Deciding to address the situation, Simon walked over with the two women in tow.
Peter Jackson, holding a cocktail, greeted Simon warmly as soon as he saw him.
Simon, glancing at the people surrounding Jackson, smiled knowingly. He understood the director's current situation. As news of the "Middle-earth Cinematic Universe" spread, Jackson's involvement in The Lord of the Rings as director had also made the rounds.
Given the success of the DC Cinematic Universe, it wasn't hard to imagine the spotlight that would be on Jackson as one of the key creatives behind the Lord of the Rings films.
More importantly, this franchise promised numerous opportunities.
Even though everyone knew Simon Westeros was the ultimate controller of the series, Jackson's recent popularity in the industry was undeniable. Many were eager to align themselves with him, hoping for future benefits.
"Simon, it's great to see you again."
Peter Jackson was still respectful toward Simon, though he had clearly had a bit too much to drink. When he extended his hand to greet Simon, he even swayed slightly.
Simon, still smiling, didn't shake Jackson's hand. Instead, he turned to the people around them and said, "I'd like to speak with Peter privately. Could you all give us a moment?"
Those present weren't nobodies, but in front of Simon, no one dared to posture. They quickly dispersed.
Peter Jackson, though slightly tipsy, wasn't drunk. Realizing Simon had refused to shake his hand, he felt something was off. He glanced around for a place to set down his drink, but finding nowhere, he awkwardly continued holding the glass.
Simon looked him over and asked, "Peter, things have been going well for you recently, haven't they?"
Jackson knew exactly what Simon was referring to and smiled sheepishly, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Being the shrewd and worldly man that he was, he now understood Simon's displeasure.
Simon signaled to Megan Gale, who promptly took Jackson's now-burdensome glass and placed it on a nearby table.
With the drink gone, Jackson relaxed a little. "
Simon, I'm really sorry. I probably… I probably shouldn't have had so much."
Simon shook his head slightly. "Peter, you need to understand that everything you're experiencing right now is an illusion. You haven't actually succeeded yet. In fact, if I decide right now that I've changed my mind, you'll be nothing in an instant."
Hearing this, Jackson sobered up immediately, a cold chill running down his spine. "I… I understand, Simon. I'm truly sorry."
Simon suddenly changed the subject. "Have you watched Mr. Vampire?"
"Yes, I have."
"How many times?"
"I… I don't remember exactly," Jackson stammered, then quickly added with conviction, "but I'm sure it's been more than ten times."
"Good. In that case, head back to New Zealand tomorrow," Simon said, finally satisfied. "Finish The Frighteners, and then make The Lord of the Rings properly. Only then will the glory you're currently enjoying be truly yours, rather than just a soap bubble."
"I swear, Simon."
"Then what are you still doing here?"
Peter Jackson hesitated briefly before softly bidding Simon goodbye and leaving the bustling banquet hall without a second thought.
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