"Hey, Duke, over here!"
The flickering firelight illuminated Leonardo's face as he waved. "We've been waiting for you."
Duke walked over with Scarlett Johansson, then spotted Bar Refaeli beside Leonardo. The two were chatting and laughing, seemingly already well-acquainted.
Also sitting around the bonfire were James Franco and Charlize Theron. Tom Cruise had rushed back to Los Angeles after wrapping up filming in the afternoon. However, his popularity within the crew wasn't great much like his reputation in Hollywood circles so not many people wanted to sit with him.
Charlize Theron, with her somewhat aloof personality, wasn't much better than Tom Cruise. In contrast, the multitalented and outgoing James Franco was much more well-liked among the crew.
Duke and Scarlett sat between him and Leonardo.
Scarlett glanced at Bar Refaeli on Leonardo's other side, winked at him, and flashed a teasing smile.
Leonardo ignored her, grabbed two beer cans, and handed them to her and Duke. "The barbecue will be ready soon."
They were still a short distance from the fire, where a few professional chefs were preparing a barbecue feast for everyone.
"Hi, Scar."
Bar Refaeli greeted Scarlett proactively. "We met at Ms. Irene Lauder's fall showcase this year."
"I remember you." Scarlett nodded at her. "Hi, Bar."
Opening the beer can, Duke took a sip and ignored the two women who had swapped seats and were now chatting about fashion. He looked at Leonardo and said in a low voice, "That was quick."
Leonardo shrugged smugly. "Shows my charm hasn't faded."
"Charm?" Duke stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. "You've gained at least two sizes. And you're aging prematurely."
He deliberately patted Leonardo on the shoulder. "Just a reminder wine and women are poison that drains a man's vitality. Take care of yourself."
"I'm aging prematurely?" Leonardo tilted his head. "Duke, when it comes to women, I've dated fewer than you have."
Leonardo looked at Franco on the other side. "James, isn't Duke's playboy reputation louder than mine in Hollywood?"
James Franco rubbed his bald head, seriously thought about it for a moment, and then said, "You two are about the same."
Duke and Leonardo pointed at him simultaneously. James Franco shrugged, picked up his beer, clinked it with the two of them, then glanced at Scarlett Johansson and Bar Refaeli, and said in a low voice, "To getting more beautiful women in the future."
The three of them chuckled and took big gulps of their beer. Amid the laughter, the conversation gradually shifted to the ongoing awards season.
"Wonder who'll win the Oscars this year," James Franco said thoughtfully.
"No idea who'll take home the golden statue," Duke said bluntly, jabbing at Leonardo, "but Leo definitely won't win Best Actor."
"Hey, man. Be fair, will you?" Leonardo widened his eyes. "I don't even have a film in the running this year how could I win?"
Duke tilted his head at him. "Right, Leo. I've been meaning to ask did you do this to yourself for the Oscars?"
Leonardo didn't answer, wearing a look that neither confirmed nor denied it.
"Is it worth it?" Duke shook his head. "You're one of the top stars in Hollywood. Even if those old geezers don't recognize you, you'll still be."
He was trying to subtly advise Leonardo, who had become an Oscar-obsessed fanatic.
But everyone has their own goals, and Leonardo was no exception. He bumped his beer can against Duke's, took a big gulp, and said, "Only when I win that statue will I know whether it was worth it."
To each his own. Duke didn't say more and instead asked James Franco, "I heard you're planning to switch to comedy?"
James Franco's friendship with Seth Rogen, a member of the 'Frat Pack,' was no secret in Hollywood.
"Yeah, I think I have a knack for comedy."
Speaking of which, James Franco suddenly remembered Duke was also a film investor, and said, "Actually, Seth and I have an idea for a comedy."
Since it involved Seth Rogen, Duke became a little interested. "Let's hear it."
Though he wouldn't touch comedy himself, such films if successful were classic cases of high returns on low investment.
"Here's the idea." James Franco thought for a moment, then tried to put it simply. "You've heard of the six-party talks, right? North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons, and a totalitarian dictatorship like that could launch them based on one man's will. Seth and I figured the CIA must have a counter-plan…"
Not just Duke even Leonardo perked up his ears. After all, influenced by mainstream media, most people saw North Korea as a totalitarian dictatorship filled with terrorism, not a part of modern civilized society.
"The story is set around North Korea acquiring nuclear weapons, casting a shadow of nuclear war over the world." James Franco continued, "Then two journalists are sent to interview North Korea's leader. Out of justice or something else, they agree to a CIA mission to assassinate the dictator. A series of unexpected events follow…"
Hollywood has never been far from politics, and Duke knew this well. After thinking it over, he said to Franco, "If you've got a script or a detailed plan, show it to me."
James Franco scratched his bald head. "It's just an idea for now. I'll push Seth Rogen on it."
"Sounds interesting," Leonardo commented casually, then changed the topic. "Duke, I heard you're planning to buy the Oakland Raiders?"
"Actually, the deal is nearly done," Duke didn't hide it and said directly, "The terms are basically finalized, and the official signing will be completed before the New Year."
He looked at Leonardo. "Leo, interested in investing? You could be one of the shareholders. NFL teams will only appreciate in value in the future this is a much better deal than investing in those paintings of yours."
"But the Raiders are all the way in Oakland…" Leonardo hesitated a little.
"My people are already in Los Angeles looking for a suitable stadium to purchase," Duke certainly wasn't going to keep his team in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Once the deal is done, the team will move back to Los Angeles."
Leonardo reached out his hand directly. "Alright then, count me in!"
"It's settled then!" Duke gave his hand a high-five.
"But the Raiders' strength…" Leonardo shook his head. "From what I know, the team's performance hasn't been great in recent years."
"Since I'm buying this team," Duke said matter-of-factly, "my goal is definitely the Super Bowl."
This deal involved up to six hundred million dollars. He wasn't spending that kind of money on a whim it was because he was genuinely interested in the Super Bowl.
Back in middle school, Duke had spent a good chunk of his free time on the football field, and at one point, he was even the starting quarterback for his school team. Although the school wasn't particularly competitive, it was still his main hobby.
Moreover, NFL teams in the future would only become more and more valuable and already possessed strong profitability. Their average profit margins far exceeded those of the NBA and other leagues.
Let's not forget American football is the number one sport in the U.S. In terms of influence, it completely overshadows other sports. Owning such a team can even be considered a symbol of status.
If it weren't for the economic crisis, Duke wouldn't have been able to reach a deal with the Raiders' current shareholders.
Of course, in the future, this team would be renamed back to the Los Angeles Raiders.
Speaking of American football, Leonardo was intrigued. He asked again, "Duke, do you have a specific plan?"
"Of course. Don't forget, my goal is the Super Bowl!" Duke laid out his series of plans. "There's no way to make trades this season, but starting next season, I'll have people restructure the team. I plan to hire Bill Belichick as the head coach…"
The guy's salary was high, but pay was the least of Duke's concerns. If not for the salary cap system, he could have assembled a team that would dominate the league.
"ICM is moving into the sports industry," Duke knew Leonardo, like himself, didn't care about past matters and got straight to the point. "Nancy has already secured agency contracts for Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady. Tom Brady will be the first-choice quarterback for the team, and the deal shouldn't be too difficult."
The quarterback is undoubtedly the soul of any team.
Leonardo understood Duke wouldn't focus only on Tom Brady. "Any other targets?"
"Last year's rookie running back for the Buffalo Bills, Marshawn Lynch. I really like his wild rushing style and his powerful ability to break tackles. With him on the team, Tom Brady would become even more terrifying."
A great running back can make Tom Brady's passing even harder to defend.
Duke continued, "As for wide receivers, I think Julian Edelman is quite good. Nancy is currently reaching out to him."
Julian Edelman and Marshawn Lynch didn't have big names yet, so signing them would be relatively easy. The toughest one would still be Tom Brady he was currently one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Duke's goal was simple—to build a team that could compete for the Super Bowl year after year.
He and Leonardo discussed things further and roughly settled on their investment proportions. Although Leonardo earned a lot from his films and box office shares, he had spent a large portion of his money on art investments over the years. When the time came, his role would be like that of Magic Johnson's with the Los Angeles Dodgers—just a symbolic stake.
.....
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