Chapter 59 – Bold Moves
ICM's interest in collaboration wasn't surprising—Aaron had a genuinely sharp eye for talent and projects. Yet, he was lukewarm about packaged deals.
Aaron wanted to grow his film company, not settle as an independent producer. If he was going to collaborate, signing production contracts directly with film companies made far more sense than working through an agency.
Besides, Aaron wasn't like Steven Spielberg, who could casually attach his name to countless films. Spielberg produced multiple movies each year, often lending his name to mediocre projects.
And Spielberg had never joined an agency, though Michael Ovitz at CAA had long tried to sign him. Since the 1980s, Spielberg had exclusively worked with Universal and Warner Bros. Joining CAA would have meant a major shift in how he operated.
After Jennifer Connelly signed her contract with ICM, she and Aaron left the office.
Later, Nancy Josephson reported to ICM president Jeffrey Berg. "Uncle Berg, I spoke with Aaron Anderson. He seems somewhat resistant to the agency's packaged deal system."
Berg chuckled. "Resistant?"
"He's young, but ambitious. His current film, Ghost, is an independent production under Dawnlight Films. He purchased the script while still at CAA."
Nancy was impressed. "So after leaving CAA, he first produced a low-budget Phone Booth and achieved commercial success, then immediately used the profits to develop Ghost. He's daring—and bold in action."
"Indeed, bold," Berg nodded. "Even when he was at CAA, he rarely managed actors personally. His focus was on film deals. His judgment is excellent—he spotted promising new directors like Steven Soderbergh and David Fincher early on."
Nancy smiled. "So, you really think highly of Aaron Anderson?"
Berg shrugged. "From his early work on Sex, Lies, and Videotape, to Cinema Paradiso, and then blockbusters like Pretty Woman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, he's been consistently involved. Now his self-produced Phone Booth is a commercial success—all his own ideas. You think that's coincidence?"
He shook his head. "Last year, what was his position? Yet he confronted Warren Beatty directly, risking his career future. That's ultimate confidence. Look at the results: Pretty Woman just crossed $300 million globally last week, and forecasts put it at a minimum of $400 million. As for Dick Tracy, even without Beatty's recent scandal, who would have expected it to reach $200 million?"
Berg's point was clear: given Pretty Woman's phenomenal performance, Beatty's Dick Tracy didn't stand a chance.
"No wonder Aaron dislikes packaged deals. Al Pacino dropped out of Dick Tracy under his persuasion and signed on for Pretty Woman instead," Nancy said, laughing.
"This time, CAA suffered—they lost a future top producer and an American sweetheart. Meanwhile, Warren Beatty's reputation hit rock bottom, becoming a stepping stone for Aaron's rise."
Ever since Pretty Woman's outstanding performance, Hollywood media revisited Aaron's bold bet against Beatty. In Tinseltown, strong performance gets celebrated, failure gets crushed.
Now, the rivalry between CAA and ICM had reached fever pitch. Yet, sitting in his chair, Jeffrey Berg couldn't help sighing. ICM just couldn't match CAA…
Michael Ovitz and the CAA team were now fully assisting Japan's Panasonic in acquiring MCA Group. Having just helped Sony Electronics with its takeover of Columbia and Samsung Films last year, Ovitz's leadership in Panasonic's acquisition of Universal this year greatly boosted both CAA's and his personal reputation.
With Jennifer Connelly joining Disney's new film Rocketman, Aaron once again arrived at Disney's Burbank studios. The film's director, Joe Johnston, had only directed his first movie last year but already delivered Disney a hit with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
Although the leads, Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly, were not yet famous, the supporting cast included Timothy Dalton—both the recent James Bond actors!
"Aaron, are you interested in developing projects exclusively for Disney?"
"Disney is willing to acquire a majority stake in Dawnlight Films at a high price," came the question from Jeffrey Katzenberg's office as Aaron sat down. "Dawnlight would still remain under your management. How does that sound?"
Aaron smiled. "You mean you want me to stay and serve Disney full-time?"
"Wouldn't you want to join? With Disney's backing, you could produce multiple films simultaneously."
Aaron shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Mr. Katzenberg, I appreciate your candor, but I've grown accustomed to working freely. Signing an exclusive deal with Disney doesn't quite fit Dawnlight Films' current direction."
Katzenberg remained his usual composed self. "With Disney's support, you wouldn't have to worry about production funding, marketing, or distribution. Look at how successful our live-action films have become—you can achieve the same without these obstacles."
Previously, Katzenberg hadn't paid much attention to Aaron Anderson. After all, one film like Sex, Lies, and Videotape wasn't enough to stand out. But with the releases of Phone Booth and Pretty Woman this year, Katzenberg realized Aaron truly had talent.
Dawnlight Films was seeking Sony Columbia to distribute the fantasy romance Ghost, a script Aaron had previously overlooked when it was sent to him ten years ago.
"Mr. Katzenberg, as you know, I'm about to devote myself fully to filming Ghost. Discussing a collaboration right now is a bit premature," Aaron said.