As Luke spoke, he pulled out the prepared contracts and handed them to the two men.
Director Cohen flipped through a couple of pages before closing the document. He trusted Luke completely and wasn't worried about being shortchanged. His real concern was whether he was up to the task of directing this film.
With a budget of $150 million, this movie could be a milestone in his career. And given Luke's track record—100% success rate over the past two years, with every film he starred in raking in both box office bucks and critical acclaim—Cohen was certain King of Espionage would be no different. The only question was how big a hit it would be.
"Luke, I appreciate your faith in me. I'm sure this film will be a success," Cohen said, voicing his concern. "But as a director, I'm worried I might hold you back and keep you from reaching even greater heights."
"Cohen, I didn't choose you just because we're friends," Luke replied. "I picked you for your professional skills. Your strength is visual storytelling, and that's exactly what this movie needs. You've shot high-octane car chases in The Fast and the Furious and intense spy action in XXX. Isn't that perfect experience for this project?"
Hearing Luke's earnest response, Cohen's worries melted away. He nodded. "Alright, I'll give it everything I've got."
With Cohen on board, Luke turned his attention to Vin Diesel.
The contract was a bit tricky for Diesel. In the recently released XXX, he'd played the lead. Taking a supporting role in Luke's King of Espionage—where he wouldn't even be the second lead—could, in theory, look like a step down in status.
But status isn't that simple. It depends on the project and who you're supporting. Being the lead in a low-budget flick worth a few million dollars doesn't compare to a key supporting role in a $100 million-plus blockbuster. And playing second fiddle to Luke, whose films were guaranteed hits, was way better than starring in a flop.
Still, none of that mattered much to Diesel. His bond with Luke made those calculations irrelevant. Without even glancing at the contract, he said, "My schedule's yours. But I've got one condition."
"Name it," Luke said.
"I want someone to train me for the action scenes. I want to do all my own stunts this time."
Luke could tell the memory of O'Connor's accident still weighed on Diesel. He nodded. "I'll get Meng Tao to give you special training."
Meanwhile, Cohen, who'd been skimming the script tucked into the contract, spoke up. "The core team has four members. We've got three locked in, but who's the last one?"
In King of Espionage, Luke played a private intelligence broker, naturally leading a tight-knit elite team. The script was heavily "inspired" by Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol:
Luke was the centerpiece, handling the charisma and high-energy action scenes. Vin Diesel played his right-hand man, the team's second-in-command, with plenty of action sequences of his own. Yuffie played the team's only female member, responsible for looking stunning but also getting a standout fight scene. The final role was the team's tech expert, tasked with solving high-tech problems and providing comic relief to lighten the mood.
"We still haven't found the right person for that one. It's a headache," Luke admitted, sounding frustrated.
The role was tricky to cast. Unlike Mission: Impossible 4, where the team was a group of professional agents, this story's team was a band of private intelligence operatives. They couldn't come off as stiff, elite types. The vibe had to feel more rogue, more rough-around-the-edges.
With Luke and Yuffie as Asians, plus Vin Diesel as a Black-white mix, the team already had a gritty, independent feel. The last member needed to be a white actor to balance things out for the audience. But it had to be someone who could pull off humor, didn't take themselves too seriously, and had a bit of a nonconformist look.
Who could fit that bill?
Creak.
Just then, the coffee shop's wooden door swung open.
Johnny Depp, sporting heavy black eyeliner, strolled in and headed straight for Luke with a grin. "Eisen told me you've got a role that's perfect for me."
"No way, it's not for you," Luke shot back, not wanting to owe anyone favors.
Vin Diesel playing a supporting role was one thing, but Johnny Depp too? Luke wasn't sure how to handle that. In Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp had been the second lead, with a role so prominent he was practically a co-star. But King of Espionage was a single-lead film. If Depp took a supporting role, it'd be a win for Luke but a loss for Depp. Luke didn't want to be in his debt.
"Don't lie to me! I saw the script at Eisen's. The tech guy role? It's totally me," Depp said loudly.
"Your agent's okay with you taking a supporting role?" Luke countered.
"If he's not, I'll fire him. Look, Luke, I'm telling you straight—I'm doing this role," Depp said, his tone unwavering.
"Why? Give me a reason why you're so set on it," Luke demanded.
"Haha, it's definitely not to repay you for saving my life," Depp said with a smirk.
Luke stayed quiet, waiting for him to go on.
"I read the script, man. It's insane! Climbing a plane door mid-flight? Scaling the Burj Khalifa? You're shooting that stuff for real," Depp said. "I'm betting this movie's going down in history. People will be talking about it for years. Being part of it, even as a supporting role? I wouldn't trade that for some lead in a mediocre flick."
"So, what, you're saying you're the one begging me? Doing me a favor for old times' sake?" Depp said, grinning cheekily.
Luke met his eager gaze and finally nodded.
"I freaking love you!" Depp rushed forward, trying to hug him.
Luke shoved him away with a grimace.
With all the key roles filled, they just needed to wrap up the remaining prep work, and filming could begin.