[Chapter 323: Godfather, Teach Me Math]
Back at the villa, Link asked Lily to check in with the women in the house and see if anyone else wanted to invest. He wanted a quick survey -- no matter how much money they had.
Once the numbers were in, they'd be handed over to Glimmer Investments' managers to set up their accounts. From then on, whenever the company invested in stocks, they'd be included.
With his help, their assets would grow exponentially. In time, they'd all become multimillionaires.
"You want me to notify everyone? Then you should first give me a list of all the women you're referring to. Otherwise, how am I supposed to count?" Lily said slyly, her sparkling eyes full of mischief.
Link gave her a light tap on the back. "Don't try to trap me into saying something. I only have you all -- who else could there be? I'm talking about the women staying here at the villa."
The women living at the villa made up about eighty percent of the group. Anyone who hadn't joined yet could be counted later if they ever wanted in.
"Fine, I'll make the calls. Meanwhile, you should help Cici with math. She's the worst at it -- no matter how she studies, she just doesn't get it."
Lily dodged his hand as he tried to mess with her and walked off.
Link glanced at the math books on the table, then at Cecilia's bright, eager eyes. He had a feeling he'd miscalculated.
Maybe it was better to have Jennifer Connelly handle the count. She was brilliant at this kind of thing.
"Godfather, stop spacing out and help me with my homework!" Cici tugged at his sleeve, urging him.
Link tapped her lightly on the forehead and sat down to fulfill his duties.
...
After a pleasant weekend, Link returned to work at the company.
The moment he stepped into his office, the phone rang.
It was Steve Jobs, calling to confirm that Pixar had accepted Guess Pictures' offer.
The agreed-upon acquisition price: $300 million plus a 10% stake.
After hanging up, Link immediately called in Mark Amin and instructed him to lead the acquisition team. The deal had officially moved into the negotiation stage, with plans to finalize it within the week and complete the merger in the next three months.
If everything went smoothly, Guess Pictures could release its first animated feature by the end of the year.
...
Once news of the negotiations broke, the media caught on fast.
American Express was the first to report: "Guess Pictures moves forward with its acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios. Once the acquisition is completed, Guess Pictures' industry chain will be more complete. Not only will it have a complete film production, publicity, and distribution system, it will also master Hollywood's most advanced computer animation production technology, and its competitiveness in the film industry will be greatly enhanced in the future."
The Hollywood Reporter looked back at the company's recent expansion: "From acquiring Good Machine, Trimark Pictures, and Artisan Entertainment in 1993, to buying Marvel in 1994, and now stepping into the animated film sector, Guess Pictures is growing rapidly. At this rate, it may soon rival -- if not surpass -- the Big Seven studios."
...
Not all reactions were positive, however.
The Los Angeles Times questioned the move: "Guess Pictures has no experience in animated filmmaking. Entering this space so suddenly carries enormous risks. If they fail, the company's growth could stall, potentially reducing it back to a mid-tier studio. But if they succeed, the Big Seven could be in for a major shake-up. The outcome of this acquisition could have a lasting impact on the film industry."
...
Both Guess Pictures and Pixar remained silent in response to the media coverage, planning to hold a press conference once the deal was finalized.
At the shareholders' meeting, some investors also expressed doubts.
They worried that Guess Pictures lacked the expertise to make animated films, making Pixar a risky acquisition.
Link addressed the board directly, stating that acquiring Pixar was a critical step for the company's future. With Pixar under its wing, Guess Pictures would have the ability to create world-class animated films, diversifying its portfolio and bringing in more revenue.
As the company's founder and largest shareholder, his authority carried significant weight. After hearing his reasoning, the shareholders stopped opposing the deal.
...
"Sir, you're incredible."
As Link left the meeting, Lewinsky followed behind him, clutching a folder, eyes filled with admiration. "Before the meeting, several shareholders were firmly against the acquisition. But once you spoke, they all fell silent. By the end, they even started supporting you. It's like you're a king, controlling everything."
Her face flushed, her admiration unmistakable.
Link chuckled but said nothing.
He knew their change in attitude wasn't just about trusting him -- it was about profit.
If the Pixar deal led to box office success, the shareholders would rally behind him. But if it failed, they'd use it as an opportunity to question his leadership and weaken his influence.
Corporate power struggles were nothing new. Companies like Apple, Disney, Universal, and CAA all faced the same internal conflicts. The more complex the corporate structure, the worse the infighting.
That was why major studios often struggled to match the efficiency of independent film companies.
---
Once the acquisition matters were settled, Link returned to the studio to continue editing Batman Forever. Three weeks later, the film was cut and sent off for post-production.
During that time, Guess Pictures' fourth film of the year, While You Were Sleeping, hit theaters.
Opening in 2,105 cinemas, it grossed $20.82 million in its first week, claiming the top spot at the box office.
Coming in second was Columbia Pictures' action movie Bad Boys, which opened in 2,355 theaters and earned $18.69 million.
Third place went to Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, bringing in $10.23 million. With a domestic total of $112 million, it became the first film of 1995 to cross the $100 million mark.
Fourth place was Paramount's comedy Tommy Boy, which debuted with $8.45 million -- a decent performance.
Thanks to strong word-of-mouth, While You Were Sleeping expanded to 2,507 theaters in its second week, pulling in $22.79 million and retaining the number one spot. With a two-week total of $43.61 million, it was on track to surpass $80 million domestically.
Bad Boys also had solid reviews, but its lead actors lacked strong box office draw, and Columbia didn't push its marketing as aggressively as Guess Pictures. As a result, its second-week numbers still trailed behind While You Were Sleeping.
...
Seeing one hit after another from Guesswork Pictures dominating the North American box office, the media outlets began marveling at the studio's overwhelming success. Headlines declared that Hollywood had entered the era of Guesswork Pictures, reducing the once-mighty Big Seven studios to mere supporting roles -- like a real-life version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
More and more media outlets began to hail Guesswork Pictures as a powerhouse, praising Link as Hollywood's new overlord, the King of Hollywood.
The studio's reputation in Hollywood had reached an all-time high.
However, Lily and Jon Gordon noticed something unusual. The surge in media praise for Guesswork Pictures was unprecedented -- even media outlets owned by the Big Seven were enthusiastically promoting the studio's success.
Lily suspected a setup and immediately warned Link.
"A setup? They're building us up now -- how do they plan to tear us down later?"
Seated at his desk, Link twirled a pen between his fingers, his tone laced with skepticism.
Lily stood before him, her expression serious. "I heard that the Big Seven have been in close contact lately. They might be planning a major move against us. Chances are, they'll band together to crush our films during the summer blockbuster season. And our summer releases all lean toward niche genres -- we don't have any major commercial blockbusters lined up. If we lose at the box office, the same media hyping us up now will turn on us, mocking our failure and damaging our reputation."
Jon Gordon added, "The Butterfly Effect is pretty niche -- its box office potential is limited. What if we move The Sixth Sense up to the summer? That film is fantastic. I have much more confidence in its box office performance."
Link shook his head. "The Sixth Sense is a supernatural drama with a winter setting -- it's better suited for a year-end release.
No need to worry. The Butterfly Effect and The Shawshank Redemption are both strong films. Even against the Big Seven's blockbusters, we won't be at a disadvantage.
We just completed our second round of financing -- we have money, resources, and a solid lineup of films. That's our strength and our confidence. No matter what tricks they pull, we can handle it."
Hearing this, Jon Gordon calmed down.
...
After they left, Link returned to work. With Batman Forever wrapped up, he was already preparing for his next project.
Several high-quality scripts were on his desk: The Net, Jerry Maguire, The English Patient, The Rock, Fight Club, Rush Hour, and Primal Fear.
He could direct any of them -- but time was limited. Shooting multiple films at once could compromise quality.
After careful consideration, he decided to drop Jerry Maguire. It was a great film with strong box office potential, but its style differed too much from his usual work and wasn't really to his taste.
The Rock was an action film, which didn't align with his current style. Plus, Michael Bay had just proven himself with Bad Boys.
Might as well see if Bay wanted to direct it.
If Bay wasn't interested, then Link would reconsider taking it on himself.
Rush Hour was an action-comedy -- another film he could delegate to another director.
The English Patient was a romantic war drama. Given his track record with romance in previous films, critics had praised his ability to tell love stories and were eager to see him tackle a full-fledged romance film.
It was a good opportunity to branch out and expand his filmography.
Besides, the film had been a critical and commercial success, sweeping awards at major film festivals and the Oscars.
Making a film like this would bring in more box office subsidies and increase his overall industry value.
The return on investment was too good to pass up.
The Net had a solid script, but the original director had fumbled it, leading to a mediocre final product and a global box office of just over $100 million.
Link was confident he could do a much better job, earning higher box office numbers and stronger reviews.
The film was already in pre-production, and once Sandra Bullock finished promoting While You Were Sleeping, filming could start -- wrapping up in about 40 days.
That would save time and maximize his directorial gains.
As for Fight Club and Primal Fear, both were psychological thrillers, with scripts he had personally revised.
Filming them would secure more box office subsidies and industry perks.
He decided to move forward with these three films first, aiming to complete them within the year.
...
Ring ring!
His assistant, Annie, called. "Matt Damon's on the line -- wants to know if you have a moment."
Link picked up the phone. "Matt, what's up?"
"Link, are you free anytime soon? Can you check on Ben?"
"Ben? What happened?"
Walking to the window, Link pulled open the blinds, letting sunlight spill in.
"He got too deep into his Batman role. Even though the shoot wrapped two weeks ago, he still hasn't snapped out of it. He barely talks, isolates himself in his room, and doesn't act like his old self. I took him to a therapist, but it hasn't helped much. Any advice?"
Matt sounded genuinely worried.
"No need to panic -- it's common. When actors immerse themselves in a role, everything around them -- the people, the environment, the language, the atmosphere -- draws them in. When the shoot ends, they suddenly find their behavior out of sync with their real-world surroundings, and it takes time to adjust. Take him out, let him experience new things. He'll gradually recover. But if you want to speed things up, take him on a roller coaster. Make him ride until he pukes -- then see if he still feels like Batman."
"Got it! I'll take him to an amusement park tomorrow."
Link chuckled as he hung up.
...
During The Butterfly Effect, Leonardo had also gotten lost in his role. It had taken him over a month to recover.
Ben Affleck's case wasn't nearly as severe.
The real problem was Jim Carrey.
By nature, Carrey was an introvert -- mature, reserved.
But for the sake of his career, he had to act loud, manic, and over-the-top in front of the camera.
Before every shoot, he had to mentally condition himself -- completely discarding his true self -- to fully embody his roles.
After filming, he struggled to switch back, forcing himself to reconcile with his real personality.
The constant emotional whiplash took a serious toll, making him prone to psychological issues.
Every time he finished a film, he needed therapy.
At the same time, he had grown to despise comedy.
Yet, that was the only genre Hollywood wanted from him.
If he refused, he'd have no work.
Caught in this cycle, he was slowly being torn apart inside.
Whenever Link had free time, he would invite Carrey to play tennis or go swimming -- helping him unwind.
Compared to Carrey's struggles, Affleck's little identity crisis wasn't even worth worrying about.
*****
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