Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 218: Go Ahead

"I think they might just be using you as a whetstone."

Renly wasn't surprised. Before the audition, he had already speculated this possibility. Compared to Dwayne Johnson, his strengths and weaknesses were quite apparent. It ultimately depended on how the crew chose to position him. Moreover, after yesterday's shock from "Horrible Bosses," hearing such news today left him much calmer.

Andy turned to look at Renly and saw his calm expression, which made him chuckle. He had thought Renly would be hard to console after successive setbacks but had forgotten that Renly couldn't be judged by ordinary standards.

"Things are moving too quickly," Andy explained, feeling slightly relieved. "Within just thirty-six hours, there has been an overwhelming amount of news coverage. At a place like Telluride, 'Fast & Furious' doesn't stand a chance without some behind-the-scenes promotion. It's impossible for them to grab so much attention otherwise."

Renly didn't speak but instead recalled the news he heard yesterday.

Even though we are in the internet age where news spreads rapidly, usually within twenty-four hours, there can be significant changes. However, with Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube not yet fully utilized, news updates still relied on portals, online news, and traditional media. Thus, Andy's concern wasn't unfounded.

"It's likely they just want to use you to provoke Dwayne Johnson. They never intended to replace him from the start," Andy concluded. "If that's the case, then Neil is a bit too hasty."

First, "Horrible Bosses" was declared dead before it even started. Then, there was a setback in the collaboration for "Fast & Furious 5." In just two days, it was like a rollercoaster reaching the peak and then plummeting to the valley, making it hard to bear such extremes.

However, Andy remained calm as always. "Horrible Bosses" was history, but "Fast & Furious 5" still had a glimmer of hope. Even when facing a giant like Universal Pictures, they weren't completely passive.

He wasn't sure about the current progress of "Fast & Furious 5's" pre-shooting and daily expenses but knew that Dwayne's agent wasn't stupid. This tug-of-war might continue. The crucial point was the opinion within Universal Pictures: whether they supported the casting change.

Andy wasn't worried about Renly being used as a whetstone. Even if that were true, Renly gained publicity effortlessly, benefiting the upcoming release of "Buried" and increasing Renly's visibility. He was thinking about how to ride this wave and successfully get Renly the role in "Fast & Furious 5."

Since Neil and Dwayne were suspicious and scheming against each other, Dwayne might not easily believe the recent news and might act more confidently. Andy could contact Dwayne's friends or assistants to spread the word that Neil was using Renly as a whetstone. Alternatively, Andy himself could hint that Neil's sincerity was questionable, casting doubt on the collaboration...

On the other hand, if Neil was trying to create the impression that Renly would replace Dwayne, Andy could fuel the fire, making everyone believe that Renly starring in "Fast & Furious 5" was a done deal, unofficially solidifying it. However, Andy couldn't appear directly; Renly, as the involved party, was more suitable, especially since the media was eager to interview him.

"I'll contact some media..." An outline gradually formed in Andy's mind. "No, I shouldn't contact them myself." That would seem too desperate. "Renly, do you know any reporters? I mean, as friends."

Renly, not being a professional, asked, "Why?"

"I need you to call a reporter and express your excitement about possibly starring in 'Fast & Furious 5'," Andy explained simply. "But do it subtly, letting the reporter bring it up first, then show your excitement while keeping a bit of uncertainty in your tone."

"In other words, say, 'I'm looking forward to being part of this project, hoping the 'Fast & Furious 5' crew sees my enthusiasm'," Renly understood quickly, akin to a soccer transfer where a star player publicly expresses desire to join a new team, while the agent works behind the scenes to facilitate the move.

Andy nodded in approval.

"Does this mean there won't be any results about the 'Fast & Furious 5' casting in the next few days?" Renly asked.

Andy pondered, "It depends on the opinions of other producers of 'Fast & Furious 5'."

For a big-budget commercial film, there's more than one producer. In a large crew, it's not unusual to have a dozen producers, each with their own roles. For something like a casting change, consensus among two or three producers might suffice. They had already contacted two producers, Neil and Vin, but Andy hadn't yet gauged their internal opinions.

"If it's quick, it might take three to five days. If it turns into a tug-of-war, it depends on how much the crew has invested in the pre-shooting and how long they can hold out," Andy explained. Each day's delay costs the crew money. A week's delay might already cover the difference in Dwayne Johnson's salary, but the power struggle is more complex. This is a battle of momentum.

Producers don't like actors who get too pushy. Hollywood is producer-dominated. If they cave to Dwayne's demands this time, it sets a precedent, making it harder to control him in the future.

For agents and actors, timing is crucial. In Hollywood, once a salary goes up, it rarely goes down—this refers to the industry standard, not voluntary pay cuts for working with top directors. For instance, if Universal offers Dwayne $3.5 million, his starring salary must increase. Other studios seeking Dwayne's collaboration must match Universal's offer. Raising a salary is difficult, requiring skill and opportunity. Agents won't give up easily, and producers won't budge readily.

Thus, as Andy said, the development of this game is still uncertain.

"So, what now?" Renly's question brought Andy back to reality. "What's next? Do we just wait for more news from 'Fast & Furious 5'?"

Andy quickly grasped Renly's point and smiled, "When did you become so reserved?"

"Starting now," Renly replied with a smile.

Andy laughed, "No, we won't wait passively. Let's meet with Drake tomorrow and sign the contract."

Renly's underlying question was about "Like Crazy."

Andy had met with Drake Doremus yesterday to further discuss "Like Crazy." Drake's sincerity was unquestionable; he agreed to all of Andy's demands without hesitation, hoping Renly would join the crew.

Andy wanted to ask for more but knew that such a small independent crew had limited means. If he asked for too much, it might affect the production quality. Ultimately, Andy settled for a $20,000 salary and retained the priority for box office dividends—Drake offered to share part of his own dividends if the distribution company refused.

Even so, the salary was meager. If not for Renly's insistence, Andy wouldn't have agreed. Now, it seemed like a charity—small-budget independent films like this, even if they failed, wouldn't cause much loss. But if they succeeded, the returns could be substantial. This was why Andy chose to believe in Renly.

Drake said the crew was ready, and they could start filming anytime Renly was available. The movie would be shot in Los Angeles and London. The crew had borrowed houses and props from friends—this is how independent films save money.

Hence Renly's earlier question: should they put "Like Crazy" on hold to avoid scheduling conflicts with "Fast & Furious 5"? After all, they knew before the audition that time was crucial for the "Fast & Furious 5" crew.

Renly thought Andy would prefer "Fast & Furious 5" given that "Like Crazy" was so insignificant. But Andy's decisive and different answer came without much hesitation.

"Okay." Renly nodded, feeling their collaboration was on the right track. This was a good thing. He smiled, "I'll call the reporter now. How about Bradley Adams from The New York Times?"