When Simon asked about his trip to Japan, Michael Jordan, standing alongside Michael Ovitz, Jerry Bruckheimer, and others, couldn't delve too deeply into the matter. He could only vaguely express regret, saying, "We're still negotiating."
In truth, Simon already knew the outcome. He had come tonight specifically for this reason.
As part of his long-term strategy, Simon didn't want the head of Westinghouse to give up too easily. He said, "Be patient, Mike. In a few months, as the Asian financial crisis continues to unfold, Sony might come begging you."
"Ha, Simon, my team has given me the same advice," Michael Jordan said with a smile, glancing at the people around him. He continued, "That said, since Columbia Pictures isn't an option for now, I'm planning to invest in a few films in Hollywood. If anyone has promising projects, feel free to reach out. And, Simon, I'm particularly looking forward to collaborating with Daenerys."
It was no secret that Westinghouse's film and television division, under CBS, had been aggressively recruiting talent recently. Many of the people here tonight were present for that very reason.
A new player had entered the game, and the early bird gets the worm.
Hearing Michael Jordan's last comment, Simon responded directly, "No problem, Mike. In fact, we've already had several successful collaborations, haven't we?"
"Oh, that's... great."
Michael Jordan was both surprised and pleased by Simon's straightforward response, though a hint of caution crept in. However, upon hearing Simon's follow-up, he relaxed.
While not directly collaborating with Daenerys, Westinghouse and the Westeros system had indeed crossed paths several times.
The first was in Ukraine, where the Rovno Nuclear Power Plant's Unit 4 was now operational—a mutually beneficial partnership.
Then, earlier this year, Westinghouse had assisted the Westeros system in its takeover of Mellon Bank.
Michael Jordan hadn't been entirely willing at the time, but under Simon's pressure and persuasion, he had cooperated. In return, Westinghouse had quickly reaped the benefits.
During negotiations with Siemens to sell its conventional power division, Simon had used his connections in China to help Westinghouse secure several major contracts. This expansion into the Chinese market had led Siemens to increase its initial offer of around $1.5 billion to a final agreement of $1.725 billion.
Michael Jordan, who had risen to the position of Westinghouse chairman, was no fool. However, as a newcomer to Hollywood, he realized that Simon's immediate agreement to collaborate wasn't entirely unexpected.
In contrast, both Michael Ovitz and Jerry Bruckheimer were visibly surprised.
Being insiders, they could easily sense that, despite Daenerys Entertainment's many external collaborations, the company's overall attitude toward working with other studios was becoming increasingly guarded. They hadn't expected Westinghouse, a newcomer to Hollywood, to receive such a straightforward offer from Simon Westeros.
Some even began to question whether they had been too conservative in their own attempts to collaborate with Daenerys Entertainment.
Simon ignored the swirling thoughts around him and turned to Jerry Bruckheimer. "Speaking of which, Jerry, I recall your studio has been developing a film called Enemy of the State?"
Jerry Bruckheimer instinctively stepped forward, then quickly composed himself and replied as calmly as possible, "Yes, Simon. I didn't realize you were aware of it."
In truth, Simon's use of the word "recently" wasn't entirely accurate.
Since parting ways with Disney, then under French conglomerate Vivendi, two years ago, Jerry Bruckheimer had been independently running his film studio, largely because he hadn't found a suitable partner—until now. Without a stable backer and with Hollywood's landscape rapidly changing, Bruckheimer, who had struggled to keep up with the times, had only produced a few mid-to-low-budget films in recent years.
As for Enemy of the State, it was a story about an ordinary man who accidentally becomes entangled in a conspiracy and must fight for survival while being tracked by America's pervasive surveillance network.
Bruckheimer had acquired the script last year, but after pitching it to various major studios, including Daenerys Entertainment, he had received no interest.
Most studios believed the project was even less promising than the fading old-school action films starring muscle-bound heroes. The closest he had come to a deal was with John Woo, the Asian director who had risen to fame through Daenerys Entertainment. However, Woo's demands for a high budget and too much creative control had made the deal untenable for Bruckheimer.
Now, unexpectedly, the project had taken a turn at tonight's party.
Perhaps, Jerry Bruckheimer thought, Simon Westerov had been keeping an eye on the project for some time and had only now decided to bring it up.
But so what?
Bruckheimer had no intention of playing hard to get. In recent years, due to Daenerys Entertainment's influence, Hollywood had entered a phase of rapid turnover, with many established filmmakers falling by the wayside. For Bruckheimer, getting on board with Daenerys Entertainment and revitalizing his career was far more important than the fate of any single film.
Simon didn't elaborate immediately. Instead, he glanced at Michael Jordan. "Mike, why don't we move to a more private setting to discuss this? And, everyone, apologies for stepping away."
The others, though curious, could only nod and express their understanding.
The three men left the main hall and entered a nearby sitting room. Once seated, Simon turned to Bruckheimer. "Jerry, why don't you give Mike a brief overview of the project?"
Jerry Bruckheimer summarized the plot of Enemy of the State and added, "As for the director, I've recently spoken with Ron, and he's very interested." Realizing Michael Jordan might not be familiar with Hollywood figures, he clarified, "Ron Howard. He's here tonight."
Michael Jordan nodded with a smile. "I know Ron. He's quite talented."
Bruckheimer continued, "Additionally, I'm hoping to cast Harrison Ford as the lead. His performance in The Fugitive was unforgettable, and he'd be perfect for a similar role."
This time, Michael Jordan expressed some hesitation. "Jerry, hasn't Harrison been in a bit of a slump lately?"
Bruckheimer didn't deny it. "That's true, but Mike, thanks to the popularity he gained from Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Harrison is practically a Hollywood icon—one that never fades. His recent downturn actually works in our favor, as it allows us to negotiate a more reasonable salary."
Michael Jordan, still new to Hollywood's ways, had his doubts. Fortunately, he had the ultimate insider sitting next to him and turned to Simon for guidance.
After all, Simon Westerov wasn't someone Jerry Bruckheimer could easily deceive.
To be fair, since The Fugitive, which Simon had moved up to 1991, Harrison Ford hadn't had any major hits in recent years. Instead, he'd starred in several box office flops, like The Devil's Own earlier this year, which had left investors bleeding money. Moreover, Air Force One, which should have been a top-ten hit this year, had been hijacked by Simon's projects. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Ford was somewhat past his prime.
However, Bruckheimer wasn't entirely wrong.
Thanks to the cultural phenomenon of Star Wars and the Indiana Jones series in the 1980s, Harrison Ford had become a symbol in Hollywood—one of the rare actors who could coast on his legacy even in an industry as competitive as this.
Additionally, it had been six years since The Fugitive. According to Hollywood's commercial logic, this was the perfect interval to revisit a similar genre without audiences feeling it was repetitive.
For example, after Sleepless in Seattle in 1993, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan reunited in You've Got Mail in 1998. Similarly, after Pretty Woman in 1990, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere teamed up again in Runaway Bride in 1999.
Thus, Harrison Ford revisiting a familiar role after all these years wouldn't alienate audiences. Instead, it might earn him some nostalgia points.
And nostalgia was a powerful weapon.
Moreover, Simon didn't plan to cast Will Smith, who had played the lead in the original version.
Will Smith already had the role of Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe and had received critical acclaim for his performance in Independence Day this past summer. If he were to headline another blockbuster like Enemy of the State, it would complicate things for the upcoming Men in Black series.
Simon took a moment to organize his thoughts before addressing the expectant looks from Michael Jordan and Jerry Bruckheimer. "Harrison is a good choice. However, we'll need to change the director. Ron's style is too subdued. Enemy of the State needs to feel gripping and urgent, which Ron might struggle to deliver."
Jerry Bruckheimer thought for a moment and suggested, "In that case, Simon, what about Doug Liman, who directed Taken earlier this year? He might be a good fit."
In truth, after Simon vetoed Ron Howard, Bruckheimer's first thought was his old friend Tony Scott, Ridley Scott's younger brother. The two had collaborated since the 1986 box office hit Top Gun, with Bruckheimer as producer and Scott as director. Together, they had created a box office miracle and launched Tom Cruise's career.
Now, Tom Cruise had fallen from grace due to the Rain Man incident years ago.
Tony Scott, like Jerry Bruckheimer, had also been struggling in recent years. Initially, Bruckheimer had wanted Scott to direct Enemy of the State, but with the project going nowhere, Scott had moved on to other films, and Bruckheimer had started talking to Ron Howard and others.
With Simon's interest in the project, bringing in his old friend would be a no-brainer. It would be a way to give Scott a boost, and scheduling wouldn't be an issue since the film wouldn't start production immediately. Scott could finish his current project and then join this one.
However, Jerry Bruckheimer didn't mention Tony Scott. Instead, he suggested Doug Liman, a director Daenerys had recently promoted, partly to align with Simon's possible preferences and partly out of concern that Simon might recall Top Gun and, by extension, Tom Cruise.
Thinking about it, Bruckheimer felt a pang of nostalgia. After Top Gun, he had been at the peak of his career, the darling of Hollywood.
Now, just ten years later, everything had changed.
Such was life.
Regardless, though he hadn't anticipated this opportunity, Jerry Bruckheimer was determined to seize it. He had already decided not to fight for creative control and would instead focus on being a reliable producer for Daenerys.
Simon, meanwhile, was considering director options. He certainly wouldn't hold Top Gun against Tony Scott, but given the tone of Enemy of the State, Scott wasn't his first choice, even though he had directed the original version.
When Bruckheimer mentioned Doug Liman, who had recently collaborated with Jet Li on the new Taken, Simon immediately shook his head. "Doug isn't quite right either. He's better suited for action films."
As he spoke, Bruckheimer's mention of Doug Liman sparked an idea in Simon's mind. He thought of another director, Paul Greengrass, who had taken over the Bourne sequels from Liman in the original timeline and elevated the series to new heights after the first film's success.
If Enemy of the State needed to be gripping, the second and third Bourne films were the epitome of tension.
After a moment's reflection, Simon recalled that Paul Greengrass, though older than Doug Liman, was in his early forties and had spent years working in television, occasionally directing films.
Someone like him would have plenty of experience and was likely just waiting for an opportunity like The Bourne Identity.
Jerry Bruckheimer noticed Simon's thoughtful expression and asked, "Simon, have you thought of someone suitable?"
"I'll need to consider it further," Simon said, brushing off the question. He glanced at Michael Jordan and addressed Bruckheimer. "Daenerys' slate for next year is already full. Smaller projects are manageable, but there's no room for another blockbuster. So, I'd like this film to be under MGM's banner, with a 50-50 investment split between us and Mike. As for the budget, Jerry, I want you to keep it under $70 million. Can you manage that?"
The original Enemy of the State had cost $90 million and had only broken even after factoring in box office and ancillary revenues. It wasn't a failure, but it wasn't a resounding success either.
This time, even though Harrison Ford was a bigger star than Will Smith had been at this point in his career, Simon didn't plan to spend as much.
Hollywood in the late '90s wasn't awash with cash like it had been in the original timeline. Combined with the project's repeated rejections and near-cancellation, Jerry Bruckheimer had already been aiming for a $70 million budget. In fact, even if Simon had pushed for $60 million, Bruckheimer would have tried to make it work.
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