"I spent some time over the weekend reviewing teen film proposals, and honestly, nothing really caught my eye. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, but I don't have more time to spare. So, Danny, I'll take the reins on this one. Have you seen *Groundhog Day* with Bill Murray from a few years ago?"
In the conference room, Danny Morris, president of New World Pictures, nodded. "Of course."
Simon continued, "We can make a teen horror film similar to *Groundhog Day*. A girl is hunted by a psychotic killer, and every time she dies, she wakes up at the start of the same day. To break the cycle, she has to figure out who the killer is."
After Simon outlined the basic concept of what would later become *Happy Death Day*, Danny Morris was both enlightened and impressed by his boss's creativity.
It was a simple idea, not even particularly innovative—just applying the classic *Groundhog Day* structure to a teen horror film. However, it was undeniably attention-grabbing.
Because no one had done it before.
As for whether anyone had thought of it, the probability was high.
Hollywood was never short on ideas. The problem was that the decision-making power over which films got made rested with a small group at the top of the pyramid. These individuals had limited time and energy, and often personal preferences and biases, so most ideas never saw the light of day.
After explaining the concept, Simon spent about ten minutes discussing some details from *Happy Death Day* with Danny Morris, then moved on.
"Second, this is a parody teen film. We'll use our *Scream* as a template, along with some recent popular horror films and current hot topics. We'll gather a group of attractive young actors and make a spoof film similar to *Hot Shots!*."
This, of course, was *Scary Movie*.
When Danny Morris heard *Hot Shots!*, he immediately understood the direction for *Scary Movie*. However, he hesitated this time. "Simon, *Scream* is one of our top-tier IPs, as you often say. Is it appropriate to parody it?"
Simon smiled. "Danny, we need to have a sense of humor about ourselves. Besides, this will be a forgettable, mishmash popcorn movie. We're not planning a *Scream* sequel anytime soon, so it's fine."
With Simon's reassurance, Danny Morris had no objections.
They discussed more details.
After covering these two projects, Simon added, "There's also *High School Musical*, which I just assigned to Tom. It's technically a teen film, but since it's a wholesome G-rated project, it doesn't fit New World Pictures. However, that doesn't mean New World can't do a musical. In fact, we can make it R-rated. *The Full Monty* is a great template. Why don't you brainstorm on that?"
Danny Morris thought for a moment. "Simon, are you saying we should make a real male stripper movie?"
"Exactly," Simon said. "This wouldn't be a teen film but would target young women, so we need to cast some young, handsome actors. The story template would be a 20-something version of *The Full Monty*."
Simon was referring to *Magic Mike*, the Steven Soderbergh-directed film starring Channing Tatum. The movie, made on a modest $7 million budget, had grossed over $160 million worldwide. The plot was essentially a younger version of *The Full Monty*, even earning the alternate title *The Full Monty: The Next Generation* in some regions.
After hearing more details from Simon, Danny Morris couldn't help but say, "Simon, this reminds me of Paul Verhoeven's *Showgirls*. It doesn't feel like a good idea."
"I agree the story itself isn't groundbreaking," Simon admitted. "That's why this is an experimental project. Keep the budget under $10 million and release it in January-February or September-October. Also, do you remember Steven Soderbergh?"
"Of course, *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*."
Simon's influence had drastically altered Hollywood's landscape. In this timeline, Steven Soderbergh, the golden boy of Hollywood who had won the Palme d'Or for *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*, had been overshadowed by *Cinema Paradiso* at Cannes.
However, *Sex, Lies, and Videotape* had still performed well at the box office, keeping Soderbergh on Hollywood's radar. Unfortunately, his subsequent films had flopped, leading many to view him as a one-hit wonder.
Simon hadn't forgotten.
In the original timeline, Soderbergh had also struggled throughout the 1990s after *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*, only to make a strong comeback in the 2000s with films like *Erin Brockovich*, *Traffic*, *Ocean's Eleven*, and later *Magic Mike*, maintaining his status as a top-tier director.
Seeing that Danny Morris also remembered *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*, Simon didn't need to explain further. "I think for this project—let's call it *Magic Mike*—the director is more important than the actors. We need someone who knows how to film men well. And no one can deny that Soderbergh made James Spader very appealing in *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*."
"Simon, I agree, but Soderbergh seems more suited to art films."
"That's actually one of the reasons I chose him. In my opinion, Paul Verhoeven's *Showgirls* failed because it lacked any depth, catering only to the most superficial desires. Of course, I don't want *Magic Mike* to be too deep either—I just want young women screaming in theaters. But everyone has their own style. Even if we position this as a pure commercial film, Soderbergh's artistic touch will naturally add a layer of sophistication. It's like coating an ice cream bar with chocolate—it makes it more memorable. Understand?"
Danny Morris understood, and he understood more. The choice of Soderbergh was also influenced by cost. Hollywood had no shortage of directors who could film men well, but Simon had emphasized that this was an experimental project with a budget under $10 million, making Soderbergh a practical choice.
"In that case, Simon, I'll contact Soderbergh as soon as possible," Danny Morris said, then added, "And, boss, do you have any suggestions for the cast?"
Simon thought of Matthew McConaughey, whom he had inadvertently suppressed over the years.
Roles in films like *A Time to Kill* and *Contact*, which had helped McConaughey rise from obscurity in Hollywood, had been given to other actors in this timeline.
It wasn't intentional—Simon had no interest in targeting minor Hollywood figures. If he had, McConaughey would have been erased from the industry entirely. It was simply that Simon felt McConaughey wasn't a good fit for roles like the lawyer in *A Time to Kill* or the pastor in *Contact*.
As for why McConaughey had landed those roles in the original timeline, Simon wasn't surprised, though he had no personal interest in the actor.
This time, however, McConaughey was a perfect fit.
He had actually appeared in the original *Magic Mike*, though in a supporting role.
At 28, McConaughey was still in the "young heartthrob" category, and his natural charisma as a ladies' man was a bonus. Simon said, "Let's try Matthew McConaughey for the lead. As for the rest, you can handle the casting. Oh, and Soderbergh can handle the script too."
Danny Morris noted everything down.
Simon and Morris continued discussing details until it was past 11:30. Simon had plans to have lunch with his family at the Dume Point estate, so they wrapped up.
As they left the conference room, Aide A approached, seizing the moment.
"Boss, the publishing department has collaborated with Tingke Bair to finalize the promotional plan for *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*. Would you like to review it now?"
The manuscript for *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, which Simon had commissioned earlier in the year, was now complete. Simon had reviewed it and found that while the details differed significantly from the original—inevitably so—the core story remained intact. The biggest change was shifting the setting from London to New York, with the iconic Platform 9¾ now located at Grand Central Station instead of King's Cross.
Despite the changes, the main plot and characters were preserved. The book had undergone small-scale test readings, and the response had been positive.
Coinciding with Tingke Bair's recent launch of the iPad-10, Simon had arranged for *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* to be the first novel released simultaneously online and offline, leveraging the iPad-10's global hype for maximum promotional impact.
Being the first to "eat the crab" in this way, combined with the iPad-10's massive popularity, would achieve a level of publicity worth tens of millions of dollars.
Tingke Bair would handle the online release, while Daenerys would manage the physical distribution.
When MCA was acquired, its assets included a publishing company called Putman, which had thrived by releasing tie-in books for Daenerys's blockbuster films.
Aide A brought up *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* now because, despite the odd pseudonym "J.K.," the novel was ultimately based on Simon's idea, and everyone was treating it with utmost care.
Simon had revived the *Harry Potter* series because he felt it was too significant to let fade away, and he hoped it would succeed again. Hearing Aide A mention it, he took the folder, planning to review it on the way from the studio to the estate.
Aide A handed the folder to her boss and added, "Also, Michael Jordan wanted to have lunch with you before the *Enemy of the State* meeting this afternoon. I declined."
Simon nodded slightly as he flipped through the documents, already moving on.
Aide A continued with other updates, accompanying Simon downstairs before parting ways. She still lived at the Dume Point estate but wouldn't be joining for lunch.
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