Chapter 221 — An Actress of Depth
After Dawnlight Pictures formally submitted its offer for AMC, Aaron decided to wait for Charles Dolan's response. AMC simply wasn't a core asset within CVC's portfolio, and there was room for negotiation.
Meanwhile, the battle for Paramount Communications intensified.
Viacom had made an $8.2 billion bid, hoping to entice Paramount shareholders with a premium. But Barry Diller, the former CEO of Paramount's film division and a towering figure in Hollywood, countered through QVC with a $9.5 billion offer.
Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone had long championed the idea that "content is king." To him, acquiring Paramount seemed even more important than Viacom's existing empire. To secure sufficient liquidity, Viacom began eyeing the world's largest video rental chain — Blockbuster.
---
By mid-August, tragedy struck the sports world.
The father of NBA superstar Michael Jordan, James Jordan, was found murdered — news that shocked the world.
James Jordan had been missing for three weeks before his body was discovered near the South Carolina border. Investigators later confirmed he had been killed in North Carolina.
Although police ultimately ruled it a random robbery-homicide, conspiracy theories quickly swirled. Media outlets dissected every aspect of Michael Jordan's personal life — from alleged gambling debts to speculation about how the case was handled.
Jordan had already faced public scrutiny over gambling issues: league reprimands, late-night casino sightings during playoff runs, even claims from a convicted drug dealer that Jordan owed him money.
Aaron knew what was coming.
Michael Jordan's first retirement was no longer far away.
---
In Dawnlight's New York office, Aaron sat with a screenplay in hand — submitted by a newcomer, Andrew Walker.
The pages were fresh, the ink still sharp.
Outside, Wall Street waged billion-dollar wars.
In Hollywood, empires shifted.
In sports, legends faltered.
But in Aaron's world, it all came down to one thing:
Content.
The script was titled Se7en.
Wrapped in a religious framework, it explored the moral decay of modern society beneath its prosperous material surface. The themes were layered and ambitious—sin and punishment, human nature, and redemption.
The killer modeled his crimes on the Seven Deadly Sins of Catholic doctrine—gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, lust, pride, and wrath—turning each into a meticulously staged murder.
Dark. Philosophical. Unsettling.
"Very strong script," Aaron said after finishing it. "Send it to David Fincher. The tone—religious symbolism, noir atmosphere, psychological suspense—it suits him perfectly."
He instructed Evelyn Beckett to reach out immediately.
Fincher's difficult experience directing Alien 3 had left him wary of studio interference. But Aaron wasn't concerned. A script this good would speak directly to him.
More importantly, Aaron wasn't 20th Century Fox. He had no intention of stripping a director of creative control. On the contrary—if Fincher signed on, he would be given full support.
---
Midtown Manhattan – Hilton Hotel
That evening, Aaron attended a cocktail reception with Jennifer Connelly.
"Speed has been out for over a month," Jennifer said excitedly. "North American box office just passed $90 million. Overseas has crossed $50 million."
Aaron nodded.
Her earlier film Reality Bites had earned around $35 million worldwide—a respectable number. But this was different.
Meanwhile, Dawnlight's The Mask of Zorro had surged past $140 million domestically and over $180 million overseas.
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You just graduated from Stanford and already have a blockbuster under your belt. Not bad."
Jennifer smiled. "That's thanks to you. Otherwise, I might have ended up doing something like that adult one back then."
She wasn't wrong. After failing to land Pretty Woman, she had nearly accepted riskier roles. Fate had turned.
"By the way," she added, "True Romance—directed by Tony Scott—that was written by Quentin Tarantino, right?"
Aaron nodded. "It was. You're keeping track?"
"It comes out in September. I ran into Patricia Arquette recently—she's the lead."
Aaron chuckled. "That's not all. Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers is also based on a Tarantino script."
Quentin's shadow was stretching across Hollywood.
---
Across the room, Winona Ryder entered with a young friend—Gwyneth Paltrow.
Gwyneth came from an entertainment family and was the goddaughter of Steven Spielberg. At just nineteen, she had debuted in Spielberg's Hook.
"Winona," Gwyneth whispered excitedly, "is that Aaron Anderson over there?"
Winona glanced over. "Yes. That's him."
"Introduce me. Every woman in Hollywood wants to know him."
Winona hesitated for a split second—she knew Aaron's weakness for beauty. Gwyneth was young, fashionable, striking. Dangerous, in her own way.
Still, she smiled lightly. "Alright. Let's go."
---
Aaron, meanwhile, had spotted someone else.
A face that lingered in his memory.
Young. Radiant.
Jennifer Aniston.
Friends had not yet premiered—but it would.
Dawnlight Television was already collaborating with Michael Crichton on developing ER, but Aaron had no intention of missing out on Friends.
Just then, Winona and Gwyneth approached.
"Good evening, Aaron."
The game, as always, continued.