Chapter 756: Changing Leadership!

Within the intricate labyrinth of corporate dynamics, the veils shrouding internal conflicts in large companies often prove thin. To outsiders, the industry may exude an air of enigma, but insiders possess a lucid view of its inner workings.

As the afternoon sun waned, Martin was inundated with news: yet another clash had erupted at a high-level summit within Warner Bros. Daniel and Jon Berg, amidst heated exchanges, found themselves embroiled in a contentious dispute. Accusations flew like arrows as Daniel pointedly blamed Jon Berg for his erratic decision-making, which had purportedly sabotaged successive major investment ventures. Titles like "God," "Green Lantern," " Dark Places," and "Jack the Giant Slayer" bore the weight of failure.

The tension between the two escalated, escalating into an open confrontation.

Per Hollywood convention, Jon Berg, as the project's instigator and primary producer, bore the brunt of responsibility for "Jack the Giant Slayer's" downfall.

However, Jon Berg adamantly deflected accountability.

Kevin Tsujihara temporized, citing the international film market as grounds for postponement.

Subsequently, two assistant directors from Bryan Singer's team stepped into the fray, echoing Singer's accusations, laying the blame squarely at Jon Berg's feet. They painted a picture of chaos on set, attributing the film's failure to Jon Berg's bewildering directives.

The following morning saw a flurry of activity at the gates of Warner Studios, as over 50 luminaries of the silver screen, actors, directors, and screenwriters, gathered to demand their due share of profits from Warner Pictures.

Investors' representatives swelled their ranks, joining the chorus of discontent.

"We've pursued legal recourse against Warner Pictures," Nolan asserted before the press, pinpointing the heart of the matter. "Our investigations reveal that distribution shares were diverted by Jon Berg for 'Jack the Giant Slayer's' post-production. Warner's upper echelons must account for this gross mismanagement."

Martin rose to speak next. "This delay is unacceptable," he declared. "Warner Pictures has repeatedly stonewalled negotiations, callously disregarding our interests. How can we continue this partnership?"

Others chimed in, airing grievances. Aging stars relied on deferred payments to maintain their lifestyles. Warner's actions amounted to a direct blow to their livelihoods.

Doesn't living the high life, indulging in drinks and romance, come at a cost?

All fingers pointed to Jon Berg.

Warner Bros. dispatched a vice president to assuage the mounting unrest, temporarily quelling the storm.

Yet, by the following day, a consortium of companies and investment funds – including Colter Pictures, Pacific Pictures, and Wall Street entities like Relativity Entertainment and DreamWorks, publicly voiced their reservations. Citing Jon Berg's track record of fiscal mismanagement, they signaled a cautious approach to future dealings with Warner Pictures.

Numerous Warner collaborators followed suit autonomously, their entrenched partnerships with Warner Pictures making them hesitant to abandon ship. With a formidable figure like Jon Berg at the helm, who would dare wade into Warner Pictures' turbulent waters of projects and investments without a second thought?

Simultaneously, a cadre of Warner managers, led by Daniel, found themselves embroiled in heated confrontations with Jon Berg within the company ranks.

The Time Warner Group swiftly intervened.

Warner Pictures still boasted stellar overall performance, but the lion's share of revenue stemmed from legacy projects and those championed by Jon Berg. Yet, despite the high expectations, the staggering losses were jarring.

"Jack the Giant Slayer" limped through its second weekend in North American theaters.

The box office, already lethargic, plummeted further, garnering a mere $4.56 million in revenue the following weekend. Including proceeds from the preceding four weekdays, the film struggled to surpass $20 million at the North American box office.

The bleak box office trajectory signaled that surpassing $30 million domestically would prove arduous.

The film's production costs alone soared to a staggering $250 million!

These weren't accounting figures; they reflected the actual expenditures incurred during filming and production, thanks to Jon Berg's repeated dalliances with the project.

At this critical juncture, Kevin Tsujihara opted for self-preservation by severing ties.

Warner Bros. swiftly announced Jon Berg's ousting as president of Warner Pictures, with Daniel from the distribution arm assuming the presidency.

Warner Pictures, Office of the President.

Daniel's and Jon Berg's teams completed the transition.

Jon Berg lingered in the office, reluctant to depart.

Ambitions once lofty now dissolved into ignominy.

Jon Berg, exhaling the accumulated weight of the past days, gathered his belongings and exited.

He found Daniel waiting in the corridor.

"You've won," Jon Berg conceded.

But Daniel shook his head. "I haven't won; you've lost."

Facing the man eager to shoulder blame every time a project faltered, Daniel didn't mince words. "Your performance was abysmal. You're one of the worst CEOs in the industry. It's not that I'm exceptional; it's that you're abysmal."

Jon Berg's countenance darkened. "This position isn't a walk in the park."

"I'm aware," Daniel replied, his patience wearing thin. "But with you as the benchmark for failure, achieving results becomes straightforward. After all, success is a product of competition."

"You..." Jon Berg's chest heaved with pent-up fury, on the brink of exploding.

Daniel, accustomed to Jon's accusatory tirades, interjected before he could unleash his wrath in full. "You'll etch your name into Hollywood history, Jon. Future generations will chuckle at the mere mention of 'Jon Berg-style editing.' Who knew filmmaking could be such a riot?"

His tone grew increasingly buoyant. "When you venture to your next endeavor, your colleagues will marvel at your ingenious methods."

"Is that all you have to say?!" Jon Berg snatched up his bag, storming out before Daniel could utter another word.

"I won't see you off," Daniel called after him. "You still need me to clean up the mess you've left behind."

Jon Berg descended in the elevator, his exit from the building drawing curious gazes.

Perhaps spurred by Daniel's parting words, Jon Berg's ears buzzed with murmurs as he hastened his steps towards freedom.

Yet, the whispers persisted.

"Warner Pictures hasn't seen a worse president in fifty years."

"He's the one who alienated Martin, the industry's golden boy, and nearly drove out Nolan, the visionary director."

"Lacks professional acumen, but excels at office politics."

Jon Berg exited the premises alone, no chauffeur or company vehicles in sight, resigned to driving himself away from Warner Bros. for good.

Upstairs, Daniel resolved to overhaul Jon Berg's office rather than inherit it.

Meanwhile, he'd make do with a temporary workspace as assistants busied themselves with the transition.

Summoning his secretary, Becker, Daniel revised his instructions mid-sentence. "Forget it, I'll handle it myself."

At the serene window, Daniel dialed Nolan's number first, promising to fast-track the "Interstellar" project and vouching for Martin's lead role.

Next, he reached out to Martin, extending an offer to star in "Interstellar," a project Warner Pictures would not only finance but also distribute.

"Interstellar" would mark Daniel's inaugural major production since assuming office.

Reflecting on the silver lining amid the chaos, Daniel found himself begrudgingly grateful for Jon Berg's inadvertent role in preserving such stellar performances.

Beverly Hills, Davis Manor.

Martin concluded his call and sauntered back into the living room, addressing Thomas with a smirk. "Looks like the 'Interstellar' studio will be buzzing your phone soon to hash out my contract."

With Warner Pictures' last hurdle cleared, the project was poised to kick off in earnest.

Thomas, intrigued, inquired, "That swift, huh?"

Martin nodded, a glint of satisfaction dancing in his eyes. "Daniel officially takes the reins at Warner Pictures today."

Thomas mulled over the implications. "20+20, right?"

Martin affirmed, "Basic superstar treatment: $20 million upfront, plus a slice of the North American box office, capped at 20%."

"And DVD royalties," Martin added as an afterthought.

"I'll push for 5% to 10% of domestic DVD sales," Thomas mused. "Even Leo would envy that deal."

Martin concurred, reminiscing about Hollywood's DVD share titans. "Tom Cruise snagged the highest cut with 'Mission: Impossible 3' – a whopping 22% of sales, not profit."

He paused, reflecting on the fallout from Cruise's hefty take. "Word has it Paramount nearly imploded after Tom's big payday."

Before they could delve deeper, Martin's phone buzzed again, this time with lawyer Hamlin on the line.

Warner Pictures' legal team had scheduled settlement talks in three days to resolve post-production profit disputes for star directors like Martin and Nolan.

Martin delegated full authority to the lawyer and tasked Thomas with overseeing the process.

Warner Pictures wasn't hurting for cash, but Jon Berg's machinations remained a head-scratcher.

Shrugging off the perplexity, Martin noted Warner's post-2010 management's signature opacity.

The following day brought another call, this time from Daniel himself. Warner Pictures sought to renew their partnership and continue their cinematic collaboration with Martin.

Martin accepted graciously, deferring detailed discussions until after his return from Boston.

After six months of prep, filming for "The City," adapted from Chuck Hogan's "Prince of Thieves," commenced under Denis Villeneuve's direction.

At Martin's request, Villeneuve frontloaded all scenes featuring the male lead.