Bob White wasn't swayed by Simon Westeros's reasoning. His tone carried a hint of bitterness as he said, "The issue is, Simon, that in recent years, most of these so-called 'tentpole films' have come from Daenerys Entertainment. That's hardly fair, is it?"
"You're wrong, Bob. Compared to other industries, Hollywood is actually one of the fairest. As long as you produce a truly excellent film, the audience will respond. Daenerys Entertainment has just been doing better lately. We're not stopping other studios from creating outstanding films—that's on them."
"Alright," Bob White said, unwilling to argue further. He got straight to the point. "Simon, I came to Los Angeles this time to suggest that Warner Bros. should expand its superhero slate beyond the current DC lineup."
Simon's expression became more reserved. "If I'm not mistaken, Bob, Warner's film division is under Terry's purview."
"That's correct. However, it's obvious that Terry hasn't been very diligent in this area. At least when it comes to developing superhero films, he hasn't unlocked the full potential of the DC brand."
"In that case, I'd like to know..." Simon fixed his gaze on Bob White. "Does Jack know about this?"
Bob White hesitated for a moment before replying, "I haven't told him yet."
Simon raised his glass in a gesture of dismissal. "In that case, let's just enjoy tonight. But let me make my stance clear: I don't agree. If you plan to push this forward, I can't stop you, but I will revise the current DC film universe development plan."
Having said that, Simon stopped engaging with Bob White and turned to leave.
Bringing up Jack Welch was Simon's way of confirming whether this initiative had Welch's backing. Regardless, Simon's strong stance on the DC film universe would not waver. Over time, Simon had come to view Hollywood as his own domain. To prevent an oversaturation of comic-book films and to preserve the diversity of Hollywood's output, he had even been holding back his own Marvel projects. Naturally, he wouldn't allow DC to run rampant.
If tensions escalated, Simon wouldn't hesitate to put the brakes on the DC film universe, no matter how far along it was.
Shortly after parting ways with Bob White, Jonathan Friedman approached Simon with his congratulations before bringing up another matter. "Simon, Daenerys Entertainment recently greenlit two comet-collision films, Deep Impact and Armageddon. When do you plan to start production?"
Armageddon was an idea originally conceived by Robert Pool, the screenwriter of MGM's hit outbreak film Outbreak, which Simon had sold to them. After the success of Outbreak, Pool gained traction in the industry, and the Armageddon script was acquired by Daenerys Entertainment.
Deep Impact, on the other hand, was an idea Simon came up with, inspired by Armageddon. In the original timeline, the two films had gone head-to-head in the same year, creating a memorable clash. Since the original version of Deep Impact had been altered by Simon's actions, he resurrected the idea and handed it to Michael Tolkin, the original screenwriter.
Both projects had recently been added to Daenerys Entertainment's development slate. Though neither had officially entered pre-production, their status as major effects-driven blockbusters quickly attracted attention from talent agencies and actors throughout Hollywood.
In today's Hollywood, a film produced by Daenerys Entertainment was the surest path to stardom. Even established stars competed fiercely for these roles to maintain their relevance and avoid being eclipsed by newcomers.
Jonathan Friedman, representing WMA and its clients, was clearly trying to gather information for his roster of talent.
Simon didn't withhold any information from Jonathan and replied, "For now, they're just in the development phase. Next year's release schedule is already full. Deep Impact will be slated for 1998. For Armageddon, I'd like Michael Bay to direct, but that will have to wait until he finishes Jurassic Park 3, so the release will be pushed to 1999."
Jonathan nodded, not surprised by the timeline. He didn't rush to recommend any specific talent but instead pivoted to another matter. "Jim has finished filming The Cable Guy, but there hasn't been any news of his next project from Daenerys. Simon, I have to ask—what's next for him?"
The Cable Guy was a comedy project Simon had arranged as a stepping stone for Ben Stiller and Judd Apatow, key members of his inner circle of creatives, while tailoring the role for Jim Carrey.
In the original timeline, The Cable Guy had earned Carrey his first $20 million paycheck, marking the start of the "$20 million club" era in Hollywood.
Under Simon's management, however, Carrey's salary for this film was nowhere near $20 million, partly due to their earlier contract negotiations and Simon's efforts to keep him in check. Additionally, the film itself was meant to serve as a controlled project. In the original timeline, The Cable Guy had been Carrey's least successful film after his rise to stardom, grossing only slightly over $100 million worldwide despite a nearly $50 million budget.
This was a deliberate move by Simon, intended to both manage Carrey's career trajectory and give Stiller and Apatow room to grow as filmmakers.
Hearing Jonathan's slightly pleading tone, Simon relented. "I'll have someone send him the script."
Carrey had signed a five-picture deal with Daenerys Entertainment. Following Ace Ventura, The Mask, and the now-completed The Cable Guy, only one film remained on the contract.
The script for that final film had already been prepared: The Truman Show.
The story for The Truman Show had been circulating in Hollywood for years without Simon's interference. Written in the 1980s, the concept gained attention in 1991 but had been passed around various studios without getting made until Daenerys Entertainment acquired it.
If Carrey hadn't tried to break his contract and caused friction with the studio, Simon might have fast-tracked the project for release, even pushing Carrey for awards recognition.
Simon had a stockpile of shelved projects, many of which he had deliberately delayed.
For example, Jerry Maguire, which was originally supposed to dominate the 1996 holiday season with Tom Cruise in the lead, had been shelved. Cruise, pushed to the sidelines by Daenerys Entertainment, had fallen from A-list status to a secondary tier. Without Simon's interference, Jerry Maguire could have been a major hit. Now, it lay dormant, clearing the way for other films.
Jonathan, relieved by Simon's softened stance, understood the logic behind his decisions.
When Daenerys Entertainment signed multiple long-term contracts with key actors—especially for the DC cinematic universe—it had to maintain strict discipline. If Simon had allowed Carrey to break his contract without consequences, other actors might have followed suit, potentially unraveling the carefully constructed plans for the DC universe. Last year's Batman v Superman blockbuster might never have happened.
Carrey, who had eventually conceded and switched to WMA, now relied on Jonathan's mediation to avoid complete obscurity. Still, his relationship with Daenerys Entertainment had soured. If not for this, Carrey's meteoric rise might have continued unchecked.
Fortunately, only one film remained on the contract.
Jonathan could foresee that once Carrey fulfilled this final obligation, he and Daenerys Entertainment would part ways entirely. But with Daenerys dominating Hollywood, it was unlikely the studio would care.
The landscape had shifted. Hollywood was no longer ruled by superstar directors and actors. Blockbuster franchises like the DC cinematic universe proved that success didn't require big names. In fact, the franchise had created a new generation of stars and filmmakers.
Jonathan's earlier inquiry about the comet-collision films was prompted by the urgency of WMA's clients. Without securing roles in these blockbusters, many established stars risked being overtaken by newcomers.
Ultimately, a young man who had burst onto the scene a decade ago had completely reshaped Hollywood.
The day after the premiere, reviews for Wonder Woman 2 were officially released, with the film earning an impressive 8.7 out of 10 across major media outlets—a near-classic score.
Not that the film's reviews mattered anymore. When theaters posted the final promotional poster featuring Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Cyborg together, the excitement among fans—especially those unaware of The Flash's involvement—soared.
On November 22, after a packed midnight screening, Wonder Woman 2 officially rolled out on 4,017 screens across North America.
Meanwhile, the first week of the Thanksgiving box office window, running from November 15 to November 21, came to a close.
By the weekend of November 15-17, the studios behind Space Jam and Star Trek: First Contact already sensed trouble. When the week's final numbers came in, their worst fears were confirmed. Three major television events—the fifth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show broadcast, and two American Idol season finales, each with over 30 million viewers—had siphoned off over $12 million from the box office.
Daenerys Entertainment, already dominating the box office, was now cutting into other studios' revenue with its television programming.
The result? Paramount's Star Trek: First Contact topped the Thanksgiving box office with $34.67 million in its opening week. While respectable, it fell short of Paramount's $40 million expectation—almost exactly the amount lost to television. Without Wonder Woman 2 looming, First Contact might
have reached $80-100 million domestically, recouping its $45 million production cost solely from U.S. earnings.
Now, with Wonder Woman 2 on the horizon, even $70 million domestic seemed unlikely. Overseas prospects were grim, as the Star Trek franchise's global appeal lagged far behind its U.S. popularity.
As for Space Jam, Warner Bros.' $80 million live-action/animation hybrid starring Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan fared even worse. Critics gave it an abysmal 4.3 out of 10, far from the acclaim earned by Who Framed Roger Rabbit years earlier.
While bad films can sometimes thrive with weak competition, Space Jam wasn't so lucky. Sandwiched between First Contact, The Mirror Has Two Faces, and holdovers like Annabelle, the film managed only $25.14 million in its first week from 2,650 screens—far below expectations.
With Wonder Woman 2 set to dominate the following week, Warner Bros. could only brace for the worst. Space Jam, originally projected to gross over $90 million domestically, now seemed doomed to financial failure.
Meanwhile, Annabelle, another Daenerys production, continued its strong performance. Despite a 43% drop in its fourth weekend, it earned $15.56 million, pushing its domestic total to $124.76 million on a $30 million budget.
Fourth place went to The Mirror Has Two Faces, starring Barbra Streisand. The film grossed $11.40 million in its second week, bringing its total to $27.49 million. Sony could hope for a $40 million domestic finish, which would meet expectations.
Fifth place was Boogie Nights, another Daenerys production. In its fifth week, it earned $4.31 million, reflecting the steep competition. Beyond the top five, the remaining nine films combined for less than $9 million.
Yet all these numbers paled in comparison to the juggernaut that was Wonder Woman 2, set to crush all competition in the coming weeks.
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