Chapter 138 — Exceptionally Flexible
Because Buckinghamshire lies close to London, and is home to both Pinewood Studios and Shepperton Studios, most of Britain's film and entertainment companies are concentrated here.
Film studios, VFX houses, post-production sound teams, prop workshops—
every link in the filmmaking chain is present, forming a mature, self-contained ecosystem.
After establishing Dawnlight UK, Aaron went further and acquired 40% of the Electric Cinema circuit, one of Britain's oldest art-house theater chains.
Like Heritage in the United States, Electric specialized in independent and art films.
For a young company like Dawnlight, this acquisition was not symbolic—it was strategic.
The head of Dawnlight UK was Graham Broadstreet, former partner at Working Title Films, who had left the company the previous year.
---
That evening, at the Ritz on Piccadilly Circus, Aaron attended a PolyGram-hosted industry party with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
PolyGram had just fully acquired Working Title, massively strengthening its development and production pipeline.
"You've been busy in Britain lately,"
Michael Kuhn said with a grin as they clinked glasses.
"Setting up a UK branch is one thing.
Buying into Electric Cinemas? That's a full-scale announcement—you're planning independent UK distribution."
Aaron took a sip of wine.
"Cinema brands are multiplying by the day.
Another wave of mergers is coming—I'd bet on it."
"For a young company, controlling distribution is survival, not ambition.
If you don't own your access to audiences, you don't own your future."
---
The major Hollywood studios, after all, had never relied purely on goodwill.
Sony-Columbia held stakes in Loew's and Walter Reade.
Universal and Paramount's UIP controlled forty percent of Odeon in Europe.
Warner Bros., Disney, and Fox all owned or invested heavily in exhibition infrastructure.
Indie distributors?
Most of them began as cinemas.
By the late Reagan era, the Paramount Decrees were effectively toothless.
The government even encouraged vertical integration.
But running cinemas was expensive and politically messy.
So the studios invested—just enough to guarantee screens.
---
"PolyGram has invested in Gramercy Pictures in the US," Michael Kuhn said.
"They'll handle American distribution for us."
"If you're open to it, we'd love to continue working together.
We'll route PolyGram titles through Heritage in the States,
and in Britain, our channels can help launch Dawnlight titles locally."
It was a fair offer.
"Absolutely," Aaron nodded.
"If PolyGram ever needs financing, Dawnlight would be happy to co-invest."
Privately, he knew something PolyGram did not:
Philips saw film merely as a side business.
Music was the real crown jewel.
Dawnlight, on the other hand, was being built on cinema.
PolyGram's distribution network was useful—yes.
But excellent films eventually open doors themselves.
---
After parting from Kuhn, Aaron found Graham Broadstreet.
"With Dawnlight UK now operational, I want our first homegrown project to be a British-style romantic comedy."
He leaned closer.
"Working title: Four Weddings and a Funeral.
It's about a man who's constantly attending weddings but terrified of marriage.
At one ceremony, he meets a carefree foreign woman.
Over four weddings and one funeral, they weave in and out of each other's lives—
until, in the end, love catches up with both of them."
Four Weddings and a Funeral would one day become Hugh Grant's breakthrough role—a defining example of British romantic comedy, subtle and ironic, worlds apart from Hollywood's louder, flashier style.
"So Four Weddings and a Funeral will be positioned as a romantic comedy…"
Graham Broadstreet considered it for a moment.
"When I was still at Working Title, I worked with a comedy writer named Richard Curtis.
He's the head writer behind the hit UK series Mr. Bean.
I'll take this concept to him and see if he's willing to develop the script."
Aaron nodded.
"These light romantic comedies don't require a huge budget.
I met Hugh Grant here in London—he's got the right look for the leading man.
As for the 'foreign beauty' role… Sophie Marceau would be an excellent choice."
Because this would be a distinctly British film, the European market mattered more than Hollywood.
Hugh Grant was still relatively unknown.
Sophie Marceau, on the other hand, already carried star power across Europe.
The combination worked perfectly.
"I'll start arranging the script adaptation," Graham said.
Britain's film industry was in a slump—he had no reason to refuse a strong new project.
---
After the party, Aaron returned to his Hammersmith mansion with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
"An English romantic comedy?"
Catherine smiled as she lay against his chest.
"I'd love to take a supporting role."
Season two of The Darling Buds of May had aired, but most of the offers coming her way were still TV movies and minor roles.
A Dawnlight film, on the other hand, meant theatrical release—real exposure.
---
"Filming probably starts in the second half of the year," Aaron said.
"Once Graham finds a writer and gets the script locked."
"That's fine," Catherine replied easily.
"I'm mostly doing commercial appearances and magazine shoots anyway."
Aaron stroked her hair.
"I've arranged to meet Ridley Scott to discuss another project.
If you're free, come with me."
"Of course," Catherine said at once.
"That's exactly what I want—meeting big names and learning the industry."
---
"You studied tap dance before, right?" Aaron asked.
"If you end up in an action film later, will you be okay with physical training?"
Catherine laughed softly.
"Of course.
I was a British national tap dance champion.
I've done stage performances and dance theater.
My flexibility is excellent."
Aaron chuckled.
He already knew.
Catherine glanced up at him with a teasing smile.
"Darling… you do know just how flexible I am, don't you?"