Chapter 289: Enviable
In London's Mayfair district, at the The Dorchester,
Sophie Marceau had just wrapped filming Braveheart in Scotland and arrived in London to promote Clear and Present Danger.
"Aaron, Harrison Ford really is something," she said with a smile. "Clear and Present Danger opened in North America with $20 million right out of the gate."
Aaron leaned back on the sofa, nodding in approval.
"Yeah, Harrison Ford has been on a great run these past few years."
Sophie shrugged playfully.
"You actually have time to follow other people's movies? Your own films—My Best Friend's Wedding, Forrest Gump, and Interview with the Vampire—are all doing huge numbers."
Aaron smiled, his hand resting lightly along her thigh.
"So how was filming Braveheart?"
Both Clear and Present Danger and Braveheart were Paramount Pictures productions—though the former was co-produced with Universal, and the latter with 20th Century Fox. Under Sherry Lansing, Paramount had leaned heavily into co-productions to reduce financial risk.
Sophie made a face.
"It was… fine, I guess. But honestly, the whole film revolves around Mel Gibson. Everyone else is just background."
She sighed lightly.
"I spent most of my time on set just waiting."
Her role in Braveheart was limited—more about presence than performance. Still, she had signed a three-film deal with Paramount; with two completed, only one remained.
"It should still do well at the box office," Aaron said, leaning in to kiss her.
She responded without hesitation, pulling him closer.
After a while, he asked softly,
"How long are you staying in London?"
"Not long," she replied between breaths. "Just enough for the premiere and promotion. Then I'm heading back to the U.S.—more interviews, TV appearances, the usual."
Aaron chuckled.
"Hollywood moves a lot faster than France, doesn't it?"
"Much faster," she said, wrapping her arms around him again with a smile.
Soon after, Aaron met with executives from the BBC's international division, where they finalized a series of collaboration agreements. Compared to the U.S., Britain's deep literary and cultural heritage gave it a strong edge—especially in content development.
At Dawnlight's UK headquarters in Buckingham,
Graham Broadstreet reported on progress:
"I've met with Richard Curtis. He loves the concept for Notting Hill and is eager to develop it."
He added,
"And he's also supportive of adapting Mr. Bean into a feature film. Once he finishes Notting Hill, he'll begin working on the screenplay."
Aaron nodded, satisfied.
"Next up, The Mask is about to open in Europe. It's been a huge hit in the U.S.—I expect strong results here too."
The numbers backed that confidence: within just 10 days of its North American release, The Mask had already crossed $50 million, and by its third week, it had reached $70 million.
Momentum was clearly on Dawnlight's side—and it showed no signs of slowing down.
Afterward, Aaron purchased a detached villa near Hyde Park, securing a future residence for himself in London.
That night, in the living room of Catherine Zeta-Jones's villa, Aaron sat on the sofa flipping through a newspaper.
Reports detailed the recent end of the Rwandan Genocide—an atrocity that had claimed the lives of roughly 800,000 to 1 million Tutsi people.
"Truly horrific," Aaron muttered, shaking his head. No wonder Jack Wells remained so fixated on arms trading in Africa—the region was in constant turmoil.
"Aaron," Catherine said as she emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered, and sat beside him.
"Dawnlight is adapting two novels by Jane Austen this year?"
"The film Sense and Sensibility and the TV series Pride and Prejudice."
Aaron smiled and pulled her into his arms.
"Austen's works have a massive fan base—they're perfect for adaptation."
Beyond that, Dawnlight's subsidiary had also partnered with PolyGram on Dead Man Walking.
Catherine kissed his cheek lightly.
"Forrest Gump has already crossed $180 million in North America. It's easily the most talked-about film right now."
Aaron leaned back against the sofa, his hand resting casually along her thigh.
"Still, Walt Disney Company's The Lion King has already surpassed $250 million domestically."
She nodded.
"I read that The Lion King sparked protests in Japan—many manga artists and animators signed a petition accusing Disney of plagiarism."
The controversy centered on similarities to Kimba the White Lion, created by the late Osamu Tezuka in the 1960s. Critics pointed out resemblances in characters and scenes.
However, director Roger Allers denied any connection, stating that he was unfamiliar with the series until The Lion King was nearly complete.
Aaron gave a dismissive shrug.
"Disney's legal team is formidable. They'll handle it."
Indeed, The Lion King's performance was enviable—beyond its domestic success, its international box office had already surpassed $300 million.
Catherine wrapped her arms around his neck.
"But Disney doesn't have what Dawnlight has right now—The Mask, Interview with the Vampire, and My Best Friend's Wedding all releasing around the same time."
Aaron didn't respond with words. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her, drawing an equally passionate response. A moment later, he lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bedroom.
Aaron wouldn't be staying in the UK much longer. He had plans to travel to Ibiza for a holiday with Joey Wong.
Since finishing A Chinese Laborer's Story, she had been staying in Vancouver. With Jackie Chan's Rumble in the Bronx now released, Aaron had called her a few days earlier—planning to bring her along for a European getaway.
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