"Steven Spielberg?!"
"Tom Hanks?!"
Leonardo's jaw dropped, his eyes wide with disbelief and exhilaration as he stared at Leon. "You… you've got them in mind? My God!"
He could barely wrap his head around the idea. If this lineup came together, it'd be a cinematic bombshell. Spielberg directing, Hanks as his co-star? That was the kind of dream team every actor fantasized about.
But reality quickly doused the excitement. Leon's next words were clear and measured. "Yeah, that's my ideal lineup. Spielberg's perfect for a story like this—high entertainment with real human depth. His pacing and humor match the script's vibe. And Hanks? He's the only one who can nail Carl, the dogged FBI agent with that mix of grit and tragicomic charm."
Leon's finger tapped the budget column on the proposal. "But here's the problem, Leo. I've crunched the numbers, and we're looking at a $50 million budget. For a project this size, with the names we want, that's tight. Honestly, it's barely enough."
Leonardo caught on fast, his face shifting as he did the mental math. "Hold on. Spielberg's directing fee, Hanks' salary, mine… our paychecks alone could blow past that number."
"Exactly," Leon said, his tone frank. "At standard market rates, the budget wouldn't even cover your salaries, let alone production costs."
The office went quiet for a moment.
Leonardo's initial buzz settled into a sobering focus. He flipped through the proposal again, noting the detailed breakdown—60-day shooting schedule, costume and set design ideas, everything meticulously planned. This wasn't some spur-of-the-moment pitch; Leon had thought this through.
"So…" Leonardo said, his mind racing, "the biggest hurdle is pulling together this 'dream team' on a limited budget?"
"That's the gist of it," Leon replied, leaning back in his chair, open and honest. "Look, Leo, I'm all-in on The Princess Diaries right now. Garry Marshall's a great director, but as lead producer, I've got to stay on top of everything. That project's make-or-break for me."
He paused, then continued, "For Catch Me If You Can, I can't be as hands-on. I'm in as the writer and a partial investor, but I won't take a producer credit. We need a strong, influential production team or partner to push this forward. And the first step is locking in the director."
Leonardo's eyes narrowed. "You want me to go to Spielberg?"
"Not just go to him," Leon said, locking eyes with him. "Take the script and sell him on it. Convince him."
"I know you and Spielberg have been tight since Titanic, despite the James Cameron drama. He's prepping A.I. right now, but that's a beast of a project with a long lead time. If we move fast, Catch Me could be a quick two-month shoot for him—a breather, maybe even a fun surprise."
Leon leaned in, his voice steady but persuasive. "We've got a finished script, a detailed proposal, and the copyrights locked down. What we need is someone who can get Spielberg excited enough to take a pay cut. And you, Leo—not only are you perfect for Frank Abagnale, but you're the one who can get in a room with him and make him see it."
He softened his tone, adding a touch of warmth. "And honestly, I know The Beach has been weighing on you. Diving into a challenging, exciting project like this—one you're clearly pumped about—might be the best way to shake off that noise. Chasing a role you love, hustling for it, that's better than any party for getting you back in the zone."
Leonardo went quiet, his eyes dropping to the proposal, where "Steven Spielberg" was printed in black and white. His fingers tapped the page absently. Leon's words hit home. The fallout from The Beach—the protests, the media tearing into him, calling him a hypocrite—had left a dark cloud over him. He needed something to prove himself, to reignite his passion for acting.
And Catch Me If You Can, with Frank Abagnale's wild, layered story, was like a bolt of lightning cutting through that cloud. A chance to work with Spielberg again, to share the screen with Hanks—it could erase the stain of The Beach and rocket him back to the top.
His hesitation melted into resolve, his eyes blazing with a do-or-die intensity. "You're right, Leon. This is a once-in-a-lifetime shot—for me and the project." He grabbed the proposal like it was a lifeline, clutching it tightly. "I'll talk to Spielberg. I know this script and this role can hook him. As for the money…"
Leon cut in, "We'll figure out salaries once we've got a studio. Right now, it's about getting Spielberg on board. Once he's in, I'm betting he'll have no trouble pulling Hanks. No rush, either—Hanks is wrapping Cast Away and won't be free until May next year. If we can lock Spielberg, we can time the prep for spring, shooting right after Hanks is done."
Leonardo nodded firmly, gripping Leon's hand. "I'm on it, Leon. I'll call my agent and set up a meeting with Steven. I've got a good feeling—he's gonna love this story!"
He scooped up the script and proposal like they were priceless treasures and bolted out of the office, the gloom from earlier replaced with purpose and fire.
Watching his friend's car speed off from the window, Leon smiled faintly. Handing Catch Me If You Can to Leonardo was partly a practical move—the budget and his own commitments to The Princess Diaries left him no choice. But it was also a way to pull Leonardo out of the The Beach rut, letting his love for acting heal him.
"Go get 'em, Leo," Leon murmured to himself, turning back to his work.