It seems Gilbert churns out a movie a year, as if he doesn't know what exhaustion or writer's block feels like.
Even a quick-witted director like Spielberg, it seems, couldn't match Gilbert's intense creative pace; even he needed a break after filming a movie.
Of course, Spielberg once directed both Jurassic Park and Schindler's List in the same year, films that were both high-quality and produced quickly. He truly lived up to his reputation as a "Hollywood quick shooter" of the previous generation.
I say "previous generation" because the current "quick shooter" is Gilbert.
---
### Preparing for Production
After the film's production was announced, the crew specifically brought in active-duty Marine Corps officers to train the actors.
While some highly challenging scenes would definitely require stunt doubles, many action sequences needed front-facing shots, demanding the actors to perform them personally.
In those days, there wasn't any AI face-swapping technology, so the idea of having a stunt double do everything and then superimposing Tom Hanks's face wasn't very realistic.
---
### Michael Ovitz's Negotiation Tactics
Michael Ovitz, having eagerly volunteered to handle the actor negotiations, immediately reached out to Tom Hanks's agent, Eno Martin.
"Michael, I hear you're doing well at Disney. Congratulations," Eno Martin said, greeting Michael Ovitz.
Facing the former head of CAA, Eno Martin no longer held the same respect as before; his demeanor was purely business-like.
Michael Ovitz, still trying to leverage their past relationship, reminisced with Eno Martin about their history, starting from a small office.
To be precise, Michael Ovitz, Martin Baum, Eno Martin, and two other agents who had since left CAA were the five original partners of CAA.
Pat Kingsley joined later and was considered a junior.
"Eno, do you remember what our first office looked like?" Michael Ovitz asked.
"Of course, I remember," Eno Martin recalled, "Back then, we didn't take salaries, we rented a small office, and even the phone and printer were borrowed. We bought all the office furniture for 200 dollars from a flea market. To find opportunities for the company, we once stood at the gates of Warner Bros. for three hours, and you even tap-danced for the executives."
Michael Ovitz couldn't help but chuckle at the memory.
He reminisced, "Those were the days when we poured our hearts into our work, just to secure our place in Hollywood. We brought CAA to that height, ushering in the era of Hollywood agents, controlling multiple superstars and famous directors. We were truly in our prime back then. But now, times have changed."
After a heartfelt conversation with Eno Martin, reminiscing about their glorious past and strengthening their bond, Michael Ovitz changed the subject.
"Eno, all these years, I've always thought you were more capable than Martin. What you lacked was an opportunity, and I'm here to offer you one."
"An opportunity?" Eno Martin, having been in the business for so long, wasn't swayed by emotional appeals; he knew Michael Ovitz too well.
This man was cunning, secretly scheming while appearing friendly to lower your guard.
Word had it that Michael Ovitz enjoyed reading The Art of War, claiming to find life lessons within its pages.
When CAA's headquarters were completed, Michael Ovitz even hired a Feng Shui master from Chinatown to inspect it, though it didn't seem to help much.
After Sony acquired Columbia Pictures and Panasonic acquired Universal Pictures, Michael Ovitz encountered Gilbert.
With this impossibly young director, Michael Ovitz repeatedly faced setbacks, eventually stepping down due to the animal rights battle.
But who would have thought, a turn of events saw Michael Ovitz transform into the president of Disney, even more glorious than before.
"Michael, the opportunity you're talking about, is it pushing packaging deals on Gilbert? Or perhaps trying to poach Gilbert from Sheena Boone?" Eno Martin was skeptical.
Everyone in Hollywood knew that Gilbert detested packaging deals and wasn't particularly fond of CAA, or certain people within CAA.
Michael Ovitz was forced out precisely because he tried to aggressively push packaging deals on Gilbert.
Tom Hanks had previously warned Eno Martin not to entertain any other ideas that might jeopardize his collaboration with Gilbert.
Michael Ovitz shook his head and said, "No, no, I'm now representing Director Gilbert, and his wishes are paramount. The opportunity I'm talking about lies in Gilbert's new project. I've read the script, and I'm sure you have too; its quality is exceptionally high. Given Gilbert's caliber, a film like this will undoubtedly be packed with highlights, and a summer box office hit is certainly within reach."
"Just tell me what you want," Eno Martin said.
"To make a good movie, you need ample funds. The film's total budget is 80 million US dollars..." Michael Ovitz didn't finish his sentence, but Eno Martin understood his implication.
It was nothing more than wanting Tom Hanks to reduce his salary. But Eno Martin represented his client; how could he be swayed by Michael Ovitz's attempts to brainwash him into accepting a pay cut?
Michael Ovitz didn't possess any "mind-dulling aura," and Eno Martin wasn't falling for it.
"Michael, 20 million dollars in upfront payment, plus 20% of the global box office gross," Eno Martin boldly demanded.
Michael Ovitz flatly refused: "Eno, that's impossible. 8 million dollars, plus 10% of the North American net box office."
"Hey, Michael," Eno Martin sounded a bit displeased. "Do you know Tom Hanks's achievements over the past few years? Two Oscar wins, and he's proven his commercial value. Your offer is an insult."
"But your offer isn't realistic either. Even if Tom Cruise and Arnold Schwarzenegger combined, they wouldn't get a percentage of the global box office," Michael Ovitz retorted.
"Then we'll take a step back," Eno Martin seemed very confident. "20 million dollars upfront, plus 20% of the North American box office gross. That's already a big concession."
"10 million dollars upfront, plus 10% of the North American box office gross..."
The two sides began to test each other's bottom lines. In truth, negotiating with an actor's agent like this shouldn't have been Michael Ovitz's responsibility.
The crew had a dedicated producer; frankly speaking, Michael Ovitz was overstepping his bounds.
But why was Michael Ovitz still doing this? There were two reasons.
The first was to send a signal to Gilbert: "Look, we had some unpleasantness when I was at CAA, but that just goes to show I'm a very professional person. Now we're in the same company; I fully support you, so please don't hold any animosity. Let's work together happily."
The core of Michael Ovitz's power struggle with Michael Eisner was Gilbert.
If he could secure Gilbert's support, his chances of retaining the Disney president position would be significantly higher.
Unbeknownst to many, Gilbert was even becoming a figure influential enough to impact the heads of film studios.
This was also due to special circumstances; Gilbert was the face of Disney's live-action film division. If Michael Ovitz could ensure Gilbert was entirely dedicated to Disney, the board of directors would undoubtedly support Michael Ovitz.
However, Michael Ovitz found this difficult to achieve.
The second reason was to claim credit.
After all, he had boasted that he would oversee the Saving Private Ryan project, but if he merely acted as a mascot on set, how could he demonstrate his contribution to the board?
So Michael Ovitz felt compelled to do something to prove his contribution to the film project.
Unfortunately, after Michael Ovitz left CAA, his influence over the agency diminished. Eno Martin didn't give in and maintained a purely business-like attitude.
The stalemate in negotiations continued, and Michael Ovitz resorted to his final tactic: "Eno, don't forget, many others want to be in Gilbert's new film. If you don't make concessions, Director Gilbert might just replace the actor."
Eno Martin seemed utterly confident: "Don't forget, Tom Hanks was personally requested by Gilbert. If you mess with his choice, what do you think he'll think?"
As a powerful A-list director like Gilbert, the producer merely served in a supportive role and couldn't interfere with Gilbert's control over the crew, let alone Michael Ovitz, who was essentially a mascot.
Eno Martin said this hoping to make Michael Ovitz anxious.
If Gilbert found out that he had sabotaged the collaboration with Tom Hanks, given Gilbert's temperament, he probably wouldn't be very pleased with Michael Ovitz.
But to everyone's surprise, Michael Ovitz wasn't intimidated. He cited examples: "Gilbert once invited Sylvester Stallone to star in Real Steel, but due to CAA's excessive demands, he directly replaced him with Bruce Willis. To this day, Stallone regrets listening to his agent and turning down that film. And look at The Rock; Sean Connery had an unparalleled advantage, but he wanted to co-invest and was rejected. I hear he even broke his leg and is now confined to a wheelchair. In contrast, Roger Moore experienced a career resurgence and successfully regained popularity. My yesterday is your tomorrow; no one is irreplaceable in Hollywood. But Gilbert's film projects don't come around every day."
Eno Martin was startled; it seemed that was indeed the case!
Gilbert was an unpredictable person; who knew if he would, while being displeased with Michael Ovitz, also decide to replace Tom Hanks?
Gilbert had always been uncompromising with actors who didn't suit his temperament or made excessive demands.
Tom Cruise, for instance, had been eagerly waiting to collaborate with Gilbert, almost to the point of resentment.
If Tom Hanks were replaced because of Eno Martin, Tom Hanks would certainly not let it go.
There had always been a rumor in Hollywood that agents controlled everything about celebrity actors, and that powerful agents could even make A-list stars bow to their will.
Such a rumor sounded obviously false and couldn't be true.
It's a simple truth: the top of Hollywood's food chain is undoubtedly the Hollywood giants, backed by large media groups.
And for these giants, the most valuable resources in Hollywood are undoubtedly the star actors and big directors.
Agents, in essence, are people who exist by depending on star directors, serving as a bridge between them and film companies.
If agents were so crucial, wouldn't that mean film companies would give up on those star directors to choose a bridge instead?
A bridge itself is merely a medium; the important thing is to cross the bridge to reach those scarce Hollywood resources on the other side.
Even without a bridge, film companies could paddle across, and star directors could paddle over too; it would just be a bit more troublesome.
Therefore, the rumor that agents can control A-list stars or A-list directors is simply a joke and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Of course, for aspiring actors and small directors, these agents still wield considerable influence.
After all, before they become famous, they need an agent to secure opportunities for them at film companies.
Based on this, for Tom Hanks, Eno Martin was merely a service provider. If he was dissatisfied, he could replace him at any time.
So Eno Martin couldn't make the decision alone and needed to consult with Tom Hanks to understand his bottom line.
The negotiation ended in discord. Eno Martin quickly met with Tom Hanks and explained how difficult Michael Ovitz was to deal with.
"It seems now that if we don't make some concessions, Michael Ovitz might suggest to Gilbert to replace the lead actor. Gilbert might not insist on keeping you, since it would benefit the crew," Eno Martin said.
Tom Hanks shook his head helplessly, "After all these years, Michael Ovitz still has that aggressive style; it hasn't changed even at Disney."
After a moment of thought, Tom Hanks added, "10 million dollars and 15% of the North American box office gross—that's the bottom line, no more concessions."
"I understand," Eno Martin then suggested, "Why don't you call Gilbert and hear his thoughts?"
Tom Hanks seemed intrigued but ultimately decided against it.
"It's not appropriate. If I negotiate directly with the director and it doesn't work out, it'll be hard to collaborate again in the future," Tom Hanks stated.
Eno Martin understood, and quickly resumed negotiations with Michael Ovitz. The two sides engaged in a tug-of-war over percentages, finally reaching an agreement under Gilbert's urging.
The final contract settled on a 10-million-dollar base salary, plus 15% of the North American box office gross, which was Tom Hanks's absolute bottom line and could not be lowered further.
Honestly, this price was a bit low for Tom Hanks, mainly because the 5% of the global box office gross was gone, and Tom Hanks was certainly worth that amount.
However, Tom Hanks genuinely loved the script, and coupled with Gilbert's reputation, he instructed his agent to agree, thinking he could make up the difference elsewhere in the future.
Unbeknownst to them, Gilbert seemed to now possess an aura that made stars willing to take pay cuts.
Michael Ovitz was quite pleased, as the contract had been negotiated by him, earning him a share of the credit.
Seeing Gilbert's apparent satisfaction with the contract negotiations, he even offered a rare word of praise after Tom Hanks signed his name.
"Mr. Ovitz, you've done a decent job..."
Michael Ovitz's face glowed with eagerness, as if he were Gilbert's most trusted confidant: "Gilbert, just focus on filming; you can leave everything else to me."
He said this grandly, but failed to notice Gilbert's slight frown and the unfriendly gaze of Warner Bros. producer Charles Roven.
Tom Hanks's contract was merely a small interlude. Despite some twists and turns, Tom Hanks ultimately got his wish and collaborated with Gilbert.
Aside from Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the cameo appearance by Old Gilbert and Christopher Lee, the other actors were primarily selected through auditions.