The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 243: Dragging Feet and Causing Trouble]

The next morning, a black bulletproof Mercedes sped toward West Hollywood.

Edward drove the car and asked Hawke, "Boss, those bastards at BlackRock are going to be our long-term enemies. We should sabotage everything they try to push through."

Hawke fully agreed. "Whatever the enemy wants to do, that's what we oppose."

At that moment, Edward recalled a plan Hawke had mentioned more than once. "The marginalized community initiative by BlackRock, starting in Hollywood?"

"We'll think of a way to disrupt things in Hollywood first," Hawke replied succinctly. "Today, Tom Cruise's production company is signing a deal with Eric's studio. Let's go stir up some excitement."

As the car bomb went off near Citrus Square, BlackRock had officially become Hawke's sworn enemy.

The chaos in America could only lead to more division, which Hawke knew would only benefit their cause. While the power of Hawke and Twitter could only take them so far in taking down BlackRock, it wouldn't stop him from using various tactics to undermine their strategic planning.

Without a doubt, the marginalized community initiative was one of BlackRock's most crucial strategies for the future. Hawke couldn't remember how this company became the behemoth it was in the 2020s, but that strategic plan had to be a driving force.

From every angle, he couldn't allow them to implement it smoothly. Hollywood was the vanguard of this initiative, with shifts in the entertainment and media industries leading to broader social changes.

The BlackRock Film Fund had invested in Focus Features' Brokeback Mountain, aiming for an Oscar. Winning a major award was the only way to make such a niche film mainstream.

Hawke also contemplated the Oscar game. Additionally, he'd sent someone to Harvard to find a student named Zuckerberg.

It was only 2003; he wondered if Zuckerberg had launched Facebook yet. At this point, he either hadn't or was still on the Harvard campus network.

...

The Mercedes arrived in West Hollywood and drove straight into the lot of Emerson's Film Studio. Hawke stepped out of the car, where Eric stood on the front steps waving.

Beside him was Tom Cruise, casually dressed in a blazer.

As Hawke approached, Tom Cruise greeted him with a warm hug. Eric called for them to head to the meeting room to talk.

Hawke settled onto the sofa and asked, "Did you guys officially sign?"

"Just signed the contract," Tom Cruise replied, having finalized his collaboration with Eric right after the opening weekend box office results of Dark Journey.

They had been discussing it for nearly two months, and it was finally on paper.

Tom Cruise continued, "Cruise and Wagner Productions are raising $20 million for Eric's new film. I'll be starring as the lead. I heard from Eric that the lead character is based on you?"

Hawke replied, "When I was a freelance journalist, Eric helped me for a while, and based on that experience, he wrote the script for your collaboration."

Eric chimed in, "Tommy and I discussed it; the project is called Nightcrawler."

"That name fits perfectly," Edward interjected. "Most of our news stories were shot at night."

He turned to Eric. "What about my character? Who's playing the role based on me? I'm the most important supporting character."

Tom Cruise replied, "Once the cast is set up, they'll hold auditions."

Hawke had read Eric's script and said, "I'm not a film producer, but Eric wrote a brilliant script. It's more engaging than my real-life experiences."

"That's what I appreciated about the script. In terms of character development and plot design, Eric has a master's level skill," Tom praised the director before asking Hawke, "I heard you have some unique skills and a nickname from your work?"

Edward eagerly added, "My boss is known as the Lamp Pole God!"

Tom Cruise turned to look out the window, spotting a street lamp towering ten feet high. "Is that what I think it is?"

Edward responded seriously, "In every sense of the term, yes."

Hawke, ever the jokester, let Edward do the boasting before explaining, "In Los Angeles, the street lamp poles are pretty high, making it easier to get shots of what's happening inside backyards."

Tom Cruise suddenly understood. "I'll have to move the street lamp outside my house!"

Eric noted, "I'll incorporate that into the scene design."

Tom Cruise looked at Hawke and asked, "You're going to have to teach me how to climb a lamppost."

"Absolutely," Hawke gestured casually. "It's no harder than running in one of your movies."

Given that the film was based on real-life cases from West Coast studios, the four discussed many aspects of scene design.

Tom Cruise specifically asked Hawke about key points for freelance journalists' filming techniques.

The conversation started with films but gradually shifted toward the Oscars and award season, thanks to Hawke's subtle steering.

Hawke specifically asked Cruise, "Do you have any new plans to tackle the Oscars?"

"No, my last attempt flopped, turning me into a laughing stock across the country," Tom Cruise recalled the ice bucket challenge. "If you hadn't helped me turn public opinion around, I'd still be known for that mess."

Hawke asked directly, "Does this project have any chance for Oscar contention?"

Tom Cruise thought for a moment before saying, "Not really in line with the Oscars' sensibilities. Besides, those so-called standards change every year, and nobody can figure out what they're thinking."

He complained, "When going for awards, you can't be too eager; if you're too eager, they'll criticize you for chasing awards. If you're not enthusiastic enough, they think you lack ambition and disrespect the judges and the academy. Just when you think you've gotten it right, they'll say you're just too good-looking for the role..."

Tom Cruise grumbled for a moment before returning to the topic. "Did you help Sarah Jessica Parker try for the Golden Globe?"

Hawke nodded slightly, "During last year's awards season, I served as Sarah Jessica Parker's awards consultant. It turned out pretty well; she received the award she wanted."

Regardless of hearsay or the actual benefits from the ice bucket challenge, Tom Cruise had firsthand experience of Hawke's strategic planning capabilities.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say he had a knack for shaping public opinion.

Initially, after Tom Cruise's failed Oscar bid this year, he had grown indifferent to the Oscars.

Yet, discussing it with Hawke rekindled his interest.

In Hollywood, who could truly ignore the existence of the Oscars?

Tom Cruise had the cash and resources; what he lacked was the Oscar. He directly invited Hawke, "You've got enough insight into the Nightcrawler project. The film is expected to release in the second half of next year. How about you create an Oscar strategy for the project? We'll team up again to take a shot at the Oscars."

Eric was thrilled since he was both the writer and director of the film. "The project is based on some of Hawke's personal experiences. Looking across all of Los Angeles, no one is better suited than Hawke to strategize for the Oscars!"

Tom Cruise, always generous with money, replied, "Once the crew is set up, they'll sign a contract with your studio, with payments matching the industry's top standards."

"Sounds good," Hawke thought to himself, as this visit was also about leveraging Tom Cruise's resources.

Even if the Oscars hadn't embraced Tom Cruise, as one of the top figures in Hollywood, the resources he controlled far exceeded that of newcomers like Eric.

Hawke's real aim was to use Tom Cruise to undermine Brokeback Mountain.

Though social movements like LGBTQ rights certainly represented a significant trend in Hollywood and the broader entertainment industry, it stirred social currents that were hard to counteract as an individual.

Still, Hawke wanted to give it a shot, at least to ensure that BlackRock's plans wouldn't launch as smoothly.

Progress on Brokeback Mountain was similarly at the early stages like Eric Emerson's project.

While Hawke acknowledged that winning an Oscar would be incredibly tough, he figured there'd be many ways to prevent a film from winning.

Dragging feet and causing trouble was what he excelled at.

Having settled the collaboration for the Oscars, Tom Cruise then shifted the conversation back to the ongoing ice bucket challenge on Twitter.

"We've currently raised $38.57 million," he mentioned, not having any plans to pocket the funds himself. "Next week, I'll have the charity foundation build connections with two more healthcare institutions."

Hawke replied, "The White House should be considering a Presidential Medal of Freedom for you."

Tom Cruise emphasized, "It should be for all of us."

He then switched topics, "Remember the thing you mentioned last time?"

Hawke had been going through a lot recently and had forgotten all about it.

Tom Cruise reminded him, "Someone had an incident during the ice bucket challenge related to bullying. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence and didn't pay much attention. But then, similar news began to surface on Twitter and other media. Some even criticized the ice bucket challenge..."

Eric had been following this too. "It seems some firefighters faced electric shocks during the ice bucket challenge, holding up fire rescue actions. Others criticized the challenge as a waste of water resources, provoking protests from environmentalists."

Hawke had been too busy dealing with the BlackRock situation to notice these events.

But he was experienced enough to sense something fishy when he heard about them. "Someone must be pulling strings behind the scenes, right?"

Tom Cruise affirmed, "I had someone investigate, and it turns out indeed someone is orchestrating things behind the curtain."

He built suspense as he continued, "Do you know who it is?"

Hawke's first instinct was, "Pat Kingsley?"

"Not her," Tom Cruise revealed a name that didn't come as a shock: "Nicole Kidman."

Edward exclaimed in surprise, "Ex-wives can be really terrifying."

Eric cast a glance at the Savior and reflected on his situation.

Marriage could wait a bit longer.

Hawke told Tom Cruise, "Your ex-wife truly doesn't want you to have a comfortable life."

*****

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