America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Chapter 495 Battle Goddess

The next morning, Martin met with the specially visiting Steven Soderbergh at the Davis Film Studio office.

Accompanying the bald director was an acquaintance of Martin's, old neighbor Jenna Jones.

Soderbergh introduced, "Jenna is the leading actress I've locked in for my experimental film."

Martin shook hands with Jenna and said, "It's been a while, how's your father doing?"

"He's doing well, he even attended the AVN Awards recently and witnessed me win another award," Jenna said with a smile. "After you moved, you never came back to see us neighbors."

Martin also laughed, "I'll invite you and Mr. Jones, and Gillian to dinner sometime."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the three turned to the main topic.

Soderbergh could be considered the most experimental director among Hollywood's A-list filmmakers, often shooting very avant-garde short films or experimental movies with bold content.

Profit is unlikely with experimental project types, and Soderbergh certainly wouldn't be investing his own money, he's accustomed to seeking sponsors everywhere.

If it weren't for the availability of South Korean funding, Martin wouldn't have invested in his films either.

Theaters wouldn't screen them, dumping them in the DVD and video tape market, it might take five or six years or even longer to recoup the investment.

Soderbergh originally set his experimental film in New York Manhattan, with high-class call girls as the protagonists and background. Due to the inclusion of extremely explicit scenes, it was hard to find suitable actresses even in Hollywood, where nudity is as common as eating and drinking, so he simply went to Sacred Valley to select someone.

He naturally chose Jenna, who was known as the best actress in Sacred Valley, and straightforwardly adjusted the story according to Jenna's background, setting it in the Sacred Valley and Los Angeles area. The protagonist's character also became a Sacred Valley artist with a dual identity as a high-class call girl.

This was also the most true-to-life situation for the female stars of Sacred Valley, dabbling in art while taking on some side jobs.

As for the deep themes and underlying meanings of the experimental film Soderbergh talked about, Martin seemed to listen very seriously, but in reality, he didn't care at all.

Leveraging Soderbergh's reputation to attract South Korean investment was not difficult for Martin.

Moreover, he had people communicate with the South Korean side, which was willing to cough up the money.

When Martin went to South Korea, he gauged the pulse of the Korean film industry circle; some of them, after winning awards at the three major European film festivals, had set their sights on the Oscars.

Thinking that the lollipops at daddy's house tasted better.

To win major Oscar awards as a foreign film, cinematic art was certainly necessary, but an even more critical factor was where one's "seat" was located.

Soderbergh only wanted an investment of 1.8 million US dollars, and after Martin mentioned Cannes, he quickly agreed to help make a call to Isabel Huppert.

Although the two had never worked together, they had been acquainted since the nineties.

Isabel Huppert was the president of the jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Martin wasn't very familiar with the pure European filmmakers; Isabel Huppert's previous impression on him was from the controversial film "The Limits of Love of a Mother," which even the open-minded Cannes Film Festival refused to screen.

Soderbergh took his leave first, but his new film's leading actress, Jenna Jones, stayed behind.

It wasn't the first time they were working together, so Jenna went straight to the point, "Can we talk about the adaptation rights for the Sacred Valley version of 'John Wick'?"

Martin nodded, "Go talk to Jessica."

Jenna brought up another matter, "You're friends with Jolie and Aniston, aren't you?"

This gossip was not just well-known across America but also widely circulated, and Martin had no need to deny it, "We have quite a good relationship."

"I heard some news recently." Jenna's company, already one of the largest in Sacred Valley, had access to quite a lot of the latest news from that circle.

She said, "There's a company next door to us that is supposedly about to sign Brad Pitt to build a super film series around him as the core."

Martin was somewhat surprised, "Pitt went to Sacred Valley?"

Jenna elaborated, "This news was once buzzing in my circle. People like Jenna, Caden, Jessica, and others were very keen to work with Pitt."

Then she changed the subject, "It might have been close to a deal, but the recent word is that Pitt has turned down that lucrative contract, saying he wants to return to Hollywood. Are there still people in Hollywood looking for him to make films?"

Martin shook his head gently, Hollywood's biggest feminist organization Mitu, whose two leading opinion-makers Jolie and Aniston, one a former girlfriend and the other a former wife of Pitt, would rather have him thrown into the Pacific to feed the fish.

If any crew employed him, Mitu would surely rise up to attack.

Martin asked back, "Have you heard anything about what he intends to do in his Hollywood comeback?"

"No," Jenna said truthfully. "The company wanting to sign Pitt is our competitor."

Martin said, "Do me a favor, inquire about Pitt's recent movements in your circles when you get the chance, and call me if there's any news."

Jenna agreed readily, "No problem."

Martin took this matter to heart and specifically called Bruce and Thomas to have them keep an eye on the latest developments with Pitt.

Besides, he asked Bruce to find professional female bodyguards to follow Lily and Elizabeth Olsen.

Martin thought for a moment, then called Jolie and Aniston respectively.

There was nothing unusual on their end; instead, they invited Martin to join them for a poker game at the hotel.

Unable to decline the invitation, Martin made his way to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel,

Unlike before, this time both of them were vying for the spot in front of Martin, leaving the other to push Martin's back.

After several attempts, they both found that being in front was the most comfortable spot.

The one pushing from behind, the harder they pushed, the more enjoyable it became for the one in front.

Jolie and Aniston argued incessantly about this.

Martin held them down and whacked each of their faces with a few strong hits from a stick, which finally got them to take turns switching positions in peace.

After finishing the poker game, they casually had lunch together.

The hotel restaurant wasn't crowded, and as Aniston ate, she said, "You don't have to worry about Pitt; he'll be done for soon."

Jolie chimed in, "Never to rise again!"

Martin swallowed his steak and asked, "What have you two done that I don't know about?"

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Aniston and Jolie looked at each other and smiled, no longer bickering endlessly like enemies, but instead sharing a special understanding like people related by blood.

Martin deliberately scowled, "Don't beat around the bush, spill it, or else you'll get the stick to your face!"

Jolie giggled, "We like getting the stick to our faces, so we won't tell!"

Still, Aniston was more compliant with Martin and said, "After I married Pitt, our assets were always separate. A few years ago, when the real estate market was booming, Pitt took tens of millions in liquid funds to invest in Fannie Mae. With the recession last year, Fannie Mae was forced to delist, and Pitt's shares couldn't be liquidated."

Martin had also heard of this and nodded slightly.

Jolie dissatisfaction, "Was his whack with the stick hard and satisfying enough for you? Speak up if it was!"

Martin turned to Jolie, "You still want terms?"

Jolie's eyes were shifting, "Darling, could you call Elizabeth Olsen over? We could have a foursome."

"Shut up!" Aniston snapped, "The three of us are crowded enough!"

Jolie shrugged and fell silent.

Martin looked at Aniston, "Go on."

Aniston continued, "Pitt needs money and definitely wants to make this asset liquid again. Jolie and I discreetly arranged a scheme, convincing Pitt that with around ten million US dollars, he could revive this money."

Martin asked, "Did Pitt take the bait?"

Jolie took over the conversation, "We secretly had someone spread the news in Sacred Valley, and sure enough, a company from Sacred Valley took an interest in Pitt and approached him. Pitt was originally enticed by the offer from Sacred Valley, but recently he left Sacred Valley. We're not quite sure where in Los Angeles he went."

Martin finally understood why Pitt was involved with Sacred Valley; it turned out these two had been making covert moves.

"You're very capable," Martin said. He knew well that ex-wives and ex-girlfriends with insider knowledge, if they truly turned against one another, could be terrifying.

Then again, he thought, for all these years, not a single ex-girlfriend of Leonardo came forward to reveal his dark secrets or scandals. At most, they talked about his brief relationships— truly not an ordinary man.

Martin cautioned, "You two be careful these days."

Jolie reached out and scratched the palm of Martin's hand, "Even if Pitt wants to do something, his first target would be you. You're the one who took his woman, house, and endorsements. As long as you stand in front of us and don't fall, Pitt won't target us."

Martin found Jolie's words made so much sense that they were irrefutable.

Aniston said, "When it comes to dealing with Pitt, we'll definitely push hard from behind."

Previously, Martin was the one pushing them from behind, while they stood up against Pitt with the stance of warrior goddesses.

Jolie, still hopeful, "How about this, Martin? You call Elizabeth over, and the four of us can discuss! I guarantee that I'll get someone to throw Pitt into the ocean!"

Martin, having finished eating, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, and seeing that they had already put down their utensils, grabbed Jolie with one hand and Aniston with the other, and headed straight upstairs.

"Jen, I'll control Angie in a bit," he said as they walked. "You hit me from behind, keep a distance of about ten meters, and come at my back with a hundred-meter sprint."

Aniston immediately took on the role of a plastic sister, "I've always been working out and running."

When they went upstairs and returned to the room, Martin let go of Jolie and extended a hand toward Aniston, "Where's your Joker statue? Give it here; I want to teach this crazy woman a good lesson today!"

Aniston opened her bag, intending to take the one she used, but thinking of the detestable aspects of Jolie, she took out a forty-centimeter tall version specially ordered from Lily.

Jolie, ever the Virgin Mary and the ultimate Freedom Fighter, unabashedly spread her arms and said loudly, "I might have lost Elizabeth, but I have gained the precious surname Freedom!"

She stood defiant, "Let the war come more fiercely!"