Duke navigated the bustling Paramount Pictures lot with ease.
Walking beside him was a Jeffrey Katzenberg.
They were deep in discussion regarding the animated project Ben 10.
Katzenberg reviewed the pitch binder.
In this decade, television animation was mostly restricted to cheap, repetitive Saturday morning cartoons featuring recycled background art and flat characters.
In this space, Paramount had used Japanese cheap labor to offset cost and be able to produce higher quality animation for a lower price.
The results of it, had been the smash hit Blue Bettle and Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek: The animated series, which was not as popular but was still aproved for season 3.
Now the new animated series were, Green Lartern and Ben 10 as big projects, and the Adventures of Daffy Duck/Looney Toones in consideration.
"The designs are great, Duke," Katzenberg insisted, flipping past a colorful illustration. "The alien transformations, device on the wrist, kids are going to love this and its a synergy play between Mattel, PULSE and our animation division."
Duke nodded slowly, maintaining a fast pace.
The toy market in the 70s was just beginning to realize the financial figures of licensed action figures, a trend that would soon reshape Hollywood revenue models.
"We need to make sure the animation quality is solid," Duke instructed. "No shortcuts on the ink and paint."
"I want the pilot episode to feel as cinematic as a feature film... also make sure he uses several aliens, not just Four Arms."
After all, in this life, Ben 10 was on his hands, so he was planning to treat it better than Cartoon Network did in his past life. Maybe an animation movie?
It also helped that Ben 10 would destroy any powerscale argument online, making sure the top fighter in comics was a Paramount Property.
Ben 10 could totally destroy the Dragon Ball, JJK and Invincible universe.
They rounded the corner of Stage 14, stepping onto a avenue lined with palm trees.
Duke suddenly stopped in his tracks when a familiar figure stood near a cluster of production trailers.
It was Lynda Carter.
She was standing with a small group of television executives, holding a manila folder on her hands.
Wonder Woman had been a success, capturing the attention of audiences across the country.
Lynda happened to glance up from her conversation and saw him, her professional smile vanished instantly.
Katzenberg noticed the sudden halt and followed Duke's gaze. The young executive glanced back and forth between the studio boss and the actress and sighed, chosing to stay quiet.
Duke excused himself with a wave of his hand.
He left a slightly shocked Katzenberg standing near the soundstage doors and walked toward the trailers. Lynda broke away from her group to meet him halfway.
They met in the middle of the asphalt avenue.
Lynda clutched her folder a little tighter, offering a uncertain smile. "Duke, It has been a while."
Duke looked into her eyes, remembering their past relationship. He offered a gentle nod, "Two years, almost. Time moves fast in this town."
Lynda let out a soft sigh, after not talking for so long, she admitted that she had overreacted to their last fight.
"This town is... yeah, changes things," Lynda confessed, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I got wrapped up in the politics and the people telling me what I was supposed to think."
In the politically charged atmosphere of the 70s, celebrities were often pressured to adopt strict ideological stances whether it was for the war, migration, or civil rights.
It was easy for a rising star to get lost in the noise of competing Hollywood factions.
Duke shook his head, "I was too rigid, about some things, and didnt listen to you."
Lynda offered a smile. "Would you like to get a coffee?"
Duke thought for a moment about the paperwork sitting on his desk and nodded in agreement.
They walked together off the main lot and found a quiet, café nestled between two wardrobe rental shops.
The establishment was mostly empty at this hour of the afternoon, with the exception of a few struggling screenwriters huddled over typewriters in the corners.
They slid into a corner booth facing each other. "So... Jaws was a big success, who would have though?"
"You are probably waiting around for those important Academy Award nominations to come in," Lynda teased.
Duke smiled, he had kinda lost a lot of hope on getting recognized by the academy since they didnt awarded him for Annie Hall, a clearly well made Oscar Bait film.
The traditional voters in the Academy looked down on commercial movies, preferring serious, character-driven dramas for the prestigious prize.
"We will see," Duke replied evenly. "The Academy has its own very specific taste. Getting recognized by the old people is nice, but the ticket sales are what keeps the studio doors open."
Lynda studied him while rubbing the rim of her mug. "You've changed. You're... more patient."
Duke shrugged. "I learned a few things."
The waitress returned with a thick slice of New York-style cheesecake, its surface glistening with cherry topping. She placed two small forks on the table and went away.
Lynda reached for a fork, but her hand hesitated. "You know things were hard after we broke up. I felt really alone."
Duke's fork paused over the cheesecake.
"Most of those people I was hanging around with, the ones telling me about revolution and activism, they just disappeared," Lynda continued. "The moment they learned we weren't together, they vanished."
"They only wanted access to you through me. It was a harsh lesson."
Duke frowned. The seventies were a strange time.
Radical groups had splintered across the country and the FBI kept files on everyone with a platform.
"Be careful who you let into your circle," Duke warned, lowering his voice. "Some of those people could have been federal agents. Intelligence agencies keep close tabs on Hollywood."
Lynda blinked, then she started laughing.
"You're still paranoid, Duke," she said, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "They were just annoying people looking for a free meal. Not secret agents."
Duke chuckled, willing to concede the point, they talked for a long while.
Lynda reached across the table and took his hand.
Duke looked down at their hands holding and didnt say anything.
They sat together in silence, until it was time to go.
Duke paid the bill and left a cash tip on the table. They walked back onto the sidewalk.
"You know my number," Duke said. "Don't become a stranger, Lynda. Call me whenever you want."
Lynda smiled, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug.
___
Late afternoon arrived, and Duke was finally back in his office, reviewing a stack of financial reports and making some drawings.
The office doors burst open. Robert Evans marched in without knocking, ignoring the plush visitor chairs in favor of pacing excitedly across the expensive Persian rug.
"If you break my door, you're paying for it out of your own pocket."
"Duke!" Evans shouted, pointing a finger at the man behind the desk. "I just had the craziest idea at lunch. You have a son so I should be his godfather!"
Duke set his fountain pen down and let out a sigh.
"It's obvious I should be the godfather. Just think of the birthday parties we could throw at my estate."
Duke stared at him with a deadpan expression. He appreciated Evans's creative instincts, but the man's personal life was a disaster zone.
"My son is not having a Jewish drug addict as his godfather," Duke said flatly. "That's a terrible environment for a boy."
Evans gasped, clutching his chest as if struck by an arrow.
"You wound me," Evans chuckled, dropping into one of the leather chairs. "I'm a patron of the arts, not a bad influence. Fine, keep the kid away from my mansion full of young actresses."
"You're not going to believe the day I've had," Evans said, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "The Salkinds called me at 5 in the morning. They want to produce Superman."
Duke raised his pen and keep . "I assume you said no."
"I told them I'd rather direct a documentary about grass growing, but that's not why I'm here. We need to talk about the future of Cinema."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, smoothing it against his knee. "I've been thinking. And I've got it all mapped out."
"Let's hear it."
"Star Wars. You're directing it. 1977. That's our crown jewel. Gets released alongside the Theme park."
Duke nodded slowly. "Go on."
"Flash Gordon, George Lucas directs and is released 1978. Another big property for the theme park."
"And Superman?"
"Richard Donner directed, released in 1978, I've been talking to Donner for weeks. He has a lot of great ideas."
Duke leaned back in his chair. "You've put a lot of thought into this."
"I've put my whole life into this," Evans corrected, getting up and starting to pace around again. "But here's the thing, the industry has changed."
"Jaws came out and the rules just-" he made an explosion gesture with his hands, "vanished. The small dramas, character pieces, they're still there. But the money from the audiences is starting to move."
Duke watched the producer pace. Evans was erratic, prone to excess, but he was also brilliant. He understood the audience on a level that most executives never could.
Evans leaned against the bookshelf, and started to gesture with his arms. "Look, I know I'm not the most stable guy in the world. But I also know this business better than anyone. We need to get ahead on this Big movie era, and take advantage that no other studio has launched their own event films."
"I reviewed the upcoming production slate for Ithaca," Duke said, "There is one particular project that caught my eye. What is the deal with this movie called Grizzly?"
Evans grinned again, clearly pleased with himself.
Independent production companies often churned out cheap genre films to generate reliable cash flow.
It was a time-tested strategy for surviving the harsh financial realities of the business. [
"It is a Jaws rip-off," Evans stated plainly, without a single ounce of shame.
Duke stared at him in disbelief, waiting for the punchline.
When Evans remained quiet, Duke slowly shook his head. "You are serious. You are pitching a movie about a killer animal, and calling it original."
Evans shrugged his shoulders casually, adjusting his tinted glasses. "Well, obviously it is derivative, but it will make a lot of money, Duke. I have to fight people for this project."
In the wake of Jaws, a wave of killer animals features flooded the cinemas.
Audiences were eager to pay for the cheap thrill of watching wild animals terrorize unsuspecting people. The industry was calling it 'Jawsploitation'
Evans laid out the core plot. "Its a simple formula. You have a big animal, scared tourists and you have a brave guy to confront it."
"Grizzly will be shoot fast on location in a real forest. We use an actual trained bear for the wide shots and a guy in a fur suit for the close-ups. Easy money."
Duke stared at the eager producer, weighing the pros and cons of the ridiculous project.
Duke let out a theatrical sigh, rubbing his temples.
"Fine," Duke agreed, pointing a finger at Evans. "You can make your bear movie but keep the budget as low as possible."
"You will not regret this, Duke!" Evans promised enthusiastically, already heading toward the door. "I will call the casting director right now. You want to meet the lead actress? Maybe give Bradley a step-mom?"
Duke pressed his telephone line. "Russel, send someone to escort Mr. Evans to his office and dont allow him in my hallway."
___
I dont know why people disliked yesterday chapter...
Do you guys dislike the soccer plot?