Chapter Summaries

Universal executives Alan Gray and Richard White learned that Irene Coppola was developing a monster ensemble film and decided to fast-track a similar proposal by Stephen Sommers. They planned to beat Echo Pictures to theaters, unaware that Irene had deliberately set the trap.

• Richard White reported to Alan Gray that Irene Coppola was reportedly planning a vampire, werewolf, and Frankenstein film and targeting Leonardo DiCaprio.
• Alan found Stephen Sommers's proposal for Nightfall Legend: War of Three Clans and recognized its premise closely matched Irene's project.
• Richard compared the proposals and urged Universal to produce Stephen's film first, using its distribution reach to beat Echo Pictures to market.
• Alan ordered Richard to fast-track approval, raise the budget by twenty percent, keep the production secret, and have Stephen revise the title and strengthen the action.
• Richard left to carry out the orders while Alan celebrated, unaware that Irene had set Universal up to take the bait.

Irene led a planning meeting for the back-to-back Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, outlining the stories, production needs, and casting priorities. The chapter ended with the casting team beginning its search for an Asian actor to play Sao Feng.

• Irene outlined Dead Man’s Chest’s conflict around Jack Sparrow’s blood debt to Davy Jones and the search for the Dead Man’s Chest.
• Irene described At World’s End’s Pirate Lords, Jack’s rescue, and the final conflict with the East India Company and Davy Jones.
• Amy Pascal and Jerry Bruckheimer discussed visual effects, locations, production challenges, and the schedule for filming both sequels back to back.
• Amy Pascal recommended casting an Asian actor as Sao Feng, and Irene set out the role’s requirements and kept Chow Yun-fat on the shortlist.
• Irene instructed the casting team to prepare a list of Asian actors within a week, and the team began screening performers.

Chow Yun-fat accepted an audition for Sao Feng in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel after Chen Ziqiang persuaded him the role was complex and substantial. At Echo Pictures, Irene prioritized him and revised his costume design when his first look seemed too ornate and clichéd.

• Chen Ziqiang offered Chow Yun-fat the role of Sao Feng and reassured him that the character was layered and the production was a rare Hollywood opportunity.
• Chow Yun-fat agreed to audition, and Irene marked him as a high-priority candidate after reviewing the shortlist.
• Irene selected several actresses to audition for Tia Dalma and scheduled costumed auditions for three days later.
• Chow Yun-fat arrived in an overly ornate costume, and Irene stopped his audition to request a rougher, more nuanced design.
• Irene instructed the costume team to distress Sao Feng's clothing, alter his hair, and add subtle signs of age and battle.

Irene refined the looks and auditions for Sao Feng and Tia Dalma, then cast Chow Yun-fat and Naomie Harris in the roles. After the auditions, she met Chow Yun-fat and discussed how he could bring Sao Feng’s subtle menace to life.

• Irene ordered changes to Tia Dalma’s costume and makeup to show her anger, mystery, and fading divinity.
• Chow Yun-fat impressed Irene with his revised Sao Feng look and audition, including a test scene with Jack Sparrow’s stand-in.
• Naomie Harris stood out in the Tia Dalma auditions with her revised appearance and performance.
• Irene cast Chow Yun-fat as Sao Feng and Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma, and asked the writing team to adjust their dialogue to suit them.
• Chow Yun-fat and Chen Ziqiang waited for Irene to thank her, and Irene encouraged Chow Yun-fat to portray Sao Feng’s quiet ruthlessness through subtle gestures.

Irene reviewed Echo Pictures’ rights and finances, then identified Universal’s upcoming Hulk film as a chance to acquire Marvel rights after a possible box-office failure. She told Lisa to track Marvel’s response and Robert to prepare a preliminary offer, leaving Echo Pictures poised to pursue a foothold in Marvel’s properties.

• Irene welcomed Lisa Evelyn to Echo Pictures’ new offices and reviewed her updated rights reports and project updates.
• Lisa told Irene that the publisher would launch Twilight and Taken after proofreading and reported that Marvel would not sell its superhero rights soon.
• Irene learned that Universal would release Hulk on June 20 and saw the film’s likely failure as a chance to buy Hulk rights from Marvel.
• Irene asked Vera to remind her to attend the Hulk premiere, Lisa to monitor the film’s performance and Marvel’s response, and Robert to prepare an initial offer.

Universal's rushed Van Helsing production suffered casting, location, and effects problems, while Irene's Pirates of the Caribbean 2 moved ahead smoothly. Irene dismissed Universal's troubles and prepared to begin filming in ten days.

• Alan Gray struggled to secure a cast and suitable locations for Van Helsing after several actors declined and scouting efforts stalled.
• Universal's effects company delivered poor test footage, and Industrial Light & Magic's second-string team pushed the effects budget past $35 million.
• The board questioned Van Helsing's delays and overspending as Alan Gray's frantic instructions worsened the production problems.
• Richard White told Alan Gray that Pirates of the Caribbean 2 had completed pre-production, prompting Alan to blame Irene Coppola for securing Industrial Light & Magic's top team.
• Irene reviewed the successful Davy Jones effects test, then told her crew to begin filming in ten days.

As Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest began filming, Irene enjoyed a smoother production schedule and reviewed Taylor El and Marcus Gray's manuscripts. Taylor struggled with Irene's demanding notes on Twilight while Marcus advanced quickly on Taken, leaving Taylor anxious before Irene's planned meeting with them.

• Irene filmed Elizabeth and Will's interrupted wedding at Disney Studios, where the relaxed crew finished each day on schedule.
• In the evenings, Irene reviewed Taylor El and Marcus Gray's manuscripts and planned for Twilight and Taken to be published in the second half of the year.
• Marcus completed two-thirds of Taken, while Irene's notes focused mostly on making its fight scenes more plausible.
• Taylor struggled to develop Twilight's vampire lore and Bella and Edward's romance, and Irene's extensive revisions nearly made her quit.
• Taylor revised her work until the prose and plot improved, but she fell far behind Marcus and grew nervous about meeting Irene.
• Marcus reassured Taylor that Irene's recent comments had become less severe.

Taylor and Marcus discussed how Irene’s filmmaking and editing expertise shaped their novels before she met them to finalize publication plans and set deadlines. The books were set for simultaneous worldwide release under the pen name Cheng Wen, while Taylor and Marcus continued drafting their stories.

• Taylor and Marcus praised Irene’s cinematic storytelling and discussed how her notes strengthened Twilight and Taken.
• Irene arrived at the café and said she had come to discuss publication and the progress of the follow-up writing.
• Irene told Taylor and Marcus that Random House would publish Twilight and Taken worldwide at the same time, with an initial print run of one hundred thousand copies.
• Irene explained that the books would use the pen name Cheng Wen and that Taylor and Marcus would receive a ten percent share of future earnings plus sales bonuses.
• Irene set an end-of-August deadline for the first drafts and urged Taylor to move Twilight’s plot forward, especially Bella’s discovery of Edward’s identity.

Irene advised Taylor and Marcus on strengthening their novels, then reviewed Echo Pictures’ finished films and learned that her growing reputation had helped secure festival screenings and major theater bookings. The chapter left Irene preparing for the releases of Saw and Little Miss Sunshine, with Robert offering additional promotional opportunities.

• Irene gave Taylor notes on Edward’s background and advised her to develop Bella beyond her romance with Edward.
• Irene suggested that Marcus add childhood flashbacks to make the emotional bond and later plot in Taken more convincing.
• Taylor and Marcus left their meeting relieved, while Irene drove to Echo Pictures’ offices to meet Robert.
• Robert told Irene that Saw and Little Miss Sunshine had completed post-production and received their expected ratings.
• Robert explained that Saw had been submitted to Cannes and Little Miss Sunshine had secured a Venice screening, with releases planned for Halloween and Thanksgiving.
• Robert said Irene’s reputation and Echo Pictures’ distribution resources had persuaded theater chains to grant the films generous screen shares and offer extra screenings and events.

Irene managed Echo Pictures’ festival plans before dealing with Johnny Depp’s growing diva behavior on the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 set. Depp arrived late and hungover, but his performance as Captain Jack remained so compelling that Irene continued to tolerate him.

• Irene and Robert planned Cannes and Venice promotions for Saw and Little Miss Sunshine, and Irene asked Robert to remind her about the Hulk premiere and track Marvel’s plans.
• Johnny Depp refused to perform a dive for a scene, so Irene cut it and later received an apology through his agent.
• Depp briefly returned to arriving on time, but his repeated lateness put filming two weeks behind schedule, prompting Irene to threaten a breach-of-contract claim and rearrange the schedule.
• Depp arrived late with signs of a hangover, but cooperated with the makeup artist and performed Captain Jack’s negotiation scene with Jack Davenport in only a few takes.

Irene and Jerry confronted Johnny Depp’s escalating demands on the production, which stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the salary fixed by his contract. They negotiated limits on his perks and offered him a share of merchandise profits, leaving Depp more focused on his role as filming continued.

• Jerry Bruckheimer showed Irene Depp’s list of costly demands and explained that Depp’s team was protesting his locked-in salary.
• Irene agreed that Jerry should negotiate with Depp’s agent rather than risk a direct confrontation disrupting filming.
• Jerry rejected requests such as a private jet vacation and gold-plated tableware, while Irene presented equal accommodations for the lead actors and a potential merchandise revenue share.
• Depp’s agent accepted the proposed agreement after reviewing its long-term benefits, and Jerry required future requests to be submitted in writing at least forty-eight hours ahead.
• Depp saw merchandise preorders climbing, became more invested in developing Captain Jack, and gradually stopped making excessive demands.

Irene oversaw the final preparations for Pirates of the Caribbean 2’s Puerto Rico shoot, then went to the premiere of Universal’s Hulk while considering a new online film-promotion business. She left for the screening still uncertain whether Hulk’s ambitious blend of superhero action and introspection had worked.

• Irene and Jerry Bruckheimer reviewed the department heads’ final plans for the Puerto Rico shoot, including equipment transport, props, costumes, lodging, and safety measures.
• After the meeting, Irene planned to attend Hulk’s premiere and reflected on Universal’s extensive traditional marketing campaign.
• Irene noticed that fan promotion for Hulk on Facebook had gained little traction and considered asking Chen Shiyu to form a team to sell online promotion services to film companies.
• Shelly picked Irene up with an ordinary invitation, which Irene chose to avoid attracting attention because of the companies’ past friction over Future World.
• Irene considered Universal’s hopes for Ang Lee’s Hulk and wondered whether the film had successfully combined commercial appeal with artistic depth.

Irene attended the premiere of Ang Lee’s Hulk and spoke with Universal’s Ron Meyer and Paramount’s Sherry Lansing about her films and future collaborations. Sherry revealed that Hulk’s internal screenings had gone badly, leaving Irene to watch the premiere and see how the film performed.

• Irene arrived quietly at the Hulk premiere and spoke with Ron Meyer, who apologized for Universal’s conduct during the Future World acquisition and suggested possible collaboration.
• Irene and Sherry Lansing discussed their upcoming Transformers project and the need to balance its effects with storytelling.
• Sherry told Irene that Hulk’s screenings had drawn criticism for lacking action and being too artsy, and that Universal feared the film would not break even.
• Sherry said Ron had complained about Ang Lee’s artistic approach and compared Hulk’s prospects with Irene’s successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
• Irene spotted Ang Lee, excused herself from Sherry, and walked over to him.

Irene attended Ang Lee’s Hulk premiere and watched the audience reject its slow, introspective approach. She left convinced the film would lose money and told Robert Smith to watch for a chance to acquire the Hulk rights.

• Ang Lee greeted Irene at the premiere and said he had done everything he could to complete the film.
• Irene watched viewers complain that Hulk lacked action, had weak effects, and spent too long on Bruce Banner’s inner struggles.
• The audience watched the rest of the film in detached silence and gave it only scattered, polite applause.
• Irene left without speaking to Ang Lee and called Robert Smith outside the theater.
• Irene told Robert to coordinate with Lisa and pursue the Hulk film rights when an opportunity arose.

Hulk opened to strong reviews and a respectable first weekend, but its box office collapsed as audiences rejected the film. Universal blamed Ang Lee, and Eric Bana’s public attack deepened the backlash against the director.

• Critics praised Ang Lee’s artistic approach, and Hulk opened at the top of the North American box office with $62.6 million.
• Hulk’s second-weekend earnings fell 80 percent, while negative audience reactions spread and theaters cut screenings.
• Ron Meyer and Universal halted promotional plans as the studio faced mounting losses and criticism.
• Universal blamed Ang Lee for the film’s poor commercial performance, prompting critics including Roger Ebert to defend him.
• Eric Bana accused Ang Lee of ignoring his advice and called him the worst director he had worked with.
• Viewers and Hollywood figures turned against Ang Lee, with fans calling for a boycott and producers becoming wary of working with him.

Irene followed the fallout from Hulk and comforted Ang Lee, then devised a plan for Future World Pictures to gain broader rights to the Hulk through a Universal co-production deal. The story left with her assigning Robert Smith and Lisa to pursue partnerships for The Fast and the Furious and the Hulk.

• Ang Lee calmly defended his creative interpretation of the Hulk, while Irene invited him to Puerto Rico and reassured him after Bana's remarks.
• Irene decided to wait before proposing Brokeback Mountain to Ang Lee, and she returned her attention to filming at sea.
• Robert Smith told Irene that Universal was facing backlash over Hulk, had fired a project vice president, and was considering partnerships for non-core properties.
• Irene proposed that Future World Pictures offer to co-produce Universal projects to secure the Hulk as part of a bundle and negotiate for all its rights.
• Lisa agreed to prepare a partnership proposal, and Irene instructed Robert Smith and Lisa to pursue The Fast and the Furious and the Hulk.

Lisa Evelyn negotiated with Victor Delacroix for Future World Pictures to partner on The Fast and the Furious, but Victor made the deal conditional on taking on The Hulk as well. Lisa pretended to consult Irene while secretly updating Robert, leaving Victor confident that Irene would accept.

• Lisa offered to fund 30% of The Bourne Identity and pay an additional five million for a joint-production credit, but Victor rejected the proposal.
• Lisa proposed partnering on The Fast and the Furious, and Victor offered partial rights to its sequel only as part of a bundle with The Hulk.
• Lisa objected that The Hulk was a risky, troubled project, but Victor offered to lower its licensing fee by 30% and argued that The Fast and the Furious could cushion potential losses.
• Lisa pretended she could not decide without Irene's approval and tapped out a message while secretly keeping Robert informed.
• Victor told Lisa to check with Irene and said he was sure she would accept the opportunity.

Lisa negotiated Future World’s deal with Universal Pictures, securing the Fast and the Furious sequels and all rights to The Hulk. After Irene set a $15 million ceiling, the sides compromised at $15.6 million, leaving Universal pleased to unload the property and Future World with control of it.

• Lisa persuaded Victor that Future World would take The Hulk only if Universal granted all rights, including merchandise and sequels, and Victor agreed to the package.
• Victor reported the offer to Ron Meyer, who decided to sell all rights to The Hulk for $20 million with a five-year film deadline.
• Lisa confirmed Future World would buy the rights, then sent Irene the terms while Irene was filming in the Caribbean Sea.
• Irene told Lisa to negotiate a maximum price of $15 million and to ensure the film deadline began when the project entered development, with no subject-matter restrictions.
• After several negotiations, Future World acquired all rights to The Hulk for $15.6 million, and both sides signed the contract.

Lisa used Future World's cash-flow problems as an excuse to avoid joining Fast & Furious 3, while Irene coached Keira and Johnny through a difficult scene aboard the filming ship. The scene finally worked, principal photography on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ended, and Irene gave the crew half a month off before preparations for the third movie.

• Lisa told Victor Delacroix that Future World could not afford to join Fast & Furious 3, and Victor accepted her explanation.
• Irene realized Keira's performance needed more hesitation and recognition beneath Elizabeth's anger toward Jack.
• Irene explained the scene's push and pull to Keira and Johnny, who adjusted their performances.
• Keira and Johnny completed the scene to Irene's satisfaction, and Irene called it a wrap.
• Principal photography on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ended, and Irene gave the crew half a month off before work on the third movie.

Irene reviewed the completed Pirates footage and wrestled with the third film’s battle and Jack’s ending while Lisa reported that Marvel had rejected a licensing deal. Irene decided Marvel’s rights might require an acquisition, but lacked the money; after Chen Shiyu and Qin Williams arrived with Facebook’s latest figures, she asked Chen what further surprise he had.

• Irene reviewed the footage, noted continuity and production flaws, and considered how to stage the third film’s climactic battle and resolve Jack’s story.
• Lisa told Irene that Marvel had refused to license its heroes, and explained that the company’s valuation had reached about $1.7 billion.
• Irene proposed acquiring Marvel, but acknowledged that the estimated $2.2 billion price was beyond their means and told Lisa to keep in contact with Marvel.
• Irene summoned Chen Shiyu and Qin Williams, who flew to the Caribbean filming base the next morning.
• Chen Shiyu reported Facebook’s user growth, advertising revenue, $9.2 billion pre-IPO valuation, and impending SEC review, prompting Irene to ask about his bigger surprise.