Chapter Summaries

Universal debated whether to keep The Bourne Identity 2's July release or avoid competing with Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and Richard moved the film to November 12. At Echo Pictures, Robert celebrated the open August release window while Irene reviewed Brokeback Mountain's filming report.

• Cole argued that changing the release date would waste promotional spending and make Universal look weak.
• Karen said Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was likely to dominate theaters and that moving The Bourne Identity 2 would protect its profits.
• After weighing the arguments, Richard ordered Universal to move The Bourne Identity 2 from July 23 to November 12 and fund replacement publicity.
• Universal announced the new date and told theaters to adjust their booking plans.
• Robert told Irene that Universal had moved its film, leaving Echo Pictures with an open August window, and Irene responded that studios followed profit over pride.

In May 2004, Irene received Paramount’s finalized human cast list for Transformers and was startled to find Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson playing Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes. She reflected on how her takeover of the production had reshaped the casting and left the film’s leads ready to work together again on a far larger project.

• Lamb Williams called Irene to confirm that Paramount had finalized the human cast for Transformers and kept Hilary Swank as the military commander.
• Irene opened the cast list and saw that Chris Evans had been chosen to play Sam Witwicky instead of Shia LaBeouf.
• Irene realized Paramount had no need to favor Shia after DreamWorks lost its control of the project.
• Irene saw that Scarlett Johansson had been cast as Mikaela Banes and considered how her revised script made Mikaela Sam’s capable partner in combat.
• Irene recalled that Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson had already appeared together in The Perfect Score, though Transformers would bring them to a much larger production.

Irene approved the Transformers cast and deflected a reporter’s attempt to provoke a dispute between Echo Pictures and Universal at the production launch. After the event, Scarlett explained that Mikaela’s independence and mechanical skills had convinced her to accept the role.

• Irene approved the full cast and agreed to attend Paramount’s production launch.
• At the press event, an Entertainment Weekly reporter asked Irene whether Echo Pictures had helped force Universal to move The Bourne Identity 2.
• Irene denied that Echo Pictures had pressured Universal, defended the studio’s release decision, and redirected attention to Transformers.
• Chris and Scarlett told Irene they were committed to preparing for their roles.
• Scarlett privately told Irene that Mikaela’s agency and ability to fight alongside Sam, rather than depend on him, had led her to take the part.

Scarlett told Irene she had turned down the lead role in Michael Bay’s The Island to star in Transformers, citing Irene’s reputation and the stronger script. As filming began in June 2004, Irene arranged an easier opening schedule to help Scarlett and Chris learn to act around visual effects.

• Scarlett explained that she chose Transformers over The Island because she trusted Irene and found Mikaela a more compelling role.
• Irene concealed her knowledge that The Island would become a costly flop and praised Scarlett’s judgment.
• Transformers began filming in early June 2004 at an outdoor studio near Los Angeles.
• Irene told the crew that Scarlett and Chris lacked experience acting with visual effects and planned the schedule around their needs.
• Irene moved the leads’ first meeting in the woods to the first week so they could practice acting with simple robot stand-ins and fixed eyelines.

On the green-screen set, Chris and Scarlett struggled to act convincingly toward invisible robots until Irene adjusted her direction and added stand-ins. With practice, the actors adapted to effects scenes, and Chris and Scarlett grew more confident in Irene’s approach.

• Chris and Scarlett repeatedly missed their eyelines and emotional cues while filming a scene in which Sam and Mikaela encounter the Autobots.
• Irene paused filming, explained how each character should react, and placed bodysuit-clad production assistants where the invisible robots would be.
• Chris and Scarlett completed the scene on the ninth take, with Mikaela instinctively protecting Sam.
• Irene scheduled gradual practice in effects acting, and the actors improved over the following days until they could perform scenes without stand-ins.
• Chris realized that effects blockbusters demanded acting skills beyond appearance, while Scarlett became convinced she had chosen the right director.

Irene attended the premiere of I, Robot after wrapping Transformers early and deflected a reporter’s questions about rumors involving Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie. She joined Adelaide Griffin in the VIP lounge, where he thanked her for supporting his film.

• Irene arranged for the Transformers crew to wrap early so she could attend the I, Robot premiere.
• Irene told reporters that Transformers was progressing smoothly and praised Chris and Scarlett’s performances.
• A reporter asked Irene whether she had witnessed Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie flirting at a dinner with the Mr. & Mrs. Smith crew.
• Irene said she knew nothing about the private rumors and described the dinner as an ordinary, friendly gathering; Shelly then guided her away from the press.
• Irene met Adelaide Griffin in the VIP lounge, and he thanked her for attending the premiere despite her busy schedule.

At the I, Robot premiere, Irene met Will Smith and decided to pursue adapting Chris Gardner’s life into The Pursuit of Happyness. She left the story with her assistant Vera tasked with researching Gardner and securing the adaptation rights.

• Irene told Adelaide she wanted to meet Will Smith, and Adelaide led her into the lounge to meet him.
• Irene and Will exchanged compliments and discussed their mutual interest in working together.
• Irene reflected on her plan to balance blockbuster filmmaking with grounded prestige films after Transformers.
• Irene decided The Pursuit of Happyness suited her next project and judged Will Smith to be right for its leading role.
• Irene called Vera and ordered her to research Chris Gardner, verify his story, and pursue the film rights.

While directing Transformers, Irene planned three films for the following year: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Devil Wears Prada, and Juno. Vera made progress securing Chris Gardner’s life-story rights, and Gardner’s family supported the adaptation, though his wife remained uneasy.

• Irene developed Juno as a low-budget film about a pregnant teenager choosing adoption and added it to her slate alongside The Pursuit of Happyness and The Devil Wears Prada.
• Irene planned to finish Transformers and its post-production before taking a break and preparing the three films.
• Vera contacted Chris Gardner about adapting his life story, and Echo Pictures’ success and reputation led him to take the offer seriously.
• Chris Gardner called a family meeting to discuss the proposed adaptation with his wife and children.
• Gardner’s children enthusiastically supported the film, but his wife remained concerned.

Chris Gardner reassured his wife that Irene Coppola and Echo Pictures would treat the Gardner family's story respectfully, leaving them close to signing the film rights agreement. Meanwhile, Irene attended the star-studded premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and praised Charlize Theron's performance in Monster.

• Chris Gardner cited Irene Coppola's reputation and the promised screenplay review and protections to ease his wife's concerns about the adaptation.
• The Gardner family tentatively agreed to work with Echo Pictures, pending a formal proposal and script-protection provisions.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest opened across North America on July 30, 2004, with Irene confident in the film's quality.
• Irene attended the film's premiere at the Kodak Theatre alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, and other stars.
• Irene praised Charlize Theron's transformative performance in Monster and said she hoped they would work together again on a powerful female role.

Irene reconnected with Charlize Theron, offered Gisele Bündchen a role in her planned fashion-world drama, and discussed the Super Bowl controversy and Janet Jackson’s treatment. She later spoke with Matt Damon, who graciously accepted The Bourne Identity 2’s release-date change and praised Irene’s standing in Hollywood.

• Charlize Theron praised Irene’s career and said she hoped they would work together again before her assistant called her away.
• Irene met Leonardo and Gisele Bündchen, invited Gisele to audition for her planned fashion-world film, and exchanged contact information with her.
• Irene and Gisele discussed the Super Bowl halftime incident, condemned Justin Timberlake’s treatment of Janet Jackson, and grew closer as friends.
• Irene left Gisele to greet Matt Damon and asked him about The Bourne Identity 2 changing its release date.
• Matt Damon said the release-date decision was a reasonable industry choice and praised Irene’s work and reputation.

At the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, the audience’s enthusiastic response confirmed the sequel’s likely blockbuster success and reassured Richard White that moving The Bourne Identity 2 had been the right decision. After the screening, Michael Eisner offered Irene a condescending compliment, and Robert Iger noticed the slight.

• Hollywood executives, including Michael Eisner, Sherry Lansing, Mark Barrett, and Ron Meyer, attended the premiere and greeted Irene.
• The audience cheered Jack Sparrow’s return and reacted enthusiastically throughout Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
• Richard White watched the screening and felt relieved that The Bourne Identity 2 had been moved away from a direct clash with the pirate blockbuster.
• Michael Eisner watched the audience’s response with confidence, though he resented Fox’s larger share of the film’s investment.
• After the screening, Michael Eisner stopped Irene and praised her in a condescending manner.
• Robert Iger observed Eisner’s attitude toward Irene and sensed that it was an affront.

After Michael Eisner slighted Irene Coppola at the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Robert Iger smoothed over the tension and reassured the partners. Irene took time off from Transformers and watched the film break North American box-office records, ending with analysts predicting it would claim the year's box-office crown.

• Michael Eisner dismissed Irene Coppola and left the premiere early, leaving the guests uneasy about Disney's relationship with Echo Pictures.
• Robert Iger gave Eisner an excuse, took charge of the Pirates of the Caribbean follow-up work, and reassured Irene and the other partners.
• Irene accepted Robert Iger's effort to ease the tension and put Eisner's rudeness behind her.
• Irene took four days off from the Transformers production to rest and await the film's box-office results.
• Adelaide Griffin told Irene that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest had earned $6.8 million in midnight screenings, setting a North American record.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest earned more than $63.5 million on its opening day and $157 million over its opening weekend, prompting analysts to predict it would lead the year's North American box office.

After Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest became a global phenomenon, Irene returned to Transformers to find the crew newly energized by her success. She completed The Pursuit of Happyness and Juno, and Chris Gardner approved the adaptation of his life story.

• Irene returned to the Transformers set, where Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and the crew congratulated and admired her for Pirates of the Caribbean’s success.
• Irene thanked the crew and urged everyone to work together to make Transformers another success, boosting the set’s energy and efficiency.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest reached $356 million in North America and more than $600 million worldwide, securing the 2004 global box office crown.
• Irene completed the scripts for The Pursuit of Happyness and Juno, then Echo Pictures sent The Pursuit of Happyness to Chris Gardner for review.
• Chris Gardner praised Irene’s script for faithfully depicting his hardships and fatherhood while adding measured dramatic tension for the film.

Will Smith was excited by Irene Coppola’s biographical script, while Jada Smith worried that Irene’s offer concealed an ulterior motive. After Jay Shapiro praised the script and explained why Will was the best fit, the doubts eased, and Jay took over negotiations with Echo Pictures.

• Will Smith read Irene Coppola’s script and called his agent to discuss the project.
• Jada Smith raised concerns that Irene’s offer was suspicious, but Will said he trusted the goodwill he had seen from Irene.
• Jay Shapiro read the script and judged it a strong match for American audiences and awards season.
• Jada repeated her concerns, and Jay argued that the story’s Black real-life subject and Will’s popularity made him the rational choice.
• Jay Shapiro took over contract negotiations, scheduling, and other discussions with Echo Pictures.

CAA CEO Ira Walker brought Shelly Ovitz and Jay Shapiro together to negotiate Will Smith’s compensation for The Pursuit of Happyness. Jay demanded a blockbuster-level deal, while Shelly rejected it as incompatible with the film’s budget and Oscars-focused model, leaving the terms unresolved.

• Ira Walker welcomed Shelly Ovitz and admitted he wanted a share of Irene Coppola’s representation, while Shelly said the meeting should focus on the project.
• Ira opened the meeting as an effort to balance Will Smith’s interests, Echo Pictures’ budget, and CAA’s relationship with Irene.
• Jay Shapiro demanded a $20 million salary and ten percent of global box office for Will Smith.
• Shelly countered that Will was Irene’s first and only choice but argued that The Pursuit of Happyness could not support a commercial-blockbuster compensation package.

Jay, Shelly, and Ira negotiated Will Smith’s pay and Jaden Smith’s casting in The Pursuit of Happyness, eventually agreeing on a $12 million salary, 3% of North American box office, and Jaden playing Will’s son. The deal left the others believing they had won, while Shelly recognized that Irene had secured the star on favorable terms for Echo Pictures.

• Shelly offered Will a $5 million salary with no box office share, and Jay rejected it as far below Will’s current value.
• Ira mediated the deadlock and proposed casting Jaden Smith as the male lead’s son to meet Will’s family’s interests.
• Shelly raised the offer to $8 million, including $3 million for Jaden, but Jay continued to demand more for Will.
• After more negotiation, Jay, Shelly, and Ira settled on a $12 million salary for Will plus 3% of North American box office, with Jaden cast as his son.
• Jay and Ira considered the agreement a victory, while Shelly saw that Irene had kept the deal well within Echo Pictures’ budget and gained Will’s cooperation.

After the negotiations over Will Smith and Jaden Smith's contracts ended, Ira Walker approached Shelly Ovitz privately with a television station acquisition opportunity tied to Irene Coppola's plans. Shelly agreed to pass Ira's request for a meeting to Irene, leaving the decision entirely to her.

• Jay Shapiro left the conference room satisfied after securing Will Smith's salary and Jaden's screen debut.
• Ira Walker asked Shelly Ovitz whether Irene Coppola planned to acquire a television station, and Shelly confirmed the information was accurate.
• Ira offered to introduce Irene to a suitable station owner and help secure exclusive negotiation rights for the acquisition.
• Shelly recognized that Ira hoped to use the offer to become Irene's co-agent and explained that Irene preferred Shelly as her sole point of contact.
• Ira asked Shelly to arrange a private meeting with Irene after Transformers wrapped, and Shelly agreed only to convey the request and let Irene decide.

As Transformers neared completion, Irene finalized the Twilight cast with James Franco and Lily Collins, while reserving the directorial debut for her longtime friend Vivian Taylor. Vivian remained too anxious about the project’s huge public attention to accept the opportunity confidently.

• Will Smith's team and Echo Pictures reached an agreement in principle for The Pursuit of Happyness as Transformers entered the final stage of filming.
• Echo Pictures confirmed Twilight's publicly selected leads, James Franco as Edward and Lily Collins as Bella, while Catherine Hardwicke remained attached as director.
• Irene reflected on how Vivian Taylor had spent years building a network of USC film alumni and gaining experience on major productions.
• Irene had planned for Twilight to be Vivian's first feature as director and promised to support her as producer.
• Despite Irene's reassurance, Vivian feared her limited experience would make her fail the high-profile project.
• A site notice announced a new bookshelf grouping feature and invited user suggestions.

Vivian appointed Catherine Hardwicke to direct the first Twilight film and agreed to learn as first assistant director, while Irene urged her to take over the series starting with the second film. After Transformers wrapped, Irene returned to Echo Pictures and reviewed the company’s projects, including James Wan’s plan to leave Saw and Final Destination, which James Wong was recommended to direct.

• Vivian asked Catherine Hardwicke to direct the first Twilight film, and Irene finalized Vivian’s role as first assistant director.
• Irene promised Vivian would direct the second Twilight film and reassured her that Catherine would have other projects to direct.
• Transformers wrapped, and Irene returned to Echo Pictures headquarters to hear Robert Smith’s progress report.
• Robert reported that The Pursuit of Happyness was preparing for production, Taken was nearly ready to shoot, and Juno, Saw II, and Final Destination were progressing toward release or production.
• Robert told Irene that James Wan planned to leave Saw and Final Destination after completing Final Destination, and Irene approved James Wong as his replacement.

Robert briefed Irene on two strategies for acquiring a television station, and Irene chose to focus on well-run regional stations with established production capabilities and nationwide or global distribution options. She agreed to meet with Ira Walker to discuss potential candidates and resources, while still wondering why he wanted to become her co-agent.

• Robert compared acquiring NBC Universal's divested local stations with buying a well-run regional affiliate, and recommended the regional option.
• Robert identified WVTM, WNCN, WCMH, and WJAR as promising candidates for Echo Pictures.
• Irene asked whether a regional station's content could reach audiences nationwide and worldwide, and Robert explained satellite and cable distribution options.
• Irene set two acquisition requirements: an established production operation and the ability to distribute content beyond the local market.
• Robert suggested Ira Walker could offer better candidates, financing, and industry connections, and Irene agreed to invite him for a discussion.
• Irene wondered why Ira Walker was so determined to become her co-agent.