Chapter 298: Discussing Cooperation

Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Discussing Cooperation

The elevator rose smoothly, its mirrored walls reflecting Irene’s composed profile. She was still turning over Paramount’s intentions.

Robert’s guess that they might "ask you to direct" still felt like a fantasy.

The doors slid open to a top-floor corridor carpeted in deep brown. At the end, a doorplate gleamed with gold lettering: Sherry Lansing. She collected herself and followed the assistant forward.

The moment the door opened, Irene was momentarily struck by the office.

Unlike her own, this space was expansive and bright, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing a panoramic view of the Hollywood Hills.

Several classic film posters hung on the walls. One was an original The Godfather poster, its edges softened by time, which only made it feel more substantial.

It matched her ideal exactly.

Sherry Lansing was already waiting behind the desk, dressed in a crisp white suit. Her presence was both sharp and gracious.

Seeing Irene, she extended her hand at once. "Irene, it’s good to finally meet you in person. You directed Pirates of the Caribbean brilliantly. I’ve watched it twice."

"Thank you, Ms. Lansing. You’re too kind." Irene shook her hand.

Robert stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with Sherry. The three took their seats. After the assistant brought coffee and quietly closed the door, only they remained.

Following a few minutes of small talk, Sherry picked up her cup and took a sip. Her gaze settled on Irene, and her tone turned serious.

"Irene, I asked you here today because there’s something important I want to discuss. Paramount and Hasbro are co-developing the live-action Transformers film, and we hope you will serve as the director."

Irene’s mind went blank for a second. Her first thought was Robert was actually right. Then she glanced at Robert, eyes wide with disbelief.

Robert sat beside her, a quiet "told you so" smile in his eyes.

Watching her stunned expression, Sherry laughed. "I take it the invitation surprised you?"

It took Irene a moment to find her voice. "It did... very much. Ms. Lansing, you know Paramount took Transformers from Echo Pictures originally—"

"I know," Sherry cut in, her tone candid.

"To you, that may look underhanded. But Hollywood runs on interests first. I’m inviting you today in earnest, not to gloat. I genuinely value your talent.

"The success of Pirates of the Caribbean proved you’re best at taking subjects that seem niche and filming them with fresh ideas and blockbuster potential. An adaptation like Transformers needs exactly that—a director with vision and the courage to break new ground."

She paused, then shifted. "Paramount and the Coppola family go back a long way. Both Godfather films, directed by your father, Francis Coppola, were produced and distributed by Paramount. Those films built the legend of the Coppola family, and they helped Paramount cement its place in Hollywood."

Sherry’s eyes moved to The Godfather poster on the wall, a flicker of nostalgia in them. "When you finished your first film, Mr. Francis brought your work to me, hoping to collaborate with Paramount.

"Unfortunately, I heard you’d chosen MGM at the time, so we didn’t pursue it further. Later you moved to Fox, and the chance slipped away again. But for years, Paramount has kept an eye on you. We’ve followed every one of your films. We’ve never doubted your ability as a director."

Irene listened quietly, a tangle of emotions rising in her.

"As for Transformers," Sherry continued, still frank, "since the release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, we’ve had people tracking your movements. By chance, we learned you were negotiating the Transformers rights with Hasbro.

"Paramount did secure the partnership by promising higher investment and a broader distribution network. But I need to be honest with you: even if Paramount hadn’t stepped in, it would have been very difficult for Hasbro to choose Echo Pictures in the end."

She saw Irene’s expression shift and softened her tone. "A live-action Transformers needs at least $150 million in production, plus enormous marketing and distribution costs. It requires a global distribution network and a mature IP operations team.

"Echo Pictures has strong momentum, but it’s still a young independent company. In terms of capital and distribution reach, it would struggle to support a project this massive. As the rights holder, Hasbro was always going to choose the more reliable, more powerful partner. That’s a business decision, not a personal one."

Irene said nothing.

Sherry’s words cut straight through the lingering resentment in her chest and forced her to face reality: Echo Pictures, at its current scale, truly couldn’t support a super IP like Transformers.

She’d been fixated on the project because she knew its potential, but she’d also known the risks. Her plan had been to secure the adaptation rights first, then wait a few years for Echo to grow before moving into production.

Paramount’s intervention had shattered her plan to build quietly. Yet she had to admit Sherry was right.

Seeing Irene’s expression ease, Sherry knew her point had landed. She extended her final offer.

"Irene, I know you’re currently preparing Million Dollar Baby for an Oscar campaign. Paramount has no major awards-season films this year. The resources we have—media relationships, critic channels, access to Academy voters—can all be put at your disposal.

"If you agree to direct Transformers, Paramount will not only give you complete creative freedom—script adaptation, casting, final cut—but will also fully back the Oscar campaign for Million Dollar Baby."

Irene looked up sharply, emotion flashing in her eyes.

Million Dollar Baby was her push for Best Director. The critical response had been strong, and she’d hired a professional PR team, but this year’s race was fierce. Her film didn’t have a natural advantage in the Oscar circuit.

With Paramount’s help, her odds of winning would rise significantly.

On one side: the director’s chair for a dream IP, with complete creative freedom and none of the usual constraints of funding or distribution.

On the other: critical support for her Oscar campaign, a chance to become the youngest Best Director winner in history.

Either offer alone would be hard to refuse. Together, they were almost impossible.