After exchanging pleasantries, Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't beat around the bush. "About Terminator, Simon, I think $15 million is a very fair offer. If Daneris Entertainment has any additional requirements, please let me know. There's no need to keep delaying, right?"
Currently, Terminator rights are jointly held by Daneris and Fox. After the failure of Eraser, Schwarzenegger wanted to reboot the franchise, with guidance from his agent. Simon had settled on a model of single-use rights for production; anyone wanting to restart the series, including Schwarzenegger, would need to purchase filming rights for each installment individually.
Even under this model, the price wasn't cheap. Before tensions with France surfaced, both sides had essentially agreed to $15 million, a sum comparable to a top-tier Hollywood salary. Considering the massive success of Terminator 2, which grossed over $500 million worldwide, and the franchise's broad appeal, this fee wasn't excessive—especially as it was a one-time buyout with neither of the two rights holders participating in any future profits.
The hold-up in negotiations had little to do with Schwarzenegger himself. From Simon's perspective, he had no reason to deliberately suppress a star unless there was a serious conflict outside the business framework. Moreover, Schwarzenegger had brought the resource-heavy project to Disney, which aligned with Simon's vision for other studios in Hollywood. "Arnold, I have no issues here. You can contact Disney tomorrow, and we can finalize the contract."
Despite his formidable build, Schwarzenegger was sharp enough to connect the stalled negotiations to Simon's issues with France. He'd been hoping to appeal to Simon to avoid letting the friction with the French affect his project. He thought he'd need to spend more effort convincing him, so Simon's easy agreement made him suspect there might be hidden pitfalls in the deal.
Simon didn't bother explaining further, just nodding to Schwarzenegger as Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the sibling producers of the 007 series, approached.
Even though Simon had suppressed the 007 franchise for a while and deprived the Broccoli family of much of their former control, the siblings remained respectful. This was typical human behavior; when the power gap is vast, people tend to abandon any thoughts of resistance.
The siblings also had to admit that Spectre, guided by Simon, had retained the essence of the 007 franchise while introducing something fresh that no prior Bond film had achieved. Even their ailing father, Albert Broccoli, who had overseen the series for decades, had to acknowledge that these changes were beneficial.
Amid greetings with the key figures and attendees, six o'clock arrived.
The premiere began.
Spectre opens on the sea.
In the dead of night, a brightly lit mega-yacht floats in the English Channel. A silent aircraft glides through the night, approaching the yacht. As it nears, a figure exits the plane, parachuting down onto the yacht's deck with a calculated grace. Swiftly discarding the parachute, he adjusts his tie, now appearing as a dapper gentleman, and heads straight for the yacht's lively party.
The scene shifts.
Two guards on patrol sense something unusual and move in to investigate, but only catch a glimpse of a tall figure passing by. A brief close-up of the guards' submachine guns suggests this isn't an ordinary yacht.
Inside the Shrine Auditorium, seated near the front, Arnold Schwarzenegger watched the opening sequence. Though reluctant to admit it, he was impressed.
To the average viewer, the scene's action would stand out as memorable, while someone like Arnold, with years in action movies, understood the challenge of creating fresh, impactful sequences.
The story on the big screen continued.
Pierce Brosnan, playing 007 for the first time, infiltrates the luxurious yacht party, mingling with ease. He catches the eye of a beautiful woman, and during their conversation, he delivers the iconic line, "Bond, James Bond." Typically reserved for later in the film, the line here served as an introduction to the new lead, emphasizing the intentional choice of Brosnan.
Even without this line, audiences wouldn't mistake him.
From casting, every role had been under intense scrutiny by fans and the media, including Judy Dench as the first female M, Kelly Rowe as Moneypenny, and Jude Law as the young, fresh-faced Q. While some expected familiar faces, Simon deviated from the expected, not following the exact lineup from the Brosnan era.
For instance, Kelly Rowe, originally intended to be a Bond girl in License to Kill, was passed over due to Simon's involvement. Instead, she fit Simon's vision for a sharp, capable, and attractive Moneypenny, with the necessary acting chops.
Simon wanted each character to bring something to the table, rather than conforming to the past's formulaic roles—even for Bond himself, who often risked becoming a mere archetype.
Jude Law as Q also fit this goal. Rather than casting an older actor, Simon envisioned Q as a young, charming tech genius, inspired by Ben Whishaw's portrayal in the Daniel Craig era. Jude Law, at 24, with a British accent and a fresh, captivating look, was ideal for the role.
The opening Bond girl was cast in line with Simon's preference for models from the Victoria's Secret roster. Seeking a fresh face with distinctive features, he settled on Roberta Chirko, a 25-year-old model with striking green eyes and a naturally candid demeanor. Her blend of innocence and allure added a poignant contrast to the scene.
As Bond slipped away from the party with her, using her as cover, he began exploring the yacht.
In a silent descent to the lower decks, he was quickly discovered.
A fight ensued.
Knocking down guards as he pressed forward, Bond uncovered part of the mystery just as more layers were revealed. In a twist on Bond conventions, the innocent-seeming Bond girl, after a romantic moment, reappeared, transformed into a leather-clad figure wielding a long knife, exuding an aura of danger and bloodlust.
The character's reversal captivated the audience, and Simon, pleased with Roberta Chirko's performance, had been exacting in his standards for the role. A mere beautiful facade wouldn't suffice.
On-screen, typical villain dialogue followed.
Roberta Chirko's character, Xenia, displayed surprising knowledge about Bond, revealing that his arrival hadn't gone unnoticed. She advised him to abandon the mission, hinting they could continue their evening together if he agreed. Bond, of course, declined.
A fierce and sensual fight ensued, ending with Xenia being thrown into the sea, leaving audiences relieved. Her survival left hope for a return.
Bond finally reached the yacht's lowest level.
Upon opening a door, he flipped a switch. As fluorescent lights illuminated the endless rows of neatly stacked drugs, even the stoic Bond couldn't help but utter, "Holy shit!"
The prologue ended, giving way to the classic 007 title sequence.
The main plot then shifted to M's office.
A news report recapped a large drug smuggling operation recently thwarted by the British government, revealing that a criminal gang had attempted to smuggle 50 tons of drugs into the UK under the guise of a luxury yacht.
The shocking revelation reverberated globally.
After a brief exposition, M summoned Bond for a private conversation. With the Soviet Union gone, Bond had grown complacent. M sent him to investigate the smuggling operation, reminding him that their mission never truly ended; threats always lurked in the shadows, requiring agents like Bond to protect the nation.
Based on MI6's intelligence, the yacht operation was only the tip of the iceberg of a massive criminal network.
M herself admitted to being fearful of this organization's scale, warning Bond that the infiltration might even extend into MI6. Unable to launch a full investigation, M entrusted Bond with a covert mission.
This assignment, M explained, suited Bond's lone-wolf style.
Bond accepted, but when he asked for a lead, all he got was a vague name.
"Mr. White."
It was clearly a codename.
In English, "White" suggested purity but was also slang for drugs.
After his briefing with M, Bond embarked on his mission, starting with a trip to Italy to track down the yacht's owner. However, upon arrival in Rome, he found the yacht's owner already dead and a funeral underway.
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