The car door closed, and the black Mercedes van slowly drove away from the University of Southern California, heading toward Burbank.
Matthew glanced at the person sitting to his left and said, "I'll be meeting with Director Nolan in Burbank shortly. If you have anything to discuss, now's the time."
"Understood," Jeremy Kleiner replied, trying to manage his nerves. Time was tight, but he couldn't ask for more. "Mr. Horner, I have a project to pitch."
Matthew nodded slightly. Earlier, Jeremy had introduced himself as a small-time producer. Since he'd taken the initiative to approach Matthew, it was clear he was here to promote his project.
Remembering how The Martian and other projects had been pitched to him in similar ways, Matthew decided to give Jeremy a chance and invited him into the car.
Jeremy opened his briefcase, pulling out a thick stack of documents and a book. "These are the materials for my project," he said.
Matthew took the documents and quickly flipped through them. They included a screenplay, project plans, and market analyses. Jeremy had clearly done his homework.
From the preparation alone, Matthew could tell that Jeremy had already pitched this project to other investors—and been turned down despite the thoroughness of his presentation.
If Jeremy had only handed him a screenplay, Matthew wouldn't have bothered. Only inexperienced producers think a script alone can win over an investor. But given the comprehensive preparation, Matthew was willing to listen, though he couldn't possibly review the entire packet on the short drive to Burbank.
He set the materials aside and said, "We don't have much time. Explain it to me. I'll listen."
"Thank you," Jeremy said, understanding that this was his only chance. After a brief pause to organize his thoughts, he began, "This project is adapted from the 1853 autobiography of Solomon Northup."
Matthew frowned slightly. The name didn't ring any bells.
Jeremy noticed his reaction and elaborated, "Solomon was a free man from the North, but he was tricked by criminals who lured him with the promise of a violin performance. He was then sold into slavery in the South, where he endured horrific abuse and violence."
"A film about African Americans?" Matthew asked.
"Yes," Jeremy confirmed. Seeing that Matthew remained silent, he pressed on. "The project, titled 12 Years a Slave, is based on Solomon's autobiography. The story focuses on the protagonist's journey after being deceived and enslaved—his resistance, compromises, and experiences with the complexities of humanity. Throughout, he never gives up on his longing for freedom and his family. His belief in freedom and his love for his wife and children sustain him."
Matthew rubbed his chin. "A project with such a grand theme and significant values is certainly compelling, but it's also highly sensitive."
Jeremy knew this was true and continued, "I've developed a comprehensive plan. During production, we'll scale down the historical and cultural elements, as well as the depiction of atrocities. My idea is to use this turbulent period in history to craft a film with elements of a psychological thriller."
He glanced at Matthew and emphasized, "The focus is not on assigning blame but on promoting equality and freedom."
Since The Hunger Games could also be seen as a film advocating equality, Jeremy added, "Equality is a major trend in today's society, and films that align with such trends have a higher chance of success. Freedom, of course, is a timeless pursuit."
"Well said," Matthew acknowledged. He wasn't disconnected from society and understood that Jeremy was making a valid point.
In North America, the concept of freedom was deeply ingrained. Hollywood had always championed freedom as a core value—take, for example, Mel Gibson's iconic "freedom" cry in Braveheart. Even though Gibson's later scandals proved that people shouting "freedom" might not be the freest individuals, the term remained one of Hollywood's most cherished ideals.
Equality, too, was increasingly prominent. The recent surge in both women's rights and African American civil rights movements had been particularly impactful, with Hollywood reflecting these shifts.
In recent years, African American-centric films, especially those about slavery, had gained significant traction. Even Quentin Tarantino was making Django Unchained, a movie about slavery.
Jeremy's pitch clearly indicated that 12 Years a Slave was another entry in this genre.
A film like this, if made with decent quality, could easily be hailed as a masterpiece in today's social climate.
Curious, Matthew asked, "Have you pitched this to others?"
"Yes," Jeremy admitted. He couldn't hide the fact that he'd approached many companies. "A few years ago, Brad Pitt and I agreed to collaborate on this project. Plan B Entertainment was initially interested in producing it, but after the company's bankruptcy, the collaboration fell apart."
Hearing the mention of Plan B Entertainment, Matthew paused his chin-stroking. That bankruptcy might have been partly his doing. If not for him, Plan B might have funded this project already. But now, with Plan B gone and Brad Pitt's career in decline, things had changed.
Jeremy continued, "After that, I approached Warner Bros., Universal, Summit Entertainment, and several other studios. Unfortunately, word spread that Brad Pitt's repeated investment failures had tainted the project. Those companies didn't want to touch it."
Matthew nodded and asked, "So you came to me?"
"Yes," Jeremy said frankly, adding, "I believe that in the hands of your studio, this project could achieve the same success as The Hunger Games or American Sniper."
"No," Matthew replied, shaking his head. "It's unlikely to become a mainstream commercial success—not right now."
A film like this, focused on African American rights, couldn't compare to a blockbuster like Black Panther. Its audience would primarily be African Americans and a small segment of socially conscious white viewers—a limited demographic that wouldn't support a major commercial release.
That left only one viable path.
Matthew's thoughts crystallized, and he asked, "What's your plan for this project?"
Jeremy replied directly, "The Oscars. The goal is to push this film into the Academy Awards race."
"Then you're looking at the wrong person," Matthew said bluntly. "The Academy's core members don't like me, and I don't have a strong relationship with them. Any film directly tied to me starts with a 20% deduction in support at the Oscars."
Though exaggerated, there was some truth to his statement.
"Ah…" Jeremy hadn't expected this response. Without the Oscar halo, the project's prospects would dim significantly. From the start, the Academy Awards had been a cornerstone of his plan.
Matthew, however, saw the potential value of 12 Years a Slave. Though he wasn't interested in campaigning for Oscars himself, he knew others who would be.
For instance, the Ellison siblings, with whom he had a strong partnership. They shared a mutual interest in countering Harvey Weinstein.
"I won't invest in this project," Matthew said, cutting Jeremy off before he could react. "However, I can introduce you and your project to some friends of mine. They might be interested."
Jeremy nodded quickly. "That would be great. May I ask who they are?"
Matthew didn't beat around the bush. "You've probably heard of them—David Ellison and Megan Ellison. They have experience with the Oscars. Their film The Hurt Locker was a big winner there a couple of years ago."
"Thank you," Jeremy said, deeply grateful and momentarily at a loss for words.
Matthew raised a hand to stop him from saying more. "I can't guarantee they'll invest."
"I understand," Jeremy replied immediately.
Matthew pulled out his phone and called David Ellison. After a brief conversation, he hung up and told Jeremy, "Head to Skydance Media now. David Ellison is expecting you."
The Mercedes dropped Jeremy off in Burbank before continuing to Warner Bros.
While Matthew wouldn't be directly involved in the project, he intended to keep an eye on it. Networking was crucial in this industry, and David Ellison was one of his most valuable partners. Strengthening their collaboration would only benefit Matthew's future endeavors.
Afterward, Matthew met with Christopher Nolan at Warner Bros. They discussed the Interstellar project and expressed a strong desire to collaborate. Negotiations with Warner Bros. were the next step.
For both Matthew and Nolan, the stakes were high—neither worked for cheap.
Over the next few days, Matthew and Nolan delved into discussions about Interstellar and casting for the lead role. As the weekend approached, Matthew prepared to leave Los Angeles to join the American Sniper promotional tour overseas.
Before departing, Matthew received confirmation calls from David and Megan Ellison. They had decided to invest in the African American rights movie.
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