Made In Hollywood

Tom Cruise and his wife toured both the South and North Islands of New Zealand. When they arrived in Wellington, Duke had just moved into his newly renovated villa. He decided to host a party there, inviting some members of the two crews. The event celebrated his move and also welcomed Tom Cruise and his wife.

Given Duke's pragmatic approach, no matter how sharp his previous conflicts with Tom Cruise had been, they were now partners with shared interests. In the face of sufficient mutual benefits, past disputes were trivial and insignificant. It was better to look forward and see how far their collaboration could go.

It was mid-October, and New Zealand was entering summer. In the villa's expansive garden, all the lights were turned on, illuminating the five-acre estate.

"This is a beautiful house," Nicole Kidman remarked from her seat at the edge of the party. "When did you buy it? The design and renovations are really unique."

"I only acquired it in August," Duke replied, glancing at the villa nestled among the green trees not far away. "Besides making some minor changes to the interior decor, I haven't done much. Most of it was left by the previous owner."

The party attendees could tell that Duke had something to discuss with the Cruises, so they kept their distance. Only Tina Fey, who had just returned from Los Angeles, approached with a bottle of New Zealand wine and four glasses. She poured wine for everyone before silently sitting beside Duke, as she often did.

"Mary and I took a tour around New Zealand," Tom Cruise said after everyone had a glass.

After a round of drinking, Tom Cruise began, "The scenery here is beautiful, perfect for a vacation. After seeing your house, I'm tempted to buy property here myself."

"The housing market here has one advantage," Duke said with a smile, putting down his glass. "It's incredibly cheap."

Compared to the outrageous housing prices in the greater Los Angeles area, the real estate in Wellington could be described as a bargain. This port city wasn't very large, with a population of just over 400,000. New Zealand's lack of heavy industry meant the climate and air quality here were vastly better than the densely populated, dry, and hot Los Angeles region.

Still, this place was only suitable for vacations. For Hollywood stars and celebrities, leaving the world's entertainment hub permanently was out of the question.

"Tom, are you planning on making a sequel?" Duke shifted the topic to movies after some more casual conversation. "Do you have any plans yet?"

Tom Cruise didn't answer directly but instead asked, "What do you think, Duke?"

"If it gets approved this year, the earliest production could start next year," Duke said. "And the earliest it could release would be 2000, two years after the first film. That's an ideal timeframe for a sequel."

Looking at Cruise, Duke added, "Tom, I fully support you making a sequel."

"Duke, I also want to make a sequel." After some hesitation, Tom Cruise frowned. "But..."

"Can I ask what's holding you back?" Duke was curious. This hesitation was uncharacteristic of the usually confident Tom Cruise. "If it's inconvenient to share..."

"No, no..." Cruise interrupted him. "Everyone in Hollywood knows how skilled you are with movies, Duke. We're partners now, right?"

Noticing Nicole Kidman clutching Tom Cruise's arm, Duke began to understand and nodded without hesitation. "Yes, we are now tightly bound as partners."

"I thought you might have some advice for us," Nicole Kidman chimed in briefly before falling silent. Cruise continued, "I received an invitation from Stanley Kubrick. It's hard to refuse."

He explained, "The Mission: Impossible sequel can wait, but Kubrick's invitation is a rare opportunity."

Nicole Kidman added, "Kubrick invited both of us. The film involves a married couple."

Watching the couple, Duke gradually understood their concerns.

Perhaps these were ripple effects from delaying Mission: Impossible. After their two successful collaborations, Tom Cruise seemed optimistic about working with Duke. Now, an invitation he might have accepted without question was causing hesitation.

What advice could Duke give? That was simple. His suggestions needed to align with his own interests.

If the Cruise couple worked on Stanley Kubrick's film, it wouldn't align with Duke's interests. Keeping the Cruises as a golden couple with a positive public image would maximize Tom Cruise's star power, bringing greater benefits to the Mission: Impossible series.

Why did the Cruises divorce? Was it because of a film? Or because of Scientology? Besides the couple themselves, their agents, and publicists, few people truly knew. Duke recalled seeing rumors online about Kidman's health. Anyone with common sense would recognize them as fabricated nonsense.

If Nicole Kidman truly had health issues due to Kubrick's film, where did her two subsequent children come from? One might have been born via surrogacy, but consider Keith Urban. Could someone who became a country music superstar be a fool?

Directors might not need perfect public images, but major stars like Tom Cruise absolutely did. For him, image was his foundation.

The longer the Cruises' marital crisis was delayed, the better it would be for the Mission: Impossible sequel. Ideally, their issues would surface only after Mission: Impossible 2 was released.

Within seconds, these thoughts raced through Duke's mind. Whether the Cruises followed his advice was out of his control, but it was worth a shot. After all, they came to him for his opinion.

"Tom, Mary, have you heard?" Duke began after a moment, speaking calmly. "Stanley Kubrick's health has been poor in recent years. Earlier this year, he had a serious illness. What if he can't finish the film?"

Though phrased gently, the reality was that Kubrick's health was indeed failing, and he could pass away at any time.

Tom Cruise seemed to consider this, his face showing a trace of hesitation.

"Tom, what are you lacking the most right now?" Duke pressed on. "Blockbuster hits and recognition from the Academy."

He shrugged and continued, "Kubrick's films are neither known for box office success nor for awards. In fact, since 2001: A Space Odyssey, his works have leaned more toward niche audiences. Tom, given your current status..."

Duke didn't need to spell it out. Tom Cruise's desire to work with Kubrick likely stemmed from a wish to enhance his artistic prestige. But as an A-list star, he didn't need to take that route. Kubrick's films wouldn't expand his influence or boost his chances at the Oscars.

Tom Cruise fell silent, weighing the pros and cons. After a few minutes, he said, "I heard from Pat that Kubrick's health is indeed critical. If we take the roles and he can't finish the project..."

He seemed to be convincing himself as much as Nicole Kidman.

"Tom, let me be frank." Duke added at the right moment, "We're partners now, our interests tied together. The greater your influence, the more profit the Mission: Impossible series brings me. I'd rather see a consistently successful Tom Cruise than one who wastes time on a potential failure."

"But Brian De Palma has clearly stated he won't return to direct Mission: Impossible." Tom Cruise suddenly looked at Duke. "The series needs a new director..."

"Tom, as you can see, I can't take on another project myself." Duke spread his hands, feigning helplessness. "But if you decide to move forward, I can recommend a director with a suitable style."

Tom Cruise didn't make an immediate decision. A matter like this required careful consideration. However, he asked, "Who's the director?"

"John Woo," Duke replied.

Seeing Tom Cruise's puzzled expression, Duke elaborated, "The director of Broken Arrow and Face/Off. His gunfight scenes and action sequences are excellent. I won't hide this from you—The Matrix drew some inspiration from his style."

Hearing this, Tom Cruise nodded solemnly. "I'll think about it."

After this, he suddenly changed the subject, looking at Nicole Kidman beside him. "Do you have any roles here that might suit Mary?"

From their shared glance, Duke could tell the couple's relationship seemed to have improved somewhat. Still, Nicole Kidman's ambition was evident. Even if Scientology or other issues hadn't intervened, how long their marriage would last was uncertain.

Duke wasn't keen on casting a high-fee actress with limited box-office appeal. Smiling, he replied, "If a suitable role for Mary comes up, I'll give you a call."

...

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