Made In Hollywood

In the age of the internet explosion, Duke was well aware that the past would soon be dug up by others. There was no need to avoid it anymore. Grabbing a beer can, he took several gulps. When he put it down, Natalie Portman had already handed him a roasted corn cob. Her bright brown eyes were filled with curiosity, perfectly matching the gossip-loving look a teenage girl should have at her age.

Taking a bite of the corn, Duke briefly reminisced and said slowly, "That was back in the 10th grade. I had just transferred from a boarding school to Santa Monica Hill High School. Since I had always practiced football, I easily passed the trials and joined the school football team."

"I've read about it in gossip magazines," Natalie blinked and said. "They said you were the quarterback for your school team throughout high school and college."

"I joined the football team and met a very beautiful girl. She was a cheerleader," Duke shrugged and gestured with his hands. "Blonde, long legs, pretty, sexy. I kept pursuing her, but like most people, she had a bias against transfer students—until a regional game in California..."

"Don't stop," Natalie hugged her knees and urged, "Go on."

"In that game, our team was five points behind in the final moments, and we had to score a touchdown. On the second play, we barely got to midfield, and there wasn't much time left. On the third play, it was either a touchdown to win or a loss. Then I threw the first-ever 60-yard touchdown pass in Hill High School history!"

"A comeback victory!"

Duke didn't respond to Natalie's comment and continued, "That night, we held a party to celebrate wildly. I went from being a hated transfer student to the most popular person at the party."

"Did you confess to the blonde girl?"

Hearing Natalie's question, Duke nodded. "Yes, I kissed her at the party, and she didn't refuse."

"And then?" Natalie asked, full of curiosity.

Duke smiled. "That night, she and I did it in the football team's locker room. My first time, her first time."

"I knew it," Natalie muttered and then asked, "Why did you break up?"

"Do you think she loved me?"

Hearing this, Natalie shook her head. "I don't think she loved you. It was probably because you became the school's star."

At this point, she suddenly understood something. "But you can't generalize! Not all girls are like that!"

"And what about you, Nat?" Duke suddenly raised his head and stared at her intently. "You clearly know I'm interested in you, yet you keep getting closer to me. Why?"

"I... I..." Natalie never expected Duke to ask so directly. After hesitating for a long time, she finally said, "I'm just an ordinary girl. Neither pretty nor sexy, not even cute. I don't think I can attract you. I just feel we share many common topics and could be good friends."

"Do you really think so?" Duke tilted his head.

"Can't we just be friends?"

No matter how smart and mature she was, Natalie was still just a 16-year-old girl. "We're both Jewish..."

Duke stood up. "Friendship requires trust."

After saying that, he fell silent. Natalie was also quiet. Trust was easy to talk about but incredibly hard to build.

That night, she couldn't recall how many truths she had told, nor could she figure out how much of what Duke said was true. Both of them, like most people in this circle, could never fully trust each other.

"I'm leaving for New Zealand tomorrow," Duke said as he stood. "Goodbye, Nat."

"Goodbye, Duke."

Duke sighed lightly and walked away, the light of the bonfire fading as he moved further, until he disappeared into the darkness.

Natalie Portman... He shook his head slightly. Since he had already decided in his youth to leave the past behind, why cling to it?

As she herself said, she wasn't particularly pretty, sexy, or anything beyond average by Hollywood standards.

Pushing Natalie Portman aside for now, Duke returned to his room, preparing to leave Fiji early the next morning for New Zealand.

Compared to the massive investments coming in the next few years, what was Natalie Portman in the grand scheme of things?

While the crew continued celebrating in Fiji, Duke and Zack Snyder headed to New Zealand and Los Angeles, respectively. Duke was, of course, preparing for the pre-production of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while Zack Snyder was tasked with transporting the film reels back to Warner Bros. Studios and coordinating with Mike Dawson and the Industrial Light & Magic team for post-production.

Duke's team, led by art director Hannah Selina, had already been working in New Zealand for over six months. While the actual production hadn't begun, initial designs were largely complete thanks to Duke's frequent weekly discussions with the team.

Since the film depicted a wholly imaginary world, everything needed to be newly designed and created from scratch—costumes, hairstyles, sets, props, buildings, carriages, and everyday items. Nothing could be resolved by simply renting or borrowing.

Middle-earth wasn't something simple to construct; it required tremendous effort from everyone involved.

In these six months, only preliminary drafts had been completed. Duke regularly exchanged ideas with the designers, reviewed their modifications, and approved the final drafts from Los Angeles.

Fortunately, most of the team were longtime collaborators who understood Duke's vision well.

For example, the design for Hobbiton had been fully approved by Duke, and Charles Roven had found a suitable contractor. Plans to construct a shoot-friendly Hobbiton were already underway.

For the outdoor filming locations, Duke used his brief stay to explore new suggestions from Charles, ultimately finding a suitable spot for filming.

As for Weta Workshop, they had already developed multiple versions of orc and Uruk-hai designs. While Duke rejected many of them, some were approved. Additionally, Weta made significant advancements in motion capture technology, ensuring seamless indoor studio filming.

After a week in New Zealand, Duke flew back to Los Angeles, where a mountain of work awaited him.

The first task was the negotiation between Tina Fey and Warner Bros., which had reached an initial agreement. After several rounds of discussions over a week, both sides agreed on Warner Bros. acquiring a 30% stake in Duke's Duke Studios in exchange for equivalent shares in Warner Bros., making Warner Bros. the second-largest shareholder in Duke Studios after Duke himself.

Following thorough legal and financial audits, Duke and Warner Bros. quietly signed the exchange agreement.

With the exchange complete, Duke Studios was no longer just an empty shell under Duke's control. Duke also became Warner Bros.' largest individual shareholder with a 7.5% stake, gaining a seat on its board of directors.

However, Duke had no time for board duties, so he would appoint a representative for most matters.

This major exchange of interests tightly bound the fates of Warner Bros. and Duke Studios. Warner Bros. was now heavily invested in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which, although not Duke's original plan, eased his financial burden.

With over $300 million needed to produce the trilogy, even Duke's considerable income over the years felt stretched thin.

The tighter collaboration between Duke Studios and Warner Bros. also facilitated other projects.

Three days later, the Harry Potter Studio was officially established at Warner Bros., with Duke Studios and Warner Bros. holding 40% and 60% shares, respectively. However, due to the earlier share exchange, actual share calculations became more complex.

The promotional campaign for the Harry Potter series also began, though Duke didn't need to be heavily involved. Warner Bros.' professionals were more experienced and capable in this area. Duke's role was to occasionally support the campaign with his reputation as a top-tier director.

A renowned director is an asset, after all. Without Duke's involvement, Warner Bros. wouldn't have valued Duke Studios so highly.

Duke also realized that as a stakeholder in Warner Bros., he could now focus on potential projects under Warner's control. But those plans could wait—The Lord of the Rings trilogy demanded his immediate attention.

Of course, The Matrix also couldn't be overlooked. Zack Snyder, Mike Dawson, and the Industrial Light & Magic team were waiting at Duke Studios to begin the critical post-production phase.

With The Matrix relying heavily on computer effects, Duke allocated nearly six months for post-production. There was no room for shortcuts; cutting corners would only lead to failure.

Now, Duke found himself busier than ever.

With The Matrix post-production just starting, Thanksgiving was also around the corner. That weekend, one of the most expensive films ever made was set to hit theaters across North America—Titanic, in which Duke held a 25% investment, was finally premiering!