Chapter 61

On August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe's body was found on her bed, naked, with the cause of death being an overdose of medication.

However, many people suspected that the Kennedys were involved in her death...

Catherine did not remember how Marilyn died, but she was still shocked when she heard the news.

However, soon after, a more practical matter captured all her attention—DreamWorks Pictures was about to be established!

Although Holman did not plan to return to Hollywood, he provided Catherine with sufficient information.

As a result, Catherine's company was all set up by early August.

After the company was established, Catherine began planning her first film—the Fallout series.

Catherine did not intend to adapt the novel "Fallout" into a movie but instead wrote a new script set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

However, Catherine soon realized that she was embarking on a massive project.

Catherine had about $10 million in available funds.

But she soon realized that the funds were still insufficient...

However, an idea soon came to her—

Sponsorships!

In "Fallout," there is a famous comic magazine and an even more famous Quantum Cola.

What if the comic publisher was replaced with the famous Marvel Comics? What if the producer of Quantum Cola was replaced with Coca-Cola?

Clearly, once the movie became popular, the sales of these two products would skyrocket! At the very least, their visibility would greatly increase!

Of course, if they wanted to place their products in the movie, they would have to pay...

In the United States, product placement in movies was already a well-established practice. With "Fallout" selling well and Catherine having already produced a low-budget film with a few million dollars, although it wasn't a guarantee of box office success, getting sponsorships was relatively easy.

In fact, although the "Fallout" series had sold well, it would still take some time to gain widespread popularity. For now, people viewed it as a science fiction novel.

However, the anxiety over a nuclear war also drove people to read the book, as many were worried about their future.

The Cuban Missile Crisis would further exacerbate this anxiety.

—After all, it was the Cold War.

Negotiations with Coca-Cola did not take long—they were already experienced in such matters. However, for Quantum Cola, which appeared throughout the film, Catherine demanded $8 million. Coca-Cola, however, was not foolish, and the negotiations dragged on for a while.

In the end, the matter was handed over to Bruce.

Bruce was now a jack-of-all-trades, filling in wherever he was needed.

Finally, the contract was signed: Coca-Cola would pay an initial sponsorship fee of $3 million. If the box office exceeded $10 million, they would pay an additional $2 million, and if it surpassed $25 million, they would pay another $2 million.

While it wasn't a lifeline, it was still a significant boost.

Next was Marvel Comics. Catherine approached both DC Comics and Marvel Comics, making them bid against each other.

Although Marvel Comics only offered $1 million in sponsorship, it was better than nothing.

Of course, it wasn't just Coca-Cola and Marvel Comics. There would be a lot of "pre-war" scenery in the film, so finding sponsors was relatively easy.

In the end, Catherine managed to raise $10 million in sponsorships, bringing the total budget to $20 million.

With the funds secured, the next step was casting.

For the lead role, Catherine chose "the world's sexiest man"—Sean Connery.

At this time, Sean Connery had just finished filming "007" and was available. Moreover, the era of Hollywood superstars had not yet arrived, and actors' salaries were low. Catherine's offer was quite generous.

Sean Connery readily agreed.

After securing Sean Connery, Catherine immediately set out to find the second lead—

She planned to approach Morgan Freeman.

Morgan Freeman, who would later become famous for his role in "The Shawshank Redemption" and be nominated for six Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actor.

However, at this time, he was still performing in stage plays.

Freeman moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s and worked at Los Angeles Community College. During this period, he also lived in New York and was a dancer at the 1964 New York World's Fair—now held every two years.

In 1967, Morgan Freeman made his Broadway debut in the all-Black production of the musical "Hello, Dolly!" He then performed on both Broadway and off-Broadway stages, showcasing his versatility in musicals, modern theater, and classical Shakespearean plays. After gaining recognition on Broadway, in 1971, Freeman transitioned to television, appearing in a children's educational program on PBS. During this time, he also starred in his first film, "Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow." However, throughout the 1970s, his roles were scattered across both film and television, lacking depth and impact, and did not fully showcase his talent.

Moreover, Morgan Freeman was a very wise person. He publicly opposed the celebration of Black History Month and refused to participate in any related activities.

Black History Month, observed in February, is a time to honor African American history and celebrate the contributions of Black people to American culture and political life.

Freeman, however, said, "I don't need Black History Month. Black history is American history." He believed that the only way to end racism was to stop talking about it and noted that there was no "White History Month."

Freeman also famously said, "I will stop calling you white and ask you to stop calling me black."

Catherine wanted him to play the second lead in her "Wasteland."

After contacting Los Angeles Community College, Catherine quickly obtained Freeman's contact information and reached out to him.

When he heard that Catherine wanted him to act in a movie, Freeman was quite surprised. At this time, in his twenties, Morgan Freeman had not yet starred in his first film, "The Pawnbroker," in 1964, and that was just a minor role. Now, someone was asking him to act in a movie? As the lead?

Freeman had seen the astonishing "The Blair Witch Project" and had followed the 13-year-old girl who reportedly created a box office miracle. He knew she was already a millionaire but had no idea she was making a movie and wanted him to be in it.

Moreover, Freeman was Black.

In those days, who would cast a Black actor?

To most people, what were Black actors? Villains! Box office poison!

Besides, although Freeman's dream was to perform on Broadway and in movies, how could such a dream come true so easily?

Freeman was stunned by this unexpected opportunity but decided not to let it slip away and agreed enthusiastically.

Although Black actors might not be popular, Catherine had a different idea. In fact, by the time the film was completed, it might not be released until 1964 or 1965.

By then, the anti-racism and anti-war movements would be sweeping through American society.

—More importantly, it would be the peak of the hippie movement.

Next, the third lead Catherine wanted to cast was Bruce Lee...