Anne's face was still as icy as ever, even after Harry told her she wasn't the right fit for Dolly.
She perched on the edge of the couch in his bedroom, arms crossed tightly, clearly fighting back tears while also simmering with anger.
Harry settled down next to her, treading carefully.
"This isn't about your talent."
"That's exactly what this is about," Anne shot back, her voice sharp.
"It's not."
"Then explain it better."
Harry let out a slow breath. He had dealt with studio executives, corporate boards, and old folk with egos the size of planets. But nothing could have prepared him for this moment.
"Dolly is a tough role," he explained. "She needs someone older, someone with more experience—"
Anne didn't let him finish.
"Oh, like Cate Blanchett?"
Harry's brow furrowed.
"What?"
Anne locked eyes with him.
"You gave her Blind Man's Gambit."
"She was the perfect choice for that role."
Anne let out a bitter laugh.
"Because she slept with you? When was it, ah yes, after the Oscars right?"
Harry stared at her, stunned.
"What?"
But Anne pressed on.
"Did it happen during filming too? Is that why you kept dodging her husband whenever he came to the set?"
In an instant, Harry was on his feet.
"Stop."
Anne stood up too.
"Then tell me I'm wrong."
"I'm telling you, you're wrong."
In the hallway outside, Lisa and James were walking when Anne's voice suddenly got loud enough for them to catch it.
They froze, feeling a bit awkward.
James looked really uncomfortable.
Lisa slowly turned to face him.
He noticed right away.
"What's up?"
Lisa narrowed her eyes at him.
"You haven't been sleeping with anyone behind my back, have you?"
James nearly choked on his own breath.
"What kind of question is that?"
"You just looked nervous."
"I looked nervous because we're standing outside a door while our boss is being accused of cheating."
Lisa stared at him for a moment longer.
James raised both hands in defense.
"I have not cheated on you."
That seemed to satisfy Lisa for the moment.
Inside the room, Harry had finally managed to calm Anne down.
He sat back beside her after they both took a breath.
"I didn't sleep with Cate during the shoot."
Anne stayed quiet.
"I chose her because she was the best fit for the role."
Anne turned her gaze away.
"And I'm not handing out roles just because someone is dating me. If I start doing that, I'll be like the rest of the people in the industry."
That made Anne pause for a moment. She knew he had a point.
Harry softened his voice.
"You'll get your chance."
Anne looked back at him.
"When?"
Harry gave a slight smile.
"My future films aren't going anywhere."
"That's pretty vague."
"I'll give you a lead role when the right project comes along."
Anne pouted for a few seconds before finally relaxing.
"Fine."
Then she asked,
"Who are you casting as Dolly?"
Harry leaned back. "I'm still deciding."
----
The next morning brought some promising news.
Harry got to the office bright and early to check out the opening weekend estimates for The Prestige.
The numbers were surprisingly good.
Initial projections indicated an opening weekend nearing forty million dollars.
For a psychological thriller centered around rival magicians, that was an outstanding outcome. It suggested strong word of mouth and, unless there was a sudden drop-off, a domestic total well over one hundred million dollars.
Harry leaned back, feeling satisfied.
Another victory.
He quickly dialed Christopher Nolan.
Chris picked up after a few rings.
"Did you see the numbers?"
Harry grinned.
"I did."
Chris sounded relieved.
"That's better than I anticipated."
"It should easily surpass a hundred million."
Greg was probably going to crash for a solid two days.
Chris chuckled softly.
Their chat gradually shifted to what was next.
"What do you have lined up after this?" Harry asked.
Chris paused for a moment.
"Nothing set in stone."
That response told Harry everything he needed to know.
Chris went on.
"Warner Brothers has sent over some scripts. Universal Pictures too."
Harry leaned in closer.
"What kind of scripts?"
"A few thrillers. Some bigger projects, even a few blockbusters."
Harry understood the significance of this moment.
If Nolan decided to go elsewhere now, it would be much tougher to bring him back later.
So, Harry finally laid it all out.
He talked about DC.
He shared his long-term vision.
Films.
Television.
Animation.
Games.
Connected storytelling.
Long-term crossover events.
An interconnected universe years before Hollywood even realized how lucrative that could be.
Chris stayed quiet for most of it.
When Harry wrapped up his thoughts, Nolan finally broke the silence.
"That's… quite ambitious."
Harry chuckled.
"That's just a nice way of saying it's a bit crazy."
"No," Chris interjected. "It's genuinely intriguing."
Harry beamed.
Then he revealed what he had been building up to.
"I want you to take the lead on it."
Chris fell silent again.
"With what exactly?"
"Batman."
Chris let out a single laugh, clearly in disbelief.
"You want me to direct a superhero flick?"
"Yes."
Chris still seemed skeptical.
"I'm not keen on making some CGI-laden nonsense."
Harry had anticipated that reaction.
"This wouldn't be like that at all."
Chris listened intently.
Harry started to lay out his vision for Batman.
A Gotham set in a broader universe brimming with gods, aliens, and magic.
Batman as a grounded strategist navigating an increasingly extraordinary world.
A human among Gods and superhumans.
A character-driven film first.
A superhero movie second.
As Harry spoke, Chris grew quieter.
By the end of their chat, he sounded much more intrigued than when they started.
"That's actually pretty compelling."
Harry smiled wider.
"Talk to Jonathan Nolan."
Chris laughed again.
"You had that planned too?"
"Yes."
Chris shook his head, a smile on his face.
"Send me some comics."
----
Harry settled down with Elizabeth later that afternoon to go over their shortlist.
Cate Blanchett
Naomi Watts
Charlize Theron
Without hesitation, Elizabeth crossed Cate's name off the list.
"Too pricey."
Harry didn't feel like pushing back on that.
Besides, if Anne found out they were considering Cate after their heated discussion yesterday, things would get a lot more complicated for him.
So, that left Naomi and Charlize.
Harry took another look at Naomi's past performances.
Mulholland Drive.
King Kong.
There was something about her vulnerability that felt just right.
"She's our top pick," Harry declared.
Elizabeth nodded in agreement.
"I'll make the call."