*Chapter 229: A New Role*

"Hey, John, congratulations on winning the grand prize," Richard received a call from the Coperson production office in Berlin the next day. Rock Barbie had won the Teddy Award for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival.

The Teddy Award is a special prize given at the Berlin Film Festival for films with unique themes, established since 1987. With growing international acceptance of LGBTQ+ themes, such films have become more common in recent years. This year, over eighty excellent LGBTQ+ films were invited to the Berlin Film Festival, and winning the Best Film Award highlights the high quality of Rock Barbie.

As for how much the film’s rights might sell for, the company was still negotiating in Europe.

"Richard, New Century is doing well. The first project is a success. How much do you think it will earn?" Anthony asked, holding a golf club on the Beverly Hills Golf Club lawn.

"With the LGBTQ+ theme, the box office won't be too high. It's probably not as much as I make from a single fight," Richard said, pulling out his 4-iron and hitting the ball across the water hazard, landing it over ten meters from the hole.

"Your skills seem to be improving," Anthony remarked.

"Of course. I practice often, so my game naturally improves," Richard replied with a smile.

"Hey, Richard, Anthony, Mr. Reiman and Mr. Crowley have arrived," Old Hall and Mike drove up in a golf cart.

The car also had two other people, the producers of The Bourne Identity, including Doug Reiman, who also directed the film.

Previously, the film's executive producer was Robert Ludlum of Universal Pictures, but he passed away in early March. Now, Patrick Crowley, a former actor who appeared in Jurassic Park, had taken over.

"Good afternoon, Director Reiman! Mr. Crowley!" Richard walked over and shook hands with the two men with a calm demeanor.

In the past, he had been a small player needing to beg for roles, but now, as a billionaire and an internationally influential sports and movie star, he had enough clout to negotiate.

If the cooperation was beneficial to both parties, the producers would be willing; otherwise, no amount of persuasion would work.

"Ha ha, Richard, Neil, Ted, and I are friends. We were just talking about you the other day," Patrick Crowley said with a smile.

Neil was Neil Moritz, a producer, and Ted was Ted Field, the producer of The Chronicles of Riddick. Both were part of Universal Pictures.

"Ha ha, I’m sure they didn’t say anything nice about me," Richard laughed.

"You’re mistaken. They said you’re a very impressive young man."

"Thanks. It’s rare to hear Neil say something good about me," Richard smiled, picking up his golf club. "Mr. Crowley, Director Reiman, how about a few rounds?"

"Sure, before coming here, I thought you might have chosen the boxing gym for our meeting," Crowley said with a laugh.

"You’re into boxing too? We can meet there next time," Richard offered.

As they played and chatted, Director Doug Reiman, though not very old at thirty-six, preferred listening over talking for most of the time.

The Bourne Identity team needed an actor skilled in action scenes, with a leading status and box office appeal. They had previously considered Sylvester Stallone and Russell Crowe, but both were deemed too old for the role.

Remaining options included Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, and Richard.

Among these, Matt Damon had the highest profile in film, with notable acting skills and recent box office success, and he was actively pursuing the role.

Compared to Damon, Richard had a somewhat lower profile and fewer awards, but his expertise in action scenes gave him a better chance.

Richard briefly understood the situation and didn’t say much.

After playing a round of golf and having a drink, he left the remaining matters to Anthony and Old Hall.

The next day, in the office, the three of them discussed the progress of the role.

"What does the production side think?" Richard asked, setting down his tea cup.

"The production side is divided. Some support you, while others support Matt Damon. Director Reiman is leaning towards Matt, believing his acting is good and his recent films have performed well. Using him seems safer," Old Hall said.

Richard smiled slightly, "Director Reiman is quite young. Why is he so conservative?"

"Mainly because your only film with a box office over a hundred million is not a lead role, whereas The Bourne Identity is Reiman’s first major production. To be safe, he prefers big stars. He previously used Russell and Stallone, which was his decision," Anthony explained.

Richard nodded, "Young people can be conservative, but it's also a sign of caution. Is there any way to gain his support?"

"Yes, we’re in contact with him to show that you are the most suitable candidate. We’re also reaching out to other producers. You are the youngest and most outstanding action star in Hollywood, and your fame will make them realize that," Old Hall said.

Richard thought for a moment, "Since he doesn't have confidence in the movie project, we can offer him some additional incentives. I still won't take a salary for this movie, but we can share the profits afterward. If it loses money, I'll share the losses with the production company."

"Isn't that too risky? Your current salary is over 10 million. Even with a 15% profit share, the box office would need to exceed 100 million to match that. If it loses money, our losses would be substantial," Anthony hesitated.

"This is my proposal. If we can secure the salary upfront, we won't need to use this method. But if my approach helps me land the role, taking a bit of risk is acceptable."

"Alright, let's first approach the production company and use your idea as a last resort."

"Agreed!" Richard nodded slightly.

After leaving the office, he received a phone call. Jessica had bought a new apartment and invited him over.

Last year, the TV series Apocalypse Dark Angel premiered, and Jessica became a huge hit. This year, she even received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a TV series. Her popularity skyrocketed, and she's been earning quite a lot.

"Richard, how do you like my apartment?"

In Hollywood, Jessica led him into the apartment—two bedrooms, two bathrooms, elegantly decorated with a light luxury style, and all the furniture was from international brands. It was also close to downtown, perfect for a young person who enjoys a lively environment.

"Very nice, very tasteful. How about I stay over when I have some free time?"

"Deal, no backing out," Jessica laughed, hugging him.

"Of course not!"

Richard spent the day at the apartment, and the next day, he returned to the bar gym to train with Paul.

Paul's match with Roy Jones was scheduled for Saturday night. Richard was free, so he went to Las Vegas to watch the match.

Roy Jones had done a lot of preparation to fight in the heavyweight division. His previous weight was around 175 pounds, but now he weighed 205 pounds, making him a bit stronger. However, compared to Paul, who weighed 242 pounds, he was still at a disadvantage.

When the match started, both sides engaged in fierce combat. Paul felt disrespected by Roy Jones' challenge, so he was very aggressive in his attacks.

Roy Jones clearly knew Paul's fighting style—strong in offense and powerful punches. So, he fought while moving around, trying to wear Paul down.

Roy Jones' punches were heavier than before, but he had slowed down significantly, whereas Paul had slightly improved his speed during training.

By the fifth round, Paul landed a heavy punch on the side of Roy Jones' ear, knocking him down. Roy Jones stayed down for ten seconds, and Paul won the match again.

Looking at Roy Jones in the ring, Richard shook his head.

If Roy Jones had stayed in the light heavyweight division and waited until Richard moved on, he might have had another chance to dominate that category. But now, with this abrupt move to heavyweight and the decision to challenge a higher weight class, his choice seemed unwise.

It was uncertain whether Roy Jones would continue fighting after this loss.

"Haha, Richard, I won!" Paul said with a grin, raising his fists.

"Well done!" Richard bumped fists with him.

After Paul's match, Richard still hadn't secured the new role. He didn't have time to wait any longer; Black Hawk Down was about to start filming, and he needed to prepare for the shoot.

In mid-March, he left Los Angeles, spent two days in New York, and then flew to Morocco in North Africa.

——

(End of the chapter)