Hollywood Road

"Hello, Director Stanton."

Murphy had just alighted from his car when a middle-aged man in a suit approached him, extending his hand, "Pleased to see you again."

"Hmm..." Murphy nodded and shook his hand, "Hello, Belby."

This man named Belby was a real estate agent introduced by Grace, specializing in services for the wealthy and celebrities in Los Angeles. His agency held significant listings of luxury properties across Southern California, effectively representing the upscale real estate market in the area.

"Shall we start?" Murphy gestured towards the huge mansion behind Belby.

"Oh..." Belby gestured for Murphy to follow, "This way, please."

He led Murphy along the flat sidewalks of Holmby Hills to the mansion's grand entrance.

Standing at the gateway, Murphy looked through the open wrought-iron gates. Directly aligning with the gate was a straight driveway, at least two hundred yards long. The driveway was flanked by a forecourt garden. To maintain a level of privacy, the garden was devoid of smaller plants and instead filled with tall trees that shielded against prying eyes.

From this vantage point, the only visible features were the small plaza at the end of the driveway and a massive two-story villa painted in white.

Compared to the photos he and Gal Gadot had viewed earlier, the actual mansion appeared even more refined and elegant.

"This is one of the most luxurious residences currently for sale in Beverly Hills," Belby remarked timely.

Agents like Belby, who catered exclusively to the affluent, made it their business to thoroughly understand their clients' needs and purchasing power.

Thus, Belby was well aware that the mansion's hefty price tag was within the financial reach of this young Hollywood director before him.

Murphy nodded slightly. He had perused many property listings, from Santa Monica to West Hollywood to Malibu, and had selected this mansion, known as 'The Flower of Lys', as his primary target.

The estate was located in Beverly Hills, a globally renowned upscale residential area. Beverly Hills is not just situated on the eponymous hill but is part of the 'Platinum Triangle' formed by Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Holmby Hills.

Guided by Belby, Murphy ventured into the luxurious mansion. The agent provided a detailed tour.

The "Flower of Lys" spanned over five hectares. The previous owner, Susan Saperstein, had commissioned this custom-built estate with her then-husband, Texas billionaire David Saperstein, in 2002.

The residential area consisted of several interconnected buildings, including a main two-story villa facing the driveway. This villa featured twelve bedrooms, fifteen bathrooms, a ballroom, two kitchens, and an indoor swimming pool.

To the right, an annex housed an indoor tennis court, a large banquet hall that could accommodate two hundred guests, and a subterranean nine-car garage.

Behind the annex was a particularly special, satin-decorated cinema that could seat fifty people.

Riding in an electric cart down the long driveway, Murphy and the real estate agent entered the villa. Its opulent living room featured archways decorated with mirrors, inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, and the ceilings were adorned with lavish chandeliers and ceiling paintings.

The mansion's design was inspired by Louis XVI's Palace of Versailles but included all modern amenities. Italian marble walls, French limestone floors, gilded leather wallpaper added to its luxury, alongside an outdoor spa pool, vast backyard, helipad, and a 1200-meter jogging track — all top-tier facilities.

According to the agent, Belby, "The Flower of Lys" was a gift from David Saperstein to his wife Susan in 1996, completed in 2002. However, less than two years later, the Sapersteins ended their 23-year marriage. Following their divorce, Mrs. Saperstein gained ownership of the estate and had started considering its sale earlier this year.

Murphy was somewhat familiar with Susan Saperstein. Vanity Fair had once described her as "possibly the world's foremost client of haute couture and 18th-century antique furniture."

After viewing the property, Murphy was quite pleased, though his expression betrayed nothing. "Man of Steel" was about to bring him a substantial windfall, making the financial aspect of acquiring the mansion straightforward, albeit competitive.

Properties like this one, when in demand, could attract numerous wealthy buyers.

Murphy knew many Hollywood stars had eyed "The Flower of Lys" after the Sapersteins' divorce, including some of the top three earners on the Forbes celebrity income list.

Leaving Beverly Hills, Murphy drove west to the nearby UCLA campus to meet Gal Gadot for lunch.

"Isn't it a bit too big?" In a Chinese restaurant, Gal Gadot, enjoying a vegetarian Western-style Chinese meal, asked Murphy, "And the price seems a bit high too."

"

Dear," Murphy set down his chopsticks, "this is going to be our permanent home, our future. How could we compromise on that?"

Hearing Murphy speak of 'home', Gal felt overwhelmingly sweet inside.

After a recent trip across the Pacific, Murphy knew he could never go back to his old life. Now, both his career and personal life were firmly rooted in Los Angeles. Importantly, influenced by him, Gal had joined Stanton Studio and was thoroughly enjoying her career, no longer mentioning settling back in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Their relationship was stable and deepening, and Murphy had never thought about being apart. Establishing a home in Los Angeles was essential.

Indeed, acquiring a luxury estate like "The Flower of Lys" involved not just the purchase cost but also significant maintenance expenses, a hefty ongoing commitment.

Then there were the despised American property taxes. While there was no limited land tenure here, the substantial property taxes were a headache; failing to pay could lead to serious trouble with the tax authorities...

However, Murphy considered these issues minor in his current situation, as maintenance costs and property taxes were not a concern for him.

"What's next?" Gal Gadot wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Any plans?"

She knew Murphy wouldn't let himself rest.

"Last year's vacation was consumed by Warner Bros. and DC Comics, so I'm thinking of taking a break for a couple of months," Murphy finished his meal, "I saw a novel recommended in The New York Times. I've asked Bill to contact them about the adaptation rights."

The New York Times Book Review was now a must-read for Murphy, whose recommendations often turned into popular movies.

For instance, the "Twilight" series—Murphy had contacted author Stephanie Meyer early on, but with firms like Summit Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, and Lionsgate also interested, a small outfit like Stanton Studio stood no chance.

Hollywood has never excelled at originality, apart from a few well-known directors, producers, and select projects, the industry favors adaptations, a mainstream Hollywood method.

Indeed, how many original films make it to the top ten in North American box office each year?

A big-budget investment in an unknown director or producer's original script is a hard sell in Hollywood.

In recent years, Hollywood's major studios have become increasingly conservative in their film strategies. Their efforts are not about pioneering fresh ideas but about minimizing the risks and consequences of errors. Therefore, they prefer to cautiously select projects within their competence.

Like once, Walt Disney couldn't stop turning classic animations into live-action films, forcing its most innovative studio, Pixar, to continue producing sequels to its ensemble series. The sequel craze in other franchises followed the same pattern—Hollywood would milk a resource until proven otherwise.

Forget originality; with the scarcity of adaptation resources, it won't be long before Hollywood casts its creative aspirations aside to focus on reviving successful projects from decades ago.

Thus, sequels that had been forgotten started to emerge, like "Jurassic World", "Independence Day: Resurgence", "Finding Dory", and classics rebooted like "Prometheus", or remakes like "Ben-Hur", "The Magnificent Seven", "The Expendables", and reinterpretations of well-known tales like "Snow White and the Huntsman", "Cinderella", "Maleficent"...

Everyone knows the risks of remaking classic films, but Hollywood would rather invest heavily in these than give a second glance to an unknown director's original project.

Similarly, Stanton Studio received scripts from new writers, which Murphy briefly reviewed before storing them away to gather dust. His money wasn't blown in by the wind; why invest in high-risk projects when there are safer options?

"I should get back to school," Gal Gadot glanced at her watch and stood up, "Where are you headed this afternoon?"

"The 'Iron Man' crew is currently shooting at Hughes Aircraft's studio. I'm going to see Downey."

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