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170: Redoing my Life, Midas Updates
🕑 Added 2025-02-15 21:28:15 +0000 UTCArticle posted as part of the marketing campaign for John Wick.
Midas Productions: Daniel Adler’s New Production Company and Its Ambitious Slate of Upcoming Films
In the wake of his recent success with The Batman, Daniel Adler—Hollywood’s youngest Oscar-winning screenwriter and fast becoming one of the industry’s most influential figures—is making waves once again. This time, it’s through his very own production company, Midas Productions.
Leading the charge for Midas Productions is John Wick, an action thriller already generating buzz among film enthusiasts. Slated for release in November, the film stars Keanu Reeves as a retired hitman seeking vengeance. As the first movie from the company—and given Adler’s proven track record—audiences are expecting a standout hit.
The second film on Midas Productions’ slate is an adaptation of Adler’s own book, The Revenant, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s already sparking Oscar buzz with his involvement alone.
Rumors also point to a third movie in development, though details remain tightly under wraps. Whispers suggest it may be a horror project—an exciting prospect given Adler’s knack for the genre.
Will Midas Productions strike gold with its ambitious lineup? If Adler’s history is any indication, the answer seems to be a resounding yes.
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“Production Expenses... 27 million.”
I read the financial report for John Wick as I sat in my office at Midas. It was evening, and the air conditioning had decided to betray me on one of the hottest days of the year. I loosened the top button of my shirt and fanned myself slightly with the stack of papers in my hand.
John Wick had wrapped up production smoothly and was now in post-production, aiming for a November release. It was only a bit over budget—nothing alarming.
I continued skimming through the report:
Total Projected Cost: $40.5 million
Projected Domestic Box Office: $70–80 million
Projected International Box Office: $50–60 million
Projected Total Revenue: $120–140 million
Expected ROI: 3x
I frowned slightly, leaning back in my chair. That seems like they’re lowballing it.
Considering my name had gained significant recognition since The Batman’s massive success, I expected John Wick to perform much better than these estimates. My influence had grown—people weren’t just looking at me as the “young filmmaker who was the future of Hollywood.” I had proved the future was here after The Batman.
I was fairly certain John Wick could hit $200 to $250 million, maybe even more if the marketing played out right.
I tapped the report against the desk, thinking about how the internet had reacted so far. While it wasn’t making mainstream waves yet, film circles and action fans were starting to buzz about it. More interestingly, even DC fans had begun discussing it—likely because of my involvement.
Marketing had slowly been ramping up since post-production began, using the usual method of spreading intrigue and anticipation. A few behind-the-scenes images had been “leaked”—intentionally, of course—and Keanu Reeves’ involvement had naturally drawn attention. Keanu hadn’t done many movies over the last five years.
I put down the John Wick report and picked up the next file—this one for The Revenant.
Budget: $80 million
For now, I thought, knowing how Iñárritu could go overboard. I had made sure there was a financial buffer in place just in case things got out of control.
Unlike John Wick, which was entirely a Midas Pictures production, The Revenant was a partnership with Stardust Entertainment—though they were only 20% involved at this point. Other investors had chipped in too, including Henry and even Jay, which helped lessen the financial burden on my end.
The stakes were higher for this one. The Revenant had been a critical darling and a box office success in my past life, and I was hoping for the same—or even better—this time around. My expectations were around $600 to $650 million worldwide, with a strong Oscar push for both Leo and Iñárritu.
But I couldn’t ignore the unpredictable nature of this universe. Some movies that were massive hits in my original world had flopped here, while others I barely noticed had turned into unexpected blockbusters. If this underperforms... it could be a serious hit to the reputation I’ve just built up.
I exhaled sharply and glanced out the window. Even though the sun was setting, the heat was still unbearable.
“Fuck,” I muttered, wiping the sweat from my forehead. Of all days for the damn AC to break...
I took a sip of my now lukewarm water and turned my attention to the next big project on my slate—
The Thing.
For now, the budget was set at $50 million. The script was finished, and we were in the middle of casting.
But there was a problem.
I wanted to cast fresh, up-and-coming actors—new talent that could bring a different energy to the film. But Paul and the others at Midas were pushing for established stars, believing that a big-name cast would guarantee a higher box office return.
I understood their perspective, and I felt I might have been too hasty in wanting an entire cast of newcomers. So I came up with a compromise: a mix of established names and unknown actors. I picked up a piece of paper that listed the actors I wanted in the movie. Some were famous; others were new and had auditioned over the last two months.
Just as I was deep in thought, I heard a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I called.
Paul walked in.
“Paul, why the fuck is the AC still not fixed yet?” I asked, waving my shirt to fan myself.
“They’re working on it now,” Paul replied, ignoring my suffering.
Before I could complain further, he grinned. “Hardy is in. I just got the call.”
My eyes widened. “Fuck yes.”
Tom Hardy was the final piece of the puzzle for The Revenant. I had already secured Leo and the rest of the cast, but getting Hardy on board cemented everything.
I leaned back in my chair, exhaling in triumph. The Revenant would remain the same as it was in my previous life.
Paul smirked. “Figured you’d be happy about that.”
“Damn right I am,” I said, nodding. Then I glanced at the list on my desk and slid it across to him. “Now that you’re here, take a look at this.”
Paul picked it up and glanced over the names. “For The Thing?”
I nodded. “I think we can come to a compromise.”
“Alright, let me see,” Paul said as he began to read. He furrowed his brow as he scanned the list in front of him, his eyes stopping at one name.
“Wyatt Russell?” he asked, clearly surprised.
“Yep,” I replied. “He’s a recognizable name—Kurt Russell’s son, if you don’t know.”
Paul still looked skeptical. “Is he even an actor?”
“He is,” I assured him. “He’s just starting out, but I want him to audition for R.J. MacReady.”
Paul leaned back. “But Daniel, I thought—”
I cut him off before he could protest further. “Look, imagine the marketing we can do with this: Kurt Russell’s son stepping into the acting world for his first major lead role. It’s perfect. Plus, I’ve seen some of his work—he’s not terrible.”
Paul sighed and went back to the list, scanning the other names.
“Aaron Paul, John C. Reilly, Jeffrey Wright, Damian Lewis—these I know. Aaron Paul as Palmer is a good choice.”
I nodded in agreement.
Paul then squinted at another name. “Winston Duke? Who’s that?”
I rolled my eyes. “He auditioned last month.”
Paul hesitated. “But he’s—”
“He’s perfect for the role,” I interrupted. “This is what I want—a mix of recognizable names and new talent.”
Paul sighed in defeat, finally setting the list down. “Fine. I suppose we can restart casting.”
“Yes, we can,” I said, leaning forward. “Look, reach out to the people on this list and see if they’re interested. If not, I’ve got some backup choices ready to go.”
Paul nodded and left with the piece of paper in hand.
As soon as he was gone, I leaned back in my chair, wiping the sweat from my forehead. My clothes were sticking to my skin from the damn broken AC.
My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen—a reminder from Julie my P.A.
Then it hit me: the airport.
“Shit.”
I quickly grabbed my things and bolted out of the office.
.
.
.
I pulled Margot’s bags out of the car, setting them on the pavement as we made our way into the airport. She had finally taken my advice and was heading back to Australia for a much-needed break from the drama with her agent.
Still, she made one last attempt. “You could still come with me, you know.”
I let out a small chuckle. “First of all, I’m too busy—I have to finish that book and there's comic con in a week. And second, it’s Australia. I’ve been terrified of that place since I was a kid.”
Margot sighed, shaking her head. “Please, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Whenever your mother calls, she tells you about the dangerous insects or animals she finds in the house.”
Margot scoffed. “No, she doesn’t.”
I crossed my arms. “She just told you about the snake she found in the backyard.”
Margot paused, then groaned. “Fine. But you can’t avoid the place forever—it’s my home.”
I smiled softly before leaning in and giving her a quick kiss. “I know,” I said.
She sighed and squeezed my hand. “Good luck at Comic-Con.”
“Thanks. And try to relax. And please, think about firing that agent of yours.”
Margot rolled her eyes but smiled. “I’ll try.”
With that, she grabbed her bags and walked toward the security checkpoint, throwing a final wave my way. At the last second, she turned back, mouthing, “You can still come.”
I rolled my eyes, smirking as I watched her disappear into the crowd.
I turned back and walked out. I had a busy week ahead of me.
