I laid out the deal, a more radical version of what we had done on Twins—a fifty-fifty joint venture between the studio and Michael and Steven, who’d waive their above-the-line fees up front. Costs came off the top. Once the gross covered the budget, every subsequent dollar would be split down the middle. If the movie flopped, my clients wound up with nothing. But Jurassic Park’s story and talent made that a smart gamble. As Universal was mired in a long dry spell and desperate for a blockbuster, Sid didn’t come back to us asking for 70/30 or 60/40 or even 55/45. He came back with a yes. We’d
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