Episode 1 of "The Studio" kicks off amidst the bustling atmosphere of a film set, where Matt Remick, a lifelong cinema enthusiast and the newly appointed helmsman of beleaguered Continental Studios, stands tall after Patty, his predecessor, was relieved of her duties. Matt, a 22-year veteran of the studio, now faces scrutiny from his superior, Griffin Mill, who harbors doubts about Matt's cutthroat instincts necessary for big-league success. Griffin highlights Matt's penchant for crafting artistic films over focusing on the financial bottom line, accusing him of being a people-pleaser in a business solely driven by profits.
At the core of Continental's strategy lies the ambitious plan to develop a "Kool-Aid" movie, amidst talks of tapping into other popular IPs like Jenga, inspired by the unprecedented success of "Barbie". Matt assigns Quinn as his Creative Executive, gathering the team to brainstorm on this Kool-Aid venture. Convinced that "Barbie"'s triumph stemmed from Greta Gerwig's filmmaker's vision, Matt aims to replicate that magic with Kool-Aid.
However, Matt encounters a challenge in enticing marquee directors to helm the project. Desperate for a breakthrough, he listens to a pitch from Nick, who proposes a daring concept: the Kool-Aid girl as a girl-boss, orchestrating a heroic rescue of the struggling brand. Ironically, Matt's public image takes a hit on social media for espousing cinematic rejuvenation one moment and then unveiling a Kool-Aid film the next. This讽刺 becomes palpable during a meeting with Martin Scorsese, where Matt seeks to discuss the director's next film—an ambitious epic on Jonestown requiring a colossal budget. Intriguingly, the Jonestown massacre concludes with mass Kool-Aid poisoning, sparking an idea in Matt's mind to address two issues at once.
Determined, Matt greenlights the Kool-Aid movie, allocating an extravagant budget of $250 million—exceeding even Scorsese's request. But there's a catch: the film must retain the title "Kool-Aid". Matt's elation knows no bounds as he secures Scorsese's signature, reveling in his burgeoning reputation as a genius, anticipation building as online articles herald his bold move.
Scorsese has recruited Buscemi for the starring role, yet the other studio personnel harbor doubts about this casting choice, convinced that he lacks the box-office appeal. Griffin, however, remains oblivious to this divisive vision, instead being presented with a whimsical graphic of the Kool-Aid man dancing merrily alongside the generic pitch for the predictable storyline.
Griffin lambasts Matt for splashing out ten million dollars on Scorsese's script, which Matt cleverly twists and fabricates, pretending he did so solely to doom the film to obscurity. Meanwhile, Matt faces an uphill task in convincing Nick to join the original project, especially after Patty has swayed him against collaborating with Matt on this venture. Desperate, Matt seeks out Patty for assistance, but she's not one to give anything away easily.
Furthermore, Matt confesses that the stress is overwhelming him. He fears he might tarnish the world of cinema entirely and finds himself trapped between a dilemma. Patty counters that the satisfaction of crafting a successful film is unparalleled. Whether Matt will achieve this remains a matter of conjecture.
Eventually, Matt finds himself in a precarious situation, as he alienates Scorsese by admitting he purchased the script merely to sabotage it. The air is thick with tension, particularly when Buscemi arrives, effusively expressing his gratitude for being part of Scorsese's final cinematic masterpiece. Indeed, that's the sting in the tail; Matt has inadvertently doomed Scorsese's valedictory film.
