The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 126

In every city the cast toured, Matthew was met with an enthusiastic welcome from the fans. The press coverage was so overwhelmingly positive that even he, let alone others, began to harbor the illusion that his role as the Scorpion King had made him an overnight sensation across America.

But Matthew knew the truth. This was all a well-orchestrated campaign by Helen, and by the time he arrived in New York, the money had bled away like water. Between the promotional costs and the payments for Ilana's constant slander against Brendan, the funds he had accumulated were nearly depleted.

Still, it was gratifying to see the results. After all, this wasn't just empty hype; it was built on a foundation of genuine audience response to his character.

At the event, Matthew was greeted by a huge number of supportive fans—so many, in fact, that they couldn't all have been hired. He had to admit, most of them were genuine.

Cotter Plaza in Long Island was packed with countless fans. Some die-hards had even dressed up as Anubis, but many more wore T-shirts emblazoned with the strong, fierce, and imperious Scorpion King, showcasing their love for the character.

There were even signs bearing the slogan: "What else was in The Mummy Returns? I only remember the Scorpion King!"

"You see that, Andy?" Sean Daniels stood on the terrace of a building overlooking the plaza and remarked to a man in his thirties. "The Scorpion King is so popular that T-shirts with his image have become a hit with the fandom."

The man, Andy, was an assistant to Philip, the director of production at Universal Pictures, and for all intents and purposes, was there as Philip's representative.

Sean added, "It's been a similar situation at almost every stop."

"That's exactly why," Andy said with a smile. "Mr. Philip asked me to come and see it for myself. I have to say, this is more impressive than any media report or statistic."The May sun was scorching, and the two men quickly retreated under parasols. It hadn't been easy to rent a suitable space in the bustling commercial district, so they had to settle for an open-air café on the roof of a low-rise building.

...

"Out of my way!" Downstairs in the building, Brendan strode into the dressing room only to find Matthew occupying the first chair by the door, his usual spot. "That's my seat."

Matthew ignored him. He had met with Helen that morning to discuss how to get under Brendan's skin.

"Didn't you hear me?" Brendan had been nursing a growing resentment toward Matthew. "That's my seat!"

"Yours?" Matthew's tone was deliberately provocative. He glanced from the chair to the table, spread his hands, and said with a conspicuous sneer, "Sorry, I don't see your name on it."

Brendan narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What do you want, Matthew? Why the hell are you provoking me?"

Matthew rose from the chair and shrugged. "Just wanted to tell you something."

He suddenly reached out and clapped Brendan on the shoulder. "This gesture makes me uncomfortable. Don't do it again."

He frowned, continuing with deliberate calm, "And stop acting like you're the boss. Brendan, to be honest, you're living in the last century. Can't you see you're outdated? The audience isn't interested in you anymore."

Brendan froze as Matthew walked past him, a smug laugh trailing him all the way out of the dressing room.

Matthew didn't leave the area immediately. He lingered, wanting to make sure his provocation had landed.

With Brendan's imperious personality, he must have been furious at being openly mocked by a junior actor. This wasn't a one-time thing; the resentment had been simmering for weeks.

Over the past ten days or so, while Matthew had been intentionally irritating Brendan, he had never confronted him head-on or challenged his self-appointed 'boss of the cast' mentality.

Bang!

A loud crash echoed from the dressing room, as if something heavy had hit the floor.

Hearing the sound, Matthew didn't need to go back for another look. After more than ten straight days of constant prodding, Brendan had walked step by step into the trap. The anger that had built up over those days was probably raging like a wildfire in his heart.

...

On the terrace near the plaza, Andy and Sean were discussing the current situation with The Mummy Returns.

The North American box office for The Mummy Returns was on track to easily surpass the $100 million mark, but word-of-mouth had dropped off significantly, and the film's performance was becoming inconsistent. After the first week's box office numbers came in, Universal Pictures had projected a final North American gross of $250 to $270 million. Now, they had quietly lowered their expectations, believing that The Mummy Returns wouldn't gross more than $230 million in North America, at best.

More and more people at Universal were starting to realize that another sequel in the Mummy series might not be the best option.

After all, The Mummy Returns had ridden on the popularity of the first Mummy. Would another sequel enjoy the same success?

"Andy," Sean asked, "when will the marketing department's research be finished?"

"Soon," Andy replied. "The stats will definitely be on Mr. Philip's desk by Wednesday."

Sean nodded. Stephen's script was finished and was being revised and polished. The plans were in place, and as soon as Universal gave the green light, the project could soon move into active planning.

He was sure that the reaction to the Scorpion King from the press and fans must have reached Universal Studios by now, so there might be less resistance.

The only drawback was Matthew Horner's lack of star power. Although Brendan had drawn a lot of criticism and insults for his mediocre performance in the film, he was still a star in a league Matthew couldn't yet touch.

What about recasting the lead? Sean immediately shook his head. Even if the Scorpion King in the two films wasn't the same person, the risk of changing actors was still too high, and it was unlikely they'd find a better actor for the part than Matthew Horner anytime soon.

There were few established names in the younger generation of action stars. Big names like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Nicolas Cage might fit the bill, but their high salaries were a problem.

It was far better to use raw talent than a finished product, and Matthew himself had made a great impression on both him and Stephen during filming at Pinewood Studios.

As the event in the plaza was winding down, Andy suddenly noticed a commotion in the crowd and asked, "What's going on over there?"

Sean had noticed it too. He quickly stood up and went to the edge of the terrace to get a better look. It wasn't far from the plaza, and the chaos was clearly caused by a fight.

"Looks like a fight," Andy said, joining him.

He didn't need to say it. Sean could see everything, and his expression soured. After all, he was the producer in charge.

In the plaza, security was separating two men while the press swarmed around them, snapping pictures furiously. Sean could see clearly that one man was a stranger, but the other was all too familiar.

The familiar one was clearly Brendan!

The other man was wearing a Scorpion King T-shirt and was presumably a fan of the film.

"Brendan got into a fight with a fan?" Andy couldn't believe his eyes. "Has he lost his mind?"

What else could you call it but insanity, a movie star brawling with a fan who was supporting his own film?

This was a scandal!

The situation in the plaza was quickly brought under control. Sean made a phone call, asked a few questions, and then hung up.

"What's going on?" Andy asked.

Sean sighed. "A fan wanted Brendan's autograph. For some reason, Brendan was in a bad mood—probably because the fan was wearing a Scorpion King shirt—and refused to sign. The fan didn't appreciate his bizarre excuse and likely said something nasty. They got into a verbal argument, and Brendan threw a punch."

Andy didn't quite understand. "Why would he refuse to give an autograph to a fan in a Scorpion King T-shirt?"

"This isn't the first time," Sean said, looking perplexed. "Apparently, he's just unhappy with Matthew because he's been getting all the attention."

He shrugged. "Brendan has always seen himself as the boss of the cast."

Sean said no more. Andy understood his point and couldn't help but shake his head. How could Brendan possibly star in the next film now?

By the time they got downstairs, someone had called the police.

The police took the two combatants away and took statements from the people around them. It all happened in plain sight; Brendan couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.

Sean knew this would cause a media frenzy, but he didn't act quickly to bail Brendan out, who was only released from the police station late that night.

Unsurprisingly, the story hit the internet that same day. The traditional press and television channels, which covered it the next day, unanimously condemned Brendan for his erratic behavior, and the Hollywood star's reputation took a severe hit.

Under pressure from Universal Pictures and his agency, Brendan issued a public apology, but he couldn't salvage his plummeting popularity.

"Well, the situation is clear now." In a New York hotel room, a pleased Helen told Matthew, "I just got word from Universal Pictures. The executives are furious with Brendan and are in talks with his agency. The chances of a Mummy sequel being made anytime soon are very slim."

Matthew, however, asked curiously, "Did you set up the fight?"

Helen had asked him to find a way to anger Brendan, but nothing more.

"That's not something you need to know." Helen had no intention of elaborating. She just reminded him, "Pack your things. It's time for us to head back to Los Angeles."