The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 155

"A conflict?" Helen didn't quite understand what Matthew meant. "What kind of conflict, exactly?"

Matthew didn't want to bring up Stephen Sommers and Universal's monster movie, so he just said, "The timing, the filming, the prep period... such a massive production is bound to take up a lot of time and energy. It might not be possible to do both."

Helen nodded. "I've been thinking about that recently."

Matthew started to speak again but was cut off by Helen raising a hand. "My resources are limited. We'll talk about Stephen's project later. It's still early. For now, we're fully committed to 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' which will be filmed sooner."

Hearing her words, Matthew dropped the subject. Instead of worrying needlessly now, he needed to figure out how he could work his way into Jerry Bruckheimer's project.

Matthew thought for a moment and said, "I met Jerry a few times during the 'Black Hawk Down' promotions. From the way he treated me, I think he remembers me and seemed to have a good impression."

Helen said, "That's good, but the main focus has to be on promoting 'The Scorpion King.' That's the film that will give us the real capital to compete—assuming it's successful, of course."

That was the reality of the situation. She had done extensive groundwork, but if "The Scorpion King" flopped at the box office, neither Disney nor Jerry Bruckheimer would ever consider Matthew.

Still, all that preliminary work wasn't for nothing. The earlier she prepared, the more leverage they would have when the production started casting in the future.

Helen added, "The promotion for 'The Scorpion King' is about to begin. You need to cooperate with the production team. And Matthew..."She paused for a moment before continuing, "I'll use my connections at Disney to get you as much as I can, and I'll also find ways to influence Jerry Bruckheimer."

Matthew nodded.

They chatted a little more about work before leaving the cafe together. Helen returned to the Angel Acting Agency, while Matthew headed to a gun club near Malibu. He had an appointment with Nibora for some target practice and was also thinking about getting a firearms license to legally purchase a few guns.

Once in his car, he called James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. Both said they would definitely come to the premiere of "The Scorpion King" if their schedules allowed.

...

February flew by. Just as the industry experts had predicted, "Black Hawk Down's" climb to the top of the North American box office slowed dramatically after its earnings surpassed $80 million. The subsequent Academy Awards ceremony only yielded a minor gold statue for Best Film Editing.

Ridley Scott had once again been snubbed for Best Director, as if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences simply couldn't stomach the idea of an award-winning director who had built his career in advertising.

After the Oscars, the North American film industry quieted down, entering a relatively calm period. The months of March and April, sandwiched between the awards season and the summer blockbuster rush, were traditionally a dead zone for the market, a time when studios were hesitant to release their big-budget films.

Just a week after the Oscars, Universal Pictures released the trailer for "The Scorpion King" simultaneously across several television channels and official websites.

Matthew also received a copy of the trailer and, with the team's permission, uploaded it to his personal blog.

Shortly after posting it, he received a message from Ilana.

"Just watched the trailer. Looks good. You're in great shape."

After a moment's thought, Matthew typed back, "Do you think the trailer will draw people in like 'The Lord of the Rings' did?"

The trailer was heavily action-oriented, revolving around him as the main hero, with a few of Kelly Hu's seductive scenes sprinkled in.

"Hard to say." Ilana, a veteran entertainment journalist, replied, "These kinds of movies aren't really my thing. They're a bit too mindless."

Matthew was speechless, but he couldn't deny that Ilana was right. "The Scorpion King" was, at its core, an entertaining action flick that didn't require viewers to use their brains.

Ilana continued, "But I'm sure it will find its audience. There are plenty of people who just want to see epic spectacle in their movies."

They kept chatting, and when Ilana signed off, Matthew logged out of MSN and started browsing online for entertainment news related to the film.

It was a slow period for movie releases, but "The Lord of the Rings" had recently become a massive hit. The film by New Zealand director Peter Jackson had received unanimous praise from book lovers, fans, and critics alike, easily crossing the $300 million mark at the North American box office—a resounding success in terms of both ticket sales and word-of-mouth.

The film had also turned a whole group of actors into bona fide stars, like Orlando Bloom. His character, Legolas, had become arguably the most popular in the film, especially in the eyes of adoring young women, for whom he was the absolute embodiment of their fantasies.

Matthew did a quick Google search and came across a slew of news articles about Orlando, whom he had already identified as a potential rival, even if Orlando himself didn't know it.

The guy was definitely lucky. Right after graduating from drama school, he landed an audition for "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, met Peter Jackson—who was looking for non-stars due to budget constraints—and then shot to stardom.

It was an incredible stroke of luck, far better than his own.

Matthew looked at the image of Legolas on his computer screen and continued his earlier train of thought. It seemed he had two major opportunities on big productions.

With that in mind, he stood up from his computer as an idea flashed through his mind.

Then Matthew walked out into the yard. A cool breeze washed over him, clearing the slight dizziness from sitting in front of the computer for so long. Instantly, his mind felt sharp, and the idea that had just occurred to him became clearer and more distinct.

He sat down at the wooden table in the yard and considered it carefully.

He was well aware that Orlando Bloom was his biggest competitor if he wanted to land a role in "Pirates of the Caribbean." After all, Orlando was the one who played the blacksmith in the original timeline.

But what if Orlando's schedule didn't line up, or if he wasn't interested in the role?

Suddenly, crows cawed harshly from the nearby trees. A cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the moon, and the already unlit yard grew unusually dark. Matthew sat alone, frowning, right at the spot where the wooden table and chairs stood—and where a murder had taken place.

All at once, he shot to his feet and slammed his fist on the wooden table. "To hell with it! I'm going to try!"

Matthew stood up and strode toward the house, the gloomy darkness around him having no effect whatsoever.

Back inside, he found his phone and dialed Orlando's number, which was answered quickly.

"Hello, Orlando, it's me, Matthew."

"Hey, Matthew," Orlando replied. "What's up?"

Matthew asked, "Are you in Los Angeles?"

After getting an affirmative answer, he said, "I'm planning a party at my place this Saturday. Are you free?"

Hearing the question on the other end, he added, "No, not many people. Just Ben Foster, James, and a few others, all from the 'Black Hawk Down' cast."

"Alright," Orlando readily agreed. "I'll be there."

Matthew added, "I'll text you the address later."

Orlando then asked, "Can I bring a friend?"

"Of course, you can." Without a second thought, Matthew said, "The more, the merrier."

Afterward, they wished each other a good night and hung up. Matthew then called James McAvoy. They had gone for drinks at the Viper Room a few days ago, and James had mentioned he was staying in Hollywood and wouldn't be returning to the UK anytime soon.

Sure enough, James was still in Los Angeles. He certainly didn't turn down Matthew's invitation and even took it upon himself to call Michael Fassbender, who was also in town.

Matthew then called Ben Foster. After thinking for a moment, he dialed Josh Hartnett's personal number. Josh answered the call but politely declined the invitation, explaining that he had work over the weekend.

After all, Josh Hartnett wasn't really in their league. With two consecutive hundred-million-dollar films under his belt, he was a young actor who had gained serious momentum over the past two years.

Besides these people, Matthew had no one else to invite. It was, after all, a party thrown under the guise of a friends' get-together, so he couldn't invite people like Helen or entertainment journalists like Ilana.

The party was impromptu. He hadn't prepared for it and had no experience hosting parties at all.

However, that wasn't a problem for Matthew. He scrolled through his phone and found Lister's number. Part of Red Penguin Services' business was organizing parties of all kinds.