The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 470: Marvel Entertainment

"Matthew, let me introduce you."

At the table, Rachel introduced Matthew to a man in his thirties. "This is Kevin Feige."

Kevin extended his right hand to Matthew. "Just call me Kevin."

Matthew shook it. "A pleasure to meet you."

Then he added, "You can call me Matthew."

Kevin made an inviting gesture. "Have a seat, Matthew."

Ever attentive, Rachel pulled out a chair for Matthew. He sat down, his gaze fixed on Kevin Feige.

The man was middle-aged, slightly heavyset, with a face Matthew didn't recognize.

The name, however, felt vaguely familiar. Had he read it somewhere in an online gossip column? Matthew couldn't be sure. The only people in Hollywood who made a lasting impression on him were either silver-screen stars or superstar directors like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.

Rachel had mentioned yesterday that Kevin was a producer, but who really pays attention to the producer's name when they watch a movie?"I've wanted to meet you for a long time," Kevin began. "It's a shame I never had the chance before."

Matthew smiled. "Well, here we are."

Kevin smiled back. "Indeed."

He had high hopes for this meeting. The company behind him was in a precarious position, and the project had been on the verge of collapse several times.

Sure, Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise were big names, but Nicolas had been on a losing streak for the past two years, and Cruise's salary, which had already hit the Hollywood ceiling, was simply out of the question.

Matthew Horner, on the other hand, was a much better fit.

He glanced at Rachel, who, having climbed her way up from the bottom, knew her cue instantly. She stood up and said, "I'll go ask about dessert."

Kevin was far more direct than Rachel. The moment she was out of earshot, he said with a smile, "I believe she mentioned that I have a project that's currently in need of a male lead."

Matthew didn't take the bait, asking instead, "Which film company do you represent?"

Kevin answered immediately, "Marvel Entertainment."

"Marvel Entertainment?" Matthew’s mind instantly raced, connecting the dots.

Wildly successful superhero movies...

"Yes, Marvel Entertainment," Kevin said plainly. "Marvel is ready to get into film production, and I'm one of the producers on the first film project that Marvel will be producing independently."

Matthew had seen plenty of Marvel superhero films. Up until the first Avengers movie, they were fun to watch, but the later films felt less and less mature, almost becoming children's movies.

He recalled the Disney castle logo that appeared before every Marvel superhero film—it was the Walt Disney trademark. With Marvel being owned by Disney, it was no surprise they'd started making what were essentially kids' films.

Even the Pirates of the Caribbean series was trending toward a softer, more family-friendly version of itself.

Which superhero film had Marvel released around this time? He searched his memory. It seemed like Iron Man and The Hulk were the first ones out of the gate.

It couldn't be Iron Man, could it?

Matthew asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice, "What superhero movie are you planning to make?"

Kevin gave a prompt reply. "Iron Man. Tony Stark."

Matthew gave a slow, deliberate nod.

"We've been working on this film for years," Kevin added, noticing his thoughtful expression. "We plan to start shooting by March of next year at the latest, with a release scheduled for the summer of 2008. We are very sincere in asking you to play Tony Stark."

Tony Stark was undoubtedly a colorful character. If this had been two or three years ago, Matthew might have actually considered it, but now... well, it was best to forget it.

Matthew had thought Rachel would bring him an interesting project, but he never expected her to connect him with Marvel.

This was turning into a disappointing meeting.

"I'm sorry, Kevin." Matthew didn't want to waste anyone's time and refused outright. "I'm not interested in starring in a superhero film."

Being typecast was practically a given when you did a superhero movie. And even if you managed to avoid it, the role could still have a significant negative impact on your ability to land parts in other genres. It had happened with nearly every successful superhero movie.

As for the unsuccessful ones, just look at the years of fallout George Clooney faced after playing Batman, or Ben Affleck, who was still feeling the effects to this day...

A flop would be a massive blow to his career, while a success would hardly offer him more than what other films in different genres already could.

If he took the role of Tony Stark and the film became a hit, it was highly likely he would be confined to playing Iron Man, drastically reducing his chances of being cast in other types of big-budget films.

For the same potential payoff, why would he choose the riskier option?

He was a star with enormous box-office draw, and if things went well, he could make a play for true superstar status.

Even if Iron Man became as massive a success with him in the lead as it had in his past life, and Marvel went on to create The Avengers, he wouldn't become a genuine superstar. He'd just be a Marvel-branded star, completely tethered to their corporate ship.

He was, admittedly, a man with little culture or artistic taste, and he despised artsy films, but the thought of a future where he might be dancing around a villain in a metal suit held zero appeal.

Kevin hadn't expected such a firm rejection. He had hoped that with Rachel as an intermediary, they could have a more in-depth discussion before having to face Matthew's notoriously difficult agent.

Matthew had already discussed this exact scenario with Helen. In the end, he suspected that not even Marvel's top executives knew just how massive the superhero genre was about to become. But combining what Helen had told him with his own experiences in Hollywood over the past few years, he genuinely had no interest in starring in a superhero movie.

If he were in a position like Robert Downey Jr.'s... no, even Nicolas Cage's, then the advantages of starring in Iron Man would definitely outweigh the disadvantages.

But with his current standing, he didn't need Iron Man at all.

Though he was a quintessential commercial film star, he was one who had consistently maintained a high-profile image. Starring in a comic book movie would only damage his brand.

A top star's brand was directly tied to money.

The high salary a superhero film could offer wasn't significantly better than what he could get from other movies, and once his profile was lowered, it would become much harder to secure the most lucrative commercial endorsements.

The risks and rewards were simply not proportional.

Unless, of course, the rewards were so great that they completely dwarfed the risks...

Just as Matthew had this thought, Kevin spoke again. "Let's not be too quick to refuse, shall we?"

He opened his briefcase, took out a document, and placed it in front of Matthew. "The film has a confirmed production budget of 140 million dollars. And, if all goes well, your friend Rachel will be cast as the female lead."

Such terms were hardly enough to impress Matthew. He remained silent, preparing to say his goodbyes.

Kevin pressed on. "Matthew, both Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise have expressed their love for the role and want to play Tony Stark."

Matthew inwardly sighed. Kevin was just name-dropping Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise to elevate the film and the role of Iron Man.

As for whether Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise were actually interested, who could say?

"But Marvel Entertainment has put both of them on the back burner for now," Kevin said with an earnest expression. "Tony Stark, the protagonist, is rich, handsome, funny, and charming. Only you can make him appeal to a younger audience."

It sounded sincere enough, but Matthew couldn't quite pinpoint where the sincerity was. Perhaps Marvel Entertainment was truly in a tight spot, or perhaps they were trying to save as much money as possible. Maybe Kevin was saving the real offer for his agent, but his words had yet to touch upon the one aspect that would best demonstrate their sincerity.

Kevin was about to continue when Matthew raised a hand to stop him. "Kevin, I've read the Iron Man comics. I know a little something about the character."

"That's even better!" Kevin seized the opportunity. The film was too important to him and to Marvel to risk failure. If it flopped, Marvel's entire plan would have to be scrapped. "An Iron Man fan, playing Iron Man—"

"Kevin," Matthew interrupted him again, getting straight to the point. "How much is Marvel Entertainment prepared to pay me for the film?"

It might have seemed crass for the words to come from him, but there was no one else there, just the two of them, and he was growing accustomed to being direct.

If Marvel Entertainment could offer a 20+20 deal, then the risk would be proportional to the reward.

A few tens of millions of dollars would be enough to soothe his discomfort for a while.

To put it bluntly, the film didn't move him, but the money certainly could.