The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 611

Kathleen Kennedy must have known Richard Hanson had approached him. Though she didn't say so directly, she told Matthew she was keeping an eye on both "Twilight" and "Fast & Furious 4". If either film was completed and successfully released, she continued, he would become eligible to join the Producers Guild, at which point she would personally nominate him.

Matthew expressed his gratitude, adding that he was eagerly awaiting that day.

The Producers Guild was undoubtedly the pinnacle of the industry's various trade associations, representing the interests of both employers and workers.

The advantages of joining the Producers Guild were far greater than siding with the screenwriters' union.

Kathleen's call was an indirect signal that they were on the same side.

Matthew wasn't a screenwriter and didn't write scripts himself, but he understood the realities of the industry. Naturally, he had no intention of championing the screenwriters' cause.

So he did nothing, aside from having Helen issue a statement—just like the many other stars who publicly declared they would boycott the Academy Awards if the strike continued.

"By the way, did you see Emma Watson on your trip to London?" Helen inquired.

"Yes, I did," Matthew answered honestly. "We even had dinner together."

Helen gave a slight nod. "How does she feel about changing agents?"Matthew froze for a moment, then slapped his forehead. "I completely forgot."

"It's not important," Helen said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "When Emma comes to Los Angeles, you can invite her over, and I'll speak with her in person."

"No problem," Matthew readily agreed.

Helen took the initiative and changed the subject. "Many of the industry's major players are watching from the sidelines. The core of the Producers Guild is the big six Hollywood studios and some mid-sized production companies. We'll wait for them to sign an agreement with the Writers Guild before we sign our own."

Matthew had no desire to get involved in such matters. "I'll just watch from the sidelines and see how the Producers Guild handles the writers," he said.

Ultimately, the Producers Guild would have to compromise; a union strike was no laughing matter. Still, it was safe to assume the Writers Guild would never manage to increase its share of new media revenue from three percent to five percent.

They'd be lucky to see a one-percent increase.

Five percent was what the actors' and directors' guilds received, but just because they got it didn't mean the writers' guild would.

Although the Writers Guild, Screen Actors Guild, and Directors Guild were the three most recognized unions in Hollywood, no one ever argued that the Writers Guild was on par with the other two.

Helen added, "Stephen Sommers called me a couple of days ago. He said Paramount is willing to revise the script, but Hasbro hasn't said anything yet. Even if Hasbro agrees, it will be a long time before we can get started."

Matthew nodded. "I understand. The writers are on strike."

"Paramount is being sincere," Helen continued. "Not only did they agree to revise the script, but they also said they're willing to postpone filming for your sake to avoid a scheduling conflict with 'Fast & Furious 4'. Do you think the franchise could be as big of a hit as 'Transformers'?"

"It's possible." Matthew had no real idea how the film would perform at the box office.

He only remembered that "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" had been popular on pirate sites. After watching it in high definition online, he'd been impressed—except for the fact that the character Duke's role was far too small for a protagonist.

A typical popcorn flick like that shouldn't bomb at the box office, especially with the summer demand for pure entertainment.

Helen reminded him, "Paramount has decided to schedule the film for the weekend before Independence Day in 2009."

"That's a good slot," Matthew noted with a slight nod. "It's especially fitting for the film's theme."

After a moment of thought, he said, "Contact Paramount and Stephen Sommers. Tell them I'm interested, but I want to see the new script before we discuss any details."

He needed the role to be the undisputed lead, a character who dominated the screen, not just one of several main protagonists.

That was a non-negotiable condition. If other characters were going to eat into Duke's screen time, there was nothing more to discuss.

"When are you planning to get the two productions up and running again?" Helen asked.

Matthew answered, "New Year's is just around the corner. The original plan was to regroup after the holidays and then start holding auditions. As for the Writers Guild..." He waved a dismissive hand. "If they don't ask, we don't exist. If they do ask, we'll just pretend they didn't. And if they press the issue, we'll come up with some other excuse."

Helen nodded.

"If we get stuck, we can just blame David," Matthew said, considering who would make the best scapegoat. "I spoke with him last night, and he had a similar idea."

"It seems David couldn't care less about the writers' strike," Helen remarked, then suddenly recalled something else. "Oh, and Kristen Stewart's camp turned down 'Twilight' again. They sent back the script."

She advised, "Matthew, it's a teen romance with vampires and werewolves. The female lead just needs to be pretty."

Hearing this, Matthew propped his chin on his hand and fell into thought. Was Kristen Stewart pretty? He hadn't seen any of her other films; the only one that came to mind was "Snow White and the Huntsman."

"You thought Kristen Stewart was a good fit for Isabella Swan," Helen added. "The original author, Stephenie Meyer, however, felt that Emily Browning was a better match for Isabella..."

Matthew understood her point. After a moment of consideration, he said, "Since Kristen Stewart isn't interested, we shouldn't force the issue. I'll tell Sofia Coppola to hold auditions for a suitable actress once we're back in production."

Helen suggested, "Nina Dobrev would be a good choice."

Having returned from London without meeting the brilliant gymnast, Matthew considered for a moment. "Let Nina audition for the lead role," he decided.

"I'll get her ready," Helen replied.

With only two days left until New Year's, Matthew wasn't inclined to tackle any specific work. Both of his productions were on hiatus for the holidays, so there was no need to dwell on them.

The film "Hancock" was in post-production, a process entirely in Goldsman's hands that required no involvement from him as the lead actor.

"I Am Legend" was still dominating the box office. With no significant competition during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the film was set to remain the top earner in North America for a while longer.

"I Am Legend" was performing well overseas too, with distribution in over eighty countries. Like "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", it was slated for release in theaters across the entire Pacific Rim.

However, Warner Bros. hadn't scheduled any special promotional events for the region, and Matthew had no plans to travel. The New Year's break was short, and he would soon be preoccupied with his next two productions.

Helen also reminded him to personally call a fan named Phyllis Beretta. After receiving the house from Matthew, she had moved to Los Angeles, and Bella had recommended her for a job working on his official fan site.

The gift of the house had also effectively squashed the so-called racism rumors started by Spike Lee. According to a survey conducted by the Angel Agency, Lee's influence and support within the black community were in steady decline.

This was directly reflected in the audience for "I Am Legend," which saw the number of African-American moviegoers increase by nearly forty percent compared to the average for his previous films.

In other words, the black community had made a significant contribution to the film's box office success.

Then there was Plan B Entertainment. David and Matthew's representatives were still in contact with Andrew Stanton, but over time, Stanton had grown closer to Brad Pitt and his production company, which could offer him a larger investment.

Just before New Year's, right after Matthew and David had spoken with him, Disney Pictures announced that Brad Pitt's studio had officially partnered with them and Andrew Stanton. A major press conference was scheduled for the first day of 2008.