The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 639

"My new project is based on a DC comic."

In the lounge of the Angel Agency, Goldsman handed two identical comic books to Matthew and Helen. "Like the last few films we’ve worked on together, this is still a story about heroes and redemption."

Matthew took the comic book. It was titled "Jonah Hex."

The name was obscure. Even though he’d spent time brushing up on his comic book knowledge, especially with the recent emergence of the Avengers and Justice League universes, Jonah Hex was still unfamiliar to him.

Helen glanced over at him, and Matthew slowly shook his head, signaling his lack of interest. Still, out of politeness, he opened the comic book and began to flip through it.

The two parties had worked together on three consecutive films and were on very good terms, so instead of rejecting the offer outright, Helen asked, "Could you tell us a bit more about it?"

Goldsman replied, "I'm working with Warner Bros. on this film, and two actors are already confirmed." He glanced at Matthew as he continued, "Megan Fox has been cast as the female lead, and Michael Fassbender is in a supporting role."

Matthew didn't think much of the first name, but he was surprised to hear that Michael Fassbender had been cast in a supporting role.

He didn't let it show, however.

"The director and production budget haven't been confirmed yet." Goldsman smiled. "But if Matthew signs on as the male lead, it won't be hard to secure a production budget of over one hundred million dollars."Helen inquired, "I'm not familiar with the name Jonah Hex. Is he a superhero?"

Goldsman hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Hex has also appeared in the Batman comics."

Helen stated, "I'm sorry, but Matthew doesn't do superhero films."

Matthew nodded. "Helen's right."

Goldsman frowned slightly. "Jonah Hex isn't a typical superhero. He's unconventional, an anti-hero—independent, untamable, a loner—unlike any other character in comics."

He said cautiously, "For that reason, I didn't want to make a generic blockbuster out of it. I wanted the film to have its own unique identity."

"When is the film slated for release?" Helen asked.

"A summer 2010 release," Goldsman answered quickly. "Filming would be in the first half of next year, I expect."

Helen adjusted her glasses. "There's some news that hasn't been made public yet. Matthew has signed on with Warner Bros. for the male lead in Christopher Nolan's new project, which directly conflicts with the schedule for your film."

Goldsman, who had been planning to leverage Matthew's involvement to secure funding from Warner Bros., was caught off guard by the news. "In that case..."

Matthew added, "I'm sorry, but I really don't want to do a comic book superhero film. Besides, I promised Christopher Nolan I'd be fully prepared for his new movie."

Seeing that it was no longer an option, Goldsman fell silent for a moment before sighing. "That's a real shame."

Matthew put on a sincere expression. "We're both working in this town. There will be plenty of opportunities to work together in the future."

Goldsman replied, "That's true. When the right project comes along, we'll work together again."

He knew perfectly well that with Matthew's current status, no one could force him to take a role he didn't want.

After some more small talk, Goldsman took his leave.

After seeing Goldsman out, Matthew called Michael Fassbender, who confirmed that he was indeed set to be in the film and had already finalized a contract with Goldsman's team.

Knowing that Goldsman had approached Matthew for the lead, Michael urged him to make the decision that was best for his own career and not let his own supporting role influence him.

Matthew immediately told Michael that he had turned down the project.

Putting aside his aversion to superhero roles, the simple fact that the project didn't resonate with him at all meant he could never have accepted Goldsman's offer.

Helen told Matthew, "Your schedule is very tight. I'm currently in negotiations with Paramount Pictures for you, and if all goes well, you'll sign by September. After that, you'll probably have to go shoot 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,' which will be followed by the promotional tour for 'Twilight.'"

Her voice was as steady as ever. "Next year, you'll need to clear your schedule to prepare for 'Inception.' Christopher Nolan is planning to shoot on location in seven or eight countries, including Japan, France, Switzerland, the UK, and Egypt. He's known for his practical effects and will avoid shooting in front of a green screen, so it wouldn't be unusual for the shoot to be extended and take up the better part of a year."

Matthew nodded. "I know."

Helen continued, "You'll also be involved in the promotion for 'Fast & Furious 4.' If the film meets our minimum expectations, they'll start prepping a sequel immediately. And another thing—I'd advise against working with Goldsman for now. The quality of 'Hancock' was worse than I expected."

She shook her head. "Let's wait and see about the quality and market reception of this 'Jonah Hex' first."

"I understand," Matthew agreed.

In a way, he was just like Helen: extremely self-interested and unwilling to take unnecessary risks with his future.

The fan reaction to 'Hancock' had been far less favorable than it was for 'I Am Legend.'

Things like Rotten Tomatoes scores and other critics' ratings didn't mean much to Matthew, but the market's reaction and fan audience scores were still something worth monitoring from time to time.

'Hancock's' IMDB rating was a 7.2, its CinemaScore was a 'B+,' and its MetaCritic score was 63—some of his worst numbers in recent years.

Of course, for a summer blockbuster, 'Hancock' was still a decent enough film, and fans were drawn in by Matthew's star power. The internet was full of support for him.

Furthermore, the fan support networks had been mobilized. Organized groups of fans descended upon forums and rating sites, leaving glowing reviews wherever the film was mentioned.

The blogs and social media accounts of critics who gave the film a bad review were practically overrun by his fans.

"'Hancock' is a commercial film meant for entertainment. I'm pretty sure every homeless person on the street knows that, except for you, you hack critic!"

"The film's opening day box office speaks for itself! Who dares say this is a bad movie?"

"From a script and directing perspective, think about the usual superhero formula for Superman or whatever: hero appears, writer throws in some conflict, and the last act is a ten-minute CGI slugfest between good and evil before everyone goes home. But this movie totally subverts that genre. On the surface, it seems like it's about a mortal Superman, but it ends up being this really sad love story. Or maybe the crew just managed to pull off both. At the end of the day, it's a blockbuster, and for a blockbuster, the story is exactly what it needs to be."

This is the season when people go to the multiplex for pure entertainment.

And so, 'Hancock' continued to score big at the box office.