novelraw Chapter 641
Chapter 641
After the Independence Day holiday weekend, the buzz surrounding
"Hancock" began to noticeably fade. Its daily earnings dropped below the $10 million mark, pulling in $9.8 million on Monday, the first workday after the holiday. It saw a slight improvement on Tuesday with $10.2 million but dipped below $10 million again on Wednesday, taking in just $8.9 million.
According to CinemaScore polls, the film received a B+ from audiences, with projections that it would ultimately gross around $300 million at the North American box office.
The major media outlets were surprisingly unanimous in their assessment of "Hancock's" box office performance.
"This is a true superstar's box office! Matthew Horner is single-handedly carrying 'Hancock'!" - Los Angeles Times
"'WALL-E' has seen a significant drop but is still performing better than expected. 'Hancock' is a mediocre film on its own, but Matthew's commercial appeal is just too powerful!" - The New York Times
"Matthew Horner should ask Warner Bros. and the 'Hancock' team for a raise, since he's almost entirely responsible for the film's box office draw." - New York Post
"Matthew is exactly the kind of actor any studio or director dreams of having. His name alone guarantees a box office draw, no matter what film he's in!" - Vanity Fair
As "Hancock" entered its second weekend, its main competition was "Mamma Mia!" starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep.
This was also the final weekend Warner Bros. would be heavily promoting "Hancock," as their primary marketing efforts would shift to Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" the following week."The Dark Knight," already hailed as the number one hit of the summer, was a massive event for Warner Bros. and its cast and crew, largely due to the tragic passing of Heath Ledger. The shock of the star's death, amplified by a colossal promotional machine, had already inspired countless fans to organize massive tributes to Ledger even before the film's release.
A star actor is a powerful promotional weapon for a Hollywood film when alive—and becomes even more potent in death.
Matthew was well aware of the powerhouse that was "The Dark Knight," set to premiere the following weekend, so he was pulling out all the stops to give his own film one last major push.
This week, he had been a whirlwind of activity, making incredibly high-profile appearances before the public and the media.
On Monday night, a grand party was held at Horner Manor, where Matthew hosted a dinner for friends like Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Charlize Theron, and Michael Fassbender, as well as executives from Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Walt Disney.
On Tuesday, he appeared at a Los Angeles medical center specializing in pediatric leukemia, donating $1.5 million to the center and the dozens of children undergoing treatment there on behalf of the Matthew Horner Foundation.
On Wednesday, Matthew joined a number of Hollywood stars at the Women's Rights March in Los Angeles. He delivered a speech at the post-march conference, calling for, among other things, effective improvements in the status of women and the protection of their legal rights.
On Wednesday evening, the Matthew Horner Refugee Fund announced via its official Twitter account that it would be raising over $3 million in donations and goods for African refugees, a move that generated significant interest and hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations that very night.
On Thursday, he was scheduled for a live-streamed interview.
The interview had been arranged by TMZ—a first for the outlet—and was being overseen directly by Ilana.
As a friend and partner of many years, Matthew had accepted Ilana's invitation for the interview.
Of course, the interview couldn't be too gossipy.
In the break room next to the studio, Ilana paced beside Matthew. "So, that's the basic rundown," she said.
They had just gone over the general topics for the interview.
Ilana pulled out a chair, sat down opposite Matthew, and remarked, "I've been watching your activities this past week. Sick children, women's rights, refugees... you haven't missed a single demographic."
Matthew replied without a hint of shame, "I'm a champion for the rights of children and women, for freedom and equality."
Ilana rolled her eyes. "If this whole Mercedes-Benz spokesmodel thing doesn't work out, are you planning on becoming a full-time environmental crusader?"
"I wouldn't want to steal Leonardo DiCaprio's gig," Matthew shot back.
Everyone in Hollywood knew that Leonardo DiCaprio was the industry's number one environmental crusader.
"The live stream is starting," Ilana announced, taking the lead and heading toward the web interview studio.
Matthew followed her. Upon entering the studio, he waited in a designated area by the entrance for his cue.
When the time came, the web interview officially began at the director's command.
Matthew didn't speak right away, however. A host from TMZ named Julie Vurst was delivering the introduction.
TMZ had clearly prepared to lay the praise on thick for Matthew.
"Time magazine described Matthew Horner's acting career as both dazzling and astonishing; Forbes called him
'the last of the true movie stars.' After years in the business, no matter how solitary his characters may be on screen, off screen, Matthew always brings joy to those around him. In the face of his overwhelming number of fans, this icon has always been polite and gracious, enveloping the public in his warm, spring-like aura."
Julie spoke eloquently into the camera used for the web broadcast, and Matthew couldn't help but feel a sense of unfamiliarity with the person she was describing. Was that really him?
"In 2007, Newsweek named Matthew 'Hollywood's Most Influential Actor.' He himself joked that he wanted to become President of the United States within ten years and be 'The Most Influential Person in the World.' It sounds completely outrageous, but we don't think it's impossible!"
At that moment, Julie gestured toward Matthew and raised her voice. "As a young man, he aspired to become a 'terrific movie star'—and we think he's succeeded! Please welcome... Matthew Horner!"
Following Julie's introduction, Matthew walked to the center of the set, shook her hand, and waved to the camera with a smile before taking a seat on the sofa.
The interview room was simple, featuring only a TMZ backdrop, two sofas, and a small glass table between them.
Julie sat on the sofa opposite Matthew.
"Matthew, thank you for agreeing to do this interview with us," she began with a smile.
"It's an honor," Matthew replied politely. "And I thank
TMZ for the opportunity."
As planned, Julie asked, "We all know you have a number of major productions in the pipeline. Do you have any other films coming out after 'Hancock'?"
"'Hancock' was actually filmed last year," Matthew explained, first addressing the film currently in theaters before shifting focus to his next two projects. "The next film I'm starring in is
'Fast & Furious 4,' which is scheduled for release next summer. However, there's a film I invested in that will be coming out this year during Thanksgiving—'Twilight,' based on the bestselling novel by Stephenie Meyer."
"What was your role on that film?" Julie asked, playing her part perfectly.
Matthew answered honestly, "I was one of the producers."
Julie immediately followed up, "I'm curious, you're involved in both acting and producing. How do you communicate with the director when you're on set? Is it like Michael Jordan having a coach?"
"I think the most important thing in making a film is to assemble a good team," Matthew said, sidestepping the analogy since he knew nothing about basketball. "A successful film involves the work of thousands of team members. So, my job is simply to deliver the best version of myself, in whatever state the director and the script require."
"Right now, 'Hancock' is a box office hit," Julie continued. "We know that filmmaking is a risky business, but looking at your resume, your success rate is definitely above average. Every one of your films is a box office smash. What's the secret?"