The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 645

A black Mercedes glided to a stop before an equally dark carpet. A security guard stepped forward and opened the door. Matthew was the first to emerge, his shoes touching down on the distinctive black carpet. He then turned back to the car and offered his hand like an English gentleman to help Emma alight.

At the suggestion of Warner Bros., the entire cast and all the premiere's guests were dressed in dark attire. Not only that, but the ubiquitous red carpet had been replaced with a black one.

Matthew wore a black Armani suit, while Emma, who held his arm, was dressed in a black gown specially prepared for her by Chanel.

"Let's go," Matthew said, turning his head to look at Emma. She offered him a slight, one-sided smile.

The pair ignored the near-frenzy of photographers and journalists, their cameras flashing relentlessly. They walked forward confidently, occasionally waving to the fans lining either side of the black carpet.

"This is the first time I've ever walked a carpet like this," Emma murmured to Matthew. "It feels like I'm at a memorial service."

Matthew lowered his voice as well. "In a way, you're right."

Emma gave a soft snort. "True respect would be letting the dead rest in peace."

Matthew had no reply. Emma's words made perfect sense, but such sentiments were an impossible luxury in Hollywood.

While Warner Bros. hadn't explicitly stated that the black carpet was a tribute to Heath Ledger, it was an appropriate choice regardless. "The Dark Knight" was designed to have a much darker style, and the somber aesthetic fit perfectly.Matthew and Emma moved quickly down the black carpet and into the designated interview area, where they were immediately swarmed by a throng of reporters.

"Mr. Horner, Miss Watson, are you dating?" one reporter called out immediately.

Emma answered before Matthew could. "Matthew and I have been friends for years—I've known him since I was eleven. I only recently arrived in Los Angeles, so I asked him to bring me to the premiere."

Unconvinced, the reporter pressed, "Matthew, is that true?"

Matthew seconded Emma's statement. "It's true. We've been good friends for a long time."

With that, he stopped addressing the reporters and guided Emma toward the theater entrance.

The pair ascended the theater steps and slowed their pace. Emma glanced back over her shoulder. "I don't think they're convinced," she said.

Matthew replied nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter. Any woman I'm seen with becomes fodder for their gossip columns."

"And you have only yourself to blame for that," Emma teased.

Matthew just gave a slight shrug, offering no response. The roar from the crowd behind them suddenly intensified, and he turned to see which star had just arrived. "Are you leaving tomorrow?" he asked, turning back to her.

Emma nodded. "I need to study for my exams. If I don't do well, I won't get into a good university."

Matthew declared, "The life of a student is a world of pain."

Yesterday, she'd mentioned that she was aiming for Cambridge, Oxford, or an Ivy League school in the States, and she had seemed quite confident about her chances.

The roar from the far end of the black carpet grew louder, and Matthew saw Morgan Freeman and his granddaughter, E'dena Hines, making their way down. Rumors of an incestuous relationship between them had been circulating for years.

"Is it true about them?" Emma asked curiously, having spotted them as well.

Matthew shook his head. "I don't know."

Then he added, "But Hines isn't his blood granddaughter."

The stir caused by Morgan Freeman and his granddaughter quickly subsided as Heath Ledger's parents stepped onto the black carpet.

Fans on both sides raised their Joker posters, and a sudden hush fell over the clamorous area in front of the theater. It was as if everyone, in that moment, was honoring the memory of the late Heath Ledger.

Though he could no longer be there to attend the premiere, Heath Ledger had stolen the show.

"Come on," Emma said, nudging Matthew. "Let's go inside."

Matthew followed her into the theater. "Warner Brothers just gave all of Hollywood a textbook lesson in promotional marketing," he remarked as they walked.

"But it's not an advantage every film company has," Emma pointed out.

"True," Matthew agreed. "You can't exactly kill off your lead actor just to promote a movie."

As they headed for the VIP lounge, he asked, "Emma, have you given any thought to USC's film school?"

Emma shook her head. "I have, but I think getting into Oxford or Cambridge would be better for me."

They entered the VIP room, and Matthew began pointing out various stars to Emma—who he was certain would be working in Hollywood one day—and introducing her to a number of people.

"Hello, Charles."

Matthew led Emma over to Charles Roven. "Emma, this is Charles, one of Hollywood's most acclaimed producers."

"Don't exaggerate," Charles remarked modestly, shaking Emma's hand.

Just then, a man approached and greeted Charles first. "Hello, Charles."

He then nodded to Matthew. "Hey, Matthew."

Matthew extended his hand to Will Smith. "Hello, Will."

Will Smith shook Matthew's hand, then turned his smile on Emma. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Watson. I'm Will Smith."

"Hello," Emma replied with a characteristically English reserve.

After a few pleasantries, Will excused himself and moved on.

"Charles," Matthew asked, his tone casual, "do you know Will well?"

"Not really," Charles replied.

Emma shot Matthew a curious look before saying to Charles, "It seemed like Will Smith came over specifically to greet you."

Matthew couldn't help but sigh inwardly at Emma's perceptiveness; she had clearly guessed he was fishing for information about Will.

Charles didn't seem to mind and explained casually, "Matthew, you remember that project I mentioned a while back?"

"Green Lantern?"

"Yes, Green Lantern." Charles smiled. "We've closed a deal with Will Smith for the lead role."

"So that's it." Matthew nodded, then added, "Congratulations, Charles. You've landed a star with huge box office appeal."

Charles shook his head. "He's no Matthew Horner."

Matthew just laughed and brushed off the compliment. He changed the subject and chatted with Charles a bit longer, then, seeing it was time, he and Emma headed into the screening room.

The screening began shortly after, and following the dark opening credits, the Joker appeared on screen.

The stringy hair, the white face, the dark circles around his eyes, the luridly red lips and scars, the terrifying gaze, the chilling laugh, and the flecks of spit that flew from his mouth when he spoke—the image was complete.

The line between good and evil was blurred. Batman, the Dark Knight representing justice, was so helpless against the Joker's onslaught that he was forced to surrender in the end. And Harvey Dent, the White Knight and prosecutor who also embodied justice and was Bruce Wayne's greatest hope, was transformed by hatred and fire into Two-Face, a man who relied on the flip of a coin to decide whether people lived or died.

Christopher Nolan retained what little was left of the comic book origins, but "The Dark Knight" was an absolutely realistic crime film—unbearably serious, unbearably dark, and even unbearably tragic.

Batman wins his personal battle with the Joker but loses the war for Gotham's soul. The consequences of Harvey Dent's fall are horrific, and to salvage the situation, Batman takes the blame for Harvey's murders, becoming an object of scorn—a true Dark Knight.

The righteous Batman ends up a fugitive, hunted for crimes he didn't commit. Two-Face, the man who lost his true nature, is immortalized as a hero. And even the depraved Joker is left triumphant in his own way, smugly victorious.

Following the film's release, a string of staggering box office numbers began to roll in.

The film opened in 4,466 theaters across North America, a record for the widest release in history. It set a record for midnight screenings, grossing $18.5 million, and on its official opening day, it brought in a staggering $66.4 million, breaking the single-day box office record of $59.8 million set by "Spider-Man 3" the previous year.

Over its opening three-day weekend, "The Dark Knight" grossed $158.1 million, setting a new opening weekend box office record in North America.

Christopher Nolan, too, emerged as a major victor from the film's success.