The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 762

David Heyman had previously expressed interest in Guillermo del Toro directing the series, but the Mexican filmmaker chose to finish his "Hellboy" franchise instead.

The Harry Potter series had already reached its final stages of filming, with the entire story nearing its conclusion.

The most telling sign was that even Matthew felt comfortable being seen openly with Emma Watson, which highlighted a crucial point.

The franchise and its audience had to come to terms with the fact that both the characters and the actors had grown up.

Ever since the massive success of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," Warner Bros. had treated the series as its flagship brand, investing more in each subsequent film than the last.

The Harry Potter film series had always maintained a high standard of visual effects, crafting exceptionally mysterious and enchanting imagery that never disappointed in terms of cinematography, lighting, or special effects. Each installment brought technical advancements, and this one was no different. The visual palette of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was dominated by darker tones, fully immersing the audience in its world.

To a certain extent, both the plot and the style of the film demonstrated a clear shift toward mature themes.

The main characters had grown up; they couldn't remain in the innocent, idyllic world of childhood forever.

Frankly, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was no longer a film purely for children.

The predominantly gray and cold tone of the film felt far from childish, and the relationships between the characters had grown more complex.Matthew still remembered Emma Watson mentioning that with the Harry Potter series winding down, the lead actors would have to start looking for other projects.

He suspected that few of the young actors from the Harry Potter series would succeed on that difficult path of transformation.

Even Emma Watson, who was widely considered to have the most promising career ahead of her, would face many challenges.

It was similar to how Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr. were forever identified with Captain Jack Sparrow and Iron Man, respectively, no matter what other roles they played.

And as for Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who played Harry Potter, he would be equated with the character for a long time to come, whether he liked it or not.

"Even with the title of UN Ambassador for Children and Women, I'm still the face of Chanel."

Emma Watson was completely clear-eyed about her situation. "It's going to be difficult for me to transition successfully," she told Matthew in the car on their way back to Horner Manor after the premiere.

Matthew considered this for a moment. "If you're interested," he offered, "you could always take a few roles in my films."

Emma turned to look at him, her mind instantly racing. It was no wonder all the actresses and models who'd had brief flings with him spoke so highly of him. Beyond the physical and emotional satisfaction, he also helped their careers...

He really was the perfect lover.

"But..." Matthew added with a deliberate pause, "the pay won't be very high."

Emma smiled. "If I run out of options in the future, I'll definitely take you up on that."

Matthew nodded. "Let me see... what kind of role would suit you?" He paused for a few seconds. "A strong, skilled woman with an independent spirit. Post-apocalyptic setting. A few scumbags try to corner you, and you just grab an axe and chop off all their heads."

Hearing this, Emma gestured to herself. "Are you sure you're talking about me?"

Matthew laughed and stroked her hair. "You can be Hermione Granger, and I'll be Voldemort."

Emma was puzzled. "Are you going to star as Voldemort?"

Matthew shook his head and leaned in to mutter to her. The corners of Emma's mouth began to twitch, then tremble, until she finally muttered, "You have so many fetishes."

***

The day after the premiere, Emma left North America for East Asia and other regions to continue the promotional tour for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" went into wide release. While it didn't resonate perfectly with audiences—earning a "B" on CinemaScore—the franchise had built such a massive fanbase that even if the film had a problematic theatrical run, it was guaranteed not to get a cold reception in its opening week.

Besides, everyone knew the end of the series was just around the corner, thanks to the massive hype campaign from Warner Bros.

Unsurprisingly, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" easily dethroned "G.I. Joe" over the three-day weekend, claiming the top spot at the North American box office with a haul of $77.8 million.

G.I. Joe dropped to second place, earning $18.2 million for the weekend.

The film's North American total reached $212.8 million. It was sure to cross the $250 million threshold, but breaking the $300 million barrier would be a struggle.

With "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" out of the way, there were no other major commercial blockbusters scheduled for release in North America until August. This meant "G.I. Joe" wouldn't face another competitor of that magnitude, giving it some breathing room in the market.

On the other hand, the summer movie season was drawing to a close. The enthusiasm, energy, and wallets of moviegoers were nearly depleted, making it hard to predict how much appetite they would have left for a pure popcorn flick like "G.I. Joe," which was one of the last big releases of the season.

Still, the film's success was undeniable.

Even if its domestic run couldn't cover the budget. For a project of this scale—much like "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" with its $250 million production cost—turning a profit from theatrical receipts alone was unrealistic.

The box office receipts of a Hollywood blockbuster, in many cases, make up less than forty percent of the total revenue.

The real money was in the ancillary markets.

Of course, this was all predicated on box office success. If a film bombed, its ancillary rights might not sell at all.

"G.I. Joe" was still in theaters, and negotiations for television rights, online streaming, and home video distribution were still underway at Paramount Pictures. It was impossible to calculate the total revenue until those deals were finalized.

However, one stream of ancillary income was already proving to be staggering.

Hasbro had used Matthew's likeness to create a new line of products for the character Duke—action figures, bobbleheads, toys, and more. Even the character's design in the comics had been subtly altered to match.

According to the latest data, in just three weeks since the film's release, over 10 million units of the new Duke action figures, dolls, toys, and other related merchandise had been sold. In North America alone, sales had already surpassed $115 million!

And that was just from a fraction of the total merchandise.

Hasbro's third-quarter revenue skyrocketed, and its stock price soared along with it.

Matthew was a major beneficiary as well. According to his licensing agreement with Hasbro, he was entitled to a twenty percent share of the gross revenue from all products that used his likeness.

In addition, he was also entitled to varying percentages from other streams of merchandise revenue.

With the North American box office now over $200 million and the global take exceeding $500 million, Helen ran some preliminary but thorough calculations. She estimated that Matthew's total earnings from the film would be at least $80 million.

Meanwhile, "Fast & Furious 4," in which he also starred, was still in theaters. Since the release of "G.I. Joe," it had managed to hang on in the top five at the North American box office for three consecutive weeks. Its current domestic gross stood at $343.8 million, with a worldwide total exceeding the $750 million mark.

These were the kinds of results Matthew was counting on.