The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 764: Twilight Crisis

While negotiations with Paramount Pictures and Hasbro were still underway, one thing was crystal clear: as long as Matthew continued to star, he would also serve as a producer. By this point, it was an indispensable part of any deal involving him.

This arrangement would best protect his and his production team's interests.

Stephen Sommers was also set to be the lead producer on the G.I. Joe sequel.

Unlike the drawn-out negotiations with Matthew, Hasbro and Paramount Pictures moved quickly to secure Stephen Sommers, who officially signed on as both director and producer.

The first film had been a massive success, and both Hasbro and Paramount were eager to fast-track the sequel, targeting a release in 2011 or early 2012 at the latest.

Shortly after Stephen Sommers signed his contract, he informed Matthew that Hasbro had scheduled a meeting between him and Michael Bay.

"Hasbro's intentions were perfectly clear."

At Studio 13, Stephen Sommers set down his coffee cup and said to Matthew, "The whole point of the meeting is for me and Michael Bay to explore the possibility of a crossover between 'Transformers' and 'G.I. Joe'."

Matthew's interest was piqued. "So, how did it go?" he asked.

Stephen Sommers frowned slightly. "It's going to be tricky," he admitted. He paused, considering his words. "Especially the fight scenes. When the Autobots and Decepticons are in conflict, the G.I. Joe soldiers...""That's a good point," Matthew agreed with a nod. "In terms of sheer power, humans can't possibly compete with sentient machines."

That's a very difficult thing to balance.

"Michael Bay and I are on the same page about that," Stephen Sommers added. "Since both franchises are still developing independently, we thought it would be best to just add a few background elements and symbols— Easter eggs, really—to lay the groundwork for a potential crossover down the line."

He paused for a moment, then stressed, "But not too many."

"Stephen, I've got your back," Matthew said with a reassuring nod. "We're always on the same side."

Stephen Sommers looked visibly moved. "I've always been grateful to you. This time—"

Matthew held up a hand, cutting him off. "We're old friends, Stephen. You don't need to say things like that." He smiled. "Besides, would I even be here if you hadn't championed me back then? You gave me my first big break. Without the lead role in 'The Scorpion King,' the Matthew Horner of today wouldn't exist."

"You're giving me too much credit," Stephen Sommers replied with a modest smile. "With your talent, you would have found another opportunity even without 'The Scorpion King'."

The Matthew Horner he knew was genuinely loyal to his friends, but there was no denying he was also an incredibly calculating man.

But in Stephen's eyes, that didn't matter. What he saw was simple: Matthew wasn't just a business partner; he was a friend who would gladly offer a helping hand whenever it was needed.

That was a hundred times better than most people in this town.

He'd recently run into an old friend, Rachel Weisz, and she'd told him what she'd been through. According to her, Matthew had helped her out as well.

Stephen didn't press the matter, but he made a silent vow: if Matthew ever needed help and it was within his power to give it, he wouldn't hesitate.

***

After Stephen Sommers had left, Bella Anderson came into the office.

"I'm heading across the Pacific next week to start holding auditions." Bella sat in the chair opposite Matthew and asked, "Anything I should be aware of?"

Matthew considered it for a moment before cautioning her. "Don't talk about politics. Not American politics, not their politics. Just stay away from the topic entirely."

Bella nodded. "Got it."

"Also," Matthew continued, "if you run into any trouble you can't handle, contact Disney China. I'll have a word with Robert Iger. Disney has spent years building up its operations there and has an extensive network."

"Okay." Bella nodded again.

Matthew waved a dismissive hand. "That's it. Only call me if you hit a wall you absolutely can't get past."

"I'll be gone for a bit, so there are a few things here at the studio you'll need to keep an eye on," Bella said. She met his gaze and got straight to the point. "I spoke with James Wan yesterday. Production on the latest 'Saw' movie is wrapped, and it sounds like he's about to part ways with Lionsgate."

"I'll get in touch with him," Matthew said with a slight nod.

Bella stepped forward, retrieved a document from the pile on his desk, and placed it in front of him. "This was faxed over from Warner Bros. this morning. You haven't seen it yet, right?"

"No," Matthew shook his head. "I just got in, and Stephen Sommers showed up almost immediately."

"Take a look," Bella added. "It covers the main points of my recent negotiations with Warner Bros., along with the basic project details."

With that, she left the office.

Matthew opened the folder and skimmed its contents. The first installment of "The Hobbit" was titled "An Unexpected Journey." Peter Jackson and his wife were set to produce and direct, with a production budget of up to $180 million. Filming was slated to begin in 2010 or early 2011, aiming for a holiday 2012 release.

Studio 13 would take on twenty percent of the investment, a total of $36 million.

Unlike other outside investors, Studio 13 would be a co-producer on the film, entitling it to a proportional share of all revenue for the next fifteen years.

Studio 13 would not, however, own any rights to the film itself. Those belonged entirely to Warner Bros.

Matthew wasn't surprised. This was standard practice in the industry.

The document also noted that Peter Jackson had already been in contact with several actors from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and many were expected to return.

After reading through the file, Matthew decided to call Peter Jackson to get more details. Jackson confirmed he was keen on bringing back the Elven Prince but hadn't been able to get in touch with Orlando Bloom. He also mentioned he was wrestling with the idea of creating a new, powerful elf character.

He then reiterated his desire to create a new elf character specifically for Matthew.

Matthew remained noncommittal, saying he'd have to see the character design first. Jackson wasn't pressing the issue; after all, the project hadn't even entered pre-production. His plan was for this new elf character to make only a brief appearance in the first film, "An Unexpected Journey," just enough to introduce him to the audience and set the stage for a proper debut in the sequel.

Adapting such a beloved classic and adding a brand-new character was a massive undertaking.

Matthew was actually more interested in another role, vaguely recalling a human leader from "The Battle of the Five Armies" named Bard—a hero and a dragon-slayer. But Peter Jackson explained that "The Hobbit" films would be different from "The Lord of the Rings," with a much greater focus on the dwarves and elves.

Nevertheless, Matthew was still intrigued by what Peter Jackson might create with an original character.

In the weeks that followed, "Fast & Furious 5" and "G.I. Joe 2" both entered the early planning stages. Meanwhile, Matthew officially signed the deal with Warner Bros. on behalf of Studio 13 for "The Hobbit" films, and Peter Jackson began the process of adapting the book into a full trilogy.

Meanwhile, two other Studio 13 projects were also moving forward.

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" was set to be released in North America the weekend before Thanksgiving that year. With production on the film long since complete, Sofia Coppola, Stephenie Meyer, and the rest of the creative team had taken a short break before diving straight into writing the script and outlining the plan for the third installment.

Matthew's plan was to release a new "Twilight" film every year in the Thanksgiving slot for the next few years, effectively turning the holiday into an annual "Twilight" event.

Patty Jenkins had completed the screenplay for "The Hunger Games," and with funding now in place, the project had officially entered pre-production.

The production team, along with Patty Jenkins and the producers, began the casting process. The studio announced that it would hold extensive, open auditions for all the major roles, with a particular focus on finding the perfect actress to play the lead, Katniss.

For now, however, casting was a lower priority than other aspects of pre-production. Matthew planned to wait until after the release of "New Moon" before holding auditions for "The Hunger Games."

His reasoning was twofold. First, if "New Moon" was a success, it would attract more high-caliber young talent to audition for another of the studio's young adult franchises. Second, it would showcase the studio's star-making power, giving them more leverage to negotiate lower salaries for the young actors.

Although he was an actor first and foremost, when it came to the films he was funding, Matthew was no different from any other studio head, always looking for ways to keep actor salaries down.

This was especially true for young, relatively unknown actors.

Matthew oversaw these projects in a broad sense, hiring talented producers for each production to handle the day-to-day specifics.

Meanwhile, James Wan successfully concluded his contract with Lionsgate and was ready to embark on a new chapter of horror filmmaking with Matthew.