The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 804: God's Favorite Matthew

As an investor in Iron Man 2, Matthew certainly wouldn't miss the premiere. However, he kept a low profile, striding down the red carpet without pausing for the press before heading straight into the theater.

At this point, Iron Man 2 hardly needed his promotion.

It was, without a doubt, one of the most anticipated films of the 2010 summer blockbuster season.

Back in 2008, the unassuming superhero film Iron Man had taken the world by storm, grossing nearly $800 million at the box office. It had also resurrected the career of Robert Downey Jr., pulling him from the brink and making him a Hollywood star once more. Now, two years later, Iron Man 2 was set to debut, and like any blockbuster sequel, it commanded the public's full attention.

"The film's success came as a pleasant surprise. I've been reading Iron Man comics for years, but I didn't overthink taking the role. It was just one of the many, many comics I read back in the day."

As he passed the interview area, Matthew caught Robert Downey Jr.'s voice. "You know," he was saying, "I actually love Batman more than Iron Man, but it doesn't look like Christian Bale is going to give me a chance to steal his part."

Matthew glanced over at Robert Downey Jr. Compared to just a few years ago, the man was now undeniably a bona fide Hollywood star.

Robert Downey Jr. deserved a great deal of credit for the franchise's success, though market factors had certainly played their part as well.

After a steady stream of superheroes who hid their identities, Tony Stark was a breath of fresh air.

There was perhaps no superhero more spontaneous than Tony Stark. Batman, Spider-Man, and the others were all forced to conceal their identities, burdened by childhood traumas and lingering shadows. Tony Stark, on the other hand, was a high-profile public figure with no interest in secrecy, completely at ease in the spotlight.He wasn't afraid to reveal who he was, even when it courted disaster, and he possessed a unique charisma that made him a perfect fit for Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. was Tony Stark, and as long as Iron Man 2 succeeded, that fact would remain unchanged.

The two shared so many qualities that Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark felt nothing short of perfect.

Matthew made his way into the theater's VIP lounge, which was already bustling with guests.

With The Avengers on the horizon, Marvel Studios' grand plans were no longer a secret, and more and more people were realizing just how valuable the Marvel brand had become.

"I heard Matthew Horner bought out Marvel stock from minority shareholders a few years back. Looks like he's made a fortune."

Matthew overheard snippets of conversation as he moved through the lounge, greeting people.

"A friend of mine at Marvel headquarters told me Horner made at least seventy million dollars from the first Iron Man film alone!"

"What? Seventy million? I've been a producer for nearly a decade, and I haven't made seventy million in all that time!"

"After getting his hands on Marvel stock, he also cut a deal with Disney. Now he's a Disney shareholder, too!"

Envy-laced whispers followed Matthew wherever he went.

"Even I'm getting jealous," Kevin Feige remarked, having overheard some of the comments. "Do you know what they're calling you? God's Favorite!"

Matthew shrugged. "What's there to be jealous of?" He made sure to add, "Don't forget, you're the one who led Marvel Studios to success."

Kevin gave a short laugh. "You and Disney are the bosses. I'm just a hired gun, unfortunately."

Hearing that, Matthew caught the underlying meaning in Kevin's tone. "Is something wrong?"

"I need your support, and Disney's," Kevin admitted, not bothering to hide his concern. "The creative committee at Marvel Entertainment is interfering more and more with Marvel Studios' work. They're demanding the films adhere more strictly to the comics."

Matthew frowned. "Don't they realize that movies and comics are completely different mediums?"

Kevin scoffed. "People who only see short-term gains don't care about that."

"Let the comic book guys meddle with filmmaking all they want," Matthew's position on the matter was crystal clear. "The movies will just end up being niche, fan-service projects."

Although he'd grown tired of the Marvel Studios formula, he couldn't deny that the films produced on that assembly-line model had once been incredibly profitable.

He hadn't invested in Marvel only to watch its profitable model be dismantled and see its effective leader pushed aside.

After all, who would idly invest tens, or even hundreds, of millions of dollars in risky, innovative superhero films, just to watch that money vanish into thin air?

Superhero films were born from comics, but they should never be bound by them.

Kevin made no attempt to hide his frustration. "Those people from the creative committee have already started getting their hands on Marvel Studios. Matthew, you and Disney are the investors here, and I hope you'll support me in cutting off their reach."

It was an internal corporate power struggle, something an outsider like Matthew would normally stay clear of. But with hundreds of millions—and potentially billions—of his dollars invested in Marvel Studios, he couldn't afford to stay on the sidelines.

He'd already heard whispers of this conflict, and there was no way he was going to stand by and do nothing.

After a decade in the industry, Matthew knew how to back the winning horse.

"Kevin, I'm on your side."

As a Hollywood professional, Matthew naturally sided with Kevin. "You have my full support," he assured him. "And I'll make sure Disney's on board, too."

Kevin gave a slight nod.

Matthew added, "I'll call Bob Iger and sort this out."

"Thank you so much," Kevin said.

Matthew smiled. "Don't mention it."

The two then turned their conversation to the film at hand. Both of them knew that if The Avengers was a massive success, all these problems would simply vanish. As the head of Marvel's superhero film division, Kevin would emerge the undisputed victor in any internal power struggle.

To put it bluntly, it all came down to profit. A successor who couldn't turn a profit was useless. That rule applied to everyone—if Kevin failed as the head of a Disney subsidiary, he'd be out, just as even Robert Iger would have to answer for failure at the top.

"Matthew, hi!" a female voice called out suddenly. "There you are."

Matthew turned toward the voice and saw Scarlett Johansson striding toward him.

Kevin lowered his gaze. "We'll talk later," he said quietly. "I should go."

With that, he slipped away.

Scarlett Johansson opened her arms for a hug, then asked curiously, "What were you and Kevin talking about?"

"A standalone film for Agent Natasha Romanoff," Matthew replied, only half-joking.

"Really?" Scarlett Johansson asked, not quite sure if he was serious.

"It's true," Matthew said with a smile. "Your character is incredibly popular."

He and Kevin had, in fact, just been discussing female-led superhero films. But while Black Widow was indeed a fan favorite, Marvel Studios had no immediate plans for her to get a standalone movie.

The truth was, Marvel Studios was wary of female-led superhero films, partly due to the box-office disaster that was Warner Bros.' Catwoman.

Scarlett Johansson just shrugged, then leaned close to his ear. "Are you free tonight?" she whispered.

"Of course," Matthew declared. "When the beautiful and sexy Ms. Johansson asks me out, I always have time."

He thought for a moment. "Meet me by the back exit after the premiere."

Scarlett Johansson's eyes crinkled in a smile. "See you then."

Having arranged to 'count the stars' together at Horner Manor later that evening, Matthew and Scarlett were about to head into the screening room when he spotted Helen approaching. With her was a man he hadn't seen in a long time: Clint Eastwood.

"Clint, hello," Matthew said, stepping forward to shake his hand. Clint Eastwood returned the handshake with a smile. "Matthew."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Matthew glanced around. With most of the guests already in the theater, their corner of the lounge was relatively private. He got straight to the point. "My company just acquired the film rights to a novel, and I'd like you to direct."

"Are you starring?" Clint Eastwood asked.

Matthew nodded. "I am." He gave a brief overview. "It's an autobiographical story about a soldier, a sniper."

Clint Eastwood considered this. "What's the timeline?"

"We're looking to start prep next year, or the year after," Matthew explained candidly. "My schedule is full this year."

He gave Helen a subtle nod. She opened the briefcase she was carrying and handed Clint Eastwood a copy of the book: American Sniper.

As Clint Eastwood took it, Matthew added, "That's the source material."

Clint Eastwood opened it, glancing briefly at the pages. "Let's talk more after I've had a chance to read it."

"Sounds good," Matthew replied with a smile.

The project couldn't wait forever. If Clint Eastwood wasn't interested, he would simply find another director.

Matthew had known Disney invited Clint Eastwood to the premiere, which was why he'd specifically asked Helen to come along.

Having planted the seed with Clint Eastwood about American Sniper, he and Helen headed into the theater.

The Marvel superhero films were drawing ever closer to the culmination of Phase 1, with Iron Man 2 set to feature Easter eggs teasing the arrival of both Thor and Captain America.