King of Hollywood
Chapter 517 - 238: One After Another

Chapter 517: Chapter 238: One After Another

As Adrian had predicted, "Legally Blonde" quickly gained momentum and secured over 32 million at the box office in its second week, accumulating over 50 million in North America in just ten days. This was undoubtedly great news for a low-budget film, especially since the movie had an engaging story, a common trait among all blockbuster films.

Similarly, Sarah’s cute and funny image was becoming increasingly accepted by more people, and the online disputes gradually subsided. She had her charming moments in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but the television show already had too many fans. After all, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was a cable TV show. If it had been as popular as "Friends" on network television, there’s no telling what might have happened. The debates about Aniston show no signs of ending.

Furthermore, Yukie was gaining some fans. She had played significant supporting roles in several popular TV series, and her role in "Legally Blonde" was quite eye-catching. An increase in popularity was expected, but it remained uncertain how many of these fans were Asian or Japanese. The movie’s reception in Japan after its release would be something to watch.

However, this did not prevent Yukie from continuing to stay close to Adrian. Even though she had made some friends during these past two years and occasionally attended parties and went out shopping, the role of personal maid had completely integrated into her heart. It was in the Japanese woman’s nature, plus being in a completely foreign country and a bit of subtle influence, Adrian had become everything to Yukie.

Adrian was very satisfied with her, but he was starting to have some trouble with Sarah. Sarah was happy now, and it seemed that her troubles had vanished, even the slight shadow that had lingered in her eyes was completely gone. If it had been possible to film "Legally Blonde" now, the results might have been even better. If it weren’t for her request, Adrian might have waited a while to release the edited MV on the official website of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

He had edited the MV himself, and after so many years with so much plagiarism from excellent films, he undoubtedly had some skills. The transitions in the scenes were sometimes lively and sometimes profound, perfectly matching the rhythm of the song and the message, otherwise, it would not have touched Sarah’s heart so easily. If it were put on the official website, it would undoubtedly cause a sensation.

Regrettably, that plan was now cancelled because he had agreed to Sarah’s request without hesitation. It was obvious, how could he say no to a delightful girl shedding tears of joy?

Well, although her request was a bit outrageous, it was nothing too big. Besides, Britney’s interpretation of the song wasn’t perfect yet. Her voice was still a bit too sweet. With some time spent practicing and understanding, perhaps she would sing even better in the future. As for the MV, that indeed posed a tricky problem. Even if the song was to be released, it would have to wait for quite a while. So, there was time to think about it, and at worst, they could just show a silhouette or something.

"Legally Blonde" was continuously gaining traction, and "The Matrix" was not falling behind either. In one month, it had garnered 180 million at the box office in North America! Although this was still slightly less than "Jurassic Park’s" 220 million, it had already surpassed the original’s total box office revenue in North America! It was evident how significant the influence of the Miracle Director was.

Similarly, the film was very well-received overseas, although it was further outpaced by "Jurassic Park 2" in terms of box office; however, its critical acclaim was significantly higher. For instance, some French critics held a cultural salon specifically for "The Matrix" to discuss the various philosophical and religious themes depicted in the film.

According to the information he had received, these critics and the typical fans analyzing details online were no different, focusing on the meanings of terms like "Matrix," "Neo," "Trinity," or what breaking through a window might represent. Especially those critics who had seen "Mulholland Drive" at the Cannes Film Festival, they were very eager to link the two films together. The only difference was that they had more influence than ordinary people.

Adrian’s reaction to this was simply to shrug. If they liked to pick apart details, then let them be. As long as it increased the film’s influence, he wasn’t bothered, even if some of these details meant nothing either in this version or the original.

However, what he hadn’t expected was that "The Matrix" would impact the production of another movie. Not every director could shoot a major production in two months like Adrian could. Thus, when "The Matrix" was released, "Swordfish" was just wrapping up. Then, director Dominic Sena came to seek his support, hoping to reshoot the film’s opening.

The reason was simple: the stunning bullet-time in "The Matrix" had fascinated him, and he wanted to incorporate it into his movie. However, since the film was nearly complete, even though the scene he planned did not require the main actors to be present, the costs for explosions and set designs were substantial. Thus, he had to ask for Adrian’s help.

Adrian agreed readily. After all, he wasn’t omniscient, and his attention to "Swordfish" was not sufficient. Often, he only thought about this movie because of Halle Berry. The Black Pearl impressed him a lot, so he naturally remembered the original "Swordfish’s" stunning opening. Now that Sena had reminded him, he was not going to miss out on this incredible shot.

As for the extra money spent, no worries, the original version would certainly recoup its costs unless it was extraordinarily unlucky.

The summer season continued, and AC Media’s film companies kept releasing movies. Although Wu Bage’s "Face/Off" was not as sensational as "The Matrix" or as profitable as "Legally Blonde," it was still welcomed by many. Wu’s tricks still had market appeal, and stars like Travolta and Cage were box office guarantees; the identity swap gimmick was also very intriguing.

Following that, Pixar’s "Toy Story 2" was also ready, backed by the success of the first film and the popularity of "A Bug’s Life," everyone was optimistic about this animated film. However, since its release was scheduled for the end of August, it clearly aimed to wrap up the summer season nicely, and another film, a romantic comedy, would fill the mid-season gap.

She pulled up her straps onto her shoulders, cupped her breasts in the mirror—to ensure her image was back to normal—then she pulled out a tiny spray bottle from her purse, sprayed some into her mouth to rid it of any taste, and afterwards, she fetched a tissue to wipe around her mouth and some spots she initially missed.

"Let me do that, there’s a bit left here." A hand reached from behind, took a tissue from her and started wiping her back.

"Is there a lot?" Julia asked calmly.

"Just a bit, don’t worry," Adrian answered. Even though she couldn’t see his face, Julia knew he was probably smirking triumphantly.

"It’s a good thing I pinned my hair up, otherwise who knows what would have happened," she said somewhat annoyed, "always spraying so high."

"That’s because your technique is impeccable," Adrian finally rose up from behind, smiling, indeed as smug as Julia had imagined.

Julia rolled her eyes at him through the mirror, but Adrian only intensified his teasing, "Actually, if you hadn’t spat it out, it wouldn’t have splashed elsewhere."

"Do you think it really tastes that good?" Julia turned and glared at him furiously, "Why don’t you try some?"

As she stuck out her tongue and leaned towards him, Adrian quickly stepped back, raising his hands, "I think I’ll pass, that was meant for you."

He paused, then flashed a mischievous grin, "Besides, not only is it nutritious, but I hear it’s good for beauty too."

Julia rolled her eyes at him again and didn’t actually move closer. Such talk was casual between them; in the past, she had said even more explicit and vulgar things, not to mention the nonsense during climaxes.

"Am I the best you’ve ever had?" she suddenly asked, tapping her finger on the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, certainly, without a doubt," Adrian said very seriously as he stepped forward, took hold of her waist with both hands, "I would like to do it again now, what do you say? We still have time."

"I’m tired," Julia hummed lightly, swatted his hands away, and turned to walk towards the door.

Adrian chuckled, shrugged, took a few steps forward to wrap his arms around her waist, and opened the bathroom door. Then, whispering in her ear, he said, "In that case, you can just lie in bed all day tomorrow."

Julia immediately coughed lightly, said nothing, and allowed him to hold her as they left the bathroom together. It was as empty as when they had arrived, and they walked towards the other end of the hallway. Just after they left, a small head peeked out around the corner, followed by another small head popping out above.

"Have they left?" the one above asked after looking around.

"Yes, I watched them leave. Ed was holding Aunt Julia very affectionately, even more than usual," the one below nodded in reply.

"Is that all?" Little Emma inquired.

"That’s all. What else did you expect to see?" Small Emma looked at her, puzzled.

"Um... never mind, it seems fine, let’s go back too," Little Emma thought for a moment, then stepped out from around the corner, a bit disappointedly.

"Go back now?" Small Emma, also stepping out, became even more puzzled. "Didn’t you say they were up to some mischief?"

"Um... this..." Little Emma fumbled awkwardly, scratching her head unsure of what to say. She was much more mature than Small Emma, obviously aware of what Adrian and Julia might be doing in the bathroom, but...

"I get it now," Small Emma suddenly clapped her hands. "Were they doing something bad in the bathroom just now?"

Then, looking unhappily at Little Emma, she said, "Then why didn’t you agree when I said we should sneak over and check?"

Immediately, she frowned again, "But what kind of mischief can one do in a bathroom?"

Watching the baffled Small Emma, Little Emma couldn’t help but roll her eyes, then pinched her cheek, "Alright, whether or not they were doing something bad, they’ve left now, and we should go back too. Otherwise, if they find out I’ve been taking you around, they might ground us again."

When it came to being confined, Small Emma’s face turned sour. Last time Little Emma took her to run around by the sea, she almost fell into the sea, which caused her aunt to fly into a rage. After being grounded and forbidden to even leave her room for almost a week, she naturally didn’t want to taste the same flavor again, so she quickly nodded her head, "Alright, let’s go back."

However, although Small Emma was not as clever as Little Emma, she always had an unyielding spirit, so she immediately asked, "Why do we have to follow them here?"

"Because I originally thought they were up to no good and wanted to see what mischief they were up to, but then I regretted it halfway through, so I stayed here hesitating until they came out. In the end, I saw nothing, so we just have to go back—Are you satisfied with this explanation?" Little Emma said with a cute, big roll of her eyes and a rapid speaking pace, her British accent making her sound like a chattering bird.

"Okay okay, as long as you’re right," Small Emma said, shrugging her shoulders habitually, even though she clearly did not understand.

Honestly, Little Emma did not know why she saw Adrian and Julia leaving one after the other in the screening hall and got the impulse to drag Small Emma along to follow them. Similar situations had been seen plenty of times either in the United Kingdom or here, and since the age of six she was no longer naive, unlike Small Emma, who was still quite oblivious.

But never before had she inexplicably followed them and then inexplicably returned, maybe because it was her first time attending a movie premiere? Or because Julia was indeed Small Emma’s aunt? Or... was it possibly because the privilege of sharing a bed with Adrian was soon to be no more?

In the screening hall, the movie had passed two-thirds, and the audiences’ soft laughter would ring out from time to time, with no one noticing Adrian and Julia’s departure and return—if anyone did notice, they wouldn’t care.

Even though "The Runaway Bride" had a slightly clichéd plot, it remained entertaining after being finely crafted. Romantic comedies never go out of style; the laughter in the room was the best proof. Moreover, after "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "My Best Friend’s Wedding," Julia had already become synonymous with this genre of films, and her image of independence fit well with how women in the 90s positioned themselves. George Clooney, though a late bloomer type of actor, still displayed fine acting skills, holding his own against the well-established Julia in comedic roles, ensuring the film was in good shape.

The reviews the next day and the opening weekend box office numbers proved it; the "New York Times" called the film a "deeply meaningful romantic comedy about finding oneself," and the well-known critic Duncan Bell praised Julia’s consistently independent style. Although some critics felt the female lead was too self-centered, portraying her as slapping someone then acting innocent, "The Runaway Bride," after releasing in 3000 theaters, garnered $35 million in three days. For a romantic comedy, these figures were quite remarkable, and Julia continued to maintain her leading edge.

But Adrian knew Julia was not content, so he had already prepared the last part of the quintet. Mid last year, he had approached Richard Curtis with a rough concept and promised if completed to his satisfaction, Curtis could be the producer and invite a British director. Since their initial collaboration on "Four Weddings and a Funeral" had gone well, Curtis quickly agreed, and in just over two months, Adrian received a charming, fairy-tale-filled script: "Notting Hill"!

With the script in hand, there was naturally no rush to shoot, though the behind-the-scenes preparations continued privately. It wasn’t until after the release of "The Runaway Bride" that he handed it to Julia, along with a contract offering a $20 million salary.

"With this, you’ll be the first actress to enter the $20 million club legitimately. Then, by 2000, I’ll place you on the throne, and your brilliance will be undeniable," Adrian said while kissing Julia, knowing she couldn’t resist, especially with the ’Miracle Director’ halo; she would obediently stay by his side.

Sometimes, Adrian felt he was no different from a big boss in games, very sinister and cunning, quietly taking away what should belong to others and exchanging a small favor for their gratitude. If there were any heroes in this world, they might have come to destroy him by now.

Unfortunately, this was not some RPG; this was the real world where fairness was relative. Just like when he decided he belonged at the front of the flock with strong, unyielding horns, why shouldn’t he contend for more? If he didn’t, then those behind would push him back.

You reap what you sow? What you get is what you pay for? Sorry, that’s utopia. So Adrian never felt uneasy; occasionally, he would reflect internally and quickly set it aside, then engage in some philanthropy. For instance, he had several funds under his name that supported novice screenwriters and directors. To succeed, one had to act as needed, hypocritical when necessary, but one must not deceive oneself. Carnegie’s enthusiasm for philanthropy did not prevent him from ordering his private army to shoot at the striking workers in his factories. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit qidian.com to cast your vote or monthly ticket, your support is my greatest motivation.)