As soon as Matthew stepped out of the Hollywood Theatre at Disneyland, he was immediately surrounded by a group of reporters. One of them quickly shouted, "Mr. Horner, at the end, both Will Turner and Jack Sparrow are swallowed by the Kraken. Are these two characters dead?"
The other reporters shot the inquisitor a glance. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" had left a cliffhanger ending. If the two main characters were indeed dead, what would happen to the upcoming "At World's End," which was still in post-production? Was Elizabeth Swann supposed to carry the entire film by herself?
The question was utterly foolish.
Matthew didn't respond. Questions that involved spoilers were ones he couldn't and wouldn't answer. Shielded by Brown Williams and a few other bodyguards, he walked straight into the Movie Technology Museum across the street and then got into a Mercedes-Benz parked at the side door. Helen Herman was waiting for him inside.
"Let's go," instructed Brown Williams to the driver from the front passenger seat. "Back to Beverly Hills."
He glanced at Helen Herman through the rearview mirror and raised the partition between the front and rear seats.
"Has the house in Beverly Hills been renovated?" Matthew asked.
Helen Herman replied, "It was completed last week."
Matthew adjusted his seat and inquired, "Are we waiting a bit longer before moving in?"
Helen Herman nodded slightly.
Earlier this year, she had purchased a detached villa in Beverly Hills. Although not exceedingly large, it was still quite luxurious.
In recent years, Matthew had earned tens of millions of dollars from film production and endorsement contracts. Helen Herman, as his agent, had also amassed considerable income, not to mention the earnings from other actors under her management.
Switching to a serious tone, Helen Herman said, "Before the movie started, I had a brief chat with Robert Iger. He gave me some bad news."
Matthew turned to look at her as she continued, "You wanted to take advantage of the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' premiere to visit the other side of the Pacific, but it seems that's not happening."
"Oh?" Matthew was puzzled for a moment before he caught on. "Did 'Dead Man's Chest' not pass the censorship over there?"
Helen Herman nodded again. "Robert Iger told me it didn't pass. 'Dead Man's Chest' won't be shown in theaters across the Pacific, so the premiere there is canceled."
Matthew shook his head slightly, but he didn't say much. This sort of situation was nothing unusual to him.
Helen Herman, on the other hand, couldn't understand. "This is a family-friendly film aimed at younger audiences. How could it not pass? Their standards are so confusing."
Thinking about the just-screened "Dead Man's Chest," Matthew said, "It's probably the demonic appearances of Davy Jones and his crew that were problematic."
Not allowing such demonic creatures on the big screen seemed reasonable, didn't it?
Helen Herman still couldn't wrap her head around it. "But this is a family film."
Matthew shrugged. "I'm baffled too."
In any case, whether in the past or now, he had no way of knowing the exact censorship standards. Most of his information was hearsay and unreliable. He didn't understand the precise criteria of their reviews.
If there were clear standards, filmmakers would have a better idea during production, similar to how the MPAA defines PG-13 and R ratings. While the line can occasionally be a bit fuzzy, there is a clear understanding of what falls into PG-13 and what constitutes an R rating. Production teams aiming for a PG-13 film avoid R-rated content.
"Forget it," Matthew said, shaking his head. "I'll find some time to visit myself."
If "Dead Man's Chest" was chopped down by censorship, "300" had no chance of passing. It would be impossible to show it across the Pacific. He might as well take a leisurely trip over there, treating it as a vacation.
Helen Herman reminded him, "You don't have time this month. You have to participate in the promotional activities for 'Dead Man's Chest' arranged by Disney, and at the end of the month, there's Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' pre-wedding party to attend."
Matthew sighed, "Debts of gratitude must always be repaid."
Last time, Tom Cruise attended his charity auction, not only donating $200,000 but also buying a vintage guitar provided by Johnny Depp for $300,000.
Tom Cruise had given him plenty of face.
In the spirit of reciprocation, Matthew couldn't refuse Tom Cruise's invitation. Attending the party at the Hollywood Celebrity Center was a must.
"You know what the Hollywood Celebrity Center is like," Helen Herman seemed a bit concerned. "Don't come back from the party telling me you're a Scientologist."
Matthew wasn't worried. "Do you think I would join a religion?"
Helen Herman glanced at him, "I almost forgot; you're a typical non-believer."
She then changed the topic, "In the next couple of days, you might face some tough questions from the media. The expectations for this film are high, and the reviews might not be entirely favorable."
Matthew had anticipated this. "I'll be careful."
To him, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" was like most Hollywood sequels—not as good as the original but certainly not a bad movie either.
As a quintessential commercial actor, as long as the audience was willing to pay, he didn't care much about critics' reviews. A big box office hit would easily drown out most of the negative voices.
The driver dropped Helen Herman off at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel before taking Matthew back to Horner Manor. After the burglary last time, under the work of Brown Williams and a professional security company, the security level of Horner Manor had significantly improved.
Especially the cliff behind the villa, a wall was built to prevent anyone from climbing up, without obstructing the panoramic view. Even a professional climber wouldn't be able to sneak up from the back now.
Unfortunately, the Beverly Hills Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department still hadn't found the suspects. Apart from knowing that the intruder was an expert climber and possibly a fan of his, they had no more useful leads.
Matthew wasn't too worried, but Helen Herman had concerns. If it was an extreme fan, it could be problematic. Hollywood had its share of stars troubled by obsessive fans.
John Lennon and Jodie Foster were prime examples.
Back at the manor, Matthew didn't go to bed immediately. Soon, the advanced ticket sales numbers for "Dead Man's Chest" would be released. With North American theaters now fully computerized, getting accurate box office figures was quite easy.
Brown Williams didn't leave right away. He arranged for the night's security, patrolled the grounds with his team, and then drove home.
Matthew sat quietly in the living room, waiting. He wasn't worried about his safety or the box office performance of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."
Especially the latter. With the advance sales numbers on hand, a North American opening weekend gross of over $100 million was the conservative estimate.
As for safety, besides enhanced internal security, the Beverly Hills Police had increased their patrols in the area. The resources they devoted to wealthy neighborhoods far exceeded those in ordinary residential areas. With enhanced patrols, a police car would pass by Horner Manor every half hour or so.
Given the current measures, no one could sneak into Horner Manor unnoticed.
---
"How did it feel tonight?"
Walking into the luxury apartment in Westwood, Amanda asked Alexandra Daddario, who had come home with her, "I saw quite a few reporters interviewing you."
Alexandra Daddario kicked off her high heels, swapped them for a pair of comfortable slippers, and slumped on the living room sofa. "Those reporters weren't interested in me. They were all asking about my relationship with Matthew since many saw me ride in his car to Disneyland."
Amanda wasn't surprised. She poured two glasses of water and set one down on the coffee table in front of Alexandra.
"Thanks." Alexandra Daddario didn't hesitate, taking a sip before continuing, "It's so hard to become famous."
"Everyone goes through that phase." Amanda sat beside Alexandra on the sofa, "When I first met Matthew, he was always talking about wanting to become a big star. Everyone laughed at him, saying he was dreaming. Even I thought he'd only ever be a bit player."
Alexandra had never heard Matthew talk about this and was intrigued. "He must have had a rough time then?"
Amanda put down her glass, "Very rough. I remember he was almost unable to afford food at his lowest point." She patted Alexandra's leg, "Compared to Matthew, we're lucky."
Alexandra shrugged slightly, "I don't see where our luck is."
Amanda laughed, "We have good families."
Alexandra suddenly thought about what Matthew had asked her during her audition. If her father hadn't had some clout in New York politics, would she have landed the supporting role in "I Am Legend"?
As a girl with some pride, Alexandra didn't want to admit this but couldn't deny it either. She switched topics, "Amanda, you've known Matthew for years. What kind of person is he?"
Amanda, knowing Alexandra well, understood the underlying question. After a moment's thought, she replied, "Matthew is a great friend. He's very loyal, but he's also a classic playboy."
Alexandra fell silent for a moment. Amanda patted her leg again, "If you're looking for a romantic fling, go for it. But if you want a stable relationship, steer clear of him."
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