"Why hasn't he come out yet?"
Paula Patton sat anxiously in the lobby of the Fox Building, her gaze fixed on the elevator doors. "Do you think he got rejected again?"
Early Monday morning, she had accompanied her boyfriend, Francis Lawrence, to the Fox Building in Century City. 20th Century Fox was looking for a director for a new film project, and Francis had been recommended by his agent at CAA, Kevin Huvane.
Thanks to the endorsement from CAA, Fox had shortlisted Francis as one of the potential directors.
Today, Paula was there to support Francis during his interview, although as an ambitious young actress, she wasn't allowed to accompany him into the Fox offices and could only wait in the lobby.
It was nearing 11 AM, and there was still no sign of Francis emerging from the elevator. Paula's anxiety grew. She was desperate to know more about the project he was interviewing for.
Climbing the ranks in Hollywood was incredibly challenging for a small-time actress.
Paula knew this struggle all too well. She had latched onto Francis, a rising director, hoping he could help her advance her career. Initially, things looked promising—Francis had landed the director's chair for the major project *I Am Legend* and planned to secure a supporting role for her.
But unexpectedly, during the preparation and casting phases, Francis had been sidelined by the lead actor, causing not only Paula's supporting role to fall through but also costing Francis his position as the director.
For a while, Paula had considered dumping Francis, but after discreetly probing around, she discovered that Kevin Huvane still had hopes for him and was working to secure him another suitable project. So, she decided to stick it out a little longer.
Staying with a potentially successful director seemed more promising than struggling on her own.
However…
Paula narrowed her eyes at the elevator doors. If Francis failed again this time, she might need to reconsider wasting more time and emotional energy on him.
Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, Francis finally appeared from the elevator, heading towards Paula with a calm expression. Paula couldn't read the outcome of his interview from his demeanor.
"Hey, darling."
As Francis approached, Paula quickly stood up, took his briefcase, and pulled out a chair for him. After he sat down, she sat beside him and asked eagerly, "How did the interview go?"
"Whew…"
Francis let out a long breath and then took Paula's hand. "I passed the initial interview. I'm now one of the final three candidates for the director's role."
"Really?" Paula seemed genuinely thrilled. "That's fantastic! You're definitely going to get this!"
But Francis, showing a bit of doubt, said, "The competition is tough. I'm not sure I have it in the bag."
Paula squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I believe in you! You're the best!"
"I'll do my best," Francis replied, gazing at Paula with deep affection. "I'll get this job for you."
Paula momentarily felt awkward, wondering if Francis had sensed her earlier thoughts about leaving him. She wasn't sure how to respond.
But Francis continued, easing her worries. "The project is similar to the first one, with a female lead."
Paula's awkwardness vanished, replaced by excitement. The words "female lead" echoed in her mind.
"I... I…" She took a deep breath to calm herself and then spoke more smoothly, "Can I be the female lead?"
"If I get the director's job, I'll do everything I can to make you the lead," Francis promised.
Paula, no longer a naive young girl, quickly regained her composure after the initial shock and asked, "What kind of movie is Fox planning?"
"It's a sequel to a box office hit," Francis replied, teasingly holding back the full details.
Paula's interest was piqued even more. Sequels to successful films often attracted a lot of attention.
Francis didn't keep her in suspense for long. "*Alien vs. Predator*'s sequel."
"Oh," Paula nodded. "I've seen the first one. The main character was definitely a woman."
Despite the film being centered around the battle between aliens and predators, she understood that even such a role was a significant opportunity at her current career stage.
Without hesitation, she leaned in and gave Francis a deep kiss.
Afterward, Paula linked her arm through Francis's, and they left the Fox Building together, looking every bit the happy couple. There was no sign of her earlier doubts about leaving him.
Before getting into the car, Francis bought a copy of *Premiere* magazine. As an aspiring top director, he always kept a close eye on the trends in the North American film market.
Paula took the driver's seat. Once Francis was buckled in, she started the car and drove out of Century City.
They hadn't gone far when Paula glanced over and noticed Francis's hand had stopped flipping through the magazine. His normally calm face seemed a bit troubled.
"What's wrong, darling?" Paula asked, playing the concerned partner perfectly.
Francis didn't answer immediately. He just stared at the article in *Premiere*.
"Despite the overall slump in the North American summer box office this year, *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* has stormed the charts. The film, starring Johnny Depp, Matthew Horner, and Keira Knightley, has claimed the top spot in the box office rankings by a landslide.
"According to data from boxofficemojo.com, the 44 films currently in theaters grossed about $211.96 million this weekend, a 32% increase from the previous week. Of this, Disney's *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* alone grossed $156 million, significantly contributing to the market's strong rebound…"
Reading this, Francis closed the magazine gently. The name of the person who had ousted him from *I Am Legend*, Matthew Horner, had just achieved monumental success.
While he was still struggling to secure a directing job, that guy was probably celebrating right now.
$156 million. That's an astounding number. As one of the film's leads, countless people and companies must be clamoring to work with Matthew.
Paula's voice brought him back to reality. "What's going on, darling?"
Francis tossed the magazine onto the back seat and said, "Matthew Horner and Johnny Depp's *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* grossed $156 million in its opening weekend in North America."
"What?" Paula couldn't believe her ears. "How much did you say?"
Francis repeated, "$156 million."
Paula was stunned, her mouth agape. "Oh my God! That bastard Matthew Horner's movie made that much in its opening weekend? God, do you even have your eyes open?"
Francis was feeling a bit dejected, realizing how vast the gap was between him and Matthew Horner.
"Has any other film ever made that much in its opening weekend?" Paula asked.
"No!" Francis, being a director, was certain. "As much as I dislike Matthew Horner and even detest him a bit, his movie has broken the records for the highest opening day, highest single-day, and highest opening weekend box office in North American history."
Paula was left speechless. The records sounded almost unbelievable.
Francis sighed in frustration. "And if I'm not mistaken, his film also set the record for the fastest to gross $100 million, doing it in just two days."
"Why do all his movies do so well?" Paula asked bitterly, hitting the steering wheel. "Why can't he ever have a flop?"
Matthew Horner had cost her a significant supporting role, making it impossible for her to like him.
Francis shook his head, also puzzled. "Maybe... he's really just that popular with fans."
Paula, still angry over losing the role, said with resentment, "One day, people will get tired of him."
Francis would love to see that day too, but he knew it wouldn't be anytime soon. "Maybe in ten or twenty years," he shrugged. "Many media outlets compare Matthew Horner to Tom Cruise in the '90s, when everything he touched turned to gold."
"Yeah," Paula nodded. "I've read similar comparisons."
As they drove out of Century City, they hit a red light. Paula gently applied the brakes, turned to Francis, and said, "Remember when Spike Lee came over for dinner? He suggested something that I think is really worth considering."
Francis didn't respond immediately, clearly hesitant.
Paula gently reminded him, "Darling, remember the current climate in Hollywood."
---
Back at his office, Matthew was settling in. Bella Anderson, his assistant, congratulated him again on the box office success of *Dead Man's Chest*. He thanked her and started reviewing the weekend numbers. The film had grossed $156 million in its opening weekend, shattering records left and right.
The audience had embraced the film, and despite the critics' lukewarm reception, the massive commercial success spoke volumes. As Matthew scrolled through more reviews and articles, he felt a sense of satisfaction. His strategy to focus on blockbuster commercial films was paying off. The critics could say what they wanted, but as long as the audience loved his work, he would continue to thrive in Hollywood's cutthroat industry.
Matthew's clear-headed approach had always been his guiding light. He knew his strength lay in delivering what the audience wanted, and that was his path to enduring success.
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