HOLLYWOOD WHAT IF

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 562

Rupert Murdoch. The emperor behind the conglomerate of News Corporation. In his hands, he held influence over countless media outlets in the world.

Some of the famous companies under News Corporation were:

1. Television & Broadcasting

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) – Major U.S. TV network

Fox News Channel – 24-hour cable news network

Fox Business Network – Financial news network

Fox Sports Networks – Regional sports channels in the U.S.

National Geographic Channel (joint venture)

FX Networks – Cable entertainment channel

MyNetworkTV – Syndicated TV network

STAR TV – Satellite television network in Asia

Sky (BSkyB, Sky Italia, Sky Deutschland) – Pay-TV services in the UK, Italy, and Germany


2. Film & Entertainment

20th Century Fox – One of Hollywood's "Big Six" studios

Fox Searchlight Pictures – Independent and arthouse film division

Blue Sky Studios – Animation studio (Ice Age series)

20th Century Fox Television – TV production studio

Fox Home Entertainment – DVD and digital distribution


3. Newspapers & Print Media

The Wall Street Journal (U.S.) – Business newspaper

New York Post (U.S.) – Tabloid newspaper

The Times (UK) – British daily newspaper

The Sunday Times (UK) – Weekend edition

The Sun (UK) – British tabloid

The Australian – National newspaper in Australia

Herald Sun (Australia)

The Daily Telegraph (Australia)


4. Book Publishing


HarperCollins – One of the largest book publishers in the world


5. Digital Media & Other Ventures


Myspace – Once-dominant social media platform (declined by 2008)

IGN Entertainment – Gaming and entertainment website network

Dow Jones & Company – Financial news and data provider


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...

And now, Rupert Murdoch, one of the most influential people in the world, was asking Kazir a question.

"Tell me, Kazir. Are you a time traveler or something?"

"Time traveler? Rupert, what are you talking about?" Kazir smirked.

However, deep inside, Kazir was actually shocked. If he had been drinking his champagne, he might have coughed hard. Thankfully, Kazir knew how to maintain his poker face because of the business dealings he had experienced throughout his entire life.

Rupert also laughed.

"That's right, that's right. I'm just joking. If there's such a thing as a time traveler, he would probably use his future knowledge to become rich."

"Yeah, haha." Kazir awkwardly laughed. He was deeply uncomfortable.

Rupert took a sip of his drink, his sharp eyes studying Kazir.

"But you have to admit, your success is… unusual. Every movie you touch turns to gold. Even the way you film, it's like you already know what to do."

Kazir shrugged, keeping his expression neutral.

"It's just a matter of understanding the industry, trends, and audience preferences. Luck plays a role too."

Rupert chuckled.

"Luck, huh? Well, whatever it is, it's working."

He leaned forward.

"Tell me, Kazir, how did you know about the wiretapping scandal?"

Rupert became serious.

"Wiretapping?"

Kazir was clueless at first. But then, he suddenly recalled their conversation five years ago... The scene was not written by the author because he forgot about it.

However, it was true that Kazir and Rupert had a conversation five years ago.

It was the time when 20th Century Fox recently bought 30% shares of Grey Pictures. To celebrate that success, Kazir attended a party and also met Rupert.

Kazir and Rupert had a nice conversation.

Since Kazir was now part of the family, he didn't want News Corporation to get tangled up in a devastating scandal.

The scandal he was talking about was the wiretapping scandal.

Back then, Kazir casually mentioned that media companies should be careful about their journalistic methods, especially concerning privacy laws. He subtly hinted that illegal wiretapping could bring devastating consequences if exposed.

Rupert was intrigued by what he said and recalled something. Being the head of the hegemonic conglomerate, Rupert had an idea of how some of his companies acquired news.

He agreed with Kazir's opinion. Since then, Rupert decided to talk to his underlings and tell them to be more secretive about their dealings and made sure that if the scandal happened, News Corporation would not be dragged into it.

Yes, instead of completely stopping this illegal way of acquiring news, Rupert decided to be more discreet.

Unfortunately, the scandal still happened.

The News of the World phone hacking scandal was a major media scandal that erupted in mid-2008 in a British tabloid owned by News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

Journalists and private investigators working for the newspaper were found to have illegally hacked into the voicemails of celebrities, politicians, members of the royal family, and even crime victims to gather private information for sensational news stories.

Thankfully, Rupert Murdoch prevented the scandal from getting bigger. The matter was also not taken with much importance because News Corporation wasn't caught in the scandal. Rupert found a scapegoat to take all of the damages.

Because of this, News Corporation survived the biggest problem they experienced that could have weakened their organization, and the trajectory changed. News Corporation didn't have to sell 20th Century Fox anymore.

Now, Rupert was staring at Kazir with a knowing look.

"You warned me, Kazir. How did you know?"

"Rupert. You're right, I remember our conversation at that time. But it's just a coincidence. I swear on my mother's soul, it's just a coincidence. May the God strike her with lightning if I'm lying."

Kazir secretly sighed in relief. So it was about the wiretapping scandal. He thought Rupert knew that he was a time traveler.

As for their conversation five years ago, Kazir could defend that it was a coincidence.

"You know there's a scene in Wanted 2 where Wesley Gibson wiretapped a government agency, that's the reason why we started talking about wiretapping. You remember that, right?"

"Yeah, I do remember that."

Rupert nodded.

"Indeed, maybe it's just a coincidence."

"Besides, do you really believe that I'm a time traveler?"

"Well, time traveler or not, I'm happy that you're now a part of News Corporation."

Rupert was convinced. He knew that time travel was just a myth, and he didn't believe it at all. He was just curious about their conversation five years ago and how it helped him avoid a disaster.

Kazir smiled, raising his champagne glass.

"I'm glad to be part of the family, Rupert. Here's to more successful years ahead."

Rupert chuckled and clinked his glass against Kazir's.

"To success," Rupert said, taking a sip.

The tension in the air eased, but Kazir knew he had to be more careful. If someone as sharp as Rupert Murdoch was suspicious, then others might start asking questions too.

"By the way, Kazir," Rupert continued, his tone casual.

"What's your next big project?"

Kazir smirked.

"I have a few ideas... but I have to relax for a year first. Maybe I'll contribute to the MCU as my next project."

"That's good to hear. I'm looking forward to your next project."

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 563


Fan-Expo New Orleans, 2009.

The massive hall was packed with many fans. Fans dressed in fanciful medieval outfits, some females even had white wigs as they cosplayed a certain character from a TV show.

Banners of Game of Thrones hung on the walls, and a giant screen played highlights from Season 3.

The moment George R.R. Martin stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers.

The author smiled widely as he waved his hand. Who would have thought that five years ago, he was just a simple author with no worldwide influence?

George R.R. Martin was actually a TV writer in the '80s and early '90s before pursuing his author career again in 1996. Basically, George experienced how hard it was to break through in Hollywood, so he decided to return to being a novelist.

Before he published the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, George had written novels such as Dying of the Light, Windhaven (co-writer), Fevre Dream, and The Armageddon Rag.

Out of all the novels he had written, A Song of Ice and Fire was the most successful. Of course, the influence of Game of Thrones was one of the reasons why he achieved his status now.

The fans went crazy as the famous author stepped onto the podium. Today, he attended this Comic-Con to associate with his fans.

George adjusted his cap and grinned as he leaned into the microphone.

"Well, well," he said, scanning the enthusiastic crowd.

"I see a lot of Targaryens out here. Should I be worried?"

The audience laughed, some waving their banners.

The host smiled beside him.

"George, Season 3 of Game of Thrones has been a massive success. Did you ever expect your books to become this big?"

"I always dreamed of it, but Hollywood is unpredictable. Yet here we are." George chuckled and nodded.

Of course, every author dreams of their novels getting a movie adaptation. Even Lord of the Rings, which was 55 years old as of 2009, miraculously had an adaptation after so many decades. Even Harry Potter's massive success was an inspiration to many authors.

Naturally, George thought of his novels getting adapted. However, instead of getting a movie adaptation, his novels got a TV show adaptation, which was not a bad thing. In fact, he knew that a TV show was the better option since his books were quite dark and hard to get a PG-13 rating.

He smiled and reminisced about the past.

Back in 2004, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series was already a success. After all, he had three volumes published, which meant readers loved the series. He was satisfied, but he couldn't deny that he envied authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, and Stephen King.

The sure way to become a successful author was by having your novels adapted into movies. Because once that happened, your books would receive a sales boost, especially if the movie was a box office hit.

Anyway, George was stunned when he received a call from someone from Grey Pictures.

Grey Pictures!

Despite being a second-tier studio without a distribution channel, Grey Pictures was recognized as one of the best studios in Hollywood. Furthermore, Grey Pictures produced movies such as The Bourne series and The Revenant, which were adapted from novels. Of course, George was happily surprised.

He made sure the call wasn't a scam before agreeing to meet the representative.

He had a hard time sleeping the night before the meeting.

When he met the person who called him, George was surprised that it was Harold Witsend, one of the best producers from Grey Pictures. This showed that they truly took an interest in his novels.

George was a bit disappointed when he realized that Grey Pictures wanted a TV show based on his current series, which was A Song of Ice and Fire instead of a movie.

At that time, they still hadn't made a decision about the title of the show.

George talked to his agent. His agent was actually against the idea of selling the adaptation rights since Grey Pictures was only interested in turning it into a TV show. However, based on how dark the series was, both George and his agent knew that it would be difficult for it to be successful at the box office.

After negotiations that gave him a good amount of profit shares, George R.R. Martin signed the contract.

The reason that convinced him was that Kazir Grey personally called him and promised that he would direct the first five episodes.

George decided to trust the talented director.

And now, his trust in Kazir had turned him into what he is now. A millionaire. He earned a lot after the success of Game of Thrones.

For that, he was thankful to Kazir.

After the introduction and a few comments, the question and answer portion started.

Fans who wanted to ask George some questions lined up.

"Um, first of all, I just want to say I'm a huge fan. Before Game of Thrones became successful, I'd already read A Song of Ice and Fire. I just want to ask, when will the next book get published?"

George smiled...

The last book, which was A Feast for Crows, was released in 2005, which was four years ago. It was understandable why fans of the novel were eagerly asking him the question. After all, four years of waiting was quite painful.

"Haha, I also don't know... I'm just joking. So far, I'm already writing the next book, but it needs further improvement. If I'm right, the next book will be published in 2011, which is two years from now."

"Can we know the title?"

"The title is A Dance with Dragons, unless I decide to change it."

When the fans heard the title of the next book, ideas started playing in their heads. Perhaps dragons would have a battle, or maybe the dragons would dance?

By the way, A Dance with Dragons was also currently the last book of the series because George didn't publish any volume after that. After A Dance with Dragons, George R.R. Martin wouldn't write a continuation for the next 15 years.

The next fan asked a question.

"Can I know why you write slowly?"

"Well, I have two answers. The first is procrastination, and the second is perfection. I want my novels to be perfect with no flaws, so I can't force myself to publish an imperfect novel."

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 564


In January 2009, some movies grossed over $100 million.

In the second week:

Bride Wars grossed $148 million. The movie was a romantic comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson. The film was distributed by 20th Century Fox.

In the third week:

Hotel for Dogs grossed $156 million. The movie was also a comedy, and it was distributed by Paramount Pictures.

My Bloody Valentine grossed $125 million. The movie was a slasher horror film starring Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, and Kerr Smith. The film was distributed by Lionsgate.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop grossed $244 million. The movie was a comedy film starring Kevin James, Jayma Mays, and Keir O'Donnell. The film was distributed by Sony-Columbia.

In the fourth week:

Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans grossed $138 million. Despite not casting the absolutely gorgeous, glorious goddess Kate Beckinsale, this action/horror movie about vampires and werewolves performed well. The movie was distributed by Sony-Columbia.

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...

Kazir Grey and Scarlett Johansson enjoyed the luxury of a relaxing life in January and February. Since Scarlett was pregnant, the couple decided to take things slow and relax more. Although once in a while, they went to places to have some fun.

Heck, they almost visited every expensive place in Los Angeles in their leisure. Kazir was so rich that he didn't mind spending once in a while.

With no major projects demanding their immediate attention, the two spent their days in comfort. They even took a short vacation in New York to visit Kazir's family. They also attended private gatherings and celebration parties. Overall, they simply enjoyed each other's company.

Kazir talked about the idea of marriage and Scarlett said that should happen once her pregnancy was done. She didn't want to be busy while in her pregnancy.

Despite his break from full-time work, Kazir still made time to visit Blue Sky Studios. He was checking in on the progress of Wall-E.

20th Century Fox was positive about this project since it had the complete combo of Kazir Grey and Christopher Nolan. Furthermore, they were preparing for a strong PR campaign because they knew that Wall-E had a strong chance of competing in the Academy Awards.

Now that Wall-E was under the direction of Christopher Nolan in this timeline, its creation was affected by his style.

Christopher Nolan was shaping it up to be a unique blend of heartfelt storytelling and his signature cinematic depth.

Kazir and Nolan had several discussions about the film's tone, pacing, and visual storytelling. Two of the best directors were in tandem with this animated film.

While Kazir wasn't directly involved in the production, he was happy and interested in providing insights. He occasionally brainstormed with Christopher Nolan on how to balance the film's emotional weight with its sci-fi elements.

Aside from these brief consultations once or twice a week, Kazir was content to step back and let the industry move on its own, at least for now.

He knew that his roots in Hollywood were now deeper, and even his influence was strong. His name alone could determine whether the audience would buy movie tickets or not.

He wanted to take a year's rest, but it didn't mean that he would retire, obviously. This industry still needed him, and he also needed Hollywood. After all, his love for filmmaking was so strong that he didn't find it stressful.

Furthermore, now that there were two babies incoming, Kazir had to work hard to make sure that the kids wouldn't grow up poor. At least he wanted to provide everything for them… Perhaps he felt like being a billionaire was not enough to satisfy his kids?

As the weeks passed, Kazir found himself settling into a comfortable routine. His mornings often started with a quiet breakfast alongside Scarlett, who was now doing well in her pregnancy.

Sometimes, Kazir spent his time reviewing scripts and taking occasional meetings at Grey Pictures. The pre-production of Modern Family was doing well, and he read the improved scripts for each episode…

Stella Willow actually talked to him about filming at least two episodes of Modern Family as a method of promotion. Besides, Kazir was also famous for being a comedy director, so it was not a bad idea if he directed a few episodes.

Kazir didn't give any assurance. Modern Family was still in pre-production, and even the cast was not completed.

Although he remained firm in his decision to avoid directing any project for a while. He had to keep his promise of resting this year.

He was enjoying this rare period of peace, something he rarely experienced since his rise in Hollywood.

Still, the industry never stopped pestering him. Paramount Pictures may have been done irritating him about filming Transformers, but it didn't mean that other studios were not asking him. Particularly Walt Disney, this studio had been eagerly trying to hire him as a director. Walt Disney even said that Kazir could choose whatever project he wanted to do, and Walt Disney would support him.

After all, Kazir had already proved himself by filming comedy, action, and horror blockbusters. Walt Disney was confident that his chosen project would make money.

So yeah, studios continued talking to him, eager for his next move/movie.

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...

On February 22, 2009.

The 81st Academy Awards happened.

Many huge films were given the chance to compete at the Academy Awards. Directors, actors, actresses, screenwriters, and many professionals were given the chance to acquire the golden statues. The symbol that signified their status in Hollywood and showed that they were recognized as one of the best in their respective careers.

Movies such as Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Milk, The Reader, and The Dark Knight received many nominations.

The Dark Knight, particularly, received 8 nominations. Some were major categories, while some were minor categories. Still, the influence of The Dark Knight in 2008 was hard to beat. Especially when The Dark Knight itself was the highest-grossing movie last year, earning $1.01 billion at the box office.

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[First of all, I just want to apologize for the past chapters that are filled with box office numbers of other movies. This is the part when I lost ideas and topics to write so I just searched Google to fill up word counts. I think this is also the moment when I realized that I have to end this novel.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 565


The Dark Knight was nominated in 8 categories.

Best Supporting Actor

Best Sound Editing

Best Cinematography

Best Film Editing

Best Art Direction

Best Makeup

Best Sound Mixing

Best Visual Effects

Two of these eight categories were major categories, while the remaining were minor categories. The two major categories were Best Supporting Actor and Best Cinematography.

The 81st Academy Awards was held on February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. It was one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Hosted by the charismatic Hugh Jackman, the ceremony promised a night of celebration and cinematic excellence.

As Hollywood's biggest stars walked the red carpet, anticipation buzzed around the nominees and fans. Especially The Dark Knight, which had made history with its commercial success.

Kazir Grey and his girlfriend Scarlett Johansson stepped on the red carpet. The actress's baby bump was prominent, and the interviewers were interested in talking about their relationship and their upcoming baby.

Kazir had been famous, so it was obvious why people were interested in his life. Furthermore, being the director of The Dark Knight, he had to attend the Academy Awards this year.

The movie had been nominated for Best Cinematography, and Kazir had to accept the award if they won… Too bad, Kazir knew that The Dark Knight wouldn't win, so he felt that his attendance was useless.

But since he signed a contract that required him to attend an award ceremony in case the movie got nominated, he had to stay true to the contract.

Thankfully, he was not the main character tonight.

The most anticipated person at the 81st Academy Awards was none other than Heath Ledger. The actor was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Award after his amazing performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

It was an understatement to say that Heath Ledger's presence was the reason why so many people were watching the award show tonight.

Heath Ledger captivated the hearts of the audience after his amazing performance. He was praised by movie critics, who acknowledged that his acting capability was vast. Imagine, he was acting as a gay man in 2005, then a psychotic serial killer in 2008. His range of acting was indeed wide.

The cameras pointed at him every few minutes to capture his expressions. The director of the 81st Academy Awards knew that the star of the show was Heath Ledger and that people watched the show to see the actor.

Heath Ledger's current appearance was far better than his thin body back when he was comatose. He was far healthier, and he had also stopped depending on prescribed medications. Overall, he was a better man now.

Some actors and actresses already congratulated Heath because they were sure the actor would probably earn the Best Supporting Actor Award.

Even his competitors in the same category admitted that Heath deserved the golden statue, but of course, it was still a hard pill to swallow. After all, every actor poured their soul into their performance just to get a nomination, only for the winner to be decided without a fight, which would be painful to acknowledge.

Kazir Grey, sitting beside Scarlett, quietly watched the show. He knew that Heath would win the award… unless Kazir messed up the timeline and caused another change.

Regardless of the outcome, Heath Ledger had already left an unforgettable mark in the history of cinema. Furthermore, he received quite a lot of job offers. In fact, James Cameron offered Heath a role in his untitled project about blue alien people...

As the night progressed, the Academy awarded the people who won in their respective categories.

Kate Winslet won Best Actress for The Reader, finally earning her long-awaited Oscar after multiple nominations. She had been nominated six times before winning one award.

She was overwhelmed with emotion. She held back tears as she thanked her family and dedicated the award to her parents.

Danny Boyle took the stage for the Best Director Award, celebrating Slumdog Millionaire's sweeping success. The movie dominated the 81st Academy Awards by winning eight awards.

Then, the biggest moment of the night approached, the Best Supporting Actor. The audience fell silent as the envelope was opened.

The presenter took a deep breath, smiling as she opened the envelope.

"And the Best Supporting Actor Award goes to… Heath Ledger, as The Joker, in the movie The Dark Knight!"

The room erupted in applause, a standing ovation sweeping across the Kodak Theatre. Heath Ledger was visibly emotional. He rose from his seat as the cameras focused on him.

He shook hands with the nominees seated nearby. Some gave him genuine smiles despite their own disappointment.

As he made his way to the stage, the audience continued to cheer. They knew how much he had suffered last year.

Kazir Grey watched with a small smile, nodding in approval. It was a well-deserved win.

Heath Ledger had poured his heart and soul into his portrayal of The Joker, and the world recognized it. As the actor reached the podium, he took a moment to collect himself, gripping the golden statue tightly.

"Wow… this is, this is incredible," Heath said, his voice slightly shaky. He had gone through a lot last year. He thought he wouldn't survive.

"I never thought that playing such a chaotic, unpredictable character would lead me here. But The Dark Knight was more than just a movie. It is a masterpiece, and I am lucky to be a part of it."

He took a deep breath, then continued.

"I want to thank Kazir Grey for trusting me with the role, my fellow cast members for their amazing performances, and of course, my family… I owe them a lot. Also, Kazir, Scarlett, and Christian, if not for you guys, I wouldn't be standing here."

The crowd applauded again, and Kazir gave a respectful nod. He was proud of Heath.

But as the ceremony continued, his mood slightly soured when Best Cinematography was announced.

The Dark Knight lost to Slumdog Millionaire.

Kazir sighed. He had expected it, but it was still quite sad. He accepted that Hollywood wasn't ready to reward a superhero movie the Best Cinematography.

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[Author's Note: I want to promote this novel one last time, I got bills to pay in the first week of the month so I apologize if this promotion offended you.]

[If you can't wait for 7 days, please subscribe to my Patreon and read the complete story of Hollywood What If. I really need money, I'm not going to sugarcoat it.]

Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki

 

[FallenMetal]

Thank you, and I am glad that Heath got the win, which is always a great thing to happen. I am curious to see how Wall-E will turn out. Great job as always, and I look forward to seeing what else will happen. I am still hoping for Kazir to decide to buy Lucasfilm.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 566

The reason behind the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) reluctance to fully embrace superhero movies even ones as amazing as The Dark Knight was rooted in tradition, perception, prejudice, and bias.

For decades, the Oscars had been known to go crazy over dramas, biopics, historical epics, and other so-called "serious" genres that reflected human struggles, political themes, or artistic movements. They basically hated fiction that strayed too far from reality.

To many members of the Academy, superhero films were still viewed as commercial popcorn flicks. Mass-produced blockbusters aimed at generating box office revenue rather than serious, profound storytelling and emotionally stirring narratives.

Despite The Dark Knight's serious plot, psychological depth, and stunning visuals, the genre it belonged to worked against it. The Academy Awards hated superhero movies, simple as that. They couldn't accept that a superhero movie deserved any major award. Hence, The Dark Knight didn't get nominated for the Best Picture Award.

The members of the Academy were mostly older voters at the time.

'They struggled to appreciate newer genres simply because they couldn't relate to them. I bet if another musical movie was released, the old farts in the Academy would go crazy supporting it. They loved the musical genre, that was their era.'

These people saw Batman as a comic book character, not a vessel for amazing storytelling or cinematic masterpieces.

They were also afraid that if they agreed to let a superhero movie win the Major Awards, this "disgusting" circus of a genre would flood the Academy Awards, and that would be a disaster.

So yeah, the Academy Awards didn't let The Dark Knight get nominated for the Best Picture Award. Instead, they gave it a Best Cinematography nomination. Slumdog Millionaire snatched that award, though.

If The Dark Knight had won Best Cinematography, or worse, Best Picture, it might have stained the so-called golden reputation of the Academy Awards… even though almost everyone in Hollywood knew that the Academy Awards could be bought.

Furthermore, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) was uncomfortable with merging "art" and "entertainment." They were adamant about keeping their false prestige.

Sure, The Dark Knight was an Absolute Cinema, but it was still a superhero movie nonetheless. It was a blockbuster, but it would never become an art film… based on their opinions.

"The Academy will probably stick to their beliefs."

Kazir understood that. Even though it was disappointing, he wasn't surprised.

The Dark Knight had changed the game in terms of setting the peak of what a superhero movie could be.

In fact, no superhero movie could stand against The Dark Knight Trilogy. It was a different breed.

The fact that many people believed The Dark Knight Trilogy was one of the best trilogies in the history of cinema spoke for itself.

Unfortunately, even if The Dark Knight was an Absolute Cinema, the Academy Awards didn't give a damn.

"At least we won a major award and a minor one," Kazir thought to himself.

The Dark Knight won Best Supporting Actor and Best Sound Editing. So yeah, not bad.

The biggest winner of the 81st Academy Awards was Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle.

The film had entered the ceremony with 10 nominations and walked away with an impressive 8 Oscar wins. The movie dominated nearly every category it was included in.

Kazir watched with a calm expression as the crew of Slumdog Millionaire returned to the stage once again, this time to accept the Best Picture Award.

The film had already won Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Song.

Danny Boyle gave a humble and energetic speech. Obviously, he was happy, and so was the cast and crew of Slumdog Millionaire.

By the way, the original distributor of Slumdog Millionaire was Warner Brothers, but they sold the rights to Fox Searchlight before the release.

It was unknown if Warner Brothers regretted the decision or not. After all, Slumdog Millionaire earned $378 million worldwide despite a small budget of only $15 million. Furthermore, the movie also won many awards.

Also, Fox Searchlight was the first distributor that Kazir worked with. He sold the rights to Napoleon Dynamite to Fox Searchlight.

The entire cast and crew of Slumdog Millionaire were beaming with smiles.

Kazir couldn't deny that the movie was amazing. (Author's Note: I watched the movie when I was in high school, so I can't remember much. But I think it deserves the win.)

He didn't mind that The Dark Knight lost to Slumdog Millionaire. Heck, he would also agree that Slumdog Millionaire deserved to win the Best Picture Award.

However, he also took pride in his creation (despite copying it), and he believed that The Dark Knight also had a shot at winning Best Picture. So Kazir was disappointed that The Dark Knight didn't even get nominated for the Best Picture Award.

Scarlett gently placed her hand on Kazir's. He smiled and gave her a nod.

"It's fine," he whispered.

"We made something unforgettable."

Deep inside, Kazir knew the truth. The real award was the legacy The Dark Knight left behind.

Besides, Kazir had already won the Best Original Screenplay and Best Director awards a few years ago. Both were considered major award categories, and Kazir Grey had won them. So he was not that bitter regarding the few victories that The Dark Knight earned.

As for Warner Brothers' regrets regarding Slumdog Millionaire and The Dark Knight winning only two awards for the studio to promote, Kazir didn't care much. He did his job, and he did it well.

He even attended today's Academy Awards, even though he knew that their movie would never be appreciated by the Academy. Perhaps they only felt pity toward Heath Ledger.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 567

The next day, Kazir lazily leaned against the chair as he read the newspaper. The main article was about the results of the 81st Academy Awards. Some critics were satisfied with the results, while others were not.

Some critics praised the Academy for finally recognizing a performance like Heath Ledger's Joker. Headlines like "Ledger's Joker Redefines Acting in Superhero Genre Films" and "Heath Ledger Overcame Tragedy and Won Academy Award" echoed through newspapers and online publications.

Online news in 2009 was already strong. Some published news-related articles, while others wrote blogs. Also, Facebook and Twitter had already solidified the power of social media.

Fans and critics celebrated Heath's win, calling it an iconic moment for superhero films and for actors who take dangerous roles. Because honestly, Heath Ledger's performance was truly worthy of recognition. Anyone would agree to that.

At the same time, Slumdog Millionaire received great reviews for sweeping the awards.

Some critics admired its direction and powerful storytelling, saying the Academy made the right call.

As for The Dark Knight not getting a nomination for Best Picture, no one talked about it.

Kazir weakly smiled... Was it bad that he was disappointed?

"Hey, why are you looking like you lost money? The last time I heard, you're richer than me." Tom showed up and found Kazir staring at the newspaper with a disheartened face.

"Said the actor who has a $250 million net worth," Kazir replied.

As of 2009, it was estimated that Tom Cruise's net worth was over $250 million. Clearly, the actor was successful.

"Yeah right, yeah right."

Tom didn't deny or agree with what Kazir said. After all, a huge amount of money was not something to flaunt about. As for his real net worth, only Tom Cruise knew the truth.

"You shouldn't believe what these reporters say. They don't know the truth. They don't know my net worth, and they don't know how the Academy Awards work their way," Tom added.

Kazir chuckled softly, folding the newspaper and setting it aside.

"It's not about the truth. It's about their unhidden biases and disgust toward box office hit movies. The Academy has its own taste… and we're not on the menu."

"That's kind of a weird comparison, but alright."

Tom raised an eyebrow.

"You made a film that changed the game. The Dark Knight is now one of the best superhero movies. The fans know it. The industry knows it. That's bigger than any golden statue. Besides, you created another genre, which is the Cinematic Universe. You don't need the Academy's approval."

'...Funny that you said that since you're also one of the actors who went crazy just to win a Best Actor Award.' Kazir stared sternly at Tom, who was drinking his coffee. They were at a golf clubhouse.

Well, Tom Cruise had a point. Kazir changed Hollywood, and no one could deny that.

Kazir appreciated the sentiment.

"Thanks."

Tom stood up and stretched his body. He then looked at his clubs and found that one was slightly bent. Clubs, or golf clubs, were the things that they used to hit the golf ball.

"Change doesn't happen overnight. Perhaps the Academy will appreciate blockbusters in the next decade, although that might be impossible to happen. Anyway, trust me, you already made history." Tom patted his shoulder.

"Let's not talk about the Academy. They are washed anyway, and their influence is not that strong anymore. I'm not even surprised if an actor slapped a host at the Academy Awards one day," Tom said.

"You don't say?" Kazir laughed.

"We rarely talked last year because I was busy with Tropic Thunder and Valkyrie."

"Alright, so what really happened in The Oprah Winfrey Show? Why the fuck were you jumping on the couch like some toddler who snorted cocaine?"

"..." Tom's smile became stiff.

In the original timeline, Tom Cruise had an interview with Oprah on her show. The actor was like an active kid who did so much stupid stuff on the show. That was one of the most unforgettable things that happened in Hollywood back in 2005.

Perhaps because of Kazir's timeline interference, this incident didn't happen in 2005 but instead happened last year in 2008. The jumping incident jumped three years forward.

"...Let's just say I was so in love with Katie that I didn't know what to do. Also, I wanted to see the audience's reaction if I started doing stupid things in front of them." Tom forced a laugh out of his mouth.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes started their relationship in 2005, and they are still going strong. Their relationship ended in divorce in 2012.

"Yeah, right... You sure you're not on drugs or something?"

Tom narrowed his eyes, grinning as he sat down.

"You know I don't touch that stuff. Just high on love… and maybe a little too much espresso that day."

Kazir burst out laughing.

"Espresso, huh? Perhaps you shouldn't drink this coffee on the table. I don't want you to go crazy and jump around while we play golf."

Kazir ordered tea, while Tom ordered coffee. Their beverages were on the table.

"Alright, alright, I admit it. That whole moment was insane. I got carried away. But hey, people still talk about it. Maybe it worked out in the end." Tom shook his head, chuckling.

"Yeah, it worked so well. I bet parody movies will parody that scene. I'm not going to be surprised if Scary Movie parodied it in the next sequel."

Spoiler alert: Scary Movie 4 parodied the scene where Tom Cruise had an interview with Oprah and it was crazy.

"Legacy, baby," Tom smirked.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 568

In February, some movies surpassed $100 million, such as:

Coraline. The movie grossed $237 million. It was a stop-motion animation.

He's Just Not That Into You. A romantic comedy that grossed $209 million.

Confessions of a Shopaholic. A romantic comedy that grossed $127 million.

Friday the 13th (2009). An origin story of a classic horror movie. The movie grossed $103 million.

Madea Goes to Jail. A comedy that grossed $120 million.

These five movies were the only ones that grossed over $100 million in the month of February.

.........

......

...

A monthly meeting was held in the conference room at Grey Pictures. Kazir and other important people in the company, such as Stella Willow, Harold Witsend, and others, were talking about their next plan for March.

But first, they tackled something important. Kazir was given a copy of a document. Information about three people was in the documents.

Two men and one woman. These were the three corporate spies that their management found after thoroughly filtering their employees. It was proven that these people shared important and secret information with other studios. The evidence was also in the document.

Kazir read the ten-page document, and his expression turned cold... No one wanted a corporate spy in the company. These spies could sabotage or share information that was crucial to Grey Pictures.

Corporate espionage was a serious offense, especially in an industry as competitive as Hollywood. Once it was proven that these employees had leaked confidential scripts, production schedules, and financial projections to rival studios, the consequences were swift and unforgiving.

All three individuals were immediately terminated from Grey Pictures, their company access revoked, and legal action initiated.

Kazir instructed the legal team to pursue charges for breach of contract and theft of intellectual property.

Additionally, Grey Pictures blacklisted their names within the industry, informing major studios and networks. In Hollywood, reputation was everything. Being labeled a corporate spy was a career death sentence.

If these people tried to apply for jobs, Grey Pictures would do its best to warn the employers.

No one wanted a snitch in their organization.

"I'll see to it, don't worry. I'm also mad about what they did," Stella added.

These three people shared information regarding Modern Family with Walt Disney and Universal Pictures.

If Walt Disney and Universal Pictures tried to hire these spies, then Grey Pictures would proceed with legal action.

They would make sure the three spies would suffer some jail time and pay a huge amount of fines before they could even ask for help from Walt Disney and Universal Pictures.

As for how the Modern Family information came to Warner Brothers, Paramount, and Sony-Colombia, Grey Pictures was still trying to figure it out. Perhaps Walt Disney and Universal Pictures shared the information with them.

Or perhaps there were still some unnoticed spies in the company that they failed to locate...

Well, Kazir believed that there were more spies. It was just that they couldn't find them because they were too discreet.

Anyway, teaching these three people a painful lesson would be a reminder to every employee in the company to never mess around.

The three spies went to jail for 8 years. Stella Willow used every means possible to make them suffer.

Anyway, the situation regarding corporate spies disappeared after that.

Unfortunately, the problems they caused never disappeared.

Since it was known that Grey Pictures had another TV show in production, TV networks started causing trouble, hoping that the broadcasting rights to Modern Family would be acquired by them.

Fox TV, or perhaps FOX, didn't like that, and they also started pestering Grey Pictures. They eagerly asked them to sign a contract to broadcast Modern Family. However, Grey Pictures was slowing down the negotiation since the company was also fighting for a better business deal.

In a way, this corporate espionage gave Grey Pictures some leeway to strike a better deal with FOX.

The whole of North America, Canada and Mexico included, was going crazy over Game of Thrones. Even European countries loved the show. It was not surprising that many TV networks wanted to acquire the broadcasting rights to Modern Family. They knew that Kazir was the writer, and he would create another masterpiece. Imagine how much money they could make from a comedy TV show.

For reference, Warner Brothers and the studio behind the TV series Friends earned approximately $4.8 billion!

Even The Office (U.S. version) earned over $3 billion after 9 seasons!

If Modern Family could earn at least one-third of that amount, it was already amazing. It was a business deal worthy of being taken seriously.

'Hm, let me guess... If I remember it right, Modern Family earned over $3 billion through ad sales, streaming, DVD, and merchandise. As for ABC, the TV network that broadcast Modern Family in the original timeline, ABC earned $2 billion... Unless my memories are not right. So yeah, I can understand why TV networks want our show.'

Kazir thought to himself.

As Kazir recalled the huge numbers, he couldn't help but smirk. The value of Modern Family was undeniable, and the bidding war between TV networks had only intensified in recent weeks, even though the show was still in production.

He knew that Grey Pictures had a unique advantage because of his creative reputation. Every network wanted a piece of that potential goldmine.

However, Kazir wasn't about to settle for just any deal. He had learned the power of taking advantage of the situation, especially after the corporate espionage scandal.

Now, he was in a position to play hard. Grey Pictures wasn't desperate. Modern Family would be broadcast by the TV network worthy of it.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 569

After tackling the topics regarding Modern Family and corporate spies, the meeting started talking about other matters, such as the success of Game of Thrones Season 3.

Kazir smiled as he saw the profit from the show. Even the executives were satisfied. Some of the executives were from 20th Century Fox and were strongly connected to the production of Game of Thrones and its broadcasting rights to Fox TV. They were proud of what they had achieved.

Game of Thrones Season 3 was an absolute success, both critically and commercially. With its storyline, shocking twists, and high production value, it acquired high viewership ratings.

The season averaged over 14 million viewers per episode, making it Fox TV's most-watched series at the moment. Merchandise sales skyrocketed from collectible figures to clothing and replica swords. Especially the books; they were selling like hotcakes.

For reference, Fox TV had produced and aired notable shows such as Family Guy, The Simpsons, American Idol, The X-Files, House, Prison Break, That 70's Show, and many more. Yet their fastest earner was none other than Game of Thrones, the first TV show that Grey Pictures produced. No wonder many TV networks were eager to work with Grey Pictures.

International broadcasting rights of Game of Thrones brought in over $150 million alone, while DVD and Blu-ray sales added another $80 million to the account. Fox TV reported that Season 3 had generated over $400 million in combined profits, solidifying Game of Thrones as a cultural and financial dragon.

Season 3 had just ended, since it only had 10 episodes due to its huge expenses. Still, the profit was astronomical. In fact, Season 4 was already in production.

Grey Pictures had three stable production teams. One team consisted of Kazir's most trusted people, such as Renner, Jane, Harold, and many more. They mostly worked with Kazir once a year since the director always had yearly projects. But this time, they would work on the production of Modern Family for the time being. Kazir had no project this 2009.

As for the second team, they worked on Game of Thrones.

As for the third team, they worked on their CCU movies.

This year, aside from Ninja Assassin, Grey Pictures would release Fast & Furious 3... Only Kazir knew that the original title of this movie was Fast & Furious and it was the fourth sequel of the franchise.

'For some reason, in the original timeline, the producer and director Justin Lin decided to name the fourth sequel as Fast & Furious without indication of what sequel it was. Because of that, some people were confused between The Fast and the Furious (1st movie) and Fast & Furious (4th movie). To make sure that CCU fans wouldn't be confused, I decided to change the title to Fast & Furious 3. As for why it became the third movie instead of the original fourth, I decided to skip the third installment of the franchise, which is Tokyo Drift.'

Kazir secretly sighed because of the decision he made. For some reason, he felt like he betrayed the franchise as a fan. But he knew that he didn't have a choice.

After all, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift didn't have strong relevance to the overall plot of the franchise. Except for a single character, Han Lue, and a short cameo of Dom Toretto, Tokyo Drift was nothing but a standalone movie.

'So instead of adding Tokyo Drift to the Fast & Furious franchise, I decided to make it a standalone movie that is set to be released after Fast & Furious 6 so that it won't complicate the plot of Fast & Furious.'

In short, Kazir had no intention of erasing Tokyo Drift. He intended to release it in a few years.

'Hehe, maybe I can make another franchise from Tokyo Drift. A franchise strictly based on car racing.'

Fans of Fast & Furious agreed that Tokyo Drift was the last movie in the franchise where car racing was an important part of the plot. After Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious became all about action and gravity-defying stunts... Imagine a car flying to space; yeah, that was what Fast & Furious was all about...

It was understandable why fans of the franchise missed the simple car racing theme.

So yeah, Tokyo Drift would still happen but not as a sequel to Fast & Furious, rather as a real standalone movie.

'I bet fans will be shocked once they know that Han Lue will die in Tokyo Drift.'

He was smirking and staring ahead. The people in the conference room glanced at him and thought the boss was happy. Anyway, money was coming, so of course there was a reason to be happy.

"Kazir?"

"Hm, Tokyo Drift..."

"Ahem, Kazir?"

"Ah, yes?"

Kazir snapped out of his thoughts when Stella cleared her throat and brought up the next topic, the marketing strategy for Fast & Furious 3. With the film set for release later in the year, the team had to plan promotional tours and merchandising products.

The cast of the movie had to be active and keep doing promotions. Vin Diesel could spam his motto again: "Nothing beats family."

Kazir leaned forward, fully engaged. He was embarrassed that he had been lost in his thoughts earlier.

He emphasized a strong international campaign, stressing the importance of the international box office. He encouraged the cast to promote the movie outside of America. Especially in Europe and Asia, where the franchise had a huge following. The company had a private jet now, and they could use it for the cast to travel around... Kazir even used it to go to Hawaii two months ago.

After the topics of Modern Family, Game of Thrones Season 3, and Fast & Furious 3, the meeting continued. A company as large as Grey Pictures had a lot of things to talk about, and it wouldn't simply end unless the boss wanted the meeting to end.

+++++

[Author's Note: What do you think of my decision to postpone Tokyo Drift and make it a standalone movie?]

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 570

"Hm, this one seems about right."

The casting director muttered after taking the DVD disc out of the DVD player.

Everest nodded after watching the actor's performance. He wrote some key points on the actor's resume.

Today, Everest, the casting director, and other important people on the production crew of Modern Family were watching audition tapes from the actors and actresses who were interested in becoming part of the cast of Modern Family.

They had already reviewed over fifty audition tapes, each actor or actress bringing their own uniqueness for the crew to appreciate. Some actors had potential, while others didn't quite fit the roles they were looking for.

To be fair, almost everyone who auditioned had no clear idea about what the show really was. They just heard that it was written by Kazir and that it was a comedy. A few lucky actors from CAA heard the criteria for the cast, but even then, the best they could do was send audition tapes.

Almost all of the audition tapes featured actors and actresses doing comedy skits. None had successfully acquired a portion of the script this time. Grey Pictures was strengthening its security.

Everest leaned forward as the next tape began to play. A young actor walked into the frame. He delivered lines with a natural charm and nice comedic timing. The room grew quiet, everyone watching intently. After watching so many comedy skits today, their sense of humor had become numb.

Even the casting director raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Meh, not bad I guess. We can invite him to personally audition and read the script for us," he said.

Everest scribbled "passable" on the actor's resume. The search was long, but moments like this made it worth it.

They were currently looking for an actor who could take the role of Phil Dunphy.

"Yeah, we can send copies of tapes of the promising actors to Kazir so he can see who they are. I also heard that he invited some actors to audition personally next week."

Yeah, after some meetings here and there, Modern Family got approval, and even the budget was estimated. For Season 1, each episode would cost around $1.5 million. It was cheaper than each episode of Game of Thrones Season 3, which was around $6 million.

Overall, Modern Family was promising.

"Alright, roll on the next tape. This time, let's look at the actresses who auditioned for female roles."

The list of characters was still undisclosed, yet hundreds of actresses had already sent their resumes and audition tapes to attract attention… In fact, one aspiring actress even sent a "casting couch" type of audition tape. Yes, she literally sent a porno. Perhaps she hoped she could get a role by seducing the male crew members. People heard that a new young director would direct the show.

And this time, the same type of "tape" was shown.

The room fell into an awkward silence as the casting director embarrassingly stopped the video from playing.

Everest sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was visibly annoyed.

"Throw it out," he said flatly. He crossed out the name and the resume of the actress using a red pen. Meaning, the actress failed to pass the audition. Thankfully, this was just a preliminary audition.

"We're here to find actresses, not scandals. If we hired them because of sex, we might get into lawsuits and even be blacklisted," Everest added.

He knew that Hollywood was never good, and he also knew that many people in the industry used sex as a way of trading benefits.

Unfortunately, Kazir, the boss, was against this kind of business deal… Yes, unfortunately. Many people in Grey Pictures actually enjoyed this kind of benefit, but they were hiding it from Kazir since the director was never a fan of the "casting couch."

Everest was still a newbie director with credentials to prove. He didn't want to destroy his career right at the start. As for his opinion regarding the casting couch... Well, he kinda enjoyed the treatment. After all, Everest was Kazir's ex–assistant director, so his position was quite high.

"Alright, alright. Fuck these bitches. They think they can seduce us by sending porn. We are not hiring pornstars. Ptui--!" The casting director spat disgustedly.

The casting director chuckled nervously and quickly shuffled to the next tape, eager to move on.

As the screen lit up with a new audition, a middle-aged actress appeared. The crew was surprised as they realized that the middle-aged actress was playing the role of a mother in her audition tape.

The room fell into silence, this time more seriously.

"She has potential," Everest said, tapping his pen. The search for Claire Dunphy just got interesting.

Everest was Kazir's assistant director after Palenque Simone became the director of Game of Thrones.

Everest got the position after being introduced to Kazir. Everest's agent was a close friend of Salvatore Barlowe, which made the transition easier. Salvatore was now one of the co-chairmen of CAA, and Everest's agent was Salvatore's lackey. Yeah, this was kind of a reward for Everest's agent. Because of that, Everest easily got the position.

After years of working with Kazir, Everest learned a lot of things. He became an apprentice in a way. And now, he had successfully earned the position to direct Modern Family.

Kazir had three assistant directors that worked under him. All of them became directors… Now that I'm going to direct Modern Family, I wonder who will take over my position as Kazir's assistant director. I bet so many people will die just to get that position, Everest thought.

Becoming Kazir's assistant director was a sure way to become a director. That was probably the fastest method to become a director in Hollywood.

After all, even though there were thousands of directors in Hollywood, only a few had the chance to direct high-budget projects such as movies and TV shows.

 

[mauveine]

[Author's Note: What do you think of my decision to postpone Tokyo Drift and make it a standalone movie?]

Click to shrink...

top notch idea, tbh. It never quite fit in with the rest of the films. Partly by having none of the same characters. Partly by being in a different setting. Mostly because they (the production) had no idea where the series was going.
So it ended up looking like the affair child.
Which sucked, because it wasn't a bad film by any measure

Kazir had three assistant directors that worked under him. All of them became directors… Now that I'm going to direct Modern Family, I wonder who will take over my position as Kazir's assistant director. I bet so many people will die just to get that position, Everest thought.

Click to shrink...

Well, that sounds like foreshadowing, doesn't it?