HOLLYWOOD WHAT IF

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 370


Viewership rating was a way to determine how the TV Shows performed. Nielsen Media Research was the company responsible for rating TV Shows. It was called Nielsen ratings for a reason.

Nielsen Media Research used Statistical Sampling to rate shows. Around 20 thousand households were part of the sample for the national rating estimates. Although this number was small compared to the overall 120 million homes with TVs in the US, it was enough to determine what TV Shows families wanted to watch.

Fox TV contacted Nielsen Media Research to keep an eye on the statistics regarding Game Of Thrones.

A room filled with executives and important people in the company was all waiting for the results. Palenque Simone was also staying and waiting for the results. He was the representative of the Game Of Thrones in the room.

If the rating was promising, Palenque understood that his career would officially start as a director. TV Directors might be a level lower than film directors but a respectable job nonetheless. Besides, being a TV Director also had a great salary. Sometimes even better than film directors who were tight on production budgets.

Kazir Grey and Tom Rothman didn't attend the waiting game because they were busy. Of course, with one call they could easily know the performance of Game Of Thrones.

The first episode was still ongoing and Palenque Simone was squeezing his hands hard, praying to every deity he knew.

In his opinion, Game Of Thrones would do well, but his opinion didn't matter. Numbers does.

If numbers didn't work in their favor, then Game Of Thrones would be affected badly. Perhaps Fox TV might not give them the chance to broadcast the third episode which would be scheduled next week, Friday.

A few minutes after some talking with Nielsen Media Research, the rating for the first 20 minutes of the first episode was sent.

Palenque gulped and waited for the results. Now he realized why Fremont was losing hair... This job was not that easy at all, Palenque felt like he wanted to pull his hair because the intense pressure was killing him.

The peak rating was 19.16 viewership, which meant that around 23 million houses were watching the first episode at the same time!

Then it steadied at 16.62. It showed that around 20 million televisions were on Fox TV!

Hearing the results, Palenque sighed in relief. He felt like the heavy boulder on his shoulder shattered to pieces.

People started congratulating him for obvious reasons. Even though this was just the start of the show and this rating might go for a nosedive it was still better than what they expected.

This showed that Game Of Thrones had what it takes to be one of the best shows this year. As long as the show could maintain this rating, money would come their way to their pockets.

.........

......

...

"That's great to hear. Yes, I'm also watching it right now. I have popcorn on my side. Thanks, keep up the good work. We'll see each other tomorrow."

Kazir talked to Palenque who kept thanking him. He shared the good news with Kazir and the famous director kinda expected the results. After all, he knew that Game Of Thrones was one of the best TV Shows of all time... Except for the last season.

Anyway, Kazir was sitting alone on his sofa. Watching the show on a 50-inch flat screen. Angelina had a commercial shooting tonight so she couldn't watch the show live. Although she promised that she would watch it later.

TV Shows might not be profitable compared to movies but it was still good money. There were a lot of ways to make money with TV Shows. Commercials, selling Broadcasting Rights to foreign countries, and even selling DVDs were making heaps of profits. And this was a steady income that the company could enjoy. TV Shows had a longer run so the money would keep coming.

NCIS had more than 20 seasons and makes money up to date. And this TV Franchise even had other versions such as NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, and a lot more. Obviously, these shows won't keep producing episodes if they are not making profits.

Another example was Friends, a famous TV Show. The show has generated an estimated $1.4 billion in earnings for its cast and creators since its 1994 debut and $4.8 billion for its production company, Warner Brothers. I repeat, these were earnings.

Nobody hates steady income, not Kazir, and surely not Grey Pictures. As long as everyone was making money and the amount was huge, then everyone was happy.

Then, unexpectedly, Kazir received another call. It was from Emilia Clarke...

Kazir raised his brow and answered the call. He already had an idea why the actress wanted to call him.

"Um, director, I want to say thank you for hiring me. I'm just a young actress with no credentials but you still cast me in this show. Thank you. I'm indebted to you."

"Well, don't ask for a huge salary increase next season. That's the best way to settle your debt to me."

"..."

"Haha, of course I'm just joking. We will never agree to unreasonable requests anyway."

"..."

The two talked for a few minutes before they ended their conversation.

Kazir returned his focus to the show. The first episode ended, and the second episode premiered a few minutes later.

Tomorrow, he would receive a copy of the data regarding Game Of Thrones. The viewership rating never went down to 19 million, it was a huge success that even Fox TV gave the show the go-signal to make a full season.

The network promised that the show would be broadcast on a prime-time schedule and the network would promote the show at full capacity.

The cast and the crew of the show were obviously happy by this fact and worked hard for a better future. Especially the newbie actors and actresses that were cast in this show. They understood that this was the chance they have to acquire.

 

[ahmed920]

Game of thrones really has to broadcast on HBO. FOX doesn't allow the nudity the show had in it's first couple of seasons.

 

[Z3r0Sama]

Game of thrones really has to broadcast on HBO. FOX doesn't allow the nudity the show had in it's first couple of seasons.

Click to shrink...

Behold the power of 'money printer go bbrrrrrrrrr'

A pile of money might not persuade FOX, but a football stadium full of money and 20% viewer ratings will.

 

[Luizinho]

Game of thrones really has to broadcast on HBO. FOX doesn't allow the nudity the show had in it's first couple of seasons.

Click to shrink...

It's not just nudity, but also extreme violence, rape, sex, incest, psycho kids, etc.

It will be hard on fox tv.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 371


"The show last night was amazing. I already watched it twice but it still gives me chills. I feel like I'm watching a movie!"

"Of course, we are talking about Director Grey. He is the best director of all time!"

Film students had conversations in the cafeteria while having their lunch. Game Of Thrones had a replay last night and the rating was positive, ranging to 15.27 viewership.

"I heard that the viewership rating was high."

"What's the rating?"

"I think 15.27 or something."

"... So what does that mean?"

"It means that more than 15% of the houses that have televisions are watching Game Of Thrones."

"Only 15%? Isn't that too small?"

"There are local channels, national networks, and even cable channels that air shows within the same hour. It's already amazing that Game Of Thrones dominated more than 15% of that population. You can't expect all of the houses to watch one show, unless it's the moon landing or Superbowl."

After that, one of the girls sighed.

"I hope the next episode will come... When will Friday arrive!?"

Amber, the young beautiful student begrudgingly muttered. She was a student at California Institute Of Arts, her dream was to be a famous actress. She participated in some projects but so far no luck in getting recognition.

Being film students, they were more into movie-related subjects.

"Hey, I also watched Kazir Grey's movie this year. I feel like Pirates Of The Caribbean has the chance to be a successful franchise. At least better than The Matrix, in my opinion."

"That's right! I also watched that movie. And I tell you, I fell in love with Johnny Depp's acting. Jack Sparrow is entertaining to watch. Gosh, if I ever had a chance to marry someone like Johnny Depp, I promise that I will love him dearly. Never hurt or cheat on him, and I'll never take a dump in his bed."

Amber said like a young girl who was dreaming about her crush.

"Hey guys! What are you talking about?"

Suddenly, Mara showed up with a forced smile and greeted them.

She sat down at the table and the atmosphere immediately became awkward.

"Um, excuse me but who said you can sit next to us?"

"Come on guys, we are friends. Right?"

"Said by the liar. We all know that you're not Kazir's sister... You're his half-sister, the bastard daughter of your mom." Amber giggled mockingly and the others laughed at Mara.

"Don't talk bad about my Mom!"

"And what are you going to do? Lie to us again? I guess I know why you kept evading our request to meet Kazir. You are a fake friend! Now get out of our table before we throw our drinks on you."

"Amber Heard, you dare!"

Mara pounced on the woman and grabbed her hair, pulling her strands. Amber screamed and also fought back. The two started tearing each other's scalp like crazy.

Alexa Nguyen who was watching in the corner was dumbfounded. The cafeteria turned messy and many students circled around the two women, watching the spectacle.

Alexa knew that she was the one who spread the news that Mara was not Kazir's sister. Yet she didn't expect that the outcome would be like this...

She didn't feel anything at all.

She just hoped that these bitches would never bother her again.

The commotion ended when the Professors showed up to stop the quarrel. Both Mara Cohen and Amber Heard looked like ravaged bird's-nest, their hair was messy.

The two were sent to the Dean's office to solve the problem but the two clearly had deep animosity after this incident.

Both parents were called and Elizabeth showed up... She confronted Amber Heard and her mother, slapping their faces to red. It made the matter worse.

"Mom! I can't accept this! That bitch deserves to be publicly humiliated!"

Mara screamed at the top of her lungs as they returned to the house. She was seething in anger. Disrespecting her was bad, but disrespecting her mother was too much.

Mara loved her mother, that was true. Elizabeth showered Mara with love and the daughter naturally loved her mother. So when Amber Heard started saying bad things about Elizabeth, Mara decided to teach her a lesson.

Mara looked in the mirror and sighed in relief when she confirmed that her face looked fine. There were red marks but no clear scratches.

"Mom... When will we meet brother again? I want to talk to him. I'm tired of modeling. I want to become an actress!"

"..."

Elizabeth just smiled and brushed Mara's messy hair.

"Honey, you said that you want to be a star, right? Don't worry, Mom found a role for you. It's from a huge project, invested by Universal Pictures."

"Really, that Universal Pictures? One of the Big Six?"

Mara was surprised.

"That's right, honey. It's a horror movie, but don't frown, this movie had a huge budget and your role has lines! So instead of thinking about your brother, how about we study your role and how you will act?"

"That's amazing! Mom, you are really the best Mom in the world. I love you! Can I read the script?"

"Of course honey."

Elizabeth smiled, hiding the fact that this business could affect her youngest son. Universal Pictures wanted her to destroy Kazir. As for how Elizabeth would do that? Universal had no idea.

They just knew that Elizabeth and Kazir were blood-related and Elizabeth could find Kazir's weakness.

Elizabeth was now starting to come up with plans.

'Universal just wants me to make a problem with my son, and frankly, I have always caused a problem with him. So it's never that hard.'

She thought.

She had no intention of destroying her son. Kazir was her biological son after all.

She just wanted to play games...

+++++

[If you're interested in reading more, you can check out my Patreon or Ko-fi.]

P@treon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki

Ko-fi link: https://ko-fi.com/pujimaki

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 372


"Is it possible for our website to be on top of the search list? I want people to quickly see our website as soon as they type related words?"

"Yes, sir. That's possible."

Victor Grey replied and the client seemed very happy with his response.

After the tragedy three years ago, Victor and Aaron decided to expand their business and explore the booming internet industry.

Kazir gave them some ideas such as promoting products on the internet. Victor decided to hire more people who had relevant knowledge regarding how the Internet works. He was actually surprised by the potential of this new industry.

The clients started hiring them and business was getting better.

In fact, Grey Pictures also hired their company to help them promote their movies on the internet... The company also helped Grey Pictures to make sure that their movies would have a high rating on IMDb. IMDb was a famous movie review site but the ratings of movies could be manipulated.

"That's great to hear. More companies are adapting to the changes and I'm afraid we might lose customers if I don't follow the trend... Hm."

The client looked at his watch and decided to end the meeting today.

"Let's talk again tomorrow. My son is nagging me to buy the deluxe DVD edition of Pirates Of The Caribbean."

"Pirates Of The Caribbean? My son actually worked on that movie!" Victor laughed.

"Really? That's unexpected. Is he one of the actors?"

"No, he is the director."

"I see, the director huh... Wait what?"

The client was surprised at first before remembering that Victor's surname was Grey.

The director of Pirates Of The Caribbean was Kazir Grey!

They have the same surname!

"Yeah, haha, my son is Kazir Grey."

"... Let's extend the contract."

The client uttered.

"Huh? But I thought we were just in the preliminary meeting?"

"No, I'll sign the contract... Just give me an autograph of your son. Even better if I can have a chance to take a picture with him."

"..."

.........

......

...

The third and fourth episodes of Game Of Thrones were released on December 5 and December 12 respectively.

Because of the hype and success Game Of Thrones achieved, the third and fourth episodes jumped up in ratings. Even going high with a 22.16 rating!

The show that had the highest ratings this year was CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, with 25.48 viewership rates. This show was from CBS and the network was known for producing good TV Shows such as Friends, E.R., and Law And Order.

As Fox TV... This network was more known for its Fox News. It only had a few successful TV Shows such as The X-Files. Prison Break was still not existing so Fox TV was not doing well compared to other national channels.

However, Game Of Thrones could be their chance to change the status quo. Game Of Thrones broke through the charts.

The more people watch the Show, the better it would be for the network. Some of these people could become their potential loyal audience.

Knowing the power that they acquired, the management of Fox TV decided to promote the show more. They wanted more people to watch it.

Another thing was that they were hoping for Kazir to make another show...

Kazir Grey just proved that he was not just for cinemas, he was also for TVs. His talent was immense.

Now, they further realized that buying shares of Grey Pictures was the best decision they ever made in this decade.

Because of that, the management of Fox TV couldn't help but be greedy. They really couldn't help it, they admitted that they were being greedy.

If Kazir decided to make another Show, then it would be a huge help to Fox TV. It gives them a better status in the industry.

So yeah... 20th Century Fox, Blue Sky Studio, Sony-Colombia, and Fox TV were currently hunting Kazir right now. His name further solidified as the most talented director of the current era.

His works might not be super artistic and filled with emotions, but the money he could bring to the table was endless.

For the companies, he was the best person they could ever have. The Big Six sometimes hated him, but they could never deny that they were amazed by his talent. If possible, they wanted to work with him.

.........

......

...

While Game Of Thrones was getting famous every episode, Kazir Grey on the other hand already started the Spider-Man 2 project.

He knew that the president of Fox TV wanted to meet him but Kazir decided to take his time and never promised to meet him personally.

Kazir and Gail Berman, the president of Fox TV, were not equal. At this point, Kazir had a higher status than Fox TV's president. Kazir had a share of 20th Century Fox, basically a co-owner of a billion-worth company. While Fox TV was just a subsidiary.

Kazir understood that he was going to be busy from now on since Spider-Man 2 officially started. He didn't have the time to facilitate or direct another TV Show.

He might be known for having a fast style of filming but he knew his limits.

Besides, if he indeed wanted to start another TV Show, that would be after season 1 of Game Of Thrones ended. Grey Pictures would have free resources to make another show once Game Of Thrones season 1 was done.

'But that show would probably be smaller compared to Game Of Thrones, because we can't afford another huge expense...'

Kazir muttered to himself while looking for a cup of noodles to eat. He was at a 7-Eleven store, near the shooting location of Spider-Man 2.

He was so busy that he didn't know that the cashier was giving him a strange look.

After a few seconds of internal monologue, Kazir decided to buy a Doritos and Pepsi instead.

He went to the counter and paid for his food.

"... So you're going to act like you don't know me, is that it?"

"Hm?"

Kazir was confused at first. He then looked at the cashier who was glaring at him.

"Excuse me?"

Kazir tilted his head.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Well that new one for Kazir Grey.
At least GOT tv show is doing well on the Fox network ( HBO channel would really ket them cut loose on digital tv,) anyway a win an win in an alternative world.
Spider man 2 has started preparing pre production for filming and Pirates of the Caribbean is doing well in DVD sells and so his father and brother internet business.
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 373


Kazir looked at the woman who was staring at him. The woman seemed pretty but her job was clearly tiring because of dark eye bags under her eyes.

She was a bit chubby. Grumpy from the moment she set her eyes on Kazir.

The cup noodles, Doritos, and Pepsi were still not getting scanned by the glaring cashier.

"Um... Excuse me miss, but do I even know you? Can you please scan my order because I have something to do?"

Kazir said to the woman. Truthfully, he had no idea why this cashier was acting like this.

"Humph! Don't act like you don't know me. I know that the reason why you're here is that you want to meet me. Tell me, you're still not over me, right? Well... If you court me, maybe I can give you a chance this time."

"..."

'Delusional. This woman is a big delulu.'

Kazir thought to himself.

He just wanted to buy a cup of noodles for God's sake!

'If I knew this would happen, I would have asked someone to buy me food instead. I want to walk to relax my mind since I've been in the studio for the whole day...'

"I don't know you, I repeat, I don't know you. Just please scan my order so I can leave." He was serious.

"Tch, acting like a clueless guy. Okay fine, I'll play with you. My name is Wendy Mandeville. I'm sure you know me now."

The cashier grumbled and scanned the noodles, Doritos, and Pepsi. It was 7 dollars and 26 cents.

"Wendy... Wendy Mandeville..."

He narrowed his gaze, staring at the woman. He was trying to remember the name.

"Are you Wendy? From my middle school?"

"That's right, although I know that you recognized me in the first place. Anyway, what you said when we were young, I think I'll give it a chance. How about it, do you want to date me?"

She smiled, a bit playful.

However, Kazir was thinking of the past so he didn't hear Wendy's statement.

Back in middle school, Kazir's family suffered financially after the divorce of his parents. His father was depressed and the business was affected because of that.

So Kazir studied in a public school and his school life was as normal as it could be. He had some friends. He also had a hobby, which was watching movies.

As for Wendy Mandeville, she was Kazir's first crush. She was the prom queen of their campus, basically the hottest girl in the school.

'That's a bit odd way of describing someone considering that were just 13 at that time...'

Kazir was still young and quite innocent at that time. He decided to confess his feelings and got turned down instead.

Wendy Mandeville didn't like a nobody like Kazir. So Kazir's first love ended after that. He was depressed for a month before returning to his usual lifestyle.

'I'm technically in my 70s now, so my memories of my middle school and high school are blurry.'

He then looked at Wendy who was waiting for his response.

"Nope. Besides, now that I'm looking at you, you're not even that hot." Kazir smirked. He paid the cashier 8 dollars in cash.

"What did you say?" Wendy was stunned and didn't expect his answer. She thought Kazir was still in love with her... She was truly delusional if she thought she was right. They were just kids back then and feelings could change.

Kazir was happy with his life now.

"Keep the change."

He waved his hand and walked away, holding his cup of noodles, Doritos, and Pepsi... He forgot to get hot water for his noodles. He only remembered it when he returned to the studio.

.........

......

...

2003 was going to end and Hollywood already compiled the top 10 biggest movies this year.

But of course, this ranking was still not concluded since some movies were still going to be released in the last two weeks of December. For example, The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The Kings.

This movie was one of the most anticipated movies this year. This was the last movie of the trilogy and everyone was excited to watch it!

While that was happening, Forbes already published the list of the top 10 highest-grossing movies this year.

1.) Finding Nemo. A movie produced by Pixar. A subsidiary of Walt Disney. This movie grossed more than $871 million worldwide. Because of the continuous success of 3D animation in Hollywood, other studios also adapted their own 3D animation studios to get some slices of this golden cake called the animation industry.

2.) Wanted 2. A sequel to a $1 billion movie. Wanted 2 was produced by Grey Pictures and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Fans admitted that Wanted 2 was lackluster compared to its prequel but it was still entertaining in the end. The movie already grossed more than $745 million worldwide after four months of screening, and this amount was still increasing. Some speculate that Wanted 2 could surpass Nemo. But the idea of exceeding $1 billion might be difficult for Wanted 2.

3.) The Matrix Reloaded. The second installment of The Matrix franchise... It was disappointing overall. The box office was saved by the hype. Unfortunately, its third movie which was the last movie of the trilogy had a lower box office and the reason was obvious.

4.) Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl. Directed by none other than Kazir Grey. A new franchise that had a possibility to be profitable, especially in the hands of Kazir Grey and Johnny Depp. This movie grossed $654 million at the worldwide box office. Proving that Kazir's had the Midas's touch.

5.) The Equalizer. Another movie from Grey Pictures, and a new franchise from Continental Cinematic Universe. Starring Denzel Washington, this movie caught the interest of CCU fans. Giving it $481 million at the box office.

The top 5 this year, 3 of the spots were acquired by Grey Pictures. This showed how powerful this studio was getting by.

 

[Neverlucky SMILE]

from middle school??? wtf she tought that someone will remember some girl from 20 years ago

 

[Luizinho]

I saw a few days ago that equalizer was a TV show in the 1980s, don't know if it was a book before that.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Jack-21]

from middle school??? wtf she tought that someone will remember some girl from 20 years ago

Click to shrink...

People can self delude themselves rather easily, clearly her life isn't going well since she is working as a cashier and after finding out about Kazir's success. She probably had fantasies about accepting his offer in middle school, becoming high school sweethearts and then living in a mansion after Kazir's success or some romance like they both meet each other years after school and fall in love etc.

Her coping mechanism backfired and made her look crazy when faced with Kazir.

She ain't even as crazy as that guy who lost his USB that had several hundred millions worth of Bitcoin like a decade ago and is still searching the dumpsite to this present day to find it.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 374


The fact that three movies of Grey Pictures' were in the top 5 made a lot of people shrugged their shoulders. As if they had already expected this result.

But even though they knew this could happen, deep down they were still jealous and angry.

A decade ago, most movies were dominated by Warner Brothers, Walt Disney and Universal Pictures. These three were recognized as the top 3 of the Big Six. Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox and Paramount battled it out for fourth place, and sometimes their rankings changed.

As for Sony-Columbia, this studio already accepted the bottom of the rankings. Although the times were changing and it seemed that Sony-Columbia acquired a powerful franchise to keep them relevant, which was Spider-Man.

However, when the 2000s came, things started to change and more films from Grey Pictures dominated the box office. That meant less money for the Big Six.

Had it not been for Kazir's intention to work with others, he might already be suffering from a pronounced attack by the big studios.

It was indeed painful to accept that a new studio was dominating the industry. It didn't change the fact that DreamWorks and the newly formed Lionsgate were showing their fangs at the Big Six.

This industry could produce billions every year, but it made the Big Six more serious about maintaining their market share.

After The Equalizer, Tom Cruise's new movie made it into the top 6.

6.) The Last Samurai. Starring Tom Cruise, this movie based on an actual event in history made a huge amount of money at the box office. Originally, this movie was a contender for the Oscars, and Tom was actually interested in the script. It was his plan B if The Revenant didn't win him the Best Actor award last year. But since The Revenant helped him do so, Tom Cruise decided to treat The Last Samurai as a normal movie project... In fact, he didn't expect the movie to do well, at least not to the tune of $454 million. The Last Samurai even had the chance to compete at the Academy Awards.

7.) Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Spoiler alert, this 3rd installment of the franchise was the part where the nuclear catastrophe happened, basically the beginning of Skynet's reign. The movie was still starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course. He was the face of the franchise. The movie grossed $433 million worldwide.

8.) The Matrix Revolutions. What can I say about this trilogy? The first movie was amazing, the second was confusing, and the third was a huge disappointment. Which gives us the result of $427 million. Not a bad amount, but The Matrix had more potential than that. Because even after two decades, the concept of The Matrix was still relevant.

9.) X-Men 2. More people realized that Marvel Comics had huge potential. The fact that three of their comics were successful at the box office proved it. Spider-Man, Blade and X-Men were recognized as the beginning of the Marvel empire. X-Men 2 grossed over $407 million.

10.) Bad Boys II. This film was directed by Michael Bay. A director known for filming explosions and bigger explosions. But unlike the others, this movie only made $273 million.

This list was not concluded and Forbes expected that the last movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy would obviously be part of the list.

.........
......
...

December 17th had arrived and probably millions of people were super excited... Maybe 10 million? Or maybe 15 million people?

Anyway, countless people lined up just to see the last movie of the trilogy. This was the conclusion and the end of the Lord of the Rings story. It was obvious why a lot of people were excited to see it.

Every theater in the United States and Canada was packed with people. These people were basically saying the same thing.

"One ticket for The Lord of the Rings, please!"

"Five tickets for The Return of the King, please!"

"I want to buy twenty tickets for The Lord Of The Rings! I'm a fucking scalper and I will sell the tickets twice the price!"

They all bought tickets! They wanted to see The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

That night was very busy for the theaters, comparable to the hype of Wanted 2 that was released a few months ago.

Not surprisingly, the first day (December 17) of the movie grossed $34.45 million. Cinema Alliance agreed to give Lord Of The Rings 3700 theaters in its first week.

Obviously, this amount just kept growing. This franchise was already a culture at this point, just as Star Wars and Harry Potter had become.

Day two, December 18, Thursday. The movie just went up to $51 million.

The box office didn't stop as more and more people bought tickets to see the movie. By Sunday, Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King had already grossed $124.10 million! This was only five days after its release.

The information reach the news stations and most of the programs were talking about Lord Of The Rings and related aspects of it like elves, dwarves and others.

In fact, Lord Of The Rings was the reason why dwarves and elves became popular in the mainstream media.

Before the 2000s, when people heard about elves, they thought of Santa's little helpers.

But now elves represent handsome and beautiful creatures with long life spans.

Hollywood understood the impact this franchise had on people's consciousness. The media was indeed a powerful weapon because it could change a person's perspective and opinion.

In fact, the Academy Awards received backlash for snubbing Lord of the Rings from major awards.

In the opinion of ordinary people, Lord Of The Rings deserves to win at least one major award.

Lord Of The Rings may not be a realistic movie, but it was an adaptation of old literature. This was a valid reason for the Academy members to accept the truth that Lord Of The Rings was a masterpiece.

Unfortunately, the Academy had a strong bias against non-realistic movies. They clearly hated the genre and always stuck to the "artistic reasoning".

+++++


[If you're interested in reading more, you can check out my Patreon or Ko-fi.]

P@treon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki

Ko-fi link: https://ko-fi.com/pujimaki

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 375


Being a guy who had some close ties with the higher-ups of Warner Brothers, Kazir heard that the company was also interested in The Hobbit.

The Hobbit was the prequel to The Lord Of The Rings and was also recognized as a masterpiece on its own.

Warner Brothers wanted to buy the adaptation right from Tolkien Enterprises. So far, the contract is still in creation.

Warner Brothers was great at managing trilogies. In fact, they had the best list of trilogies in the industry. One of the reasons why they dominated the industry, being the rank 1 or 2 of the Big Six.

The Dark Knight Trilogy.

The Ocean's 11 Trilogy.

The Hangover.

The Matrix.

Harry Potter... Is not a trilogy but you get the gist.

Overall, in terms of handling movies with planned sequels, Warner Brothers was known for being good at it.

'Lord Of The Rings is a famous piece of literature that gathered fans all over the world. The fact that the Academy Awards disregard this film irked a lot of people.'

Since Kazir knew the future, he also knew that many were disappointed when the Academy Awards didn't give a fuck about The Lord Of The Rings. They received strong criticism because of it. The Lord Of The Rings was not a simple fantasy movie, it was a piece of literature that popularized the genre.

For the Academy Awards to act clueless showed that they have a strong bias and prejudice against the movie.

'So to solve this problem, the Academy decided to fix their mistake before it became worse. They decided to give Peter Jackson the Best Director Award as an appreciation for his contribution to the industry. For adapting an old literature into a successful trilogy, Peter Jackson won the Best Director Award.'

Kazir remembered it well because their decision seemed forced. He couldn't help but chuckle.

'Well, this event will happen next year and I'm the presenter... If this part of the future never changed, then I'll give the golden statue to Peter Jackson.'

The success of The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King was already expected. The question was how much money it would generate.

.........

......

...

December 23, Tuesday.

The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King already grossed more than $150 million and this amount kept getting bigger as hours went on.

This whole week was a holiday for the students so many families decided to watch the movie as a way of family bonding.

The Lord Of The Rings was PG-13 and kids could watch it with their parents.

"What do you like about the movie?"

"Legolas! He's so handsome! Kyah--!"

A young girl squealed while getting interviewed. She begged her parents to watch the movie and her wish was fulfilled!

"If possible, I want to meet him in person! That's my wish!"

This kind of interview could be used as a way of advertising. By interviewing avid fans and showing the interview to the television, clueless people who had no idea about the movie would become interested.

.........
......
...

"Wish, huh..."

A young boy weakly muttered while looking at the television, watching a young girl scream in happiness while getting interviewed about her favorite movie.

The boy bitterly smiled and looked at his surroundings. If possible, he also wanted to go to a cinema and watch a movie.

However, dozens of tubes stuck in his arms and nose were like chains that bound him. The room was painted in white and medical equipment next to his hospital bed showed his current situation.

His name was Emer. He was only a ten year old but his life was struck by tragedy at such a young age. He was diagnosed with Leukemia and currently undergoing treatment.

The last movie he watched in the cinema was Spider-Man and that was two years ago. Since then, his health slowly declined until he was admitted to the hospital.

Emer was jealous...

The only way for him to cope with sadness was by reading Spider-Man comics. After watching Spider-Man, he became a fan and read almost every Spider-Man comic that was released.

He wanted to become Spider-Man, free from the world. A man who swings around the city, crawls tall buildings, and saves people.

Emer couldn't help but wipe his tears... He didn't even know if he would have a chance to watch Spider-Man 2 next year.

"Emer, honey, how's your day? Are you feeling sick?"

Emer quickly wiped his tears when he heard his Mom's voice.

He turned around and saw his parents entering the room. His Mom was controlling her emotions while his Dad was holding a stash of books, comic books for him to read.

"Mom! Dad!"

Being stuck in this room for months, his only comfort was his parents who showered him with love and affection.

The family started talking until the topic of comic books arrived.

"Son, I know that you like Spider-Man so I have a gift for you?"

"Really? What is it?" Emer became excited.

A few seconds later, a guy wearing a Spider-Man suit entered the room accompanied by a cameraman.

"Hi Emer, I heard you're a strong kid!"

Emer was surprised.

"Spider-Man!"

"That's right. It's me, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"

The surprise didn't end after that.

Spider-Man pulled out his mask, revealing Tobey Maguire's face!

It was actually Tobey Maguire!

The real Peter Parker in the movie!

The real Spider-Man!

Emer was so shocked that he started crying.

"Spider-Man! Spider-Man!"

For some reason, he felt that his wish had come true. He was not jealous of the young girl from the interview anymore. Unlike her, Emer personally met Spider-Man.

"Listen champ, I believe in you. I believe that there's a Spider-Man in your heart, and Spider-Man never surrenders. So make sure you never surrender as well!"

+++++

[Author's Note.]

[I have a conflicted opinion regarding charities overall, but I think Make-A-Wish Foundation is probably one of the truest charities I have ever known. Unlike other charities who only want money instead of helping people.]

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 376


Tobey Maguire was an actor. That was his profession and he liked it. Not only did it give him fame, but the salary was also abundant.

He had been friends with Leonardo DiCaprio since their teenage years. In fact, Leonardo helped him get the role of Peter Parker.

Of course Tobey was happy to be part of this huge project, especially when the director was Kazir Grey. It basically confirmed that the movie would be successful.

And indeed it was. After the release of Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire became a super famous actor in just one night.

He realized how amazing being a famous actor could be... He felt like a God, where people gave him gazes filled with worship.

This time, Director Grey personally asked him to film a surprise gift for a kid. Tobey had an idea that this was another method of advertising and he had to do it. He was bound by the contract.

His intention was simple and he had no deep or serious feeling about it. This was just a job for him.

But when he entered the hospital room and saw a young boy, pale and thin, Tobey couldn't help but be affected.

He suddenly realized that his role as Peter Parker/ Spider-Man was important to the heart of this young boy and other children.

The young boy started crying and hugged Tobey Maguire despite being weak.

Tobey smiled and rubbed the boy's back. The boy's parents couldn't help but shed tears as they witnessed the wholesome moment.

Tobey glanced at the cameraman-- Kazir Grey.

The director was the one who was holding the camera, capturing this very moment.

Tobey understood that this was nothing but a way to promote their upcoming movie. But he realized that it was not that simple at all.

To these kids, he was their hero. Someone they look up to.

'With great power comes great responsibility.'

He suddenly remembered that certain line from the movie.

The parents couldn't help but cry as they watched their son.

Tobey didn't treat this as a job, he wanted to be sincere.

The two started talking and Tobey made sure that the kid was entertained.

After that, the crew gave the family a $100 thousand cheque for the treatment of the kid. This came from the movie's promotion budget.

Kazir and Tobey came out of the hospital.

"Kazir... I think my role as Spider-Man is not that simple at all."

"It's a difficult role." Kazir agreed.

The two were waiting for their car to arrive.

"Spider-Man is a superhero. Being a superhero, he is supposed to give hope to people."

"..."

Quite an obvious statement but it was something that an actor like Tobey would never thought of.

"I guess I have to read the script later." Tobey bitterly smiled.

"Hm? But I thought you were going to attend a party tonight?"

Kazir knew that everyone in the crew had their own life. He couldn't prevent them from doing what they wanted. He just wished that the cast and the crew members wouldn't affect their project in a bad way.

So obviously, Tobey Maguire signed a contract that he was not allowed to drink and do drugs... publicly. Because it might affect the image of the movie.

"No, I change my mind."

Tobey shook his head. As long as he held the mantle of Spider-Man, he had to keep his positive appearance. He didn't want to break the hearts of many children, especially someone like Emer who was fighting his own battle.

Even though it was a stupid idea, he wanted to give them hope.

"Kazir, are we going to do another charity?"

"Do you mean something like what we did today? I'm not sure, I don't have a say regarding the advertising. You should ask Jezebel."

Tobey nodded his head.

The car arrived and the two left the hospital. The hospital kept it confidential so nothing bad happened such as paparazzi showing up. Of course, both Tobey and Kazir signed their autographs to the doctors and nurses to make the situation better.

The car reached Tobey's house first.

"Oh yeah, before I forget. Advance Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."

The crew had a vacation for two weeks so there was no filming. The project would resume next year.

"Merry Christmas, Kazir."

Tobey said respectfully.

.........

......

...

Unlike last year, Kazir and Angelina decided to spend Christmas Eve with Angelina's family.

Jon Voight personally called Kazir. The old man wanted them to spend Christmas in his place.

Kazir and Angelina agreed.

So now, Kazir was helping Jon in the barbeque stand. The two started talking about their experiences in the industry... Despite the difference in ages, the two had a great conversation.

As for Angelina, she was happy seeing the two men bond... Although she couldn't help but think about the message she received last night.

It had been bugging her since morning and she couldn't forget it. She glanced at Kazir, with a complicated gaze.

She did her best and hid her emotions while spending the night in her father's place.

Yet despite that, it seemed that her acting could not escape a director's eyes.

"Did something happen in your job? You look like you're thinking about something."

Kazir asked Angelina while on the highway. He was looking ahead but his voice was filled with concern.

Angelina was a bit surprised but she controlled her expression.

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired."

"Hm, just contact me if you need help."

"I will."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Making the director laugh.

"Easy easy. You know that I'm driving."

"Well... How about we stop at a hotel? I'm also fine doing it inside the car."

She giggled.

"..."

Kazir chuckled and didn't know what to say.

+++++

[Author's Note: I'm bored so here's my top 5 Anime that deserves a remake. Tell me your opinion about it.]

1.) Tokyo Ghoul- Probably the most popular anime in the 2013 and 2014 era. Season 1 is amazing and the opening is one of the best anime openings out there. Unfortunately, Season 2 is a terrible adaptation. The changes are massive and quite painful to watch. It didn't help that season 3 and season 4 cut a lot of scenes. In my opinion, Tokyo Ghoul deserves a remake that follow the source material. I'm a fan so it's quite painful to see this series getting sabotaged very badly.

2.) Soul Eater- The anime is amazing, but it didn't follow the source material especially in the latter part. Anyway, Soul Eater will probably have a remake since Fire Force is the prequel to Soul Eater.

3.) Pandora's Heart- The manga is a Masterpiece. But the anime failed to capture it's moment, especially the last episode. Man, Pandora's Heart is an underrated manga. I recommend it. People who read the manga understand why this manga is underrated and a masterpiece. Unfortunately, Pandora's Heart will never have a remake since it's not popular.

4.) Berserk- Well, people said that you should read the manga instead of watching it and I understand why. But if Berserk gets a remake that follows the source material, the bandwagon will go crazy, count me in.

5.) The Promised Neverland- Season 2 is amazing, but Season 2 is a dogshit. They should have stayed loyal to the source material. I'm still mad about it.

 

[Goodman65]

Thanks for the chapter.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter
Yeah that Tokyo Ghoul got shafted in the second season

 

[Hms Scarborough]

Yo Assassination Classroom top 5 at least.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 377


Two days before New Year, an extravagant party was happening at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

This hotel became famous after being part of the famous CCU. Many guests visit the hotel just to experience life inside the Continental Hotel.

20th Century Fox decided to rent the hotel to celebrate a party for this year's success.

20th Century Fox became stronger after acquiring Grey Pictures and Marvel Comics. These two companies had great futures ahead of them. The fact that Fox's stock price was going up meant that the public had the same opinion.

Being one of the biggest individual shareholders of 20th Century Fox, Kazir was naturally invited. He hated parties but he also understood that he had to attend. Especially when Rupert Murdoch himself personally called him to attend the Year End Party.

'It seemed that Rupert Murdoch wanted to meet me tonight. Well, that's a good thing because I also want to talk to him.'

Kazir wanted to prevent the 'Phone Call Tapping' from happening. This was the start of the downfall of News Corporation's empire. This directly affected 20th Century Fox, causing the studio to be acquired by Walt Disney.

This incident shouldn't happen. And if it already happened, then News Corporation should stop it before it bled them.

If possible, Kazir didn't want any of that to happen.

'... Although if things really happened, then I'm lucky because the shares I have are from 20th Century Fox, not from the News Corporation.'

These two companies would split a decade later with 20th Century Fox having the upper hand. News Corporation suffered badly while 20th Century Fox had steady projects throughout the years. Of course, 20th Century Fox still failed in the end.

Anyway, Kazir's shares were safe... For now.

After being greeted by some actors and actresses in the industry, Kazir realized that both Gail Berman and Carl Ludwig approached him.

Gail Berman was the president of Fox TV while Carl Ludwig was the head manager of Blue Sky Studio. Both had high status in the company although Gail Berman was obviously higher.

The two looked at each other before Carl Ludwig nodded his head and excused himself. It seemed that he had to find another chance to talk to Kazir about Kung Fu Panda.

The President of Fox TV was eager to talk to Kazir since November and this was the only time they could talk personally. Kazir always prefers to talk on the phone.

"Director, it's nice to meet you."

"President Berman. Congratulations on your network's positive rating."

Gail smirked.

"Yeah, about that. Kazir, are you interested in making another TV Show? You don't have to worry about the budget, Fox TV will cover it."

'As expected, it's about TV Show again. And this time, Gail wants a bigger profit.'

Kazir thought to himself. If another person or company invested in their TV Show or movie, then this entity was legally allowed to fight for a bigger share of profit. So Kazir didn't want investors because the profit would be lesser if they agreed to their terms.

And from the looks of it, Fox TV and Gail Berman wanted a TV Show that would be rightfully theirs.

The rights for Game Of Thrones were owned by Grey Pictures and they could change the TV network to broadcast their show, depending on how the contract was written.

Although most of the time, only famous TV Shows could jump into another ship.

Game Of Thrones was promising but it currently didn't have the strength to find a new home.

'In fact, hundreds of TV Shows are produced every year but only a few of them were lucky to be aired on television.'

So yeah, Fox TV was still a good network to latch on. Kazir had no intention of changing the TV network for Game Of Thrones.

However, he also had no intention of looking for an investor. If they had to get a loan, then so be it. It was a safer method. And loans were good for the company.

"I heard that you have to sign a loan just to fund Game Of Thrones. With Fox TV as your backer, then you don't have to worry. All we want is the domestic and international broadcasting rights of your show. Oh, and also a share of profit."

Gail Berman added.

Kazir was not even surprised. If he was in Gail's position, he would also strive for better deals.

The director smiled. He then said.

"President Berman. You know that Grey Pictures is still new in the TV industry. We can't act hastily or else the company will suffer. However, I can assure you that if Grey Pictures has a plan to start another TV Show, then it will naturally be broadcast by Fox TV. As for the budget, we will talk about that once it happens."

"Kazir, that's also what you said last time on the phone, minus the budget."

"What can I say?"

Kazir excused himself. No reason to talk. He didn't want to endanger the stability of the company by making another TV Show.

This year, they produced three movies and one TV Show. These four projects were enough to erase their funds.

Thankfully, all of their projects were profitable so they didn't suffer a loss.

"Sir, just listen to me! I just want to talk to CEO Rothman. Please, just let me through. I have my business card here. It's not fake at all!"

"I'm sorry but your name is not on the guest list. I wonder how you even got into the party."

Kazir heard a commotion that caught his interest.

"My name is Marc Randolph! Marc Randolph. You can check the list again."

"I already did, and your name is not on the list."

"Tch!"

"Did you just click your tongue?"

"Of course not. Please, just let me talk to the CEO. I have a business proposal that will interest him."

Watching the commotion, Kazir shook his head and turned around. This kind of incident happens sometimes. Some people would infiltrate a celebrity party to form a connection with rich people.

In fact, it also happened at one of Grey Pictures' celebration parties.

"I'm Marc Randolph, please look at it again!"

"Hm?"

When Kazir recalled the guy's name, he felt like he recognized it.

"Marc Randolph, where did I hear that name again?"

Kazir stopped walking.

"Marc Randolph... Isn't that the founder of Netflix?"

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 378


Netflix, a famous online streaming service where you have to pay monthly to watch movies. In fact, Netflix was the first to popularize this business.

With the advancement of technology, Netflix followed the trend perfectly and started the monthly payment streaming service. Where you could watch movies in your home without buying DVDs and visiting Blockbuster.

Besides, who likes to visit Blockbuster anyway? The workers in your local Blockbuster store were arrogant bunch of pricks.

Watching movies online was faster and easier, with no hassle at all. The biggest factor why Netflix became successful. After the success of Netflix other streaming services followed suit such as Disney+ and Hulu.

For around $7 per month(individually), a person could happily watch movies on Netflix.

You know the drill, Netflix and Chill, somebody's daughter getting drilled... Ahem, anyway.

The founders of Netflix were Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings. The two started the company with the idea of selling or renting DVDs by mail.

They made a profit, but not that huge either. Things started to change when the company used a new business method called online DVD rental.

Kazir stopped for a second and decided to turn around. He looked at the man who was arguing with the security... He had no idea about Marc Randolph's appearance but he indeed recognized the name.

"What's happening here?"

He decided to strike up a conversation. He was not sure why, but he decided to do it anyway.

The security realized that Kazir Grey showed up and respectfully explained the situation.

"I see. You can let him in, I can vouch for his name."

"Yes, sir."

The security left the two.

Marc Randolph was confused at first but then he recalled the director's name.

"Um, are you Director Grey? Kazir Grey?"

"That's right. That's me."

"Thanks for helping me."

"I heard that you have something to talk to Tom Rothman, maybe I can hear about it first?"

"R- Really? Give me ten minutes and I'll tell you about our company."

The two found a quiet place and Marc gave Kazir a business card with Netflix clearly printed on it.

"I'm Marc Randolph, CEO of Netflix."

Marc seemed nervous but he explained well how their company ran.

"A DVD rental through mailing, huh? That's an interesting idea. But I'm sure you have more reasons why you snuck to this party, right?"

"Sir... We're hoping that Netflix will be the sole distributor of 20th Century Fox's DVDs."

"..."

Kazir just shut his mouth. That kind of business proposal was too arrogant. Not even 20th Century Fox, or other studios won't easily agree with that.

So far, Blockbuster, Walmart, HollywoodVideo, and Movie Gallery are the major movie stores in North America, with Blockbuster being the most popular.

As for Netflix, it was nobody.

Even Marc Randolph was not confident, he was sweating a bit.

If Kazir didn't know the future, he would surely walk away after that statement.

"How many movies does Netflix have in their film library?"

"3... 300."

"300?"

Kazir was speechless... It was too small. For the record, Blockbuster had more than 10 thousand movies in its film library. With 70% of them being B-movies.

Don't underestimate B-rated movies. Even though they were lower quality compared to Hollywood movies, many people would still consume them.

A horror movie enthusiast might watch all kinds of zombie movies and slasher movies, just for the sake of it. And God knows how many horror B-movies were out there.

Even though these movies were not famous, there were still some people who would watch them.

In fact, Kazir's horror movies were getting popular lately, giving Kazir a few thousand dollars per month. These three horror movies film rights were bought by Blockbuster, meaning they were the sole distributor of these movies. Being a director, Kazir had a measly 3% of the sales and that contract would last for another decade.

Because Netflix only has 300 movies in its catalog, Kazir was disappointed. It means that Netflix had few products to sell, and these products were not even high quality.

'I guess that's why they are desperate to form a contract with 20th Century Fox.'

20th Century Fox has been in business since 1935. Their film library was massive.

Unfortunately, Kazir was not looking for that. What he wanted was the concept of online streaming. He was waiting for Marc Randolph to hook him with the idea.

Yet it seemed that Marc Randolph didn't have that on his sleeve.

'Perhaps it's still too early. Well, uploading a 5-minute video on the internet is already a hassle, the internet speed is limited. Furthermore, watching videos on the internet is also not optimized. I guess I'm asking for too much.'

It would be a lie if Kazir said that he was not interested in investing in Netflix, but he knew that Netflix's early history was full of losses. Kazir didn't want his investment to be wasted.

If he had to invest, then it should be around the time when Netflix started the online streaming service. He had no intention of joining the hardship of Netflix. What Kazir wanted was the easy and safe ways of making a profit. At the moment, Netflix was not worthy.

'I'm not interested in acquiring Netflix, I already have a lot of things to think about. I'm good with being a shareholder.'

Besides, he had no idea how online streaming works.

'I guess I'll wait a few years, huh.'

"It's nice meeting you, Marc."

Kazir stood up, showing that he lost interest in Marc.

"D- Director, can you please introduce me to Tom Rothman."

Marc also stood up, ready to grab Kazir's thigh.

"You should look for his secretary. Well then, see you next time Marc. Perhaps in a few years."

He excused himself, leaving Marc alone. It might look cruel but that's how business works. Even Tom Rothman won't listen to Marc's proposal.

+++++

[Author's Note: This is my response to the possible plot of investing on Netflix. Netflix had the monopoly for a few years, but lately a lot of streaming services are fighting Netflix. And in my opinion, YouTube is still the best... Because it's free. There are not many movies though, but hey, I'm not a movie fan anyway.]

[Also, don't take this novel seriously. Like, bruh, this novel is just a fanfiction.]

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 379


Spider-Man landed on the roof of a train... Well, it was not a safe landing, more like he was rolling on the roof. Especially when he was currently brawling with Dr. Octopus. The roof of the train caved in and the passengers were terrified as they realized what was happening.

The train was still running fast, with no intention of stopping.

Once Spider-Man and Dr. Octopus found their balance, the two started fighting again. Dr. Octopus's metallic tentacles moved fluidly, attacking Spider-Man.

"Cut--!"

Kazir announced and the camera stopped rolling. The train was nothing but props and it was not moving at all, the crew just gave it the illusion of moving. As for the background, well, it was a huge green screen.

Kazir was not insane enough to film an action stunt on top of a moving train that was running at 120kmp.

Once the director said cut, Alfred Molina sighed and laughed lightly. The metallic tentacles on his back were of course not real, they were also props.

These tentacles were not remote-controlled. Instead, 17 puppeteers were responsible for moving them.

Each finger, each arm, was controlled by puppeteers. The puppeteers used thin invisible cords for the fingers while they used a black pole to move the trunks. These black poles would be edited out later, together with the green screen.

Using remote controllers to move around these things would be difficult and inefficient. In fact, even though they used puppeteers to do the job, the filming still took a long time to finish. Sometimes mistakes happen such as one of the tentacles moved wrongly, causing the scene to be reshoot.

By the way, these metallic tentacles were not all made of metal. Most of its parts were made of foam, painted with metallic paint. Or else Alfred Molina would have a hard time moving around with a piece of heavy equipment on his back... Well, even though the tentacles were not made of metal, it was still heavy.

Imagine four tentacles on your back... Ahem, sounds like something from a hentai, to be honest.

While on break, Alfred Molina decided to sing a song from a play. Alfred Molina was actually part of a play this month and he had a habit of practicing his song in the set in every break. He was a stage actor.

When he auditioned for the role, Alfred Molina was already part of a theater play. He couldn't let go of the theater play despite winning the role of Dr. Octopus. Thankfully, Director Grey was generous. As long as his play didn't clash with the filming of Spider-Man 2, the director didn't have a problem. It was his private time after all, it all depends on Alfred's schedule.

So yeah, now you see Dr. Octopus singing while his four metallic tentacles join the beat.

One of the cameramen filmed this short performance. Perhaps they could add it to bloopers once they sell the DVDs.

Speaking of DVDs, the market for DVDs already defeated the thicker and heavier videotape. A new year arrived and the statistics clearly proved that.

Now only a few households use VHS, most families use DVD players. DVD players mostly cost around $80 and this price was getting lower as time went on. It's very affordable.

As for DVD discs, a DVD movie could cost around $5 to $20, depending on the contents. However, if the DVD contains a complete Trilogy or a complete season of a TV Show, it could cost at least $50.

In fact, after counting their profit last year, Grey Pictures confirmed that they earned more than $100 million just by selling DVDs.

Last year(2003), the DVD market had grossed more than $4.2 billion in revenue. DVD market doesn't only sell movies after all, TV Shows, Children's shows, anime, and even adult films were also included in the DVD market.

A lot of niches that people could enjoy. DVD rentals were also included in the statistics.(Note: I just made this up and I have no clear data to prove. But in Germany, the DVD market exceeded 1 billion euros in 2003, so that's where I get the idea plus the potential buying power of Americans.)

Because of this, Grey Pictures returned to its wealthy status. Kazir naturally gave the workers the bonus they deserved.

However, Kazir and Grey Pictures also understood that the money that they made would return to invest in more projects.

This year, Grey Pictures will release Fast And The Furious 2 and Mr. And Mrs. Smith 2.

This time Mr. And Mrs. Smith would have a cameo in Fast And The Furious 2 to help Brian O'Connor in finding wanted people.

In exchange, Brian O'Connor would also show in Mr. And Mrs. Smith 2. This was just a short story of the two movies.

Grey Pictures understood that producing two movies per year was their limit, added that they have Game Of Thrones to handle.

Last year they almost suffered some setbacks because of four projects, with Pirates Of The Caribbean having the biggest investment.

Regarding Pirates Of The Caribbean, Grey Pictures confirmed the profitability of this movie and they were good with making another sequel. However, the sequel was planned to be released in 2006.

Meaning, Kazir currently had no projects for 2005...

The director had an idea of what to do about it but it was another story. After all, Kazir was not sure if he had the chance to direct a certain movie.

For now, the director decided to focus more on finishing Spider-Man 2 and getting his salary... If he remembered it right, Spider-Man 2 had the lowest box office out of the three movies, it made $789 million. Well, it was still a lot of money though. It was still a box office hit.

 

[Janus_Apex]

Might be time for a new franchise. I'm sure 'Kingsman' would mesh well in the CCU. You could have easter eggs in the form of 'Stateman' bottles in the movies. or Kaizr could diversify and purchase a Bourbon producing facility or start wearing bespoke suits from a tailoring business he financed. I feel there should be more heroes in the CCU, not just characters with flexible morality. Sure me like Wick, Smith, Mills, etc but they are still independent killers or thieves in F&F, a James Bond like character would be great

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter