Chapter 371: Commentary

While Gilbert was making waves on his end, the film market was undergoing a dramatic shift.

Following the successive box office successes of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Spider-Man, and The Matrix Revolutions, the North American summer box office didn't slow down one bit.

In July, Men in Black II, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, hit theaters on July 3rd.

The first installment had achieved solid results modestly budgeted, it raked in a global box office total of $587 million.

With such excellent commercial performance, and given Hollywood's usual practices, not producing a sequel would've been a waste.

So, several years after the first Men in Black, Men in Black II was released to audiences.

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $52.148 million, successfully ending The Matrix Revolutions' reign at the North American box office with its cumulative $133 million, and claiming the new weekly box office crown.

However, Men in Black II had the typical traits of a Hollywood sequel. It didn't build on the original like The Lord of the Rings series did, where each installment improved on the last; instead, its reviews weren't as strong as those of the first film.

Still, the film had a distinctive character and should turn a profit.

After arriving in France, Jennifer Connelly headed back early her new film, Sweet Home Alabama, had opened in North America.

This was a low-budget romantic comedy. Through her relationship with Gilbert, Jennifer Connelly landed the female lead.

Many Hollywood actresses have risen to fame starring in such romantic comedies like the legendary Julia Roberts.

But Julia Roberts is getting older, and audiences will always favor younger, more attractive stars, which is why Julia's recent film offers have decreased.

If Gilbert remembered correctly, Julia Roberts had a niece named Emma Roberts, who at the time was probably still a little girl.

Back to Sweet Home Alabama as a typical romantic comedy, it had a solid audience base.

Released the same week as Men in Black II, it pulled in a respectable $19.568 million during its opening weekend.

While the film's box office may not explode, it will at least be profitable.

Gilbert was sincerely happy for Jennifer Connelly if she could star in one or two box office hits, her market value would increase significantly.

After that, whether she took on decorative roles in commercial films or more serious parts in artistic films to chase an Oscar, she would be in a far better position.

It's also worth mentioning that The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon, was released a weekend earlier than Men in Black II.

The film was a refreshing take on the spy genre, beloved by many filmgoers. Its opening weekend brought in $27.16 million, not enough to dethrone The Matrix Revolutions.

However, the film had strong legs at the box office and looked poised to cross the $100 million mark in North America.

Thanks to the film, Matt Damon became a new-generation action star albeit with an artsy twist.

Matt Damon had once asked Gilbert to review the movie. Gilbert's take: "It's a story of a cultured leading man with extraordinary skills rediscovering himself."

And honestly, Jason Bourne just wouldn't work with anyone other than Matt Damon.

If it were Tom Cruise, his personal star power would overshadow the character. As for Leo DiCaprio, to be frank, he's not cut out for action roles he doesn't have the rugged vibe.

Leo has new films coming out this year too—Catch Me If You Can, his collaboration with Spielberg and Tom Hanks, is scheduled for December.

There's also Gangs of New York, directed by Martin Scorsese and co-starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz, set to release in November, targeting the Oscars.

But given the trend with The Two Towers this year, Martin Scorsese will likely be disappointed, because the Academy must give the final Lord of the Rings film its due.

If the Academy doesn't give The Return of the King the recognition it deserves, the entire Hollywood industry will be up in arms. It's that serious.

Still, it's not a major issue old Marty still has The Departed up his sleeve, though at this point he doesn't even know what the original version is.

Gilbert's final stop in Europe was the UK. This time, he didn't drop by Prince Charles' residence to snag anything.

In Birmingham, Scotland, Gilbert met with Ms. Rowling. They had a brief discussion, primarily about the future direction of the Harry Potter series.

Although Gilbert wasn't directly managing the Harry Potter crew, as the producer of the entire project, he undoubtedly held the final say.

Whether it's Warner Bros. or Disney, they both listen to Gilbert's opinion.

The reason Ms. Rowling wanted to meet Gilbert this time was that she hoped the later installments of the Harry Potter series could continue filming in the UK, and she also wished for a British director to take over the series.

Gilbert didn't hesitate too long on this matter and readily agreed to Ms. Rowling's request.

For a project like this, which already has source material and a producer steering the direction, the director has very little creative freedom. To put it bluntly, the director is just a shooting tool find someone capable enough, and that's all that's needed.

Moreover, those well-known directors probably wouldn't take on the Harry Potter series anyway. This series is just like the 007 series.

If it turns out well, the credit goes to the IP; if it turns out badly, the fans will blame the director. It's a thankless task.

After staying in the UK for a few days, Gilbert crossed the Atlantic by yacht and docked in New York, where he also went to check out the villa he bought on Long Island.

Scarlett really liked the house here. She had lived in New York as a child, only later moving to Los Angeles with Ms. Sloan.

However, Ms. Sloan hadn't been very successful finding work in Hollywood lately and had recently returned to Broadway to work as a director.

Scarlett decided to buy a villa in Long Island for her mother and younger brother.

Gilbert asked Scarlett, "Need any help?"

Scarlett haughtily shook her head. "No way, I want to buy a villa here with my own paycheck."

"Well now," Gilbert said in amazement, "I didn't expect our Scarlett to have such ambition."

"Of course," Scarlett said righteously. "That's why for your upcoming projects, you need to think of me more, cast me more."

"Hahahaha," Gilbert laughed heartily. "No problem, Scarlett. As long as you meet my standards, you'll definitely be my first choice."

"That's more like it," Scarlett said happily. "When is our movie coming out?"

"Flipped?" Gilbert thought about the release schedule. "Probably in November. This is your first film as the leading lady. Excited?"

"Of course I'm excited. I just hope the audience likes the movie." Scarlett had a clear understanding.

She knew that in the end, it all depends on the audience and the box office. It's not enough for just her to think it's good.

After all these years by Gilbert's side, Scarlett had been deeply influenced. She felt Flipped was great and believed it would be well received.

But the movie was still a while away. After returning to Los Angeles on the yacht and ending his world tour, Gilbert attended the premiere of The Mysterious of the Talisman.

This film, highly anticipated by Chinese moviegoers and starring Chinese actors, rich in Chinese heritage and cultural flavor, was finally ready to meet the audience.

.....

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