Chapter 338: Counterattack

After a long wait, Star Wars fans finally got to see a new installment in the Star Wars series. However, ever since The Phantom Menace premiered, it has been incessantly criticized. Some extreme fans even accused George Lucas of personally destroying the cherished image of the series in their hearts.

Despite the harsh critiques, it's still Star Wars. Although George Lucas isn't great at storytelling, he is one of the best technical directors. The special effects in The Phantom Menace are undoubtedly top-notch for this era.

After attending the Star Wars premiere, Duke specifically participated in a high-level meeting at Marvel. He didn't say much, simply introduced his representative at Marvel Comics and advised Marvel to temporarily halt the reckless licensing of their comic characters.

With Duke's investment, Marvel's financial situation has greatly improved. Had the company not been struggling so severely in recent times, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Marvel wouldn't have sold off its heroes so cheaply.

That weekend, Duke stayed in New York. As the three-day weekend concluded, the new weekly box office chart was released. Contrary to media predictions that The Phantom Menace would break the unprecedented $100 million opening weekend record, it only grossed $65 million, taking the top spot at the box office.

Under the impact of Star Wars, other films released around the same time saw their revenues plummet, including Duke's Critical Emergency. With its North American screenings reduced to 2,023 theaters, it earned $5.98 million over the weekend, bringing its cumulative North American box office to $79.13 million.

As more summer blockbusters are released, Critical Emergency's market share will shrink further. According to Duke's estimates, the film is sure to be profitable, but crossing the $100 million mark in North America seems unlikely.

The weekend had just ended when Duke received an unexpected call. Someone wanted to meet him at a café in Long Island for a chat.

The café was an old one with few customers. Upon entering, Duke noticed a girl wearing a baseball cap sitting in a corner, flipping through a newspaper. He walked over leisurely.

"A latte, please. Thank you."

After casually ordering coffee, Duke sat on the hard wooden chair and looked at the person across from him.

Natalie Portman was dressed simply in student-style denim, wearing a Yankees cap. Her face, with sharp features, was obviously makeup-free, allowing faint freckles and small moles on her cheeks to show clearly.

"Thank you."

After receiving the coffee from the server and tipping them, Duke asked, "What's this about?"

"Nothing much," Natalie replied calmly, "I just wanted to read something to you."

"Read something?" Duke frowned curiously.

On the night of the premiere, Duke's words had been deliberate, aiming to peel back her facade and see what lay hidden beneath. Moreover, engaging in such games amidst his busy work schedule was a nice diversion, wasn't it?

Natalie didn't answer but instead focused on the newspaper. Her clear voice began to read softly:

"After last weekend, Critical Emergency's cumulative North American box office reached $79.13 million, on the brink of surpassing $80 million. With a production cost of only $10 million, this film is undoubtedly a success."

She deliberately coughed, seemingly to remind Duke to listen carefully:

"But the truth is quite the opposite. The film's success owes much to Duke Rosenberg's personal brand, established through past hits. According to a reputable survey, nearly half of the audience watched the movie because of the director."

"Critical Emergency's quality is far from matching its box office performance. Its success actually highlights how Duke Rosenberg is capitalizing on his credibility, a slippery slope for any director. Audiences might pay for Critical Emergency, but will they do the same for his next subpar work?"

At this point, Natalie suddenly stopped reading, a glint of pride flashing in her eyes as she looked at Duke. "This is from renowned critic Roger Ebert's column."

"Oh…" Duke remained indifferent.

But Natalie wouldn't let it go. "Any thoughts?"

Duke didn't respond directly. Instead, he calmly asked, "Dear, what is it you want? Disappointment? Frustration? Defeat?"

"Not at all! I never expected that. I know your thick skin makes these words ineffective!" Closing the newspaper, Natalie glared at Duke. "I just wanted to strike back! To show you I'm not so easily bullied!"

She stood, tossed the newspaper to Duke, grabbed her bag, placed a dollar bill on the table, and walked out of the café without looking back.

Duke blinked in mild surprise, then shook his head and chuckled, realizing he had indeed provoked this Jewish girl.

He also pulled out a bill, placed it on the table, and followed Natalie out of the café.

The street outside was quiet and empty. Catching up, Duke walked alongside her.

"I'll call the police," Natalie said without glancing at him.

"Feel free." Duke pointed to a Bentley parked ahead. "Nat, I think you've misunderstood something. My car's just up there."

Natalie's expression darkened. "Are you always this rude to women?"

"No, no, Nat," Duke shook his head as he walked. "I'm always polite—just not with you. You bring out this… urge in me."

"Urge?" Natalie stopped, her tone laced with sarcasm. "An urge to sleep with me?"

"You've misunderstood."

Duke didn't stop. Walking past her, he said indifferently, "I just want to see what lies beneath your clever, calm, and humble exterior."

At the car, Duke opened the door and turned back. "To see if Natalie Portman is truly different from other actresses."

"Are you satisfied now?"

Duke ignored her question and gestured to the passenger seat. "You didn't drive, right? Get in. I'll take you home."

Natalie approached, stood by the car, studied Duke for a moment, then shot him a fierce glare. Circling to the other side, she opened the door and sat down.

"Home?" Duke started the car. "Or school?"

"Take the second left ahead and go a mile forward," Natalie said, pulling her cap lower to cover half her face. "I'll get off there."

Following her directions, Duke soon reached the location. It wasn't a school but rather what appeared to be a bar.

Natalie opened the door, got out, and looked back at Duke. "Coming in? I'll buy you a drink."

Duke glanced at the bar's sign, then at Natalie. If he remembered correctly, she wouldn't turn 18 until next month...

While such laws often seemed like a joke, they could cause real trouble if someone decided to make an issue of it.

The sharp girl seemed to sense his thoughts. Raising an eyebrow, she suddenly teased, "If I get drunk, you can take me home."

Hearing this faintly provocative remark, Duke snapped back to reality. Standing before him was an underage, extremely shrewd girl—and this was New York...

"Maybe next time. I'll probably be back in New York next month."

By then, she'd be 18. Duke flashed a bright smile. "Let's find a spot then. We'll drink until we drop."

"Alright." Natalie crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and said, "You know my number."

With that, she turned and walked toward the bar. Her brown eyes sparkled, thoughts racing in her mind. Upon reaching the bar, she glanced back, only to see the Bentley disappearing into the distance.

Natalie had no intention of entering the bar. Changing direction, she headed toward her school.

"Lucky you," she muttered.

In the following days, Duke stayed in New York, maintaining contact with New Zealand, handling investments and stocks, and advising his mother to diversify her assets if she held significant stocks.

Meanwhile, he met with Victoria's Secret executives twice, aligning on plans for the Angels to appear in The Lord of the Rings and on high-profile promotional strategies. Unfortunately, with the Angels in Miami for an outdoor shoot, Duke missed meeting the newly joined Brazilian models.

During this time, Critical Emergency's North American box office continued to decline. Following The Phantom Menace, it faced successive weekend challenges from The Mummy and Austin Powers 2. Despite Duke's name, the film couldn't compete with these major blockbusters.

Famous directors might draw audiences, but they couldn't offset significant investment and genre differences.

By late May, Critical Emergency's screenings dropped to 421 theaters in North America, with a cumulative box office of $88.13 million. Daily per-theater earnings fell below $100, and the film was inevitably pulled from most theaters.

Ultimately, Duke's experimental film grossed $88.13 million domestically.

The movie then entered overseas markets, performing similarly to North America. Across 45 countries and regions, it grossed over $90 million, with its global box office likely to surpass $200 million as screenings continued.