Chapter 481: The Dark Knight Trilogy

Over its four-day opening weekend, Monster grossed $27.7 million across 2,847 theaters in North America, ranking second at the box office—trailing only The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

This performance far exceeded its original timeline counterpart.

However, being a niche film, its earnings dropped nearly 50% in the first full week, bringing in only $16.4 million.

But Martin didn't mind. As long as the film made a small profit, that was enough. The real purpose of Monster was to enrich Myers Entertainment's film library and elevate its prestige—box office earnings were secondary.

—

Warner Bros. Headquarters

In the conference room, a dozen Warner Bros. executives sat in discussion.

A middle-aged white man was speaking confidently.

"It's time to reboot our DC superhero franchise. Just look at Marvel—X-Men and Spider-Man have both been massive successes. It's clear that audiences are hungry for comic book adaptations again."

"I propose we start by rebooting one of DC's most popular heroes—Batman. This character can usher in a new era for Warner's DC films."

"What about the director and the casting for Batman?" asked Alan Horn.

"For the director, I suggest Christopher Nolan. His directorial skills are outstanding—you can see that from Memento. As for Batman, I propose Martin Myers."

"Martin Myers?" Someone immediately raised an objection. "That doesn't seem quite right. It's not about his looks or acting ability—those are fine—but he's already played Marvel's Spider-Man, and that film was a major hit. If he then plays Batman, won't it be jarring for audiences?"

The middle-aged man hesitated. He hadn't considered that. It was indeed a valid concern.

Another executive chimed in, "Honestly, who plays Batman isn't the most important factor. The role mainly requires good looks, a strong physique, and some decent acting—there are plenty of actors in Hollywood who fit that mold. What really matters is the director and—most importantly—an excellent script."

The executives nodded in agreement.

The man continued, "When Tim Burton left the Batman franchise, the films declined year after year. Even before Burton, Batman's live-action adaptations weren't particularly impressive. Clearly, having the right director is crucial."

The middle-aged executive nodded. "That's exactly why I suggested Christopher Nolan to direct this Batman reboot. Back in 1989, big-budget superhero films weren't unusual. There were so many that even a popular character like Superman had become tiresome. But Burton's Batman stood out because he redefined the character."

"Under Burton's direction, Batman was dark and dangerous. The film itself was violent and filled with elements of German expressionism. Gotham was depicted as a metropolis straight out of Fritz Lang's imagination—blending absurdity with seriousness, reality with fantasy."

"This gothic, noir aesthetic was the key to Burton's Batman becoming a phenomenon."

"And Christopher Nolan, though he has yet to prove himself with big-budget films, has already demonstrated his ability to handle dark, complex narratives with Memento. I believe he is the right choice."

"What about the script? A dark film can't just be hollow brutality—it needs satire and social commentary. Otherwise, it becomes a subpar underground film. Good screenwriters for this style aren't easy to find."

The middle-aged executive thought for a moment. His eyes lit up.

"How about we ask Martin Myers to write it?"

As soon as he proposed this, the entire room nodded.

"Martin is an excellent choice," someone agreed. "His scripts for The Sixth Sense, Hide and Seek, and The Others all had a touch of darkness. And look at his new book, The Hunger Games—it's clear he's skilled at satire and social critique."

Another executive added, "But… Martin always insists on investing in the projects he's involved in. And he never asks for small sums. Are we prepared to let him invest in Batman as well?"

This question made several people frown.

Since DC Comics was acquired by Warner Bros. in 1969, its superheroes had been an essential money-making asset—especially Batman, one of the company's biggest cash cows. His merchandising brought in billions. Warner Bros. wasn't keen on letting an outsider take a piece of the pie.

But—

"Wait a minute, everyone," Alan Horn interjected. "You're forgetting—Martin isn't an outsider. He's Warner Bros.' largest individual shareholder."

"We absolutely cannot accept Myers Entertainment as a co-investor, but as a Warner Bros. shareholder, Martin working for us is just him making money for himself."

"I'll personally handle negotiations. Even if we have to offer him a higher screenwriting fee, I believe Martin won't refuse. He understands that a successful Batman reboot is a win for Warner Bros.—which means a win for its shareholders, and therefore a win for him."

He then turned to the middle-aged executive. "Since you're recommending Christopher Nolan, you'll be in charge of approaching him. If you truly believe in his abilities, sign him for multiple films at once—new directors can be squeezed for better deals."

"Understood. I'll handle it," the man nodded.

—

News Headlines

"Warner Bros. to Reboot Batman! Christopher Nolan in Talks to Direct, and Martin Myers May Write the Script."

"The Dark Knight Returns! Perhaps Feeling the Heat from Marvel's Success, Warner Bros. Finally Moves Forward with a Batman Reboot."

"Who is Christopher Nolan? Why is He Directing Batman? Perhaps Memento and Insomnia Hold the Answers."

—

At home, Martin received a call from Alan Horn.

"Myers Entertainment can't invest? That's fine. But I want to recommend someone for Batman—Ben Affleck. He's a good guy."

"Also, once I finish the script, I don't want Christopher Nolan making changes without my approval. You know my stance on this."

"You're agreeing to everything? Fine, then I have no issues."

After hanging up, Martin chuckled to himself.

He hadn't expected that The Dark Knight Trilogy would become part of his legacy.

Now, there was one more question to consider—

The Joker was an incredible character.

Should he play him?

[GodofReader: How dare you!!!]