Chapter 102: Ready to Launch

[Chapter 102: Ready to Launch]

"Creak." The office door suddenly swung open, and a man in a suit stood there dumbfounded, looking at Charlie. "Uh, Mr. Corleone."

"Mm." Charlie maintained a calm expression, straightened up, and gently stroked Evelyn. "Are you part of the crew?"

"Yes, Mr. Corleone. I just joined the company recently, working in the legal department. Kevin asked me to bring over some actor contracts."

"Oh, go ahead, I won't disturb your work." Charlie smiled and gestured to the room. "I'm here to see Kevin about the publicity work."

The man gave a strange look, nodded politely, and quickly left.

...

Inside the office, Kevin, the casting director, the cameraman interviewing actors onsite, and other staff had their eyes fixed on Charlie.

The atmosphere felt a bit odd.

Some sensed it, others were clueless and dazed.

"Hi, boss." Kevin stood up and waved cheerfully.

Then, everyone else also greeted in chorus.

"Hello, sorry to bother you." Charlie stepped inside. "Please continue your work; I'm just taking a quick look."

"No problem, boss, wait a moment." Kevin quickly nodded and gestured to the woman sitting across in a wooden chair. "Please continue."

...

Sitting in the wooden-backed chair, Rachel smiled softly, watching everything that had just happened.

Today, she wore simple jeans and a light blue T-shirt, her hair casually tied up, holding two books in her hands, and her makeup was light.

But she lifted her slender neck, her eyes lingering, and the slight smile on her lips made her look like an alluring, mature woman.

Rachel's crescent-shaped eyes stayed on Charlie's face for several seconds.

Seeing Charlie's expression unchanged, she slightly parted her lips then quickly composed herself, returning to the innocent look of a frightened bookish student in a runaway car.

...

Charlie squinted and shot Rachel a sharp look; exhaling a breath, he quietly asked, "How many actors haven't been secured yet?"

For the Wrong Turn project, CAA had packaged the crew, a lot of extras, and even the leads were recommended by them.

These kinds of movies didn't require famous actors, so casting was mostly procedural.

Most casting was done; only Rachel remained.

"She voluntarily lowered her fee, officially joining as a courtesy cameo as the second female lead. So right now, she's the only role yet to be finalized."

"What do you think?" Charlie asked, and before Kevin could answer, he pursed his lips. "Alright, if she wants to do it, let her."

A low-budget horror with a slightly known actor and no impact on the overall pay structure.

Charlie knew there was no reason to reject Rachel unless he personally stepped in.

"Okay, boss, actually we had just decided to sign her!" Kevin said honestly.

Something about this woman felt off; what was she really up to? 

Charlie sighed helplessly and abruptly stopped the auditions.

"Enough, don't waste any more time. Ms. Weisz, the producers and the project team all think you're a perfect fit. Let's sign the contract." He turned to Kevin. "Kevin, send someone to the legal department to work with Vernon on the contract."

"Got it!" Kevin nodded and spoke briefly to the casting director.

Rachel stood, smiling sweetly, and bowed slightly to Charlie, "Thank you, my godfather."

Charlie felt annoyed and didn't look at her; waving his hand like shooing a fly, he focused on chatting with Kevin. "How's the media publicity progressing?"

"It's already started in Canada; local police are actively releasing details about the case, reviving public interest. Gore is working on the interview footage. Major outlets like The Hollywood Reporter and Variety have bought coverage. George Clooney will announce his cameo in ten days. Everything's on schedule."

Charlie nodded absentmindedly. "Good. Have you set the release date with Pierza?"

Kevin shook his head and smiled wryly, "Timing is tight, and theaters are hesitant. Plus, we need to consider Gore's filming progress. So, it's tentatively set for late November, with a premiere in 100 theaters."

"That's fine."

Kevin looked a bit anxious, "Boss, everyone's a little worried and hopes you'll be more involved."

Charlie smiled, "I get it. First time always feels like this. But I've done all I can. I'm no filmmaker. I've leveraged media and theater connections. I'll try to visit the set to cheer you on."

"We'll do our best!" Kevin took a deep breath and said earnestly.

...

After some encouragement, Charlie stood up and wandered out.

As he said, he'd done all he could.

Execution now was up to Kevin and Gore.

Though these guys were young, Charlie trusted they wouldn't mess up.

For the next few years, Charlie wouldn't have time to micromanage low-budget films.

His energy must focus on running the company and the Lord of the Rings project!

Projects like Wrong Turn, frankly, were mass-produced industrial products.

Kevin might later steer the horror genre toward a Marvel-like cinematic universe that might nearly destroy Hollywood itself.

He didn't expect failures in projects like these.

Being a producer and studio head meant making choices.

He also planned to start more projects, which would require developing talent and selecting new producers.

If he was involved in everything personally, Corleone Studios would never reach the top ranks in a hundred years.

Right now, the biggest challenge was lack of trustworthy people.

Once Wrong Turn succeeded, things would improve significantly.

Charlie felt somewhat reassured.

Then Gore could probably handle projects independently.

Patrick might officially join too.

He'd be the first notable industry insider attracted to Corleone Studios, bringing valuable connections.

The more Charlie thought about it, the happier he felt.

He stroked Evelyn's paw, his steps light as he headed toward his office to continue securing more rights for the company's future.

...

Just as he turned the corner, he saw Rachel and her agent Vernon waiting nearby.

Charlie felt a little irritable, stopped, and waved at them. "Well, what a coincidence. Let me walk you both downstairs, and we can chat a bit."

Vernon looked awkward but couldn't refuse.

Rachel shrugged, fearless.

The three entered the elevator, and Charlie said, "Vernon, I must say, your clients are quite interesting."

"Ahem, yes!"

Rachel's thick skin was unbelievable; Charlie's sarcasm didn't faze her -- in fact, she looked intrigued and glanced over.

Charlie ignored the crazy woman. "Alicia has harassed my mother multiple times. Vernon, was that your idea?"

*****

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