บท 148: Chapter 148: Victory
After getting out of the taxi, Matthew dragged his luggage to the front door of his home. He looked back and saw no one following him. When he left Los Angeles International Airport, he had vaguely noticed paparazzi trailing him. As the taxi merged onto Interstate 5, he even saw two people on motorcycles following behind, but they disappeared after a while.
He guessed that the paparazzi probably realized their target wasn't worth much and gave up. After all, this was Los Angeles, a city teeming with celebrities. Throwing a stone here might hit an actor more famous than him.
Upon opening his front door and entering the courtyard, he found it covered in leaves after more than ten days of no one being home. The lawn was overgrown, and there was quite a bit of dust inside the house. Matthew pulled out his phone, intending to call a housekeeping service, but then he remembered the dwindling cash in his account and decided against it.
The media and organizations Helen-Herman had contacted wouldn't offer their services for free. The attention he received for his role in "The Scorpion King" was partly due to his performance, which was a highlight of the film, and partly due to the substantial funds invested.
In just over ten days, with the help of media contacts made by Elena-Polyar, he had spent close to two hundred thousand dollars.
He had recently thought he wouldn't have to worry about basic living expenses anymore, but now he was back to square one.
"The landlord's family has no surplus either," Matthew muttered to himself. After quickly tidying up the room and organizing his luggage, he looked at the time and called Brittany. No one answered at first, but just as he was about to give up, the call connected.
"Hi, Matthew," Brittany's voice came through. "You're in Los Angeles?"
Sitting on the couch, Matthew replied, "Yeah, just got home."
Brittany sounded cheerful, "I have good news. I've finished recording my second album."
Matthew stood up, excited, "Dear, are you coming back from Nashville?"
"You guessed it!" Brittany's laughter came through. "But no prize! Though, I'll have to wait a bit longer to come back. I haven't decided when yet."
"No worries," Matthew said. "Once things settle down here, I'll visit you in Nashville."
After some sweet talk on the phone, Matthew considered calling Helen-Herman. She had flown back to Los Angeles with him and was probably just getting home.
After changing clothes and taking a shower, considering it was getting late, Matthew ordered takeout for dinner. Planning to rest early after the past ten days of traveling across North America, averaging a city change every two days, he was genuinely exhausted.
Lying in bed, he couldn't fall asleep right away. He reflected on the past ten days, especially on Brendan Fraser, the Hollywood star undoubtedly outmaneuvered by him and his team.
Throughout their encounters, Brendan Fraser was annoyed but hadn't directly troubled him much. However, Matthew and Helen-Herman continued to provoke him until his accumulated anger outweighed his reason.
Brendan Fraser and his agent wanted to push for the third installment of "The Mummy" series to start production soon. A small faction within Universal Pictures supported him, creating obstacles for the "The Scorpion King" spin-off film that Sean Daniel and Stephen Sommers wanted to promote.
After contacting these two, Helen-Herman assured Matthew the lead role in the spin-off. Strictly speaking, there was no personal conflict between him and Brendan Fraser, but in the competitive entertainment industry, especially when faced with a binary choice, one must suppress competitors to rise.
Having been in Hollywood for over two years, Matthew understood that nearly all Hollywood stars climbed up by stepping over their competitors.
It wasn't as if he could ask Brendan Fraser to give up his chance to join the $20 million club, which would clear the path for "The Scorpion King" project.
Uncertain about Universal Pictures' market research results, he hoped for the best based on the publicity in New York.
Matthew slept well that night and felt rejuvenated the next morning. He went for a run, then drove to North Hollywood to buy necessities and breakfast. After returning, he began cleaning up the yard, which, despite its aesthetic appeal, was quite a hassle to maintain.
In the afternoon, he called Helen-Herman, who had just met with Stephen Sommers and Sean Daniel. They were determined to proceed with "The Scorpion King" spin-off, with Matthew still playing the lead role.
Universal Pictures was dissatisfied with Brendan Fraser, believing that casting him as the lead in a major production shortly after his conflict with fans would increase risks.
However, Universal Pictures hadn't made a final decision yet, so Matthew had to wait patiently.
He continued his routine, heading to a gym in Westwood for training.
"Oh, the big star has arrived," someone joked as he entered the boxing gym. "How does it feel to be famous, Matthew?"
Starting his warm-up, Matthew responded with humor, "Feels like nothing. I walked from the parking lot to the gym, met many people, and not a single one asked for my autograph."
As the gym staff helped him prepare, one joked, "Maybe it's because there are too many stars in Los Angeles. Everyone's used to it."
The friendly banter continued, with one staff member complimenting his role in "The Mummy Returns." Matthew thanked him, remaining humble and focused on his training.
His training emphasized physical coordination rather than professional boxing, preparing for his upcoming role in "The Scorpion King" spin-off. Set in ancient Egypt, the film promised a fresh storyline filled with action scenes.
As Universal Pictures deliberated on the project, Matthew prepared for his role, understanding that a successful action movie required more than special effects.
At Universal Pictures' office, the production department's director, Philip-Cleason, reviewed a market research summary. It showed Evelyn, played by Rachel Weisz, as the most popular character in "The Mummy Returns," followed by Matthew's Scorpion King.
The data was encouraging, especially considering the character's popularity among a wide audience, including teenage boys who admired the Scorpion King's masculine appeal.
The discussions continued, highlighting the Scorpion King's positive media reception and its potential for future promotions.
As the meeting concluded, Philip-Cleason decided to move the spin-off project to the review stage, hoping to finalize it before "The Mummy Returns" left theaters.
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