"There's a large crowd of reporters gathered in front of the office building."
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Brown Williams glanced at the throng outside the building and turned to Matthew. "Should we enter through a different door?"
Matthew shook his head slightly. "We'll go in through the main entrance."
With *Dead Man's Chest* currently in theaters, Matthew needed to stay visible and engage with the media as per his agreement with the production team, generating as much buzz and news as possible.
Brown Williams immediately relayed Matthew's decision into the microphone clipped to his suit collar, "We'll go in through the main entrance. Be ready."
The other Mercedes SUV, following behind, overtook Matthew's vehicle and pulled up first at the building entrance. Three bodyguards quickly got out and formed a simple barrier.
Since the burglary incident, Matthew's security had been beefed up, with four bodyguards including Brown Williams, ensuring his safety at all times.
As Matthew's black Mercedes SUV came to a stop, he stepped out with Brown's close protection, heading towards the office building entrance. The twenty or so reporters who had been waiting there swarmed towards him, encircling Matthew and his bodyguards.
Fortunately, most of these were legitimate journalists rather than aggressive paparazzi, maintaining some semblance of order.
A female journalist from the *Los Angeles Times*, her press badge prominently displayed, shouted out first, "Matthew, *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* broke the opening day box office record. What are your thoughts?"
Prepared for such questions, Matthew responded smoothly, "It's incredibly rewarding to see audiences enjoying the film. It validates all our hard work."
Immediately after, a reporter from *The National Enquirer* asked, "According to various sources, Johnny Depp's character, Captain Jack Sparrow, is significantly more popular than your portrayal of Will Turner. What's your take on that?"
Recognizing the underlying attempt to stir trouble, Matthew chose his words carefully. Despite his close relationship with Depp, he didn't want to leave any room for misinterpretation.
"This film is called *Pirates of the Caribbean*, and naturally, Captain Jack Sparrow, the pirate king, is the main protagonist," Matthew replied matter-of-factly. "Johnny Depp is a phenomenal actor who has created an iconic character."
A TMZ reporter managed to push his way closer, extending his microphone towards Matthew and asked, "Reliable sources say you met with Disney CEO Robert Iger on Buena Vista Street yesterday. Are you discussing a new project?"
"No, it was just a casual meeting between friends," Matthew casually explained.
Having answered a few questions, Matthew signaled to Brown Williams, who quickly coordinated with the other bodyguards to clear a path, allowing Matthew to head towards the building entrance.
Despite the reporters continuing their questions, Matthew didn't respond further.
In truth, the meeting with Robert Iger was indeed about discussing new projects. It seemed that producer Jerry Bruckheimer had done some behind-the-scenes work, prompting Iger to personally meet with Matthew to discuss the *National Treasure* sequel.
Matthew respected Iger enough to interrupt his date with Alexandra Daddario to make it back to Burbank for the meeting. However, when it came to negotiations involving his fees, his stance remained as firm as ever. No matter who asked, he wasn't about to cut his rate. If every studio CEO's words were enough to slash star salaries, no A-lister would ever earn millions per movie in Hollywood.
Moreover, Iger had also inquired about Matthew's interest in starring in a Disney fairytale film—a live-action musical fantasy drama with a budget close to $100 million. Amy Adams was already cast as the female lead, but the male lead role was still vacant.
Matthew politely declined through his agent, Helen Herman. Iger didn't press further; after all, as the CEO, he had merely mentioned it in passing. Specific details would be handled by his team.
Even if Disney's film division approached Helen Herman for negotiations, Matthew would instruct her to turn them down. That genre simply wasn't right for him. He could tolerate a Disney fairytale like *Pirates of the Caribbean*, but anything more child-oriented would drive him insane. He couldn't imagine stomaching the idea of defeating villains through dance numbers.
And frankly, the main issue was his atrocious singing ability. Describing his voice as "tone-deaf" would be flattering. Just as Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio never sing in movies or public events, Matthew was acutely aware of his limitations. While others sang for money, he felt his singing was hazardous to his health.
Moreover, a bona fide movie star wouldn't dabble in music for kicks. Take Will Smith and Johnny Depp—both turned to music only as a hobby after achieving significant fame as actors.
Simply put, he had no intention of joining any Disney musical.
Entering the building, Matthew headed to his office, where Bella Anderson and three assistants were busy. Bella now had a small team helping her manage fan interactions and various publicity tasks.
Seeing Matthew, Bella greeted him with a smile, "Congratulations, Matthew. *Pirates of the Caribbean* set a new record for the highest opening day box office yesterday."
"Thanks," Matthew nodded.
Even though Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow was the leading character, Matthew was in high spirits. After all, his character, Will Turner, was one of the two leads, and the film's massive success would add to his future leverage.
He had already received the first-day box office statistics for *Dead Man's Chest* early this morning. According to the current box office tracking system, which included $18.5 million from early previews, the film grossed $69.8 million on its first day, setting a new single-day record in North America.
Sitting at his desk, Matthew logged into Yahoo Entertainment to check the latest news. Many outlets had already published the film's opening day data.
On IMDb, the film had an average score of 8.2, a CinemaScore of "A" from audience surveys, and a composite score of 72 from media reviews.
Overall, the audience response was quite positive, much like the box office figures.
However, the critics were not as kind.
On Rotten Tomatoes, *Dead Man's Chest* had an abysmal score. Of the 75 professional reviews compiled, the majority were negative, giving the film a "Rotten" status with only a 58% fresh rating.
Curious, Matthew browsed through the critics' reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and found most of them indeed scathing.
"This sequel is an ostentatious and overblown production, lacking in narrative coherence and human depth. It is too convoluted and disjointed, with several unresolved plot points. The supporting pirates' performances are no longer as entertaining as in the first installment."
—*USA Today*
"*Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* relies on Johnny Depp's and the trio's story, but their previous charm is replaced by an overwhelming abundance of CGI effects. The film feels like a grand showcase of computer-generated wizardry, more suited to a video game than a cinematic experience."
—*New York Post*
"*Dead Man's Chest* proves that heavy reliance on special effects can indeed turn decay into spectacle, at least in terms of box office success. Unfortunately, the magic of the original can't be recaptured by merely extracting more from its core. This endeavor falls short."
—*Chicago Sun-Times*
In stark contrast, fan reviews on various movie websites were overwhelmingly positive, as if everyone had been enchanted by Jack Sparrow's quirky charm and Will Turner's heroic presence.
"Johnny Depp's brilliant performance, Matthew Horner's charisma, and the director's imaginative storytelling and pacing make this film a joy to watch."
"Outstanding special effects, grand music, and more emotional and suspenseful elements than the first film—a great commercial blockbuster."
"The story was riveting, and the two-hour epic duel on the rolling mill was sheer brilliance!"
Matthew only skimmed through these reviews before closing the browser. With a summer blockbuster like *Pirates of the Caribbean*, the priority was always audience appeal. Winning over the viewers was crucial, as they were the ones buying tickets.
No matter how much the critics might praise a summer movie, they wouldn't contribute a cent to its box office.
From the moment he landed his first leading role, Matthew had always had a clear understanding of his position: he was a commercial star. He wouldn't let critics lure him into the indie film niche. What mattered most was that audiences were willing to spend their money on his movies.
Coming from the bottom rungs of society and having struggled for years, Matthew had seen too many situations where even a penny could make a difference. Deep down, he was someone who feared poverty and had never received a higher education. For him, financial success far outweighed artistic achievement.
Highbrow artistic goals were for those who aspired to such heights. As a man of simpler tastes, Matthew's pursuits were unapologetically focused on money and beautiful women.
He didn't care if anyone criticized him for a lack of ambition. Let them say what they wanted.
*Dead Man's Chest*, like most of the films he had starred in over the years, would inevitably face its share of critical condemnation. Yet, nothing could stop the film from being a massive commercial success.
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