Century City, at the press room of the Fox Plaza, over a hundred journalists had gathered. 20th Century Fox was hosting a new project launch event. Despite the absence of a top-tier blockbuster or big-name actors and directors, the conference attracted significant attention. The reason? The project would once again bring together two of Hollywood's most iconic monsters: Aliens and Predators!
Following the box office success of Paul Anderson's "Alien vs. Predator," the sequel was officially announced today.
The names Alien and Predator speak for themselves, and their impact is undeniable.
Thus, the director of "Alien vs. Predator 2," Francis Lawrence, became the focal point of the entire press conference.
A few questions in, a reporter from Fox News saw a signal from the studio's PR team and promptly raised his hand. The host of the press conference, timing it perfectly, called on him.
Standing up, the reporter took the microphone from the staff and, as planned, asked loudly, "Director Lawrence, a few months ago, you were the director for the 'I Am Legend' project. Why did you step down from that role?"
Behind him, the studio's PR quietly cleared his throat. Francis Lawrence understood the cue and responded according to the prearranged script. "Originally, I believed that the 'I Am Legend' film would be as remarkable as the novel it was based on. But after informally agreeing to join and delving into the preparations, I found that it was completely different from what I had imagined."
The press room fell silent, with only Lawrence's voice resonating. The media quickly realized there was a potential story worth exploring.
Lawrence continued, "The more I learned, the less interested I became in the 'I Am Legend' project. It simply did not captivate me. Especially considering that a film like this, almost a one-man show, had cast Matthew Horner, an actor known more for his action sequences than his acting prowess, in the lead role. I couldn't envision what the final product would look like."
As soon as the name Matthew Horner was mentioned, the room erupted. It seemed that Lawrence's one sentence about Matthew generated more buzz than all the other news combined.
Behind Lawrence, the PR and promotional manager from the studio allowed a faint smile to slip through. This was the reaction they had hoped for.
While Alien and Predator are undeniably iconic monsters in Hollywood, their heyday was a bit too far in the past. In today's context, even combined, they might not draw as much attention as a single mention of Matthew Horner.
After Paul Anderson stepped down as the director, 20th Century Fox needed a new director for the sequel. They chose Francis Lawrence not only because he had experience with dark-themed films but also because of a strong recommendation from the renowned director Spike Lee. Moreover, Lawrence's departure from the "I Am Legend" project and his potential conflict with Matthew Horner provided ample fodder for promoting "Alien vs. Predator 2."
The strategy was clear: targeting Matthew Horner created a media frenzy, akin to dropping a bomb among the journalists.
Lawrence could foresee "Alien vs. Predator 2" and his role as director becoming hot topics among movie fans and the media.
Of course, there were limits. The goal was to generate buzz for "Alien vs. Predator 2" and let audiences know it was happening, not to completely antagonize Matthew Horner.
Sticking to the script, Lawrence concluded, "Due to my concerns about the film and the lead actor, I decided to turn down the director's position for 'I Am Legend.'"
With that, he stopped speaking, and the host promptly announced the end of the press conference.
As journalists bustled with excitement, they didn't leave the premises immediately but gathered outside Fox Plaza, eager to extract more juicy details from Lawrence.
Though many could see through the promotional ploy by Francis Lawrence and 20th Century Fox, they couldn't resist because such a narrative was far more captivating than simply reporting on a new film's launch. Lawrence's comments hinted at a conflict with Matthew Horner during the "I Am Legend" project.
A black sedan pulled up in front of Fox Plaza, and under the protection of several security personnel, Francis Lawrence ignored the reporters' questions and the flashing cameras, ducking into the car.
"From now on, avoid commenting on Matthew Horner," said the PR and promotion manager from the production team already seated in the car. "We've just started the publicity campaign. The most crucial part should be saved for before the film's release."
Francis Lawrence nodded slightly, "I understand."
Losing the directorial role for "I Am Legend" because of Matthew Horner, Lawrence had no qualms about leveraging Horner's fame to promote himself and his new film.
As for whether Matthew Horner would publicly retaliate...
Lawrence glanced at the person beside him, the PR and promotion manager, who had previously mentioned that if Matthew Horner responded, it would be even better.
In today's internet era, such news spread rapidly. Within hours, it appeared on various entertainment websites, and soon, numerous posts about it were on movie forums.
"Do we need to respond?"
In his office, Bella Anderson briefed Matthew on the situation and asked, "This topic is trending online."
Bella managed a team that monitored online and traditional media for news and updates about Matthew.
Matthew was watching the press conference video on YouTube. He looked up and asked, "What do you think?"
Without hesitation, Bella replied, "I think we shouldn't respond for now. Analyzing the current situation, it's clear that 20th Century Fox and Francis Lawrence are exploiting your fame and popularity for their publicity. Responding might not only be ineffective but could also further fuel their narrative."
"Exactly," Matthew agreed with Bella's assessment. "And frankly, Francis Lawrence isn't wrong. My action scenes do stand out more than my acting."
Matthew was relaxed and self-aware, even chuckling at his own comment.
Bella continued, "20th Century Fox seems to be controlling the direction of this promotion. Lawrence's statements weren't overtly aggressive, and his comments about you weren't overly harsh."
Matthew shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe one day, 20th Century Fox and I will collaborate again. Such promotional tactics are common in the industry, and they usually maintain a certain level of restraint."
Bella nodded, "We don't need to engage in a war of words with Fox and Lawrence. That's precisely what they want."
"Right," Matthew agreed. "Keep monitoring the situation. If Francis Lawrence crosses the line, let me and Helen know immediately."
"Understood."
Bella then asked, "The company next door to us on this floor went bankrupt. Since our studio is expanding, should we rent that space?"
Matthew glanced around the office. Besides him and Bella, five other people were in the room.
Now firmly established as an A-list star in Hollywood, Matthew, although still a long way from super-stardom, was part of the $20 million club and didn't need to be as frugal as when he first rented the office.
Moreover, as the boss, it wasn't fitting to share a cramped office with all his employees.
"Let's rent it," Matthew decided quickly. "And make sure I get a private office."
He tapped the monitor on his desk and added, "And replace this computer. It's getting old."
"Got it," Bella noted in her work log.
Matthew remembered something else, "This computer has a few encrypted videos. Make sure to back them up for me."
Bella shot a discreet glance at Matthew, wondering if those videos involved Britney... or maybe other actresses?
Despite her wild speculations, she kept a professional demeanor. As a personal assistant, there were times when her eyes and ears needed to be purely decorative.
Matthew didn't dwell on Lawrence's remarks and had no plans to respond.
However, his countless fans in North America wouldn't let Lawrence off easily. Even neutral viewers joined forces with Matthew's fans to flood Lawrence's personal blog with comments as sharp as daggers.
"Good thing you declined; otherwise, Matthew's new film would be in jeopardy."
"Bragging comes cheap. Anyone who doesn't know better would think you're a top-tier director."
"Everyone can brag. Remember when Fox asked me to direct Titanic? I turned them down because I found romance too slow-paced and suggested they go with that Cameron guy instead."
"Starring in San Fernando Valley's productions alongside Stormy Daniels, Nikki Anderson, Kayden Kross, Jessica Drake, Julia Ann, Sylvia Saint, and Jenna Jameson, I declined because I thought their acting wasn't as good as their action scenes."
"Thanks to Francis Lawrence turning down 'I Am Legend,' Warner Bros. narrowly avoided bankruptcy."
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