America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz-Chapter 783 - 776: Joker Returns

Since Martin decided to launch a major Saintess Pop Group talent selection event, he utilized certain resources. Through his connections with David Studio, he recruited an assistant director and an associate producer, both of whom had experience in organizing three Miss Universe pageants and four American Idol seasons, respectively.

The rest of the coordinating staff comprised over a dozen other recruits.

Martin instructed Alexandrovich to communicate with them in Los Angeles, retaining the suitable candidates and eliminating the unsuitable ones.

Hollywood never lacked people waiting for an opportunity to make a name for themselves.

As long as the salary was right and there were prospects for advance, they wouldn't hesitate to venture into Ukraine, Afghanistan, or Iraq.

"Boss, I'll notify you as soon as the final contest date is confirmed," Alexandrovich said, resembling a loyal little brother who considered the big boss's happiness: "If your schedule allows, please come to Kiev to serve as a judge for the finals."

Martin nodded: "I'll wait for your scheduling plan."

Alexandrovich said, "At the earliest, it will not happen until next year."

Organizing such a program would take at least half a year, and that time would be Ukraine's coldest season, not suitable for hosting such a large-scale event. It would be best to wait until next spring.

Martin was somewhat looking forward to the Saintess Pop Group talent show.

When Alexandrovich came to Los Angeles, he was alone, but when he returned to Kiev, he left with a professional team of over a dozen people.

After seeing off Alexandrovich, Jessica brought an invitation to Martin's office.

She placed the invitation on the desk and said, "This is from the crew of 'The Dark Knight Rises', an invitation to the global premiere."

Martin picked it up and glanced at it; it indicated the premiere date and venue, set for the following week, at the Dolby Theatre.

This was the theater where the Oscar ceremonies were held in recent years.

The invite list was signed by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, and Emma Thomas.

Martin had just put down the invitation when he received a call from Nolan.

Nolan said, "Don't forget next week's premiere."

After Jon Berg stepped down and the re-editing by Nolan, a small section of the Joker footage shot by the crew of "The Dark Knight" was used.

Because of this, Warner Bros. signed an additional agreement with Martin and paid a compensation, with the condition being that Martin would appear at the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises".

Martin said, "Of course I won't forget. Just make sure I don't walk the red carpet at the same time as Bale. He goes crazy when he sees me, and it could really get physical."

Nolan couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Bale is so-so in terms of capability but has a huge temper. This will be my last time working with him. Don't worry, Martin, I'll mention to the person in charge of the red carpet to let Bale in first to avoid you two encountering each other."

Martin also laughed: "To avoid trouble, I will keep my distance from him at the event."

"This time, Warner and DC have invited a number of actors who have played in old Batman movies to the premiere," Nolan continued: "Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, Nicole Kidman... and, by the way, they've invited Jack, too."

"Jack probably won't go," Martin knew he was talking about Jack Nicholson, the old bastard who played the Joker.

But Nicholson had fully retired and rarely attended public events anymore.

Nolan brought up other matters: "Do you have time to come to Warner Bros. Studios tomorrow? We need to discuss 'Interstellar'."

Martin thought for a moment and said, "In the morning, I have piano practice and dance rehearsal in the afternoon."

The two of them agreed to meet in the morning.

After hanging up, Martin dialed Nicholson's number and directly asked: "Jack, are you attending 'The Dark Knight Rises' premiere?"

"I wasn't planning on it, but Warner Bros. is very sincere this time, claiming a gathering of the new and old generations of the Joker." Nicholson mimicked Martin's weird laugh: "Hahaha, let's walk the red carpet together and show those damned media who's crazier."

Martin bluntly said: "You're really fucking boring."

Still laughing, Nicholson replied: "Walking the red carpet is such a dull affair, of course I need to find some fun." He then asked, "Will this film sell as well as 'The Dark Knight'? Warner's promotion is huge; I bet they've put in at least two hundred million dollars."

Martin said, "It shouldn't be bad."

After work in the afternoon, Martin drove back to Beverly Hills, spotting posters and ads for 'The Dark Knight Rises' all over.

The biggest billboard on Sunset Boulevard had been painted with a blue-black backdrop two months earlier, featuring Batman standing on a police car on Wall Street, ready to face a horde of rioters.

Bruce, in the driver's seat, said, "I saw the trailer, it's still the dual-hero showdown theme. It looks like Director Nolan has adapted the Occupy Wall Street movement into it."

He asked, "Will there be a fourth one? Robin has even been introduced."

"There won't be," Martin had discussed this with Nolan long ago: "Nolan won't touch the superhero genre again in the near future."

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This trilogy had already reached a pinnacle and couldn't involve the Justice League.

In fact, Warner Bros. had its sights set on something other than Nolan's Batman trilogy.

They wanted a film universe like Marvel's, not a real-life Batman who couldn't interact with other DC superheroes.

This Wayne was too low on the power scale.

Passing through Century City, Martin glanced through the car window at the largest billboards and LED screens.

Unsurprisingly, they were all advertising the Batman movie.

He pulled out his phone, scrolled through Twitter, and there was too much content about Batman.

However, besides Batman, the Joker was also a hot topic on Twitter.

"I heard that the Joker will appear in the movie; I wonder how much screen time he'll have?"

"Without Martin's Joker, this series has no soul."

"I agree, although the protagonist of the trilogy is Batman, the most brilliant was Martin's Joker!"

"Someone inside Warner leaked that Christian Bale was very dissatisfied with the Joker's appearance in the third part, apparently, he had argued with DC about it many times."

"A few days ago, Bale expressed his dissatisfaction with Martin publicly in an interview."

Similar news was all over Twitter.

Warner Bros. was also fueling the fire, creating topics for the film to attract the attention of the media and movie fans.

......

Century City, inside the Death Star Building, where CAA is located.

Christian Bale unbuttoned his suit jacket and paced around the office before turning to the most powerful of his co-managers, Bryan Lord, and said, "I've got it confirmed, Nolan and Warner Bros. have invited that disgusting bastard Martin Davis to the premiere."

Bryan Lord reminded Bale, "Keep a level head, you must face Martin Davis with a level head, only then might you possibly trample him underfoot."

Bale was furious, "Can't we think of a way…"

"What you're thinking is very dangerous!" Bryan Lord said, "WMA and CAA are now Hollywood's two biggest agencies. If we engage in abnormal competitive practices and mess with a WMA client, do you think they will sit still and take it?"

He shook his head, "Don't forget, Martin Davis has at least 2 billion US dollars to his name; his net worth is equivalent to the whole actual value of CAA. Do you know how terrifying it can be once such a sum of money breaks free from its cage?"

Bale wanted to act on his own; CAA certainly wouldn't join him in his madness.

Bryan simply tried his best to persuade him, "Your issues with Martin stem from on-set conflicts, which are common in Hollywood. Once off the set, it's all in the past, and dwelling on it is pointless. When your career surpasses Martin's one day, both the industry and the media will hold you up and turn to step on him."

But Bale said, "My conflict with him isn't limited to the set anymore; his actions led to Hiby Blazic divorcing me and taking my daughter away from me."

Bryan Lord frowned and asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"Where I am, he isn't!" Bale raised his voice at the start but then his tone deflated, "No collaboration with Martin Davis, no sharing a stage, no attending the same event with him!"

Bryan Lord replied, "I can't do anything about 'The Dark Knight Rises' premiere."

Bale stared at him, "You are CAA!"

Bryan Lord shook his head, "You're overestimating CAA. We make at most 300 million US dollars in profit a year; with what shall we threaten Warner Bros.?"

Bale now fully understood that beyond the scope of agency business, CAA wouldn't take such risks with him.

"This premiere will be the last time!" Bale threatened.

Bryan casually nodded, not taking his words to heart.

Martin Davis attends the Oscars every year; are you, Christian Bale, going to stop attending from now on?

Bale left CAA, slightly disappointed.

On the way back, he called someone to arrange a meet-up for a chat to clear his mind.

Passing by Sunset Boulevard, he saw a gigantic billboard with him at the very center. Bale suddenly felt as if all of Hollywood had gone mad, everyone sided with Martin Davis and believed he should be more generous and let go of his past grudges with Martin.

He didn't want to let go.

Bale saw CAA's attitude and knew there was no immediate solution, but he was very patient and would wait for the day he would surpass Martin Davis.

......

The next morning, Martin arrived early at Warner Bros. Studios.

Apart from the filming area, it's also a famous tourist spot in Los Angeles.

Lately, Warner Bros. has been promoting 'The Dark Knight Rises' extensively.

Near the studio, there were many more street artists.

Numerous tourists could be transformed into the Joker or Batman through them.

Similar to when 'The Dark Knight' was released, there were far more Jokers roaming the streets than Batmans.

As numerous incidents of Joker-themed zero-dollar shopping sprees and robberies had occurred during the movie's hot screening, the LAPD had to increase patrols on the streets of Los Angeles.

The last time a Batman movie was hotly screened, Jokers all across America seemed to plunge into chaos. Imitating the Joker from the movie, they committed too many crimes.

When Martin got out of his car in the studio parking lot, many Jokers behind the barriers waved at him.

Someone even shouted, "Martin, why so serious!"