Chapter 31: Conclusion of the Screening

The purchase of over 70% of Marvel's shares at a cost of nearly $90 million undoubtedly brought him multiple returns.

Having great confidence in Marvel, he was currently ambitiously seeking better development for the company.

The sudden arrival of a renowned director sparked a hint of inspiration in him.

...

"Hello, I'm Steve Kevin."

Ronald Perelman nodded, wearing a slightly proud smile, a confidence and assurance brought by his wealth.

"You're looking for me. What can I do for you?"

"I want to acquire a portion of Marvel Comics' shares."

Ronald Perelman was a little surprised, finding it somewhat amusing.

"When it comes to shares, you can directly buy them on the stock exchange. Why come to me for this?"

Kevin chuckled lightly.

"Apologies, I was presumptuous."

With that, Kevin left.

Ronald Perelman looked bewildered, completely unaware of the purpose behind Kevin's sudden action.

But a director and Marvel...

Ronald Perelman began to entertain the idea of making Marvel movies.

After leaving Marvel Comics, Kevin recalled the undercover agent he had planted in the company. He found an ordinary employee and paid her an extra $2,000 per month to relay Marvel's news to him on time.

Marvel Comics went bankrupt in 1996, but its declining performance actually started with the development of the internet and television media in 1993.

With an appetite to swallow Marvel, Kevin merely set up a game in advance.

However, after gaining some understanding, Kevin started to feel anxious.

After going public under Ronald Perelman's management, Marvel Entertainment was worth at least $500 million, making it a behemoth. Without 200 or 300 million dollars, he couldn't even think about getting involved.

Of course, obtaining a portion of the intellectual property rights wouldn't be a problem, but that wasn't what Kevin wanted. He desired the future value of the Marvel Universe, worth hundreds of billions, rather than a single IP.

This was the biggest piece of cake Kevin knew of with his insight.

There was a saying that Kevin always kept in mind: "Don't make money beyond one's own knowledge." Kevin couldn't compete in finance with others.

As for things like Bitcoin, it was just a game of passing the buck among the wealthy. If the creators of Bitcoin couldn't reap the maximum benefits, they could easily destroy it, making it worthless.

Kevin didn't want to get involved with such things.

Stocks were also a game for the rich. Those who didn't have enough connections would mostly become victims of the manipulators.

Having suffered huge losses in stock trading in his past life, Kevin had no interest in it whatsoever, unless he became the manipulator himself.

In the realm of movies, the biggest cake Kevin knew of was Marvel. No one understood the power of Marvel's intellectual property better than him.

With a grasp on Marvel's successful path, once he obtained Marvel, everything could be perfectly replicated.

...

Inside a Warner Bros. screening room.

"Get Out" had already finished screening. Judging by the expressions of the film critics, as a commercial film, it had surpassed the passing mark.

At least these middle-aged white men didn't have an excessively strong discomfort due to the black male protagonist. Instead, they were drawn into the plot, following the protagonist as he discovered the hidden horrors and eventually escaped.

...

The next day, numerous newspapers published countless praise-filled film reviews.

"'Get Out' is a rare low-budget masterpiece. Director Steve Kevin continues his unique and thought-provoking style. If 'Saw' taught people to cherish life, then 'Get Out' reflects the deep-seated arrogance of white Americans and the hidden discrimination within them."

"A mind harboring thoughts of God. That's Steve Kevin. 'Get Out' is not just a commercial film in my opinion; it reflects director Kevin's reflection on the unfair fate of black people in this land."

"Refreshing! This is a movie that black people must watch. White people don't have to, but if black people don't, I can say that you are betraying your race. Speak up for black people, and they will fully support you. Keep it up, Director Kevin!"

"A thrilling movie that combines dark humor and horror-thriller elements. The plot subtly suggests the unintentional discrimination of white people towards black people and questions the prejudice that assumes black people should be physically strong."

...

Inside Kevin's mansion, Angelina Jolie lay contentedly beside Kevin, reading aloud the film reviews from the newspaper.

As he caressed Angelina's body and felt its smoothness, Kevin's sage-like state slowly faded away.

This youthful body possessed endless energy, combined with the strong desires of women in this regard, allowing both Kevin and Angelina to find satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Salma Hayek was busy working on various film sets.

With Salma Hayek's appearance, it was relatively easy for her to secure supporting roles in medium to lower-budget productions. As for a leading role, she still needed a breakthrough project.

Kevin had already planned this for her.

But now was not the time.

...…..

With a smile on her face, Angelina Jolie, as the female lead, couldn't help but recite the positive reviews from the newspaper.

Multiple positive reviews for the film meant that the box office wouldn't be too bad, and for Angelina as the female lead, it meant she had her own representative work.

Although it may seem like an easy accomplishment, the truth is that the majority of Hollywood actors never cross this threshold in their entire careers.

There are only dozens or hundreds of films released each year, and among them, only a few are truly profitable.

Having a representative work signifies that an actor has truly rooted themselves in Hollywood.

With this role, Angelina could even sustain her career as an actress for a lifetime.

Seeing Angelina's expression, Kevin deliberately said, "You only see the positive reviews, but do you know that Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and I collectively spent a million dollars on their PR campaigns?"

"These are just a part of film marketing."

Angelina was stunned, realizing from Kevin's words what Hollywood truly was—a business driven by money.

"Of course, this only works if the film has a certain level of quality. If the film is too terrible, for the sake of their own reputation, they can at most remain silent."

Angelina rolled her eyes at him. After all, there were some basic rules to follow in Hollywood.

But still...

Audiences aren't fools; they have their own sense of discernment. Falsely praising a bad film as a good one will only damage one's own reputation.