Chapter 142: The Project Controversy

"Stephen Sommers?" Philip Klayston looked towards Sean Daniel, "What are his plans?"

Sean Daniel said directly, "Stephen Sommers wants to make a spin-off movie about the Scorpion King, similar to a prequel of the 'Mummy' series, but set in ancient Egypt." Seeing the silence in the meeting room, he added, "Have you seen the media feedback in the last few days? The character of the Scorpion King has garnered quite a bit of attention."

"Upgrading a supporting character to a protagonist is too risky!" Jett Breton immediately objected, "Rather than doing that, it would be better to continue with the 'Mummy' series."

"The sequel can be made," Sean Daniel stood by his opinion, "but not now!"

Continuing the 'Mummy' series was too risky. A misstep could lead to a box office failure, significantly diminishing the prestige he had built through two successful films.

Jett Breton then asked, "You're not thinking of promoting the current actor of the Scorpion King directly to the lead role, are you?"

"He's a very good actor," Sean Daniel implied without being explicit, particularly for action films.

"A good actor?" Jett Breton shook his head, "Before 'The Mummy Returns' was released, I hadn't even heard his name."

He asked seriously, "Sean, is he more famous than Brendan Fraser? Or does he have a stronger box office draw?"

The answer to such a question was obvious.

Sean Daniel didn't respond to Jett Breton but instead said, "Gentlemen, I want to remind you, Hollywood is a place of rapid changes! For the film market, Brendan Fraser is becoming a thing of the past. The bad reviews he received this time undoubtedly prove this point. He's like the setting sun! Whereas Matthew Horn, who played the Scorpion King, I believe is the rising sun…"

"Media critics and professional reviews can't be taken as gospel," Jett Breton objected, "As we all know, they are far removed from the audience of entertainment movies."

Philip Klayston, the director of the production department, interrupted Sean Daniel to ask, "How far has Stephen Sommers gone with his plan?"

"After finishing the post-production of 'The Mummy Returns', he started writing the script," Sean Daniel thought for a moment, then added, "His idea was to submit the script along with a plan to Universal Pictures after completion. However, the unexpected popularity of the Scorpion King has led us to accelerate this process."

"I stand by my opinion!" Jett Breton's thought was simple, "Rather than taking a risk on a new actor, it would be better to continue with Brendan Fraser leading the 'Mummy' series."

"The company's resources and cash flow are limited; it's not possible to operate two similar films at the same time, nor does risk management allow us to do so," Philip Klayston said after thinking for a while, "Let's let the market decide. I'll contact the market research department to commission a specialized survey agency to conduct a survey among cinema audiences."

This market response over the past few days had given Sean Daniel confidence, and he said, "Good."

Since Philip Klayston had made a decision, no one else objected, and the decision was quickly implemented.

"From 'The Mummy Returns', it's clear that Brendan Fraser can only pose, not act. It's evident that among the male actors in the film, he had the biggest name and most screen time, yet he was overshadowed by Matthew Horn, a newcomer who played the supporting role of the Scorpion King. The Scorpion King resonated strongly among the audience…"

Reading this, Brendan Fraser threw the newspaper aside, slapped the table in anger, filled with rage but clueless on how to vent it.

He picked up another newspaper with similar commentary on 'The Mummy Returns'.

"Brendan Fraser has aged and gained weight, his fight scenes are clumsy and slow, like an overweight penguin... The most spectacular action scenes in the film came from Matthew Horn's Scorpion King, with realistic and sharp movements, full of violent aesthetics..."

"Damn it!" Brendan Fraser tore the newspaper in half, "All bullshit!"

He couldn't understand why the media was all bad-mouthing him, praising Matthew Horn, a nobody. Was Matthew really that good? Just because he was younger, handsomer, leaner, more muscular, more agile, and slightly more diligent?

Aside from these, what else did he have? Did he have his fame? His illustrious career? His acting skills? His box office appeal?

Brendan Fraser picked up the newspaper from the floor, crumpled it, and threw it in the trash, refusing to believe he could be overshadowed by a minor character. He went online to see fan comments, recalling the praise he received for the first 'Mummy' movie, which was fundamental for a movie star.

With no work for the day, Brendan Fraser turned on his computer and logged onto a movie forum, a gathering place for fans. He used to visit this site to see the numerous compliments for him during the release of the first 'Mummy' movie.

Browsing through the forum, he found the section for 'The Mummy Returns' and entered it, only to see a string of praises for the Scorpion King.

"The most memorable part of the entire film was the Scorpion King."

Brendan Fraser's eyelid twitched as he read on.

"This movie's biggest surprise was Matthew Horn's portrayal of the Scorpion King. Though not as muscular as Schwarzenegger, he looked truly formidable!"

"A mediocre sequel. Rachel Weisz is as beautiful as ever, Brendan Fraser has gotten much worse compared to the first movie, and the only surprise was the Scorpion King."

"I really dislike Brendan Fraser. Two years have passed with no improvement, and he's gotten worse! Also, the actor who played the Scorpion King was a highlight, he had the looks and the presence!"

"The 'Scorpion King's performance was passable, everything else can be ignored!"

"The Scorpion King looks good, just not durable."

There were also some infatuated comments.

"I wish I could touch the Scorpion King's muscles."

"Seeing Matthew Horn's abs and rock-like face, I feel better than..."

Brendan Fraser didn't want to read any further, closed the webpage, and pondered. Was Matthew Horn really that noticeable? Thinking about their interactions during shooting and the premiere, it was almost ironic.

The boss was about to be taken down by a minor character!

The phone suddenly rang, and Brendan Fraser stood up to find it. It was a call from his agent.

"What's up?" Brendan Fraser sat on the couch to answer, a bit harsh due to his mood, "Didn't I say I wanted to rest today and not be disturbed?"

The agent, seemingly indifferent to his tone, as stars are known to have tempers, said, "I just learned from the upper echelons of Universal Pictures that they might cancel the next 'Mummy' movie!"

Brendan Fraser jumped up, "What?"

He was incredulous. 'The Mummy Returns' had already grossed over $50 million in its first weekend, and predictions for its North American box office to easily surpass $200 million were rampant. How could Universal Pictures' executives consider not making a sequel?

"Are you sure?" he instinctively doubted the news.

"Absolutely certain!" the agent affirmed, "Universal Pictures' production department just had a meeting this morning to discuss this issue."

Brendan Fraser frowned, "What are they thinking?"

With 'The Mummy Returns' likely to be a hit, he had anticipated that the third installment would follow suit, allowing him as the leading man to negotiate a top-tier salary, potentially joining the $20 million club!

"Sean Daniel thinks you've dragged down the movie's reputation and suggests delaying the third installment," the agent revealed a lot in one breath, "He and Stephen Sommers are planning to jointly prepare a spin-off from the 'Mummy' series, focusing on the popular Scorpion King character from 'The Mummy Returns' to create an epic war movie set in ancient Egypt."

"They want Matthew Horn as the lead?" Brendan Fraser muttered, "How is that possible? He's just a minor actor..."

The agent continued, "Universal Pictures hasn't made a decision internally! Brendan, there's still no decision within Universal Pictures. We need to act to encourage Universal Pictures to quickly initiate a new 'Mummy' sequel. I'll lobby Universal Pictures. Stephen Sommers still has a contract with Universal Pictures, so if they make a decision, he must comply! If necessary, we can change directors! You should also unite with Rachel Weisz and other main actors to apply appropriate pressure on Universal Pictures."

Brendan Fraser calmed down and sat back on the couch, "I know what to do."

The agent cautioned, "Since the stock market turmoil last year, Hollywood has been struggling with financing difficulties. Universal Pictures won't have strong cash flow for a while. They're likely to cancel the 'Mummy' sequel in favor of a movie starring the Scorpion King."

Meanwhile, Helen Herman drove off Interstate 5 onto a quiet road, slowing down to look for Matthew's residence.

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