The richest actor in Hollywood.

After seeing off Charles Roven, Matthew reopened the script he left behind and studied it more carefully. Thanks to "The Dark Knight," Christopher Nolan had become one of the few Hollywood directors whose name he remembered, just like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg. This script, more of a draft than a polished piece, had a fragmented storyline, chaotic scenes, and a rather obscure plot.

Matthew recognized some familiar elements in it. The most striking aspect was the concept of technology allowing people to invade others' minds and share the same dream simultaneously.

Seeing this, he had a hunch. If it was indeed the movie that was once highly acclaimed by many, he could consider taking on this project. He vaguely remembered that the male lead was Leonardo DiCaprio. He wondered if Christopher Nolan would contact him for this role as well.

That evening, Christopher Nolan called him, and they agreed to meet in Los Angeles once Nolan returned from Chicago, where he was busy with the final touches on "The Dark Knight."

Matthew temporarily set this aside, knowing it would be some time before Nolan returned to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, "Twilight" was about to start filming.

"Sophia, as per my request, Disney has confirmed 'Twilight' will be released on November 21," Matthew said to Sofia Coppola at the Disney studio lot. "You need to keep the filming and post-production on schedule."

"Thanksgiving weekend, huh," Sofia Coppola responded, not directly addressing his point. "I remember the new James Bond film 'Quantum of Solace' is releasing on November 14, right?"

Matthew nodded. "Yes, it's right before 'Quantum of Solace,' and after it comes Reese Witherspoon's 'Four Christmases.'"

Sofia Coppola, with a nasal tone, remarked, "You're taking a gamble."

"It's the holiday season!" Matthew emphasized. "When has November not been crowded with releases?"

Frankly, it was indeed a gamble. No one could guarantee the success of the "Twilight" series, given the complete change of director, lead actors, and production company. But he believed in the strength of the team he had assembled and was confident that a love story wrapped in werewolf and vampire themes would appeal to teenagers.

Besides, he could afford to take the risk.

"Don't worry, Matthew," Sofia Coppola assured him. "The locations have been secured, and my art direction team is already setting up. We'll start shooting no later than early March and finish by mid-April."

She added in her unique tone, "Filming this kind of movie, forty days is enough."

Matthew nodded. This efficiency was one reason he chose Sofia Coppola as the director. Both "The Virgin Suicides" and "Lost in Translation" were shot in a very short time.

Sofia Coppola then changed the subject, saying, "I spoke with the third-party guarantee company yesterday. Besides the initial $20 million investment, the remaining $20 million hasn't been received yet." She asked, "Matthew, you need to solve the funding issue quickly, or it will be problematic if we have to halt shooting due to a lack of funds."

Matthew reassured her immediately, "The remaining $20 million will be fully in place by the end of the month."

Helen Herman and his accountant were handling the latest accounts with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" crew and Disney. The post-production shares of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" would soon be paid. According to the original profit-sharing agreement and the supplementary agreement signed after the box office success of "The Gathering," he would receive $24 million in post-production shares. Although April was tax season, with the funds at hand, covering the budget shortfall for the "Twilight" project was not a problem.

Moreover, with the new year, endorsement fees from brands like Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, and Armani men's underwear, which he represented, would also be in place by the end of the month at the latest.

Besides filling the gap in the "Fast & Furious 4" reserve funds he had borrowed, he had already contacted an agent to buy Marvel Comics stock at a high price.

Since getting involved in the "Iron Man" project, he had been gradually acquiring scattered shares of Marvel Comics. Nowadays, Apple's stock had a low circulation in the market, making it difficult to buy in large quantities. In contrast, Marvel Comics shares were much easier to acquire.

To date, Marvel Comics was still not favored by many, and few believed that "Iron Man," set to release in May, would be a big hit.

Amanda, representing him, had contacted several small shareholders of Marvel Comics to see if they were willing to sell their shares. However, these people were not foolish and included those willing to bet on a stock surge post-"Iron Man" success. Buying their shares wasn't easy and required offering much higher than the market price.

It was uncertain if they would sell, but Amanda had already offered a very attractive price.

If these transactions could be completed, he would become a small shareholder in Marvel Comics, holding about four percent of the shares.

Looking back from his current position, he realized he had missed the most challenging phase of Marvel Comics. If it were the late 1990s, when he first arrived here, and he had enough money, he might have tried to become the largest shareholder of Marvel Comics.

Unfortunately, back then, even having a meal was a problem, and his focus wasn't on Marvel. It was more about solving immediate survival issues.

After discussing more aspects of the "Twilight" shoot with Sofia Coppola, Matthew left her temporary office at the studio and went to a nearby small studio where the main cast was undergoing physical training.

Youthful and attractive appearances were one of the film's selling points.

Matthew watched from the studio door for a while. About a dozen young male and female actors were following a professional coach, doing physical conditioning exercises, including the lead actress Nina Dobrev and supporting actress Lily Collins.

The actors were tall, handsome men and pretty women. In the words of a certain Pacific neighbor, they were a bunch of little flowers and fresh meat.

Unfortunately, these little flowers and fresh meat didn't come with built-in popularity.

Of course, if it was manufactured popularity, it wouldn't be as effective either.

Watching these people train, Matthew felt a momentary sense of aging.

He didn't stay long and returned to the studio for "Fast & Furious 4," where part of the set had been converted into a temporary training area. The main cast, including Paul Walker, Gal Gadot, and Daniel Wu, were undergoing professional action training.

Matthew also joined in. The training involved many action scenes from the shoot and had been ongoing since the casting was finalized.

Gal Gadot and Daniel Wu had distinct characteristics. Daniel Wu was very agile, and Gal Gadot's knowledge of firearms was impressive. She even challenged him to a disassembly and assembly contest with an M9 handgun, in which she excelled.

Throughout the week, both the "Twilight" and "Fast & Furious 4" crews received funding injections from Matthew and David Ellison. With adequate budgets and funding, both projects were progressing smoothly, and by the end of February, "Twilight" had begun shooting at the Disney studio lot.

According to Sofia Coppola's plan, the interior scenes would be completed within half a month in the studio. Afterward, the entire crew would head to a rainy small town in the Portland area to shoot the remaining scenes.

As the shooting commenced, the first wave of promotional activities also began. Matthew had communicated with Disney to emphasize that the director, producer, screenwriter, and original author of the film were all women.

Sofia Coppola not only directed but also served as a producer.

The goal was to attract more female viewers, as surveys had shown that "Twilight" readers were predominantly female.

To attract male viewers, aside from those who liked the genre, it would depend on the charm of the two female characters.

Matthew didn't know who originally played Lily Collins' role, but the almost nineteen-year-old Lily Collins already had excellent looks.

As for the lead actress, putting aside past memories, Nina Dobrev at nineteen was undoubtedly more attractive than eighteen-year-old Kristen Stewart to most people.

Beauty in Hollywood wasn't always useful and wasn't a decisive factor for commercial film success, but it was definitely a plus.

For example, Megan Fox in "Transformers."

On the day "Twilight" started filming, a small ceremony was held. Since none of the film's actors were famous, the media's attention was primarily on Matthew as the investor.

"I believe everyone has read the original novel. It wasn't easy for my company to secure the adaptation rights for this bestselling novel," Matthew said confidently to the cameras. "From casting to the script to the entire shooting process, we've been through a lot. I hope this film will be well-received, especially by the readers of the novel."

The filming of the movie went smoothly, allowing Matthew to relax. While continuing training for "Fast & Furious 4," he received a call from Charles Roven. "The Dark Knight" was completed, and Warner Bros. planned to hold an internal screening. Christopher Nolan invited him to attend.

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