So, the question of which superhero Laila would ultimately choose to film became the focus of debate among all comic book enthusiasts and fans. Marvel has thousands of superheroes (not all of them have their own comics), with at least dozens to hundreds that are well-known. Each superhero has their own fanbase, so the arguments were chaotic. It was a matter of "mine is stronger," "no, mine is better," and it all turned into a mess.
You see, ever since superheroes came into existence, there has always been a debate about who is the most powerful and the best. There's an old saying, "No one is the best in culture, and no one is the second in martial arts." Power-based warriors can determine who's stronger by fighting, but superheroes can't engage in a direct fight to decide who's more powerful. So, it all comes down to the fans supporting their idols.
So when Laila announced that she was going to film a superhero, a theory quietly emerged that no matter whom she chose, would be the most powerful superhero.
Is there anyone who likes weak and powerless superheroes? Definitely not. If they're not powerful, they can't be called superheroes.
Powerful hero fans are certainly the majority, and people believe that to cater to this fanbase, the movie must select the most suitable superhero.
Like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. Weren't they the first to be sold because the audience liked their strength?
So, the idea that whoever is selected must be the strongest began to circulate.
This was a matter of dignity and belief. Fans of various superheroes did everything they could to support their heroes. As the situation escalated, it wasn't just the superheroes with many fans who were promoted and mentioned; even some less prominent ones were brought into the discussion.
The increasingly chaotic situation led to more people getting to know and understand Marvel's superheroes and the company unexpectedly gained a lot of popularity.
When Goodman received the latest comic sales records and saw a significant increase in sales, he was speechless. He had just stepped down from his position as the company's boss, and sales shot up like this. Wasn't this a bit unfair?
The fans were ecstatic, and the reporters certainly wouldn't let Laila off the hook. But when asked about who she would choose to film, she just smiled and didn't provide a definitive answer.
"Who I will film first is still undecided. Marvel has so many outstanding superheroes, please trust me. I am facing the most difficult choice of my life. If possible, I'd like to bring the stories of every superhero to the big screen. Unfortunately, that's not possible at the moment. I need some time to carefully think before making the final decision."
Although her words didn't pinpoint her choice, many fans found it satisfying. They believed that Laila was truly a superhero enthusiast; otherwise, why would she want to make movies about all superheroes? She also mentioned that she would start preparations this year, so they believed they would soon know which superhero had captured her heart and would appear on the big screen.
As May approached, the promotion of "Pirates of the Caribbean" also intensified. The cast, who had been busy filming for the past two months, entered the next phase of movie promotion, including television programs, newspaper interviews, and fan meetings, all of which left the actors quite exhausted.
Thanks to Laila's investment in a new theater chain in the East, "Pirates of the Caribbean" would be part of a simultaneous global release plan. She couldn't recall if this was the first time, but it seemed rare. Due to censorship and other factors, simultaneous releases in the East and the West were challenging.
But the future East had an extraordinary box office purchasing power, and Hollywood saw new opportunities in them. As a result, not only would the film have simultaneous releases, but also due to the time difference, the East would get it a day or half a day earlier.
No matter how you looked at it, this was progress. What made Laila even happier was that the film had not been cut after review. She had seen too many films lose their originality due to various reasons. She believed that the harmonious relationship she had with the people from the East had a lot to do with the film remaining intact.
Without a rating system, where people of all ages could watch the same film in theaters, there were numerous complaints about it. In such cases, cutting was necessary. You couldn't let children see scenes that would scar their young minds, right?
But cutting was a very complex art. Roughly cutting just to remove certain scenes would severely damage the film, and light cutting would leave the audience puzzled. Heavy cutting could lead to the entire film's collapse, becoming a monster stitched together from different scenes.
So you can imagine how happy Laila was to hear that her submitted "Pirates of the Caribbean" would be shown on the East's big screen without any cuts. What's more, it was her first movie, entirely created by herself, and was put on the big screen in the East without interference from others, in two lifetimes. Thinking of the previous life's film, even if it was her only one, it left an irreparable scar in her heart.
While everyone was busy with movie promotion and release preparations, Laila was also occupied with something different from the rest - Janet's due date was approaching!
Of course, she wouldn't stay home to take care of her mother. She knew she couldn't be of much help there, so she stayed at the newly built theme park, overseeing the workers moving more superheroes into the park as quickly as possible.
Originally, according to her plans, the new theme park would focus on "Pirates of the Caribbean," with "Harry Potter" as a secondary theme. However, after successfully acquiring Marvel, she changed her mind and decided to incorporate superheroes into the park, creating a new superhero kingdom.
The design was entrusted to the same company she had worked with last time, and she appreciated their enthusiasm and creativity. The result was satisfactory, and the first phase of the $50 million investment was quickly put into park construction.
This was just the first phase, and she would have to pour in more money to match Disney's effects. However, she didn't mind, as the crowds drawn in by each related film would be enough to make her wildly successful.
Just as she was preparing to open the theme park before her mother's due date, a sudden eerie wind blew, causing her to furrow her brow in confusion once again.