It's unclear how Mr. Oswald managed to negotiate with the West family, but in the end, Laila received substantial compensation, and even Downey got his share. In exchange, Laila withdrew the case and agreed not to bring up the matter again in the future.
However, since it involved a minor, Laila's withdrawal didn't mean the end of the matter for Cole. He would still face charges from the police, but without Laila's involvement, the West family could probably spend enough money to avoid imprisonment.
But Laila paid no attention to these matters because the summer season had finally arrived!
The summer season this year remained lively, with many blockbusters, including "Finding Nemo," "Bruce Almighty," and "Terminator 3," scheduled to battle it out during this fiercely competitive time every year.
Even May was not calm, with "X-Men 2" followed by "The Matrix 2." Movies that attracted attention continued to premiere, and films that fell slightly short were quickly overshadowed by formidable competitors.
This wasn't Laila's first time entering the intense battlefield of the summer season, but as always, she was struck by the seemingly overwhelming atmosphere. Looking at the schedule for the summer season, it was evident that nearly every week would feature one or two major productions.
And that's just the big productions; there were countless regular films and low-budget movies. If you added in some limited-release films, almost every day would see several films displayed on the big screen. That's the summer season – easy to secure high box office numbers, yet easy to become a mere background amid numerous films.
Whether it's a big profit or a visible loss, it all depends on the quality of the film and the mood of the audience.
"Regarding the premiere, is there anything else that needs preparation?" Demi stood on the opposite side of Laila's desk, awaiting her instructions.
Laila had organized many premieres for her films. From the initial excitement to later calmness and indifference, with more films being made, and more people attending premieres, she seemed to have not felt the sense of accomplishment she had in the beginning for a long time.
But this time was a bit different. Starting from "Iron Man," the Marvel Cinematic Universe plan officially kicked off, and from here, numerous superheroes of the Avengers would step onto the big screen, unfolding a grand cosmic chessboard.
So, this premiere wasn't just for "Iron Man" but also for the future Avengers and the beginning of Marvel Comics' thousands of superheroes.
Therefore, she attached great importance to this premiere, paying close attention to the arrangement of the process and the invitation of guests.
Given her current status in Hollywood, inviting some heavyweight celebrities was easy. Whether they attended or not, invitations had to be sent out. However, the premiere venue had limited space, and a portion of it needed to be reserved for the fans. Deciding who would occupy the remaining seats was a significant consideration.
Sometimes, knowing too many people is a happy annoyance. Laila complained happily in her heart.
Of course, in front of her beautiful secretary, she still maintained a boss-like demeanor. She handed over the already reviewed process to Demi: "This should be about it. I added two names to the invitation list; take a look and arrange accordingly."
"Alright." Demi took it and saw two new names on the invitation list: "Kathy?" One was a well-known star, but who was Kathy?
"It's that Kathy." Laila pointed to the TV, where the news was playing about a girl who had created chaos, disguised herself, and caused two men to fight.
Demi was somewhat surprised, but without saying anything, she nodded: "I understand. I will make sure she attends the premiere on time."
Laila smiled, knowing that Demi had understood her intentions.
Laila saw potential in Kathy's natural acting talent and wanted to bring her under her wing. So, she wanted to use this opportunity to let the girl experience the charm of being a star, get dazzled by the glamour, and then show her talent. The other additional star was Kathy's idol. Laila believed that sitting next to her idol would make her even more eager to tread this path of stardom.
Even if Laila didn't do all this, as long as she spoke, whether the girl or her family, they would gladly hand her over. However, Laila wanted her to understand this world a bit more, to see if she would be enchanted by this glamorous world or if she could stay clear-headed on this path.
The results would be the same: becoming her signed artist. But the achievements in the end would be vastly different. Laila wanted to know her reaction and then tailor the most suitable path for her.
But Kathy was still a child, and her family wasn't very affluent. They definitely wouldn't prepare a suitable outfit for her to attend the premiere. That's why Demi would ensure her timely attendance – to inform Laila that she would take care of everything for Kathy.
Having such a smart secretary, as a boss, Laila felt very satisfied.
June 20th, evening.
Starlight illuminated the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
A red carpet extended to the roadside, surrounded by fans and various media outlets. Some comic book fans wearing Iron Man armor jackets held signs and cheered excitedly.
The film had been criticized by numerous people because of Downey not too long ago. Following the reversal of events, this film, originally considered uninteresting, gained more attention.
Many critics and movie enthusiasts sighed at Laila's "good luck." If it weren't for the Cole West incident, this superhero movie, seemingly unremarkable to them, would have been a loss.
It wasn't a top-tier superhero like Superman or Batman, and it featured an actor with a tarnished past, Robert Downey Jr. No matter how you looked at it, the film didn't seem to have any potential. At most, it might earn a hundred or two hundred million at the box office.
Yet, with the addition of promotion and other expenses, the film had already invested at least two hundred million dollars. Even if it truly earned two hundred million at the box office, it would still be a significant loss. Many people couldn't understand why Laila, a director with a good reputation and capability, would choose such a character from thousands of superheroes, and even more so, why she would choose Robert Downey Jr. from tens of thousands of actors.
However, after the Cole incident, Downey's popularity had significantly risen, and the public's interest in his new film had also surged. If they didn't know what kind of person Cole was, the media would have speculated that their previous affairs were premeditated, specifically staged to promote the movie.