Entering Helen Herman's office, Matthew found Amanda there too. After greeting her, he commented, "So you haven't gone back to New York."
Amanda, with a smile, replied, "It's summer vacation. I can stay in Los Angeles for a few days."
Helen Herman then closed the file in front of her and reminded, "Amanda, Matthew and I have things to discuss."
"Alright, you guys talk," Amanda said as she stood up and walked towards the door, pausing to tell Matthew, "I'll be back in New York next week."
Matthew nodded, "I'll call you after I'm done with things these few days."
Once Amanda left the office, Helen Herman reminded, "Don't be seen with Amanda in public places; she's not part of Hollywood."
"I understand," Matthew acknowledged, knowing he was the focus of entertainment journalists and paparazzi now.
Helen Herman moved on to the main topic, "Let's talk about some good news. You already know about the opening week box office of 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Based on the film's positive audience reception, including predictions from Disney and authoritative forecasting agencies like Cinema Score, the North American box office is expected to exceed 300 million dollars."
Matthew, having read this in the newspapers, wasn't surprised and asked, "Does this mean I can become a second-tier star?"
"You already are a second-tier star!" Helen Herman looked at him and said.
Scratching his head, Matthew confessed, "I don't feel any different, though. Apart from being mobbed by reporters and asked for autographs more frequently, it seems the same as before."
"What difference were you expecting?" Helen Herman countered. "Production companies waving checks at you to get you to star in their movies? Top media journalists lining up for interviews? Countless women throwing themselves at you?"
Matthew chuckled, as these were indeed what he had hoped for.
Helen Herman tapped her finger lightly on the table, "Wake up, you're just a second-tier star. Above you are a bunch of first-tier stars and superstars. Even if such treatments are available, they're reserved for them!"
"Okay, I get it," Matthew was pulled back to reality by her words. "Every time I start to feel proud, you bring me down."
"That's because it's not yet time for you to be proud," Helen Herman stated flatly. She pointed upwards, "When you become a superstar, then you can be proud."
After pondering for a moment, Matthew asked, "How far am I from being a superstar?" Realizing the impracticality of his question, he corrected himself, "I mean, how far am I from becoming a first-tier star?"
"If 'Pirates of the Caribbean' becomes a successful trilogy," Helen Herman considered carefully, "with your role and current good reputation, reaching first-tier status won't be an issue. With high enough box office revenue, even becoming a superstar could be possible."
Her tone changed suddenly, "But such a first-tier or superstar status would come with significant limitations!"
Matthew was puzzled, "Why?"
Helen Herman explained, "If you only have this one successful series and can't prove yourself in other films quickly, relying solely on 'Pirates of the Caribbean' to climb to the first-tier, then appearing in other films and roles, the audience might find it awkward. Once the trilogy succeeds, you will be Will Turner, and Will Turner will be you. You'll be trapped in this role, forever unable to shake off the Will Turner label."
Hearing this, Matthew immediately thought of Captain Jack Sparrow; wasn't Johnny Depp exactly like that?
"Such a superstar would have very strong limitations," Helen Herman said calmly. "Away from the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series, it would only drag down other films they star in."
She gave a very realistic example, "Look at Harrison Ford now, and then think about Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher back in the day. All three were incredibly famous, but Harrison Ford proved himself in other films, whereas Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are only known for the Star Wars series."
Matthew wasn't particularly familiar with the unique Star Wars culture in America, but he knew Harrison Ford was definitely a superstar. What else had the other two acted in? Not even the most dedicated Star Wars fans could say.
"So, for now, you don't want me to take on any more historical roles that might be similar to Will Turner..." he acknowledged Helen Herman's logic made sense. "But you're not against me taking on smaller productions like 'Dawn of the Dead'."
Helen Herman nodded, continuing, "Whether you're a first-tier star or a superstar, it's not permanent! No movie can go on forever, and audiences will get tired. Once the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series ends, even a superstar can fall and become as obscure as Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher."
Matthew seriously said, "I understand." He knew why Helen Herman was stressing these points—to keep him grounded so he wouldn't get carried away. "I'll strive to be a superstar like Harrison Ford."
Harrison Ford had been a superstar since the late 1970s, spanning over twenty years.
Matthew didn't want to be a shooting star; the longer he remained famous, the more money he would earn and the more pleasures he could enjoy.
Returning to his earlier question, he asked Helen Herman again, "How far am I from becoming a first-tier star?"
"We need to set 'Pirates of the Caribbean' aside for now, Matthew!" Helen Herman spoke earnestly. "Disney is already planning the sequel, likely a trilogy. Let's consider this series our final safety net."
"I agree," Matthew had considered this. If things went south in the future, he could rely on this series as a fallback.
At worst, if the film market across the Pacific boomed in a few years, he could follow in Nicolas Cage's footsteps, taking minor roles abroad to make some money.
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario. Which Hollywood actor wouldn't want to be a superstar?
Helen Herman stood up from behind her desk, saying, "Let me put it this way, according to Disney's market research, you and Depp together hold eighty-five percent of the audience's favor, with Depp first and you second. Geoffrey Rush and Keira Knightley follow in third and fourth places. It's safe to say your and Depp's characters carry the film."
She raised a finger, "But, you haven't yet proven the ability to single-handedly carry a film's box office. You need to prove this to the market, the audience, and the industry, and you need to do it consistently!"
Matthew understood what Helen Herman meant and asked, "How many films would that take?"
"Depending on the role and the box office..." Helen Herman thought for a moment, "About two to three films."
"That many?" Matthew was a bit overwhelmed.
Helen Herman gave him a look, "Go and look at the careers of Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Julia Roberts. How many successful films did it take for them to reach first-tier status?"
Matthew didn't respond; after Helen Herman's previous mention, he had looked up the resumes of these top Hollywood stars, each linked to a long list of blockbuster successes.
Helen Herman turned around, poured a glass of water for Matthew, and placed it in front of him, "I've thought about it for a long time, 'Dawn of the Dead' is a very good project. As long as the movie breaks even at the box office, not only can you prove your ability to carry a movie's box office, but it also signals to Hollywood that besides period action roles, you're also suitable for modern action roles. This will make your path forward much smoother and more action-oriented projects will be willing to cast you."
"You're much better at this than I am," Matthew admitted, trusting Helen Herman's expertise. "I'll follow your lead."
Helen Herman stated directly, "We have two targets now, 'Dawn of the Dead' and Jerry Bruckheimer's 'Declaration of Independence' treasure hunt project."
Matthew couldn't help asking, "What about the sequel to 'Pirates of the Caribbean'?"
"We can set that aside for now. We shouldn't be the ones in a hurry," Helen Herman slightly smiled, "With 'Pirates of the Caribbean' selling well and Will Turner becoming a fan favorite, the ball is now in our court."
Matthew had no objections.
Helen Herman continued, "Regarding 'Dawn of the Dead,' Sean called me at noon wanting to start negotiations. I'll try to delay negotiations until after the film's box office crosses 100 million dollars. However, Matthew, the investment in this film is limited; you can't expect too high a salary."
Matthew remembered Sean Daniel mentioning that 'Dawn of the Dead' had a production budget of only 25 million dollars.
"What can I expect?" he asked.
Helen Herman had a baseline in mind, "No less than 5 million dollars."
Matthew thought it over and said, "You handle the negotiations. That's your responsibility." He then asked, "What about Jerry Bruckheimer's side?"
"Wait," Helen Herman replied, "Since we can't pull in the investment, we'll wait and see. I'll manage our relationship with Jerry Bruckheimer."
She suddenly laughed, "'Pirates of the Caribbean' has been more successful than I anticipated! With Will Turner's audience reaction, even if we don't get the lead role in Jerry Bruckheimer's new project, we can compete for the lead in other suitable projects!"
Matthew and Helen Herman spent the entire afternoon in the office. The success of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' brought many changes for Matthew, changes that were all-encompassing.
Approaching 5 p.m., Matthew prepared to leave.
Before he left, Helen Herman reminded him, "We'll continue with our agreement with Keira Knightley for now. Don't forget to pick up Keira as planned; you two should start living together!"
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