As August began, "Pirates of the Caribbean" continued its successful run in theaters, and rumors started circulating in the media that negotiations between Disney and the three main stars of "Pirates of the Caribbean" were not going smoothly. In particular, Matthew Horner was reportedly preparing to star in Universal Studios' remake of the classic zombie film "Dawn of the Dead."
A few days later, this news appeared in numerous media outlets.
"Matthew Horner to join forces with Universal Studios to remake the zombie classic 'Dawn of the Dead'!"
"Famed producer Sean Daniel confirms that he has finalized a contract with Matthew Horner, the formidable blacksmith Will Turner, to wreak havoc in a zombie-infested world!"
"George A. Romero angrily criticizes Universal Studios for wantonly altering his original work, doubtful of Matthew Horner's suitability for the lead role..."
Such reports were plentiful. Sean Daniel, an experienced frontline producer, clearly used the popularity of "Pirates of the Caribbean" to launch a pre-publicity wave.
On the morning of August 4th, the production team held a signing press conference at Universal Studios, where Matthew officially signed his acting contract.
Representing the production team and signing the contract with Matthew was Sean Daniel.
The production had also invited George A. Romero, but he was quite dissatisfied with the production team's rejection of his idea to make a woman the absolute lead. He declined the invitation outright, and some media reports about Romero's comments were not fabricated.
But Romero is not George Lucas, and "Dawn of the Dead" is not "Star Wars." Like most directors, Romero does not own the rights to the movies he has made; the rights belong to the film company. With Universal Studios acquiring the remake rights, all Romero could do was express his frustration.
"I've worked with Matthew twice before, and he is an exceptionally talented actor!"
Facing many media reporters, Sean Daniel naturally praised Matthew, "I'm very pleased to work with him again. Matthew's joining is the most significant good news for the production."
He then talked about the film's budget, approximate shooting schedule, and release date in North America, all of which matched the information previously known to Matthew. The film's publicly disclosed production budget was 28 million dollars, with shooting from the end of August to mid-October and a release slated for mid-April next year.
Then, the reporters turned their questions to Matthew, many of whom were puzzled by his choice to star in such a non-mainstream film.
"When Zack and Sean approached me, I was immediately captivated by their fresh ideas," Matthew naturally presented himself as a fan of this genre. "I've been fascinated by zombies since I was a child, driven by curiosity about what happens after death. What if death isn't eternal, and the body continues to live? That's why I fell in love with Director Romero's films."
At the signing press conference, Matthew did not say much. Being in the midst of "Pirates of the Caribbean's" successful run, the gossip about him and Keira Knightley, and the Harvard-Westlake School incident still generating buzz, his mere presence at the signing was big news, requiring no rambling speeches.
Once a star reaches a certain level of fame, they naturally become a focal point for news, not just for scandals but even their daily lives attract media and public attention.
At the end of the conference, Matthew and Sean Daniel signed the contract.
As with all signing press conferences, this was merely ceremonial; the formal contract had already been signed.
After intense negotiations between Helen Herman and Sean Daniel, especially over the highly contentious issue of salary, an agreement was reached. To reduce upfront costs, Universal Studios also agreed to a post-release box office profit-sharing arrangement with Matthew, though at a very modest percentage.
The final base salary was set at 5 million dollars. The parties agreed to use the film's production cost of 28 million dollars as the trigger point for profit sharing. If "Dawn of the Dead's" North American box office reached 28 million dollars, Matthew, as the absolute lead, would receive one percent of the North American box office as a bonus. This percentage would increase to two percent at 50 million dollars, three percent at 70 million, four percent at 90 million, and cap at five percent for 100 million dollars.
Five percent was the maximum share.
This is a common Hollywood practice to reduce upfront production costs, motivate key creative personnel, and share risks. It's not uncommon among second-tier stars.
After the news conference, Sean Daniel specifically found Matthew to caution him about a few matters.
"The filming will take place in Toronto..." he briefly mentioned, "The production team has found a shopping mall there that's about to be demolished. Make your preparations."
Matthew nodded, "No problem on my end."
Sean Daniel then mentioned, "Helen tells me your personal blog has a lot of followers?"
"A fair number," Matthew thought for a moment, "There are tens of thousands of active followers."
With "Pirates of the Caribbean" becoming a hit, his blog's follower count had surged past a hundred thousand, though the number of active users was somewhat lower. Helen Herman had once suggested letting the agency manage his personal blog, but he hadn't agreed, feeling it wasn't the right time yet.
"That being the case..." Sean Daniel continued, "I've heard that in September, Three Rivers Publishing will release a book called 'The Zombie Survival Manual.' This book will be very beneficial for promoting the film. You could recommend it on your blog."
After some thought, Matthew agreed, "Sure, just let me know in advance."
It seemed he had seen "The Zombie Survival Manual" mentioned on his smartphone before, likely while reading an article about the "Resident Evil" movies. He remembered the editor mentioning that the author of "World War Z," starring Brad Pitt, was the same person who wrote "The Zombie Survival Manual."
After chatting with Sean Daniel, Matthew quickly left Universal Studios in Helen Herman's car, discussing Sean Daniel's suggestion during the ride.
"Matthew, your personal blog is becoming a very effective platform for self-promotion," Helen Herman didn't oppose the idea, instead stressing, "You should manage it well, and if possible, find someone professional to handle it."
"I know," Matthew didn't want to hand over all aspects of his career to the agency, as it wouldn't be in his best interest, "I can manage for now. We'll see about the future when I get busier."
He continued to post about three blog entries a week, and even if he didn't have time to write, he would share a few recent photos. The blog had become a gathering place for his dedicated fans.
Over the past month, his blog focused mainly on "Pirates of the Caribbean," showcasing his relationship with Keira Knightley, sharing group photos from Harvard-Westlake School, and discussing "Dawn of the Dead."
Though not a professional, Matthew was savvy enough to leverage his current situation.
The conversation turned to Helen Herman's negotiations with Disney about the "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequels.
"How are the negotiations for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequels going?" Matthew inquired.
"Not very smoothly," Helen Herman stated bluntly, "Disney is offering 14 million dollars to cover your salary for both sequels."
No one would be naive enough to calculate the salary for a blockbuster sequel in such a simplistic manner.
Matthew
frowned, "Their offer lacks sincerity."
With his current status, a 7 million dollar salary per movie wasn't low, especially among second-tier stars. However, given the success of "The Curse of the Black Pearl," the salary for the sequels couldn't be calculated in this manner.
A blockbuster's sequel typically carries much less risk. If the second "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie is another box office hit, then a 7 million dollar salary for the third movie would be considered low, not high.
Helen Herman understood this logic, and so did Matthew.
"Even if split, a 7 million dollar salary for the second movie might seem substantial, but it's actually not," Helen Herman scoffed, "Disney is deliberately ignoring that this is the lead's salary for a big-budget sequel!"
Matthew wasn't in a hurry, "Let's take our time negotiating; we're not in a rush."
As the movie became a hit, all three main actors, even the least prominent Keira Knightley, had turned the tables in negotiations with the production team and Disney. Now, the actors held the upper hand, as no team or studio would dare replace them, risking significant backlash.
Moreover, Will Turner was no longer just a blacksmith; he was a beloved character.
Helen Herman added, "According to industry norms, it's standard for a lead's salary in a sequel to increase by twenty to thirty percent based on their value. For two sequels, if Disney doesn't offer a 20 million dollar salary..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Matthew understood this was Helen Herman's bottom line.
As they approached Burbank, Helen Herman reminded Matthew, "Never sign a contract for more than one movie with any studio."
Matthew nodded, "I know, I'm not stupid."
He was no longer a desperate or unknown third-tier actor; he would certainly be cautious in this regard.
Arriving at Angel Talent Agency, Matthew didn't enter but prepared to switch cars and leave to pick up Keira Knightley from Disney Studios.
Seeing no reporters around, Helen Herman inquired, "How's the communication going about the breakup?"
"It's been handled," Matthew opened the car door, "Contact Elena for me, tell her to wait for my notice next Monday."
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