As the sun began its descent in the west, the premiere of "Dawn of the Dead," though not grand in scale, kicked off at Nokia Plaza. By afternoon, the plaza was nearly overrun with various zombies, with the second largest group being fans waving posters of Matthew.
The two weeks of intense promotion leading up to the release significantly raised the film's profile.
A high-ranking executive at Universal Studios had recently told Sean Daniel that the promotional campaign was equivalent to spending five million dollars on advertising. While this might have been an exaggeration, the sensational impact of the video featuring Matthew and Scarlett Johansson was undeniable.
The news even made headlines in numerous tabloids across the Atlantic, such as The Sun.
Matthew didn't pay much attention to how things were going for Scarlett Johansson, but he assumed they weren't bad.
Surrounded by a dance of zombies, Matthew walked the red carpet to the media zone, routinely answering interviews. He consistently avoided any questions about Scarlett Johansson or Jessica Alba.
To him, those were issues of the past.
After a series of group photos with the cast and sponsors and as the evening darkened, Matthew, Jessica Alba, and Alexandra Daddario, along with other key members of the crew, entered the theater.
Matthew and Jessica Alba were still chatting and laughing, while Alexandra Daddario remained silent towards Jessica, and Matthew noticed Alexandra being more polite to him than before.
This was typical; Matthew knew his reputation in personal life might soon rival that of Leonardo DiCaprio, though he still had a long way to go to actually match DiCaprio.
Upon entering the VIP lounge, Matthew immediately saw Helen Herman speaking with two middle-aged men. He quickly approached, leaving Jessica Alba behind.
"Avazi, Doug..." Helen introduced them, "This is Matthew, Matthew Horner, my top star."
She introduced the slightly taller middle-aged man to Matthew, "This is Avazi Gosman, an Oscar winner." Then she introduced another man with unkempt hair, "And this is Doug Liman, a very talented director."
Matthew shook hands with both men, exchanged a few pleasantries, and after catching Helen's glance, excused himself.
Being too forward might have been counterproductive as these men were not as familiar to him as Sean Daniel or Zack Snyder.
Matthew then sought out Zack Snyder, a more crucial connection for him, especially after their good rapport developed during the filming of this movie.
"'Dawn of the Dead' is about to be released," Matthew whispered to Zack Snyder, standing beside him. "Found any suitable projects yet?"
Zack shook his head, "I don't have your fame. I'm just a newcomer in the film industry. Until this film proves successful at the box office, who would dare to hire me for another?"
Zack sighed, "I've told you about the style I want to film, and I doubt any producers would like it. I also can't find the right material at the moment."
Matthew suggested, "Zack, maybe you should look into comics, see if there's anything you could adapt."
"Even if I find something," Zack said somewhat helplessly, "it would be hard to secure funding."
Matthew spoke more emphatically, "What if I joined you?"
Zack looked up at Matthew, "Are you sure?"
He knew Matthew was in demand, a standout among second-tier stars, reportedly receiving stacks of offers.
"If 'Dawn of the Dead' succeeds, we'll both have more leverage," Matthew confidently said, based on the film's early positive buzz, "It would make securing funding a bit easier."
Zack nodded, "I'm really hoping 'Dawn of the Dead' sells well."
Only with proven success could he possibly realize the film style he aspired to create.
Matthew laughed, "So am I."
"Actually..." Zack looked at Matthew again, "I really wanted to bring a sense of tragedy and solemnity to this film, but Sean wouldn't allow it."
Matthew responded, "Can't help it. Hollywood is producer-driven."
Not even established directors like Ridley Scott were free from producers' constraints.
After chatting a bit more with Zack, Matthew reminded him of a specific comic he had come across that fit the description Zack had once given.
"Right, I remember a comic or something I saw somewhere," Matthew had researched and found that illustrated novel, "The illustrations seemed exactly like the style you described."
"What comic?" Zack inquired immediately.
Trying to avoid any potential issues, Matthew said, "I can't recall the exact name, just that it involved ancient Greeks and Persians battling at some pass."
Zack nodded repeatedly, "I'll look it up."
"Something about Spartans and Persians fighting," Matthew added, trying to jog Zack's memory.
"Spartans? Persians?" Zack, who seemed well-versed in Western history, caught on quickly, "The Hot Gates?"
"Yes!" Matthew agreed, "The Hot Gates!"
Zack made a mental note to check it out later. He could tell from his frequent interactions with Matthew that the young star took his work very seriously.
Someone came over to talk to Zack, so Matthew moved away and spotted Alexandra Daddario sitting alone in a corner. He walked over.
"Hi, Anna," Matthew sat opposite her.
Alexandra smiled, "Hi, Matthew."
"Why are you sitting here alone?" he asked, indicating the crowd, "Want me to introduce you to some industry bigwigs?"
"No, thanks," Alexandra slowly shook her head, "I'm feeling a bit unwell."
"Do you need a doctor?" Matthew asked concernedly.
"No need," Alexandra's smile carried a hint of embarrassment, "I have a stomachache."
Understanding her implication, Matthew quickly changed the subject, "Seen Amanda recently?"
"It's been a while," Alexandra thought for a moment, "Last saw her at New Year's. But she's graduating this summer and won't go back to England. She plans to stay in the US."
"Do you get along well with her?" Matthew probed.
Alexandra nodded lightly, "We've known each other for a long time, always been good friends, though I'm a bit younger."
As a staff member summoned everyone in the VIP lounge to the theater, Matthew cautioned Alexandra, "Be careful."
She was wearing high heels.
Matthew stood first, offering his hand to help Alexandra up. She hesitated, then accepted his help to stand.
"Let's go," Matthew led the way as Alexandra followed, her blue eyes fixed on his back, full of curiosity. From their interactions, he seemed nothing like the media portrayed him.
Shaking off her thoughts, she remembered Jessica Alba's piercing screams during the Toronto shoot...
They entered the screening hall through a side door, and Matthew took his seat between director Zack Snyder and producer Sean Daniel.
"Matthew, I forgot to mention something," Sean Daniel suddenly said.
Matthew turned, puzzled.
"I met with Stephen the other day," Sean continued, "He asked me to remind you to attend his new film's premiere if you're free early May."
"Okay," Matthew nodded, "I'll call Stephen later."
After Orlando Bloom's and now Stephen Sommers' invitations, he definitely planned to attend the premiere of "Van Helsing."
As for Rachel McAdams' invitation, he had already politely declined by phone. "Mean Girls" was premiering while "National Treasure" was still shooting, and he couldn't justify
leaving work to attend another premiere.
Moreover, after that incident, Matthew decided not to pursue any romantic involvement with Rachel McAdams any further. He'd find an opportunity to return the favor, or perhaps, just let it slide—it wasn't a big deal anyway.
While Matthew pondered, the theater gradually quieted down. In the fourth row, Helen Herman sat with Avazi Gosman and Doug Liman, awaiting the film's start.
Knowing that Helen had likely invited them with a purpose, Avazi, familiar with her father, guessed they were there to assess Matthew Horner as a potential cast member for their project.
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