Anton was completely unaware of the unusual developments surrounding Project Pegasus within S.H.I.E.L.D.
Even if he had known, he wouldn't have been particularly surprised or excited—everything was unfolding exactly as he had expected.
After all, in the early stages of the Battle of New York, it wasn't his time to intervene.
S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers would serve as the first line of defense against the alien invasion.
Only when that defense crumbled—or was on the verge of collapse—would Batman and the Justice League step in, ensuring maximum impact and fanbase expansion.
By strategically timing their entry, Batman and the Justice League wouldn't just bring the crisis to a swift resolution but also give the military, which shared responsibility for Project Pegasus, a chance to redeem itself.
In contrast, all the blame would conveniently fall on S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers.
And the World Security Council? They'd have no choice but to accept the outcome, however bitterly.
"Hmph."
Anton dismissed these thoughts.
With Harry Osborn acting as the Justice League eyes within the Avengers, he wasn't worried.
Harry would monitor the situation and, the moment things spiraled out of control, would naturally reach out for Batman intervention.
DC Studios.
After handling some business at Osborn Industries, Anton returned to his own company to deal with work.
"Anton, Hellblazer has officially entered post-production," Jim reported.
"Thanks to Quentin Beck holographic technology, there barely any need for CGI, which is saving a lot of time. At this rate, we can have the final cut ready in just two weeks."
He continued, "The distribution deals have been finalized. As for the release date, I suggest setting it for a month from now to allow ample time for promotion."
"A month from now?"
Anton narrowed his eyes, calculating the timing.
He didn't know exactly when the Battle of New York would take place, but based on the latest intel Harry had leaked, it was bound to happen within the next month.
In the immediate aftermath of the battle, the citizens of New York wouldn't be in the mood for entertainment.
The entire industry would likely enter a slump.
Except, perhaps, for bars.
If the movie release was delayed further and Johnny Blaze storyline came into play, he'd risk missing out on millions in Justice Points.
Worse still, the Ancient One might come knocking.
And that… would be very bad.
"A month is too long!"
Anton thought for a moment and said, "I want you all to work overtime and get it done as soon as possible.
Since the most crucial part—post-production effects—has been omitted, what I expect is for all post-production work to be completed within a week.
Ideally, the film should be released the day after post-production is finished."
"A week?"
Jim was dumbfounded. This was completely unscientific.
"Anton, your request is outrageous! It absolutely impossible to accomplish!"
Even though Jim knew Anton would never listen to his advice, he couldn't help but protest,
"Even without visual effects, finishing the soundtrack, editing, and all the other post-production work in just a week is simply too much! Even if we somehow manage to produce a final cut, it won't be anywhere near the level of quality we originally envisioned."
Anton replied indifferently, "Don't talk to me about marketing strategies or promotional schedules.
I just want my movie to hit the theaters as soon as possible."
"But—!"
Jim furrowed his brows tightly, unable to stop himself from arguing further.
"No more discussion. Editing and scoring may be time-consuming, but I'll personally get involved."
Anton waved his hand dismissively, leaving no room for negotiation.
"In any case, it must be completed within a week. The film will be released next week. Go talk to the distributors and get everything set up."
"This… you… I…"
Jim was completely stunned.
Looking at Anton expression, he realized that Anton wasn't joking.
Even without visual effects, it was impossible to complete post-production in just a week.
This was a film with a budget exceeding 100 million dollars, not some low-budget, throwaway movie destined for a brief run in a few theaters.
"Go. I don't want to repeat myself."
After Anton finished speaking, Jim had no choice but to nod and give in. After all, Anton was the boss.
Anton understood Jim concerns.
However, as someone who had already seen the completed film, all he had to do was edit it according to his memory to capture its essence.
With only a week, there was no time for any major revisions.
As for the film score, that was even easier for him.
He had already seen the answers, memorized them, and just needed to find a musical equivalent from the library. How hard could that be?
Thanks to the early buzz surrounding Anton new project and some pre-release promotional material, Constantine fan count had surged to an astonishing 17 million.
Excluding the organic growth from the film success, this was the highest record for any superhero.
It seemed that John Constantine shameless antics in the film had drawn in a massive audience.
In terms of sheer charisma, Constantine was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
With this thought in mind, Anton watched Jim leave his office before springing into action himself.
Since he planned to oversee post-production and time was tight, he wasn't about to waste another second. He immediately headed to DC film department.
At the same time, he reached out to his assistant directors and post-production team, quickly calling a meeting to strategize.
Meanwhile...
Jim, still on the phone with the distributors, caught sight of Anton at work and was struck by déjà vu.
It felt just like their first collaboration, back when Anton had been utterly headstrong and relentless.
That time, Anton film batman had brought Jim an unprecedented level of success.
Afterward, even though Anton remained difficult, he had at least become more open to listening to others.
But now, something had changed. Anton was back to his old ways—pushing deadlines to the extreme.
Could this be another box office miracle in the making?
Jim sighed heavily, shaking off his wishful thinking, and refocused on his heated discussion with the distributors.
"You think I have a choice? Stop complaining and just follow the plan! Get the marketing campaign ready!"
"Anton said it—the movie premieres next week. Who gonna convince him otherwise? If you think you can, be my guest!"
"Money? Since when has Anton ever cared about money?"
During Anton Deep Dive into Post-Production...
Pegasus Project Base
Inside the heavily secured facility, the entire Avengers team remained stationed, their attention fixated on the Tesseract day in and day out.
The current Avengers lineup consisted of:
Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black WidowDoctor Octopus, Sandman, Victor Von Doom, and Harry Osborn
Among them, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Sandman had little to no understanding of scientific principles.
The remaining four, however, were well-educated—though Harry expertise was comparatively lower.
As for the other three, they were undoubtedly among the top scientific minds in their respective fields.
And all three were obsessed with the Tesseract.
For Doctor Octopus, who had dedicated years to researching limitless energy, the failed artificial sun experiment had nearly broken him.
Now, the Tesseract stood before him, mirroring his past ambition.
The moment he laid eyes on it, he was completely enthralled—as if he had finally met the goddess of his dreams.
Tony Stark was equally captivated, unable to resist the pull of the unknown.
Victor Von Doom, on the other hand, finally had the opportunity he long desired—to study the Tesseract up close.
Even Harry Osborn, the least scientifically inclined of the group, was utterly stunned by the raw, terrifying power contained within the artifact.
In that moment, he understood why Anton had once said:
"The Tesseract is a treasure of the cosmos—desired by countless extraterrestrials."
One Week Later...
Their research had finally reached a critical breakthrough.
If their energy extraction proved successful, they would be able to harness the Tesseract near-infinite energy—potentially even producing dark matter or triggering the birth of superpowered beings.
At this crucial moment, the room was packed with top-level figures:
Dr. Erik Selvig and his entire team of scientists Agent Coulson, Nick Fury, and the Avengers
All eyes were locked onto the Tesseract—a mesmerizing, deep blue glow radiating from its core.
A pulse of energy surged.
The cables connected to the Tesseract erupted in a flash of brilliant light.
Standing in front of it, Victor Von Doom expression turned feverish, his eyes burning with ambition.
"It beginning…"
His heartbeat quickened.
A whisper escaped his lips as the corners of his mouth curled into an uncontrollable smirk.
He could already see it—a future where he wielded the Tesseract power, standing atop the world as its ruler.