Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm-Chapter 461 - 460: Ushering in a New Era

Michael Eisner was now overwhelmed, dealing with one crisis after another.

This only made him invest even more into the release and promotion of Pirates of the Caribbean, hoping to use it as a comeback.

But Martin knew the Disney board had long had enough of this tyrant. Even if Pirates of the Caribbean became a massive hit, it wouldn't be enough to save his position.

—

The theater was packed as the film was about to begin.

Due to Martin's ongoing feud with film critics, Disney hadn't even bothered inviting them to the premiere. Still, many critics had bought tickets with their own money, eager to find material to continue attacking Martin.

One might wonder—Martin was now such a major power player, would critics still dare to target him?

Of course, they would.

These critics knew that as long as they only attacked Martin's movies, he wouldn't retaliate too harshly. They weren't touching his core business interests.

Even if Martin fought back, he'd do so in conventional ways—and their critiques might even bring them more attention.

It was just like how people constantly criticized Rockefeller, Buffett, or Bill Gates.

If you pay attention, American media's negative coverage of major capitalists often focuses on trivial matters—tabloid gossip, family scandals, and the like.

If you ever see media outlets openly attacking a corporation's core business, it's usually because of a rival corporation pulling the strings.

Film critics were no different.

David Denby walked into the theater with the crowd.

Even though Kevin Johnson had been ousted, he had no intention of stopping his attacks on Martin.

He saw this battle as essential to protecting the influence of film critics.

If critics lost this war, their entire profession might face extinction.

And after hearing Martin's scathing remarks about critics earlier, his hatred for the man had only deepened.

But to Martin, this conflict with critics was nothing more than a game.

—

Seated inside the theater, Denby scribbled in his notebook before the movie had even started:

"The moment Disney chose to go the PG-13 route, this project was doomed to fail. It's hard to imagine a company that specializes in family-friendly films suddenly excelling in a genre outside its expertise. By abandoning its strengths, Disney is setting itself up for disaster."

Meanwhile, Kevin Thomas of The Los Angeles Times—one of the few critics on good terms with Martin—was also in the audience, courtesy of a ticket gifted by Martin himself.

Thomas wrote in his notebook: "Another masterpiece."

After jotting this down, he glanced around and smirked in disdain.

He recognized many fellow critics, but their expressions were far more serious than his own.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

What's the point of this? he thought. We're all just trying to make a living. Working with Martin is so much easier than fighting him.

Unlike the others, Kevin Thomas had been smart about his position.

By publishing positive reviews about Martin's movies, both in print and on his blog, he had not only gained financial rewards but also a growing online following.

With his blog now attracting advertisements, he was making at least an extra $100,000 a year. Add to that the PR fees from Myers Pictures, and his income had surpassed what it used to be.

More importantly, because Martin's films never flopped, Thomas's consistent praise for them had earned him credibility. As a younger film critic, his influence had started to exceed that of veterans like David Denby and Roger Ebert.

He recalled his private conversation with Martin before the screening.

"Conservatively, I expect Pirates of the Caribbean to make around $300 million in North America and surpass $600 million globally."

Martin had said it so casually, yet with such confidence.

—

Inside the theater, Orlando Bloom felt a mix of nerves and excitement.

This was his real breakthrough film. His role as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings had been too small to count.

And in Pirates of the Caribbean, he was billed as a co-lead alongside Martin.

Thinking of this, he shot a grateful glance toward Martin's seat. Rumor had it that Martin had specifically recommended that Disney market the film as a two-lead production.

Then, he noticed Martin sitting close to Keira Knightley, the two of them whispering to each other.

Orlando felt a pang of envy.

If only I were a woman, he thought. Maybe I could get closer to Martin too.

On set, everyone had noticed the unspoken chemistry between Keira and Martin. And Martin had certainly never pushed her away.

—

The lights dimmed.

After the Disney and Myers Pictures logos appeared, the screen filled with a misty ocean at dawn. In the haze, a massive ship slowly emerged, flames flickering in the distance.

Kevin Thomas's eyes lit up.

He jotted down: "The ocean, the fog, the ship—stunningly realistic effects."

On the other hand, Denby wrote: "Dull opening. Shamelessly flaunting special effects with no substance."

Meanwhile, Martin watched the big screen, captivated.

As the ship sailed through the fog, young Elizabeth sang softly at the bow, setting the film's eerie and mysterious tone.

Martin sighed internally.

If only 3D and IMAX technology were more advanced right now...

Technically, those technologies already existed, but the cost of implementing them was prohibitively high.

Plus, IMAX screens weren't yet mainstream in cinemas, making such an investment hardly worthwhile.

This thought led Martin to recall a specific movie—one that would single-handedly revolutionize the industry, leading to a global explosion of 3D and IMAX technology.

James Cameron's Avatar.

As Cameron's most ambitious project, Avatar had been an idea brewing since 1994.

However, technological limitations had forced him to shelve it for over a decade.

It wasn't until 2006 that he finally decided to restart the project.

Even then, the available technology still wasn't ideal—but Cameron couldn't wait any longer.

He worked tirelessly with his team, advancing filmmaking techniques as they went:

New motion capture animation systems for more lifelike Na'vi characters. Enhanced large-scale lighting systems for the lush jungles of Pandora. Revolutionary texture and rendering software to create unparalleled CGI realism. Innovative 3D filming techniques and IMAX camera applications.

Before Avatar, 3D films were seen as expensive gimmicks with little return, and IMAX cameras, film, and screens struggled to gain traction.

But after Avatar, 3D and IMAX became the industry standard.

Simply put, Avatar and James Cameron didn't just make a movie—they ushered in a new era.