Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm-Chapter 462 - 461: The Charm of Captain Jack

"James Cameron's Avatar... At this point in time, he probably hasn't secured funding yet."

"He must still be buried in research with his team, trying to push technology forward for the film."

Martin stroked his chin thoughtfully.

He recalled that 20th Century Fox had taken a full year to decide on investing in Avatar.

After all, it was a $237 million budget!

(Side note: The official figure is $237 million, but rumors of a $500 million budget likely include marketing and distribution costs, estimated at around $150 million. Even with that added, the total doesn't quite reach $500 million—it was probably exaggerated for promotional hype.)

"Maybe... I should get involved in this film that's destined to make history."

"I could fund it entirely, but I know Cameron and 20th Century Fox wouldn't agree. The two are too deeply tied together."

—

As the film continued, some audience members in the theater began to frown.

"What's going on with this story?"

In the Caribbean, the most handsome, charismatic, flirtatious, humorous, and cunning pirate—Captain Jack Sparrow—was the captain of the Black Pearl.

On an unknown island, he and his crew discovered a cursed treasure chest filled with Aztec gold. Unfortunately, after claiming the treasure, Jack was betrayed by his first mate, Barbossa, and the crew. They marooned him on a deserted island, leaving him with only a pistol and a single bullet.

After Barbossa seized control of the Black Pearl, he and the crew recklessly squandered the gold, unaware of the curse attached to it.

The more they spent, the more insatiable their desires became.

Eventually, no matter how much they ate or drank, it turned to dust in their mouths. Those who had taken the Aztec gold lost all sense of feeling—they became undead, unable to die.

Among them was Bill Turner, who secretly remained loyal to Jack. He constantly argued that betraying Jack violated the pirate code, cursing the crew for their fate.

This enraged Barbossa, who tied Bill to a cannon and sent him to the depths of the ocean.

Only later did the crew realize that to break the curse, they not only needed to recover all 882 Aztec gold pieces but also required Bill Turner's blood—an ironic twist.

Before being punished, Bill had secretly passed a piece of the treasure to his son, Will Turner.

Years later, in the Royal Port, Governor Swann's daughter, young Elizabeth, discovered a near-drowned Will in the sea. She ordered him to be rescued. Upon noticing the gold piece around his neck, she secretly took it, fearing that Will might be executed as a pirate.

Years passed, and both Will and Elizabeth grew into adults. Will became a blacksmith in the port city.

—

At this point, nearly ten minutes of the film had passed.

Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley's characters had already appeared, yet Martin's Jack Sparrow was still nowhere to be seen—only talked about by others.

"Is this really a lead role?"

David Denby smirked and wrote in his notebook: "Overly long setup—yawn-inducing."

He sneered inwardly. Disney clearly doesn't know how to make this kind of film. PG-13 movies aren't children's films—you can't win audiences over with warm-hearted moments, beautiful scenery, or tales of innocent young love.

But then, Jack Sparrow appeared.

A wave of murmurs rippled through the theater.

Jack Sparrow's entrance stunned the audience.

The first thought that crossed many viewers' minds was: "Is that Martin?"

The second: "What the hell—THAT'S Martin?!"

There he was, wearing a red bandana, his hair tied in intricate braids, dark kohl-rimmed eyes making him look perpetually sleep-deprived—yet standing proud at the helm of a ship.

His look was so unique, his presence so full of swagger, that he immediately captured everyone's attention.

Many audience members recalled the narrator's words from the beginning: "The most handsome, charismatic, flirtatious, humorous, and cunning pirate in the Caribbean."

Laughter erupted across the theater.

Because this... wasn't at all the image of a pirate they had in their heads.

Even more surprising was that Disney had been extremely secretive about Martin's look in Pirates of the Caribbean.

The first official poster focused mostly on the Black Pearl, with only a small silhouette of Martin standing on the mast—his back turned to the audience.

Even in the trailers, Martin's shots had been brief—mostly distant, fleeting glimpses.

No one had expected this to be the final result.

The shock only made the moment more impactful.

—

The scene continued, and the theater erupted with laughter.

At first, Jack Sparrow looked utterly majestic—standing tall at the helm, looking every bit the commanding captain of a grand ship.

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But then the camera panned out.

The ship he was captaining was nothing but a tiny, sinking dinghy.

And he was desperately using a bucket to scoop out water.

The contrast was hilarious.

—

"This is interesting."

Kevin Thomas couldn't help but chuckle.

He thought back to Martin's past roles—Legolas in The Lord of the Rings, Neo in The Matrix, Peter Parker in Spider-Man, Tyler in Step Up...

All of them were cool, charismatic, and stylish.

Ever since Martin entered high school, he had seemingly abandoned serious, dramatic roles in favor of blockbuster leads.

But Pirates of the Caribbean had proven something else—Martin could break out of that mold.

"Martin's versatility is astonishing."

Jack Sparrow's eccentric appearance had been shocking at first, but as the scene played out, it no longer felt out of place—it felt right.

Kevin Thomas shook his head and jotted down in his notebook: "Martin's entrance is dazzling. His take on Captain Jack Sparrow redefines our perception of pirates."

—

By now, the audience had caught on.

This movie wasn't going to be a dark, gritty pirate film—it was a lighthearted adventure full of humor and charm.

And then came the next brilliant moment.

As his dinghy sank, Jack Sparrow stood atop its mast.

At just the right moment, when the boat fully submerged, the mast perfectly aligned with the dock.

Jack stepped off effortlessly—completely unbothered, as if this absurd situation was all part of the plan.

Cool.

It gave the impression that Jack Sparrow was the kind of man who could dance through chaos without breaking a sweat.

Moments later, he was already bantering with dock workers and outwitting two clueless guards—his mischievous charm setting the tone for the character.

The audience was already hooked.

—

Kevin Thomas finished his notes:

"This is Martin's charisma. This is Captain Jack Sparrow's magic."