HOLLYWOOD WHAT IF

Hollywood What If Chapter 538

Christian hesitated for a second. He thought Kazir was just overreacting. However, Kazir was the director, and Christian usually followed his instructions, so he instinctively nodded.

"O-Okay."

The look on Kazir's face told him everything. Something was wrong. Perhaps it was just intuition or maybe a false prediction.

Besides, if they broke the door, the worst thing that could happen would be paying for the damages and being blacklisted from the hotel.

Christian took a deep breath. He stood next to Kazir and nodded.

"On three."

Kazir counted down. Together, they kicked the door with all of their strength.

The doorknob shook but held.

Again.

The two kicked the door.

This time, the doorknob snapped. The door swung open. The room was dimly lit. Their eyes were adjusting to the dark. Kazir found the light switch and turned the lights on.

"Oh God..." Christian muttered.

They saw him.

Heath Ledger was lying on the bed.

His skin was pale. His lips were slightly blue.

On the nightstand, there were bottles of prescription pills.

"Heath!"

Christian rushed forward, grabbing his friend by the shoulders.

"Come on, man, wake up!"

Kazir was also shocked, but he kinda expected it... He hated himself for acting normal in this situation. But at the same time, he was thankful. At least he could think straight.

Kazir quickly assessed the situation. Heath was breathing, but barely. His pupils were dilated and he was unresponsive.

"Call 911. Now!" Kazir said.

"Okay!"

Christian fumbled for his phone. His hands were shaking as he dialed the emergency number.

"Hello? Yes, yes, 911!"

Perhaps because of the situation, Christian started speaking in a British accent.

Kazir wasted no time. He knew basic first aid. After what happened to him last time, he decided to attend some first aid lessons.

If the patient was unconscious but breathing, place him in a recovery position, which meant putting him on his side with his head slightly tilted back.

He rolled Heath onto his side to prevent him from choking.

"Heath, can you hear me? Stay with me, man." Kazir checked his pulse. It was weak, but there was a pulse. Fortunately.

"Yes, Room 305. The New Place Hotel. He's breathing but barely! Just send someone fast! Please!"

Christian was talking to the emergency operator, telling them their location.

Kazir checked the pill bottles. He recognized painkillers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety medication. A dangerous mix.

Scarlett appeared at the doorway.

"The manager is coming with security. Oh my God… Oh my God!"

She started tearing up as she witnessed the situation.

"He's alive," Kazir said firmly, "but we need paramedics here as soon as possible."

He grabbed a wet towel from the bathroom and pressed it to Heath's forehead, trying to cool him down.

"Stay strong, Heath."

Minutes felt like hours, but finally, they heard the sirens wailing outside. Kazir and the others sighed in relief when they heard the approaching medics.

Christian and Scarlett were still in shock and had a hard time adapting to the situation.

Hotel security arrived first, followed by paramedics who rushed into the room with their medical gear.

Kazir stepped back as they worked. He watched as they administered oxygen and checked Heath's vitals.

"He's overdosed," one of the paramedics confirmed.

"We're taking him to the hospital now."

"Jesus Christ…"

Christian ran a hand down his face, exhaling deeply.

Scarlett held Kazir's arm tightly.

"If we hadn't checked on him…" her lips trembled.

Kazir nodded grimly. "Yeah. He'd be dead."

"Kazir, thank you. If you didn't force me to help you break the door, perhaps it would've been too late."

Christian sat down, like an inflated balloon... He was still talking in his British accent.

They watched as Heath was carefully placed onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the room. He was still unconscious but breathing.

Kazir exchanged a glance with Christian and Scarlett. All of them were in shambles.

They couldn't attend the charity event today.

Today was something that all of them could never forget.

..........

.......

...

The television screen turned on. A news anchor appeared in the newsroom. Her expression was somber yet focused.

"Good evening, everyone. This is Stain Tune with breaking news. In a shocking turn of events today, actor Heath Ledger, known for his iconic roles as the Joker in The Dark Knight and Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, was found unresponsive in his hotel room earlier this morning."

"The actor, who had been in New York for promotional work ahead of the movie's release, was discovered by co-stars Christian Bale and director Kazir Grey."

The screen switched to footage of the New Place Hotel. The cameras zoomed in on the hotel where the incident had occurred. Police cars and ambulances were visible in the background.

"Sources reported that Heath Ledger was found in his hotel room around 11 a.m. He was exhibiting symptoms of an overdose. His co-stars and close friends, Christian Bale and Kazir Grey, arrived at the scene and found Heath Ledger unconscious with symptoms of overdose."

"We've learned that Kazir, a renowned director, took immediate action to save Ledger. He administered first aid until paramedics arrived."

The footage then cut to an interview with an unnamed witness, an onlooker from the hallway.

"I saw two people kicking the door. I didn't recognize them at first. I thought they were thieves or something. They started kicking the door. I called the reception and told them that something was going on in Room 305. Then paramedics showed up. That's the moment I realized that the people in Room 305 were actually celebrities! Kazir Grey, Christian Bale, and even Scarlett Johansson! Man, I wanted to ask for autographs, but I knew the situation wasn't right, so I returned to my room."

The screen now showed a clip of Kazir walking out of the hotel, his face tense and tired, followed by Christian Bale and Scarlett Johansson. The camera zoomed in on them as they exited the building.

"Both Kazir and Bale have not made any public statements. But sources close to the situation indicate that Kazir and Christian, who had worked closely with Ledger during filming, were deeply shaken by the incident."

The camera returned to the reporter in the studio, her expression serious but normal. She had seen so many kinds of tragedies, so this was just a Tuesday for her.

The screen faded to black.

++++

[Author's Note: I am not a fan of the NBA, but trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks is so fucking wild. Man, I'm not even into the NBA that much, but that trade is fucked up from any angle. Dallas Mavericks' franchise is over.]

[Edit: This chapter is a few months ago, but I want to know your opinion regarding the trade between Luka and Anthony. Is it a good trade?]

Hollywood What If Chapter 539

The whole country was shocked by the news. Celebrities having drug overdoses were quite common, but still surprising news. Celebrities had many scandals, but drug overdose was usually connected to death.

Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, two very famous celebrities whom even foreigners recognized by name and face, died because of an overdose. This showed how serious the topic was.

Marilyn Monroe died of a barbiturate overdose, and the police deemed it a classified suicide... Some rumors said that it was not a suicide and that someone wanted her dead, but no evidence could prove this information.

Because of multiple drug prescriptions, Elvis Presley suffered a heart attack in his bathroom.

These were just some of the celebrities who died because of drug overdose.

What happened to Heath Ledger made Americans more conscious of what they were consuming.

Furthermore, the fact that Heath Ledger was still unconscious for three days straight made the incident the focus of the nation.

So many people were waiting for Heath to wake up. However, it had been three days and there was no positive news coming.

Fans started gathering at the hospital where Heath was confined, hoping to hear the good news first. If you didn't know the context, you might think that a riot was happening in front of the hospital because of so many people gathering there.

Because of this, many news stories related to drug overdose started spreading... Warner Brothers was one of the factors that contributed to this.

Of course, it couldn't be helped that news related to drug overdose spread, as many publishers joined the topic. News publishers loved latching on to sensational events like this. However, Warner Brothers also fanned the flame and made the topic even bigger.

Naturally, they always included terms such as Heath Ledger and his relationship with The Dark Knight as The Joker.

Articles such as Heath Ledger becoming depressed because of his role as the Joker were published. They said that taking the role of the Joker made Heath use prescription drugs to adapt to the role.

Many people became curious about his role in The Dark Knight. They wanted to know what kind of role made Heath succumb to prescription drugs.

However, sources reported that Heath Ledger had been using prescription drugs long before his role in The Dark Knight. He was suffering from insomnia and used sleeping pills.

But it didn't matter, Warner Brothers wanted to make sure that anything related to Heath Ledger and drug overdose would lead people to the theaters to watch The Dark Knight.

For a moment, some people in the management of Warner Brothers felt that Kazir's decision to highlight the Joker's role in the movie was the right move. With this, the audience would understand how serious the role of the Joker was.

They were thankful that they followed Kazir's edited version. The Joker's performance in The Dark Knight was outstanding. No one would expect Heath Ledger to pull off the role. In a way, this was Warner Brothers' method to support Heath Ledger. Actors wanted to see their roles loved by the audience.

It didn't change the fact that Warner Brothers took advantage of Heath Ledger's situation, which was a dick move in terms of morality but an amazing move from a business standpoint.

Still, everyone was hoping that Heath Ledger would wake up. Even his co-stars were waiting for him to wake up. His family was seriously worried about him.

But seven days after the incident, Heath Ledger was still in a coma. This caused the community to further focus on the situation. People were praying. People were holding charity events. Even illegal drug usage was lowered because of this incident.

People became scared of suffering the same fate.

As for the crew members and the cast of The Dark Knight, they were bound by contract to attend the premiere of the film.

On the red carpet, many things focused on Heath Ledger, most of the interviews were related to him. It was not a lie that Warner Brothers used Heath Ledger as the main focus of their promotion.

They even created a short video about Heath Ledger and all the good things he had done, and released it on their TV network to stir the hearts of the people... For the record, the actor was just in come, not dead.

"I hope Heath will wake up. We miss you, man."

Christian Bale replied and went to the stage with a somber expression. This whole week was too much for everyone involved. Christian had a hard time sleeping because of the incident... He thought of taking sleeping pills, but he immediately said no to the idea.

The cast of The Dark Knight was busy.

He had complicated thoughts about using Heath Ledger as a form of promotion because he felt like he was taking advantage of a man currently suffering from a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, Warner Brothers was adamant about including it.

Yet it couldn't be denied that the emotions of the people were at their peak because of this incident. They were all sad yet ready to consume a superhero movie as a way to support Heath.

By the way, Warner Brothers announced that 3% of the profits from The Dark Knight would go to charities and drug awareness campaigns... Yes, this was a form of tax deduction. Warner Brothers was really taking advantage of the situation.

Heath's tragedy happened a week before the release of The Dark Knight, and Warner Brothers was going all out to make sure that people wouldn't forget it.

Hollywood What If Chapter 540

The theater was packed. Fans of Batman, comic book enthusiasts, and casual moviegoers bought tickets to watch The Dark Knight, which would be recognized as one of the best superhero movies of all time.

The atmosphere in the place was quite complicated. Some were happy and excited, while some were sad about the fact that one of the cast members of this movie was currently comatose. That was the biggest factor why they wanted to watch this movie, because they felt bad for Heath Ledger.

Also, there was news spreading that his role in The Dark Knight affected him mentally, hence, he became dependent on prescription drugs.

They had their own reasons why they bought tickets. However, it didn't change the fact that they were all curious to see the movie... Most of them carried popcorn buckets to enjoy the film.

As the lights dimmed and the first scene appeared on the massive screen, the crowd fell silent.

No one whispered. Their eyes were on the screen.

The movie went on, and then they were captivated by the Joker's appearance.

"I'll make this pen disappear."

From the very first moment that Heath Ledger's Joker appeared, the audience fell in love.

His voice was chilling, playful yet menacing. His actions were unpredictable. This showed how dangerous he was. The audience now had an idea of how heavy this role was for Heath to perform.

Whenever the Joker showed up on screen, the audience was all eyes and all ears on him.

It was as if Ledger had disappeared completely. He wasn't just playing the Joker. He was the Joker.

For two and a half hours, the audience sat on the edge of their seats. Every moment, every line, every confrontation between Batman and the Joker felt like something special.

Then the scene where Rachel Dawes died showed up.

"Oh my God!"

"Dear Lord!"

"Dad, I'm scared."

"The One Piece is real…"

The theater was filled with gasps.

Batman was racing to save Rachel. The tension was unbearable as the clock ticked down. The audience held their breath as Harvey Dent struggled against his restraints. His voice was desperate.

"Noo!! Why—! Why are you here!?"

Even Batman was stunned. Yet his body instinctively moved and saved Dent.

And then... the explosion!!

A blinding flash of fire. The screen shook. The sound was deafening.

The theater fell into stunned silence. Some fans instinctively leaned forward in their seats, unable to process it.

This movie was rated by MPAA as PG-13? With that scene? Where Batman had to choose between his love and justice? Rachel died in an explosion!

Batman had gone to the wrong location. He had tried to save Rachel, but the Joker had deceived everyone.

"No fucking way…"

A woman in the crowd covered her mouth and whispered.

"They actually killed her?"

Some sniffles could be heard in the dark, a few wiping their tears. Others sat frozen, shocked by the brutality of the scene.

The next scene played.

Harvey Dent woke up in the hospital. Half of his face was burned. The theater was still heavy with the weight of what had just happened.

Nobody had expected this. The movie had just proved it wasn't playing by the rules. This was not a simple goody-two-shoes superhero movie. It was a completely different kind of superhero movie compared to Spider-Man, which Kazir directed a few years ago.

And then came the final scenes.

The Joker, hanging upside down, delivered his final speech to Batman.

His voice was full of madness.

Then, the final moments with Harvey Dent and Commissioner James Gordon. Batman made the ultimate sacrifice. He became the villain Gotham needed so that hope would survive.

The music score intensified, and Hans Zimmer's amazing composition filled the theater as Batman disappeared into the night.

Then something happened.

Soft sniffles and sobs echoed.

In the darkness of the theater, fans wiped their eyes. Some tried to hide their emotions, others didn't bother.

For some reason, they couldn't help but cry.

Were they affected by Batman's decision to sacrifice himself?

Was it because Rachel died in the middle of the movie?

Or were they sad because Heath Ledger was still unconscious and couldn't watch his movie?

Some people clapped their hands. Others simply sat still. They were staring at the screen, unwilling to leave.

"That was incredible… but it hurts."

"I don't think I've ever seen anything like that in a superhero movie."

The Dark Knight wasn't just a movie. It was a moment in history. A masterpiece wrapped in tragedy.

Outside the theater, people kept talking about the movie. All of them had the same thought:

"Heath Ledger's performance is out of this world."

It would be a crime to hide this movie from the people. The fans were determined to invite their friends and relatives to watch the movie and witness how great it was.

.........

......

...

On the first day, July 18, The Dark Knight grossed $67 million. Everyone in Hollywood was not surprised since Heath Ledger's situation was still trending. Furthermore, The Dark Knight was directed by Kazir Grey and his box office appeal was strong.

On the second day, July 19, The Dark Knight easily surpassed $100 million. To be precise, the movie grossed $114 million.

On July 20, Sunday, the movie grossed $158 million.

In just three days of screening, The Dark Knight grossed over $158 million. That was massive.

You know what else is massive?

That's right, Low Taper Fade...

Anyway, The Dark Knight was raking in money like there were leaves in the garden.

On the same day, July 20, Iron Man grossed $314 million at the North American box office.

As for The Incredible Hulk, the movie grossed $131 million at the North American box office as of July 20.

+++++

[You may sometimes see me inserting some jokes and memes, that's just me being stupid and intentionally stopping readers from immersion.]

Hollywood What If Chapter 541

By Monday morning, the entertainment industry was in a frenzy.

Every news network, news publisher and even internet bloggers were talking about The Dark Knight.

Box office analysts were predicting that the film was on track to make a lot of money. It's first weekend alone screamed success. They won't be surprised if the movie surpasses $700 million.

The fans couldn't stop talking about Heath Ledger's legendary performance as the Joker. It was amazing. There was something about his performance that captivated them.

"The best superhero movie of all time! Spiderman who? X-Men? Iron-Man? Nah, these superheroes are nothing!"

"Heath Ledger deserves an Oscar. His performance is outstanding! I don't care if The Dark Knight is a superhero movie. The Academy Awards should let go of their prejudice and let Heath win the Best Supporting Actor Aware!"

"That ending broke me... Batman sacrificed his identity as the protector of Gotham so that the city wouldn't crumble from within."

Headlines flooded the internet. Even film critics rated the movie 10/10... Some of them were paid to rate it high but some of them actually believed that The Dark Knight deserved a perfect rating.

Facebook and online forums were dominated by discussions about the film. They compared Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight, and all of them agreed that The Dark Knight was better than any of the two Marvel movies in terms of plot and entertainment.

.........

......

...

Monday, July 21.

Warner Brothers headquarters, Burbank, California.

Executives at Warner Brothers were so happy. They knew the film would be successful since Kazir Grey directed it, but this?

This was beyond expectations!

Marketing teams worked hard to adjust their strategy. They didn't need to promote the movie too much. Word of mouth was already so strong. The public was doing the job for them. They just have to maintain the level of promotion.

The tragic circumstances surrounding Heath Ledger had already made The Dark Knight a huge event, not just a blockbuster.

The executives of Warner Brothers popped champagne. They knew that the movie had just started screening and they couldn't determine its final box office. However, they were confident that it would reach at least $700 million. Anyone could see that.

But behind the celebration, there were complicated emotions.

Kazir Grey, Christian Bale, and the rest of the cast had mixed feelings. They were proud of the film, but Ledger's condition didn't become better. The actor was still unconscious for 8 days.

"It doesn't feel right," Christian Bale admitted in a quiet moment with Michael Caine and Gary Oldman. They were promoting the movie on a local TV network.

"Yeah," Gary Oldman nodded solemnly.

"Let's hope Heath will wake up."

Across the country, fans kept returning to theaters.

Some watched The Dark Knight twice. Some three times. Some even watched it the whole day... They spent money on buying tickets. It didn't matter if it was 3D, traditional, or IMAX, they were happily consuming the movie.

People were dissecting every scene. They paid close attention to Ledger's every mannerism, his voice, his movements. They were like experts in psychology who were studying a specimen.

"I can't believe this was the same guy from Brokeback Mountain," one fan said to his friend as they left the theater.

"Heath Ledger is the Joker," another fan declared and the people around him nodded.

Well, some said that Joaquin Phoenix was also an amazing Joker but Joker 2: The Ugly Musical destroyed that idea. So yeah, Joaquin Phoenix is nothing compared to Heath Ledger.

"This isn't acting, this is something else. Something legendary."

The numbers kept climbing as days went by.

By the end of Monday, the updated box office numbers were in.

$182 million in just four days.

The industry was shocked.

Monday was a workday and a schoolday people rarely visit theaters to watch movies around Monday to Thursday. They have jobs, schools, and responsibilities so box office ratings on Monday usually take a nosedive.

However, this Monday was different. Despite being Monday, The Dark Knight grossed $24 million, hence it reached the $182 million mark in four days.

People started asking, could The Dark Knight become the second superhero movie to reach a billion dollars? And from the same director?

Spider-Man grossed $1 billion at the box office. The movie was directed by Kazir Grey

And now, The Dark Knight, which was also directed by Kazir Grey, could possibly reach $1 billion.

Kazir Grey sat in his office, staring at his computer. He was stressed lately. He had already received multiple messages from Warner Brothers congratulating him on the film's success.

He knew they wanted him to direct another Batman movie. They wanted to stay true to the contract.

But right now, all Kazir could think about was Heath. He sighed.

'Am I gay by thinking of another man?'

Well, it depends.

Anyway, Kazir was depressed because he did his best to change Heath Ledger's fate but the actor still suffered from drug overdose. The only difference was that Heath didn't die but instead in a comatose.

If he died, then everything that Kazir did would be nothing. It showed that his interference with the timeline was not successful.

'Perhaps I can't prevent people's death... But if that's true, then my Dad should have died four years ago.'

He scrolled through news articles. The media was obsessed with Heath Ledger's performance. While Kazir was proud, he couldn't shake the feeling that Warner Brothers was still using this situation to their advantage.

He sighed. Hollywood will always be Hollywood. They would use everything to make money. It didn't matter if Heath lived or died, they just needed him to make money for their benefits.

Hollywood What If Chapter 542

Inside the wide conference hall, where a long table had people talking about their plans, a nervous person started discussing their second-quarter profit.

He read the documents.

In this second quarter, the company's revenue was $1.8 billion. That was huge.

Grey Pictures's annual revenue was around $2 billion—sometimes less, sometimes more. But they usually had revenue of more than $1 billion.

Yet 20th Century Fox's second quarter (April to June) grossed $1.8 billion in revenue. This was the power of 20th Century Fox, one of the Big Six of Hollywood. In three months, the company made $1.8 billion.

The Big Five probably earned at least $1 billion in revenue in these three months. April, May, and June were part of the summer schedule, and this was the season when a lot of people visited the theaters and watched movies.

Big movies such as Iron Man, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, and The Incredible Hulk were released within these three months. Two of these movies were distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Perhaps this was the reason why the company had revenue of $1.8 billion. By computation, around 35% of this amount would be their profit.

"As of today, July 21, Iron Man grossed $315 million, while The Incredible Hulk grossed $132 million at the North American box office."

"Other than that, there are other movies that performed well this summer such as Indiana Jones and Narnia. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull grossed $313 million, while The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian ended its screening in North America with $139 million."

Even though Lucasfilm had a close relationship with 20th Century Fox, the distributor of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was Paramount Pictures. Steven Spielberg and Paramount had a strong relationship, so it was not surprising.

The Chronicles of Narnia was the franchise that Walt Disney chose to follow the trend of adapting novels into movies.

The presenter licked his lips and clicked the next page. The slideshow went to the next slide, which was a pie chart.

"This year, there are three superhero movies that were released. Two of them are from us, and they performed well even internationally."

Iron Man grossed $513 million worldwide. The movie is already losing its popularity. The expected box office is around $580 million.

"As for The Incredible Hulk, it has a lower box office compared to Iron Man, but it's still a success nonetheless. $259 million is not a small amount…"

The presenter paused.

"Continue," Tom Rothman said, and the presenter nodded.

"After 14 days of screening, The Dark Knight grossed $351 million. Furthermore, the movie was released internationally and grossed $241 million. Two weeks of screening, the overall box office of The Dark Knight is $592 million."

In just two weeks, the movie grossed more than half a billion.

The atmosphere in the conference room turned cold, and everyone became quiet. All of the people inside looked at Kazir, one of the people responsible for the success of The Dark Knight.

Kazir shrugged. He had nothing to explain. He was hired by Warner Brothers; hence, he had to do his job... Besides, he earned more than $150 million directing The Dark Knight as of now. Once the box office of the movie reached its limit, which was expected to be around $800 million, Kazir would probably earn $200 million. On top of that, Kazir had peripheral profit to earn in a few years, which would probably be $70 million at least.

So yeah, even though some people didn't like Kazir's decisions, it was clear that Kazir won. The money he earned was absolutely worth it working with Warner Brothers.

That fact was not liked by 20th Century Fox.

In fact, Kazir could see some people glaring at him.

Tom Rothman weakly sighed... His salary was actually smaller than Kazir's, which was understandable since Kazir was one of a kind.

The presenter could feel the tension, so he decided to continue his presentation.

"For our next plan, in August we will release Mirrors, The Rocker, Babylon A.D., and Wanted 3."

"In September, we only have one movie to release, which is The Equalizer 2."

As expected, Wanted 3 and The Equalizer 2 would be released in less popular schedules because they were not prioritized by the company. However, the profit they made by distributing CCU movies was around $500 million every year.

The meeting continued and the atmosphere became better. Overall, they were satisfied with what they achieved this quarter. The company was doing well.

The meeting then reached the next topic, which was the approval of projects.

They approved the filming of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Final Destination 3, Machete, and Wall-E.

20th Century Fox bought the script for Kazir's Wall-E, and the director agreed because he didn't want to sour their relationship further.

"Hm, now that I think about it. Kazir, I still don't know what your next movie is. You seem kinda free lately. Most of the time, after you're done with your project, you immediately start a new project," Tom Rothman said to Kazir, two chairs away from him.

"Tom, have you forgotten what we talked about a week ago? I said I had no intention of directing a movie in 2009. I want to take a rest," Kazir explained.

"What? I thought you were joking. We are talking about you, Director Grey, the workaholic director who films a movie every year... Are you sure you're doing well?"

Tom asked curiously, a bit worried.

Everyone knew that Kazir had experienced some horrible stuff within these past months.

Last year, Kazir also got killed.

Three weeks ago, he saw his friend almost dying.

It wouldn't be a surprise if Kazir wanted to take things slow and take a rest.

Tom Rothman apologized after realizing that he was being rude. At the end of the day, Kazir was a person, and he needed rest after so much shit.

"If possible, I just want to lay on my bed all day and do nothing."

Completely relatable.

Hollywood What If Chapter 543

"Then, since you're not going to film a movie for a year, how about doing your job to the truth this time?" Tom touched his chin and nodded as he agreed with the idea he had just thought of.

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"I'm talking about your job as an Executive Producer. You will help Blue Sky Studio in making Wall-E."

"... I still haven't agreed to that. I haven't even signed a contract."

"You're the scriptwriter of Wall-E. You're also a talented director. The scenes are probably already done in your head, and we need that to help us animate Wall-E... I honestly want you to direct the movie, but that's asking for too much."

"... You're just bitter that The Dark Knight is making a lot of money compared to Marvel movies."

"You are damn right. Don't worry, we will pay you at least $5 million for your position as the Executive Producer."

"... Let me talk to my agent first."

"That's good to hear."

This showed that Kazir was not against working on Wall-E animation. However, Salvatore would probably increase the salary to $7 million before things became official.

Tom Rothman knew that some of the executives were angry at Kazir because of his so-called "betrayal" and understood why. However, he knew that Kazir didn't betray them. The fact that Kazir was still working with them showed that his intention toward 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios was good.

He knew that the biggest reason why The Dark Knight was making huge money right now was because of Heath Ledger's situation.

The Big Six competed against each other, but none of them wanted to hurt or kill one another because that was not morally right at all.

Making up false rumors to destroy someone's reputation was acceptable.

Blackmailing celebrities to get what they wanted was acceptable.

Doing some sex trafficking? Yeah, fine. Hollywood loves that.

Secret sex parties? The orgy was all right... But adding kids to those sex parties was downright wrong. Apparently, Hollywood was fine with that and deemed it normal.

Anyway, killing a person was bad. That's where they drew the line.

Showbiz was business, not a war where you had to kill your opponent. Tom Rothman didn't wish for anyone to suffer, not even his worst enemies.

This was the reason why everyone in Hollywood hated the executive who tried to assassinate Kazir because that incident blemished Hollywood badly... Yes, Hollywood was not pure, and it had a lot of dirty secrets, but there were limits to the sins they could accept.

What happened to Heath Ledger was not something Tom Rothman wanted to happen to other celebrities.

"... But I'm not going to lie, Warner Brothers found a diamond with their promotion. They took advantage of the bad news to promote The Dark Knight."

Warner Brothers was monetizing grief because they were a corporation.

It's a sad thing that Heath Ledger was comatose, but have you seen his latest work, The Dark Knight? Dude, watch it. You will understand why Heath Ledger became depressed and dependent on prescription pills... This was the common conversation. By the way, some of the information was just rumors with no clear evidence to back it up.

"I heard that some people are blaming Kazir because he's the one who pushed Heath to take the role of the Joker. I guess I can understand why he needs a rest."

Their meeting ended after that.

.........

......

...

The hospital room was quiet, except for the faint, rhythmic beeping of machines.

Heath Ledger lay still, pale and unmoving. He had been in that state for 18 long days.

Outside the hospital, fans gathered. They were holding signs and pictures of Heath as the Joker. Some carried flowers, others held candles.

The situation was getting overdramatic, as if Heath had already died. Well, a certain corporation wanted to keep it dramatic. They even paid some people to cry in front of the hospital.

"I just want him to wake up. I want him to see how much we love him and his films."

"I've watched The Dark Knight three times now. He… he is incredible. It's heartbreaking that he can't see what he's accomplished."

Some fans had their heads bowed, whispering prayers. Others held each other, united by grief and hope.

Across the world, people were talking about Heath Ledger. News anchors delivered updates on his condition with solemn faces.

Why was Heath's situation still trending even after two weeks? Well, Time Warner was keeping the issue alive. Time Warner was one of the major media conglomerates in the world.

Five media conglomerates dominated globally, Time Warner, Comcast, Walt Disney, Paramount Global, and News Corporation.

It wouldn't be hard for Time Warner to keep Heath's story alive for a month if needed.

The Dark Knight continued to dominate the box office, but fans were still worried about Heath Ledger's health.

"The world watches and waits, praying for his recovery."

Talk show hosts discussed his performance with praise.

"He transformed into the Joker. It's... scary."

"I've never seen anything like that. He's not just acting. It's as if the Joker was real."

But behind every compliment, there was sorrow. Heath wasn't awake to hear any of it.

Later that evening, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Gary Oldman visited the hospital. They had just finished a press conference but couldn't go home without seeing Heath.

They stood at the doorway, hesitant to enter.

"... He's not going to die, right?"

If he was going to die, then the build-up of this story arc would be useless.

"Hush, his family is inside."

"Let's go in."

Hollywood What If Chapter 544

The three actors entered the hospital and found Heath's relatives. Every one of them was worried about Heath's situation.

The three men paused at the doorway. No matter how many times they experienced this, they were still uncomfortable. The atmosphere was too depressing.

Actually, even though it sounded messed up, Warner Brothers and their agents encouraged them to visit Heath once in a while, especially now, when Heath's situation was trending.

This was a form of promotion and also a way to show a positive impression to the public. The fact that the three actors showed up and the people saw them going to the hospital was publicity. They were building the image that they were good people who visited their co-star who was comatose.

Honestly, this was great publicity. People liked kind-hearted actors.

The three nodded at each other and greeted Heath's family.

Heath's mother sat by his bedside. She was gently brushing her son's hair. She had a pale face. She nodded at them and weakly smiled.

Heath's father stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder. The dark bags under his eyes proved the sleepless nights he had endured.

Michelle Williams sat quietly next to them. She was holding Matilda in her lap, whispering comforting words to her daughter. The innocent two-year-old girl was sometimes asking when her dad would wake up. She thought Heath was just sleeping.

Heath and Michelle Williams were in a serious relationship. Their relationship started during the filming of Brokeback Mountain. She starred in movies such as Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine, My Week with Marilyn, Manchester by the Sea, and many more.

The two had a daughter named Matilda Rose Ledger.

"…"

Honestly, the three actors were not that close to Heath or to his relatives. They were just co-workers, after all. However, this was a way to promote their movie, so they had to visit Heath.

Christian Bale cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence. "How… how is he today?"

Heath's father looked at him, his eyes hollow. "No change," he whispered.

"The doctors said… it's a waiting game now."

Their expressions didn't seem good. Even the three actors felt the negative vibes in the room… This was awkward.

However, every one of them hoped that Heath would wake up. None of them wanted to see a person suffer.

Particularly Christian Bale, he was with Kazir and Scarlett when they discovered Heath's overdose. After what he experienced and what Heath experienced, he was hoping for good news.

Anyway, the actors talked to the relatives to ease up the situation. They had to stay in the room for at least half an hour to show their sincerity. After that, they would leave through the front entrance of the hospital so that people would see them. Yeah, they were farming publicity.

As the room fell into another silence, only Heath's breathing could be heard.

Suddenly, Heath's fingers twitched. His eyelids fluttered, just barely.

"Heath?" his mother gasped. She dropped the comb she had been using to brush Heath's hair.

Michelle's eyes widened. She also saw it.

"Oh my God… Heath?"

"…"

Heath Ledger's eyes slowly opened, unfocused at first. Everyone was silent for a second. Then, Christian Bale immediately came out of the room to call the nurses and doctors.

"I'm gonna call the doctors!"

Heath blinked his eyes. His eyelids were heavy, but he could see. His gaze drifted before settling on his daughter. His lips moved, and he weakly smiled.

Then, the family started crying in happiness.

Heath's father choked back a sob while his mother cried as she hugged her son.

Heath woke up.

.........

......

...

The camera cut to the modern newsroom, where a newscaster sat at a polished white desk, papers neatly arranged in front of her… These papers were just props, by the way, because the newscaster only read the teleprompter behind the camera.

The headline of the segment was: "HEATH LEDGER AWAKENS. A MIRACLE IN HOSPITAL."

They always use caps lock whenever they write a news headline.

"Good evening. In a heartwarming development that has captivated Hollywood and millions around the world, actor Heath Ledger has awakened from his coma."

"After spending eighteen agonizing days in an unresponsive condition at the hospital, Heath Ledger's eyes have finally opened, marking a miraculous turn in his recovery process."

The 'screen' next to her shifted to live footage of the hospital exterior, where people were celebrating, and some even kissed… The people who kissed were both men. After the success of Brokeback Mountain, many gay fans became devoted supporters of Heath.

The scene then changed to a brief clip showing Heath Ledger's family gathered around his bed.

"Sources confirm that Heath Ledger, known worldwide for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, is now responsive."

"The medical staff reports that while his condition remains serious, his return to consciousness has sparked hope among his family, friends, and fans."

"Ledger's sudden awakening has ignited a wave of relief and celebration, with many calling it a miracle."

A split-screen showed a clip of Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine outside the hospital, their faces a mix of relief and happiness.

"In related news, Warner Brothers, which has closely monitored Ledger's condition, released a statement expressing joy and support for Heath Ledger."

"The studio noted that while Ledger's recovery is encouraging, they are continuing to work with the hospital to ensure his health. As the story develops, we will bring you further updates on Heath Ledger's progress."

The newscaster paused while fixing the thin stacks of paper in her hands.

"Stay tuned for more updates on this recovery. For now, fans worldwide are rejoicing at the news. The legacy of Heath Ledger's incredible performance in The Dark Knight continues to inspire people."

The camera slowly faded to the network's logo as the segment ended, leaving viewers with a sense of optimism.

Hollywood What If Chapter 545


"Continue to inspire people? Isn't Heath's role about a psychotic serial killer? What the fuck is Warner Brothers cooking? The Joker is not a positive role model!"

Robert "Bob" Iger grumbled as he turned off the television. He was happy that Heath Ledger woke up, this was a good thing for Hollywood itself.

Hollywood and celebrities had been glorified to the point where people saw celebrities as gods above others.

Heath Ledger's incident made this status even better. Now, people would look at celebrities with sympathy and perhaps awe.

As long as people glorified celebrities, movies would continue to make money. Hence, the Big Six loved it whenever something like this happened.

However, Robert was also bitter that Warner Brothers was earning a lot of money because of this incident. Walt Disney had been losing its edge these past few years.

Because of this, the company was desperate to acquire Lucasfilm, since Lucasfilm owned profitable IPs that Walt Disney was salivating to get.

Bob Iger sighed and leaned back in his chair. He looked at the ceiling. He knew that interesting stories could shape public perception. Warner Brothers was capitalizing on Heath Ledger's ordeal perfectly. They were turning a tragedy into a marketing goldmine, and The Dark Knight was reaping the benefits.

"They're milking this for all it's worth. I wouldn't even be surprised if they interview Heath while he's still in the hospital."

He muttered. Frustration was evident in his voice.

He stood up and gazed out of his office window. The tall buildings in Los Angeles were towering across the city.

If Disney wanted to compete, they needed something bigger. Something that would dominate the box office. They already had the answer.

His eyes narrowed. Lucasfilm was the key. He just needed to make it happen.

"We will acquire Lucasfilm. Then we will make the worst Star Wars franchise and shit on the fans… Yeah, I can see it happening. Who gives a fuck anyway? It's all about money."

Robert laughed like a devil. The fans of Star Wars would probably be devastated once they heard the news.

Robert felt like the future would be rough if they failed to acquire Lucasfilm. He heard that Blue Sky Studio was planning to animate Wall-E, which was a story written by Kazir. Blue Sky and DreamWorks were rivals of Pixar.

After spending so many resources, Robert successfully acquired the complete version of the Wall-E script, and he was amazed by how Kazir portrayed the dystopian future in the script.

Acquiring a complete version of a movie script was tough, especially when it was still in production. A person had to sign a non-disclosure agreement. But Robert paid his way to get a copy secretly… He wanted to call Kazir to ask him if he had more interesting scripts, but he knew that the director would probably not work with them, which was infuriating.

"Now that I think about it, Heath is super famous right now! Maybe he is interested in working with Disney!"

.........

......

...

Kazir was having a good time. He was smiling the whole day.

The answer to why Kazir was happy was because his friend woke up from a coma.

Another reason why he was happy was that he changed the future. Heath Ledger died in the original timeline, but now the worst thing he suffered was a coma of 18 days.

Kazir and Scarlett had already visited Heath two days ago and had a conversation with the actor. Heath was thankful to Kazir because he saved his life. Heath learned that Kazir, Christian, and Scarlett saved him. Heath even cried.

It was a heartwarming moment for Kazir. It was a good thing that Heath woke up.

Kazir sat on his couch, his eyes glued to the television. News about Heath's miraculous recovery was everywhere. He watched as reporters enthusiastically covered the story. Some were speculating about Heath's future projects and his return to Hollywood.

"They're already building him up as a legend… He's not even fully recovered yet."

Kazir shook his head, a small smile on his face.

Scarlett entered the room, carrying two cups of tea. She handed one to Kazir and sat beside him. She looked at the television.

The two had been spending their time together a lot lately. Both of them agreed to take a rest for a year and lay low on working.

"They'll keep milking this for a while. But at least Heath is alive. That's all that matters," Scarlett added.

Kazir nodded, his heart feeling lighter.

"Yeah… that's all that matters."

.........

......

...

The last week of August arrived, and Wanted 3 had its premiere.

Wanted 3 would probably be the last installment of the franchise for a while, unless Ben Affleck himself showed interest in making a sequel.

His three-movie contract had ended. His contract lasted for nine years since the filming of Wanted in 1999. It was a long commitment, so it was understandable why Ben Affleck had no intention of renewing the contract.

The story of Wanted 3 was about Wesley Gibson learning about his father's past and the secret his mother had been keeping from him. Of course, there were action sequences every ten minutes to hype the movie.

Wesley Gibson was one of the most wanted criminals in the world. In the last scene, everyone thought that Wesley Gibson died, but he actually survived and changed his name. Also, he was now a rich person living in a tropical country. His life story ended in a positive way.

The premiere of Wanted 3 was a grand event. Fans lined up outside the theater, eager to see how Wesley Gibson's story would conclude. Reporters swarmed the red carpet, flashing cameras capturing every moment.

Kazir watched from the sidelines. He was satisfied with the situation. The film was already generating buzz, and he was confident it would be a box office hit, as always.

As the lights dimmed and the movie started, he glanced at Scarlett, who sat beside him. Scarlett held his hand.

He whispered, "You think this will be the biggest hit of the year?"

She smirked. "I wouldn't be surprised. You wrote it."

Hollywood What If Chapter 546

Billy and Wallace cheered as they witnessed how Wesley Gibson found his peace.

Billy and Wallace had been fans of Kazir since the release of Napoleon Dynamite. Since then, they had watched every movie Kazir released. They also watched every CCU movie. In fact, they even built a fan base.

Naturally, Billy and Wallace witnessed how much suffering Wesley experienced in the trilogy. They were happy because Wesley found his peace at last. They also understood that this would probably be the last time they watched the Wanted franchise because Ben Affleck's contract had ended.

However, they might still see him once in a while in other CCU movies as a cameo appearance.

Still, the fans were a bit melancholic. Bryan Mills, Jason Bourne, and Wesley Gibson were the first three protagonists of the CCU, and now only Jason Bourne was still active. Bryan Mills had died, while Wesley Gibson retired.

As the credits rolled, Billy and Wallace remained seated, basking in the afterglow of the final moments of Wanted 3. The theater was filled with excitement, with fans discussing their favorite scenes and speculating on the future of the CCU.

The theater was rented by the Grey Fans to watch Wanted 3. The fact that everyone was wearing a suit made it look like they were in a business meeting inside a movie theater, out of place but entertaining.

"I can't believe it's over," Wallace muttered. He was a bit sad. Wanted was a huge franchise and had gathered so many fans all over the world.

"At least Wesley got a happy ending. He deserved it," Billy nodded.

They didn't leave right away. They waited a few more minutes for the post-credit scene. The scene was about The Equalizer 2, the movie set to be released in September.

.........

......

...

Wanted grossed over $1.11 billion worldwide in 2000. This was the updated box office after every country had submitted complete data.

Wanted 2 grossed $821 million and was considered a success despite a lower box office performance compared to the first movie.

And now, people were wondering at what number the box office of Wanted 3 would stop. Would it reach $700 million? Perhaps only $600 million?

August 29, 2008, Friday. Wanted 3 grossed $39 million.

August 30, 2008, Saturday. Wanted 3 grossed $86 million.

August 31, 2008, Sunday, also the last day of the month. Wanted 3 grossed $122 million.

In three days of screening, Wanted 3 grossed $122 million.

Everyone would agree that Wanted 3 was a success. This kind of performance was expected from a CCU movie. Nothing to be shocked at.

By the way, as of August 31, The Dark Knight had grossed $889 million worldwide. The movie had been screening for 45 days and was still going strong.

.........

......

...

September 1, 2008, Monday. The industry was already having discussions about Wanted 3's strong opening weekend. Analysts predicted it would easily cross $600 million worldwide, solidifying its place as another Continental Cinematic Universe success.

Kazir Grey, however, was more focused on the future. He sat in his office, going through final preparations for The Equalizer 2. He was reviewing documents related to the movie.

Wanted 3's post-credit scene had created excitement among fans, and expectations were high.

Meanwhile, Warner Brothers was celebrating The Dark Knight's unstoppable momentum. Executives were confident it would surpass $1 billion, making it the highest-grossing film of the year... unless a new opponent joined the battle. The battle for box office supremacy continued.

After doing his job, Kazir decided to read the newspaper and found an article about Wanted 3:

-- Wanted 3 delivered a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to the action-packed trilogy. Ben Affleck shines once again as Wesley Gibson. He brought depth to a character who has endured loss, betrayal, and redemption. The film masterfully balanced intense action sequences with emotional storytelling. It gave fans a fitting farewell to one of the Continental Cinematic Universe's original protagonists.

-- The intense fights, stunning cinematography, and well-crafted plot kept audiences engaged until the very end. While it may not surpass the original, Wanted 3 provided closure. It left fans both satisfied and nostalgic. A must-watch for action lovers and longtime CCU fans.

Kazir looked at the name of the writer who wrote the article.

"Bribe Miner? Isn't that the movie critic we paid to write positive reviews on our movies? No wonder this article seemed paid."

Well, the article seemed on point, though... The article didn't tackle much about the movie, since the content of Wanted 3 was nonexistent. The author didn't know what to write or add about the plot.

Kazir then tackled the next topic that the company had to face.

Grey Pictures ventured into TV shows around 2003 to 2004 by making Game of Thrones. Now, Game of Thrones was in its third season and still going strong. It had gained so many fans. It was popular, and Fox TV also profited from the show.

Because of this success, Grey Pictures was interested in starting another show. This time, they asked Kazir if he had a comedy TV show in his arsenal.

Well, actually, they were right, Kazir had a few on his list. He had written some comedy sitcoms. However, he was genuinely confused as he realized something big had happened without his knowing.

"The fact that some of these shows did not exist in the current timeline is shocking."

The list was:

Modern Family

Parks and Recreation

Brooklyn 99

The Big Bang Theory

How I Met Your Mother

Looking at the list, Kazir was shocked that The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother did not exist in this timeline. Meaning, Kazir could make them if he wanted to.

+++++

[What TV show do you think won the poll?]

Hollywood What If Chapter 547

[Author's Note: I just want to make things clear, this novel is not a Chinese translation. It was written by me, Pujimaki, word for word. The reason a Chinese version exists on a popular novel platform in China is because someone pirated and translated it without my permission.]

Kazir was deep in thought. The realization that The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother didn't exist yet was both exciting and overwhelming. He realized that he had changed another thing in the timeline without even knowing it.

Kazir loved movies, but he rarely watched TV shows. He didn't have time to watch TV, so he was clueless that his interference in the timeline had erased The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother from existence.

The two shows were famous in the USA and basically two of the most well-known shows.

"If I play this right, I might make another successful show. If I remember correctly, sitcoms are less expensive than high-quality shows like Game of Thrones."

Sitcoms averaged $2–3 million per episode, while high-quality shows like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things had an average of $15–20 million per episode. Yes, sitcoms were less expensive.

By the way, sitcoms were TV shows that usually had the same settings, where episodes happened mostly in a single location. Also, sitcoms were comedy shows that had a laugh track, a sound of people laughing in the background whenever the cast made a joke. The best examples of sitcoms were Friends and The Big Bang Theory.

He picked up a pen and jotted down potential ideas.

"If we start production now, we could have one of these on air by next year," he murmured.

His mind raced with possibilities. However, he realized something, he only had to choose one. Furthermore, even though The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother were famous shows, they were not considered the best.

"If we are talking about natural humor that doesn't need a cringe laugh track in the background, then Modern Family is the best option."

Modern Family was filmed in a mockumentary style. It was a humorous show if done right. It was different from a sitcom, but it was a comedy show nonetheless.

"We also have Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn 99," Kazir added.

These two were also popular shows.

"The question is, which of them should we make?"

They could make all of them at once, but that would be too much for Grey Pictures to handle. So, for now, they had to choose only one.

Kazir could keep the other projects in the script library until they needed another show to make. Or perhaps Kazir could sell the projects to another production company, and they would make the show in exchange for a profit percentage. Kazir had to think about it carefully.

"For now, I'll have to wait for the poll to have a clear answer."

…Was that a fourth-wall break?

Kazir closed his notes. He had at least a week before making a decision. At that time, the answer would be clearer.

A successful sitcom could generate steady revenue for years, unlike movies, which relied on box office performance.

For clarification, TV shows have stable profits, while movies have short but explosive profits. It depends on what angle you look at it. But both options were great as long as they generated enough profit to satisfy all parties involved.

"Whichever show we choose, it has to be the right one," he muttered.

He decided to consult with his executives and trusted writers. Their insights might help him make the best choice for Grey Pictures' future.

This was different from filming a movie where Kazir was confident. TV shows were a different market, and Kazir didn't have enough experience to make a bold decision. Fortunately, he had Stella Willow to make up for his shortcomings.

"Even now, Stella is helping me with managing the company. I'm grateful for what she did."

Kazir also heard that Stella's dating life was getting better, so that was good news. A happy person means less stress.

.........

......

...

September 7, 2008. Ten days after the release of Wanted 3, the movie grossed over $203 million at the North American box office.

The industry was closely watching Wanted 3's box office performance. A $203 million domestic earnings in just ten days was undeniable proof of its success.

At Warner Brothers, executives were relieved that The Dark Knight still held strong, but Wanted 3's numbers reminded them that the CCU was a force to be reckoned with...

They regretted the fact that they had messed up their Cinematic Universe because Superman Returns was a failure profit-wise. Thankfully, The Dark Knight had now grossed over $900 million, and it was a cause for celebration. They invited the cast of The Dark Knight for a celebration party. Heath Ledger was also included. Even though The Dark Knight was losing its energy at the box office, the movie still had strong potential to surpass $1 billion.

As expected, Kazir Grey was amazing. Warner Brothers didn't regret working with the director. Not anymore. They knew that Kazir hadn't sabotaged them. The Dark Knight was a blockbuster!

At Universal Pictures, some regretted sabotaging Kazir back when he was still a novice. They also hated the fact that many people were hating their company because one of their executives had issued an assassination order against Kazir. Yeah, they were hated by the public.

Meanwhile, Walt Disney was taking notes… They were still hoping that Kazir would give them some crumbs to feast on. If Kazir announced that he would sell a script for a TV show, Walt Disney might be the first to buy it.

20th Century Fox, on the other hand, was very happy. Even though Wanted 3 was not owned by them and they didn't have the copyrights, they had a share in the box office, which was 25%.

Hollywood What If Chapter 548

Kazir Grey sat across from the executives of Blue Sky Studio in their conference room. Because he was guilt-tripped by Tom Rothman into working on Wall-E, Kazir decided to accept the position of Executive Producer.

Unlike most of the time when Kazir's position was only a title, this time, Kazir promised that he would visit Blue Sky Studio every three days to check on their progress and help them whenever they needed assistance.

Kazir knew that his position at 20th Century Fox was getting awkward because he worked with other studios, which was not illegal, by the way. Kazir, as a person, was allowed to work with other studios unless he signed an exclusive contract with 20th Century Fox.

Company politics was a difficult game to play. But Kazir's position as one of the shareholders of 20th Century Fox forced him to join it.

To make up for it, Kazir decided to work on Wall-E to appease some people who were growing a grudge against him… It might look obvious, but Kazir didn't want anyone to hold a grudge against him… The last time someone held a grudge against him, he almost died.

Of course, since Kazir agreed to become the Executive Producer of Wall-E, he had a salary. 20th Century Fox, or to be precise, Blue Sky Studio, paid him $5 million just to hire him. In their opinion, this amount was too small compared to the box office appeal that Kazir could bring to the project. They should be thankful that Kazir was not that greedy.

Furthermore, Kazir was a director, so he knew what to do.

"Kazir, thank you for working with us. It's an honor."

"Nah, it's cool."

The meeting had been arranged to discuss the progress of Wall-E. Unlike most 3D animated movies that focused more on comedy, Wall-E was an emotional cartoon. It had the same vibe as Nemo. In a way, Blue Sky Studio had a concrete plan for Wall-E.

They wanted to compete for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. Blue Sky Studio wanted to show that their studio also had the capability to compete in prestigious awards such as the Oscars.

"Let's see… Wall-E is promising, but we have to set up the atmosphere," Kazir said, and the executives nodded in agreement. Well, everyone in the conference room had already thought of that, but they wanted to hear more from Kazir since he was an expert in this category. He was a director, after all.

"The atmosphere is important. You need to make Wall-E's experience resonate with people, and that means crafting every scene with intention. The first few minutes should be depressing. It should be slow with the right amount of melancholy. Let the audience feel Wall-E's loneliness."

He paused and sipped the warm tea next to him. The executives had heard that Kazir liked tea, so they prepared high-quality tea for this meeting.

"The music needs to blend right with the movie. Think of it as an emotional guide."

The room fell quiet, the team absorbing his advice. Kazir's experience was undeniable… They had heard this kind of explanation so many times since they were all working in the same industry, but it sounded profound when Kazir said it. At this point, they were just being bootlickers.

Kazir smirked.

"And for that, we need a director who will oversee this creation."

Everyone nodded.

However, one by one, they all looked at Kazir.

If there was a director who could create a masterpiece, it would probably be Kazir. He could turn Wall-E into a masterpiece.

Everyone in the room looked at Kazir, and the director realized his mistake.

'Why are you looking at me like I'm the messiah?'

Kazir coughed.

"I'm planning to rest for a year, and I don't have the intention of directing a movie. We should find someone who will direct Wall-E."

Wall-E was approved by 20th Century Fox, but that didn't mean everything would happen so fast. First, they had to calculate the budget to make the movie. For that, many people had to come together and find the right amount. Producers, Production Managers, Studio Executives, Financial Analysts, and even Completion Bond Companies had to study the project and come up with a budget.

So yeah, it was not surprising that Wall-E still didn't have a director to oversee the project.

'Unfortunately, it's impossible to hire Andrew Stanton to direct Wall-E. He is a key figure of Pixar Animation and he will not work with a rival company… I guess I'm an oddity, huh.' Kazir chuckled. Unlike Andrew Stanton, who was loyal to Pixar, Kazir worked with other studios.

Anyway, Andrew Stanton was the director of Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, A Bug's Life, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc.

It was not an understatement to say that Andrew Stanton was good at his job. He was the original director of Wall-E.

'Although in the original timeline, Andrew Stanton had a flopped movie called John Carter.'

John Carter (2012) was a bad movie in terms of box office, and that was also the last time Andrew Stanton worked on live-action movies.

"Director, if we pay you $25 million plus 15% box office share plus 5% peripheral profit share, will you still decline?"

One of the executives asked Kazir. Some of them frowned because that amount was too huge to let go, but they also knew that Kazir's salary was usually higher than that amount.

Kazir shook his head and declined, unfazed by the generous offer.

"I appreciate the faith you have in me, but my decision is firm. I need a break. Directing is exhausting, and I don't want to burn out."

For a director who filmed at least one movie per year, that was the most bullshit statement that Kazir had ever said.

The executives exchanged glances. Some were clearly disappointed.

"Then who do you think should direct it? We need someone with a clear vision," one of them spoke up.

Kazir looked at his tea. He was contemplating and didn't answer.

"We need a director who understands emotion and storytelling, not just animation. What about Andrew Stanton?" another executive joined in after realizing that Kazir was in deep thought.

"He's at Pixar. It's almost impossible to hire him. And even if we hired him, he would probably ask for a huge salary," another one answered.

Kazir smirked and realized something. "Then we just need to find someone who is great at storytelling but not expensive."

Hollywood What If Chapter 549

There were a lot of directors who were amazing at storytelling and stirring the emotions of the audience. In fact, this was one of the criteria to determine if a director was talented.

If a director couldn't affect his audience, then he didn't have the qualifications to be a director. A director's job was to make a movie to entertain the audience. The movie would be useless if the audience felt nothing.

Anyway, the best directors in the industry were good at storytelling and stirring the emotions of the audience.

Some of the directors who had a talent for emotionally powerful storytelling were:

Steven Spielberg. Almost everyone would agree with this fact. Steven Spielberg was very good at storytelling, and he could make his audience cry. He was basically the GOAT of heartwarming movies. He directed Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan, and many more.

Hayao Miyazaki was also a director who was great at stirring the audience's hearts. He might not be a Hollywood director, but even Hollywood agreed that Hayao Miyazaki was an amazing director. He directed Grave of the Fireflies, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and many more.

Kazir had to admit that he was not good at making emotional films. The best emotional film he did was The Revenant, and that wasn't even comparable to what Spielberg and Miyazaki created in their filmographies. Kazir was just making circus movies, and he was proud of that fact.

Wall-E needed a director who had great storytelling skills and could make impactful scenes. Kazir knew someone, and he was one of the best in that category.

The person Kazir was talking about was Christopher Nolan.

In Kazir's opinion, Christopher Nolan was comparable to, or perhaps even better than, Spielberg and Miyazaki in creating amazing movies. His filmography was filled with critically acclaimed films.

He was the best director that Kazir could ever hire... Furthermore, Christopher Nolan was still finding his footing in Hollywood, so he might be interested in Wall-E.

'I also heard that Christopher Nolan is still looking for interesting projects to do.'

Kazir actually felt guilty about that... He had the script of Inception registered in the Writers Guild because he was interested in it. To make sure that everything would work fine, Kazir even bought the live action adaptation rights of Paprika just to be safe.

Years passed, and Kazir realized that he didn't have the time to film Inception.

When Christopher Nolan was done with Taken 3, his agent called Kazir and hoped that they could buy the script because Christopher Nolan was interested in Inception.

Kazir agreed and let Salvatore and Nolan's agent negotiate. However, both sides didn't reach an agreement.

'I will give the script to Christopher Nolan for free if he directs Wall-E. It is originally his anyway.'

Kazir nodded.

The executives felt like Kazir was cooking something, so they were waiting for his response. Kazir looked at them and shrugged.

"Christopher Nolan is the perfect director for Wall-E," he said firmly.

The executives exchanged uncertain glances. They had heard about this director, the fourth director who had a $1 billion movie in his filmography after filming Taken 3.

They also heard that Christopher Nolan was very serious about choosing scripts. Even though the Big Six invited him to sign a contract, Christopher Nolan maintained his silence because he couldn't find the perfect script to film.

This time, they were not sure if Christopher Nolan would agree to work on an animated film.

"Nolan? But he's known for live-action movies, not animated films," one of them pointed out.

Kazir smirked.

"That's exactly why we need him. He understands atmosphere, emotion, and visual storytelling better than most directors. Wall-E isn't just an animated film, it's a cinematic experience. If anyone can make it unforgettable, it's Christopher Nolan."

"I'll personally reach out to him." He paused before adding.

When Kazir said that, the executives sighed in relief. Kazir was known for hiring the perfect director for the job.

"If Nolan agrees, we'll have to adjust our approach. He's known for practical effects and grounded storytelling. Do you think he'll be comfortable working in animation?"

One of the executives adjusted his glasses.

"Nolan is a perfectionist, but it doesn't mean he won't adapt to the changes. He'll push for perfection, but he will maintain the essence of the film, which is to entertain the kids and the parents, and that's exactly what we need. Wall-E's world should feel like it could happen in the future. If he agrees, expect him to work closely with the animators to ensure every detail is perfect."

The executives nodded, starting to see the vision. They decided to trust Kazir.

"Alright," one of them said.

"If you can convince him, we're on board."

"Okay. By the way, I haven't seen Carl Ludwig today. This is a business conference, he should be here."

"The guy is on vacation right now and can't be contacted."

"…"

Kazir was a bit jealous. He had promised himself that he would relax for a year, yet now he was still working.

Kazir let out a sigh, rubbing his temples.

"What a life," he muttered under his breath. "Maybe I should take a break too."

"Um, please don't, we need you here. We paid $5 million…"

One of the executives nervously chuckled.

Kazir smirked but didn't deny it. $5 million was a huge amount.

"Aight."

His mind was already running through how to approach Nolan. He needed to make the offer enticing, not just with Wall-E, but by giving him full creative control.

"I'll set up a meeting with Nolan and his team," Kazir said.

"Let's hope he's interested."

As the meeting ended, Kazir stood and stretched. Maybe he really needed a vacation.