[Chapter 293: The Devil Wears Prada Explodes]
At that moment, aside from the newly acquired Five Elements Thunder Prison and Body Enhancement, all of Daniel's spells were at the fifth tier. Advancing from the fifth to the sixth level required 1,000,000 Merit Points, while moving from the sixth to the seventh needed 10,000,000.
After a moment's thought, Daniel spent 11,000,000 Merit Points to upgrade the Five Thunder Doctrine to level seven. His remaining Merit Points stood at 6,442,300.
Then, he invested 5,000,000 Merit Points to upgrade Bell of Celestial Dominion, Doctrine of Arcane Geometry, Prayer Seal Crafting Art, Rite of Divine Empowerment, and Spatial Stride to sixth tier.
Finally, he spent 1,111,100 Merit Points to bring Five Elements Thunder Prison up to the sixth tier as well.
Thus, his attributes were as follows:
[Host: Daniel Cross]
[Body Constitution: Celestial Thunder Body Enhancement (Fourth Tier)]
[Exorcism Level: Supreme Anointed (Higher Ascendant Order)]
[Skills:]
[Sanctum Blade Technique: Fifth Tier]
[Prayer Seal Crafting Art: Sixth Tier]
[Spiritual Perception Technique: Fifth Tier]
[Rite of Divine Empowerment: Sixth Tier]
[Artifact Forging Art: Fifth Tier]
[Sacred Alchemical Transmutation: Fifth Tier]
[Five Thunder Doctrine: Seventh Tier] (Celestial, Terran, Abyssal, Flame, and Tempest)
[Doctrine of Arcane Geometry: Sixth Tier]
[Edict of Soul Suppression: Sixth Tier]
[Spirit Binding Rope: Fifth Tier]
[Bell of Celestial Dominion: Fifth Tier]
[Spatial Stride: Sixth Tier]
[Earth Flow Technique]
[Five Elements Thunder Prison: Sixth Tier]
[Spells:]
[Divine Incantation for Purifying Souls]
[Golden Aegis Rite]
[Inner Sanctification Rite]
[Body Absolution Rite]
[Seven Lamps of Dominion Rite]
[Nine Sacred Invocations: Guard]
[Merit Points: 331,200]
---
Time rapidly advanced to the end of June 2006.
The air in Los Angeles was hot and dry, but the atmosphere in Hollywood was even hotter.
The highly anticipated Warner Bros. super-blockbuster Superman Returns, crafted with a lavish $270 million budget, was about to hit theaters. Meanwhile, The Devil Wears Prada, in which Daniel had invested $10 million and collaborated with Fox, was set to go head-to-head with Superman Returns. Not far behind, in mid-July, another one of his major productions, Hancock, was scheduled for release.
Hollywood media and critics were nearly unanimous in their skepticism toward Daniel.
"Using a chick flick to compete with Superman? That's suicide."
"Hancock? A homeless Superman? This is sacrilege against the superhero genre."
Some betting companies even offered odds, wagering that Daniel was about to lose big.
Will Smith, in an interview with Vanity Fair, didn't hide his scorn: "Some people win a few times by luck and think they understand movies. But when faced with absolute industrial might, luck means nothing. Superman Returns will teach him a lesson. As for Hancock... there's a reason I threw that script in the trash years ago."
...
Despite the overwhelming wave of doubt, Daniel's villa remained calm and composed.
Peter Berg was so anxious that his lips had developed blisters. "Boss, should we adjust the release schedule? Maybe dodge Superman's momentum?"
Daniel held a pair of scissors, trimming a bonsai freshly shipped from Japan.
"No need," he said.
With a crisp snip, he cut a branch. "Let the bullets fly. We'll just wait and watch."
...
June 28th.
The highly anticipated Superman Returns premiered in over 4,000 theaters across the U.S.
Warner Bros. was brimming with confidence; they had even booked a victory banquet in advance.
But when the first box office numbers came in, jaws collectively dropped.
North American opening day box office: $21 million.
That might be a hit for a low-to-mid-budget film, but for a $270 million mega-production with over $100 million in marketing, it was a disaster.
Then came the opening weekend total: $52.53 million.
Five-day opening: $84 million.
Industry analysts quickly revised their projections: the North American total might struggle to break $200 million, making global profitability extremely unlikely.
Warner's stock price fell accordingly.
The media's tone shifted instantly:
"Dull, boring, lacking originality."
"We don't need a Boy Scout who just poses in the sky."
"Hollywood's most expensive flop."
...
June 30th, Los Angeles.
The premiere of The Devil Wears Prada.
On the red carpet, camera flashes erupted nonstop.
Anne Hathaway arrived in grand fashion, arm in arm with Daniel.
Nourished by elixirs and... other things, Anne now radiated an overwhelming aura; her skin glowed a brilliant white. Though she played a rookie in the film's office setting, there she stood with a regal presence that overshadowed everything.
Reporters swarmed, their cameras nearly shoving into Daniel's face.
"Mr. Cross! Superman Returns underperformed at the box office. What's your take?"
"Was this within your expectations?"
"Are you still optimistic about the superhero movie market?"
Daniel paused, then took a microphone, his expression calm and collected.
"Not surprising," he said steadily, his voice resonating throughout the venue. "Audiences are tired of those morally perfect superheroes who just save cats and have no flaws. Characters enshrined on pedestals like idols feel fake and boring."
Reporters eagerly scribbled notes -- this was headline material.
Daniel shifted focus. "That's why I brought Hancock. A super-powered alcoholic who swears, causes destruction, and is hated by the public. This is a completely different Superman -- flawed, with flesh and blood. I believe he'll give audiences a refreshing change."
The room erupted in uproar.
This was the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada, yet Daniel was openly promoting another movie? A Fox executive nearby twitched at the corner of his mouth but held back, given Daniel was the financier.
Anne Hathaway wasn't upset. Instead, she looked at Daniel with a smile shining in her eyes.
Daniel seemed to recall the event's main purpose and added, "Of course, today's stars are Anne and Meryl. The Devil Wears Prada is an excellent workplace film about growth and choices. Anne's performance alone is worth the price of a ticket."
Reporters inwardly groaned -- this product placement was way too blatant. But the effect was immediate.
...
The next day, headlines were dominated by Daniel's remarks.
[The Devil Wears Prada Producer Blasts Traditional Superman!]
[Tired of Perfect Heroes? Hancock Might Be the Cure.]
Audiences disillusioned by the dull plot of Superman Returns suddenly perked up.
A messed-up Superman? Sounds... actually pretty intriguing.
Hancock's popularity index soared overnight.
...
Late into the night, in the bedroom of the Beverly Hills villa, the air still carried a lingering warmth.
A long, intimate night had just ended.
Anne Hathaway lay draped over Daniel like a lazy cat, her fingertip unconsciously tracing circles on his chest, her breathing still shallow and slightly rapid.
Ding.
The phone on the nightstand lit up.
Daniel reached for it, glanced at the email on the screen, then smiled faintly.
"The numbers are in."
Anne lifted her head abruptly, her big eyes instantly filled with tension and anticipation, ignoring the sheet slipping from her shoulder.
"How much?" Her voice trembled.
"North American opening day box office -- $10.8 million," Daniel reported evenly.
"Oh my God!"
Anne gasped, sitting upright, disbelief radiating from her.
After all, this was a female-driven workplace comedy, not a bombastic special effects epic.
An opening day exceeding $10 million promised a very strong opening weekend, potentially even setting a genre record.
With her last film, Hitch, some said she lucked out with Will Smith carrying the movie. But this time, Anne was unquestionably the one carrying the film. Now, there was no doubt -- she had the ability to carry a movie herself.
*****
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