The richest actor in Hollywood.

Taylor Swift's eyes were fixed on the exit of the lounge leading to the red carpet, her mind occupied with thoughts of Matthew. This wasn't just a teenage crush; despite being only seventeen, Taylor was far more mature than most girls her age. Scott Borchetta, the former CEO of DreamWorks and the founder of Big Machine Records, had imparted many Hollywood survival tactics to her.

With such a mentor and her inherent cunning, Taylor's understanding of the entertainment world far surpassed her years.

Scott Borchetta approached her, speaking softly, "How did it go?"

"I invited him," Taylor replied, raising an eyebrow. "He didn't agree—more like he politely declined."

Scott encouraged her, "No worries, I have confidence in you."

Taylor remained confident, "I'm sure I'll succeed." Her gaze stayed on the exit, and she murmured, "I think Matthew Horner is great, very mature."

Scott looked at Taylor, understanding she wasn't prone to infatuation. However, considering Matthew Horner's status as a top-tier star, he understood her attraction.

As they exited the pavilion and stepped onto the red carpet, Brown-Williams became hyper-vigilant. His eyes scanned the crowd of fans lining the red carpet, ready to act at a moment's notice. Given the recent underwear theft incident, he walked behind Matthew, not directly on the red carpet but slightly behind, closer to the fans.

Even though Disney had implemented strict security checks, Brown-Williams knew from his military and security experience that anyone determined to cause harm didn't necessarily need weapons.

Matthew, conscious of his safety, merely waved to the fans before quickly entering the interview area.

In the interview zone, only journalists from ABC and Disney Channel were present, minimizing potential issues. Yet Brown-Williams stayed alert, positioning himself where he could protect Matthew, even during a group photo with Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley.

Among the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trio, Matthew stood tallest in the center, with his left arm around Keira Knightley's shoulder and his right resting on Johnny Depp's back, displaying their camaraderie. Unlike many Hollywood photoshoots where smiles often masked underlying tensions, these three were genuine friends.

As more cast and sponsors joined for photos, Matthew intended to enter the theater with Johnny and Keira but was called aside by Jerry Bruckheimer.

Jerry clearly had something to discuss, so they lingered behind the group.

Entering the Hollywood Theatre, as the others moved ahead, Jerry began, "Matthew, after Akiva Goldsman's 'I Am Legend,' you haven't taken on any new films, have you?"

"That's right," Matthew confirmed, aware that he couldn't hide such things from someone like Jerry Bruckheimer. "I have a few prospects, but nothing finalized yet."

Matthew suspected where this was heading and prepared to turn down any unsuitable offers.

Jerry continued, "We've been working together since 'Black Hawk Down,' so it's been about five years, right?"

Matthew nodded, "Almost five years." He sensed Jerry might leverage their past to persuade him, which was common in the industry. Yet he sincerely added, "We've done 'Black Hawk Down,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' and 'National Treasure' together."

Jerry glanced at him, and Matthew preemptively expressed his gratitude, "Jerry, without your guidance, I wouldn't be where I am today. I'm always grateful for your support. Thank you."

Caught off guard by Matthew's gratitude, Jerry felt a bit uneasy but pressed on, "It's been nearly two years since 'National Treasure' released, and the audience has been eagerly waiting for a sequel. We should start planning the second one."

Matthew smiled, "I think so too." He knew continuing with "National Treasure" would require meeting his compensation demands first. "But as far as I know, Disney has put the 'National Treasure' sequel on hold for now."

Jerry knew why Disney was stalling the sequel—the studio felt Matthew's and his agency's pay demands were too high.

After a moment's thought, Jerry, whose company relied on consistent hits like "National Treasure," said, "I can push Disney to return to the negotiating table and restart the project. But we all need to compromise."

Matthew stopped walking, waiting for Jerry to halt as well, before replying, "Jerry, I've already made significant compromises."

He shook his head slightly, "Disney's offer for the sequel lacks sincerity."

In the end, their disagreement with Disney wasn't about creative vision or other aspects but rather the distribution of profits. Disney wanted to maximize its earnings from a sure-hit sequel, while Matthew aimed to secure his rightful share.

As a commercial endeavor, ensuring his profits was paramount.

Matthew didn't elaborate further. Even if Disney wanted to negotiate again, if their offer didn't meet his and Helen Herman's expectations, he wouldn't consider further discussions.

Jerry watched with some disappointment as Matthew entered the screening room ahead of him.

Before taking his seat in the front row, Matthew glanced back at Jerry, reflecting on their relationship. By industry standards, Jerry had indeed mentored him and was one of his benefactors. But in the realm of business, neither owed the other anything.

Matthew sat down, with Johnny Depp beside him, who leaned in and asked, "Jerry wasn't trying to divide us, was he?"

"No," Matthew replied. Johnny on his left and Keira Knightley on his right, allowing for candid conversation. "He wants me to lower my demands so Disney can restart the 'National Treasure' sequel."

Keira, who was also listening, asked, "You didn't agree, did you?"

Matthew gestured to himself, "Do I look that foolish?"

Johnny scoffed, "Lowering your fee? He just wants more profit for himself."

"Jerry probably had more to say, but I cut him off and declined," Matthew said, crossing his legs. "It's Disney who needs to make concessions."

Keira and Johnny both nodded in agreement.

The movie began, and the trio ceased their conversation. Matthew's thoughts, however, drifted back to Jerry Bruckheimer. In recent years, Jerry's streak of box office hits had waned, with several mediocre films diminishing his golden touch.

According to Helen Herman's analysis, audiences were growing tired of Jerry's formulaic commercial movies. Without changes, more box office flops were likely.

This trend was apparent in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." During the test screenings over the past few weeks, the dynamic between Will Turner and Jack Sparrow remained entertaining and appealing. However, the film's overall storytelling lacked the brilliance of "The Curse of the Black Pearl," resulting in mixed test screening feedback.

Nevertheless, most, including Matthew, expected the film to perform well at the box office due to the overwhelming success of the previous installment. "Dead Man's Chest" had its flaws but was far from a disaster.

Having seen the final cut during the screenings, Matthew noted that Elizabeth Swann's role was further diminished, making it almost entirely a buddy film between Jack Sparrow and Will Turner. Jack continued his antics, while Will was the film's action hero.

From rescuing Jack from a cannibal tribe to the island showdown over Davy Jones' heart, Will consistently outshone others in combat.

Unfortunately, the narrative didn't match the charm of "The Curse of the Black Pearl." Like many post-2000 Jerry Bruckheimer productions, "Dead Man's Chest" relied heavily on the charismatic interplay between Will and Jack and its impressive special effects.

From Matthew's perspective, "Dead Man's Chest" represented the pinnacle of Hollywood special effects at the time.

Yet, he recognized another problem: the film's juvenile tone and characterizations.

This was somewhat inevitable, as he was merely an actor and had no say in the production. Given that Disney produced and distributed the film, it was natural for it to exhibit such a style.

Reflecting on the test screening, Matthew had once joked that it was a relief Disney didn't pressure Jerry Bruckheimer to have Will and Jack break into a dance number to defeat Davy Jones through sheer awkwardness.

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