Cherreads

Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: False Advertising

On its first day of release, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" grossed $56.15 million from over 4,300 theaters in North America, easily surpassing "Shrek the Third," which had been in theaters for a week and earned $14.21 million. As expected, it became the top-grossing film of the day in North America. However, the third installment not only received poor reviews from the media but also failed to impress fans compared to the second film. Fans had high expectations for the trilogy's conclusion, only to be met with a somewhat drawn-out film.

After the first day of screenings in numerous theaters across North America, CinemaScore revealed that the average audience rating for the film was a "B+," a noticeable drop compared to the previous two installments. The authoritative media review aggregator MetaCritic reported an average score of 55 from 35 media outlets.

CinemaScore projected that "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" would gross around $350 million in North America.

Additionally, Rotten Tomatoes collected 68 reviews, with a freshness rating of only 56%, marking it as "rotten."

The only consolation was that the IMDb rating, primarily based on fan scores, was still decent, averaging 7.6.

Given the success of the first two films, many fans were willing to pay to watch "At World's End."

However, this situation was unlikely to last. Captain Jack Sparrow's charm was not limitless, and as the film failed to improve, many viewers would eventually abandon the series.

Matthew would no longer be part of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, so he didn't have to worry about its future. As long as the three films he starred in were box office hits, that was enough.

The box office for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" should not be a problem.

As Memorial Day weekend began, theaters across North America experienced a surge in moviegoers. This period was considered the best slot before Independence Day, and other companies, fearing the formidable reputation of the "Pirates" series and the blockbuster numbers of the previous two films, avoided major releases this weekend.

The main competitor for "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" was "Shrek the Third." "Spider-Man 3," having been in theaters for four weekends, couldn't compete with the new release.

After surpassing "Shrek the Third" on Friday, "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" once again topped the box office on Saturday, grossing $37.7 million.

Meanwhile, a different voice emerged online. Many of Matthew's fans used his personal blog as a platform to protest Disney's decision to reduce Will Turner's role in "Pirates of the Caribbean 3," relegating him from one of the main characters to a supporting role.

By Sunday, some of Matthew's extreme fans even protested outside Disney's headquarters in Burbank.

This was unexpected for both Matthew and Disney.

"I'm very angry! Disney has deceived us!"

Outside Disney's headquarters in Burbank, Phyllis Beretta, seething with anger, led her companions in displaying protest signs to the reporters. She spoke into a proffered microphone, "They claimed in their promotions that Matthew was a main character, but in the film, his role is so reduced that he's just a supporting character! This is false advertising by Disney!"

Around her, hardcore fans echoed, "Yes! Disney's false advertising!"

"Disney is a shameless liar!"

"Disney must give us an explanation! They must give Matthew an explanation!"

"Disney..."

The fans' agitation attracted many journalists, who flocked to the scene, eagerly taking photos and conducting interviews.

Phyllis Beretta only accepted one interview before clamming up. The movie she had watched the previous day had greatly angered her, and recent online rumors suggested that it wasn't Matthew who voluntarily exited the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series but that Disney had excluded him.

Upon hearing these rumors, she and other fans spontaneously gathered to protest Disney's shameless actions.

In a rooftop restaurant not far from Disney headquarters, a short, chubby man stood by a large window, smiling as he watched the events unfold.

"Harvey..." A man resembling him said from behind, "The rumors you spread only cause Disney a minor inconvenience."

The short man turned and looked at him, saying, "Bob, have you forgotten how Disney treated Miramax and us?"

Bob shook his head. "Why target Matthew Horner?"

"It's simple." The short man seemed a bit annoyed. "I don't like him. He has repeatedly declined my invitations, throwing away my goodwill."

He said grandly, "Even actors as idiosyncratic as Meryl Streep and Daniel Day-Lewis, or troublemakers like Sean Penn, come to me when I invite them!"

Bob sighed. "That's because they need us. They want to achieve something at the Oscars." He paused and then said, "From all the information, Matthew Horner doesn't seem interested in the Oscars."

He didn't add that when someone doesn't want anything from you, they don't have to respect you.

The short man saw someone from Disney's headquarters come out to speak with the protesting fans and turned back to the window, saying, "No one knows I spread the rumors."

Bob remained silent. As his brother, no one knew the man before him better. Harvey's overbearing nature disregarded others, openly insulting Warner Brothers and Disney multiple times, even ignoring his own advice.

Everyone said that Harvey was in the spotlight while Bob stayed in the background, making them the perfect duo.

Only a fool would want to hide in the background, watching others enjoy the perks of stardom, taking what they wanted, willingly or not.

Such a carefree life—who wouldn't want that?

Harvey's dominance had kept him firmly suppressed, leaving him with little say in matters...

Bob, as he often did, kept silent.

The short man glanced out the window again, noticing Helen Herman speaking with the fans in front of Disney's headquarters. The protesting crowd seemed to be dispersing.

This was just a small inconvenience for Disney, not expected to last long. He returned to the table and said, "Bob, Quentin Tarantino is writing the script for that World War II project. By the end of the year, we should start preparations. Initially, Quentin wanted Matthew Horner as the lead, but he and Helen Herman repeatedly declined my invitations..."

He sounded irritated. "Quentin then turned to Brad Pitt, but Pitt..." He shook his head, "Unless he's willing to invest."

Bob asked, "I've heard Quentin wants a budget of over $70 million for this project?"

"Yes," the short man nodded.

"Isn't that too much? Shouldn't we control the costs?" Bob was visibly worried. "Quentin's films haven't always done well at the box office. Most profits come from home video sales and rentals. Such a high budget..."

The short man raised a hand to cut him off. "No need to say more. I have it under control."

This straightforward response annoyed Bob, but he had grown used to his brother's ways over the years. He opened his mouth to speak but remained silent, holding back once more.

"We need a star with strong box office appeal to boost the film's revenue." The short man, noticing Bob's displeasure, added, "Brad Pitt's schedule is full. He's planning to sign a deal with the Wachowskis through his Plan B company and star in their new film."

Bob immediately asked, "So, you're turning your attention back to Matthew Horner?"

"Both Quentin and I believe he is the ideal choice for the lead—a tough soldier daring to infiltrate enemy lines to assassinate Hitler. No one fits the role better." The short man's tone left no room for argument. "Most importantly, he brings significant box office and commercial appeal."

"His salary..." Bob reminded him.

The short man waved dismissively. "Don't worry about that. I'll handle negotiations with Matthew Horner and Helen Herman personally. Bob, your job is to fully support Quentin's project."

Bob nodded but then added, "What if Matthew Horner refuses? Should we..."

"If he refuses?" The short man, recalling the numerous rejections, his expression turned sinister. "Then he'll face more than just today's minor inconvenience!"

With that, he stood up. "Quentin is looking for an actress to play the Jewish girl. I have a meeting with her shortly."

Not waiting for Bob's response, the short man strode out of the room as if Bob were merely an employee.

Watching the heavyset figure disappear at the door, Bob's long-suppressed frustration finally showed. He was the company's second-largest shareholder and a renowned figure in Hollywood, yet always overshadowed by his brother.

Matthew learned about the fan protest from Helen Herman after she returned from Disney headquarters.

"I spoke with that black girl, Phyllis Beretta," Helen Herman told Matthew. "They saw online rumors that Disney kicked you out, so they protested."

"Who spread the rumors?" Matthew asked.

Helen Herman shook her head. "No idea. It was on an internet forum. How can we trace it?"

"They've dispersed, right?" Matthew wasn't too concerned. There were too many rumors online. "Let's hope it doesn't negatively impact the film too much."

After all, he was one of the main characters in "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" and naturally wanted the film to be a box office hit, especially for a strong opening weekend.

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