Chapter 72: Reaction Worldwide

Chapter 72

The media coverage surrounding Martin's rise to fame was relentless and widespread.

Los Angeles Times reported, "The creation of Martin, a talented young writer from Los Angeles, seems to have entered its peak period. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is breaking sales records everywhere…"

Washington Daily wrote, "The little wizard is wreaking havoc around the world, adding yet another gem to Martin's impressive library of works…"

New York Times stated, "Children all over the world owe a debt to Martin for providing them with such a novel reading experience…"

Chicago Tribune proclaimed, "The bestseller in the United States, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand… Martin's genius knows no bounds. His new work is unstoppable!"

Across the English Channel, the media in England began to focus on the origins of Martin's inspiration for Harry Potter.

The Sun claimed, "Martin's inspiration for creating Harry Potter came from his time filming The Perfect Match in London, making the city the true birthplace of Harry Potter…"

The Times added, "England's little wizard has become a global sensation. Reports say that Martin Meyers was filming Born One in London during this period and frequently traveled around the city, which inspired him to write Harry Potter…"

In the United Kingdom, the royal family took notice of the book.

"William, William, look what this is—a limited edition copy of Harry Potter that Uncle Martin sent us!" Prince Harry waved the package and rushed into William's room, throwing it onto the desk and urging his brother, "William, open it quickly."

William pulled out a letter opener and carefully opened the package, revealing two beautifully packaged books—Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Impatiently, Harry snatched one up, flipped it open, and laughed. "Martin actually signed it!"

He then closed the book and touched the title on the cover, chuckling. "William, I like the name of this little wizard. It's just like mine! Do you think Martin based Harry Potter on me, that I'm the inspiration behind him?"

William glanced at his brother and thought, "You want too much." But he replied, "Maybe."

As he opened the title page, a line of elegant cursive writing caught his eye: "To my dear Prince William, I wish all your wishes come true, and you will always be happy! Your Uncle Martin."

William laughed and shook his head. "This guy…"

Over the years, Martin, his sister Daina, and the two princes had developed a close relationship through frequent correspondence, strengthening their bond.

---

In London, J.K. Rowling also received a package from across the ocean.

Opening it, she found a beautiful limited edition of Harry Potter.

She gently stroked the cover, recalling a fateful encounter with a young boy in London.

It had happened on a bridge. She was out for a walk with her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter in a stroller when, just after a rainstorm, she slipped on the wet ground. The stroller slid away from her, heading toward the edge of the bridge. Luckily, the young boy rushed up and stopped it just in time. Had he not been there, Rowling wasn't sure what would have happened.

To thank the boy, she invited him and his bodyguard, named Gordon, to sit in a nearby dessert shop. There, they struck up a conversation. Rowling learned the boy's name was Martin Meyers. He was an actor and a writer, already published at a young age, and his books were selling well.

Martin excitedly told her about a story he was working on about a little wizard, which took Rowling by surprise. It sounded strikingly similar to a story idea she had in mind herself.

She knew then that Martin wasn't plagiarizing; in fact, his idea was even grander and more fully formed than her own. By the time they parted ways, Martin had promised to send her a copy of the completed novel.

Rowling later recalled giving him her address—something she now thought of as a gesture of friendship. The shared inspiration had created a bond between them.

Eventually, Rowling decided to abandon her wizard story idea in favor of something new. Her decision paid off when her new work was published, selling well and improving the lives of both her and her daughter.

Rowling felt that she should thank Martin for his part in that. Had it not been for him, she might have remained fixated on the wizard story, which, she suspected, would not have had the same success.

---

The success of Harry Potter also had an unexpected effect on the box office of The Sixth Sense.

The film dominated the box office for months. It was the top-grossing film for four weeks straight, maintaining its position through December and into January. By the time it was pulled from theaters more than three months after its release, its North American box office had hit an astounding $353 million, and its worldwide total reached $724 million, placing it fifth on the all-time global box office list.

1. Titanic – $1.8 billion

2. Jurassic Park – $1.033 billion

3. Independence Day – $817 million

4. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $797 million

5. The Sixth Sense – $724 million

This was a phenomenal achievement, especially for a horror film.

The success of The Sixth Sense shattered the stereotype that horror films couldn't achieve high box office earnings, raising the genre to new heights.

Director M. Night Shyamalan became an overnight sensation, and Bruce Willis, who starred in the film, gained recognition as an actor, surpassing Tom Cruise in celebrity status for the first time.

Meanwhile, Martin's multifaceted talents as a screenwriter, actor, and composer only fueled his meteoric rise to fame. His films, books, and music promoted each other, accelerating his rise to the A-list in Hollywood.

---

At CAA, Martin found himself in Jeff's new, large office. As he looked around, he shook his head.

"The nouveau riche vibe is so strong, Jeff. You should have asked me for advice before decorating your office."

Jeff, grinning, placed a stack of scripts on the table in front of Martin.

"Damn, I was so excited at the time I forgot to ask our little artist for advice," Jeff joked.

Martin could sense the shift in Jeff's attitude. His respect for Martin was no longer just about his parents' influence. Now, even though Martin was only 12 years old, Jeff respected him deeply, from the heart.

This, Martin realized, was the power of celebrity status. In a place like Hollywood, fame brought status, identity, and significant benefits.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.