Chapter 261 - Proxy

While Laila was busy with her new movie, the second-week box office of "Rush Hour" also appeared splendidly, taking the title of the weekly box office champion with a no-suspense $30.44 million.

As soon as this result came out, Laila's fans cheered with joy. The media, which had previously been skeptical and critical, changed their tone and began to sing praises for her. Words of praise like "genius," "magical," "America's best," and "world's number one" poured out as if they were free. People who didn't know any better might have thought they had high hopes for Laila. Who still remembered what they had said just last week?

The Moran family itself was in the media business, so they were quite familiar with this sort of thing and didn't pay much attention to it. But just because Laila didn't care didn't mean her fans didn't either.

For example, her die-hard fan, Horton, diligently collected all the critical articles and commentary videos from various media outlets and condensed them into a single post. On one side were the criticisms, and on the other side were the achievements Laila had created. Everyone who saw the post burst into laughter, and some even called it the strongest "face-slapping" post in history.

Not to mention others, even Laila herself couldn't stop giggling when she saw the post. This fan named Horton left a deep impression on her. If she had the chance, she would invite him to the company or the theme park. Such high-quality fans were even more precious than millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, while Laila was quietly beginning her work, another film was making a grand announcement about starting production. It was none other than the film invested in by Faiza, titled "The 13th Warrior," which would be translated as "Ultimate Warrior."

According to the production company's provided data, this film had a staggering investment of $180 million. Apart from the director and screenwriter who were already shining stars, the cast was also composed entirely of A-list celebrities.

When Laila saw the cast list, her icy blue eyes dimmed slightly. Unlike the films of her previous life, this one had not only a $20 million increase in investment but also a significantly more impressive lineup of actors. Several top Hollywood stars were listed as cast members, which explained why the production company was so confident in front of the media.

At that moment, Laila was in her office watching the press conference for "The 13th Warrior."

The TV host was introducing the various stars playing roles in the film. Apart from the male and female leads, the cast included veteran actors who had received numerous awards. The cast lineup alone revealed that the production company held more than just ordinary expectations for this film; they had bigger ambitions.

During the press conference, a figure appeared on the screen. According to the host's introduction, this person was the representative of the largest investor in the film, Faiza.

Faiza was dressed in traditional Arabian white robes. Upon hearing his name mentioned by the host, he smiled and waved to the camera.

Laila looked at the screen with confusion. "Shouldn't it be Faiza?"

But then she realized the reason. No matter how bold Faiza was, she wouldn't dare to show herself on television. If she appeared wearing a black robe and a black headscarf, it might trigger certain people's nerves.

She mentioned that she had studied in the United States for a few years and knew very well that in this land of freedom, human rights were highly valued. To those people, a Saudi woman who lived her whole life under a black headscarf and robe was undoubtedly pitiable.

With Faiza's strong personality, she would never allow herself to be the one people sympathized with. She could throw out over a hundred million dollars for her investment "games" without batting an eye. How could she allow herself to be pitied by a bunch of people with barely any savings?

To prevent that situation and for easier operations, she had sent Faaris as her proxy. Her purpose was simple and clear: to suppress Laila by any means necessary, preferably by crushing her new movie into dust.

"May I ask why there's such a massive investment in this film?"

A journalist asked Faaris a question that many were curious about. In the eyes of Americans, it was quite unbelievable for a small country like Saudi Arabia to invest such a huge sum of money in their film industry. Saudi Arabia had always been seen as a tiny nation, even though it was known for its oil riches. In the eyes of Americans, it was somewhat of an ignorant place. So why would they invest in Hollywood films?

Could it be that Hollywood films had gained substantial influence even in such a small country?

Faaris was around thirty years old, with the deep facial features common among Arab people. He had a handsome and enduring appearance. He exuded a calm temperament, giving the impression that he couldn't be easily swayed.

"Based on our company's research, this is a film with great potential. With the best director, the best screenwriter, and now the top-tier stars joining our partners, we can't think of any reason why this film would fail."

His response was skillful, expressing trust in the film while also elevating others. His words left everyone in a happy mood, which was probably why he had been chosen as Miss Faiza's proxy.

The viewers in front of their TVs also had a positive impression of him. His voice was pleasant to listen to, carrying a melodic accent that wasn't quite pure English but was still pleasing to the ear. Coupled with people's tendency to react favorably to attractive things, Mr. Faaris with his handsome face easily won the audience's favor.

Another journalist stood up and asked, "Can you share your expectations for the film's box office?"

Faaris smiled faintly. "We outsiders naturally think the more, the better. As for specific predictions, we'll have to rely on the analysis of the experts." As he spoke, he passed the microphone to another person beside him.

This was another investor, a seasoned film investor who could definitely be called a professional.

He took the microphone, nodded toward the camera, and then confidently said, "From the end of last year to this year, the miracle brought by Titanic continues. It has shown us more to explore, which is why we have this film now. Just like Mr. Faaris mentioned earlier, we've brought together the best director, screenwriter, and actors. So, we're confident enough to challenge Titanic, which set the box office record!"

With that sentence, a chorus of gasps filled the press conference. The audience in front of their TVs either ridiculed his statement or marveled at his ambition.

Breaking Titanic's box office record wasn't so simple. It was an insurmountable barrier and a towering mountain pressing down on countless directors. What kind of film could make an investor speak with such ambitious words? Countless people's curiosity had already begun to stir.