C 20

Jim quickly secured a movie distributor. With the weight of the Jameson family name and his own experience as a former top-tier producer, arranging a theater release wasn't a challenge for him. Even the screen opening and percentage of showings were easily managed, given his connections and confidence in the film's quality.

The biggest selling point of Batman Begins, beyond any actor's name, was its backer—Tony Stark. Known as a genius, playboy, and billionaire, Stark's name alone brought clout and curiosity. People might debate his character, but they couldn't ignore his fame. 

The mere mention of Tony Stark's investment turned the film into a spectacle worth at least a 20% theater allocation, and with Jim's assurance in the movie's quality, securing 40% wasn't a problem. But Jim was aiming for 60%. This release, a chance for his career revival, deserved his fullest efforts, and he wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.

A premiere date was set, and promotion ramped up. As a new, popular book in New York, Batman Begins already had a strong following. Forums on The Daily Bugle's website were alive with fans discussing the novel, and anticipation was high.

The news of Tony Stark's $50 million investment spread quickly, reminding many of the wager made between Stark and Anton. This fueled further interest, as people speculated on the film's origin story, which began as a high-stakes bet between two wealthy heirs.

Opinions on the film's potential varied. Some skeptics claimed it would flop and vowed not to see it. But Anton was strategic, releasing a story that the idea for Batman came from Tony Stark himself—a man who, much like Bruce Wayne, inherited a fortune, appeared as a carefree playboy, but held a serious side driven to make a difference.

This storyline intrigued people, even if opinions about Stark's motivations were mixed. Regardless, public interest was building, and Batman Begins' visibility soared.

As he monitored the movie's buzz, Anton checked his "fan value," a system tallying the number of Batman fans. It had grown to 800,000, thanks to the novel alone. With the film about to premiere, he felt confident that the fan base would soon hit the 9.98 million mark, enough to cement the character's legacy.

Anton called Tony Stark, enduring a few sarcastic jabs before Stark finally agreed to attend the premiere. Tony was notorious for his insatiable curiosity and, though he wouldn't admit it, had a vested interest in seeing what Anton had created.

The idea of poking fun at Anton also sweetened the deal. To Stark, Anton wasn't the type to produce a blockbuster, let alone invent a superhero genre.

"Jarvis," Tony said with a smirk, "notify Pepper. Move my trip to Afghanistan back. I have a premiere to attend... and maybe a female companion, if she's interested."

The premiere night arrived, with The Daily Bugle buzzing. Anton watched as Jonah Jameson arrived, who chuckled, "I hope this movie doesn't put me to sleep."

Anton replied confidently, "I promise, it won't."

The theater filled with guests, though Tony, true to form, was fashionably late, arriving with Pepper Potts. Anton knew her well; she often helped manage Tony's chaos at events. "Always the late arrival, Tony," Anton greeted him.

"After the movie, I'll be waiting to make you my errand boy," Tony quipped, recalling their bet. As the film's release neared, he'd been reminded of the wager, spurred by the relentless media coverage.

"We'll see if you still feel that way after the movie," Anton replied calmly.

Tony shrugged, rolling his eyes as he took his seat with Pepper. If he wasn't impressed, he figured he could leave early and return for the ending.

Meanwhile, across the country in San Francisco, the atmosphere was starkly different at the Life Foundation headquarters. Carlton Drake sat in his spacious office, looking out over the city with a brooding expression. He threw a file in the face of his lead bodyguard.

"How many days has it been?" Drake fumed. "A single man—Eddie—has slipped past you repeatedly, costing us resources and manpower. Yet you can't catch him?"

"Boss, we aren't the only ones searching for him," the bodyguard replied carefully. "There's another well-equipped team involved. They seem to be from Oscorp."

Drake clenched his fists. "Oscorp... Norman Osborn, that parasite…" While Life Foundation was powerful, they couldn't confront Oscorp directly. Yet, as a San Francisco powerhouse, Drake wasn't about to let an outsider push him aside.

His only chance to regain ground was to capture Eddie, gather data on their research, and present it to San Francisco city officials. Once they saw the potential in his research, politicians would undoubtedly line up to support the Life Foundation. Drake was convinced the symbiote technology was groundbreaking.

"What about The Daily Bugle?" he asked the bodyguard.

"Anton Jameson, the grandson of Jonah Jameson, seems to be behind the online smear campaign. He and Eddie were close when Eddie worked as editor-in-chief."

"Teach him a lesson," Drake growled.

The bodyguard hesitated. "The Jamesons are politically protected in New York. Any action against them could provoke retaliation. The San Francisco government is already wary of us, and a reckless move could…"

Drake clenched his teeth until his gums bled. Every path felt blocked. The Life Foundation was trapped in a web of public opinion and rival power plays, and any misstep could ruin them.

"Just make sure he understands the consequences of meddling with us," he ordered.

As his bodyguard left, Drake turned his thoughts to Norman Osborn. "Norman, you think you can steal my company? It will never happen."

…

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