Chapter 156: Securing Copyright

In the following days, Martin's schedule was packed as he, with the assistance of Thomas and relevant companies, worked diligently to establish his own studio.

Located in the three-story office building housing Pacific Pictures, several vacant rooms were available for rent. Martin secured an office with an adjoining suite to serve as the headquarters for his studio, which he named Davis Film and Television Production Company.

Officially, the only employees of Davis Studios were Martin and Bruce, while the rest of the team consisted of part-time operators from Pacific Pictures who also shared duties with Gray Studios.

The founding of Davis Studios took place with little fanfare.

On the day of its establishment, Martin extended a solemn invitation to Thomas, who was instrumental in making it happen, for a celebratory dinner.

Despite the cutthroat nature of capitalism, even the most ruthless capitalists must provide nourishment for their horses.

Besides, Martin prided himself on having a conscience—he was not your typical capitalist.

Over dinner, Thomas expressed some concerns. "Hollywood movie stars like Brad Pitt, Leonardo, and Reese Witherspoon usually get involved in investment and production at a later stage to gain more control. Isn't it a bit premature for you to take this step?"

Martin, however, offered a different perspective. "My situation is unique," he argued, providing valid reasons. "Don't forget Louise—this project has her seal of approval, and she's overseeing the production."

Upon hearing this, Thomas visibly relaxed. With Louise backing Martin, the odds were already in his favor.

Martin continued, "As long as 'The Hills Have Eyes' performs reasonably well, securing investment won't be a major challenge."

Thomas ran a hand over his brow, realizing he shouldn't view Martin the same way as other actors. He had witnessed firsthand Martin's support team in Atlanta, including Kelly Gray, the owner of Georgia's largest film and television company, and the formidable female King Kong, all of whom possessed substantial wealth.

Reflecting on the female King Kong, Thomas couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic towards Martin. Succeeding in this industry was no small feat.

Tyson and Holyfield were mere examples of the challenges faced.

Martin suddenly noticed that his agent was giving him an odd look. Deciding to put a bit more pressure on him, Martin made a request. "Negotiation is your specialty. Go and speak with Top Cow Comics about acquiring the copyright for 'Wanted.'"

Thomas frowned, saying, "Agents aren't typically involved in film and television production."

Martin clarified, "I'm not asking you to participate directly, and we won't be at the production stage for a while. I simply need you to negotiate the copyright. Thomas, look around—you and Bruce are the only reliable ones here. You have the real talent."

Thomas was clearly flattered. "You're right."

Martin emphasized the importance of the task. "I can only entrust this to you."

"Alright, leave it to me," Thomas agreed, before inquiring about the budget.

Martin confessed, "I'll cover the initial development funds myself. You know I'm quite cash-strapped, so the lower the better."

After dinner, Thomas returned to the office alone to work overtime. He gathered information on the sales and market response to "Wanted," researched Dingniu Comics, and prepared himself comprehensively before initiating contact with the company.

Meanwhile, Martin and Bruce left the restaurant and embarked on a mission. Martin had ordered gifts for a special purpose.

Downtown Los Angeles contrasted sharply with Atlanta. It was a true urban jungle.

For safety reasons, the film crew chose to shoot street scenes at night on the main roads.

When Martin arrived on set, Anne Hathaway was in the midst of filming. Her appearance was a far cry from the princess roles she had previously portrayed. Clad in torn jeans adorned with metal buckles, heavy smoky makeup, and adorned with large metal earrings and necklaces, she exuded a streetwise, edgy vibe.

Such pretentious youth films couldn't go on indefinitely, and Anne was exploring new horizons. After the age of 25, it became increasingly challenging for audiences to accept her in youthful roles in mainstream Hollywood productions. Competition among young actresses was fierce, and Disney princesses quickly aged out of their roles.

Anne Hathaway had indeed been one of Disney's most successful princesses.

Martin alighted from the car, gift in hand, and positioned himself discreetly outside the film set to avoid disrupting the crew's work.

During a break in filming, Anne spotted Martin and waved. The presence of paparazzi and entertainment reporters didn't go unnoticed.

In Hollywood, an unspoken agreement existed between the industry and the entertainment media. While the crew was actively filming, entertainment reporters and paparazzi typically refrained from taking photos. However, the crew would provide them with relevant news and information.

Jodi, a paparazzo, dismounted his motorcycle upon noticing the crew wasn't shooting at the moment. He quickly aimed his camera at Martin, who held a gift, and snapped a shot. He then turned his lens toward Anne Hathaway, capturing her reaction as she glanced at Martin.

If I capture another photo of them meeting, I can earn at least over $100 tonight.

The crew continued filming for a while before entering the late-night snack break. Martin approached Annie with a gift box in hand.

"Why are you here?" Annie asked with a playful smile.

Martin unveiled the gift box, saying, "I called the crew and found out you were filming a night scene tonight. I was concerned you wouldn't have a good meal, so I specially ordered some golden donuts for you."

Laura and Sandy, who were nearby, joined them to see what the fuss was about. When they saw the opened gift box, they exclaimed, "Queen's golden donuts that require advanced reservations!"

Annie approached the box, intrigued. "I'm interested."

Martin placed it in front of her. "Care to try one?"

Sandy couldn't help but express her envy. "Annie, you're so lucky. I'm so jealous."

Annie took a bite of the donut, her sense of superiority shining through. "It tastes delicious, just to my liking."

With a subtle gesture, Martin offered some donuts to Laura and Sandy. "Now they're yours."

Annie motioned to the box and told Sandy and Laura, "Help yourselves."

The exclusive and specially reserved golden donuts, priced at $100 each, drew the attention of many crew members. Annie took a small bite, basking in the admiration of her colleagues.

As the crew paused filming, the camera shutters of paparazzi continued to click.

Anne noticed this and broke off a piece of donut, offering it to Martin. "You should have a taste too."

Martin obliged, allowing Anne to feed him the donut. The camera captured the moment.

After eating, Martin remarked, "It tastes just like you—exquisite."

Anne gazed at Martin, her feelings deepening, but a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes.

Martin noticed the change in her expression and offered an explanation, "I originally wanted to visit you earlier, but work has kept me busy these days."

Anne's discontent softened. How could work be more important than me?

Martin continued, "I've recently established a studio and am planning to invest in a new film project worth tens of millions of dollars. I can't afford to be careless."

Anne blinked in curiosity. "Your own Studio? A project worth tens of millions of dollars?"

Martin assured her, "The total investment might exceed $40 million. I have connections in Atlanta, and I can secure over half of the investment. The rest will be handled through the investment fund. If all goes well, I'll serve as the second producer and the lead actor."

Anne's dissatisfaction melted away, and she asked excitedly, "Martin, you're incredible! You're starting to venture into producing."

Impressed by her enthusiasm, Martin promised, "Once my crew is set up, I'll take you there for a visit."

Anne wanted to witness it firsthand. "Deal."

She took the remaining half of the donut and fed it to Martin. "You must be exhausted from your hard work. Please eat more. I've been busy with shooting lately and neglected you. You need to take care of yourself."

"Don't worry, I will," Martin assured her. He pointed to the box. "Another one?"

Anne declined, advising, "You shouldn't eat too much; it might affect your photogenic appearance."

Martin fetched Anne's water bottle and held a trash can for her as she rinsed her mouth.

Anne smiled at him appreciatively. "Thank you."

Martin replied, "You're welcome."

As Anne observed Martin throwing the trash away, she admired him more with each passing moment.

He was handsome, had a good personality, a bright future with the ability to secure tens of millions in investments, and he was considerate.

Anne's heart started to race, but she quickly suppressed her emotions, reminding herself to remain reserved and maintain a certain level of intrigue to keep him interested.

The crew's break was coming to an end. Anne discreetly scanned the area and noticed numerous reporters and paparazzi focused on her and Martin.

Before heading for her makeup touch-up, she approached Martin, held his hand, and looked into his eyes affectionately. "Work is important, but your health is more important. Make sure to rest and don't overwork yourself."

Martin squeezed her hand in response, expressing his affection. "Annie, you're the driving force behind my project. I swear, you'll be a true princess!"

Not far away, the female paparazzo Jodi captured this touching scene.

Reviewing her digital camera's photos, Jodi's expression shifted from satisfaction to frustration. "Damn lovebirds!" If these two weren't having an affair, she'd eat her camera!

The crew resumed work, and Martin left shortly afterward.

As expected, the next day brought another wave of gossip about him and Annie in the entertainment tabloids.

Maintaining a certain level of publicity was all part of the plan.

Soon, Thomas received good news while carrying his heavy load. After several negotiations with Top Cow Comics, he successfully reached an agreement to purchase all the copyrights for "Wanted," for a total of $350,000.

This encompassed not only the film adaptation rights but also the full rights, including comic sequels, novel adaptations, drama adaptations, and animation adaptations.

Following Martin's plan, if the movie proved successful, they could eventually sell the rights for further adaptations, such as series for online platforms like Netflix.

Hence, the primary goal was to ensure the movie's success.