Chapter 118. Part 1.

{A/N: I hope you guys like the story of the killing joke I came up with, in simpler terms it's basically the combination of scenes of the Joker from The Dark Knight and The Joker and they are joined together. With the The Joker's plot taking place in the past and The Dark Knight's taking place in present day time.

Along with it I wrote some original arcs to connect the two story together, I hope you liked it and if you did? Or did not? Leave behind a comment to let me know. Also to the keen eyes readers who spotted it yes I've changed the names of Mark's crewmates with the name of my patrons who are supporting my passion and this work.

But not to be worried, I planned for this, what actually happened and why there are so many new faces in Mark's dream team will be revealed in the story. I won't go around writing plot holes just for the sake of it. I am not Disney.

Also, I would like to thank the new members who has joined me on patr eon, thank you Guleid A*** (didn't have permission), Jack Wri*** and TheGhost23d.

Link to my patr eon will be provided in the authors thoughts section at the bottom of the chapter or you can just Google my name "theramenlord" and patr eon together.

Or just join for free and vote on the polls for the Hollywood novel to decide what books Mark will write, what movies he will direct, what women he will be in a romantic relationship with.

If you want to control the flow of the story then head to over to my Patreon and become a member for free yes free member and you will be able to vote in the polls read the in-progress work that I have over there like – "In The Shadows Of The Leaves." An original character reborn as Nara Shikamaru in an slightly AU Naruto world or maybe you would like "Marvel: Price of Power " which is an original character in Marvel cinematic Universe. Or if you would like to read a Marvel fanfic with the SI transmigrated as Tony Stark then check out - "I am Ironman."

An important poll to decide something about the main character from I am Ironman will be hosted with the posting of this chapter. All members free and paid can vote on this poll, so please dont forget to head over to my patr eon and vote. Your votes matter.

Anyways let's get on with the story, this is theramenlord signing out.

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~ Quote of the chapter ~

"If you only do what you can, you will never be more than what you are now."

– Master Shifu

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Date: 23rd, March, 1991.

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Time: 06:22 pm.

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Last time on the Hollywood: Head-Hunting System chapter 117. Part 3 —

— THE END —

After seeing that end credit scene, Roger Ebert couldn't help but think that he was wrong. It was unquestionable that this wasn't one of the best but rather the best movie that he had ever seen.

There was a term that had recently become popular to express this, he remembered it was called "greatest of all time." The Killing Joke was definitely the strongest contender for that title, at least for now he could say that it was the greatest movie of all time.

[Title Revealed: The Greatest Movie of All Time.]

Now Continuing —

The lights had slowly come on, and the audience could see Mark and the cast members that had painstakingly worked on this film walk up to the stage. They couldn't hold in the urge any longer so they stood up and clapped to show their appreciation of the mind-blowing film they had just seen.

Mark and the cast members held hands together and stood in a line with him in the centre, as they took a bow, enjoying the applause. Some behind-the-scenes artists and workers of his crew that were also present in the crowd, were overcome with emotions seeing such a positive response from the audience.

This moment truly made them feel like it was all worth it, Marc, their boss had run up the walls with how strict he had been with the quality of work he expected and demanded of them. But seeing this film, seeing this response, filled their hearts with joy.

They were to have worked on this film, they knew it might not be a big commercial success like Knives Out, but the beautiful story it told felt like it was worth it. The applause kept going, the first minute, the second, and even the third.

After waiting for 3 whole minutes for the crowds excitement to die down. Mark himself stepped up, feeling the love of the crowd was nice, but he had given his word to Anne that he would cook a late night snack for Jess. As it had become a late night ritual of her's to eat something made by her daddy.

Yes, daddy. It was a recent thing where Jess herself had him, asked if he was going to be her new dad. Mark had almost broken down in tears, when he heard her innocent question and just nodded as he hugged to his chest while he tried to hold back his tears.

Anne walked in on them, and they had all sat down and had the discussion, it ended with him proposing to Anne and becoming Jess' new dad. After being childless for over two decades in his past life, he couldn't be happier with this new development in his life.

Anne tried to assure him that there was no need for him to do this so soon, as he was too young to be pushed into the role of a father. And that she didn't want him to feel pressured to do something that he wasn't fully ready for.

After putting Jess to sleep that night, he had a heart-to-heart conversation with Anne.

He told her that he hadn't felt more sure about anything in life, that he wanted to be the father that Jess was missing from her life. He wanted to give her all the love and support of a dad she had been missing.

Then he couldn't help but remember the conversation he had with her that led to him proposing and promising to marry her. It started with a simple question he had asked her.

"Anne, why is it.. that you think that people get married?" He asked while cuddling with her in bed, she laid beside him resting her head on his chest.

When he asked why she liked sleeping in that position, she had told him that hearing his heartbeats as she slept filled her with a sense of safety and calm peace.

There was amicable silence between them, as she thought of her answer and then thought of the person who asked her the question. Mark wanted what almost nobody else could have, he wanted more and many people call that greedy but she accepted and supported him decisions all the same.

"Passion," she replied tactfully, not wanting to call him any degrading names like womanizer or manwhore, because despite his desire to have a harem. She found that Mark was highly selective of whom he chose as his partner, and he never hid any new women who drew his interest.

"Nope." Mark replied with a grin as he kissed the top of her head and looked down right in her beautiful ocean blue eyes. Those blue just seemed to calm his soul as he stared into them, he could do so for hours.

"Really?" She asked, surprised, and looked up at him in the eye as well as she said, "Cause I took you for a romantic.. why then?" She asked at the end, wanting to hear his reply.

Mark let out a sigh, he had a fond smile on his face as he looked at her with everything he felt for her at that moment, and said, "because we need a witness to our lives."

That line caught her interest, because he didn't talk about love or affection, but about being a witness. Though she had no doubt in her heart that Mark loved her with all his being.

"There are over a billion people on the planet, Anne. I mean.. What does anyone's life really even mean?" 

"Maybe you'll achieve greatness and carve your name in history. But even then, Anne, no one will know who you truly are or even care."

"But in a marriage, your partner—," he said with a smile, gesturing at himself, as he wrapped his arms around and brought her a little higher till their eyes were at the same level.

After doing so, he wrapped arms around her once again as he rested his head against her. He looked her in the eye as he gave her his solemn promise.

"—your partner is promising to care about everything.. The good things, the bad things, the terrible and even the mundane. All of it. All the time. Every single day."

"I'm saying.. your life will not go unnoticed because I'll notice it."

"Your life will not go unwitnessed.. because I will be your witness."

"Mark.." She said his name, overcome with emotion, as she held back her tears.

"Anne.. will you be my witness?" He asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, maybe this was too soon, sorry for bei—" Seeing her fall silent, he tried to wave it off and apologize for not taking her own feelings into consideration.

But he didn't get to finish that sentence as Anne just pulled him in for a kiss in which she poured all her love she has for him. After their lips separated, they rested their heads against the other.

He tried to question her, but he could even utter a word, she did.. She said, "Yes," and that was all she said, but it was enough.

They both implicitly understood the weight of this moment they had just shared and the intent behind their actions and words.

Mark realized just how precious his lovers were slowly becoming to him. It was only physical at first, but with time, he had come to love all of them. And God forbid if someone tried to take that away from him in the name of morality or law or petty revenge.

He knew that the only way through was to rise above it all; that thought just made his drive to become more powerful and influential even stronger.

As these thoughts swirled through his mind, he took a step forward, raised his hands and put them down, gesturing for the applauding crowd to calm down.

It took a few more seconds, but the cheers and applause slowly died down. He lowered his hands and brought the mic to his face.

"Thank you; this applause tells me all I need to know; it tells me you liked the film we made."

"I loved it!" Someone screamed from the audience.

"Thank you; I truly appreciate it. But please hear me out." He said once again, gesturing for them to calm down, and it finally seemed to work as the venue got really quiet.

"Thank you now that my question has been answered. I think you guys might have questions for us on things you might want to know."

"The rules are simple: please behave and politely raise your hand, and the mic will be handed to you if you're selected."

"Also, please don't focus all your questions on one person; we've all worked really hard on this project. So please, show some love and treat our actors with respect."

After delivering that short speech and controlling the crowd, he turned around and went back.

By now the chairs had already been placed so he went to the side and sat down on his seat.

Why wasn't he sitting front and center? Well, it was because he wanted River to take point in this Q&A. He decided that he was only going to jump in if someone directly asked him a question.

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Meanwhile, the people from the Warner Bros. camp were seething in their seats. They saw and felt the audience's reactions to the film in that resounding applause, and it was clear as day that his film was going to be a smash hit.

It should have been theirs.. their smash hit, their success.

The company was already going through a lot of financial struggles, and now this. They only came to check out their competition, and what they found made their blood pressure levels spike like crazy.

Tim Burton had once approached them with a more dark and noir take on the Bat. They had brushed him off, as it would cut into their profits if they couldn't maintain the PG-13 rating.

But this film of Marc's, The Killing Joke, had opened their eyes; that even darker films could actually work. But still wanting to play it safe and not take any unwanted risks, they decided to just keep a close eye on the box office of the film.

If the box office grew to a good chunk and suing Marc and Eidolon will earn them a good paycheck, then that is what they will do. After all, unlike the crazed clown, to them, it was all about the money.

So they were already busy thinking up ways to force Marc to hand over a cut of the profits from his film. If not the film itself, The two things stopping them were the fact that Mark had already informed them of the film's script and had done his due diligence regarding its main character being inspired by the Joker.

He had even offered them the option of creating the film in collaboration. But at that time, they simply laughed at him. After they saw his estimated budget and the theme of the script, they dismissed him and even made fun of him in their boardroom meetings.

After the abysmal performance of Batman Forever in the box office, they had been very concerned about the kinds of superhero films that they were making; and because of that its superhero films had been put on the backburner.

The new CEO of Warner, Terry Semel, was also present in the audience, and was now thinking about the choice that he had to make. After his boss Robert Daly had been fired from his position, he as his right had man had been given his position.

But all was still not right, as even he was under investigation to check if he had involved with and had helped his former boss to cook the books and hide crucial financial information from the shareholders. He was desperately in need of a smash hit project, so he could earn the confidence of shareholders and directors.

He had recently been approached by Bruce Timm, who, after being inspired by Tim Burton's Batman movies, wanted to capture that magic on TV in the form of an animated series.

And even though he had yet to give him a straight answer, he had already been considering saying yes to his proposition. Why? Well, it was after watching Marc's newly launched cartoon channel become a part of most watched channels ranking in just a few months of its establishment.

He was hoping that if Bruce could replicate that miracle, then maybe he could pick up Warner from the slump it had fallen into. And save the company from its impending doom through the audit of their financial statements. The company could only hold for 2 more years, or maybe even less if they suffer through a bad year.

But, after watching the Killing Joke, he saw a new ray of hope. He knew that it might seem like he was jumping the gun to his subordinates, but his years of experience and instincts told him that The Killing Joke was going to set a new standard in cinema and filmmaking.

Everyone treated comic heroes and their stories as if they had to be said with a comedic undertone. But Marc blew that false perception away, he felt like a new path had been opened up in front of him. What he didn't know was that this change in perception would be a major reason for the downfall of Warner Bros and DC.

And this change was exactly what Mark had wanted, he had put a lot of thought behind the creation of the Killing Joke. There were many different goals that he wanted to achieve, he knew that he wouldn't achieve them all, but if even one was achieved he would count it as a win.

Terry looked around and couldn't help but smile when he saw the constipated look on Eisner's face. If he had to pick the only other group of people who were furious at Marc's success with the new movie. Then he would definitely pick the Tyrant of Disney and his group.

He might even be more frustrated than him, the man was trying to mask his anger but if looks could kill then Marc Spector would be dead 10 times over.

As he looked back at the stage, the reporters and fans had finally shifted the focus from River Phoenix, the talented young actor who had completely stolen the show with his portrayal of the Joker.

— To be continued...

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Word Count: 2.5k words (after excluding the Opening Author's Note and the closing Author's Note.)

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{Closing Author's Note: I hope you guys like the first part of this chapter the second part will be uploaded in a fears after I am done with copy pesting and editing any mistakes that I find.

Also, I am happy to announce that I'll be soon release my Naruto fanfic over on webnovel and it will have the same release rate 1 chapter every 3 days. The fanfic I'm talking about is - Naruto: Road To Kage. It is an SI in the Naruto world as an orphan with the challenge to become a kage level Ninja.

The link to my pat reon can be found in the Author's Thoughts section at the bottom of this chapter. Or Just google theramenlord and pat reon together and you will find my page easily.

If you would like to read ahead on that fanfic then head over to my pat reon and become a free member to read 3 chapters ahead of the public release for free and a paid member to read all available chapters at once.