Chapter 775: The Joker Returns

Since deciding to launch a massive audition for the Saints, Martin leveraged various resources to make it a success. Through his relationship with David Studio, he recruited an assistant director and an assistant producer. Both had impressive credentials: the assistant director had been involved in organizing three Miss Universe pageants, while the assistant producer had experience with four seasons of American Idol.

In addition to these key roles, Martin recruited over a dozen other staff members who had co-organized similar large-scale events. He tasked Alexandrovich with traveling to Los Angeles to interview these candidates. Alexandrovich was instructed to retain the suitable ones and eliminate the unsuitable ones, as Hollywood had no shortage of talent eager for opportunities. As long as the salary was right and there were prospects for growth, these professionals were willing to relocate to challenging locations, not just Ukraine but even places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Boss, I've confirmed the timing for the finals and will notify you as soon as possible," Alexandrovich said, his demeanor that of a loyal younger brother looking out for the big boss's interests. "If your schedule allows, please come to Kiev to serve as a judge for the finals."

Martin nodded in agreement. "I'll wait for your schedule."

"The earliest it could be is next year," Alexandrovich continued. Planning and organizing such a program would take at least six months. By then, it would be the coldest season in Ukraine, unsuitable for a large-scale event. It was best to wait until early spring.

Martin was quite looking forward to this Saint Girls Group audition. When Alexandrovich had come to Los Angeles, he was alone. But now, he was returning to Kiev with a professional team of over a dozen people.

After seeing Alexandrovich off, Jessica entered Martin's office, holding an invitation letter. She placed it on his desk and said, "This is an invitation to the world premiere of 'The Dark Knight Rises' from the crew."

Martin picked it up and saw the details: the premiere was scheduled for next week at the Dolby Theater, the venue that had hosted the Oscars in recent years. The invitation was signed by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, and Emma Thomas.

Just as he put the invitation down, his phone rang. It was Nolan.

"Don't forget about the premiere next week," Nolan reminded him.

After Jon Berg stepped down, the re-adjusted cut of the film included a short clip of the Joker, shot by the crew of 'The Dark Knight.' Warner Bros. had signed an additional agreement with Martin, paying him a sum of money on the condition that he would attend the premiere of 'The Dark Knight Rises.'

"Of course, I won't forget," Martin assured him. "But you should make sure Bale and I don't walk the red carpet at the same time. He might go crazy if he sees me, and we could actually end up fighting."

Nolan laughed. "Bale has a temper, but this is my last time working with him. Don't worry, Martin. I'll ensure the red carpet schedule is arranged so you two don't cross paths."

Martin chuckled. "To avoid any trouble, I'll steer clear of him."

"This time, Warner and DC have invited many actors from previous Batman movies to the premiere," Nolan continued. "Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, Nicole Kidman... And by the way, Jack was also invited."

"Jack might not attend," Martin mused, referring to Jack Nicholson, who had played the Joker but had since retired and rarely made public appearances.

Nolan then shifted the conversation. "Do you have time to come to Warner Studios tomorrow? We need to discuss 'Interstellar.'"

Martin considered his schedule. "I have piano practice in the morning and dance rehearsal in the afternoon. How about after that?"

The two agreed to meet in the morning.

Martin hung up the phone and immediately dialed Nicholson's number. Without any preamble, he asked, "Jack, will you attend the premiere of 'The Dark Knight Rises'?"

Nicholson's gravelly voice responded with a hint of amusement. "I wasn't planning to, but Warner Bros. is pulling out all the stops this time. They're hyping it up as a gathering of the new and old Jokers." He then mimicked Martin's signature Joker laugh, "Hahaha, we can walk the red carpet together and give those media vultures something to feast on. Let's see who's more twisted."

Martin couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You're so tiresome."

Nicholson chuckled. "Walking the red carpet is dreadfully dull. You've got to inject some fun into it. By the way, do you think this movie will sell as well as 'The Dark Knight'? Warner's marketing is massive, at least $200 million, from what I hear."

"It shouldn't do poorly," Martin replied.

After work in the afternoon, Martin rode back to Beverly Hills. Along the way, posters and advertisements for 'The Dark Knight Rises' were omnipresent. The largest billboard on Sunset Boulevard featured a blue-black background painted two months prior, showing Batman standing defiantly on a police car amidst a chaotic Wall Street, ready to confront countless thugs.

Bruce, his driver, glanced at the billboard and said, "I watched the trailer. It's another two-hero showdown. Nolan seems to have woven in elements from Occupy Wall Street."

"Will there be a fourth part? Robin's made an appearance," he asked.

"No," Martin replied, recalling his discussions with Nolan. "Nolan's done with superheroes for a while. This trilogy has peaked, and the Justice League won't be part of it."

Warner Bros., however, wasn't focused on Nolan's Batman trilogy. They were eyeing a cinematic universe like Marvel's, not a grounded, standalone Batman that couldn't intersect with other DC superheroes. Master Wayne's lack of superhuman abilities made this impossible.

As they passed Century City, Martin looked through the car window at the largest billboards and LED screens. As expected, they were dominated by Batman movie ads.

He pulled out his phone and checked Twitter. The platform was ablaze with Batman-related content. However, discussions about the Joker were also trending.

"I heard the Joker will appear in the film. How many scenes will he have?"

"Without Martin's Joker, this series lacks its soul."

"I agree, although Batman is the protagonist, Martin's Joker is the standout!"

"An insider at Warner said Christian Bale is furious about the Joker's appearance in the third film. He's argued with DC about it many times."

"Just a few days ago, Bale publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Martin in an interview."

Similar messages flooded Twitter. Warner Bros. was clearly stoking the fire, generating buzz for the film and capturing med8ia and fan attention.

In Century City, at the Death Star Building where CAA was located, Christian Bale paced his office. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and faced Brian Lord, his most influential co-managing agent.

"I've got solid intel that Nolan and Warner Bros. invited that repulsive Martin Davis to the premiere," Bale said, barely containing his frustration.

Brian Lord, ever the voice of reason, reminded him, "Stay calm, Christian. You need to handle Martin Davis with a cool head. Only then can you truly outshine him."

Bale's face twisted with anger. "We can't just sit here and do nothing..."

Brian Lord's tone was firm. "Your idea is dangerous, Christian. WMA and CAA are the two largest agencies in Hollywood. If we start using underhanded tactics to poach WMA's clients, there will be repercussions."

He shook his head, emphasizing his point. "Don't forget, Martin Davis has a net worth of at least $2 billion. His net worth alone rivals the actual value of the entire CAA. Can you imagine the chaos if he decides to retaliate financially?"

Bale's frustration was palpable. CAA wasn't willing to go down a risky path with him. Brian tried to steer him away from his vendetta. "Your conflict with Martin started on set, which is common in Hollywood. It should have ended there. The best revenge is success. When your career surpasses Martin's, the industry and the media will be praising you, not him."

Bale's voice dropped, filled with bitterness. "It's not just about the set anymore. His actions led to Sibi Blazic divorcing me and taking our daughter."

Brian Lord's brows knitted together. "What exactly do you want to do?"

"Where I am, there is no Martin Davis!" Bale's voice rose, but then faltered. "No collaborations, no sharing the stage, no attending the same events."

Brian shook his head. "I can't promise that for 'The Dark Knight Rises' premiere."

Bale's eyes blazed. "You're CAA! Make it happen."

Brian sighed. "You overestimate our power. CAA's annual profit is around $300 million. How can we threaten Warner Bros.?"

Bale realized that CAA wouldn't take risks beyond standard agency business. "This premiere will be the last time," he said, seething with anger.

Brian nodded absentmindedly, clearly not taking Bale's words to heart. The reality was, Martin Davis attended the Oscars every year, and Bale couldn't simply avoid such major events.

Feeling disillusioned, Bale left CAA. On his way home, his thoughts churned with frustration. He made a call to arrange a meet-up with a friend to unwind.

Driving past Sunset Boulevard, Bale saw the enormous poster featuring him as Batman. Despite being the central figure, he felt the whole of Hollywood was biased towards Martin Davis. He knew he should let go of past grudges, but he couldn't.

Bale understood that, for now, there was no way to change the situation. However, he was patient and would wait for the day he could surpass Martin Davis.

---

The next morning, Martin arrived early at Warner Studios. This place was not just a shooting area but also a famous tourist attraction in Los Angeles. Recently, Warner Bros. had been heavily promoting "The Dark Knight Rises."

Street painters near the studio offered to dress tourists up as the Joker or Batman. Similar to the release of "The Dark Knight," the number of Jokers wandering the streets far outnumbered Batmans.

The LAPD had increased patrols, recalling the chaos last time when clowns inspired by the movie caused numerous incidents across the country.

As Martin stepped out of his car in the studio parking lot, a crowd of people dressed as clowns waved at him through the guardrail. One even shouted, "Martin, why so serious?"

Martin grinned, appreciating the fans' enthusiasm. He knew that despite the tension behind the scenes, the audience's excitement was a testament to the film's impact.