Chapter 660: Chaos on Set!

"Hey everyone, let's raise our glasses to Chad!" Martin's voice echoed through the Angel Club's entertainment hall, champagne in hand. "Here's to you, Chad! Cheers!"

Chad, Mene, Marcus, Chen Hu, Bradt, Kane, and the rest of the crew clinked their glasses together, joining in the toast.

With a grin, Martin insisted, "Chad, as the director and producer, it's your turn to share a few words!"

Marcus chimed in with encouragement, "Come on, Chad, you're never short on words!"

Stepping forward, Chad addressed the group with determination, "Folks, after our well-deserved two-month break, we'll dive into preparing for the third installment. And trust me, when that's done, we'll be swimming in cash. Money means the good life, and, of course, it means endless beauties!"

"Ha! You've got us all fired up now!" Mene exclaimed, raising his glass.

Chen Hu teased, "Don't forget about Celine Dion, Mene. Stay loyal!"

Laughter filled the room.

Boss Kane, ever the opportunist, turned to Martin, "Hey, can I snag a cameo in the next flick? I'll settle for being a brief target under your gun."

Martin grinned, "Consider it done! Chat with Chad and Tiger about crafting a killer character for you."

Chad nodded eagerly, "Absolutely! We'll make you a mini-boss, giving you a chance to shine opposite Martin."

Kane pledged, "Count me in! I'll fly out wherever you are, ready to rock those scenes."

"Great idea! Jot that down," Martin urged, seizing the moment. "We'll use it for promoting the third installment."

In a moment of inspiration, he channeled Nolan, "Martin and Chad, lifelong buddies, flying across oceans for a single scene, then jetting back home the same day."

Mene quipped, "You're channeling Nolan, Boss!"

Martin shrugged, "Can't deny his genius in PR."

Chad, fueled by Kane's enthusiasm, dove into brainstorming with Marcus and Chen, sketching out Kane's character and action scenes on the spot.

Mene glanced at his watch several times.

Martin chuckled, "If you've got somewhere to be, don't let us keep you."

Blushing, Mene admitted, "Celine arranged a plane to pick us up. We're off to Vegas for her and Reni's anniversary."

Martin's brow furrowed, "Wait, Reni Angeli, Celine Dion's husband?"

Mene confirmed, "Yes."

Surprised, Martin prodded, "Reni knows you're with Celine?"

"Celine introduced us," Mene explained casually. "Reni's battling cancer again, and he asked me to look after Celine."

Martin nodded solemnly, "Take care of them, Mene."

Mene reassured him, "Boss, no worries. Reni made sure Celine's set for life, and most of it's in her name."

Martin's mind buzzed with thoughts of Reni's legacy. While others chased after wealthy women, Reni nurtured one into a powerhouse.

Reni Angeli was a master strategist, instrumental in shaping Celine's career from a tender age. Rumor had it they were living together when she was just 14.

Less than 15 minutes later, a messenger approached Mene with news that his plane was preparing to land.

Mene swiftly gathered his belongings and made his way to the club's lawn.

In no time, a helicopter descended, and Celine Dion's face appeared, beckoning to Mene from the open door.

With a wave to the group, Mene boarded the helicopter and departed.

Chen remarked, "That's the epitome of winning at life."

Bradt chimed in, "If I ever hit hard times, I'm becoming Mene's sidekick."

Marcus joked, "Count me in too. Maybe I'll snag a wealthy lady."

Mene's success had shifted everyone's life aspirations to some extent.

As the helicopter vanished from sight, Martin rallied the group, "Alright, let's hit the ring. Training starts now!"

After a brief two-day break, the core team behind "John Wick" switched back to work mode, launching promotional campaigns worldwide.

The North American summer lineup was packed, with major releases every weekend. In May's third weekend, Universal Pictures' "Bridesmaids" debuted.

Directed by Paul Feig, known for his comedic flair, the film catered to America's love for raunchy comedies.

With new releases like "Bridesmaids" dominating theaters, "Gods and Kings" faced a grim fate, with weekend box office earnings plummeting below $3 million in its third week.

Yet, "John Wick 2" continued its steady box office performance, surpassing $100 million in North America before the weekend.

Over the weekend, it raked in another $37.85 million, securing the top spot despite competition from "Bridesmaids."

Internationally, "John Wick 2" expanded to 15 new territories, pushing its global box office total to $275 million.

The film's merchandise flooded theaters, malls, and chain stores across North America and Europe.

Even Disney Town stocked "John Wick 2" peripherals, contributing to nearly $30 million in sales within ten days—an impressive feat for an R-rated movie.

Jonathan's merchandise, portrayed by Martin, sold the most, followed by Winston, played by Mene, with middle-aged and elderly women being the primary buyers.

Meanwhile, Mene's agent, Munir, now with WMA, juggled stacks of lucrative contracts.

In Atlanta's Gray Film and Television Production Center, Kelly Gray, though focused on politics, still visited weekly.

As her BMW arrived, she caught sight of a commotion near the open-air studio—a familiar middle-aged director embroiled in a heated argument with several others.

The entire cast and crew watched in amusement as the argument unfolded, delaying their work.

Curious, Kelly inquired, "What's happening here?"

Andrew, Martin's old acquaintance now promoted to head of the production center, rushed over to explain, "This is the crew from Warner Pictures' 'Jack the Giant Slayer. They were filming peacefully until last week when Warner suddenly sent over a group of new producers and production managers to supervise the director."

Kelly's eyebrows furrowed in surprise, "A whole group?"

Andrew nodded, "Yes, about six of them. Since their arrival, chaos ensued. They all want to meddle in the filming and day-to-day operations, arguing with director Bryan Singer and among themselves daily."

With a background in film production, Kelly couldn't help but express her concern, "What kind of operation is Warner Bros. running? Can they make a good movie like this?"

Andrew shook his head, "I've never seen anything like it. Warner Bros. has truly opened my eyes."

Meanwhile, in the open-air studio, Bryan Singer's frustration was evident as he clashed with the six representatives from Warner.

"These people have no idea what they're doing," Singer muttered to himself, feeling exhausted from the constant arguing.

As the debate over a scene involving a giant eating people escalated, Singer decided to back down, unwilling to continue the futile argument.

Silently, he retreated from the director's chair, seeking solace in a quiet corner.

Having been a director for nearly two decades, Singer had never encountered such chaos before. Despite his protests to Warner Pictures president Jon Berg, the interference persisted, leaving Singer disillusioned.

Although tempted to quit, the stakes were too high, with more than half of the filming already completed.

As the standoff continued, Singer resolved never to work with Warner Bros. again, regardless of the consequences.

After ten minutes of heated debate, a compromise was reached, allowing filming to resume based on the agreement.

Once ambitious, Singer now harbored doubts about the project, considering it a nightmare with its $200 million budget.

Meanwhile, Martin returned to Los Angeles to find Thomas informing him of Samsung's preparations for a commercial shoot with David Fincher, in which Martin was to star.

Samsung, determined to rival Apple in the smartphone market, had invested heavily in the campaign.