New Beginnings and Fresh Opportunities

The arrival of 2011 brought with it New Year celebrations, and Lucas found himself catching up with Jennifer over a phone call. Felicity also reached out, echoing Jennifer's Happy New Year wishes with her own.

As January unfolded, a fresh year lay ahead of Lucas, brimming with new opportunities and potential projects. In the midst of this new beginning, Lucas received some exciting news: "127 Hours," the film marking his debut, had made a splash at the box office, raking in 92 million dollars and showing signs of climbing even higher.

While indie films might not draw the same immediate attention or enjoy the expansive marketing budgets of their commercial counterparts, they often benefit from a longer screening duration, stretching over several months. This strategy banks on word-of-mouth endorsements and grassroots marketing efforts from viewers who've enjoyed the film. This extended theatrical run turned out to be a boon for "127 Hours." Its box office numbers saw a notable increase, likely fueled by Lucas's rising star power thanks to his role in a high-profile commercial film and his burgeoning success in the music industry. This synergy between Lucas's various projects and the indie film's strategic release plan highlighted the unique way indie films can carve out their own path to profitability.

The box office success of "127 Hours" was nothing short of remarkable. Despite the end of its domestic screenings in the US back in November, the film continued to draw significant earnings from international markets. With the international screenings still ongoing, "127 Hours" was on the cusp of surpassing the 100 million dollar mark—a feat rarely achieved by indie films. This unexpected surge in revenue not only surprised many but also hinted at the potential for Lucas's star power and reputation in Hollywood to solidify further.

This achievement was particularly noteworthy given that "127 Hours" alone had propelled Lucas's career forward, especially when coupled with his role in the blockbuster hit "Inception." "Inception" had already amassed 421 million dollars domestically, with international earnings reaching 320 million dollars, culminating in a staggering total of 741 million dollars. This put "Inception" within reach of the coveted 1 billion dollar box office mark, potentially marking Lucas's first involvement in a film to achieve such a feat.

As January progressed, an eagerly anticipated event loomed on the horizon for Lucas—the Sundance Film Festival 2011. This year was particularly special because "Like Crazy," a film Lucas played a significant role in, was submitted to the festival by Drake.

Lucas, alongside Jennifer, Felicity, and the rest of the "Like Crazy" cast, was expected to attend. The festival promised not just a showcase of their hard work but also an opportunity to celebrate and share it with the world.

Meanwhile, Lucas's album "Knight" hit an impressive milestone with 549,000 sales. These remarkable numbers not only showcased Lucas's musical talent but also introduced him to music enthusiasts worldwide. His success in the music industry was further amplified by his role in "Inception," which, in turn, contributed to the increased box office earnings of the indie film "127 Hours" he starred in.

Lucas's record label, Big Machine Records, reached out with hopes of steering him towards a more music-centric career, given the success of "Knight." However, Lucas's primary focus remained on acting. Since his contract with Big Machine Records was specifically for the "Knight" album and did not bind him personally, the label found themselves unable to compel him to commit further to music.

Yet, the financial success from his album sales, amassing royalties of approximately 3.8 million dollars, led Lucas to ponder the possibility of releasing a song or two. The substantial income from his music could indeed be advantageous, allowing him to invest in companies like Netflix, which was still in its formative years. The idea of leveraging his musical success to further his financial portfolio was an enticing one, offering Lucas a range of options for his future endeavors.

Meanwhile, throughout these months, Lucas and Vincent's startup venture, "Uber," saw promising progress. They successfully appointed a CEO for the startup, who not only brought valuable skills to the table but was also an investor in the company. With such a strategic addition to the team, expectations were high for the company's advancement.

However, the CEO's role in determining the company's direction was somewhat limited. The real driving force behind the strategic decisions and future plans for Uber remained with Lucas and Vincent. They were the visionaries, charting the course they envisioned for the company, which the CEO was tasked to execute. This dynamic ensured that while the CEO managed day-to-day operations and brought in his expertise, the foundational goals and direction of Uber firmly stayed in the hands of its founders.

But let's set that aside for now, as Sundance was just a few weeks away, and Lucas was gearing up for a rendezvous with Jennifer and Felicity in New York—a chance for the trio to reconnect and catch up.

Interestingly, it was Felicity who initiated this meet-up, reaching out to Lucas with a phone call. When Lucas mentioned to Jennifer that he was planning to meet Felicity in New York, she expressed her desire to join them, given that their schedules were relatively open.

Lucas found it somewhat weird that within the vast network of relationships he'd cultivated in the industry, it was his connections with women like Jennifer and Felicity that he felt more close with. Despite forging friendships with notable male actors like Tom Hiddleston, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ty Burrell, Kit Harington, and Tom Hardy, Lucas realized he didn't share the same level of closeness with them as he did with Jennifer, and now, increasingly, with Felicity, whom he'd been keeping in contact with more frequently.