America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 258, Section 257: The Sniping Begins

On the set of "Inception," there was a clattering sound as several mahjong tiles were being played.

Since bringing along board game cards last time, Eric has been bold and decisive, and soon brought mahjong to the set.

To his great surprise, many of these people were enthusiasts, and Nicole was even a skilled mahjong player.

They played mahjong while filming, but fortunately they were all highly professional actors who could immediately get into work mode once filming started.

It was originally just a few enthusiasts playing together, but after a few days, the entire set was filled with the sound of crackling during breaks.

Charlize Theron, Daniel Brühl, and Tom Hardy have all joined the mahjong craze.

Watching others play mahjong can be incredibly tempting, and since the director himself is playing, of course I have to join in.

"Ninety thousand!" Eric picked up a bill and tossed it aside.

"I won!" Theron immediately exclaimed excitedly as he pushed down the long string of numbers, confirming that it was indeed a winning hand of 90,000.

"Wait, I won too!" Nico exclaimed excitedly.

The two women then happily high-fived: "Yes!"

"What? Nine thousand can still produce two shots in one go!" Eric looked at them speechlessly.

"Uh, director, actually it was a triple win, I won too!" Neil weakly raised his hand.

Eric glared at him, saying he had no sense of propriety whatsoever, didn't know how to fire a cannon, and still dared to eat it!

Neil chuckled a few times, thinking to himself, "For the sake of my movie, I'll just go through with it! You can't deny it under everyone's watchful eyes."

The script supervisor recorded the results: "Neil's next film will receive an additional $100 million in funding, and Nicole and Theron will have priority casting rights for Eric's next film."

"It's my turn! It's my turn!" Ken Watanabe rubbed his hands together, eager to try.

Neil patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, saying, "Mr. Watanabe, if you keep losing, you'll have to supply the entire crew with fruit and snacks until the movie is finished."

Ken Watanabe's face darkened. He couldn't understand why he was so unlucky. Everyone else had both wins and losses, but he just kept losing.

The more he lost, the more he wanted to win a game, but mahjong seemed to be his unluckiest game.

He didn't win a single hand, even though he got four Joker cards, he still lost.

Because in that game, Eric got five Joker cards at the start, and won immediately!

Although Mahjong was invented in China, it has long since spread to all parts of the world and evolved into various different ways of playing.

The United States naturally developed its own version, for example, by adding nine joker cards, which are wild cards, similar to the wild cards in Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game).

At that moment, a reporter from Yahoo Entertainment, carrying a camera, walked in, guided by staff.

Movies need publicity and buzz, so during filming, they often invite the media to pretend to visit the set and release behind-the-scenes footage.

Previously, television interviews increased exposure, but now we can only rely on online media.

Seeing the director, assistant director, lead actor, and supporting actors all touching, looking at, and playing cards on set, the reporters and cameramen were completely bewildered.

She had interviewed countless film crews, but this was the first time she had encountered such a situation. What kind of operation is it to play mahjong on set?

"Is this really a film set? The set of the director who made 'Transformers,' 'Blue Is the Warmest Color,' and 'House of Cards'? I must be in the wrong place!"

With self-doubt in mind, the reporter went to the poker table where Eric was, took a closer look, and sure enough, it was him.

"Wait a minute, I'm about to win! Nine of Characters!"

"Got you!" Nicole jumped up and shouted excitedly.

"Are you kidding me? You won with 90,000 last time, and you still won with 90,000 this time! Madam, I suspect you're targeting me!" Eric stared speechlessly at Nicole's cards.

"Hahaha. A bet's a bet. I won the investment in your next movie, so you can't renege on it."

Eric sighed and stood up: "I'm not playing anymore. I've had terrible luck today. I haven't won a single hand. I need to find a medium to change my luck."

The cameraman pointed the lens at Eric, and the reporter looked at him strangely: "Hello, Director Cooper, although I see you playing mahjong, I still can't believe my eyes."

"Seeing is believing. If you see it, you see it. What's there to not believe?"

The female reporter choked for a moment: "In my mind, you were probably undergoing professional training or filming. This is a bit of an accident."

Eric laughed and said, "Playing mahjong is a form of entertainment. You can't play it non-stop all the time; people need rest."

"I've always been a very humane person. You can only work better when you're relaxed. Besides, playing mahjong is a way to strengthen relationships, and when relationships are good, filming goes more smoothly, don't you think?"

"That seems to make sense," the female reporter nodded.

"What are your stakes? How high is the stake in a single round?"

"We don't gamble with money; gambling is a bad habit," Eric replied righteously.

"But there's another bonus: I won the right to choose Eric's next role and a share of the investment." Nicole couldn't stop smiling.

"I also won the right to choose Eric's next role, and a nomination for a supporting role," Theron said cheerfully.

The cameraman pointed the lens at other people.

Bell chuckled and shrugged: "I lost half a month's worth of food expenses on set, but I'm happy."

Ken Watanabe's face darkened: "Don't film me, I'm the worst off. I'm in charge of providing the crew with fruit and snacks for the next month."

Tom Hardy flashed a bright smile: "I won party invitations from two Oscar-winning actresses."

Seeing everyone's gains, the female reporter couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.

Yes, you guys don't actually gamble with money, but you spend even more than you would gamble with money.

If word got out that actors and companies would be willing to pay for priority roles and nomination slots, they would be eager to do so.

Invitations to queue may seem useless, but they actually represent connections.

The Oscar-winning actress's party isn't something just any ordinary person in the industry can attend. Many investors and directors are present, and becoming a familiar face can be extremely beneficial for one's career development.

As for the investment share, it's even more impressive; Eric Cooper's movies are practically synonymous with guaranteed profits.

If a niche arthouse film like "Blue Is the Warmest Color" can gross over 200 million, the market has already proven his vision. What else can stump him?

Even if the share is not large, it can still bring in tens of millions of dollars in revenue. How long would it take to win that much playing mahjong normally!

The female reporter remarked with some emotion, "Director Cooper, if this interview were released, I think the number of people willing to play mahjong with you could circle around Los Angeles."

"Hahaha. Welcome, welcome, but I only hang out with friends. Strangers are out of the question. I'm a bit socially awkward. You should ask me about movies instead."

The female reporter was speechless. Her planned interview rhythm had been completely disrupted. She was a reporter, yet she was being led by the nose by the other party. What a load of rubbish about being socially awkward!

"Okay, how far along is the filming of Inception?"

"We've completed 60% of the work; the remaining scenes will need to be filmed in front of a green screen."

Upon hearing about green screen filming, the female reporter's eyes lit up: "Does that mean there will be a lot of special effects?"

"Yes, and the special effects are quite stunning. I think it will give the audience a very novel visual experience."

"Like Transformers? When I watched it in the theater, I have to admit that the Autobots' expressions and textures really scared me."

"No, the special effects in Inception are a completely different experience from those in Transformers, but I can guarantee that they will be even more spectacular. This movie will take the audience into a strange dream world."

"Wow, that sounds a bit like Alice in Wonderland."

"Hahaha. But it won't be that childlike; it'll be an exciting trip."

The female reporter then pointed her camera at other people.

"Bale, how was it working with director Cooper?"

Bell hesitated for a moment. From the very first day they started filming, Eric had given him the impression of being exceptionally talented.

However, his frequent departures from the set and his hands-off approach were too much for Bale to handle. Bale is the kind of actor who loves to delve into his roles, but once he's done, he has to communicate with his co-stars.

The best people to talk to are, of course, the director and screenwriter. Eric takes on both roles, which means Bale often can't find anyone to talk to.

"Eric is a very talented director. You can't see any of the naivety of a young director in him. He always has a way of solving all kinds of problems. Working with him gave me a very fresh experience."

"How's your character? Is it challenging?"

"Cobb is a complex person. He's a dream thief with a troubled past. I'm sorry I can't say more, but he's a very fascinating character."

"A dream thief? That sounds like a cool profession, Theon?"

Theron pointed to the female reporter's shadow: "My character is the Phantom, someone who's always going against Cobb."

"Phantom! Wow, that sounds like a really cool codename. Do you guys all have codenames?"

"I am a pharmacist."

"Code name: Imposter!"

"Outpost!"

"Dream Builder!"

The female reporter looked at the crowd with some excitement: "Just hearing these code names gives me the feeling of a superhero team. I'm already very interested in the movie."

Neil then took her to see the actual set built by MGM. She was amazed as she looked at the rotating corridor space in front of her, where several stunt performers were testing the safety level.

"OMG! What's this for? Wasn't it supposed to be for special effects?"

Neil shrugged: "Sometimes live-action is more efficient and cheaper than effects. We were filming on the streets of Los Angeles the other day."

"It was a scene set in the rain, but there's no way it'll rain heavily in April, so we had to rent a water truck to create artificial rain."

"This is interesting! Can I experience this rotating corridor?"

"no problem!"

After the interview was released, it indeed garnered a lot of discussion from viewers.

The appearance of terms such as Dream Builder, Dream Thief, Imposter, Outpost, and Phantom, in particular, has sparked much speculation among movie fans.

Speculation about the plot of "Inception" has appeared on various forums and chat rooms.

The more than 20-meter-long revolving corridor also impressed many movie fans, who praised MGM's props department for its impressive work and continued adherence to world-class standards.

But the most discussed topic was actually Eric and his friends playing mahjong, which not only made the audience laugh out loud, but also attracted a lot of teasing and envy from celebrities.

Julia Roberts: "They should really invite me. Everyone knows I was a mahjong master when I was 16. Even when I'm 80, I may not be able to act anymore, but I can't stop playing mahjong."

Tobey Maguire: "Yes, I watched the interview video. To be honest, I'm quite envious of this kind of atmosphere on set. I wonder if director Cooper plays poker. I'm pretty good at poker, so we could have a go."

Leonardo DiCaprio: "I don't play mahjong, but this kind of moderate relaxation should be quite nice. As for me? I like swimming, and maybe playing water gun games would be good too."

Martin Scorsese: "What? Playing mahjong on set? I didn't know, I've never thought of it that way, and I certainly don't want my set to be like that."

Unlike the lighthearted banter and jokes from the audience and celebrities, television stations and many newspapers launched a scathing critique of the phenomenon.

Many film critics also joined the criticism, accusing Eric of corrupting the crew and actors, and saying he was messing up Hollywood.

Scholars and professors from prestigious universities such as Yale School of Drama and Juilliard School have also spoken out against Eric, criticizing him for setting a bad example for students who love acting and intend to pursue related careers. Many are demanding that he apologize immediately.

The purpose of these remarks is naturally to tarnish Eric's image, and those guys will seize any opportunity to attack him.

This incident also served as a wake-up call for Eric, reminding him that his personal image represented not only himself but also the vast business empire behind him.

Just as a pile of grains of sand can form a tower, and hatred can extend to everything around a person, when a person's bad reputation accumulates, everything around them will be affected.

At the same time, Lionheart.net's second batch of programs was also released, this time including "American Horror Story" and "Traveling with Hilton".

American Horror Story is a mix of classic urban legends and real cases, which should feel familiar to many viewers.

Although "Keeping Up with Hilton" was filmed in a very simple way, it should theoretically be more popular than "American Horror Story".

Because of the immense popularity of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," the family's large buttocks became a trend, and it also sparked a trend of large buttocks among American girls.

Just before Eric's time travel, the Kardashians' butts suddenly shrank, as if the big butt trend was about to end, leaving those girls who followed the trend in a bad way.

On the big screen, "Shark Tale" is unstoppable, after all, big companies and big productions have changed their release dates, and the film itself is of high quality, so it is naturally invincible.

DreamWorks made a fortune, and MGM, which was responsible for overseas distribution, also made a lot of money. Spielberg even thanked Eric privately for drawing away the fire and creating a vacuum in the release schedule.

As May arrived, the global box office for "The Passion of the Christ" finally settled at $690 million.

This is a very impressive result; if it were last year, it would have ranked seventh for the year.

The second battle between MGM and the Big Six has officially begun. Will "Million Dollar Baby" be able to break through?

(End of this chapter)