While filming Pirates of the Caribbean in Mexico, Gilbert had also been paying close attention to the shifting tides of public opinion in North America.
When he saw many media outlets claiming that Flipped marked the beginning of his decline, Gilbert couldn't help but find it a little funny.
Admittedly, perhaps even he himself might never surpass the achievements of The Lord of the Rings series. But just because someone has once stood atop the highest peak, does that mean all other peaks no longer count as mountains?
Besides, Flipped was a success. Not only did it make a profit at the box office, but it also became a hot topic in the media.
With this level of discussion, it hardly looked like a failure. Moreover, the goal was achieved Scarlett did indeed become popular.
Unfortunately, there are only a few truly intelligent people in the world. Most people are blindly obedient and utterly ignorant, lacking even the basic ability to think for themselves.
Let alone the masses even the smart ones sometimes fail to grasp the truth.
Take Michael Ovitz, for example. He was discussing the current media buzz with his assistant Martin Bob and potential business partner David Ellison.
Michael Ovitz said, "I think the media's narrative is a bit exaggerated, but it's true that Gilbert has probably hit a creative bottleneck."
"What does that mean for us?" David Ellison asked.
"For us, it means we no longer need to fear Gilbert. We can go head-to-head and compete with his films," Michael Ovitz explained.
Ever since realizing that Gilbert was unbeatable at the summer box office, Michael Ovitz had made sure to avoid scheduling any of his studio's projects near Gilbert's releases.
But now, Michael Ovitz believed that he didn't have to dodge him anymore that once-invincible aura was beginning to fade.
David Ellison laughed heartily. "Fantastic! I always thought you'd gotten timid with age. But I didn't expect you to still harbor such ambition."
Michael Ovitz and Martin Bob exchanged a glance, and Martin Bob said, "David, we'll need support from you and your Sky Flim Studio.
Without your backing, we two old Hollywood veterans won't stand a chance against Gilbert."
"Don't worry," David Ellison said, confident to the point of arrogance. "Hollywood will remember only one name David Ellison. I'll prove to the world that Gilbert is not invincible.
He's just bluffing, weak behind the façade."
David Ellison was full of confidence. When he returned to Larry Ellison's house, his high school-aged sister greeted him with sarcastic words: "The great film producer is back? What movie did you shoot today?"
David Ellison ignored his sharp-tongued sister and spoke directly to Larry Ellison. "Father, I've found a way to beat Gilbert.
He's on the decline now, entering a low point in his directing career. We can use this time to strike."
Larry Ellison doted on both his son and daughter. When David Ellison first expressed his desire to enter the film industry, Larry had been fully supportive.
He even tried asking Gilbert to mentor his son!
But unfortunately, Gilbert didn't agree. So Larry turned to Michael Ovitz, helping David build a framework and providing a massive amount of funding.
David Ellison's sister constantly compared herself to her brother. Since David entered mainstream cinema, she insisted on venturing into independent film to make a name for herself.
But she was still in high school, so it was a bit early to talk about any major career.
Larry Ellison admired David's ambition upon hearing those words, but he still said, "David, never underestimate any opponent.
Besides, you might want to be Gilbert's rival, but he probably doesn't even see you as one.
In Gilbert's eyes, you're still not worthy."
Indeed, not worthy. Gilbert had met Larry Ellison a few times. On one occasion, Larry had asked Gilbert to evaluate his son.
It was essentially a celebrity endorsement a way to boost his son's commercial value.
Look, Gilbert praised my son, so my son must be amazing and talented.
But Gilbert didn't say what Larry had hoped for. Instead, he offered a neutral yet slightly dismissive assessment.
Gilbert thought that David Ellison had inherited Larry's arrogance, but not his vision or capabilities.
That assessment had stuck with Larry Ellison ever since.
Even though Gilbert was someone on the same level as him and a shareholder in Oracle, Larry still believed Gilbert should've spoken more highly of his son.
So when David boldly proclaimed that he would use film to defeat Gilbert, Larry naturally praised his ambition.
A film genius like Gilbert doesn't come around often. But Larry Ellison believed that his son was the exception that he, too, was a genius.
As for Gilbert, he was completely unaware that David Ellison and Michael Ovitz were plotting to challenge him.
But that was perfectly normal Hollywood had always been a place filled with constant competition. Gilbert was already mentally prepared for it and would not be afraid.
Besides, if in past years people had mentioned the best director in Hollywood, many names would come up several even tied at the top.
But now, if people were to talk about who is the best and most well-known director in Hollywood, Gilbert would undoubtedly receive the most votes.
And since he was now number one, it was only natural he'd constantly face challenges from those beneath him. David Ellison? At best, he could add one more defeated rival Michael Ovitz—and Martin Bob. There was nothing to fear.
The filming of Pirates of the Caribbean was going extremely well. After more than a week of adjustment, the crew had found its rhythm.
Johnny Depp's performance was unexpectedly brilliant. It was as if the character of Jack Sparrow had been tailor-made for him. In every scene where he appeared, he stole the spotlight entirely.
Especially when sharing scenes with Orlando Bloom he completely crushed him, leaving him no chance to shine.
As a result, it became common on set to hear Gilbert tearing into Orlando Bloom, scolding him so harshly that the actor could hardly raise his head.
Whenever Gilbert's metaphorical "hair dryer" started blowing on set, many crew members fell silent. Even Johnny Depp, the biggest star on set, kept his distance.
Gilbert was not one of those directors who lacked authority. His fame and reputation were among the most prominent in Hollywood history.
Of course, that wasn't to say Gilbert was the most accomplished director in Hollywood. He remained humble, believing he still had a long way to go compared to the great masters of cinema.
But in the past, with media consulting not being as developed and directors working behind the scenes, they hadn't received much public attention.
Now things were different. With the growth of television and internet media, people were beginning to realize that directors were becoming part of the spotlight an integral part of filmmaking worth noting.
Without a doubt, Gilbert and his films had become a symbol of Hollywood, making him the most famous director in the world.
In certain markets where Hollywood films were only just entering, the first movies local fans would choose to watch were always Gilbert's.
Although other directors also had their works, overall, Gilbert's movies remained the most well-known. Combined with Hollywood's deliberate marketing, this led to the current situation.
Otherwise, how could Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones the worst-performing entry in the series receive so little media hype about George Lucas being on the decline?
Part of the reason, of course, was that George Lucas was indeed aging. But another reason was that he simply wasn't as famous or as buzzworthy as Gilbert.
...
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