Versatile Superstar: Rise In Hollywood

Florence Levine had gone crazy!

That was a thought that repeatedly rang in his mind as he went on with his days. Apparently, [Stars on the Ground] had already started their press marketing and were given a lot of interviews, so Florence’s statements would keep popping up. 

As she was keeping Liam with him in every interview and with the media seeing a controversy, she was truly getting a lot of attention. Something that she feeded on like a demon. 

She hadn’t said anything controversial but she was saying a lot indirectly. 

She had quoted a lot about how people ‘betrayed’ her after the controversy and how it was a hard job making the movie after that. She even talked about how some actors got too egoistic and refused to work with her and how she would never work with them. 

There were a lot of other statements too that Aiden felt were more or less about him. 

As for her naming the villain of [Stars on the Ground] ‘Aiden’, she just said that the name suited a villain. 

Her indirect statements didn’t stop the media from directly talking about how the villain’s name in the movie was due to Aiden and her having some differences. 

There were even reports that have ugly spats. But nothing came out of it as it was just rumours.

One publication even went on to say that Aiden told Florence that her script was crap and he wouldn’t have done it even without the scandal. 

It was obviously false but it was the internet. Anything fake could grow here if enough people believe in it. Thankfully, Aiden had a team now to counter these things and they quickly released a statement regarding the false rumours. 

Sadly, that didn’t stop people and the media. 

Slowly, a narrative was formed around Florence and Liam fighting against Aiden. After a couple of days, Florence even stated that she knew that the movie would work and she was prepared to see all those that berated her and her work to burn in anguish when that happens. 

In all this, Aiden didn’t do anything other than to stomp down on the fake rumors. 

He wasn’t the type to go head to head with someone, especially someone who had gone crazy. A crazy person was dumb and that’s what made them scary. 

Though, he was indeed angry. 

With [Agnas] preparations going so well and  a movie of his releasing soon, he had enough things to be happy about. Coupled with the fact that several Hollywood articles were claiming that he was just a step away from breaking into being an A lister. 

Studios were slowly looking at him as a bankable star. Yet, there was anger inside of him that he was trying not to focus on. 

Anything from his side would make the flames stronger and Florence would just benefit from it. That’s why he controlled. 

A meeting with Zavier who was in the middle of writing [Black Saints 2] also helped. The director/writer showed Aiden on what name he had saved his ex wife’s number. 

It was ‘That Crazy witch’. 

They had a good laugh about it and Zavier told him to focus on his work. [Agnas] was a big opportunity for him and it could be his biggest movie and [Action Hero] was a unique project. 

He can’t get distracted due to someone who wants attention. 

So, Aiden followed those words. 

***

“This looks really good.”

Omar said as he looked at the screen in front of him. He was wearing headphones and was watching the trailer that the editing team had made. 

Rather than a trailer, it was more of a music video with few dialogues mixed in. The colour palette and tone of the trailer and the fast cuts made it look grounded and gritty. 

Like Aiden had suggested, they have gotten a rapper to make a song for the movie. Apparently, when the rapper watched the movie, he cried just because he loved it too much. 

He was a guy who showed a lot of emotions and his music displayed that too. 

The rapper said that the movie made him feel like he could take on 30 guys at once. It made him remember the action movies of the 80’s and 90s. 

As that was something scarce now, it was nostalgic. 

Maybe it was because of that but he made a great song that was keeping up with all the trends and was super catchy to listen to. 

Coupled with the trailer, it was surely something that Aiden could vouch for. 

“I feel like this could actually work. If the trailer reached enough people, we would surely get our money back.”

Omar muttered as the trailer came to an end. 

“We need more than that. Especially with only 300 screens allocated to us.” Aiden replied, taking a glance at the people working on their computers around them. They were in the marketing area. 

“The studio would probably increase it once they know for sure if there’s more interest in the movie among the audience. We can just give our best to things in our hands.”

The last sentence was said with a sigh. Omar wished that one day he would be making movies that would be termed blockbusters even before the release and would have wide releases with thousands of screens just in America.

But for now, he needed to make sure they don’t mess up [Action Hero]. 

“The release date is 6 June. Thankfully, we don’t have any competition for at least a week. Our goal is to breakeven in the first week itself.”

“[Stars on the Ground] is releasing a week after that, right?”

Aiden asked and Omar nodded. 

“Yeah, I heard the buzz is good in London with Liam Wilde playing a big role. He can get people to come into theatres there due to his teenage influence. Although it dwindled recently. Here, it’s getting way more seats than us with United Pictures and Intra Entertainment working together.”

For the record, United Pictures was another Big 6 studio. They were working with Liam’s agency. 

“Then, we need to get to the required numbers fast. [Stars on the Ground] is being promoted as a movie with an experience and it’s having an effect.” Aiden muttered. 

“Well, rather than promoting the movie, they are promoting Florence and her hatred for you. Liam is now being called her boy toy online. It’s truly funny. As for the movie, the trailer got 9 million views and it looked grand.”

Aiden recalled the trailer. It wasn’t bad but he felt like too many things were happening. In one of the scenes, there was even a tiger that came out of nowhere. 

True to the tagline of the movie, it tries to show an over the top view of Hollywood. 

“A lot of people are talking about it now but I feel like they are missing a mark.”

Aiden suddenly said and Omar raised an eyebrow. 

“How?” 

“Florence made it about me rather than the movie. Even if their marketing team is trying hard, if people are trying to drag me in this, then they are not properly invested in the movie but the controversy.”

“True that but they probably think more people talking about it is equivalent to more people turning in.”

Aiden didn’t say anything back and just wondered how the trailer of [Action Hero] was going to be received. 

They were going to release it tomorrow and he could only hope for the best. 

***

A black man sighed as he looked through the MeTube feed in his laptop. He had completed his video games and his MeTube had nothing interesting. 

Normally, he would just sit back and watch through political commentary channels and laugh at them because of how ridiculous some people get to prove their points. But today, even that was boring. 

Zetflix series and other things have also become stale for him and it was hard to pass time for him these days.

He was also just waiting for a new video game about a war god and his son. When that release, he at least would have something to pass time. 

Suddenly, he got a notification on his phone. 

[Bro, where are you? Let’s go out to drink and score girls.]

The man frowned seeing that. His friend was an idiot in his eyes who never went to a bar and club to enjoy with his friends. It was an excuse to score girls. 

It just seemed stupid and meaningless to the man after he had gotten older. 

He ignored the text and looked again at his computer screen. 

“Let’s see if there’s any new movie trailers I could watch.”

Muttering that, he searched trailers and saw one trailer at the top. It was the trailer of [Stars on the Ground]. 

He clicked on it and watched it and felt that it wasn’t bad. He was just not interested in a story like this. It was fine in the genre but the man liked something more. 

Something that has a bit more action. 

He scrolled down and after going through a few more trailers, he stumbled upon one that attracted his eyes. 

“[Action Hero]? Sounds like some sort of action parody.”

As soon as he clicked on it, a tune entered his ears and he widened his eyes a bit. It was an extremely catchy tune and soon, the trailer started. 

A guy’s back was shown with rain falling. It looked like some sort of rooftop and the guy was wearing a jacket. 

In front of him, a crowd was standing. Everyone of them has menacing expressions. 

The music picked up pace as a close up shot showed a smile and the next second, the guy rushed towards the crowd. 

“What the hell? That looked dope. The whole atmosphere and the shot.”

The man said as he watched the entire trailer with eyes that seemed to have come to life.