I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1010: Secret Egg]

As Eric made his way down the bustling red carpet, he stopped with his date at the photo wall in the theater lobby to sign autographs and take pictures. Then, they headed towards the makeshift lounge where the cast and special guests were waiting.

Most people had already arrived, and as soon as Eric and Drew appeared, everyone rushed over to greet them.

Eric embraced Charlize and her two friends, all dressed to the nines, and said with a smile, "Ladies, you all look absolutely fabulous today."

Looking at this man who had become increasingly unattainable in terms of wealth and power, Charlize, Kate, and Penelope felt a pang of nostalgia thinking back to when Eric had caught them sneaking a smoke years ago -- an incident that seemed like a lifetime ago. They couldn't help but feel a bit wistful.

Despite the past, both Charlize and Penelope knew that those memories were just that -- memories. They treated Eric with utmost politeness and respect. Kate, who didn't share the same charm as her character in the film, felt a twinge of jealousy as she noticed how intimately Drew was holding onto Eric's arm. "Eric," she teased with a hint of bitterness, "we're still girls, but your speech is getting so much more... old-fashioned."

The crowd's expressions turned a bit awkward at Kate's obvious tone. Over the years, Eric gradually realized that he was no longer cut out for a life surrounded by a harem of women. Even in Hollywood, a place overflowing with beautiful women, those once-desirable goddesses had started to feel ordinary to him. He had grown numb to it and understood why Hollywood and the fashion industry had so many gay individuals.

At this point, Eric chose to feign ignorance about Kate's snarky tone and joked, "What can I say? I'm a big shot now."

Laughter erupted around him, and Kate rolled her eyes, realizing her comment might have been out of place. After a round of friendly banter, the staff began to usher everyone into the screening room.

...

Even though Eric retained the titles of screenwriter and executive producer for the sequel, he didn't intend to take the stage. He was there simply as a guest, enjoying the interaction between the cast and the audience from the sidelines.

When the clock struck seven, the lights dimmed in the hall, and the screening officially began. Everyone turned their attention to the big screen.

After the iconic MGM logo, the scene quickly shifted to a disco filled with the blaring sound of deafening music.

Penelope portrayed Lucini, elegantly gliding through the crowded dance floor in a sparkly mini dress, her sexy form weaving past a few visibly burly bouncers.

A crackling voice suddenly boomed in: "Lulu, enough fun! Get up there and help out."

Lucini glanced at the security camera in the corner of the disco and pressed her wireless earpiece. She then raised a walkie-talkie in her other hand and said, "I AM helping! There are so many weaklings here, swarming up could cause a mess!"

With that, Lucini made her way to the staircase in the corner.

In contrast to the wild scene below, the second floor was even more chaotic. The hallway was littered with downed bouncers, and Lucini stepped over the unconscious bodies with disdain. A sudden loud crash resonated as a bouncer was thrown against a broken door.

"Wow, that's some serious violence," Lucini commented as she kicked a moaning bouncer, knocking him out cold before walking into the destroyed office at the end of the hallway.

Inside the office stood Kate, portraying Selena, clad in tactical gear and coldly positioned at the center of the room.

A plump middle-aged man crouched in the corner like a scared child, frantically begging, "There's $20,000 in the cabinet, I have a credit card and the password is six ones! You can take my Armani suit; it's worth a lot! I'm just an accountant; please don't kill me!"

In the screening room, the audience couldn't help but chuckle at Wayne Knight's bleak expression, reminiscent of his role as the unlucky programmer in Jurassic Park.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I've been robbed of my lines?" Lucini playfully walked up to the frightened man to share a joke that fans of Charlie's Angels would easily get. "Mr. Malden, quit pretending. Just tell me where the safe is, otherwise, I'll let her ask." She pointed at Selena.

Upon hearing Lucini say his real name, the man's pleading demeanor instantly shifted, and he glanced slyly at a painting on the wall.

Then a voice crackled in Lucini's ear: "The desk seems to be frequently moved; shift it and take a look."

Lucini approached the richly carved wooden desk, which seemed heavy, but with a little effort, it slid aside to reveal a safe embedded in the floor.

"Hey, do you know what you're doing?" Suddenly agitated, the man jumped up but was quickly knocked back down by Selena's sharp elbow.

At that moment, the voice in her earpiece warned, "Someone's coming up -- lots of people!"

Lucini, squatting down to inspect the safe, met Selena's gaze. "Buy me two minutes."

Selena nodded and briskly left the office to confront the wave of bouncers charging upstairs.

...

At this point in the story, barely two minutes had passed.

Originally, some fans felt disappointed, expecting more explosive action, but by the end of the next three minutes, enhanced by the club's booming music and thrilling montage cuts, Selena showcased her impressive skills beautifully.

When Charlize finally appeared in a helicopter, lifting Selena and Lucini into the Los Angeles skyline, all the fans erupted into cheers.

Even the more traditional critics who usually dismissed action films couldn't help but nod in approval at this well-crafted opening sequence.

Those in the know recognized that in just five short minutes, the filmmakers had poured a considerable amount of thought into this production -- not only was the action precisely choreographed, but each of the three lead actresses was given just the right amount of screentime, effectively displaying the unique style of the Charlie's Angels series.

While the narrative continued from the spy movie universe, they maintained distinctly unique characteristics to avoid audience fatigue.

007 thrived on high-tech gadgets and the strong-jawed gentleman style of Bond, along with a bevy of gorgeous Bond girls.

The Mission: Impossible series focused on extreme challenges, heightening audience tension with hair-raising plot twists.

In contrast, Charlie's Angels, while centered around the three heroines, left a lasting impression with Selena's toughness, Jill's ingenuity, and Lucini's often amusing ramblings.

Moreover, small details like Buick cars and dad jokes peppered throughout, alongside a well-established world-building, made the Charlie's Angels series stand out.

...

Once the opening segment wrapped up, the title cards rolled, finally delving into the main plot.

Morgan Freeman's character, John, received intel from the girls regarding the chubby man, but without delving into details, told them that due to their previous adventure on that English island, the detective agency had drawn some unwanted attention. To protect them, the agency's boss, Charlie, suggested they lay low until things settled.

From this point, most viewers recognized that Charlie's detective agency had undoubtedly stirred up the Spectre, and more astute fans connected the dots to the infamous destruction of Charlie's vacation home at the end of Casino Royale, hinting at where the plot was headed.

Charlie's agency's attempts to resolve their issues quickly proved ineffective.

Following this was a slightly drawn-out exposition section just over ten minutes long.

With the help of Charlie's agency, the trio landed jobs that concealed their identities.

Jill found herself working at an internet company, listening to an overly enthusiastic yet ineffective boss boast about the company's future IPO while dodging his handsy advances.

Lucini got hired at a top restaurant, fighting the temptation to pocket the expensive silverware.

Selena became a salesgirl at a clothing store, often mistaken for a mannequin.

While the story unfolded slowly, the stark contrast between what they were doing and their actual identities gave viewers an engaging sense of irony.

Meanwhile, the club they had crashed into earlier was, in fact, a base for the Spectre.

The documents they retrieved from the fat man's safe were the names of the Spectre members.

Charlie's agency tried to use this information to collaborate with the FBI to eradicate the gang once and for all by eliminating the chaos that had inadvertently entered their lives.

Although the operation was deemed successful, everyone significantly underestimated the Spectre's potential.

The people on that list represented merely an outer layer of Spectre.

Next came a sequence taken directly from Casino Royale, where Charlie faced retribution from Spectre, prompting the three women to spring into action from their respective "jobs," only to find a vacation home reduced to rubble.

Fortunately, Charlie Townsend was unharmed.

With the tension brewing, Charlie instructed the trio to investigate the Spectre further.

As they pursued their inquiry, they mistakenly crossed paths with another agent team investigating the same organization.

That team happened to belong to Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Mission Force.

After some tension-filled encounters, both sides cleared up their misunderstandings, and thanks to the clues provided by Ethan, the three women launched another attack on a Spectre base, leading to the film's climactic showdown.

...

Upon closer inspection, while this sequel's plot wasn't particularly intricate -- it followed the standard high-concept film model -- its success was supported by the Charlie's Angels universe's well-crafted background, supplemented by plots from the other two series and countless clever Easter eggs, creating an audience experience far exceeding other high-concept films that lacked narrative the strength and popularity.

In this sequel, Eric included a very hidden Easter egg: a document labeled "Operation Treadstone" appeared on the desk of the main antagonist.

Though the shot skimmed past quickly, Eric believed that dedicated fans would eventually catch it.

Operation Treadstone naturally pointed to the Bourne series.

Having that plan appear on Spectre's leader's desk wasn't a forced plot device either.

According to the original novels, the Operation Treadstone was leaked due to information the villain had, leading to the group's disbandment, forcing Bourne into hiding.

Thus, it felt completely appropriate for the formidable and tangled Spectre to acquire intelligence on the Operation Treadstone.

...

After vanquishing the sequel's villain, the film couldn't skip including a proper Easter egg, teasing the upcoming Mission: Impossible 3.

Even though several critics condemned the overuse of these "gimmicks" in the spy film universe, much like in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these little tactics significantly heightened interest and popularity across the entire series.

Truth be told, the Marvel films weren't particularly stellar. Most were decent popcorn flicks heavy on special effects.

Yet, they cleverly intertwined these strategies to amplify the overall appeal of the franchises, achieving results that exceeded anyone's expectations and garnering immense success that every film studio envied.

For Charlie's Angels 3, MGM certainly pulled out all the stops, from the film's quality to its marketing, evident from the staggering $160 million production budget, reflecting the studio's commitment to excellence. Therefore, the premiere naturally turned out to be a resounding success.

As the film concluded and the lights dimmed, the theater erupted into applause.

After the creators took the stage once more to express their gratitude, the premiere officially wrapped up.

...

Eric and Drew made a brief appearance at the subsequent after-party but decided to leave early.

Observing the audience's reactions to the premiere, Eric felt no trepidation regarding the film's box office prospects.

The following morning at the Liberty City manor, Eric woke to the undeniable news that Charlie's Angels 3 had shattered the midnight screening box office record in North America.

In the dining room, Drew, dressed casually in a tank top and shorts, leaned over the table, examining the box office report with gleeful excitement. "$12.5 million! That's amazing! It's $2.5 million higher than The Matrix 2!"

Eric, however, held last week's box office data and, smiling at her over-the-top enthusiasm, dampened her spirits with, "No need to be so proud. The upcoming Star Wards: Episode I will definitely break this record with ease."

She shot back, "Hey, I'm not comparing with Star Wars, but I did hear the first prequel's internal test screening didn't go well. They say Amidala looks really bad. Lucas might just mess this up."

*****

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