The richest actor in Hollywood.

The verdant lawn was as soft as a carpet. Matthew stood on it, swinging the club in his hand. A small white ball immediately shot up from the ground, tracing a beautiful parabola through the air, like a bomb falling from the sky, speeding forward before rapidly descending.

Splash—

The faint sound of something hitting water could be heard as the golf ball, after flying several dozen yards, landed straight into a pond.

Matthew put his hands on his hips and looked at it. It seemed like he had hit it way off the mark.

To be precise, it wasn't that he missed but that he used too much strength, causing the ball to go too far.

"You used too much force," Robert Iger walked up from behind, with a smile that resembled Mickey Mouse's. "Matthew, your golf skills still need a lot of practice."

Matthew sighed and said, "I always overdo it."

Robert Iger stood beside him and added, "You should spend more time here playing a few holes. Golf is a common social skill."

"I still prefer martial arts," Matthew joked. "Bob, how about I invite you to a club for some boxing next time?"

Robert Iger quickly waved his hand, "No, thanks! That's not something for just anyone." He suggested, "How about we go back and take a break?"

"Sure." Matthew knew that Robert Iger didn't come just to play golf. Casually tossing the club to the caddie, he said, "I'm a bit tired too. Let's go back and rest for a bit."

They got on the golf cart together and returned to a resting area near the seaside on the golf course. They found a table far from others, sat under a large tent, and started drinking tea.

Robert Iger took a sip from his cup and suddenly asked, "Matthew, I heard you invested $40 million in Marvel Comics' independently produced film, *Iron Man*?"

"That's true," Matthew acknowledged. "It's no secret in the industry."

"*Iron Man* is a huge success; you're going to make a lot of money," Robert Iger said with a smile.

Matthew shrugged, "That money has been out for a year and a half now, and I haven't seen a single dollar back yet."

"Recovering funds takes time, especially with film investments. It's a high-risk, high-reward venture," Robert Iger said, still wearing that Mickey Mouse-like smile. "Profit from *Iron Man* is just around the corner."

Matthew smiled, saying nothing, as the success of *Iron Man* was evident, and there was no need to deny it.

Robert Iger rubbed his chin and said, "I've always been curious. When everyone else was pessimistic about Marvel, you invested a huge sum."

"I was just betting," Matthew said casually.

Of course, Robert Iger didn't believe him. "From what I know, you're not the type to gamble recklessly."

Matthew nodded, "Gambling was part of it." He thought for a moment, realizing that this smiling Mickey Mouse wasn't someone easily fooled. Given his close relationship with Disney and their ongoing collaborations, he added, "The other reason is that it's a superhero movie."

"Superhero movie?" Robert Iger didn't quite understand Matthew's point.

"It's simple. The *X-Men* series succeeded, the *Spider-Man* series succeeded, the first *Fantastic Four* movie succeeded…" Matthew listed the facts. "I believe superhero movies have transitioned from being a niche genre to a mainstream one with real commercial appeal in the global market. The future market potential for superhero movies is vast."

He suddenly asked, "Bob, I'm sure Disney has come to a similar conclusion, right?"

Robert Iger was caught off guard by the sudden question. His smile froze for a fraction of a second before he quickly recovered, saying, "We have done some research in that area."

Matthew looked at Robert Iger and continued, "I invested $40 million not just because I'm confident in the market, but also because I have faith in Marvel itself." He asked, "Bob, who do you think understands Marvel's superheroes the best?"

"Of course, the creators," Robert Iger replied.

"So…" Matthew spread his hands, "I figured Marvel's independent production of movies featuring their superheroes had a greater chance of success than failure, so I decided to take a gamble."

He sighed, "No one can guarantee a film's success. Every investment in a movie is essentially a gamble."

Robert Iger nodded, fully agreeing with Matthew's words. "That's true."

After saying this, he suddenly realized that the conversation's direction had been subtly guided by Matthew all along. When conversing with someone this smart, there were both advantages and disadvantages.

Robert Iger secretly shook his head but kept talking, "I heard you have multiple film investment agreements with Marvel?"

"About seven or eight films," Matthew casually threw out a number, then added, "When we were planning *Iron Man*, Marvel Comics lacked funds, so I took the risk and invested $40 million. Marvel was very grateful, so they promised me future investment opportunities."

Robert Iger's gaze swept across Matthew's face. "So, you're very optimistic about the future of Marvel's superhero movies?"

"My optimism doesn't matter," Matthew said, spreading his hands. "Whether the Avengers project succeeds will ultimately be decided by the market."

"*Iron Man* has already been a great success," Robert Iger responded.

Matthew looked at Robert Iger, knowing full well that today's meeting wasn't just about playing golf or discussing his investment in *Iron Man*.

Thinking about the Marvel superhero movie with the Disney logo at the start, he began to have some suspicions.

"Bob," Matthew asked directly, "You're so concerned about Marvel's superhero movies. Is Disney interested in competing for the investment rights for Marvel's upcoming superhero films?"

Robert Iger kept smiling but said nothing.

Matthew raised his voice slightly and asked again, "Or is Disney thinking about acquiring Marvel?"

"Hmm?" Robert Iger was taken aback and asked, "Why would you think that?"

Matthew didn't answer, instead asking, "So it's true?"

Robert Iger didn't reply, continuing to ask, "Matthew, why would you think that?"

"I just guessed," Matthew looked at Robert Iger, now fairly certain his guess was correct. Thinking about Disney acquiring Marvel, he began considering how he could profit from it, especially how to safeguard his investment agreements with Marvel. So he added, "If I have to give a reason… well, I know you a bit."

He smiled and said, "We've known each other for five or six years, right?"

Robert Iger nodded, "At least that long."

"Do you know what impression I have of you?" Matthew didn't wait for Robert Iger to answer and gave his own, "An ambitious yet principled professional manager."

This was, in fact, how everyone saw Robert Iger.

"Thank you," Robert Iger replied.

Matthew continued, "When you first took office, you swallowed Pixar Studios, quickly stabilizing Disney's somewhat chaotic situation. I guess you're aiming for more than just being Michael Eisner's successor, right?"

He didn't mince words, "I've heard from Helen Herman more than once that you intend to make Walt Disney the number one entertainment media group in Hollywood and even the world. Helen isn't wrong about that, is she?"

Robert Iger didn't deny it. "That's what I'm aiming for."

"To achieve that, Disney first needs to surpass Warner Bros. Since the beginning of the new century, Warner Bros. has consistently been the top-performing company in Hollywood," Matthew, who had been in Hollywood for years, had a deep understanding of this circle. "Disney's acquisition of Pixar Studios was to revive Disney animation, but to surpass Warner Bros., relying solely on animation isn't enough."

As he spoke, his thoughts became clearer. "Warner Bros. has DC Comics under its umbrella. If Disney sees a bright future for superhero movies, I'm sure you won't ignore this segment. The only brand that can rival DC Comics is Marvel. And it just so happens that Marvel has proven the marketability of its heroes with *Iron Man*."

Robert Iger slowly shook his head, "If Disney's management was as clear-minded as you, my job would be a lot easier."

"So…" Matthew deliberately asked with a smile, "Was I right?"

"Yes," Robert Iger knew there was no need to beat around the bush with someone like Matthew. "Disney has decided to acquire Marvel. It will probably be announced in the next few days."

Matthew asked again, "Is that why you wanted to talk to me?"

Robert Iger nodded slightly, "You're now an investor in Marvel, one of its shareholders, and the most famous one at that. Convincing you would influence many of the smaller shareholders."

"My shares…" Matthew shook his head.

"Marvel's shares, like its superhero rights, are very scattered," Robert Iger clearly had done his homework. "As far as I know, you completed several acquisitions recently, bringing your total Marvel shares to about four percent."

Matthew didn't deny it, "That sounds about right."

Robert Iger added, "That's not a small shareholder. Marvel's shares are as dispersed as its superhero rights. Four percent makes you a major shareholder."

Matthew knew this to some extent. These old companies often appeared to have very scattered shares. For instance, after Disney acquired Pixar Studios, Steve Jobs became Disney's largest shareholder, but even he only held about seven percent of Disney's shares.

Whether there were any large financial institutions or investment companies holding shares through multiple accounts, he didn't know.

Robert Iger said directly, "You're the first Marvel shareholder Disney has approached." He then flashed that Mickey

 Mouse smile again, "Matthew, why don't you sell your Marvel shares to Disney?"

_________________________

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