After agreeing to the showdown, David Ellison immediately regretted it. He called Michael Ovitz and explained what had happened.
On the other end, Michael Ovitz slapped his forehead and said helplessly, "Can't you control yourself for once? Now that so many people witnessed it, we can't back down without losing face. This is troublesome."
David Ellison also admitted regretfully, "I don't know why, but whenever I see that infuriating face of Gilbert, I just can't hold myself back."
Michael Ovitz thought for a moment and said, "That's exactly what Gilbert is taking advantage of. He's deliberately provoking you."
His thoughts quickly unfolded. "Maybe Gilbert's entire purpose is to make you angry enough to force a head-on competition with him in the same release window."
"Why would he do that? What would he gain from it?" David Ellison asked.
"Gilbert is someone who's extremely confident and composed when it comes to filmmaking. He never acts without reason," Michael Ovitz analyzed. "I think he wants…"
"Wants what?"
"To take Transformers back from you."
David Ellison was stunned. "Why do you say that?"
Michael Ovitz explained, "Back then, Hasbro was just one step away from signing a deal with Melon Studios. But your sudden intervention snatched the project away. Gilbert must have been holding a grudge ever since."
"So he wants to use his original film The Last of Us to clash against Transformers. If Transformers doesn't meet box office expectations, Hasbro might reclaim the rights and find another production partner?"
David Ellison completed the line of thought himself. The more he considered it, the more alarmed he became—Gilbert could very well be planning exactly that.
"What should we do then?" David Ellison asked.
"At this point, pride is secondary, David," Michael Ovitz said calmly. "The Last of Us is just another project for Gilbert. Even if it flops, it won't affect his position. But you're different. If Transformers fails again, it'll be impossible to explain that to Mr. Ellison."
David Ellison remembered that during the collapse of the Napoleon project—a financial Ponzi-like disaster—he had been the one who lost the most. His father had been furious.
Adding to that, several recent Skydance productions had underperformed. If the heavily invested Transformers also failed, and with his sister Megan Ellison stirring things up, his father would definitely withdraw his support.
After weighing his options, David Ellison quickly reached a conclusion. Face was far less important than survival. He said to Michael Ovitz, "We'll wait for The Last of Us to announce its release date. Then we'll announce ours afterward to avoid a direct clash."
As long as their release date wasn't public yet, there was still room to maneuver. As for the humiliation he suffered in the VIP room—if the film succeeded, he could easily reclaim his pride.
"A wise decision, David," Michael Ovitz said approvingly. At last, David Ellison was showing maturity and not falling into Gilbert's trap.
Meanwhile, Gilbert was still planning how to deal with Transformers, unaware that over the years, he had already intimidated quite a few people.
Michael Ovitz and David Ellison, on the other hand, had overanalyzed the situation and convinced themselves that the heated argument had been a trap deliberately set by Gilbert.
It must be said—self-delusion is a frightening thing.
Gilbert, of course, knew nothing of their overthinking. He was simply preparing to face the competition head-on. Ironically, the more seriously he took the upcoming battle, the more convinced David Ellison became that it was all part of a setup—so naturally, he refused to walk into the "trap."
In the end, the confrontation was just a small episode. The true star of the day was undoubtedly Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
After the red carpet ceremony, the highly anticipated screening officially began.
This story primarily focused on Harry Potter's participation in the Triwizard Tournament, running for a total of two and a half hours.
Gilbert felt that the pacing was extremely tight, with a high density of information throughout.
The magical visual effects were more dazzling than ever—some scenes were beautiful, others thrilling or suspenseful—all reaching the high standard typical of the series.
Those who attended the premiere included guests, media reporters, and die-hard fans of the Harry Potter franchise. So even if the film's quality had been slightly weaker, it still would have been warmly received.
However, Mike Newell did not rest on the laurels of the franchise's success. As the new director taking over the series, he needed to prove himself through results.
And indeed, he did. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire turned out to be an excellent film—well worth watching in theaters.
When the film ended and Mike Newell's name appeared on screen, the entire theater erupted in thunderous applause.
Mike Newell was a little emotional. He knew that much of this applause wasn't truly for him, but he was still overjoyed.
Gilbert approached him and said, "Mike, you did well. The film was wonderful."
"Thank you, thank you for the compliment," Mike Newell replied humbly. He dared not act arrogant—he knew that the young director standing before him held enormous influence over the entire Harry Potter project.
Gilbert then turned to congratulate the Gryffindor trio. "Your acting has improved quite a bit. It's much better than in the last film."
Haley shyly rubbed the back of his head. "We've been attending acting classes, and there are many acting coaches on set. We often ask them for advice."
"Good," Gilbert said approvingly. "Asking questions when you don't understand and striving to improve is how you'll be able to establish yourselves in Hollywood."
Then Gilbert turned to Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley. "Rupert, what's going on with you? Why have you gotten so fat?"
Rupert, startled to be singled out, stammered nervously, "Um, maybe too much ice cream and whipped cream. I'm sorry, Director Gilbert."
"I hope you take this seriously. I don't want to see a chubby Ron Weasley," Gilbert said sternly. "I'll have your agent and guardian keep an eye on you. You must lose the weight before the next film."
"Yes, I understand," Rupert replied, lowering his head in disappointment. Anyone would feel dejected after being scolded.
He was, after all, a teenager. If a family member had said something like that, he probably would have talked back. But when it came from Gilbert, he didn't dare. He knew exactly what this man represented.
To put it bluntly, even if Gilbert were to fire him on the spot, no one else would dare to object.
Then Gilbert turned to Emma Watson. She had been waiting expectantly for praise, but instead, what she received was a harsh scolding.
"I told you to focus on your acting classes and your studies," Gilbert reprimanded her. "Did you even see your performance in the film? Compared to Haley and Rupert, what on earth were you doing?"
"Brother, I…"
Before Emma Watson could finish, Gilbert interrupted her. "Use professional titles in a work setting."
"Yes, Director Gilbert, I… I'll do better next time," Emma stammered, not daring to argue. At a time like this, explanations were useless.
"You'd better. If I see such a poor performance again, you won't be playing the role anymore."
Then Gilbert softened slightly. "With acting that bad, how can you hope to handle leading roles in the future?"
Emma's heart leaped with joy. See? I really am Director Gilbert's favorite. None of them can compare with me.
The premiere concluded successfully. Gilbert didn't linger afterward. Early the next morning, he flew back to Australia to rejoin the production of The Last of Us.
..
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