Lord of Entertainment

Chapter 98: Announcement

Rayleigh Wang, the 45-year-old Monkey Demon CEO of Righteous Film Studio, greeted Arthur with unexpected warmth. "Delighted to meet the mastermind behind Demonfather, Arthur Morningstar!" He enveloped Arthur in a bear hug as if they were old friends.

"Uh... Likewise," Arthur responded, slightly uncomfortable.

A glance at Jerry Yan's face told Arthur to just go with it. Jerry seemed resigned to his boss's overfamiliar behavior.

As they walked to the private theatre, Rayleigh chattered incessantly. "I'm beyond excited about this third film of yours, Arthur. I've been losing sleep wondering what His Highness has created after Demonfather and Lord of the Rings."

He continued without pause, "Will it be as profitable? I certainly hope so. Otherwise, wouldn't all this anticipation and our warm welcome be a waste?"

Rayleigh's bluntness was startling, especially given Arthur's presence. Only after Jerry's nudge did Rayleigh catch himself. "Hahaha - my apologies," he said, not sounding particularly sorry.

Arthur just shook his head as they reached the theatre.

"At last, the moment of truth!" Rayleigh announced shamelessly.

Throughout the exchange, Arthur maintained his composure, adapting to Rayleigh's eccentric personality.

He realized that navigating such characters would be crucial in establishing himself in Horn's entertainment industry.

As they settled into their seats, Jerry leaned close to Arthur, whispering, "I apologize for my boss's behavior. He's always like this."

"Don't worry about it. I understand," Arthur replied with a nod.

Jerry seemed relieved by Arthur's graciousness.

The studio lights dimmed, and the projector whirred to life, its beam hitting the white wall.

"This is going to be interesting!" Rayleigh muttered, while Jerry and the other executives shook their heads at their boss's antics.

The Hellfire Studio intro appeared, followed by the film's opening.

Although Arthur had previously explained that the film would be set in Empirica's Wild West, Jerry, Rayleigh, and the others were still caught off guard by the unmistakable Western flair.

As the soundtrack began, Arthur smiled, recalling how he'd managed to produce it amid the company's relocation challenges.

The opening sequence introduced "The Ugly" Tuco, "The Bad" Angel Eyes, and "The Good" Blondie.

Initially, Jerry, Rayleigh, and the executives were skeptical of the Western-style film. Past attempts by demons to adapt this genre had failed miserably, leading many to believe martial arts films were safer bets.

They expected Arthur's third film to follow suit. However, as the story unfolded, they found themselves unexpectedly engrossed, only realizing how immersed they'd become as the film neared its end.

The executives became especially thrilled and tense during the final standoff between Blondie, Tuco, and Angel Eyes.

As the powerful, dramatic orchestra piece with its sweeping melodies played, the three characters eyeing each other with hands on their guns, Jerry and the others sat on edge.

Rayleigh, gripping his helpless subordinate's arm, declared, "If Blondie and Tuco kill each other, I'll hate this film forever."

His words left the executives unsure whether to laugh or not.

Rayleigh's investment in Blondie and Tuco's relationship was obvious, mirroring Jerry and the others' feelings. Arthur smiled, noting their engrossment.

When the shooting began, the audience held their breath, half-expecting to see Blondie or Tuco fall while Angel Eyes emerged victorious.

Instead, Blondie and Tuco jointly shot Angel Eyes.

"Hell yeah!" Rayleigh cheered, raising both his and his subordinate's hands.

"It's not over yet, boss," the subordinate reminded him helplessly.

Rayleigh tensed again as Blondie and Tuco eyed each other warily.

"No, no. They won't shoot each other. They're friends," Rayleigh muttered, though unsure given the two characters complicated love-hate relationship.

Relief washed over Rayleigh and the others when Blondie shot Angel Eyes again, ensuring his demise.

The film concluded with Tuco struggling, hung from a tree by a rope, before Blondie saved him.

As the credits rolled, Rayleigh applauded enthusiastically. "Very good! Very good!"

Rayleigh's enthusiastic clapping continued, with Jerry and the other executives joining in, their eyes now fixed on Arthur.

"I love it!" Rayleigh exclaimed, approaching Arthur. "Your Highness, I won't let you down. I'll do everything to distribute this film across Horn Kingdom!"

Arthur smiled, gently reminding him, "Please, no royal titles. I'm an exiled prince."

Rayleigh laughed heartily. "Exiled or not, you're royalty to me. At least in filmmaking, you're certainly a prince."

Arthur, still uncomfortable with Rayleigh's quirks, steered the conversation, "Let's discuss the distribution details."

Rayleigh nodded eagerly. "Although the number of cinemas here in Horn Kingdom can't compare to Morningstar Kingdom, a large portion of our population can afford to watch films," Rayleigh explained. "I can release the film in about four hundred cinemas, which is almost 90% of what Horn Kingdom has. Plus, I also have reach in the Kingdom of Choson and Japon in East Watch - in total, the film will be screened in thousands of cinemas."

Arthur was taken aback. "Righteous Film Studio has reach over Choson and Japon?" He glanced at Jerry, seeking confirmation.

Rayleigh cleared his throat. "Allow me to explain, Your Highness. I have a half-brother, also my business partner, who owns a studio in Choson. My aunt lives in Japon, and her husband owns a studio there too. He's also my business partner."

Arthur was genuinely impressed by the man's connections.

Even his "Lord of the Rings" and "Demonfather" had failed to reach Japon Empire and Choson Dynasty - not because these nations lacked free trade, but because they harbored animosity towards the Morningstar Kingdom.

It seemed Arthur could finally break through to these nations with Righteous Film Studio's help.

***

Two days later, Arthur finalized an agreement with Righteous Film Studio. On May 14, 1272, Hellfire Studio and Righteous Film Studio hosted an event at the renowned Peninsula Hotel in Dragon Peninsula to announce their film's release date.

The high-profile gathering drew notable figures from the entertainment industry. Reporters indulged in complimentary meals and drinks, adding to the festive atmosphere.

To Arthur, it felt more like a celebration than a formal announcement. He observed that such events seemed commonplace in Horn Kingdom's entertainment scene - a party-like atmosphere to entertain guests and reporters before revealing a film's release date.

This approach, Arthur noted, appeared to be one of the foreign influences Horn citizens had adopted and made their own.

As he surveyed the room, Arthur couldn't help but reflect on how different this was from his experiences in Morningstar. The blend of business and pleasure, the easy mingling of industry insiders and media - it all spoke to a more relaxed, yet potentially more effective, way of doing things.

***

Finally, Arthur faced the reporters, flanked by his partners. He leaned into the mic and declared, "My third film, 'The Good, The Bad and the Ugly' will hit theaters on May 25, 1272. Coincidentally, it's also my birthday."

The reporters immediately fired off questions. When asked about the film's style, Arthur replied simply, "It's a western."

This revelation set the reporters' minds whirring, articles practically writing themselves.

The next day, headlines blazed across newspapers:

"Ex-Prince Arthur's Upcoming Third Film Set for May 25 Release—Experts Predict Box Office Failure in Horn Kingdom Due to 'Western Style'"

Horn citizens scoffed at the news. "Hmph. It's bound to flop. Demon filmmakers have tried westerns before, and they've earned peanuts."

More headlines followed:

"Can 'The Good, The Bad and the Ugly' Match Arthur's Previous Blockbusters?"

Then came a surprising news: Titan Pictures announced their film, "The Desired Crown," would also premiere in Horn Kingdom on May 25, 1272.

This move seemed to confirm Titan Pictures' intent to challenge Arthur's third film, potentially splitting audience attention and cutting into his earnings by releasing on the same day.