Hollywood: Lights, Ink, Entertainment! Chapter 311: Round Table(2)

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Jessica hesitated for a mont, then looked to Regal. "You didn’t really talk about this during Superman’s release either, but how did you handle the footage leak during shooting? Especially since Deadpool went through sothing similar."

There was a brief, unmistakable pause.

Ryan and Shawn exchanged a look.

Regal answered evenly. "There is not much to unpack, honestly. The people involved were dealt with, and we tightened procedures moving forward. That’s really all you can do."

He glanced toward Ryan and Shawn. "As for Deadpool, that’s probably their story to tell."

Ryan exhaled theatrically.

"Alright. Full confession." He leaned forward. "Rember Superman’s opening weekend, when that ’leaked’ Deadpool footage suddenly showed up online?"

Jessica blinked. "The rooftop scene? You in costu?"

"That’s the one." Ryan said. "Yeah... that wasn’t a leak. We released it on purpose. Without telling Regal or the studio."

Regal turned his head slowly toward the cara. "I am hearing the word deliberately for the first ti right now, by the way."

Ryan squinted at him. "I don’t believe that for a second. You knew. You were just being very cool about it."

"We didn’t know that at the ti." Shawn cut in quickly. "We genuinely thought Regal might shut the whole thing down. Not delay it - actually shelve the film. We had gone completely rogue on a major marketing move."

Ryan nodded. "No backup plan, either. Our thinking was - if he did kill the project, maybe the story would sohow ’leak’ next." He shrugged. "Anonymously."

Henry frowned slightly. "Is that what people an by guerrilla marketing?"

Regal laughed despite himself. "You were planning to leak your entire movie?"

"There was no way I could watch a project that good get buried." Ryan said, more serious now.

Keanu spoke up calmly. "I am mostly impressed you were willing to risk the entire film on a marketing gamble."

Ryan didn’t hesitate. "I knew the footage was good. I knew it would land. And I knew that if we went through the normal approval process, we would spend weeks in etings - and by then, Superman’s montum would be gone."

"So we just did it." Shawn said. "Dropped the footage, watched it explode online, and waited to see if Regal would fire us."

"I didn’t." Regal said. "Because it worked. Engagent spiked, awareness shot through the roof, and it positioned Deadpool perfectly against Superman’s tone."

He looked directly at Ryan. "But if it had backfired, this would be a very different conversation."

Ryan let out a breath. "Not gonna lie. I had chills just now."

Alexander shook his head. "That’s... insane."

"Don’t oversell it." Regal said dryly.

"For the record." Shawn added. "I tried to talk him out of the backup plan."

"You absolutely did not." Ryan said.

"I tried for about five minutes." Shawn admitted. "Then I agreed it was brilliant."

Jessica cleared her throat, trying to regain control. "Okay... about [Green Lantern]..."

Ryan jumped in instantly. "Why did we suddenly pivot to that movie?"

"Let her finish, Ryan." Shawn said.

"Yeah, like hell I could." Ryan shot back. "Anything but that."

Regal and Keanu were already laughing. Henry just smiled, quietly enjoying the derailnt.

Jessica gave up on pretending it hadn’t happened. "Alright, I won’t na it." she said, amused. "But I do want to confirm sothing. That film, produced under MDC before Regal joined. Was it ever ant to be part of the larger cinematic universe you are building?"

By this point, anyone who had seen [Spider-Man], [Iron Man], and [Superman] could sense it, there was clearly sothing connecting these films beneath the surface.

"That version won’t be part of it." Regal said calmly, ignoring Ryan’s expression entirely. "Maybe another take on the character soday. But not that one."

Ryan slumped back in his chair. "Happy now?"

It was clear he still hadn’t fully recovered from those particular dark days.

Jessica shifted the conversation again. "Let’s talk about pressure. Henry, Superman opened to one hundred and eighty-nine million dostically and has crossed eight hundred and fifty million worldwide. By any standard, that’s a huge success. But it also sets expectations for your next movie. How do you deal with that?"

Henry didn’t hesitate. "I mostly deal with it by not thinking about it." he said honestly. "The mont I start chasing numbers or reviews, I lose the thread. My responsibility is to play Clark truthfully. Everything else, the box office, the reception, that’s out of my hands."

Regal nodded. "That’s exactly the right mindset. If we do make Superman 2 in the future, it won’t be to just repeat the first film’s numbers. We are making it to tell the next part of Clark’s story. If we do that properly, the rest tends to take care of itself."

Jessica turned to Ryan. "Deadpool cos out after Superman too. Does that add pressure to keep up?"

Ryan laughed. "God, no. We are the weird R-rated cody showing up after three serious, prestige superhero films under MDCU. Our success looks very different." He shrugged. "If Deadpool makes half of what Superman made, that’s still a massive win, especially on a much smaller budget and without a China release."

"And our audience knows what they are signing up for." Shawn added. "It’s self-selecting. People coming to Deadpool want irreverent, violent, ta humor. We are not trying to please everyone in the room."

Keanu spoke next, asured as always. "The Matrix sits in an interesting spot. We are releasing after Superman and Deadpool, so in a way, we are the odd ones."

Alexander nodded. "Between gravitas and chaos." he said. "Which actually suits the film. The Matrix is asking big philosophical questions, but it’s still delivering large-scale action. It naturally feels like fresh breath after those two extres."

Jessica glanced toward Regal. "One thing I noticed, setting Harry Potter aside, none of the films you are involved with have officially announced sequels yet. So when you ntioned a possible Superman 2, should audiences assu The Matrix or Deadpool might follow the sa path?"

Regal didn’t bite imdiately. "Isn’t it a little early for that?" he said. "I would rather have that conversation once the films are actually out. Let them exist first."

Ryan jumped in before the pause could settle. "See? That’s him saying nothing." He grinned. "But for Deadpool, it’s pretty simple. If the movie makes money, there will be another one. If it doesn’t - then no. End of story."

He leaned back, unfazed. "Personally, I will keep making Deadpool movies until soone physically stops . I will be seventy, still squeezing into the suit making dick jokes."

Shawn nodded, deadpan. "He is not exaggerating. He has already outlined Deadpool 2, 3, 4, and a Christmas special."

"The Christmas special is essential." Ryan said seriously. "It’s a key part of the character’s emotional journey."

Keanu blinked once. "I can’t tell if I should be impressed or concerned.

Jessica pressed on. "Last topic. Outside of these three films, we did a lot of digging, a lot, and uncovered several other projects you are involved in. Correct us if we are wrong."

Ryan perked up. "Oh, this part’s fun."

She ticked them off. "The fourth Harry Potter film, an animated project with UniqueFX about a panda, a high-budget Harry Potter ga, new comics, and a very quiet, very non-business trip to Japan. Is that everything, or are we missing sothing?"

There was a faint note of pride in her voice.

Regal smiled. "That is impressive." he said. "You are not wrong."

He paused, then added. "Though you did miss a few things. And yes, there is no denying any of it."

"...And?" Jessica drew the word out, hopeful.

"And nothing." Regal replied calmly, not budging.

She tried one last angle. "We still don’t know what your next project is. Even if you have said you are taking a break from directing, people are curious."

"The break is very much still on. As for the next project–" Regal said.

For a brief mont, he considered ntioning Friends.

He stopped himself. It was still too early, and there were a few key pieces that needed to fall into place before anything could be said publicly.

"–you will find out soon enough."

Jessica leaned back, exhaled, and smiled in defeat.

"Alright." she said. "I tried."

Jessica glanced around the circle. "To wrap it up. What do you want audiences to take away from your respective films?"

Henry answered first, without hesitation. "For Superman, I hope people walk away believing that hope isn’t naïve. That choosing to help others, even when it costs you sothing - isn’t a weakness. That’s what heroism actually looks like."

Keanu followed, asured as ever. "For the Matrix, it’s the idea that questioning your reality isn’t paranoia. That the systems we live inside aren’t as permanent or unchangeable as they seem. And that change becos possible the mont you’re willing to really look."

Ryan leaned forward. "For Deadpool - that superhero movie can be fun, ssy, irreverent, R-rated, and still have a heart." He paused. "Also... a lot of dick jokes. A lot."

Shawn sighed, smiling. "He is underselling it. Deadpool is about trauma, healing, and finding family in places you don’t expect. The jokes are just how we keep you listening long enough to notice."

Alexander nodded. "That’s true for all of these films, honestly. They are using superhero fraworks to talk about very human things. Superman is about identity and belonging. The Matrix is about control and freedom. Deadpool is about trauma and chosen family."

Regal finished quietly. "That’s the point. Use spectacle to tell stories that actually matter. Make people feel sothing real, even when the premise itself is impossible. That’s what superhero cinema should aim for."

Jessica smiled. "And on that note, we are out of ti. Thank you all, this has been—"

"—the best roundtable interview I have ever done." Ryan cut in smoothly. "And I have done many, because I am extrely popular and constantly in demand."

Henry laughed. "You are really staying in character even off-cara, aren’t you?"

Ryan shrugged. "I contain multitudes. Unfortunately, all of them are Deadpool."

.

....

[To be continued...]

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