Chapter 145: Someone’s Picking a Fight

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Someone’s Picking a Fight

The opening weekend box office for The Italian Job was $60.32 million!

The entertainment pages of Los Angeles were already flooded with box office news.

This figure far exceeded the conservative forecast of $50 million, instantly catapulting Irene to the throne of A-list Hollywood directors.

After all, in Hollywood, films that grossed over $50 million in their opening weekend previously either had strong IP support, such as the Star Wars series, or were helmed by famous directors, such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or Saving Private Ryan, or were blockbuster special effects films like Armageddon or Jurassic Park.

For a film like The Italian Job, with an original IP, a third-tier director (as Irene self-proclaimed), and a cast of third-tier actors to achieve such results was no small feat.

"Every major newspaper is reporting on it," Shelly said, placing a stack of newspapers on the table. "The Los Angeles Times used ’Dark Horse Upset, New Director Rewrites the Landscape of Commercial Films’ as their headline, and Variety also called you the ’most explosive young creator in Hollywood.’"

Irene picked up a few newspapers and quickly scanned the film review sections.

The Hollywood Reporter gave a direct and enthusiastic review: "The $60.32 million box office is well-deserved! The Italian Job redefines the crime action genre with its intricate narrative pacing and realistic, thrilling action sequences.

Irene Coppola demonstrates ultimate control over commercial filmmaking. The car chase scenes and the team collaboration plot are seamlessly integrated. Without unnecessary special effects, the film keeps the audience fully immersed—something many A-list directors struggle to achieve."

The New York Post offered a gentle affirmation: "From teen comedies to crime action films, Irene’s transition is a pleasant surprise.

The film has a tight plot and distinct characters, and the chemistry between Matt Damon and Charlize Theron is eye-catching. Although some plot points are slightly idealized, as a commercial entertainment film, it succeeds in providing the audience with ultimate viewing pleasure, and the opening weekend box office is the best proof."

Of course, it wasn’t without negative reviews. Rolling Stone magazine’s review carried obvious skepticism: "Behind the $60.32 million box office lies an overly simplified plot logic.

The heist team’s plan goes too smoothly to be reasonable, the villain is thinly drawn, and it lacks sufficient conflict tension. It feels more like a carefully choreographed ’visual game’ rather than a profound action movie."

Vanity Fair’s review was even harsher: "Irene’s narrative ability is limited to ’thrills.’ The film lacks exploration of human nature, character motivations are one-dimensional, and all plot designs serve only the action sequences. While the box office is impressive, it is unlikely to become a classic."

Irene put down the newspapers, her face expressionless.

Even the dollar gets rejected by some. It was just a commercial film, so it would be strange if there weren’t any negative reviews. Besides, she didn’t have much affection for film critics. The audience was her god.

Just as the team was immersed in the joy of the box office success, a new piece of entertainment news suddenly ignited a topic. When top Hollywood commercial director Michael Bay was asked about his thoughts on the surprise box office hit The Italian Job in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, his tone carried obvious disdain.

"The $60.32 million box office is indeed surprising, but that doesn’t mean the film’s quality is high."

Michael Bay’s interview content was printed in bold in the newspapers: "I have seen this movie. The plot design is too childish, like children playing house.

The robbers hardly encounter any real obstacles, and the heist process is unbelievably smooth. This kind of illogical thrill might attract some audiences, but it is definitely not the standard a real commercial film should have."

His words were highly targeted, and what was even more attention-grabbing was that Pearl Harbor, directed by Michael Bay, was about to be released next month. This war epic, with a production cost of as high as $140 million, was Disney’s key distribution project for the year and one of the most anticipated commercial blockbusters of the year.

It was generally believed in the industry that his remarks were both a slight toward a new director and an implicit warning about box office competition. After all, the surprise success of The Italian Job had already diverted some of the summer season’s audience attention.

"Is Michael Bay deliberately looking for trouble?" Vera said indignantly. "He’s stepping on us before Pearl Harbor even comes out. He’s clearly afraid we’ll steal his spotlight."

Shelly also frowned. "As an A-list director, publicly criticizing a new director’s work as childish is indeed not very becoming.

However, this also shows that The Italian Job has attracted the attention of the top circles, and they have started to treat you as a competitor."

Irene was not worried about these negative comments, but since Pearl Harbor was a key release for Disney this year, and she was about to collaborate with Disney on the development of Pirates of the Caribbean, she had to consider whether Michael Bay’s words were his own personal thoughts or if there were forces behind him supporting him.

She picked up the coffee on the table and took a light sip, her eyes calm but carrying a hint of sharpness. "He has a point. The film did simplify the plot logic, sacrificing some realism to ensure the thrill.

But isn’t the core of a commercial film to provide the audience with experiences they cannot obtain in reality within a fictional world? His Pearl Harbor pursues grand narratives and visual spectacles, while my The Italian Job pursues intricate pacing and team synergy. There is no distinction of high or low. It’s just a different creative direction."

Shelly and Vera were infected by her calmness, and the injustice in their hearts gradually dissipated.

They knew that at this moment, Irene was no longer the new director who needed to prove herself, but a commercial film powerhouse capable of competing with A-list directors.

The $60.32 million opening weekend box office gave her enough confidence to face any skepticism and challenges in the industry.

A week later at the Fox Building, when Irene and Shelly walked into the conference room on the 28th floor, representatives from Fox and Disney had already taken their seats.

At the end of the long conference table, Jerry Bruckheimer was reviewing the latest box office report for The Italian Job. Seeing her enter, he looked up and offered an approving smile.

Baird Fergus was the first to stand up and shake her hand, his tone full of pride. "Irene, congratulations. The box office drop for The Italian Job in its second week is good, with cumulative earnings already exceeding $100 million, and the global box office is about to break $180 million. You are now the hottest name in Hollywood."

Irene smiled and nodded, sat down next to Shelly, and scanned the Disney representatives opposite her.

The leader was Disney Studios President Robert Iger, who was wearing a dark blue suit with a formulaic, gentle smile on his face. He hadn’t even shown up for the last negotiation, but now he was sitting in the conference room, which was enough to show the importance Disney placed on Irene.

After all, the box office achievement of breaking $100 million in two weeks had already made The Italian Job one of the most profitable films of the year, and Pirates of the Caribbean, which they were about to discuss, undoubtedly carried even higher expectations.