Chapter 276: Confidence

Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Confidence

The seats in the screening room were filled at a speed visible to the naked eye. The laughter and chatter gradually faded, leaving only the soft sound of seats flipping and the occasional cough.

Guided by a staff member, Jerry Bruckheimer walked quickly through the aisle and specifically chose an empty seat next to Irene to sit down.

As soon as he sat down, he lowered his voice and sighed, his tone full of unmistakable worry: "Irene, I heard it all the way down the hallway; there are more voices of doubt than I imagined. Those reporters keep mentioning Cutthroat Island, saying we’re repeating the same mistakes."

His fingertips unconsciously tapped the armrest, and his voice carried an ill-concealed tension: "Honestly, I’m more nervous now than when Pearl Harbor was released. Back then, although Pearl Harbor was controversial, at least there wasn’t a 007 movie eyeing us greedily from the side."

Irene looked at him sideways. By the faint light before the screen lit up, she could see fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

As one of Hollywood’s most senior producers, Jerry had handled countless big productions, but he had never been as worried about gains and losses as he was at this moment. ℴ

Pirates of the Caribbean had a total cost, including promotion, of over $200 million. Coupled with the release of Die Another Day next week, the pressure of two major commercial films colliding head-on was imaginable.

"Jerry, we both know how excellent this film is, don’t we?" Irene’s voice was steady and powerful. "Jack Sparrow’s uniqueness, the well-paced adventure plot, and the refinement the entire team put into the visuals and music—these aren’t just empty gimmicks. Relax, the answer will be revealed soon."

"I want to relax too." Jerry shook his head and gave a self-deprecating smile. "But I really can’t. Die Another Day is coming out next week. Are you really not nervous? They’re both commercial blockbusters with highly overlapping audiences. Their IP heritage and global appeal will definitely hit us hard."

As a producer, he had confidence in the quality of Pirates of the Caribbean, but the recent overwhelming voices of pessimism, combined with the media’s forced comparison to the 007 series, made his worries grow heavier.

The 007 series had been cultivated for decades and was a globally recognized classic spy IP, while Pirates of the Caribbean was a pirate-themed film that the whole world looked down upon. The starting points of the two were more than ten thousand miles apart.

Just as Irene was about to offer some comfort, two familiar figures appeared in the aisle.

Henry Cavill and Keira Knightley carefully made their way through the crowd. When they saw Irene, they both immediately broke into smiles.

"Irene!" Keira greeted first, her voice light and cheerful.

Irene stood up, gave her a warm hug, then turned to Henry and gave him a light hug as well: "You’ve arrived just in time. Any later and you would’ve missed the opening."

"We were just held up by reporters outside and almost didn’t make it in on time." Henry smiled as he sat down. "We heard the discussions outside too. Some people are even comparing us to 007, saying we’re bound to lose."

After sitting down, Keira smoothed her skirt, her tone carrying a hint of defiance: "They haven’t even seen our movie yet, so how do they know we’ll lose? I think Captain Jack is more charming than Bond—at least more interesting than that poker face."

"Indeed." Irene smiled, her tone certain. "The elegant maturity of 007 is a classic, but Jack Sparrow’s crazy, unruly, and morally ambiguous nature is a brand-new viewing experience. Today’s audiences have long since grown tired of a single hero template. A character like Jack, who has flaws and personality, is actually easier to remember."

Jerry listened from the side, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly.

He looked at the three young people in front of him. Their confidence in the film was not faked; it stemmed from their recognition of the work itself.

At that moment, the lights in the screening room suddenly went out, and the entire venue fell into darkness.

As light and shadow flowed across the screen, the waves of the Caribbean Sea seemed to break through the walls of the screening room, bringing the scent of salty sea breeze to their faces.

Just as Irene settled in, she felt a familiar figure beside her—it was Robert.

He was wearing a crisp suit, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead from rushing. He had just finished handling matters related to Saw and had hurried over.

"Sorry I’m late." He greeted Irene in a low voice. When his gaze turned to the screen, it carried a hint of subtle surprise.

As the newly joined executive manager of Echo Pictures, he had been busy following the company’s recent projects. This was his first time watching Pirates of the Caribbean in its entirety.

On the screen, Will, played by Henry Cavill, and Elizabeth, played by Keira Knightley, were making their appearance at Port Royal. The combination of the handsome man and the beautiful woman was indeed eye-catching. In the shots, one was heroic and the other charming, but to say how stunning they were, they seemed merely standard.

"The performance of the new actors is acceptable, but I feel it lacks a bit of a memorable point," a film critic in the front row whispered. "The plot is also too bland—just the common encounter between a noble girl and a commoner blacksmith. Nothing new."

Robert peeked at Irene. Seeing her expression remained calm, he couldn’t help but wonder: Is this the commercial blockbuster with a 140 million dollar investment?

The appeal of the lead actor and actress could only be considered average, and the pacing of the plot was slightly sluggish, far from the adventure feast he had expected.

Could Irene have really been overconfident this time and be about to trip up?

As the plot progressed, the lack of explosive moments made the whispers in the screening room more and more obvious.

Carmen, who already didn’t think highly of the movie, complained directly to the colleague beside him: "As expected, the pirate theme has long been beyond saving. Besides the exquisite visuals, everything else is a flaw. The acting of the lead actors is as stiff as wood, and they dare to go head-on with 007? Simply overestimating themselves."

His voice wasn’t small, and many people around him heard it. Some nodded silently in agreement, while others showed expressions of approval.

Jerry’s back tensed even more. His fingers gripped the armrest tightly, his knuckles turning white, and even his breathing became heavy. "Irene, look..." He was about to speak when he was interrupted by the image suddenly appearing on the screen.

The camera turned to a chaotic dock where a dilapidated small boat was slowly sinking, seawater already washing over the deck. Just when everyone thought a majestic pirate would appear, a figure suddenly stood up from the boat.

It was Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp.

He wore stained pirate clothes, his hair was a messy nest, and he had a cynical smile on his face. Stepping with a strange catwalk, his fingers even held a somewhat casual effeminate posture, twisting his swaying and absurd body as he stepped onto the stone path of the dock.

The entire screening room instantly fell into a deathly silence, followed by many people gasping.

"What the hell is this pirate?" someone subconsciously blurted out, their tone full of bewilderment.