Chapter 435: Titular

Chapter 435: Chapter 435: Titular

After finalising the support for Peter Cooper and binding Marvel’s future development direction, Irene did not rush to push forward.

She immediately instructed her intelligence team to thoroughly dig into the latest movements of the Perlmutter Family’s remaining forces, while simultaneously mapping out the positions, demands, and secretly favoured candidates of Marvel’s original veteran shareholders one by one.

The removal at a shareholders’ meeting merely tore open the first crack in Marvel’s chaotic situation; the real game of chess was far more than just overnight personnel changes.

Isaac had fallen, but the Perlmutter Family, which had entrenched itself in Marvel for many years, had its roots not completely pulled out.

The various original veteran shareholders harboured their own thoughts and held heavy weight in their hands, each calculating how to support proxy spokespersons and control the company’s right to speak.

Wanting to truly stabilise Peter’s interim CEO position and completely control Marvel’s future trajectory was by no means simply a matter of supporting one person.

It was necessary to precisely grasp the trump cards and demands of every faction, purposefully dismantle opponents’ layouts, resolve potential resistance, and break through all obstacles one by one.

This silent capital tug-of-war and factional reckoning was destined to require a long period of time to settle and meticulous intelligence groundwork; she could neither rush nor be impatient.

There was still at least three months until the next shareholders’ meeting, and some things could not be rushed.

Restraining her impatience, Irene left Marvel’s affairs to ferment over time, turning around to shift some of her energy back to her core film and television business to welcome a new round of industry grand events.

In early 2005, with the nominations for the 77th Academy Awards about to be announced, Hollywood completely entered its annual, most bustling, and utilitarian Oscar-campaign social season.

Major production companies and creative teams rushed to attend banquets, exchanged connections, and laid the groundwork for their reputation; every top-tier party was an invisible battlefield for awards.

As the winner of the Venice Golden Lion Award and this year’s most humanistic and textured literary masterpiece, "Brokeback Mountain" had over 300,000 ratings online.

Despite many skeptical voices, it still steadily squeezed into this year’s Oscar-campaign echelon, and Irene, as the film’s Producer, had her name prominently listed among the creative team.

However, she was not the only Producer of the film, and most people knew she was just a titular name.

Although she was the investor and leader of this movie, the only personal award exclusively belonging to her was Best Adapted Screenplay, which was also what she had planned from the beginning.

Two years ago, she won the Oscar for Best Picture in one fell swoop with "Million Dollar Baby", achieving fame at a young age and reaching the pinnacle, setting a legendary record as Hollywood’s youngest female Producer.

Moreover, the Oscar organising committee had always avoided repeated awards within a short period of time.

Balancing award distribution with industry buzz, they would never award a heavyweight grand prize to the same person twice within a short span of two years.

Even if the texture of "Brokeback Mountain" far surpassed most contemporary works and its reputation and awards foundation were solid, it was almost impossible for Irene to even win the Best Adapted Screenplay award, let alone win Best Picture in the capacity of a Producer.

Rather than handing this award over to others, she deliberately had the company place her identity as a Producer at the very end when submitting for awards, which could weaken her presence so that the judges would not let awards that should have belonged to "Brokeback Mountain" go to others just because of her presence.

Therefore, attending Oscar-campaign preview events, maintaining industry exposure, and connecting with the organising committee’s network were still indispensable steps.

Yet Irene originally wanted to take this opportunity to keep a low profile and decline attendance at various events.

But Shelly found her at the very first moment.

"I think you know in your heart that your probability of winning an award this session is negligible. But the Oscar has never been a competition arena that only looks at a single work; it is even more a long-term network game and impression score game.

You are currently at the height of your limelight and too young. Even with top-tier strength, you must understand how to restrain your sharpness and maintain your dignity, keeping stable exposure and a good reputation in front of the organising committee."

"It does not matter if you cannot get it this time; there is the next session, and the session after that. Your creative career is still very long, and countless future works will need the endorsement and backing of the Oscar. Maintaining activity and brushing up official goodwill is the safest long-term investment, and you will definitely not suffer a loss."

After pondering for a moment, she nodded in consent and accepted the invitation to attend this preview event.

In the end, she chose to attend a high-end private party specially organised by Warner Bros. for the annual Oscar-campaign blockbuster "The Aviator."

At least Warner Bros.’s relationship with her was decent, and with Leonardo present, she would not be bored at the very least.

As this session’s Oscar top favourite, "The Aviator" signed up for eleven awards, boasting the greatest momentum among all contemporary films.

After all, it told the story of Hollywood’s legendary Producer Howard Hughes—who in Hollywood had not heard of that name?—and this event also gathered almost half of this session’s Oscar creative teams, Producers, judges, and industry heavyweights.

Virtually every team with ambitions for this session’s Oscar, striving to fight for resources and connections, was fully present.

Taking advantage of its own film’s buzz, Warner Bros. opened up the venue and built a social platform, giving the entire Hollywood an unspoken opportunity for friendly communication, resource exchange, and network connection.

On the night of the party, top Hollywood celebrities gathered together with fragrant clothes and intertwining cups.

The luxurious banquet hall was brightly lit and glittering, everywhere exuding the dignity and hustle-bustle of the top capital circle.

Unlike the pomp of other filmmakers travelling in pairs or surrounded by teams, Irene arrived at the scene alone.

Wearing a simple yet high-end black velvet gown with light and exquisite make-up, her temperament was aloof and detached.

Standing alone in the noisy crowd, she naturally carried an extraordinary aura—quiet, yet never dimming.

As soon as she walked through the door, she was spotted at a glance by Hope Leslie, the distribution head of Warner Bros. walking toward her.

Hope and Irene had a pretty good relationship.

Back then, "Million Dollar Baby" being able to smoothly break through North America’s theatre chains, secure ultra-high screenings, and ultimately reach the top of the Oscar was inseparable from the all-out help of the Warner Bros. distribution team where Hope was located.

The two could be considered old acquaintances who had worked side by side, and their relationship was familiar and harmonious.

Hope smiled as he stepped forward to greet her, his eyes carrying familiar teasing:

"Our Hollywood’s currently most popular and sought-after female director and female Producer actually attended the banquet alone tonight? I see so many good-looking, promising young actors in the circle frequently showing goodwill toward you—could it be that not even one of them catches your eye?"

Hearing this, Irene smiled helplessly, raising her hand to gently tuck the stray hairs behind her ear:

"There are too many projects piled up on my hand recently, pressing down one after another, leaving me with no extra energy to attend to personal matters."

This simple explanation concealed her routine lifestyle over these years.

After chatting for a moment, looking at the lively, bustling crowd paired up in twos in front of her, a trace of fragmentary emotion quietly welled up in the bottom of Irene’s heart.

Time slipped by swiftly; the duration of her separation from Loren had long exceeded the years the two of them once spent accompanying and guarding each other.

In these years, she was situated in Hollywood, where fame and fortune were at their peak and temptations were most numerous; around her, there was never a lack of stunning and dazzling people.

Countless handsome, vibrant, well-built, and uniquely temperamented young bodies surrounded her, and there was no shortage of suitors who actively showed goodwill and were gentle and attentive.

She was not entirely calm with a stagnant heart and no ripples; she had once felt brief appreciation and emotional stirring toward certain people.

Yet every time a budding fondness appeared, it would be subconsciously suppressed and calmly restrained by her.