[Chapter 284: Dealing With Troublemakers and a Date Request]
Charlie laughed with disbelief.
He licked his lower lip and squinted at the burly man.
Generally, protests and calls for rights are about opposing restrictions placed on oneself. For example, legitimate feminism fights for equal pay, equal job opportunities, and the right for women to perform the same roles as men. That is called resistance.
But restricting others is oppression!
Rough characters like the one in front of Charlie were nothing new. Earlier, his own Fifty Shades of Gray project was accused of plagiarism by some.
Most of these people weren't truly ignorant; they just wanted to cause trouble.
The best way to deal with thugs is to either slap them down at the right moment or stir the waters equally. Never reason with them because their goal is to create chaos, not to be reasonable.
But since there were reporters on site, Charlie couldn't just step up and fight.
He nodded slightly, softened his mocking gaze to a more sincere look, and spoke loudly: "Very good, nice to meet you. Whether fellow fans of Mr. Tolkien's work or collaborators on film adaptations, I respect everyone. I believe we share the hope to develop more film and related projects inspired by Mr. Tolkien's work to captivate even more people. Isn't that right?"
The burly man blinked and nodded dumbfounded, "Yes!"
"The Lord of the Rings project set up an online forum and an open mailbox for suggestions from the very beginning. Countless fans have helped us a lot. Lion Corleone is a young company, but we are passionate about Tolkien's work.
Our preparations have been reported by the media, giving fans confidence. I know it is still not enough because Tolkien's work is so magnificent. However, great works are the toughest to adapt. Someone has to have the courage to do it. We can fail, but we must never lose our courage. Otherwise, who will develop The Lord of the Rings?
If you're a true fan, you should offer suggestions and work with us instead of trying to stop the project!"
"But..." the burly man tried to deny his fan status, thinking hard before preparing to cause trouble.
"Shut up!" Charlie suddenly shouted, giving him no chance, "As a fellow fan, I've answered your questions! Now, as the head of a film company, we have invested nearly 400 million dollars and thousands of people, along with billions of fans worldwide, are working hard on this.
The production costs millions of dollars daily. You've wasted twenty minutes of our time. If you continue to stop filming violently, be prepared to compensate for damages. New Zealand's Maori insurance companies, fire fund insurers, and the local police will handle it. Proceed at your own risk!"
After saying this, Charlie nodded at the Tongariro National Park officials, gave Kevin a glance, jumped down from a rock, and turned to walk away.
---
The troublemakers looked at each other.
Their little tricks could only bully small companies.
The Lion Corleone Group, without even counting a complex web of shareholders, had assets exceeding a billion dollars.
Last year, Mafia released six theatrical films, grossing around $680 million.
In 1998, North American box office revenue was 6.7 billion dollars.
Lion Corleone held a market share of 10.1%, surpassing Sony's 610 million, ranking fifth!
It was the most dazzling film group outside the Big Six in North America.
Those little troublemakers were powerless.
While hesitating, shocked by potential millions in daily compensations, Tongariro National Park staff began to disperse the crowd.
A small scene like this ended easily.
Reporters kept snapping photos of the embarrassed rioters and Charlie Corleone's manly figure walking away without looking back.
---
Kevin hurried after his boss, grinning half-jokingly, "Thanks to your timely intervention, boss, otherwise who knows how much damage those guys would have caused if they stormed the set."
Kevin could have handled it too, but as a company executive, he was less known. Charlie's stature gave him an edge to intimidate both softly and firmly.
Charlie humorously responded modestly and looked at the admiring Annabelle beside him, smiling: "Hey, sweetheart, daydreaming? Are you mesmerized by my brave act?"
Annabelle coyly replied, "Not at all. I was wondering if I could have handled this better if it were me."
Probably not.
Men and women differ physically and psychologically, creating distinct advantages and disadvantages.
A group of thugs charging would be momentarily stunned by Charlie's identity, size, and voice.
But it would be tough for a woman to stop them, often inviting ridicule.
Of course, this isn't impossible for women. It requires continuous experience and exuding a strong aura from within.
Recalling working with Charlie so far, Annabelle felt her lack of training even more. The little stubbornness she had suddenly vanished.
She playfully punched the boss and said, "I thought you were going to jump in and fight those guys. Aren't you good at fighting?"
Charlie's face darkened slightly, chuckled, "Yeah, and I'm also good at fighting women. If you're interested, maybe someday we can try."
"Get lost!" Annabelle punched him again.
Kevin kept his eyes forward, striding on, ignoring their teasing.
---
"So, Charlie, what about those fans?" Peter asked with concern as he ate heartily in the trailer.
"No problem, it's settled!" Charlie flashed an OK sign, smiling as he took a food box from a crew member and said thanks.
"Great, I knew you could handle it. Charlie, without you, I can't imagine how troublesome managing such a huge project would be," Peter happily said.
Indeed, it was worth celebrating.
The Lord of the Rings project involved over twenty departments and nearly a thousand staff, not including extras and bureaucracies like customs, fire departments, transport, and more.
Managing all this was no less than a military operation.
After lunch, everyone rested briefly before shooting resumed.
Charlie and Kevin then went to arrange the next filming location, adjusting schedules as needed, and later busy coordinating accommodation and transport logistics.
---
At 6 p.m., after a full day's work, Charlie sat on the porch of a cabin sipping iced juice, chatting casually with Kevin.
"With a project this huge, I think Lion Corleone will become even more mature. Get ready, I plan to have you co-produce the Spider-Man project with MGM."
"Awesome, Charlie! I can't wait. You know how much I love Marvel comics," Kevin said excitedly.
"I know, but this is not the end, Kevin. Let's go check how the crew is doing," Charlie said with a smile, standing up to head to the trailers.
---
Filming was over for the day, and Peter and others were packing up.
As they finished, the sunset nestled perfectly over the volcano crater on the distant hills, sunlight shimmering on the lake, creating a serene and beautiful scene.
Charlie stretched by the lake, glanced at Annabelle and suddenly smiled, "Hey, princess, want to grab a drink at the local tavern in town? I heard they have some unique fruit wine made by the local Maori people; it should be great."
*****
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