"Young Master, after Perelman resigned from Marvel, some senior executives also submitted their resignations. Among them, two were vice presidents of the company... Currently, Marvel Comics has been receiving a lot of negative press, and there are many predicting its downfall," reported Ivan, the butler. He had just received an email from Marvel's Chief Operating Officer, which provided a detailed update on the company's current situation.
Mavi remained silent for a moment before simply responding, "Got it." He wasn't surprised. Mergers and acquisitions always triggered a chain reaction. Those executives and employees who lacked confidence in him were better off leaving on their own—sparing him the trouble of firing them one by one.
As for the ones who chose to stay, Mavi planned to assess their performance carefully and assign them key responsibilities accordingly. After all, they were the ones he could trust.
After spending $46 million, Mavi's bank account balance had dwindled to just $200 million. Now, he faced a crucial decision: whether to invest in producing a movie.
According to his memories from his previous life, Spider-Man 1 had a production budget of $169 million. If he spent that amount now, he would be left with only $30 million in liquid assets—a dangerous position for his business ventures. A single setback in any aspect of his operations could break his cash flow and lead to bankruptcy.
"If I remember correctly, Spider-Man 1 grossed $400 million at the North American box office and around $830 million globally... From pre-production to release, the entire process took over two years," Mavi calculated in his mind.
If he recklessly poured money into a film now, he would have to sacrifice a lot in those two years.
But… if he didn't make a movie, Marvel Comics would remain stagnant—mocked and underestimated, unable to reverse its decline. Damn, this was a tough call!
"Here's a list of actors. Get in touch with them and see if they'd be interested in working on a film project," Mavi instructed, sending a white document listing the actors' names to a friend in the U.S. via email.
On the list were some of the most familiar names from his past life: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), and more…
Since filming a full-length movie wasn't feasible at the moment, Mavi decided to shift gears—he would first produce an Avengers teaser trailer! And not just any trailer, but one that would be electrifying and visually stunning!
A teaser required a much lower investment, had a short production cycle, and could be completed in about a month. However, its economic impact and ripple effect could be massive.
Once the trailer was finished, Mavi planned to release it online, sparking a wave of excitement.
Moviegoers and Marvel fans—both in the U.S. and worldwide—would go crazy after watching such a breathtaking sci-fi teaser. The anticipation for a full-fledged Avengers movie would skyrocket.
As a result, Marvel's stock price would rebound, and more production studios would come knocking, eager to collaborate with him on the film.
This dramatic turnaround would surely leave Perelman—the man who had dumped his shares—and all those high-level executives who resigned, utterly shocked and regretful of their choices.
---
### Five Days Later – New York City
Outside a drug rehabilitation center, a weary-looking white man with unkempt hair and his signature scruffy beard stepped out of the facility. He appeared drained, both physically and mentally.
Just then, a black Hummer SUV pulled up in front of him. Two towering Russian men in suits stepped out of the vehicle.
"Are you Mr. Robert Downey Jr.?" one of the Russian men asked in heavily accented English.
Downey glanced at them warily. Given the situation, he thought they might be part of some Russian mob looking to settle a score. He quickly shook his head and said, "No, you've got the wrong guy." Then, he turned to leave.
But before he could take another step, the two Russians moved to block his path.
"Mr. Downey, we're not here to harm you. Our master is interested in casting you for a short film. Would you be interested?" The Russian man maintained a polite yet firm tone.
"A short film? What kind of short film?" Downey hesitated, his curiosity piqued.
Since being forced into rehab in 1997, he had gone nearly three years without a single acting offer. Not because he didn't want to act, but because no one dared to hire a former drug addict, fearing he might relapse mid-production and get sent back to rehab.
"The details will be discussed in person. But rest assured, regarding your payment—our master is very generous." The Russian man reached into his pocket and handed Downey a business card.
The card read: Marvel Cinematic Universe—or simply Marvel Studios.
Downey studied the card, intrigued. He had heard of Marvel Comics but had never come across Marvel Studios. Still, given his current situation, he wasn't in a position to be picky. Someone offering him a role was already a blessing.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he decided to give it a shot. He dialed the number on the card…
---
### Meanwhile – Hollywood, California
At an audition venue, a 16-year-old blonde girl stood next to her mother, waiting for her turn. Before she could enter, a black Hummer SUV pulled up in front of them.
A large Russian man stepped out and asked in a gruff voice, "Are you Miss Scarlett Johansson? My master wants to invite you to participate in a short film. Would you be interested?"
Before Scarlett could answer, her mother stepped forward protectively and said, "Sorry, but we'll have to decline. Scarlett has already committed to filming American Rhapsody. She won't have time for a short film. Apologies!"
She then attempted to lead Scarlett away.
But before they could leave, one of the Russian men opened the trunk of the Hummer, took out a black suitcase, and placed it in front of them.
"This is one million dollars," he said. "Our master hopes you will reconsider and decline all other projects."
As he spoke, he unlatched the case, revealing stacks of neatly arranged $100 bills—10,000 of them, to be precise.
Scarlett's mother froze, staring at the cash in disbelief.
Before she could regain her composure, the second Russian man retrieved another suitcase from the vehicle.
"If cash isn't to your liking," he said, "we can also offer an equivalent value in gold."
With that, he flipped open the second case, revealing rows of glistening gold bars, shimmering under the light.
The sheer brilliance of the scene left them both momentarily speechless…
(End of Chapter)