Director in Hollywood

Italy, as a cultural hub of Europe, may no longer lead the continent, but its influence in cinema remains substantial.

This nation has given birth to numerous world-class directors and excellent actors.

Additionally, Italy is home to many stunning women, such as Monica Bellucci.

However, Gilbert had no interaction with Monica Bellucci during his promotional visit to Rome, nor did he encounter this famed Italian beauty.

At the moment, though, her film Malèna is screening in several parts of Europe. While Gilbert hadn't seen the movie and couldn't comment on its quality, her beauty undoubtedly left moviegoers in awe.

After wrapping up the promotional tour in Rome, Gilbert disbanded the crew, officially marking the end of the The Sixth Sense promotional campaign.

However, instead of returning to North America immediately, he decided to stay in Rome for a couple more days and even made a trip to Milan.

In his previous life, as a small-time online movie director, traveling the world was an unattainable dream.

But now, reborn with his fluency in both Chinese and improved English, and having learned a few colorful French phrases from Sophie Marceau, he found himself able to travel the globe at will. Even better, it was all on the company's dime—a luxury he couldn't appreciate more.

One actor Gilbert particularly admired was Haley. He believed the young actor had immense talent. After the promotional tour ended, Gilbert invited Haley to explore Rome together.

The two visited iconic landmarks such as the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and the Vatican Museums.

It being summer, the tourist spots were bustling with visitors. Gilbert even spotted a few black-haired, yellow-skinned tourists speaking fluent Chinese.

"Wow, even during this era, there's already a trend of international tourism?" Gilbert thought to himself.

Of course, traveling abroad wasn't for everyone. Considering the average income of this period, a single overseas trip could easily cost an ordinary family a year's worth of living expenses.

At the Pantheon, Gilbert listened intently as the tour guide explained the architectural history and structure:

"This structure was originally built in 27 BC and rebuilt in 120 AD. Michelangelo himself praised it as 'the design of angels.'

"In 608 AD, it was consecrated as a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which is why it remains one of the best-preserved architectural wonders of ancient Rome.

"The 16 Corinthian columns on its façade are reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture.

"The interior proportions are perfectly balanced—the diameter and height are identical at approximately 43 meters.

"The base of the massive dome begins at the halfway point of the total height, creating a seamless curve that forms a complete sphere extending to the ground.

"This is a marvel in architectural history, showcasing the advanced engineering and sophisticated calculations of ancient Roman architects.

"The Pantheon is also the first building to prioritize interior design over exterior form…"

The guide delivered their presentation with great fluency, clearly an expert in their craft.

Gilbert, lagging behind the group, struck up a conversation with Haley.

"Haley, do you like Harry Potter?"

Haley nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I love it. It's such an amazing story."

"What do you think about playing Harry Potter?" Gilbert asked.

"Me? Play Harry Potter?" Haley's eyes widened in disbelief. "Could I really do that?"

"Of course, you can. If you're interested, I can make the decision right now," Gilbert replied with confidence.

He didn't feel the need to adhere strictly to having British actors in the roles or retaining the original cast for sentimental reasons. After all, this was a new world where most people had yet to hear of Harry Potter!

In the previous timeline, aside from Emma Watson, whose beauty kept her in the public eye, the other two main cast members hadn't aged well and had mediocre acting skills.

Since the cast might not age gracefully either way, why not choose a more outstanding young actor now?

As for a British accent, that could be trained. J.K. Rowling had no decision-making authority, and the contracts for the first three films had already been signed. She had no room to object.

By the time the new trio had left a lasting impression on audiences after three films, it would be impractical for Rowling to demand a cast change.

Haley was delighted but remained thoughtful. "I think it'd still be better to convince everyone through an audition."

"Do you think you can pass the audition?"

"I'm confident I can."

"Good…" Gilbert nodded in satisfaction. It was important for the young actor to have this level of self-assurance.

While Gilbert continued to enjoy his time in Italy, across the Atlantic in Los Angeles, Warner Bros. headquarters was hosting a high-level meeting.

As a rule, smoking wasn't permitted during meetings.

Yet, the conference room was filled with smoke, and nobody cared about protocol anymore.

"So, what do we do now?" Warner Bros. CEO Jeff Robinov asked, seated at the head of the table.

Doug Walter spoke up first. "It's my fault. I'll take responsibility."

Jeff waved his hand dismissively. "The film's failure is a collective responsibility, not just yours. Our real issue is figuring out what to do next."

This meeting was held in response to the disastrous box office performance of Batman & Robin.

As fate would have it, Gilbert's actions hadn't triggered any significant butterfly effects, and Batman & Robin failed as expected.

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $42.87 million, which might seem decent at first glance. But the box office trend told a different story.

The film earned $22.54 million on its opening day, dropped to $13.28 million on the second day, and plummeted to just $7.03 million on the third.

Along with the declining box office numbers came a wave of negative audience feedback.

While critics typically bashed superhero movies, the audience's opinion was far more critical.

Exit poll data showed that only 9% of viewers gave the film an A+ rating, while a staggering 70% rated it below a C-.

Most viewers dismissed the movie as a ridiculous, over-the-top joke, lacking any semblance of the dark and brooding essence of a Batman story.

Critics, unsurprisingly, tore it apart with relish, using the opportunity to reaffirm their disdain for superhero movies as a whole.

For a summer blockbuster, such a disastrous opening week was a bitter pill to swallow. With no chance of a late-stage recovery, the film's fate was sealed.

Warner Bros. had been in discussions with theater chains, but poor performance meant they were losing screen slots rapidly.

Batman, a beloved comic book hero more recognizable than most Marvel characters, had suffered a major blow.

Among DC's "Big Three" heroes—Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman—only Superman had previously enjoyed a successful film franchise.

Strangely, both Superman and Batman franchises had stumbled on their fourth installments, as if cursed by a "fourth-film jinx."