AN: C'mon guys, lacking powerstones. Help me get into top 15 rank.
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[March 12, 2009] [Wilson Estate] [Poolside Workspace]
Two days after Asher's birthday, the Wilson estate had returned to its usual version of peace, which meant newborn cries from the upper floor, staff moving quietly through the halls, and several powerful women debating whose turn it was to hold whichever baby had recently fallen asleep.
Alex had escaped to the pool before noon.
He'd created a small workspace beneath the shaded area near the pool, complete with a long table, two chairs, his laptop, several production calendars, and enough scripts to make the arrangement look like a studio office had migrated into the garden. A pitcher of water sat near the edge of the table, though Alex had barely touched it since sitting down.
A new year meant new movies, new television projects, new books, and another opportunity to make the rest of Hollywood wonder whether Titan Studios is going to dominate again in 2009.
Iron Man would begin filming at the end of the week, with Robert Downey Jr. already preparing for Tony Stark's opening scenes. The armor department had completed several practical sections of the Mark I suit, while the motion-capture team continued refining the movement system that would carry the later designs.
Zack Snyder had wrapped principal photography on Man of Steel several weeks ahead of schedule. He was currently working with Titan's editing teams, though most of the difficult post-production work would eventually pass through Alex's Universal Editor. Once the film was completed, Zack would begin preparing Justice League: Doomsday, the first major entry in the Justice League series.
Peter Jackson had already started The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The release date had been set for October. So, Evangeline was really busy with the filming.
The Russo brothers had also accepted the X-Men contract after spending over two months studying the comics, character histories, and political themes surrounding mutant society. They had returned to Titan with several pages of questions, production ideas, and enough excitement to convince Alex that he'd made the right choice.
News of the X-Men auditions had already spread across the internet.
Some wondered why Alex was letting directors with less experience direct such an important movie. But none of them made any public statement regarding that because Alex had proven everyone wrong time after time. So, rather than worrying about that, they decided to focus on the audition.
More or less every actor in Hollywood between the ages of eighteen and sixty suddenly believed they had the perfect face for a mutant. Titan's casting department had received thousands of submissions within the first forty-eight hours, including established stars, theater performers, unknown television actors, and several people who seemed convinced that owning a leather jacket qualified them to play Wolverine.
Alex would deal with that chaos later.
For now, he wanted to focus on projects outside the superhero genre. Titan had conquered superheroes and fantasy several times already, but Alex had no intention of allowing the company to become predictable.
He opened the thick production calendar and wrote three words across the top of the empty page.
Dominate the year.
Alex smiled faintly as he looked at the sentence. "Oh yeah. I'm gonna dominate again."
He reached toward the first pile of scripts and began sorting through titles he'd written years earlier. Some were complete screenplays, while others were outlines waiting for the right director, cast, or production window.
After several minutes, he found a worn folder buried beneath two unfinished science-fiction scripts.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
"Found you, old friend," Alex said as he ran his fingers across the title before placing the script beside his production calendar. He'd acquired the full Narnia rights years earlier.
He had also made Max a promise.
She once said she loved the idea of walking through a normal wardrobe and finding a different world on the other side. Alex promised her he would make Narnia real one day, with snowy forests, talking animals, grand battles, and enough magic to make her forget she was in a theater.
Someday had become several years.
Spider-Man, The Hobbit, Supergirl, Maleficent, Iron Man, the recession, Asher's birth, and Max's pregnancy had pushed Narnia further down the schedule every time Alex tried to return to it.
He opened the script and skimmed the first few pages. Lucy entered the wardrobe during a quiet afternoon, pushing past hanging coats until the wooden floor beneath her feet became snow.
Alex could already see the scene in his mind.
The lamppost glowing inside the forest.
Mr. Tumnus standing beneath an umbrella.
The White Witch traveling through the snow in her sleigh.
Aslan walking onto the battlefield while every creature around him understood exactly what his presence meant.
Alex placed the screenplay in the confirmed pile. "Max is getting her magical wardrobe this year."
The next search took longer.
He moved through horror scripts, unfinished outlines, and several folders connected to Silent Hill before pulling out a black binder marked with a red symbol.
Resident Evil.
The title had never existed in this reality.
There were no games, no movies, no Umbrella Corporation, no Raccoon City, and no fan expectations waiting to judge every creative decision. Alex owned the concept completely, which allowed him to introduce the world through film before expanding it into games, novels, and animated projects.
He opened the script and reviewed the foundation.
A hidden laboratory beneath Raccoon City.
The T-virus escaping containment.
Employees trapped inside the Hive.
Umbrella's security system sealing every exit.
A tactical team entering the facility without understanding that almost everyone below had already died.
The undead awakening.
The Red Queen watching everything.
Alex had no intention of repeating the mistakes he remembered from the Resident Evil films in his previous world. He wouldn't throw away the horror atmosphere after one installment, break continuity every time a sequel needed a new idea, or let the monsters become background decoration for increasingly ridiculous action scenes.
The first film would be claustrophobic, tense, violent, and frightening.
Every hallway in the Hive would feel dangerous. Keeping track of ammunition is important. Injuries have consequences. The characters cannot escape from impossible situations without facing consequences.
Alice would remain at the center of the story, though she wouldn't become an unstoppable superhuman within the first film. And the OG characters like Chris, Leon, Jill, and the others will make their appearances in due time.
Alex wrote Milla Jovovich's name across the casting page. He had always believed she carried Alice with more commitment than the scripts deserved. In this reality, she would receive stronger material, consistent character development, and become even more famous than she was in his past world.
A shadow crossed the table before a cold glass of iced tea appeared beside Alex's hand.
Angelina stood beside him in a loose black top and cream trousers, her hair falling naturally around her shoulders. She glanced over the scripts spread across the table before sitting in the empty chair.
Alex picked up the drink and smiled. "Ah, perfect timing. I've got something big for you."
Angelina looked at the two scripts beside him.
He pulled out a thick black folder and placed it in front of her.
DC: Gods & Wonders
Angelina read the title before looking back at him. "So, you're finally giving the green light?"
"Yep. We'll start with her origin story," Alex replied. "Twelve episodes, around an hour each. Paradise Island, the Amazons, the old gods, Diana's childhood, her training, and everything that turns her into Wonder Woman."
Angelina opened the folder and read the first page. The opening episode began centuries before Diana's birth, during the era of the gods.
"We're covering everything in this show?" she asked while turning the page.
"Yep," Alex said as he took another sip of iced tea. "I tried making it work as a movie first, but considering the content, cutting arcs won't look good. And I want to introduce Wonder Woman properly. So, read it. Oh, and go to the costume department. I've already told Jane to start the preparation for the official costume design."
Angelina leaned in and kissed him.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me. The shoot will start in two months, and then after the wrap-up, you're going to shoot for Justice League: Doomsday. You're gonna be busy all year long."
...
A few hours later, after Angelina left.
Alex pulled another folder from the remaining stack.
Alien 2.
Scarlett will reprise her role. And he kept the OG story, but improved the characters and villain. He also added more information on the Xenomorphs and their weaker variants. So that the audience won't feel like he nerfed the Xenomorphs during the horde scene where they are getting killed by a machine gun.
Alex placed the folder beside Resident Evil and Narnia. "Scarlett's going back into space, and she's going to complain about alien slime ruining her hair. Hmm..." He narrowed his eyes, letting his imagination run wild. A smirk appeared on his face. "Maybe we should do some nuru oil play to help her get used to it. Hehe. Ahem! Let's focus on the task at hand."
He reached for the final script near the bottom of the pile and stopped when he saw the familiar title.
Star Wars.
Six years had passed since Alex released the first novel. Fans had spent every year since then asking about the next book, sending letters, creating theories, and debating whether the story would ever continue. Alex had written several outlines, though films and studio work had repeatedly pushed the publishing schedule aside.
He opened the screenplay and skimmed the opening crawl, space battles, Jedi mythology, distant planets, and the growing conflict surrounding the Force.
"I'm gonna drop the books," Alex murmured as he placed Star Wars inside the confirmed production pile. "Let's make a movie."
The decision would create another massive production, although Titan had the facilities, crews, technology, and money to support it. Alex could introduce the galaxy through film first, then depending on the reviews and fan demand, he'll decide the next step.
Alex spent another couple of hours selecting some more small-budget movies. He locked in The Green Mile, Hacksaw Ridge, and 21 Jump Street.
He opened the yearly calendar and reviewed the complete slate.
Titan's planned 2009 films & series included:
Iron Man
Man of Steel
DC: Gods & Wonders
X-Men
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Resident Evil
Alien 2
Star Wars
The Green Mile
Hacksaw Ridge
21 Jump Street
Justice League: Doomsday would also enter early development after Zack Snyder completed Man of Steel, though its release would come later.
Alex leaned back, looked across the confirmed projects, and closed the calendar with a satisfied smile.
"Alright, this should be enough to keep everyone busy."
He paused, glanced at the towering pile of unfinished scripts beside him, and laughed quietly.
"Well, you all gotta wait for your lucky turn," He said, stretching his arms.
After wrapping up the movie side, Alex mailed the final edited copy of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
After resting for a few minutes...
"Open the system window."
The System popped up before his eyes.
"Show me the quest: A HOUSE FULL OF TOMORROW."
/Affirmative/
[ACTIVE LONG-TERM QUEST: A HOUSE FULL OF TOMORROW]
Objective: Protect the family you are building without losing yourself in the process.
Current Progress: 40%
Next Milestone: Add two more girls to your harem and make 1 girl pregnant
Reward: Unknown
...
"Wow! You want me to add two more girls to my harem and get another girl pregnant? I'm already as busy as it is with the new ones, and you want me to create another kid? Well, Rachel is next. So, fine... But who should I go for next? Two girls... Hmm..." Alex thought for a moment, but it was a big decision, so he decided to think about it for now.
There was no rush or penalty, so he got enough time.
"I'll decide later. Show me the completed milestone and the rewards," Alex ordered as he took a glass of water and sipped.
/Affirmative/
Milestone Completed: Welcome Max's twins safely into the world.
Reward: Clones
Clones: Create two magic clones. Timer: 12 hours. You can cancel them as you wish, and there's no cooldown. But no more than 2 clones can exist at the same time. After the timer runs out, the clones will disappear, and you'll get their memories. You can share their vision and senses in real time. The system can control the clones by default settings, or you can instruct them according to your wishes.
"Holy shit!" Alex jumped up from his chair.
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