391-395

*Chapter 391: Don’t Worry About Size*

“Richard, are you okay?”

In the dressing room, Richard was changing clothes when Paul and Mayweather walked in.

“I’m fine, what could be wrong?” Richard replied with a smile.

Paul grinned, “Haha, I saw you take a few hard hits just now. You almost got knocked down by Klitschko. That’s rare—I haven’t seen you take a beating in a long time.”

Richard glanced at him, “Are you happy to see me getting hit?”

“Uh, no!” Paul quickly shut his mouth and put on a serious face.

Mayweather chuckled, “Paul has a point. In the past, you rarely struggled in your matches. This time, it wasn’t easy beating Klitschko. Earlier, Paul was worried you might lose to him.”

Richard shook his head slightly, “I wasn’t going to lose. It just wasn’t a smooth win.”

“Haha, Richard, if you struggled against Klitschko, what would you do if you faced Nikolai Valuev, who’s 7 feet tall?”

“Punch him,” Richard said, swinging his fists.

“Exactly. Richard, don’t worry about Valuev. He may be tall, but that also makes his dodging slower, and his punches aren’t that quick either. Plus, his large body gives you more targets to score points.”

Mayweather added, “Valuev’s technique is rough, and his offense and defense are just average. Overall, aside from his height, he’s just a second-tier fighter.”

Richard nodded. He hadn’t faced many opponents over 6’6”, so his experience was limited. But after defeating Klitschko, he felt more prepared to handle such fighters in the future.

“Hey, Richard, how does it feel to win four championship belts?” Norman and Anthony walked in.

Richard shook his head with a smile, “It’s nothing special. I’ve won nine belts before. What’s four?”

“Alright, alright, Mr. Belt Collector,” Norman teased.

After chatting for a bit, the group left the arena together.

Richard hosted another celebration party for winning another belt, inviting everyone from the training team, promotion team, management, and more—over 300 people in total. It highlighted the complexity of the sport; a boxing match takes about six months of preparation, from planning and promotion to the final bout and post-event work. It’s like a big production where two fighters take center stage, but it takes a thousand people working behind the scenes.

If he won, the team shared the profits; if he lost, the earnings were smaller. Since Richard began his winning streak in 1997, the various teams earned 15-25% of the prize money, and his team had the biggest share.

—

After the match, Richard stayed in Las Vegas for a day, did two events, then flew back to his Hawaiian villa for Christmas.

In the following days, the match statistics were released. The fight had 3.8 million pay-per-view purchases in North America. This was lower compared to his bout with Shannon Briggs in March, which set records in North America and Europe because many people wanted to see the billionaire in action for the first time.

In August, his fight in London also did well due to the curiosity of the British fans. Although the 3.8 million buys for this fight were not outstanding, they were still the highest among all boxers, more than double the viewership of fighters like Tyson and Holyfield, who typically drew around 1.8 million.

The pay-per-view numbers from other regions hadn’t been tallied yet, but reportedly, 32 countries had bought the broadcasting rights, especially many Eastern European nations. The TV rights alone sold for $380 million, plus about $85 million from ticket sales and sponsorships.

Richard’s earnings amounted to $96 million, slightly more than the previous match, thanks to the larger share of PPV revenue for a domestic fight.

“What a shame, just a little short of $100 million,” Mrs. Bündchen remarked while reading the newspaper.

Richard shook his head, “You should be saying, ‘Honey, you’re amazing,’ not calling it a shame. Earning $96 million in 16 minutes is nothing to regret.”

“Haha, isn’t it a shame? You’ve earned $120 million in 8 minutes and $100 million in 10 minutes before. Now, $96 million in 16 minutes—are you slipping?” she teased, with a mischievous smile.

Richard laughed, “You’re right. I’ll work harder and aim to make more money in less time next match.”

“That’s the spirit,” she said, giving him a kiss.

Richard then asked, “What about Patrícia? Is she coming here for Christmas?”

“No, she went back to Brazil with Orlando Bloom. They’re spending Christmas there and then heading to England for New Year’s.”

Richard raised an eyebrow, surprised. He had thought their relationship was just a fling, considering the age gap between a big star and a college student. Yet, they’d managed to stay together for over a year, which was impressive.

“Dear, have the news outlets been talking about you sisters being great at finding boyfriends? One with the world’s most handsome man and the other with the second most handsome?” Richard teased.

Mrs. Bündchen gave him a sideways glance, “You think you’re the most handsome man in the world?”

“Of course. Isn’t that obvious?” Richard said, stroking his chin confidently.

She rolled her eyes, “You’re definitely the thickest-skinned man in the world.”

Richard laughed and hugged her, playfully pinning her down on the sofa.

“You idiot, how can you be so reckless all the time?” she scolded, smiling.

“It’s not my fault; you’re just too irresistible. I can’t help myself whenever I see you, so stop resisting,” he said.

“You’re such a pervert!” she hit him playfully.

“Ahem~” Charlize Theron walked in with two kids, wearing a knowing smile.

“Hey, you’re back,” Richard quickly let go of Mrs. Bündchen, sitting upright with the newspaper.

“Hmph!” Mrs. Bündchen glared at him, adjusted her dress, then greeted, “You’re back early. I thought you’d stay longer at the aquarium.”

“Hehe, seems we did come back too early. Should I take Louis and Annie out for a while?” Charlize winked.

“Don’t joke around. A certain idiot was acting crazy just now. Good thing you got back early.”

Mrs. Bündchen ruffled the kids’ hair. Their faces were flushed from the heat, and their hair was damp with sweat.

“As long as we didn’t ruin your fun,” Charlize said as she poured fresh orange juice for everyone.

“Louis, Annie, did you enjoy the aquarium?” Richard asked, picking up the kids. Their warm, sweet-smelling bodies felt wonderful in his arms.

“Daddy, it was fun! The shark was dancing,” said Louis, waving his hands excitedly.

“Daddy, the big fish was flying, really high,” Annie added, pointing to the sky.

“Haha, sounds like you love whales. How about we go again this weekend?” Richard suggested.

“Yay!” the two cheered, with Annie giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

Richard chuckled. Hawaii was much better for them than New York, with more activities and perfect weather—no worrying about the cold.

“Don’t take them back, at least not for the next two years,” Charlize said as she returned in fresh clothes.

“Why?”

"Poof~"

Ms. Theron covered her mouth, almost spitting out her juice.

"A ten-meter-long shark?"

"Didn't you originally say it was a one-meter-long little shark?" Ms. Bündchen frowned.

"Well... size doesn't matter. What's important is that when facing the shark, I dared to take action without any fear. Louis should learn from me."

"Enough with the nonsense. Are you saying Louis should be as reckless as you, not running away but fighting the shark? Only a fool would do that."

Ms. Bündchen gave him a punch, then pulled Louis and Annie away, signaling the nanny to take them for a bath and change of clothes.

"Alright, you’re right." Richard shrugged.

"Richard, are you talking about fighting a ten-meter shark when you almost got your thigh bitten off back in '99?" Ms. Theron asked with a teasing smile.

Richard shook his head helplessly, "I'm just teaching Louis and Annie to be brave. You two are always undermining me."

"Heh, and you think you can teach Annie and Louis? Teach them to go into the sea and fight sharks like you? Or to go head-to-head with robbers with a gun? Or maybe lift a car?" Ms. Bündchen asked coldly.

"Or teach them fortune-telling and scamming people? Or how to throw punches?" Ms. Theron added with a half-smile.

Richard glanced at the two of them and spread his hands helplessly.

"Alright, alright, I won't teach anymore. You two take over."

After a few rounds of banter, Richard found himself outnumbered and outmatched, retreating in defeat.

Back in the study, Richard looked over some documents.

"Saw III" grossed $68.5 million in North America, and another $51 million overseas across 22 countries and regions. This film followed a low-budget approach, with an $18 million investment bringing in over $100 million at the box office. With this small production, New Century earned around $30 million.

Including revenue from "Ray," "Little Miss Sunshine," and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," New Century’s profit this year reached $288 million, up from $170 million in '03 and more than $200 million higher than '04.

Although this figure couldn’t compare with major companies like Disney and Warner, $288 million in profit firmly secured the top spot among independent studios, even surpassing Columbia and MGM, ranking seventh overall.

Additionally, "Batman Begins" ended its run after a month in theaters, grossing $226 million domestically, placing sixth in the 2005 North American box office rankings.

The top spot belonged to "Star Wars: Episode III" with $362 million.

Second place was "The Chronicles of Narnia" with $276 million.

Third was "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" with $269 million.

Fourth was "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" with $256 million.

Fifth was "War of the Worlds" with $231 million.

"Little Miss Sunshine" grossed $115 million, ranking 17th.

Richard's two films brought in $482 million at the North American box office this year, higher than any other actor’s total box office revenue, making him the king of the North American box office once again.

By late December, promotion for "The Departed" began.

The film finished shooting and post-production in May, missing the summer release window.

Originally planned for November, its release was delayed to avoid clashing with Richard's other blockbuster, "Batman." Promotion began after "Batman" ended its run.

Richard, Brad Pitt, and the leading lady Liv Tyler promoted the movie together. All three had considerable influence, especially after Richard and Pitt's previous collaboration, "Troy," was a box office hit.

This marked their second time acting together, again as rivals, which excited many fans.

"Mr. Pitt, in the movie, you play an undercover cop tasked with investigating drug trafficking. We all know you're also a secret agent with a hidden mission. How did you distinguish your real-life identity from your movie character, or did you play yourself?" the host asked with a smile.

Richard shook his head. "Not at all. I haven't been an agent since '03, and everyone knows that, so this role doesn’t affect my work."

"Well, did your past experience as an agent make your performance easier?" the host rephrased the question.

Richard thought for a moment. "Definitely. I grew up in the neighborhood, so I know how to deal with certain people. I also had brief training as a special agent—shooting, fighting—which makes things easier during filming."

"Did you ever go undercover as an agent?" the host asked curiously.

Hearing this question, both Pitt and Liv Tyler looked at him with curiosity.

Richard glanced at them and smiled. "No, I started professional boxing at 19, so I didn’t have time to go undercover. Sorry to disappoint."

"Richard, I don’t believe it. It would be a waste not to be an agent with your skills," Pitt remarked.

"I don't believe it either. You're a secret agent, aren’t you? Just can’t reveal your identity, right?" Liv Tyler joked.

Richard shook his head with a smile, "I was just a desk job, taught some boxing classes to agents, nothing more."

"Alright! On to the next question," the host said, sensing that Richard didn’t want to discuss it further.

After nearly half a month of promotion, "The Departed" became the hottest movie of the New Year season, with plans for an 8th January release.

"Richard, what do you think the opening weekend box office will be?" Brad Pitt asked.

"How about $50 million?" Richard replied.

"That would be pretty good," Pitt agreed, noting that "The Departed" was adapted from a Hong Kong movie and leaned more toward an artsy style, so expectations for the box office weren’t too high.

"I think you should aim higher. You two have the strongest box office appeal in the industry," Liv Tyler said with a smile.

"Yes, higher would be better," Pitt agreed, raising his glass with a smile.

Richard nodded. The movie had a total budget of $70 million, with Plan B and New Century each investing $35 million. Richard and Pitt opted to forgo upfront salaries in exchange for a percentage of box office profits: Pitt and Plan B at 45%, New Century at 30%, and Richard personally at 25%.

The more the box office earned, the more he stood to gain.

—

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 392: 78th Academy Award Nominations*

On January 8, The Departed was officially released in 3,520 theaters across North America, grossing $58.83 million on its opening day.

Compared to the opening numbers of Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Troy, this film seems to have performed slightly worse.

However, both of those films were released during the summer, which is a peak season, whereas January is typically considered off-season. Given that context, this performance was excellent, achieving the best box office result for the month in nearly a decade. It also marked director Martin Scorsese’s best opening in his career.

After its release, the film received high praise. The performances of the three male leads—Richard, Brad Pitt, and Jack Nicholson—were lauded by critics.

The film was hailed as one of the best crime thrillers in recent years and a top-tier gangster movie. Many considered it Martin Scorsese's finest work since Goodfellas in 1990.

Because Richard starred in this espionage crime thriller, many critics compared The Departed to the Bourne series and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

The Hollywood Reporter commented that all three films were successful action movies.

The Bourne series managed to balance artistry with commercial appeal, becoming one of the best spy movie franchises in film history, even more iconic than the heavily commercialized James Bond franchise.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith leaned more into the commercial side, featuring rich commercial elements, cool fight scenes, and witty yet flirtatious interactions. Fans hailed it as a classic, though critics found it overly loud and chaotic.

However, with a domestic box office of $256 million and a global gross of $587 million, no one could deny the film's impact and standing in the action movie genre.

In comparison, The Departed leaned more towards the artistic side. Richard’s performance, especially in his scenes with Brad Pitt and Jack Nicholson, was top-notch and left a lasting impression.

The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Richard’s performance in The Departed was better than his roles in the Bourne series or Troy. It was arguably his finest acting to date.

The report also mentioned the similarity between Richard and his character, suggesting he was playing a role very close to his own persona. The article speculated that he might be nominated for another Academy Award for this role.

"Congratulations, Richard," Brad Pitt said as he looked at the newspaper in the break room of a press event.

“What?” Richard asked, taking a sip of tea.

“Haha, the paper says you have a shot at another Best Actor Oscar nomination. Isn’t that worth celebrating?” Brad Pitt laughed.

Richard shook his head slightly, “What the paper says doesn’t matter. Let’s see if the Academy gives me the nomination. Oh, by the way, critics have been praising your performance as well. You have a good chance of getting a nomination too.”

“The chances are slim. Both Jack Nicholson and I are supporting actors in this film. His chances are better,” Brad Pitt responded with a smile.

Richard thought about it and agreed. In the movie, both he and Pitt were lead actors, but for the Oscars, there’s only one main actor, and that’s Richard. Pitt and Nicholson were both considered supporting roles.

After finishing their tea, the two went back to promoting the film.

---

A week after the movie’s release, The Departed had grossed $96.68 million, securing the top spot at the box office for its opening week.

The film had a total budget of $130 million, which included both Richard and Brad Pitt’s salaries. However, both actors opted for a percentage of the box office revenue instead of upfront fees.

Richard received 20% of the North American box office and 5% of the international gross, while Pitt, as a supporting actor, got 15% of the North American gross.

With nearly $100 million in its first week, Richard and the production team were relieved. Given the large investment in the film, there was always a risk of losing money. This was Richard’s third-to-last film, and he didn’t want to end his career on a failure.

As the film continued to perform well, Richard and Pitt, along with the rest of the cast, kept promoting it.

While January is a slower month compared to the summer and winter holidays, releasing The Departed during this period had the advantage of facing less competition.

The only other competitive films at the time were Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa and Kate Beckinsale’s Underworld: Evolution, which were released a week before and a week after The Departed, respectively. Neither posed much of a threat.

After The Departed premiered, Rocky Balboa’s box office took a significant hit, dropping to just $18.18 million.

In its second week, The Departed grossed another $65.12 million, a decline of less than 30%.

Underworld: Evolution debuted with $42 million, taking second place, while Rocky Balboa dropped below $10 million.

“Richard, critics are saying your performance in The Departed was excellent. Are you aiming for the Oscar this time?” Anthony asked.

“Whatever. I’m about to retire. Whether I win an Oscar or not doesn’t matter,” Richard replied. Although his performance was strong, he felt that his acting didn’t quite resonate with most Academy members compared to leads in more artistic films. Even if he were nominated, he felt he’d probably just be there as a runner-up.

“I think you should go for it. Even getting more nominations is an honor,” Anthony laughed.

“Fine, you handle it,” Richard agreed.

Each year, by December 29, the Academy sends nomination ballots to its members from various guilds, including the Directors Guild, Producers Guild, Cinematographers Guild, Screen Actors Guild, Writers Guild, and more.

Members from each guild nominate candidates for their respective categories. For example, for Best Actor, they can nominate Richard for The Departed, Batman Begins, or Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

The Academy then tallies the votes and announces the top five nominees in each category.

As a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Richard also had a vote. Any film released between January 31, 2005, and January 31, 2006, was eligible for nomination.

By the third week of The Departed’s release, it had grossed another $38.28 million, bringing its North American total to just over $200 million.

With these numbers, the film was slightly profitable. New Century and Plan B Entertainment would earn about $20 million from the gross, and when combined with Richard and Pitt’s percentages, the actors would each make around $70-80 million.

This was the benefit of actors producing their own films: even if the box office wasn’t spectacular, they would still make a significant profit thanks to their shares of the revenue.

---

On January 17, the 63rd Golden Globe Awards took place at the Hollywood Hilton Hotel. Richard’s films did not receive any nominations, but Little Miss Sunshine, produced by New Century, received three nominations but went home empty-handed.

On February 2, the nominations for the 78th Academy Awards were announced.

The Departed received five nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Batman Begins received one nomination for Best Cinematography.

In addition to these, New Century’s other films performed well. Little Miss Sunshine received four nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

Walk the Line performed the best, receiving five nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Sound Mixing, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing.

Charlize Theron was nominated again for Best Actress for her performance in North Country.

Reese Witherspoon also received a Best Actress nomination for her role in Walk the Line.

Amy Adams, a New Century artist, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Junebug.

This year’s Oscars were shaping up to be exciting.

“Richard, you got nominated for Best Actor again. Congratulations, haha!” Keanu Reeves said over the phone on the day the nominations were announced.

Richard smiled, “Thanks. Hard work pays off. I’ve been honing my craft for years, and finally, I’ve been recognized by the Oscars. It wasn’t easy.”

“Haha,” Keanu replied.

“Are you jealous?” Richard asked, slightly irritated.

“Haha.”

“Okay, you’re definitely jealous. But Keanu, as a friend, let me give you some advice: spend more time improving your acting. Don’t just ride motorcycles all day. Learn from me, don’t just laugh.”

“Haha.”

“Fuck!” Richard hung up the phone.

“What happened?”

Ms. Theron asked, "Is Keanu jealous of me? He called, but didn’t say anything—just laughed coldly. I’m going to go box later.”

“Haha, you’re messing with Keanu again, but I do think your nomination this time seemed rushed.”

Ms. Theron, barefoot and lounging on the couch, was texting. She had just received a Best Actress nomination, and many people were congratulating her.

“Why?” Richard asked, wrapping his arm around her.

“It was too fast. The Departed came out on the 8th, and voting ends on the 31st. You also got a Best Actor nomination, which is clearly from some PR push. It’s unfair. I bet a lot of actors are cursing you behind your back,” Ms. Theron laughed.

Richard smiled casually. “I’ve got money. Ever heard of pay-to-win?”

“I get it, Mr. Big Shot,” she laughed, giving him a kiss.

Richard also picked up his phone to call some friends who’d been nominated, like Reese, Jamie Foxx, Alan Arkin, and Amy Adams, to congratulate them.

After the nominations were announced, the media started making predictions about the awards. For Best Picture, Brokeback Mountain, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Departed, directed by Lee An, were the top contenders.

The Departed had over 60% of the support. The reason was simple: compared to the other four nominated films—Ray, Capote, Brokeback Mountain, and Little Miss Sunshine—The Departed, with its multi-million dollar budget, was the obvious blockbuster. The others had budgets under $20 million.

For Best Actor, the top three were Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote, Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain, and Jamie Foxx for Ray. Richard had the least support.

Clearly, many people didn’t want him to win this time. After all, he had dominated the box office for three consecutive years, ranked on the Forbes list, and was even a mega-super boxing champion. If he won the Oscar for Best Actor, too...

Ms. Theron faced a similar situation for Best Actress. Since she had just won the award last year, her chances were also slim.

In that category, Reese had the highest chance of winning. Walk the Line, much like Ray, was a musical biopic about Johnny Cash’s rise to fame, his battle with drug addiction, and how he hit rock bottom before turning his life around with the help of his second wife.

Reese’s performance in the film was excellent.

For Best Supporting Actor, Alan Arkin, who played the grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine, had the most support with a 50% chance of winning. However, big star George Clooney was also nominated, with 38% support, so he had a strong shot, too.

For Best Director, Lee An of Brokeback Mountain was the top favorite, followed by Steven Spielberg for Munich and Martin Scorsese for The Departed.

The final winners wouldn’t be revealed until the Oscars in March.

“Richard, your chances this time aren’t great, mainly because The Departed was released too late. If it had come out a month earlier, your chances would’ve been much better,” Anthony said.

“I know. Getting a Best Actor nomination is already good enough. If I actually win, people are going to hate me. It’s probably better if I don’t,” Richard shook his head.

“Haha, you’ve already been nominated for Best Actor twice and once for Best Supporting Actor. You’re just one step away from winning. Why don’t you take on one more role? I guarantee you’ll win that gold statue next time,” Anthony said, thumping his chest.

Richard shook his head slightly, “No need. I’m already successful. I don’t need an Oscar to prove it.”

“Ah, what a shame, you’re so close,” Anthony said regretfully.

Richard chuckled, flipping through the newspaper. “What are Reese’s chances of winning Best Actress? Since neither Sally nor I are doing PR this year, if I can, I’ll help Reese get a few more votes.”

“Reese?” Anthony squinted, grinning. “She had a baby last year—don’t tell me it’s yours?”

“What are you talking about? Reese and I are just friends. Plus, remember when we used some shady methods to get me the lead role in The Deadly X Game? That caused her breakup with Philip. I still remember that, so… you get it.”

Richard said.

Anthony looked at him, “Richard, that was eight years ago. You still remember it?”

“Yes, very clearly,” Richard pointed to his head.

Anthony shook his head, “Well, back then I thought it was inappropriate, too. But once I got to Hollywood, I realized that was nothing. You know how agencies fight for roles now?

They use all kinds of underhanded tactics—things you couldn’t even imagine.”

“Fine, since you feel you owe Reese, let’s help her out. At least you’ll be able to sleep at night.”

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you,” Richard laughed.

The Departed was in theaters for just over a month, extending its run by five days, and made a total of $238 million at the box office, securing a spot in the top ten for 2006.

With the revenue share, Richard would pocket around $40 million—a nice little profit.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 393: The Weary Boxer*

After finishing the movie promotions, Richard returned to New York for a two-day rest, then started shooting a few ads for his sports brand. The Richard Sportswear line had been on the market for over a year and was performing quite well.

In addition to being available at Nike stores worldwide, there were exclusive Richard stores in twelve major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, and Tokyo.

Last year, the sportswear line generated $420 million in sales. Richard earned $85 million in revenue sharing and $40 million for endorsement fees, netting over $100 million in the first year—a highly successful investment.

Richard's immense fame, combined with Nike's strong marketing capabilities, made this outcome expected.

Since the sportswear line did well last year, accounting for 8.7% of Nike's total sales, it ranked first among all Nike sub-brands. The marketing department decided to increase investment in the brand, expand the product range, and aim to open more than ten additional Richard stores this year.

The brand's CEO had a long-term plan: once Richard’s brand became strong enough, it could operate independently from Nike, with both Nike and Richard as shareholders. In terms of production, sales, and marketing, the Richard brand would run independently, much like Jordan Brand.

Both Richard and Nike were on board with this plan.

Richard shot a total of six commercials for the American, European, and Asian markets, as well as new athletic wear and boxing gear. He co-starred with popular female celebrities from each region, and these ads would air when the new products hit the market.

Filming took over ten days, and Richard traveled to several locations. It was a heavy workload, but fortunately, he had no plans to make a movie this year, so he could manage his schedule better.

After wrapping up the commercials, it was mid-February, and with no work lined up, Richard spent time at home with his kids.

Ms. Bündchen was quite busy herself, recording fashion show programs and preparing for March’s international fashion week.

Her personal clothing brand was doing well, bringing in over $20 million annually. To further expand, she planned to use the platform of international fashion week to elevate her brand’s profile.

Aside from TV hosting and fashion week, Ms. Bündchen was also occupied with LIFE magazine.

Last year, Richard officially transferred his shares of IMG and LIFE magazine to her for her to manage.

Before its revamp, LIFE magazine had average monthly sales of 600,000–700,000. After the revamp, sales steadily climbed to 700,000–800,000 per month, with January’s sales hitting 820,000. It ranked fifth on the bestseller list for similar magazines, earning Ms. Bündchen a few extra million in pocket money.

While she was busy with work, Richard was at home taking care of the kids, with both Louis and Annie around.

The two little ones, now two years old, were constantly running around the house, making noise and getting into mischief. Watching them grow little by little, Richard felt pretty content.

At the end of February, Paul had a boxing match in New York. Richard took the two kids, along with Paul's son Chris, to the match to cheer him on.

Paul’s opponent was a Danish boxer named Brian Nielsen. At 33, Nielsen was the same age as Paul and had debuted in 1992. He had fought 66 matches, with an impressive record of 64 wins, 2 losses, and 43 KOs. However, most of his opponents were relatively unknown European fighters. In 2000, he came to the U.S. to challenge Tyson but lost after six rounds.

All in all, he was still a solid fighter.

When the match began, Paul was cautious, spending the first round testing his opponent before launching an attack.

Brian Nielsen was a technical fighter with excellent skills. He threw impressive combinations, mixing hooks and jabs with long-range attacks, making his style a pleasure to watch.

Initially, Paul struggled and was knocked down in the third round.

By the fourth round, Paul was fired up, swinging his massive fists, repeatedly aiming for Nielsen’s head.

In the seventh round, Paul finally knocked his opponent down but failed to secure a KO.

By the tenth round, both fighters were exhausted, and the match reached a stalemate, dragging on to the 12th round without either securing a knockout.

In the end, two of the three judges declared Paul the winner, giving him the victory by a narrow margin.

Paul’s record now stood at 40 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws, with 32 KOs, ranking him 68th among heavyweight boxers—not bad overall.

After the match, Richard took the three kids backstage to congratulate Paul, but Paul wasn’t in a celebratory mood, sitting there with a dark expression.

“What’s wrong? You didn’t lose.”

Richard watched the three little ones running around as he asked.

“Ugh,” Paul sighed, sitting in a chair with his face in his hands, looking dejected.

“Richard, I feel like I’m slowing down. A few years ago, I would’ve knocked out someone like Brian Nielsen in four rounds, but now, after just a few rounds, I’m exhausted. After three rounds of attack, my energy’s half gone. I almost didn’t make it.”

Richard chuckled. “It’s the same for all of us. We’ve been in the pro circuit for almost ten years now. At first, it’s fun, and you’re on top of the world, but after a while, it gets more and more tiring—just like Tyson. Even though he’s the champ, after more than ten years, he gets tired too.”

“Do you ever get tired?” Paul asked.

Richard smiled softly. “Sometimes, but I know how to manage it. Even when I feel exhausted, it doesn’t affect my performance.”

“How do you manage it?” Paul asked with a frown.

Richard thought for a moment, then smiled. “I usually get about $90 million per fight. Before each match, I set a little goal for myself—to win that $90 million or $100 million as quickly as possible. When I think about the money, the fatigue just disappears.”

Paul blinked, then rolled his eyes.

“That’s not helpful at all. You make $100 million per fight, while I’m lucky to get two or three million. It used to be $10 million in 2003, but now it’s way less. If I made as much as you, I’d never feel tired.”

Richard laughed. “You’re only focusing on the downside. Remember before 2001? You were making less than $500,000 per fight. Now, you’re earning over a million or two million. That’s a lot.”

In the boxing world, only the top tier of fighters make real money, forming a pyramid structure.

Fighters with world championship belts and big names can earn significant sums.

Richard, undoubtedly, was the top earner in boxing. In recent years, he made at least $80 million per fight, with annual match earnings exceeding $200 million. He wasn’t just the highest earner in boxing but also the highest-paid athlete overall.

He was a one-of-a-kind athlete, according to Boxing Archive magazine.

Richard earned so much money because of his incredible skills—he had no rivals anywhere in the world. On top of that, his status as a movie star made him known worldwide. In terms of advertising and ticket sales, no one could compare.

Additionally, he was a billionaire, a youth icon, and a superhero figure.

With all these factors, his fight earnings naturally skyrocketed.

Compared to him, the other fighters were miles behind.

Even Tyson, the biggest name, earned around $5 million per fight, with his highest single-match earnings never exceeding $30 million.

Mayweather, another top star, earned around $10 million per fight, but he hadn’t yet made $20 million in a single fight.

Top-tier boxers like John Ruiz, Holyfield, and the Klitschko brothers all made less than $10 million per fight.

The less well-known boxers, even world champions, made less than $1 million per fight, with many earning in the range of hundreds of thousands. International champions might make around $500,000, while continental champions made tens of thousands—a blue-collar wage.

As for regular boxers, they earned even less.

Paul was doing pretty well with his earnings of one or two million per fight, firmly in the upper middle class.

“So be content. If you think you’re not making enough, then train harder. In this line of work, it’s always about the fists,” Richard said, patting Paul on the shoulder before gathering Louis and Annie to leave Madison Square Garden.

—End of Chapter—

Chapter 394: The Biggest Winner

“Louisanne, where did you go with Dad? Why are you back so late?”

At the Blad Manor, Mrs. Bundchen sat on the balcony sipping coffee, watching the sunset. When she saw the three get out of the car, she stood up and called out.

“Mom, we went to watch boxing! Paul was fighting.”

Louis waved her little fists and started imitating punches on the lawn.

Richard carried little Annie out of the car. “Paul had a match this afternoon, so I took Louisanne to cheer him on.”

“Why did you take them to a boxing match? Louis and Annie are still so young. It’s not a good idea to expose them to boxing at this age. What if they pick up bad habits?”

Mrs. Bundchen scolded.

“Watching a boxing match will teach them bad habits?” Richard replied, displeased.

“Of course! How many decent people enjoy watching boxing?”

Mrs. Bundchen shot him a look, pulling Louis toward her. “Louis, don’t be like your father. Hitting people is not something good children do.”

“Why, Mom?”

Louis looked up at her with big, curious eyes.

“Good children don’t hit people. Are you a good child, Louis?”

Louis nodded her little head. “I’m a good child.”

“Ha, that’s right!” Mrs. Bundchen smiled.

“What’s ‘right’ about that? I’m a boxer, so it’s normal to practice and watch boxing. You think watching it will turn them into bad people?”

Richard shook his head.

“Yes! Louis and Annie are only two years old. This is the age to shape their worldview. You should be taking them to concerts, science workshops, and craft classes—things that can develop their interests.”

“Oh, come on. Kids who are one or two years old should be having fun and playing. Concerts and workshops? Think back to what you were doing at two years old! From what I hear, you were still peeing in the dirt and arguing with the family parrot.”

Bam! Mrs. Bundchen kicked him, glaring angrily. “I’m speaking from a place of scientific research! Unless you want Louis and Annie to become boxers, then I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“Fine, fine. Do what you want. Let’s see if you can turn our kids into scientists,” Richard said, putting his arm around her with a smile.

“Hmph!” Mrs. Bundchen shook off his arm, pulling Louis and Annie inside to give them a bath and get them into clean clothes.

—

On March 6, the 78th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and Richard attended the ceremony with Mrs. Bundchen.

The awards ceremony began at 5:30 p.m., starting, as usual, with the smaller categories: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor.

Films like The Departed, Batman Begins, Ray, and Little Miss Sunshine were all nominated in these categories.

Ultimately, Memoirs of a Geisha took home both Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography, King Kong won Best Sound Editing, and Rachel Weisz claimed Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Constant Gardener.

Little Miss Sunshine won Best Original Screenplay, and Alan Arkin took home Best Supporting Actor.

It was a decent start for New Century, with two Oscars already in the bag.

Next came awards for Film Editing, Best Score, Makeup, Costume Design, Short Film, Documentary, Visual Effects, and Editing.

King Kong claimed both Best Sound Editing and Visual Effects, Memoirs of a Geisha won Best Costume Design, South Africa’s Tsotsi took Best Foreign Language Film, and Brokeback Mountain snagged Best Score and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Richard and New Century’s films remained silent throughout the ceremony.

Then it was time for the most anticipated moment of the night: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture.

“Richard, do you think you have a chance at winning Best Actor?” Mrs. Bundchen whispered softly.

“No chance at all. I’m too famous and too successful. Especially with a great wife like you, everyone’s jealous. Winning the gold statue is nearly impossible for me.”

Richard chuckled.

“Ha! Thick-skinned!” Mrs. Bundchen teased with a smile.

“And the Academy Award for Best Actor goes to…”

Last year’s Best Actress winner, Charlize Theron, stood on stage with the envelope in hand. She glanced at Richard in the audience, giving him a small smile and an extra look, which made Richard’s heart skip a beat. No way, right?

“…Jamie Foxx for Ray!”

Applause filled the room.

“Well, I worried for nothing,” Richard said, clapping along with the crowd.

“Haha, it would have been really interesting if Sally had given you the award,” Mrs. Bundchen said, smiling.

“Yeah, too bad it wasn’t me,” Richard replied.

Richard laughed.

Jamie Foxx stepped onto the stage and accepted his Oscar. As usual, he thanked the Academy, thanked the New Century, thanked the cast and crew, and thanked his family. Then, with a grin, he looked at Richard.

"Hey, Richard, I have to thank you last. Remember that time we were talking about the script, and we got caught in a street shootout? You shielded me as we got into the car and drove away, and you ended up getting a lot of criticism for it. I'm really sorry about that."

Jamie Foxx said.

Richard waved it off. It had been two years since that happened, and there was no point in bringing up old news.

“Haha, Richard, I won the Oscar this time. Hope you're not too heartbroken. Better luck next time,” Jamie Foxx said with a laugh, holding up his golden statue.

Clap clap clap~

Richard clapped along with the audience.

After Jamie Foxx stepped off the stage, Richard congratulated him and gave him a fist bump.

"Richard, you guys at New Century are cranking out Oscar winners every year. It's insane," Brad Pitt said with a laugh.

"It's alright. If you want to win Best Actor, you can always work with us," Richard replied with a chuckle.

"Haha, don’t you want to win one? You’ve been nominated twice but didn’t get it either time," Brad Pitt teased.

"I'm not in a rush. I’m still young, plenty of chances ahead," Richard said casually.

"Aren’t you planning to retire?"

"Oh, right, I almost forgot. That's such a shame," Richard said with a shrug.

For the third-to-last award, last year’s Best Actor, Don Cheadle, came on stage to present the Best Actress award. Reese Witherspoon won the Oscar, as expected.

“Hey, Richard, I beat you!” Reese smiled and raised her fist as she walked onto the stage.

“Alright, you all beat me,” Richard said with a laugh.

The second-to-last award was for Best Director, which went to Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain. Richard quietly thought to himself, Too bad that movie wasn’t produced by New Century.

The final award was for Best Picture, with five films nominated: The Departed, Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Walk the Line, and Munich.

“And the 78th Academy Award for Best Picture goes to… The Departed,” Steven Spielberg announced.

“Wow~”

The Departed crew erupted in cheers.

“Hey, Richard, congrats!” Brad Pitt said with a smile.

"Yeah, congrats to you too!"

This film was a collaboration between New Century and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. Winning the biggest award of the night showed their partnership was a success.

In the end, Frank Marshall from New Century and Brad Grey from Plan B went on stage to accept the award for Best Picture.

It was a big night for New Century, taking home Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Original Screenplay, making them the clear winners of the evening.

“Sigh, New Century wins again,” Bob Weinstein muttered as he watched the TV in the Weinstein Company office.

Harvey Weinstein sat silently, his face dark as the camera kept cutting to Richard Brad. His expression grew uglier by the second.

“What projects does New Century have lined up this year?” Harvey asked.

“So far, we know they’re working with Marvel on Iron Man, they’re teaming up with Focus Features for Atonement, and they’ve got a script adaptation called American Gangster. Not sure about the rest,” Bob replied.

“American Gangster? Sounds like it’s in the same vein as our Gangs of New York. See if there’s an opportunity to snag that project,” Harvey said seriously.

“Got it!”

After the Oscars, New Century once again became the center of attention.

Last year, they produced both a Best Actor and Best Actress winner.

This year, they added another Best Actor and a Best Supporting Actor to the list.

Even the Weinstein brothers, once known as Oscar-winning machines, couldn’t keep up with that pace.

Especially notable was New Century producing two consecutive Black Best Actors, which sparked a lot of conversation.

Adding to the buzz was New Century’s founder, Richard Brad, who had been nominated for Best Actor twice and Best Supporting Actor once, with no wins so far (3 nominations, 0 wins). This turned into a running joke.

“Hey Richard, aren’t you the new Oscar-winning machine? Why not make one for yourself?” Keanu Reeves said with a mischievous grin.

“Heh.”

Richard rolled his eyes and didn’t bother responding.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 395: Want to Go on a Date with Me?*

After the Oscars, Richard stayed in Los Angeles for two more days to handle New Century’s affairs. Last year, New Century had an outstanding performance, with annual revenue comparable to the six major film studios.

At this year’s Oscars, New Century received 13 nominations and brought home 4 Oscars, including Best Picture, the most prestigious award. This was the second Best Picture award New Century had won.

Several films like The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine, Ray, and Saw III also did well in overseas markets, earning New Century another big profit.

This year, New Century's market value surpassed 400 million, ranking third among independent production companies, just behind New Line Cinema and Lionsgate.

The company was doing well, but it faced a problem: how to maintain this stable and strong growth.

Achieving this wasn’t easy. In 2003, New Century’s revenue was $170 million, but it dropped to $70 million in 2004. Last year, thanks to the hit film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, revenue reached $280 million. But what about this year?

New Century was set to release four films: The Butterfly Effect 2 and Match Point, both completed and scheduled for release in the first half of the year.

The Devil Wears Prada was still in production and would be released in the second half, and Saw IV was currently filming.

Richard had attended internal screenings for The Butterfly Effect 2 and Match Point. Overall, they were decent, but unlikely to become surprise hits like Crash or Little Miss Sunshine.

As for The Devil Wears Prada, since it was not yet finished, its potential was unknown. However, it was unlikely to outperform Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It was expected that New Century's profits would take a significant hit this year.

Last year, the shareholders of New Century, even those with the smallest shares, received a dividend of $1.5 million. Some, like Gwyneth and David Ellison, received over $10 million.

After getting used to large bonuses, no one wanted to settle for smaller profits. Everyone hoped New Century could continue producing more hit films.

David Ellison joked, "It’s simple. Just find a few scripts for Richard, and even with minimal effort, they’d easily make over $100 million at the box office."

Richard shook his head slightly, "Don’t count on me. I’ve retired from acting."

David sighed, "I still don’t get it. You were so popular, with massive box office appeal, and earning tens of millions per film. How could you bear to quit with such a bright future?"

Gwyneth added with a smile, "Richard, your films could easily generate $400–500 million in box office revenue annually. Your retirement is a great loss for the movie industry."

Richard smiled and replied, "Enough about me, let's continue discussing New Century's film strategy."

New Century’s CEO, Frank Marshall, chimed in, "I think we should change our development strategy. Back in 2002, we set a five-year plan, and this is the fifth year. New Century can now enter the commercial film market, producing larger-scale films and seeking scripts like Mr. & Mrs. Smith."

David Ellison waved his hand, "Frank, let’s not talk about big productions. The script for Mr. & Mrs. Smith was average at best. If it hadn’t been for Richard and Jolie’s star power, it would have bombed. And don’t forget Stealth—I still feel the pain from that disaster."

Richard couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward. The atmosphere at these meetings had become less serious ever since David Ellison joined.

Producer Kopelson interjected, "This year, we’re co-producing Iron Man with Marvel, with a budget of $140 million, and we’re contributing $75 million. We're also collaborating with Focus Features on Atonement, with a total budget of $30 million, and we’re responsible for half. Plus, Saw IV has a budget of $12 million.

Right now, New Century has less than $80 million left in production funds. So, the real question is whether we should invest it all in one big project to maximize box office returns or make several smaller films to maintain our edge in winning awards."

David Ellison quickly expressed his preference, "I support smaller projects, like Little Miss Sunshine. With a few million dollars invested, it earned over $100 million at the box office and won us a couple of Oscars—that’s perfect!"

Winning a few Oscars had noticeably boosted the international and DVD sales of films like Ray and Little Miss Sunshine. In addition to prestige, New Century earned another $10–20 million from these films, a win-win scenario.

Richard nodded slightly, then turned to Jane Wilson, the head of distribution, "Jane, what’s your take?"

"As the person in charge of distribution, I believe we should continue expanding our distribution channels. Compared to the major studios, we’re still far behind. Even in the independent film market, our distribution capabilities can’t match New Line, Touchstone, or Miramax."

"Last year, the Weinstein brothers left Miramax to start The Weinstein Company. I think this presents a good opportunity," Jane explained.

Richard, curious, asked, "What opportunity?"

Jane replied, "Buena Vista Pictures."

Buena Vista Pictures, founded in 1954, was one of the largest entertainment companies in the U.S., originally part of Disney and responsible for producing and distributing Disney films. It ranked among the top eight Hollywood studios.

But after Walt Disney's death in 1966, Buena Vista began to decline, and by the 1990s, it ranked last among the top eight studios with a market value of just $1.4 billion.

In the early ’90s, Disney CEO Michael Eisner revitalized the company by expanding Disney’s animation division and producing hit films like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahontas.

Eisner also acquired Touchstone, Miramax, Hollywood Pictures, and Dimension Films, consolidating them under Buena Vista.

Disney’s animation and Buena Vista became the two pillars of Disney's movie empire. Currently, Buena Vista oversees five production companies: Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Disney Animation, and Dimension Films, each specializing in different genres.

However, after Eisner’s departure last year and the Weinstein brothers' exit from Miramax and Dimension, Buena Vista’s live-action filmmaking capacity has taken a significant hit.

New Disney CEO Bob Iger began searching for new allies, starting with the acquisition of Pixar Animation (negotiations are ongoing).

In the live-action sector, Buena Vista needs reinforcement, and New Century, with its production and award-winning capabilities, is an attractive candidate.

Jane concluded, "I think this presents a great opportunity for New Century to collaborate with Buena Vista. Their distribution power is unmatched."

Ms. Jane Wilson said,

“You might want to consider it, Jane. I’m leaving this to you,” Richard said.

“Alright!” Jane Wilson nodded.

“Also, regarding the project planning, we still have tens of millions in reserved funds. We can arrange one big production, or three to four smaller ones. Whether it’s a big or small production doesn’t matter. What’s important...” Richard paused, looking at the group, “...is that it has to be a good production.”

“Haha~” David Ellison couldn’t help but laugh.

Richard glanced at him, “So we need to be extra careful when selecting scripts. Let’s not repeat mistakes like Stealth again.”

“Hahaha~” Gwyneth also laughed.

David Ellison shrugged, but stopped laughing.

“Arnold, does your production team have any new script recommendations?” Richard asked.

“Yes, our production team has two suggestions. One is to continue adapting bestselling novels. Over the past two years, we’ve secured the film rights to fourteen bestsellers, and our writers have developed a few promising scripts.

The second suggestion is to continue making art films, to maintain our edge in award circuits.”

Coppesen handed out a few folders to everyone.

“For the bestselling novel adaptations, both the production and writing teams recommend Twilight.

The reasoning is simple. In recent years, fantasy-action films have performed well at the box office—The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Mummy, and so on.

Vampire films have also done well—Underworld, Van Helsing, Blade, and others.

Twilight has a strong hook, and the book sales have been impressive. It’s a great fit for an adaptation.”

“That sounds good, but this type of film requires a large budget and carries a lot of risk,” David Ellison said.

“We can start with one adaptation as a test. We have enough money at New Century; we can afford a loss,” Richard said.

“Big spender!” David Ellison muttered.

Richard smiled. He could say that with confidence because last year BAA had signed a new actor named Kristen Stewart.

While reviewing her portfolio, he noticed Twilight was part of it and had been made into a successful series, suggesting it had performed well at the box office.

“Alright, let’s have the writing team prepare the script. We’ll aim to start shooting either later this year or early next year. Meanwhile, we can also produce one or two low-budget films,” Coppesen said.

“Agreed. I’ll leave it to your production team to handle it.”

After the meeting, Richard returned to his office.

“Richard, are you free this afternoon?”

Gwyneth followed him inside, asking.

“What’s up? Are you asking me out on a date?” Richard joked.

“Yes, how about I cook dinner for you at my place?” Gwyneth smiled.

“Are you sure? Last time you burned the steak.”

“That was last time. I’ve been practicing for months, and my cooking’s much better now,” Gwyneth said, holding his hand.

“Alright, I’ll trust you one more time. Maybe you should head home and start preparing now. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll still have time to make a reservation at a restaurant,” Richard teased, lifting her chin with a smile.

“Haha, don’t underestimate me. My cooking’s as good as any restaurant’s now.”

Gwyneth gave him a quick kiss and left the office.

Richard smiled and went back to reviewing the documents, while also checking out the new up-and-coming actors in the industry, hoping to discover some hidden gems.

—

Around 5:00 PM, Gwyneth called to say dinner was ready. Richard wrapped up his work and left New Century Pictures.

New Century used to be located in Burbank, which was over a forty-minute drive to Beverly Hills. But last year, the company purchased a building in West Hollywood as its new headquarters, making the commute home much shorter.

When he arrived at Gwyneth’s place, dinner was ready: Boston lobster, apple pie, sea cucumber soup, steak, and green beans with ham. All simple home-cooked dishes.

The presentation was average, but the aroma was nice. Richard took a bite, and the taste wasn’t bad either.

“How is it?” Gwyneth asked expectantly.

“7 out of 10, a big improvement from last time.”

“Thanks, I’m glad you like it.” Gwyneth smiled happily.

“You did such a great job. Do you want a reward?” Richard asked, putting his arm around her.

“Hmm, how about you?” Gwyneth teased with a grin.

“Alright, I’m all yours tonight,” Richard said, pinching her cheek before sitting down to enjoy the meal.

—

(End of Chapter)