571-575

Chapter 571: The Battle with Valuev

While the top executives and shareholders of the six major studios were debating whether to collectively limit Lionsgate’s growth, news came from Wall Street. Investors such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, and Wanda Group were in talks with Lionsgate's executives, preparing for a new round of financing.

Additionally, there were rumors that Lionsgate was planning to relist next year.

Upon hearing this, the top executives of the six major studios felt that Lionsgate's rise had become unstoppable. Currently, Lionsgate's market value ranged between $8 billion and $8.5 billion, with Netflix's 11.37% stake alone worth $3 billion.

Given Lionsgate's current revenue, its market value could very well exceed $10 billion, or even $15 billion, after going public. If Lionsgate successfully goes public, it would surpass Paramount and Sony's Columbia Pictures, ranking among the top five film companies in the industry.

---

Regarding the rumors of Wall Street preparing to invest in Lionsgate, Link confirmed that they were true. In addition to Netflix and other companies, several Wall Street asset management firms were waving checks, eager to cash in with Lionsgate.

Netflix and Wanda Group both intended to fully acquire Lionsgate or buy at least 50% of its shares, offering around $8.5 billion.

After careful consideration, Lionsgate's board accepted Amazon Studios' offer. This round of financing was valued at $10 billion, with 20% of the shares being transferred. This was the second round of financing after last year’s deal with Carl Icahn.

Following the two rounds of financing, Lionsgate’s board had several new members, but Link remained the majority shareholder, holding 54.8% of the shares. Amazon Studios ranked second with 20%, Carl Icahn third with 7.6%, and shareholders from Summit Entertainment held 5.5%. Ivanka and Jon Felme held less than 5%.

After the deal, Lionsgate’s market value reached $10 billion before its IPO.

In this round of financing, Link sold 11% of his shares, converting the $1.1 billion into Amazon stock.

With the additional Amazon shares acquired earlier this year, Golden Shell Investment, managed by Link, now held 1.805% of Amazon, making him a minor shareholder.

Wanda Group, having failed to acquire shares, turned around and invested $2.8 billion to buy AMC, the second-largest theater chain in the U.S., taking over its 338 theaters and 4,865 screens.

Wanda Group planned to take its cinema business public next year and was preparing for the listing.

Link also planned to relist Lionsgate within two years, handing the company over to professional managers afterward, while he and Ivanka would step back and enjoy life.

He no longer wanted to worry about box office results every day, leaving no time for vacations.

Additionally, with the coming downturn in the film industry in a few years, Lionsgate would need to find more partners to survive. Both Netflix and Amazon Studios were good collaborators.

In October, Lionsgate also released two films: Annabelle and Gone Girl.

Annabelle was a spin-off of The Conjuring, telling a terrifying story involving a doll and a cult. Directed by John R. Leonetti, the assistant director of The Conjuring and Insidious 2, James Wan served as the producer.

The movie was released on October 3, earning $37.13 million in North America over the weekend and $61.07 million in its first ten days.

The overseas box office surpassed North America, reaching $125 million in two weeks.

The global box office was expected to be around $260 million.

While Annabelle was in theaters, Link led his boxing team to Dubai to compete against the Eastern Beast, Valuev, for a WBC ranking.

The match was originally planned for the U.S., but Middle Eastern tycoons, upon hearing that he was fighting Valuev, showed great interest.

Dubai’s wealthiest prince, Rashid, offered a $200 million appearance fee for them to host the match in Dubai.

Neither Link nor Frank refused, and Valuev certainly wouldn’t reject such an offer.

The match took place in Dubai’s Royal Arena, with thousands of wealthy spectators in traditional headgear and over 20,000 fans from around the world.

Everyone wanted to see how Link, the new WBA heavyweight champion, would defeat the much taller Valuev.

Valuev stood 7 feet tall, had a 7-foot reach, and weighed 316 pounds (143 kg). On the boxing ring, he resembled the gorilla from King Kong, covered in hair and looking like the giants from The Lord of the Rings.

At 41 years old, Valuev debuted in 1993 and remained undefeated until 2007, boasting a record of 47-0. He nearly broke the heavyweight record of not exceeding 49 consecutive wins.

In his 48th fight in 2007, he was defeated by Uzbek champion Ruslan Chagaev, suffering his first career loss.

So far, his record stood at 56 fights, 54 wins, and 2 losses. Besides losing to Chagaev, he also lost to British champion David Haye in 2009.

Compared to these two fighters, Link had a shorter reach, weighed less, and was nearly 30 cm shorter than Valuev, making this match even more intriguing.

When the match began, Valuev roared loudly, flexing his muscles like a mad giant ape, exuding immense pressure.

The crowd erupted in cheers at Valuev's display.

Link smiled lightly, unfazed. As soon as the referee announced the start, he launched the first attack, using his superior speed to land five quick punches on Valuev’s abdomen and ribs.

Valuev swung his massive arms in retaliation, aiming his huge fists at Link. With a reach of 7 feet, his punches looked terrifying.

Unfortunately for Valuev, his speed was too slow, even slower than an average heavyweight boxer, with even slower reflexes.

Each time he swung, Link easily dodged, retreating to a safe distance. Once Valuev retracted his punch, Link would move in to attack again, like a warrior fighting a titan in a video game.

After several consecutive attacks, Valuev was repeatedly hit but couldn’t land a single punch on Link. Frustrated, he roared and swung his huge fists, only to miss again and again.

Having understood his opponent's limits, Link became more confident, skillfully dodging every dangerous strike like a dancer on a tightrope.

The audience loved it, cheering and applauding nonstop.

In the first round, Valuev threw 101 punches but failed to hit Link once.

Link threw 69 punches, 18 of which hit Valuev's abdomen.

By the end of the round, Valuev was drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

Link, on the other hand, was completely at ease.

In the second round, Valuev went on the defensive, guarding his ribs and abdomen.

Link adopted an aggressive approach, mixing high and low attacks. Despite Valuev's towering 7-foot height and Link's 6-foot-4-inch reach, Link still managed to land punches on his chin when close enough.

At 56 seconds into the round, Link baited Valuev into throwing a punch and then landed a heavy punch to his left rib. Writhing in pain, Valuev bent over to protect his abdomen, allowing Link to land an uppercut to his chin.

Valuev stumbled back three steps until hitting the ropes.

Link pressed forward, landing over ten consecutive punches to Valuev's abdomen, arms, and chin.

One of the chin punches landed solidly, causing Valuev to stagger. As he tried to retaliate, Link landed another punch, causing Valuev to fall sideways onto the ring with a loud thud, like a giant crashing down.

The crowd gasped in surprise.

In the third round, Valuev’s condition worsened. He kept his fists guarding his abdomen and chin, not daring to attack.

Link continued with his quick punches, knocking Valuev down again at 87 seconds. This time, Valuev struggled for ten seconds, shaking his head as he barely managed to sit up but couldn’t stand to continue the fight.

The main issue was Valuev's massive weight. Every time he fell, his body suffered more damage than just a punch to the face.

After the referee counted to ten, he declared Link the winner.

The ranking match was over.

Link’s record improved to 39 fights, 39 wins, and 39 KOs, earning him the right to challenge WBC heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

After the match, Link flew back to the U.S.

For this match, Link earned $180 million, plus $20 million from Dynasty Promotions, while Valuev's appearance fee was only $2 million.

The Dubai prince also didn't lose money. Due to the fame of both Link and Valuev, as well as the hype surrounding the fight, over 4 million PPV sales were made, and millions of people watched the fight via live streaming, with total viewership exceeding 1 billion across various platforms.

Including other revenue streams, the match generated more than $600 million in commercial value.

---

Annabelle earned $85.57 million in North America after four weeks, with an overseas box office of $178 million, totaling $264 million globally.

In late October, not long after Link’s fight, the thriller Gone Girl, starring him and Rosamund Pike, was released worldwide.

Over the weekend, the film grossed $51.48 million in 3,014 theaters across North America. After ten days, its North American box office exceeded $100 million, making it Lionsgate's sixth film this year to break the $100 million mark in North America.

The international performance was also impressive. In the first 32 countries and regions where it was released, the film earned $182 million in ten days.

The marketing department predicts the total box office to be around $450 million.

"Gone Girl" received highly positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 82, a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 87%, and an IMDb rating of 8.1/10.

Both Link and Rosamund Pike's performances in the film were acknowledged by industry professionals.

The *Boston Globe* praised their performances, describing them as full of spirit and chemistry. Link portrayed a cheating, down-and-out artistic youth with great nuance, while Rosamund Pike embodied the elegant yet cunning woman, born into privilege and determined to conquer all men, in a chilling way. The film deeply conveyed the duality of marriage as both heaven and hell, leaving the audience in suspense.

*Total Film* magazine noted that Link delivered a layered performance in this film, with a strong chance of catching the attention of Oscar voters, possibly earning a nomination for Best Actor next year.

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 572: Theron’s Son*

In addition to praise, there’s also some criticism of Gone Girl and reports about Link. Critics of the film argue that it lacks logic, saying the characters’ actions were imposed by the writer rather than reflecting realistic responses.

For example, they point out that in real life, the female protagonist, after being abused by her husband and discovering his infidelity, would most likely call the police. She wouldn’t orchestrate a mysterious disappearance to frame her husband. Moreover, the husband's strange behavior in the movie also feels like it was forced by the writer, rather than how a man would genuinely react to his wife's disappearance.

Critics of Link's performance argue that as a billionaire and world boxing champion, he carries an aura of strength. Even though he tried to portray a broken and vulnerable character, that strong presence still shone through, making it hard for viewers to fully immerse themselves in his role. Some commenters also noted the recent contrast of seeing Link play Captain America, battling enemies and saving the world, and now seeing him in Gone Girl as a submissive man—it felt a bit jarring.

Despite the controversy following its release, the quality of Gone Girl is undeniable. The film touches on gender and marriage dynamics, which resonate with a mature audience. During its October release, it became extremely popular, especially among women, who took to social media, organizing viewing parties and calling it the best marriage-themed film in years.

Four weeks after its release, the film grossed $168 million at the North American box office, with another $263 million overseas, for a total of $431 million worldwide. It became Lionsgate’s sixth movie of the year to surpass $100 million in North America and the first to exceed $400 million globally.

"This role really doesn’t suit you," director Woody Allen commented, pointing at a photo of the movie in a newspaper.

"There’s no such thing as an unsuitable role, only an actor who can't perform it well. I think I did quite well in this movie," Link responded confidently, sipping his coffee.

"Well? If I were the director, I wouldn’t have passed a single one of your scenes. Haven’t you noticed? Since Midnight in Paris, your acting has shown no improvement. It’s because you’re too complacent and unwilling to spend time honing your craft," Woody retorted.

"I won Best Actor at both the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals and was even nominated for a Golden Globe."

"So what? Every festival has a Best Actor Award. Winning those doesn’t mean your acting has improved; it just means you got lucky," Woody shot back.

Link smiled, unwilling to continue the debate.

“How’s your new movie coming along? If you don’t have the money to make it, you can always come to me.”

Since the 1970s, Allen had directed a film almost every year. His films include Midnight in Paris in 2011, To Rome with Love in 2012, Blue Jasmine in 2013, and Magic in the Moonlight, released in July this year, starring Emma Stone and Colin Firth. With a production cost of $22 million, it barely broke even with a global box office of $51 million.

Midnight in Paris grossed $160 million worldwide and became a peak in Allen's career. However, subsequent films were critically praised but didn’t perform well at the box office. The media began to comment that Allen’s directing skills were declining with age. Still, many production companies continued to invest in his films. In recent years, Allen had closely collaborated with Sony Pictures, and Link’s mention of financial difficulties was a joke.

"Hah! Lack funding to make a film? That’s never going to happen," Allen waved dismissively. "Actually, I wanted to ask when you’ll be available. I agree with you; the boxer film can’t be delayed any longer."

"Let me think... I have two films next year, but I should be able to squeeze in some time to finish it," Link said after thinking. Next year’s films were Captain America 3: Civil War and Fifty Shades of Grey, both of which had shorter production cycles and could be wrapped up in three to four months.

"Next year won’t work. I’m filming Irrational Man then, so I won’t have enough time. How about the year after?"

"Fine."

Link shook his head, thinking the old man was just making things difficult.

He had been relaxing at home when the director called, asking to meet for coffee to discuss a project. In the end, all they did was set up a movie to be filmed two years later—a conversation that could’ve easily happened over the phone.

As they talked, a familiar face entered the café: a woman in a loose long dress, pushing a stroller.

Inside the stroller sat a small child, about one or two years old, with golden-brown hair and blue eyes like his mother. The child wore a long T-shirt and overalls, curiously observing the people around him with rosy cheeks and shouting loudly. He was an adorable little guy.

"What are you staring at?" Allen asked, turning to see the woman pushing the stroller.

The woman, noticing Link, paused for a moment, adjusted her short golden hair, and smiled. "Link, Director Allen, what a coincidence to see you here."

"Miss Theron, is that your son? He’s adorable," Link said, looking at the little guy in the stroller.

"Yes, this is Louis Theron. Louis, say hello to Uncle Link," Charlize Theron said, crouching down and holding the boy’s hand.

The child looked at Link with wide eyes.

"Hi, Louis. How old are you?" Link asked with a smile.

The boy glanced at him, then reached out to his mother, calling for “Mommy.”

Theron picked him up and laughed, "He’s almost two and getting naughtier by the day."

"A little mischief is good. My three are quite the troublemakers too," Link replied.

Theron smiled at him, greeted them both, and then took her child to a booth, followed by her assistant pushing the stroller.

Link watched her walk away, with the little boy resting on her shoulder, feeling puzzled.

He remembered seeing news earlier in the year that Charlize Theron had adopted a little boy from South Africa. But he distinctly recalled the child being Black in the original timeline, so why was this boy named Louis Theron? And he looked quite similar to little Cassel.

Coincidence, or something more?

"What are you staring at Charlize Theron for?" Allen asked.

"I was looking at the little guy. Isn’t he cute?"

"Hah! They’re cute now, but as they grow, they become insufferable and eventually turn against you. Don't forget Freud's Oedipus complex. Boys grow up wanting to rebel against their fathers, even kill them."

Link chuckled, "Ronan’s doing quite well. I saw him hosting a show on NBC."

"Don’t bring him up. All he wants to do now is get rid of me," Allen said.

Link shrugged, unsure how to comfort him.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 573: Who Is It Really?*

Ronan Farrow is the son of director Woody Allen and actress Mia Farrow. In 1991, Allen had an affair with Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter, Soon-Yi, which Mia discovered, leading to their split.

In 1997, Allen married Soon-Yi, which became one of the biggest scandals in the entertainment industry, and a major stain on Allen’s reputation.

As Ronan Farrow grew up, he continuously attacked Woody Allen in various ways, making their father-son feud a regular hot topic.

Ronan Farrow, now a Yale graduate, has become a lawyer and a journalist, hosting NBC's Farrow Daily News.

In 2017, Ronan Farrow published an exposé in The New York Times that revealed Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment of several women, marking the beginning of Weinstein's downfall and contributing to the rise of the “Me Too” movement.

Ronan also criticized Woody Allen during this wave of reform in Hollywood, which resulted in Allen being blacklisted by major film companies, preventing his movies from being released.

Although Ronan did not send his father to prison, he did make Allen's life miserable.

Thinking about this, Link suddenly felt that continuing to work with Allen was inappropriate, as his scandals could affect him. However, they had just finalized a movie project, so suddenly backing out would seem abrupt.

This would have to be handled slowly.

After chatting for a bit, Director Allen finished speaking and left early.

Link refilled his coffee and, after seeing Charlize Theron’s table companions leave, walked over to greet her.

"Discussing work?" Link asked.

"Are you?" Charlize Theron smiled at him, blinking her lake-blue eyes.

"Director Allen was bored and wanted someone to have coffee with, so he found me."

Link looked at the little guy playing with toy cars on the couch and felt he resembled Cassel when he was about a year old.

He recalled that he had been with Charlize Theron in early September 2012 during a competition in South Africa, and they had been intimate three times. On the last two occasions, Charlize claimed she couldn’t get pregnant, so they hadn’t taken precautions.

But was it true that Charlize Theron couldn’t have children?

“What are you looking at?” Charlize Theron asked as she cuddled little Louis.

“The little guy is cute. He’ll definitely grow up to be a handsome boy.”

“Yes, Louis is the most beautiful baby in the world,” Charlize said as she fondly patted the child’s hair.

Link looked at her, hesitated, and decided not to ask further. It wouldn’t be hard to investigate. He just needed to check Charlize Theron’s schedule from last year to see if she had time to be pregnant.

After leaving the coffee shop and getting into his business car, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Charlize Theron.

Charlize asked why he was staring at Louis.

Link responded that Louis was adorable and looked a lot like Alexander when he was little.

Charlize Theron said that was impossible, as she had adopted Louis from a hospital in South Africa. He had nothing to do with Link and asked him not to investigate her or the child. She didn’t want Louis’s life disturbed.

Link assured her that he meant no harm and suggested she was being overly nervous.

Charlize replied that Louis was her treasure, and if anyone tried to take him from her, she would fight back fiercely.

Link hesitated, then apologized to her. He explained that he had many children in the industry, so when he noticed the resemblance between Louis and Alexander, he became curious about his origins to avoid any future problems.

Charlize: “Many? How many?”

Link: “More than three.”

Charlize: “You’re such a scumbag.”

Link: “I’ve never abandoned you.”

Charlize didn’t reply. As his car left Beverly Hills and entered West Hollywood Boulevard, she finally responded: “Louis is my biological son.”

Link: “You can get pregnant?”

Charlize: “It’s a miracle, really. I had tests at the hospital, and the doctors said I couldn’t conceive, and it would be even harder after 30. I never expected that I would get pregnant that one time. It’s unbelievable. I’ve always thought of Louis as a gift from God.”

Link: “So, Louis is my son?”

Charlize: “No, Louis is my son. He has nothing to do with you. I just borrowed one of your ‘seeds.’”

Link rubbed his temples, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He had only gone out for a cup of coffee, and suddenly, he might have another son?

This wasn’t something to rush into. He’d wait for a paternity test to avoid any false assumptions.

“Take good care of Louis. If you need help, feel free to reach out to me.”

“I will take good care of Louis, and I don’t need your help.”

“I saw you smoking. I don’t think a woman who smokes regularly can take good care of a child.”

“I only smoke occasionally. Fine, I’ll quit smoking. I won’t do it anymore.”

“You also can’t drink too much. I’ve heard that some women hit their kids when they’re drunk.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’d never hit Louis. He’s my baby. Why would I hurt him? Okay, fine, I’ll drink less too. Anything else? Just say it all now.”

“Before Louis grows up, it’s best you don’t date shady men. The men in our circle are either addicts, alcoholics, or gamblers. I don’t think they’ll take good care of Louis.”

“Alright, wait a minute. Are you trying to control me too much? You’re just Louis’s biological father, a one-night stand, not my husband or Louis’s real dad.”

“I’m just suggesting. Louis is my child. If you can’t provide him with a healthy environment, give him to me. I’ll take good care of him, make sure he grows up happy and healthy.”

“I can do that too! Louis needs me more than you. Don’t try to take him from me, or I’ll fight you for him. I mean it.”

“Okay, I’m just concerned for the little guy. I want him to have the best life.”

“Louis will have a good life. I can guarantee that.”

“Good. I’ll be keeping an eye on you and Louis. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Link put his phone away and tapped his knee. He had once thought about planning his family life carefully, avoiding having children all over the place. But now, suddenly, he might have another one. Soon, it would add up to nearly ten children.

Also, he had heard from Amy Adams that Chris would be starting school next year, yet he had barely spent any time with the little one.

When all these kids grew up, it would likely be one big, confusing mess.

Back at his hillside villa, Link glanced at the three little ones attending class, then headed to the gym to train for his upcoming WBA-WBC heavyweight unification fight.

——

By mid-October, Taylor’s new album 1989 was released, selling 1.358 million copies in its first week, making it the highest first-week sales of the year.

The standard edition of the album had 13 songs, including “Shake It Off,” “Welcome to New York,” “Bad Blood,” and “State of Grace,” with six songs breaking into the top 10 of the Billboard charts in the first week, while the rest entered the top 100.

As the second single, “Welcome to New York” followed “Shake It Off” and stayed at the top of the Billboard singles chart for several weeks.

1989 became a massive hit, and Taylor regretted not betting with him, saying that even if the album didn’t surpass the sales of his fifth album, it would certainly do better than her third and second albums.

Link reminded her over the phone that he had written three songs for the album, all of which entered the top 10.

Taylor gave a light hum and said she could have made it to the top 10 without his songs.

Link didn’t argue with her, just reminded her to take it easy during her promotions, not to overwork herself, and not to diet too strictly, as it would be bad for her health.

Taylor called him naggy and asked about the two little ones.

Before he could get the kids on video chat, Taylor got busy with work and hurriedly hung up.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 574: Office Daily Routine (Extra Chapter for Promoting Leader Liujin's "Rice Worm")*

Lately, everyone has been very busy. Taylor has been promoting her album, Ivanka is occupied with work at Lionsgate Films and Link Music, along with her jewelry brand, and as the year-end approaches, things only get busier.

Link has been busy promoting his movie, training, and reviewing next year's Lionsgate film projects. He needs to reject films with poor box office potential early and approve projects that could be box office hits.

However, his time is limited, and he can't oversee every project. Starting tomorrow, he will only review projects with a budget of over $50 million, such as The Revenant, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, It, Fifty Shades of Grey, Lucy, and Mel Gibson's new project Hacksaw Ridge.

Palm Beach Films also has projects like Carol and Before We Met.

Other projects will be handled by the production department, as Lionsgate's future will rely on them, and Link can't hand-hold the studio forever.

Besides films, Link also needs to oversee several albums from artists under Link Music, write a few songs, and prepare for the release of Bruno Mars' hit single "Uptown Funk" next year.

There are also new investment projects from Golden Shell Investment Company, attending board meetings of several listed companies, and giving feedback to management.

Additionally, the building Link was eyeing to buy earlier this year has now become a target: the 222 Building on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, an asset of the Kunis family’s real estate company. The 41-story building, built in the 1980s, is located at 222 Fifth Avenue, just three streets away from his father-in-law's building.

The Kunis family is selling the building due to investment losses. Since 2006, they invested in The New York Observer, Atlantic Records, and mid-tier residential buildings in cities like Toledo and Akron. But after 2008, the financial market crashed, and office rental prices plummeted, causing losses of billions.

Kunis had to sell his shares in the 222 Building to cover the deficit, with an asking price of $1.8 billion.

Negotiations are currently underway, and if successful, Link and Ivanka could move into the 222 Building next year.

After a busy October, November arrived, and Lionsgate released two films: Birdman and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.

Birdman tells the story of a washed-up superhero actor, Riggan Thomson, who tries to revive his career with a stage play, but everything goes haywire, and he ends up losing his mind.

The film's director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, also directed The Revenant. It stars veteran actors Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, and Naomi Watts.

Birdman premiered at the 71st Venice Film Festival in September, where it was the opening film and a nominee for the Golden Lion for Best Film. The film received widespread praise from international media at the festival.

At the end of October, Birdman opened in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, grossing $415,000 over the weekend, with an average per-theater gross of $103,700. This was the second-best per-theater average of 2014, behind The Grand Budapest Hotel's $202,700.

Critically, Birdman scored 87 on Metacritic and 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, and many media outlets named it one of the year's top 10 films, positioning it as an Oscar contender.

Due to its strong limited release performance, the film expanded to 460 theaters in its second week, grossing $27.07 million over two weeks.

Overseas, the film had already been released for over two months, grossing $54.48 million internationally.

The current total box office stands at approximately $82 million.

Considering its $18 million production budget, Birdman is both critically and commercially successful.

Meanwhile, Gone Girl, which has been in theaters for over a month, grossed $175 million in North America, $282 million overseas, and $457 million worldwide.

If the film wins any Oscars next year, it could potentially surpass $500 million at the box office.

Including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the total box office for films Link starred in this year has exceeded $1.2 billion.

"Boss, all your movies are box office hits. What's your secret?" Emma Stone smiled at him at the Palm Bay Agency.

"Just act well and don't slack off, that's the secret," Link replied, sipping his tea.

"I haven't slacked off. I made five films this year and barely had a full weekend off," Emma protested, massaging her legs and glancing at him.

"Good job. You'll get a bonus at the end of the year."

"I don't need a bonus."

"Almost forgot, you're a millionaire now. A small bonus means nothing to you. Mandy, did you hear that? No bonus for Emma this year."

"Got it," Mandy replied with a smile.

"No, the bonus is my hard-earned reward! Even if it's a penny, I want it," Emma protested.

"You just said you didn't want it. Women are so confusing—they say no when they mean yes and yes when they mean no."

"Are you telling me a dirty joke, boss?" Emma blinked her gray-green eyes at him.

"Don't misinterpret me. You're playing the pure and sweet persona right now, so keep your thoughts pure," Link laughed.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Boss, do you know what I really want? Need me to give you a hint?" She mouthed the word "Oscar."

Link shook his head. "You're too eager. Winning an Oscar is about building up points. You've had two nominations, which gives you two points. Keep getting nominated, and one day you'll win. Just don't rush."

"Jennifer got nominated and won on her first try, and she's two years younger than me," Emma pointed out.

Link rubbed his forehead and looked at Mandy. "How do I argue with her?"

Mandy laughed. "Emma, every time you see him, you ask about the Oscars. Be careful, or he might avoid you next time."

"Are you really that scared?" Emma covered her mouth, laughing.

"No, you're just too naggy," Link replied.

"Hmph, I'm not asking for an Oscar. What I want to know is, if I were to sleep with you, would that help me win the Oscar sooner?" Emma teased, blinking.

Link's face darkened. "When have I ever taken advantage of anyone? You better explain that."

"Fine, I'm just joking. You're not mad, are you?" Emma asked cautiously, sticking out her tongue.

Link shook his head. In the past, he might have laughed off such jokes from Emma, but with the recent wave of sexual harassment scandals in the entertainment industry and the rise of the #MeToo movement, he didn't want to risk being dragged into it by careless words.

"If you want to win Best Supporting Actress, there's a small chance next year. If you're aiming for Best Actress, you'll need to wait another two years. Next year, the company has a musical project that would be perfect for you as the lead."

"Really?! Boss, thank you! No, Link, thank you so much!" Emma cheered, hugging his arm and kissing his cheek twice.

"Hey, calm down. Don't take advantage of me. You got lipstick on my face. Do you want Ivanka to think I'm cheating?"

Link wiped his face, revealing a smudge of bright red on his hand.

"Haha, I just called you Link. It was a friendly kiss. If Ivanka misunderstands, I'll explain. Mandy's here too, so what are you worried about?" Emma laughed.

"You're only 26, and you've already been nominated for the Golden Globes and Oscars multiple times. You're getting better every year. Why are you in such a hurry to win an Oscar? Planning to retire early?"

"You're only a year older than me, and you're ranked 37th on the Forbes Billionaire List. You're one of the world's top superstars. Shouldn't I learn from you?" Emma teased with a smile.

"So it's all my fault?" Link asked, exasperated.

"Jennifer, you're here!" Mandy called out to the woman at the door.

Jennifer Lawrence walked in, wearing a sleeveless red dress. She was casually dressed, yet still stunning, as if high heels and a dress were as comfortable as jeans and a T-shirt.

"I was just doing promo at Turner Network next door, so I came by for a drink. Link, Emma, what are you doing here?" Jennifer said as she took off her high heels and made her way to the sofa.

Mandy handed her a warm cup of tea.

"I came to talk business with Mandy," Link replied.

"Same here, just finished promotion and came over," Emma added.

"How lucky. We haven’t had tea together in ages," Jennifer said with a grin.

"You’re all busy people, never a moment to spare. But it’s good to stay busy—there’s a lot of competition in Hollywood, and idle actors get left behind," Mandy commented with a laugh.

"That's true. When I had no work, it was stressful. I once thought, if I ever became a star, I’d be happy to make ten films a year and die from exhaustion on set," Emma joked.

"Not me. Five films a year is enough," Jennifer laughed, waving her finger.

Link sat nearby, listening to their conversation without interrupting, only responding with a sentence or two when asked.

At the moment, Emma Stone was promoting Birdman, and Jennifer Lawrence was promoting the upcoming Hunger Games 3.

Their conversation was mostly about movies, with some gossip about the entertainment industry, like who was seeing whom, who had broken up, and who had gotten involved in others' relationships.

They also discussed the recent Hollywood X-photo scandal, where foreign hackers exploited a vulnerability in Apple’s iCloud system, illegally stealing private photos of numerous top global female celebrities and posting them on online forums.

This wasn’t the first time such an event had happened; back in early 2011, over a hundred women’s private photos were leaked.

This time, even more were exposed, including celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Rihanna, Hayden Panettiere, Kim Kardashian, Avril Lavigne, Emily Browning, Winona Ryder, Amber Heard, Nina Dobrev, and Kirsten Dunst.

There were also supermodels like Kate Upton, Ali Michael, and Cara Delevingne.

Since September, the hacker had been releasing batches of these private photos periodically, with 101 female celebrities’ nude photos now exposed.

Jennifer Lawrence used to take photos on her phone while working or bathing, but Link persuaded her to switch to a camera for safety.

This wave of leaks also affected Link Music's singer Ariana Grande, though fortunately not many of her photos were released.

The hacker also posted a few swimsuit photos of Selena. Upon realizing that her phone album had been hacked, the round-faced singer was so embarrassed that she couldn’t lift her head for days.

Recently, the FBI and Apple have been investigating the hackers, which might calm things down for a while.

After chatting for a bit, Emma Stone received a phone call and left for work. Link was also preparing to leave, but Jennifer Lawrence insisted that he go to her office with her, saying she wanted to show him her new Katniss battle outfit.

Link didn’t refuse, and after they arrived at the office, the two were intimate before parting ways.

Jennifer continued promoting her movie, while Link resumed training and taking care of the kids, preparing for his December competition.

In mid-November, Hunger Games 3 was released worldwide. Its first-day pre-sales in North America reached $130–160 million, breaking Transformers 4’s first-weekend record of $100 million.

In its opening weekend, it grossed $129 million in North America. Although this was $20 million less than the second film’s debut, it was still the highest opening weekend of the year.

The first-week North American box office hit $175 million.

By the eighth and a half day of release, the North American box office had surpassed $200 million, making it the fastest film to do so this year, beating Guardians of the Galaxy by three hours.

It was also the seventh Lionsgate film this year to surpass $100 million in North American box office revenue.

Internationally, Hunger Games 3 was released in 97 countries and regions, and within six days, it had grossed over $200 million.

After two weeks in theaters, the global box office reached $620 million, with total revenue expected to be around $900 million.

This was $200 million less than the second film’s total box office.

The main reason for this was that Lionsgate had split the third film into two parts, which upset many fans and affected ticket sales.

However, financially, it was still a smart move, as splitting one movie into two almost always results in a higher total box office. This has become a common practice for franchises, as seen with Harry Potter and Twilight, and Hunger Games followed suit.

The best example of this approach remains The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which, if re-released in 3D ten years later, could easily have been split into six films.

With the success of Hunger Games 3, Lionsgate’s total box office revenue for the year reached $1.65 billion.

By the time Hunger Games 3 completes its theatrical run, the North American box office is expected to total around $1.8 billion.

Including the upcoming December release of American Hustle, Lionsgate’s North American box office could reach $2 billion this year, with global revenue potentially exceeding $5 billion.

Last year, Disney’s best-performing film studio had a total annual box office of $1.831 billion. This year, Disney’s total box office is below $1.6 billion, with the other five major film studios all below $1.6 billion.

Based on the current numbers, Lionsgate has a strong chance of claiming the top spot in the North American annual box office rankings, marking the first time in film history that an independent studio has surpassed the major six to become the industry leader.

The MPAA Yearbook called this a game-changing year for Hollywood.

Despite this, Link and the Lionsgate staff aren’t popping champagne just yet.

The major studios still have several big releases scheduled for December, so they could still make a comeback.

Lionsgate must wait until their last film is released and they are officially crowned box office champions before they can relax and celebrate.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 575: Fight Against Vitali Klitschko*

At the end of the year, many blockbuster films are being released, including Warner Bros.' The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and Interstellar, Fox's Penguins of Madagascar, Universal Pictures' Dumb and Dumber To, and Disney's Big Hero 6, among others.

These are all major productions with strong competition.

For Lionsgate to surpass the "Big Six" film companies and become the industry leader, it needs not only strength but also a bit of luck.

At the end of November, Link and his team flew to Las Vegas to participate in the WBA-WBC heavyweight championship unification match. His opponent was the renowned "Dr. Ironfist," Vitali Klitschko.

Klitschko, now 43, stands 6'7" tall, with a reach of 80 inches and a weight of 248 pounds. He originally started in kickboxing, winning six world championships, and has an amateur boxing record of 195 wins and 15 losses, with 80 wins coming by knockout.

In 1996, he entered professional boxing, and in 1999, he set a Guinness World Record by winning 26 fights via KO in the fewest rounds, breaking the previous record held by American Mike Tyson.

Now, Link holds this same record, having won 39 matches by KO in the fewest rounds.

Klitschko currently holds a professional record of 49 fights with 47 wins, 41 by knockout.

He has only lost two fights: one in 2000 to "Fast" Chris Byrd and another in 2003 to British champion Lennox Lewis.

His loss to Byrd was due to a shoulder injury, which, if he had continued, could have ended his career. On his coach's advice, he voluntarily withdrew from the match.

In his loss to Lewis, he was hit in the left eye, causing severe bleeding, and the referee stopped the fight.

Though he has lost two matches, Klitschko has never been knocked out, which speaks to his incredible strength.

Since 1999, Klitschko has held the WBO heavyweight title and won the WBC heavyweight title twice, successfully defending it in over a dozen fights.

He is considered one of the most powerful fighters in heavyweight boxing.

Klitschko is known for his well-rounded skills, speed, punching power, defense, combinations, tactics, and in-ring adaptability. He excels at efficient punches and the Soviet-style boxing tactics, making him a strong overall fighter.

However, his weaknesses are his lack of durability and proneness to injury, especially with an old shoulder injury. His style is also overly cautious and lacks passion, making his fights less entertaining.

Compared to Link, Klitschko has a significant height and reach advantage.

Since both Link and Klitschko are superstars in the boxing world, this fight has attracted global media attention and excitement from boxing fans.

According to media reports, within five hours of tickets going on sale, all 25,000 tickets were sold out. On Amazon, VIP tickets were being resold for $32,000 each, more than 20 times their original price, and even regular tickets were selling for over $1,500 each.

After the fight time was announced, nearly all the five-star hotel rooms near the MGM Grand in Las Vegas were booked, and most major casinos had introduced betting options for the match.

Since Link has yet to lose and has shown immense power, the casinos favor him to win. They are offering high odds to attract gamblers: 35-to-1 odds if Link loses, and 55-to-1 odds if Klitschko knocks him out.

The odds for Link being knocked out by Klitschko in the first round are 65-to-1.

Other bets include which round Link might win and how he will secure the victory, with all odds being quite lucrative.

If Link deliberately lost the fight, it would result in significant losses for many casinos.

However, there is no chance Link will deliberately lose.

For this match, his appearance fee is $100 million, and he will also receive 25% of the pay-per-view revenue, 15% of the online streaming revenue, 15% of the box office earnings, 30% of advertising sponsorships, and a portion of other earnings.

These earnings are far more than what betting would bring him.

“Link, can you give us a hint about which round you'll win this fight?” asked Dino Duva, smiling sheepishly in the locker room.

“Hard to say. It mainly depends on how long Klitschko can last,” Link replied as he swung his arms, warming up.

“Do you think you can knock out Klitschko?”

“I’ll do my best to knock him out and win,” Link said.

Duva pouted, hoping to get some inside information for betting, but ended up with nothing.

As the match approached, Link finished his warm-ups and began changing into his boxing shorts, wrapping his hands with protective tape.

While Link was putting on his boxing gloves, Klitschko's coach, Banks, entered the locker room to inspect Link's hand wraps.

Neither Link nor his coach, Brooks, objected, but they made sure Simon recorded everything on video.

In the boxing world, there’s an unwritten rule that before a fight, coaches from both sides can inspect the opponent's equipment. Before 2009, this practice wasn't taken seriously and was typically just a formality.

However, a scandal in 2009 changed that. Mexican boxer Antonio Margarito, the former WBO/IBF/WBA welterweight champion, was caught adding "plaster powder" to his hand wraps during a fight against veteran welterweight Shane Mosley.

During pre-fight inspections, the plaster powder would not be noticeable, but during the match, the boxer’s hands would sweat, causing the powder to harden, increasing punch power and danger.

Mosley’s coach exposed this cheating after the fight, causing a huge uproar. Margarito’s coach was permanently banned from boxing.

The media and fellow boxers condemned Margarito, and fighters he had defeated in the past began to suspect he had cheated in those matches as well.

Margarito, who had once been highly respected and feared by stars like Mayweather and Pacquiao, saw his reputation destroyed, earning the nickname “Plaster Hands.”

This scandal caused many coaches to pay more attention to inspecting opponents' equipment before fights.

As a superstar in his own right, Link had been inspected multiple times before his matches.

This time, Klitschko’s coach came in after Link had already put on his gloves, meticulously checking everything, which was clearly a sign of distrust, almost a provocation.

After a thorough check and finding nothing abnormal, Klitschko’s coach left.

Link and his team then headed out of the locker room toward the fight venue.

The arena was buzzing with excitement. Aside from the official match, there were performances featuring Rihanna, the Black Eyed Peas, Ariana Grande, and more, turning the event into a large concert-like spectacle.

Before the match, Evander Holyfield, serving as a guest host, came over to interview both Link and Klitschko, trying to stir up some verbal tension, but both fighters remained calm and composed.

After the weigh-in and interviews, the two fighters stepped into the ring to the cheers of tens of thousands of fans.

---

"The match is finally about to begin. Do you guys think Link will lose?" Oscar De La Hoya asked Bernard Hopkins and James Toney, who were seated nearby in the front row.

"He shouldn't. If this were Deontay Wilder, Alexander Povetkin, or Nikolai Valuev, then maybe he could lose. But beating Wilder proves his power and speed are top-notch in the heavyweight division. Defeating Povetkin proves his technique and tactics are elite, and beating Valuev shows he’s not afraid of taller opponents. I believe Link will win this fight,” James Toney said.

“Not necessarily. Klitschko combines the strengths of all three of those fighters in terms of power, technique, and height. Just because Link beat them one by one doesn’t mean he can defeat the nearly flawless Klitschko,” De La Hoya countered.

"Klitschko's not without flaws. They're actually quite obvious. Against harder punchers, he tends to get sluggish and is more prone to injury. He’s also overly cautious, not very decisive. If Link can hurt him in the first three rounds, he’ll likely secure the win,” Mike Tyson added.

“So you’re saying Link won’t lose this fight?” Shaquille O'Neal asked with a smirk.

"Are you hoping Link loses because he beat you in basketball?" Morales teased with a grin.

“That's nonsense! I was holding back, not using my full strength. If I got serious, Link would be no match for me.”

“Alright, I’ll be sure to pass that on to Link. Next time he challenges you to a basketball game, don’t pretend you’re unavailable,” Morales said with a mischievous smile.

O'Neal gave him a glare, secretly deciding that if Link ever invited him to play basketball again, he would either not show up or bring Dwyane Wade to help him out, making it a two-on-one match.

Ding ding ding!

The bell rang to start the fight. The audience fell silent, focusing entirely on the fighters in the ring.

Link wore gold shorts with "LINK" embroidered on the waistband and a pair of gold gloves. His short hair was neatly styled, and his bronze skin gleamed under the lights with a metallic sheen. His well-defined V-shaped back and large muscles made him look powerful and imposing.

His abdominal muscles were sharply defined, not as bulky as many heavyweight boxers, but more like a mechanical steel shaft—flexible and full of explosive power.

Link stood quietly in the center of the ring, appearing calm.

His opponent, D. Klitschko, was similarly composed, expressionless. Standing more than 10 centimeters taller, he gazed above Link's head, seemingly strategizing how to defeat him.

As the referee forcefully swung his arm to signal the start of the match, Link and D. Klitschko bumped gloves and began trading punches.

"Go, Link!"

"Link, I bet on you to win, don't lose."

"Go, Klitschko! I bet 10,000 on you."

The audience erupted in shouts.

Neither Link nor D. Klitschko paid attention to the noise, focusing solely on each other. Link took a few steps forward, noticing Klitschko was ready but not initiating an attack. Link sped up, throwing punches to test his opponent's strength and speed.

Klitschko chose to defend and counterpunch when Link attacked.

After six exchanges, Link got a preliminary sense of his opponent’s style, including punch power, reaction time, dodging speed, and footwork. Klitschko excelled in all these areas, especially in defense, leaving almost no openings—steady as an old pro.

After some thought, Link immediately increased his punch frequency: a left straight punch, right jab, left uppercut, right uppercut—his fists raining down on Klitschko's arms in a storm of blows.

His goal was simple: fight with speed and stamina.

Using quick punches to disrupt Klitschko's rhythm and strategy, he looked for weaknesses in his defense, hoping to injure him.

This was one of the tactics Link had developed while studying Klitschko's previous fights.

In Klitschko’s career, there was a particularly dangerous match where he almost got KO'd.

That match took place in April 2004, against WBO heavyweight champion Corrie Sanders. Sanders, from South Africa, was a former police officer nicknamed the "South African Cop" in the boxing world.

Sanders’ most iconic fight occurred in Hanover, Germany, in 2003. He faced W. Klitschko and knocked him down four times in two rounds, winning the WBO heavyweight title.

In 2004, Sanders challenged for the WBC heavyweight title, which D. Klitschko held at the time.

In the first three rounds, Sanders repeatedly pushed Klitschko back, putting him under intense pressure and leaving him with no chance to fight back.

But Klitschko stayed calm, not getting too excited in victory or disheartened in defeat. After the fourth round, he used a steady strategy and relentless punches to gradually regain control, eventually knocking Sanders out in the 9th round to win.

Though Sanders lost, his aggressive style was worth studying, particularly his fast, decisive punches that broke through Klitschko's defense.

Afterward, the media called this match the most humiliating of Klitschko’s career. They said if Sanders had been a bit stronger and faster, he could’ve had a good chance of winning.

So in this match, Link took lessons from Sanders' loss. He planned to use fast punches to break through Klitschko’s defense, draining his stamina and preventing him from executing his strategy.

Pow! Pow! Pow! Link continuously launched punches, focusing on jabs to Klitschko’s ribs and abdomen, mixing in uppercuts to threaten his chin.

Attacking high, then low, and back again, he searched for openings.

Bang! On the 109th punch, Klitschko couldn’t defend in time, and Link struck his chin, forcing him back two steps into the ropes.

Seizing the moment as Klitschko’s guard was wide open, Link rushed forward, raining punches on his arms, chin, and the side of his face. Dazed, Klitschko quickly grabbed Link in a clinch to neutralize the attack.

“Break!”

The referee ordered them apart.

Link stepped back, and after the referee restarted the match, he pressed forward again, launching a new round of attacks.

Ding, ding, ding! The first round ended.

Link threw 168 punches, landing 21 on Klitschko’s body and 5 on his chin and head.

Klitschko threw 121 punches, landing 1 on Link’s forehead and 12 below the neck.

Though Link had the upper hand this round, his high punch count took a toll, leaving him drenched in sweat by the end.

Meanwhile, despite taking quite a few punches, Klitschko remained calm and composed, keeping control of the pace and showing no frustration—his mindset was solid.

Such opponents are always tough to deal with.

(End of Chapter)