Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm

[TL/N: Martin took his two woman on maldives, bought them an island and return to chingchong country to check on his chemical (romance) plant, staying for five days.]

…

The calendar flipped to August 13.

Martin attended the premiere of The Expendables, a star-studded action flick packed with heavy hitters: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenigger…

Each name a legend in their own right.

Well, former legends, mostly. Aside from Jason Statham, still in his prime, the others were aging out, some even semi-retired. If not for Stallone's relentless begging, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, and Schwarzenegger wouldn't have come out of hiding.

Martin's relationship with Schwarzenegger was lukewarm—different political affiliations and clashing views didn't help. But with Bruce Willis, it was another story.

Back when Martin was a kid, they'd worked together on The Sixth Sense, one of the highest-grossing horror films ever. They'd stayed in touch ever since.

Bruce was the one who'd invited him to the premiere.

This time, Martin brought Jennifer Lawrence as his date. The young actress, now more mature, had slimmed down her once-chubby cheeks, trading some of her cuteness for a bolder, fiercer edge.

"How's the archery training going?" Martin asked.

"I've got the form down, but my accuracy's crap," Jennifer admitted.

"Accuracy doesn't matter much. As long as you don't look like a total amateur holding the bow, you're fine. Oh, and we'll soon arrange a coach for some combat training. You should start working on flexibility—like ligament stretches."

"Got it. I'm already practicing, actually."

Jennifer's eyes still sparkled with disbelief. She still couldn't wrap her head around being cast as the lead in Martin's bestselling novel The Hunger Games.

She wasn't a rookie anymore. With her striking blue-gray eyes, Jennifer had starred in several solid films over the years, thanks to Martin's help—either projects produced by Meyers Pictures or ones they'd invested in.

In 2008, she'd won the Best Newcomer Award at the 65th Venice Film Festival for Burning Plain, a Meyers Pictures production.

Next month, her film Winter's Bone would hit theaters, and Martin was already planning to push for an Oscar nomination for her.

Just a nomination, though.

At barely twenty, Jennifer was too young to realistically snag an Oscar. Even with Martin's influence, he wouldn't pull those strings. For now, a nomination was enough—especially with veteran actors still waiting their turn.

"Hey, Jennifer," Bruce Willis greeted, his signature slow drawl unmistakable.

"Hey, Martin, thanks for coming out to support."

"No need to thank us, Bruce," Martin replied.

He and Bruce chatted casually.

"I got offered a role in a U.S.-Chingchong co-production called Looper," Bruce said. "Not sure if I should take it. I'm worried about stepping on any political toes."

"No need to stress, Bruce," Martin said with an easy smile. "The U.S. and ChingChong are in a competitive yet cooperative phase right now. In entertainment, we just signed a new supplemental agreement, so go ahead and shoot it."

Martin's mind flashed to Looper. That film where Some random chingchong's crew drooled over the famous "circle princess" playing a key role. A $30 million investment that pulled in $176 million globally—not a bad little profit.

As the theater lights dimmed, The Expendables began.

The film was quintessential Stallone—written, directed, and starring him, dripping with his signature lone-hero bravado.

Fans familiar with Stallone would instantly recall his first self-written, self-starring hit, First Blood.

To Martin, though, The Expendables leaned too hard into individual heroism. The big-budget visuals are standard Hollywood fare now, no surprise there. But the invincible Rambo vibes are overdone—like he can never die. And the romance? Stiff as a board. Stallone's never been great at writing love stories…

Still, overall, it was a solid movie. Martin had a gut feeling the box office wouldn't disappoint.

He was right.

The Expendables earned mixed reviews:

"Summer 2010's best action flick—feels like you're inside Stallone's brain, watching his thoughts explode." —Screen Daily

"The film's style and unmatched cast feel oddly familiar." —Time

"Its greatest value: letting longtime action fans cry in the theater, reminiscing about the good old days." —Entertainment Weekly

"Not as fun as it should've been. It's not the aging cast but the moldy script that makes The Expendables a sacrificial lamb." —Globe Post

"Stallone's films won't win Oscars, but their absurd machismo reaches heights others can't touch." —New York Daily News

"A hilariously over-the-top action movie, perfect for 2 a.m. on your living room TV." —Variety

Despite the polarized reviews, the box office held strong. Not a massive hit, but it pulled in $27.7 million over its opening four-day weekend, with a predictable drop-off afterward. It'd likely turn a tidy profit for its investors.

The Expendables also knocked Inception down to second place on that week's box office charts.