The richest actor in Hollywood.

Not everyone can make semi-serious, semi-joking remarks about the African American movement like Clint Eastwood. If Matthew had decades of experience in Hollywood, he might have felt confident enough to voice some criticism. However, he still lacks the clout for that. Moreover, considering the increasing proportion of minority audiences in theaters, it aligns with his interests as a commercial star to pay attention to minority groups.

Thus, regardless of what others do, Matthew continues with his previous strategy, ensuring that the three foundations managed by Amanda continue to provide aid to African Americans, other minority groups, and women and children.

This month, Matthew, along with super-wealthy individuals like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, was named one of America's Top Ten Philanthropists by *Forbes* magazine.

Simultaneously, multiple women's and children's rights organizations across the country recognized Matthew as a public-spirited figure, with some even appointing him as an honorary director.

Additionally, Matthew announced donations to several well-known charities, with the total amount reaching several million dollars.

These actions significantly boosted his reputation and influence.

*Forbes* magazine also conducted an exclusive interview with Matthew.

"A person who dies with a fortune is a disgrace!" Matthew earnestly told the *Forbes* reporter, "I believe people are stewards of the wealth entrusted to them by God. They are not the true owners of that wealth; they can't take it with them when they die. We should donate to causes within our capacity and help those in need."

He emphasized, "I am not passionate about wealth, especially when billions of people around the world are much poorer than we are."

Matthew has always loved money, a fact he never denies. However, he also understands that money can bring many things far beyond its monetary value.

Many Wall Street investors, including billionaires, are eager to introduce themselves by their other titles, especially as trustees of top universities like Harvard, Yale, or Columbia, or as directors of well-known museums, art groups, or social organizations.

When people first hear these titles, they can't help but respect their academic achievements. But these individuals candidly admit that these honorary titles come after making donations, which they still highly value.

In the USA, one can possess immense wealth, but one must give back, and it must be noticeable. Otherwise, they will never become truly influential figures.

Many American media outlets even believe that generous giving is an unwritten tradition among American billionaires—a necessary quality for successful people and a standard by which wealthy individuals gain social recognition. It's a spiritually compelling trait with ultimate appeal.

Of course, the enthusiasm for charitable giving among the wealthy is closely related to government policies that encourage it, with tax incentives being a prime example.

Even someone like Matthew, with limited cultural background, can say grand-sounding words when faced with charity and the media.

"We must donate to help those in dire need," Matthew said, almost becoming a philanthropist himself. "Donating is essential because, no matter which nonprofit organization you give to, the act itself satisfies the donor's need for self-fulfillment, allowing them to live for their ideals, their beliefs, and their best self-image. People can wake up every morning and see in the mirror the person they want to see or should see: a responsible citizen and a compassionate neighbor."

In this day and age, selling an image is crucial. After years of effort, Matthew has built a more complete persona beyond that of a playboy.

Being a playboy doesn't really matter—what young tycoon isn't? Society no longer cares about that.

Matthew, as a donor, has almost turned the act of giving into an art form, but the recipients are just as sophisticated in playing the game of accepting donations.

In a conversation with Amanda, she shared with Matthew a recent typical case.

Recently, Jim Harbaugh, the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team, decided to take a high-paying job with the University of Michigan's football team. His first-year salary would be $7 million, sparking a heated debate in American academia and sports circles—how could the University of Michigan justify paying such a staggering amount to a football coach?

Amanda explained to Matthew: The reason for the high salary is that if the school's football team wins, enthusiastic Michigan alumni would generously donate to their alma mater, and these donations would surely far exceed the $7 million salary.

The reputation gained through charity has brought Matthew more attention, and he has appropriately used various channels to promote the film *Twilight*.

Compared to those big-budget productions with investments exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars, *Twilight*, though it has an increasing number of fans, indeed lacks sufficient promotional points.

As September arrived, various matters related to Matthew began to conclude.

Thanks to his recommendation and assistance, after three rounds of auditions, Karolina Kurkova secured the role of the red-haired woman, Scarlett, although her pay was only $200,000.

But for Karolina Kurkova at this stage, being the second female lead in a Hollywood commercial production is more important.

The night Karolina Kurkova passed her audition, Matthew invited her to visit Horner Manor, where they had an intense session in the meticulously prepared gym, enacting a beauty and the beast scenario.

Matthew fully unleashed himself with Karolina Kurkova that night.

The result was that Karolina Kurkova delayed her arrival at the set by two whole days.

Meanwhile, the production team finalized the other main cast members. Most of the actors, including Matthew and Sienna Miller, had to undergo two weeks of military training.

In Hollywood, this type of pre-filming training is mandatory for such projects.

On another front, Helen Herman concluded negotiations with Walt Disney. Matthew signed the equity transfer agreement with Disney, though the official transaction won't be completed until the end of the year. The deal was set to be based on Marvel's stock price at the end of the year.

Subsequently, Walt Disney officially announced the transaction, effectively confirming their acquisition of Marvel Comics.

Perhaps Matthew's role as a celebrity shareholder genuinely set an example, as many small Marvel Comics shareholders succumbed to Walt Disney's overtures. While Marvel's management showed some resistance, joining a massive entertainment and media conglomerate like Disney isn't necessarily a bad thing for Marvel.

At least, Marvel Comics' management hasn't rejected talks with Walt Disney.

Almost simultaneously, Walt Disney is also pushing to acquire George Lucas's Lucasfilm, revealing a grand expansion plan.

It's clear that while Robert Iger might seem like a smiling Mickey Mouse, his capabilities are no less than his predecessor, Michael Eisner. Moreover, his work style is more gentle, and his professional ethics are widely praised. Disney is being steered onto a fast track of development under his leadership.

This transaction, once completed, will greatly benefit Matthew. In the short term, he'll become a minor shareholder of Walt Disney. From a long-term perspective, the opportunity to invest in Marvel superhero films will be incredibly valuable.

At present, even Walt Disney's management likely can't foresee how far Marvel superhero films will develop in the future.

It is precisely the Marvel Avengers universe that has fully integrated superhero films into the mainstream of Hollywood's commercial landscape.

That Matthew can now secure a piece of this pie is indeed a rare opportunity.

The first installment of North American box office revenue from *Iron Man* has already hit the account of Thirteen Studio.

After over four months of screening, the film was pulled from major North American theaters last week, with a final North American box office total of $335.6 million.

Meanwhile, overseas screenings haven't ended yet, and the overseas box office has already surpassed $400 million.

The first North American box office installment that Matthew received was $20 million. While Paramount Pictures retained the distribution fees and part of the advanced marketing expenses, the remaining North American box office installments are limited, but the film's overseas box office installments haven't been calculated yet.

From the box office alone, he will recover his $40 million investment and turn a profit. Not to mention the additional revenue from DVD sales, TV rights, and online streaming.

According to PwC's estimates, this $40 million investment will likely yield him a profit of $35 million to $40 million.

Even by the standards of Hollywood or the entire American business community, this is an exceptionally profitable investment.

In today's world, where traditional manufacturing yields profits of just ten percent or less, the profits from a successful Hollywood film are indeed astonishing.

This is why, despite knowing that the movie industry is high-risk, so many people still invest madly in it.

Typically, one massively successful film can offset the losses from three or four failed ones.

Of course, those films that rank as massive flops aren't included.

Matthew plans to reinvest the profits from *Iron Man* into *Iron Man 2* and *Captain America*. The former is about to enter pre-production, and the latter already has a detailed written plan.

As for *Thor*, another project Marvel Studios is planning, he doesn't intend to invest in it.

Meanwhile, the North American theatrical run of *Hancock* is also nearing its end. The film had a strong start but has since lost momentum. After over two months in theaters, it no longer shows signs of a resurgence.

Currently, the film's North American box office has just surpassed $300 million, with a global box office total of $700 million.

However, the film's daily North American earnings have remained below $1 million for over a week, and its exit from North American theaters is imminent.

Matthew has been keeping an eye on these matters but is now focusing his energy on the training for *G.I. Joe*. In between, he accepted an invitation from Lily Collins and accompanied her to watch the finals of *American Idol*.

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