The richest actor in Hollywood.

The film set was arranged to resemble a small military base. Two armored vehicles and several off-road military trucks were parked in the center of the area, with several fully armed soldiers standing beside each vehicle. Near the leading armored vehicle, under the camera's gaze, Matthew skillfully put on gloves, slung an automatic rifle over his shoulder, and began walking toward the front of the convoy.

The main camera followed his movements, sliding along the track with the lens fixed on him. Another camera, positioned at a forty-five-degree angle, continuously captured close-ups of Matthew's face, as if the entire set was dedicated to serving him.

This was the privilege of being the absolute star of the production.

"Attention!" An officer shouted as Matthew approached, and all the soldiers beside the vehicles immediately stood at attention.

Matthew stopped in the middle of the convoy, turned to face the soldiers, and said, "At ease."

The soldiers placed their hands behind their backs, their eyes focused on Matthew, waiting for his speech.

"This mission requires the best of the best, which is why NATO has called upon us," he began, his voice not loud but incredibly resonant. "Our target is a group of heavily armed terrorists, hidden 285 kilometers away. This mission is a covert operation!"

He scanned the faces of the soldiers before continuing, "The mountains are shrouded in thick fog, making helicopter support impossible. We'll drive to the edge of the mountain range, then hike eight kilometers to launch our attack at 4 AM tomorrow!"

The soldiers' expressions were serious and resolute.

Matthew nodded, "Squad, you have ten minutes to prepare. Dismissed! We move out in ten!"

After giving his orders, Matthew prepared his weapon, opened the door of the middle vehicle, and took the front passenger seat. His second-in-command, John, sat in the driver's seat.

"The enemy is formidable," Matthew said to John, "Don't let your guard down."

John nodded and started the vehicle. The roar of the engine filled the air, followed by the voice of Stephen Sommers through a loudspeaker, "Cut! That's a wrap!"

Matthew opened the door and got out of the vehicle, handing his gloves to a nearby assistant. The heat of October in Los Angeles made wearing tactical gloves sweaty work.

"Moving to the next set!" Stephen Sommers shouted again, "We'll start shooting in thirty minutes on Set Two!"

Set Two was located on the far left side of the studio. Matthew grabbed his gear and headed that way.

Given the film's numerous battle scenes, the production team had selected the massive hangars of the Hughes Aircraft Company, converted into a gigantic soundstage, for the interior shots.

The crew of *G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra* had spent the better part of the year constructing over 160 sets within these hangars, including the enormous urban combat layer, the G.I. Joe submarine, and the missile launch silo of the military research center.

The most impressive set was the G.I. Joe underground base, spanning multiple levels and including an urban combat zone, underwater warfare area, command center, maze-like corridors, medical room, and even a recreation area. There was even an elevator designed to lift a plane to the surface.

The most amazing part was that everything was functional—there were real light switches on the walls that turned on lights.

This was one of the great wonders of the film industry.

Thus, filming a sci-fi action movie is far more challenging than making an art film.

Matthew entered the set, where stunt coordinator Craig Henderson gathered him and the lead actress, Sienna Miller.

Seeing Sienna Miller in her black leather suit, Matthew nodded at her, and she nodded back. Although they hadn't interacted much before, their two weeks of training and rehearsals had made them fairly familiar with each other.

Craig Henderson guided them through the blocking, then said, "Matthew, this mission ends in failure for your team. You're the only one who escapes, showcasing your character's formidable combat skills."

Matthew simply nodded.

This was the opening scene of the movie. As a sci-fi action film, it was essential to start with an explosive action sequence. The basic plot involved his squad being sent on a mission to attack terrorists, only to be betrayed from within and ambushed by overwhelming enemy forces. Although they take down many foes, the terrorists, armed with superior weapons, leave Duke as the sole survivor.

Of course, Duke encounters the female lead, the Baroness, who is his former lover.

The plot and the characters' relationships were nothing extraordinary, filled with clichés.

This was exactly what Matthew and Stephen Sommers had aimed for.

Especially Stephen Sommers, who, after the failure of his monster mash-up experiment with *Van Helsing*, had returned to the tried-and-true formula.

"Sienna..." Craig Henderson turned to Sienna Miller, "Besides the movements I mentioned during the blocking, remember to maintain a cold, emotionless expression throughout, like a killing machine."

"I understand," Sienna Miller replied.

Craig Henderson nodded to both of them before leaving.

Matthew took the gun and other weapons handed to him by the assistant and finished gearing up with the help of the makeup artist. Then, he headed to the entrance of the terrorist base set.

His character's starting position was at the entrance, while Sienna Miller, as the Baroness, the terrorist leader, was initially positioned inside the base.

The first shots would focus on Matthew, with Stephen Sommers directing the action at the entrance.

Ten minutes later, everything was ready, and the assistant director called for action.

Instantly, the sound of gunfire filled the air, occasionally punctuated by explosions. Fire and smoke effects appeared intermittently.

Matthew swiftly charged through the base's entrance, rolling into position and immediately aiming his rifle. The muzzle flashed, and a terrorist fell dead. He quickly ducked behind a pillar, then popped out from the other side, seemingly invincible, and took down another enemy with precise shots.

John followed closely behind, entering the base. Matthew glanced back at him, signaling with a series of tactical hand gestures. John quietly relayed orders to the others, "We're flanking them!"

"Cover fire!" Matthew shouted, rolling out from behind the pillar and firing multiple shots. The nearby soldiers also opened fire, drawing the terrorists' attention to allow John's team to flank them.

The gunfire and explosions intensified. Matthew shouted again, "Grenades! Eleven o'clock, double-tap!"

Immediately, two soldiers fired grenades from their launchers, and explosions ripped through the area at eleven o'clock, sending a brilliant flash of fire.

"Cut!" Stephen Sommers' voice came through the loudspeaker again, "Good take! Touch up the makeup, and we'll resume in ten minutes."

The next shots were fragmented, consisting of two to three-second clips meant to showcase Matthew's leadership and combat prowess.

Despite their smaller numbers, the elite squad easily outmatched the ordinary terrorists.

However, the outcome of this battle was predetermined. As John's team successfully flanked the terrorists and prepared to annihilate them, a much larger group of terrorists, led by the Baroness, suddenly counterattacked, shifting the balance of power.

This combat sequence took four days to shoot, finally nearing completion.

In the final scenes, Matthew's character desperately tried to regroup his squad, but they were hopelessly outmatched by the enemy's superior numbers and firepower.

"He's impressive, isn't he?" Lorenzo di Bonaventura, the producer from Paramount Pictures, remarked to Brian Goldner, CEO of Hasbro, as they observed the set. "His physicality, acting skills, professionalism, and dedication—he's one of the best in the business."

"But not necessarily the best actor, right?" Brian Goldner replied.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura chuckled, "Brian, let's not quibble over that." He pointed at Matthew, who had just taken down a Cobra soldier with a knife, and said, "I know you weren't happy about Matthew insisting on rewriting the script to make his character the absolute lead, but have you considered how much that benefits us?"

Brian Goldner remained silent.

"Why did *Hancock*, with its nonsensical story and illogical plot, become a massive hit?" Lorenzo di Bonaventura continued without waiting for an answer. "Because the lead actor was Matthew Horner!"

He emphasized, "Let me put it this way: even if the story is worse than *Hancock*, a movie starring Matthew Horner will still be a blockbuster! As long as he's on the screen, millions, if not tens of millions, of people will buy tickets, bringing enormous influence to the film."

"But..." Brian Goldner began, "Focusing too much on Duke's character might hurt our merchandise sales."

Lorenzo di Bonaventura waved his hand dismissively. "We're building an entire franchise. Matthew can ensure the success of the first movie, which gives us a shot at creating a series."

Brian Goldner had no further objections.

After a full day of shooting, Matthew returned to Horner Manor under the protection of his bodyguards. However, his evening was far from free—he still had other work to attend to, such as overseeing the progress of *Twilight* and *Fast & Furious 4*, and handling various emails.

One email from Bella Anderson caught his eye, containing the name *The Hunger Games*.

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