Chapter 83: The Untouchable Zone
Night had just fallen when the black Bentley rolled into Malibu. Instead of heading into the city, the driver continued north along the road toward a renowned private club.
"With two consecutive films crossing the hundred-million mark at the North American box office, Duke Rosenberg has pulled off a miracle..."
In the backseat, Nancy Josephson was clearly in excellent spirits. Leafing through a stack of newspapers, she read softly, "In the realm of dazzling action cinema, no one does it better than the young director Rosenberg."
She suddenly looked up at Duke beside her. "Want a look? It's nothing but praise."
"No need," Duke said, shaking his head. He had no intention of seeking an ego boost from the media. "There's plenty of praise, but there must be a lot of criticism too, right?"
He didn't need Nancy to answer; he could guess. The media was undoubtedly churning out plenty of derogatory labels: "the vandal of directors," "a noise machine for sets and theaters," and "a popcorn director who only plays with explosions and tech."
The Bentley soon arrived at the club's entrance. Duke and Nancy Josephson stepped out of the car and headed straight inside. Fox representatives were already waiting to guide them down a tree-lined path toward a lawn by the pool. The area was brilliantly lit and buzzing with voices; a lavish, bustling party was already well underway.
Twentieth Century Fox CEO Thomas Rothman was hosting the party in his personal capacity. He had spoken with Nancy several times, and once Duke's return to Los Angeles was confirmed, he had sent out the invitation.
Duke had no intention of declining. His past clashes with Twentieth Century Fox and Thomas Rothman stemmed from commercial interests, with no personal grudges. With The Rock breaking through, their commercial conflicts were gradually fading, leaving the possibility open for future collaboration.