My Hollywood System

Will and Amanda were currently in an elevator that was moving down from the third floor to the ground floor.

The meeting regarding Netflix and his future plans had just finished and Will had dragged Amanda to the elevator saying that they needed to go somewhere.

"Where are we even going?"

Amanda asked. She had been dragged along with Will without any proper explanation as to where they were going.

"It's been months already since I've bought Marvel Comics. But I still haven't visited its office as I was continuously busy with so many other things. Since I'm creating my future plans now, I've to go pay them a visit. After all, Marvel is going to be a big part of it."

Will said as they walked out of the elevator.

Amanda, as if enlightened, couldn't help but ask.

"Are you going to create a superhero movie next?"

"Nah, why would I do that?"

Will said, and Amanda's facial expressions finally relaxed, thinking that nothing big was going to happen. That's where she was wrong.

Will continued his sentence from where he left it off.

"I'll be creating a superhero franchise."

"What!?"

"I'll be creating a superhero franchise."

"I heard it clearly the first time. My 'what' was more of a surprise reaction than a question."

Amanda said as she felt another headache coming. Superhero movies have been a big stigma in this world as even the best ones just barely broke even. So when Will talked about creating not only a movie but a whole franchise regarding the same thing, she couldn't help but feel nervous.

"You do know that a superhero franchise would come with a big risk? It's not going to be like [Sherlock Holmes]. First of all, selecting a superhero that would work or not is already a big task."

Amanda said, trying to put her point. She had given up on trying to change Will's mind regarding something he became adamant about a long time ago. All she could do was give 'suggestions' that he might or might not accept.

"See, that's why I repeated myself. You didn't hear me clearly. I said I'm going to be creating a superhero franchise. Superheroes! Not one, but every superhero."

Will finally said and his face looked a bit excited and proud. After all, he was going to step into the Marvel cinematic universe soon. Recreating every movie and enjoying the reactions of people from every walks of life.

"...."

Amanda looked at Will like he was a madman. She couldn't believe what he was talking about. Looking at her reaction, Will just shrugged.

"You'll see soon."

Will said as they had reached his car. He opened the car's passenger seat where he sat and gave the keys to Amanda.

"...."

Amanda again looked at him, speechless.

"What? You don't know how to drive?"

Will asked, raising his eyebrows.

".....I know."

"Then what are you waiting for? Can't you drive for a friend?"

Will asked smugly at which Amanda just shook her head. Without saying anything, she got in the driver's seat and started the car.

Even after the car had started for almost a minute, Amanda didn't put on the accelerator.

"What now?"

Will turned to her side and asked.

"I don't know where Marvel's office is located."

"....You know what? Let me drive."

Will shook his head. After a while, they finally left the company's premises.

***

Marvel Comics, Los Angeles, California.

Unlike in Will's previous world, this world's Marvel headquarters, and now currently the only office, was situated in Los Angeles instead of New York City.

It was an old two-story building on east street. The insides of the office looked old and most of the departments looked unkempt.

The CEO's office was the only place that looked a bit different than the rest of the junkyard. It was a bit cleaner, and looked more like an old English government office than a junkyard.

Currently, Jimmy Spark, the CEO of Marvel, was busy scolding an old man with grey hair and moustache. Jimmy Spark was as old as the old man in front of him, but looking at both of their bodies, there was a clear difference.

Jimmy Spark was a fat man, as if he had only eaten pizzas and burgers his whole life, on the other hand, the other old man was a lot slimmer. His eyes looked tired and his expression was one of bitterness and anxiety.

Marvel comics was once the best of the best even in this world. It had earned in the 70s, 80s, and even till the early 90s. But now what remained of it was the shadows of its past glory. It was just barely surviving somehow after getting thoroughly trampled over by DC comics.

Not only that, even other comic companies that started later than they had gone way further than where Marvel currently was.

The current CEO and even all the existing employees of the company were the same even after Will had bought the whole company. The reason was simple, he was a very busy man.

He had decided to leave things be and told the existing managing staff to function till he officially takes over the company. The staff was more than happy to not lose the job for a few more months.

"Fuck. How long do you think we will survive like this? Don't you have anything better to offer to the readers?"

Jimmy shouted with spit coming out of his mouth every time he spoke a word. The person in front of Jimmy was the head of the comic book creation department. The latest comic series had again become a failure and Jimmy was currently taking out his frustration on the poor efforts of the marketing team on the old creation head.

"You know what? Just -"

Just when Jimmy was about to say to the old guy that he was getting fired, Jimmy's assistant, Ross, came to the office.

Jimmy made an unpleasant face as he asked.

"The fuck is it, you fuckface? Don't you know that you shouldn't enter without knocking?"

"B-but sir.."

The young assistant stuttered. He was a newly appointed assistant as no assistant of Jimmy lasted more than 3 months.

"But? But what? Huh? You better have a good reason for barging in like this or consider yourself fi- suspended."

Jimmy held back from saying the word 'fired'. He knew that it was getting difficult to appoint anyone as his assistant with every passing day, and if he kept firing everyone then he would be the only person left in the company.

"S-sir, Will Evans is coming to the office."

Ross stuttered again. He felt like he had made his life's biggest mistake by becoming the assistant of this psycho. It was very clear as to what one of the biggest reasons behind Marvel's downfall could have been.

"What? Will who?"

'Fuck your ignorance fatty!'

Ross cursed internally as he replied.

"Sir, it's the new owner. The new owner of the company, Will Evans. He's finally coming today to take control of the company, officially. You do remember he bought the company, right?"

"Ri-right…. Of course, I remember."

Jimmy had completely forgotten about it. The only thing he remembered was that Will was too busy to take over the company immediately, even after buying. So they can continue to function until he comes back to take control.

Jimmy finally started sweating after realising that his days of bossing around people might be coming to an end if he didn't do anything to impress his new boss.

"The fuck are you waiting for? Go and call everyone over for a meeting."

He shouted at the assistant again, who somehow built up some courage and replied.

"I am not as slow as you, I've already called everyone over for the meeting in the main hall. Come and join if you want to."

Jimmy watched slack-jawed as Ross left his cabin like a lion that had finally pulled out his fang. Since Ross already knew that most of the employees from this sinking ship of a company would be kicked out as soon as proper management returned, he no longer had any reasons to be scared of the so-called CEO.

Still, as soon as he shut his cabin door and walked a bit further away, he placed his hand on his heart which was loudly beating. Beads of sweat formed around his forehead and neck as he tried to calm his heart down.

"Wow, that was…scarily thrilling."

An awkward smile formed on Ross's face as he was shocked at himself about how he had talked to his boss in a loud voice. The boss that had given him PTSD after just three months of working here.

"Take that you old fatty."

Ross gave Jimmy the middle finger in his heart. But before he could celebrate much, he heard a shouting noise coming from Jimmy's cabin again.

He could already guess what was ensuing inside. For some reason, this old bastard would always try to find reasons to humiliate the poor creation head.

"Bastards like you don't deserve such a position. I hope Will kick's your ass out first. I would rather see the creation head as the CEO than you."

Ross muttered to himself. He was just taking out his frustration from months of mistreatment but he couldn't help but feel sad for the old guy. He was always nice to people and always replied to everyone with a bright smile, but when nobody was talking to him, he would always have that long face.

One of the only two cleaners of the company came running towards Ross as he said while trying to catch his breath.

"Sir….. Will Evans has arrived."

...

//DreamNote//

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