*Chapter 222: Another Hit*

On December 14th, Miss Congeniality premiered in New York. It opened in 1,068 theaters in its first week, earning a box office of $1.458 million. By the second week, the number of theaters increased to 2,226, and it grossed $38.27 million, bringing the cumulative total to $52 million.

The movie had a budget of $45 million, and it recouped its costs within two weeks, with the box office expected to surpass $100 million.

Every year, Hollywood releases three to four hundred major films, but only around 20 of them break the $100 million mark. Miss Congeniality is projected to do so, making its performance particularly impressive.

The film has received very positive reviews. Besides the widespread praise for Sandra Bullock, some critics also complimented Richard's performance.

"In addition to action films, Richard has found another suitable path—comedy. His chemistry with Sandra in the film is seamless, delivering genuine emotions amid the laughs, with warmth and love, making it truly entertaining."

—Dennis Harvey, USA Today.

"In this movie, I saw another side of Richard the boxer—cheerful, humorous, witty, with a touch of shyness and cuteness. It was incredible; I never expected this side of the champ."

—Claudia Puig, Los Angeles Times.

"After more than three years of honing his craft, Richard's acting style has matured. From the cunning in A Perfect Murder, to the elegance in The Talented Mr. Ripley, the martial arts prowess in Pitch Black, and now the humorous yet tough character in Miss Congeniality, Richard's acting has become more polished. His character exploration has deepened, and his sense of self-awareness has become clearer."

—Stephen Holden, The New York Times.

"Hey, Richard, congratulations! You've got a movie that crossed the $100 million mark."

At the hillside villa, on the front lawn, Keanu Reeves smiled with a tilt of his mouth.

"It's nothing, just the beginning," Richard replied confidently.

"Yeah, maybe this is the highlight of your career. Do you think it's easy to make $100 million at the box office? I've been in the business for over ten years and only four of my movies have crossed that mark—Speed with $350 million and The Matrix with $460 million. Richard, why don't you figure out when you'll catch up to me?"

Keanu grinned smugly.

Richard glanced at him, doing some quick calculations, "Within three years!"

"Yeah, right!"

Reeves smirked.

"Don't believe me? Hey, Ava, Annie, don't bite the cat. Be careful; it might scratch your little faces."

Richard smiled gently as he watched little Ava and Annie Basola playing with a kitten on the lawn.

Little Ava grabbed the kitten, opening her small mouth to bite its ear. The kitten swatted her face with its tail, making her giggle.

Beside her was little Annie, the four-year-old daughter of assistant Anna Basola, with big eyes and a tiny nose. She was also holding a kitten, rolling around on the lawn.

"Aren't they adorable?" Reeves asked.

"Yes, they are!"

"When are you going to have kids?"

"In two more years!"

"Have kids sooner; a house feels like a home when there are children around."

Reeves grinned.

"Good point!"

Richard chuckled and walked over to join the little ones in playing with the kittens.

——

"Richard, Miss Congeniality is a hit. Your asking price is now stable at over $10 million. There are a few new roles that would suit you. Interested in trying them out?"

In the office, Anthony flipped through a file, smiling.

"Let me see!"

Richard took the folder and looked through it. Of the three projects, only the lead role in Training Day seemed appealing. After some thought, he decided to pass on it.

He had filmed three movies this year, leaving him with little time to train. Next year, he would have to cut back a bit, or it might interfere with his regular training routine.

"Alright, taking some time to settle down isn't bad either. The spy movie you mentioned last time is showing some progress. It's The Bourne Identity, a 1988 TV series. Universal is planning to adapt it into a spy movie. They're looking for an action actor to play the lead role, Jason Bourne. Russell Crowe, Sylvester Stallone, Edward Norton, and Matt Damon are all being considered. We've also received an invitation. Should we consider it?"

Anthony poured a cup of tea and asked.

"The Bourne Identity?"

Richard rubbed his forehead, thinking it was Matt Damon's movie, which later became a series. "When is the filming scheduled? I have two movies lined up before June next year."

"It's still in the early stages of preparation, so the actual filming will likely start in the second half of the year. We’ll only get more detailed information once we get in touch with them," Anthony said.

"We can reach out."

"Alright!"

Anthony nodded. "When are you heading to Berlin for the competition?"

"Next week! The competition will be over just in time for Christmas. This year flew by so fast."

Thinking back to last year's New Year's Eve event, it seemed just around the corner. This year felt like it passed in the blink of an eye.

"You've probably been too busy. You shot four movies, fought in three matches, and stayed busy from the start of the year until the end. You definitely deserve a break." Anthony laughed.

"I'll rest after the competition."

After chatting for a while, Richard left the office.

Passing by Naomi's office, he saw that she was still there and walked in.

Naomi is now the Director of Talent at BAA and also a shareholder, holding 5% of the company.

Inside her office, Naomi was holding a script, practicing her lines in front of a mirror.

"You're still here?"

"I came back again, just as you wished, didn't I?"

"No one wants to see you!"

"Really?"

Richard chuckled and walked up to put his arm around her waist.

Naomi smiled faintly. "My parents are upstairs. They think you've already left."

"So what? A surprise?" Richard said, reading the lines from her script.

"I'm going to call them down. I'm going to call my father down."

Naomi pushed him away and angrily said.

"You won't."

Richard hugged her and kissed her.

"Threatening me won't work. The game you're playing is dangerous."

Naomi took a step back.

"Heh, you know what I want. It's not that hard to satisfy." Richard stepped forward, pinning her against the wall.

"Let me go, or I'll call my father down." Naomi struggled, "He trusts you. He sees you as his best friend. It's all over."

"And what about you? What would your father think of you?" Richard whispered in her ear.

"Stop talking. We agreed from the start, if I tell them everything, they'll send you to prison, so you need to leave here immediately, or..."

"Or what?" Richard smiled, curling his lips.

"Or I'll kill you!"

Naomi pulled out a box cutter from her pocket.

"Alright, you win!" Richard raised his hands.

Naomi burst into laughter. "How did I do?"

"Amazing. Director David Lynch said he knew you were the one for the role after the first audition. I was going to put in a good word for you, but it turns out I didn’t need to." Richard shrugged.

"Well, thanks for recommending me anyway. I really like this role. Betty and I are very similar. Like her, I came to Los Angeles with dreams, only to find it was just a dream. This role suits me perfectly. I'm confident I can play her well." Naomi said confidently.

"I believe you’ll do great too. Want me to help you run lines?"

"Sure!"

Naomi smiled, curling her lips.

——

(End of Chapter)