Life is Easier If You're Handsome novel Chapter 328

Iron Core vs. working title – Arc V.

This setup was, from the fans’ point of view, news to welcome with both hands up.

From the perspective of existing Marvel fans—

“Wait, so there’s going to be another successor to Iron Man besides Iron Core?”

“They’re saying they’re unfolding the story centered around Kim Donghu?”

“It must be the multiverse, right? A completely different one?”

“But Loki already cut all the timelines... Can there still be another story coming out?”

“It’s a different multiverse from that... Multiverse is the universal click-fix anyway.”

Kim Donghu continuing Iron Man’s legacy — that was truly the best possible case.

Honestly, just remembering how jealous people felt watching Batman.

Not only did he hit fourth place in all-time Hollywood box office revenue, but with eight Academy Awards — including Best Picture — his momentum was surging.

Currently, every work coming out of Marvel might be high-quality, but was getting blocked by the wall of being a true blockbuster.

In this kind of situation, the guaranteed box office ticket backed by the Earth itself—Kim Donghu taking over Iron Man’s legacy?

“Is it coming back again... the Marvel era?”

“DC, are you afraid of Marvel’s return?”

Could it bring back that romance and fun we once felt?

With those thoughts rising—some people began digging into this situation with intense precision.

As a result—

“But honestly, there’s a really high chance this production might fall apart, right?”

They realized that working title – Arc V wasn’t actually in that great a condition.

The reason was that, at this point, Disney was already suffering heavy losses. They couldn’t just throw investment money at a story that hadn’t been proven.

“So what happens then?”

“They say it might get a smaller budget or something?”

“But then, wouldn’t it be better to just gather outside investors... like during Iron Man 1?”

“Back then Marvel did it with bank loans secured on IP... What happens now?”

They had accepted the foundation of the story. They’d granted the right to produce it. Frankly, they’d delegated full authority for the film. But when it came to actual budgeting—they hadn’t allocated anything yet.

So in a way, the production might end up being pushed way back. That was the kind of situation it was in.

And this was exactly the part that the Iron Core production team had aimed at. They were already busy handling the project they were producing right now.

Would they really have the budget to fund a rival project, too?

No matter how much money Disney had, it wasn’t like they had unlimited funds to toss around in hundred-million-dollar chunks.

‘In this case, they’ll naturally wait to fund it until the Iron Core series wraps up.’

‘This isn’t fear. Honestly, Rip said what he said because he knows that.’

Outwardly, they made it look like they were encouraging competition. As if they were giving permission for working title – Arc V to be made. But they weren’t actually offering any real support. They were just handing over a carrot that looked good on the outside.

You could say it was the result of the CEO adjusting the teams’ positions as best as possible within the current state of things.

‘Melvin, no matter how badly you want to write a new story... It’d be better to give up.’

In the end, without money, what can you do?

The Iron Core production team smirked bitterly as they thought of Melvin.

Trying to return to square one after already being acquired—

They thought of it as a dumb, desperate struggle.

And Melvin, the person being mocked—

“...Good. That’s just fine.”

—was smiling a deep smile at the corner of his mouth.

***

He couldn’t say he had planned everything from start to finish—but the moment he realized independence wasn’t an option, this was exactly what he had desperately hoped for.

‘As long as I get production rights. I can solve the budget myself.’

He understood why the Iron Core production team had done this kind of media play.

If they stirred things up like this, the current situation of working title – Arc V would be exposed to the world. Then people would start from the fact that the film was being made in a deeply disadvantageous position—and eventually it would spread that, in the long term, the film might not even get shot at all.

They wanted to shout out that risk for the whole world to hear.

It was a very clever tactic. So clever, he almost wanted to compliment them.

‘If only the lead actor weren’t Donghu Kim.’

They had forgotten the most important thing.

No matter how scared they were, they barked without even knowing who they were fighting against.

‘Do they still not know that Donghu Kim’s fandom isn’t just made up of ordinary people?’

Kim Donghu—is now just one giant collective of popularity.

Despite rumors that he had five lovers, his attitude made it look like he could take responsibility for all of them, earning him the “alpha male” label.

Because of that, he had a clean image. He could act. He had money. He was popular. He could fight. And even his fan service was top-tier.

He was someone so well-rounded, it was hard to find a reason to dislike him.

A man like that inheriting Iron Man’s legacy?

Then would the buzz stop at just the general public liking the news?

Melvin, long time no see. To be blunt... I want to stand beside Donghu Kim. I’ll send my audition video. Melvin! It’s me — hope you’ve been well? I know contacting you privately like this isn’t ideal, haha, but since this has to do with Donghu Kim, I just...

Actors.

Hello. I recently heard the news. I’ll get straight to the point —we absolutely want our company’s products to be featured in the movie with Donghu Kim. Murcielago — that car belongs to DC now. Marvel needs a new ride for itself... and Ferrari has a thoroughbred ready that suits Donghu Kim perfectly.

Corporations.

With the news that he would appear in the film—and whispers that the production budget might be short—people were gathering on their own.

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