Chapter 317: Dating Black Widow, Caught by Taylor Swift?

The opening weekend box office of "Iron Man 2" was only 96 million US dollars, failing to break the 100 million mark as per Xu Can's usual trend.

It was not that they lacked trust in Xu Can; they were simply terrified by Hollywood's numerous sequels that were mere cash grabs.

Plus, with Jon Favreau as director and Robert Downey Jr. as the lead,

if the sequel turned out terrible, Xu Can, as screenwriter and producer, might not be able to save the film's quality.

Thus, many moviegoers decided to wait and see, making their decision only after the sequel's reputation was established.

There were too many films that surprised in the first installment but were a huge disappointment in the second.

Earlier, there were "Starship Troopers 2," "Mission: Impossible 2," and "Speed 2";

later, there were "Pacific Rim 2," "Avatar 2," and "The Man from Earth 2" (yes, that thing even has a sequel)...

Deceived by Hollywood too many times, moviegoers activated their defense mechanisms, and some did not rush to the cinema immediately.

Not until the reviews for "Iron Man 2" came out.

"Los Santos Times": A popcorn blockbuster full of laughs and excitement! RockRo11! A quite rock-and-roll movie!

"The New York Times": A comprehensive upgrade built on the success of the predecessor; the appearance of the Extraordinary Dragon is full of pressure, making it a surprising and sincere sequel!

"The Washington Post": Enjoy two and a half hours inside the theater! Pinned to your seat from start to finish, with high-energy aerial combat throughout!

"The Herald Daily": Another masterpiece following "Captain America"! Under Xu Can's supervision, Marvel movies maintain their consistently high standard!

Media outlets across North America gave "Iron Man 2: Extraordinary Dragon" high scores; an opening IMDb rating of 8.8/10 proves it is a high-quality popcorn special-effects blockbuster!

"Iron Man 1" had an opening IMDb rating of only 8.5, which subsequently dropped all the way to 8.0/10,

a score that is already considered high for a commercial film.

"Iron Man 2" opened at 8.8 and could maintain a level of 8.5/10 subsequently, even surpassing many high-quality drama films.

According to film critic Roger Ebert:

"367 'Iron Man 2: Extraordinary Dragon' has a great strength: it is satisfying enough, stimulating the audience's adrenaline from start to finish."

"The balance between ground combat, aerial combat, and dialogue scenes is perfectly handled, with a rhythm that is both tense and relaxed."

"Especially the special effects; Xu Can invested 200 million US dollars in production, spending every penny where it counts!"

"His Star River Entertainment, from a makeshift troupe at the beginning, has become top-tier in Hollywood in less than two years, even vaguely surpassing Industrial Light & Magic."

"This is Xu Can; when he gets serious, he can indeed create miracles."

"Overall, 'Iron Man 2: Extraordinary Dragon' is worth watching with family and friends to enjoy two and a half hours of happiness. Two thumbs up!"

Facing the media's unanimous praise, moviegoers finally felt safe to watch.

The subsequent box office of "Iron Man 2" actually rose instead of falling; the second week generated a box office of 230 million US dollars!

If Xu Can's first "Iron Man" still carried some of Spider-Man's halo,

the second Marvel film, Captain America successful, was mere luck, attributable to Captain America's own popularity;

the third Marvel film, "Iron Man 2," looks poised to surpass the box office of the previous two, proving that Xu Can's Marvel Cinematic Universe plan is indeed feasible!

And he is leading moviegoers step by step toward that vast and magnificent world!

Just as Xu Can, unsurprisingly, crafted another blockbuster hit,

he chose not to participate in variety shows or frequently go out for roadshows to gain exposure.

That would be uncool; maintaining a bit of mystery in front of the media and the public makes one seem more like a master.

"So, this is your reason for not promoting and instead coming to date me?"

Inside the spacious and clean hall of Pizzeria-Mozza, the hardest Italian restaurant to get a table at in Los Santos Hollywood, there were not a single table of customers.

Impeccably dressed waiters stood aside, ready to take orders at any moment,

and a string orchestra played background music nearby, absorbed in their own performance.

In the center, candles flickered on the dining table where Xu Can and Scarlett Johansson sat facing each other.

Swirling a glass of red wine, Black Widow asked Xu Can with a smile.

"This is just a surface excuse; actually, I simply want to date you," Xu Can shamelessly admitted.

"Then there was no need for this, was there? I remember this restaurant is hard to book; the waiting list is two months out."

This restaurant is controlled by a world-class Michelin-star chef; as a Hollywood celebrity, Black Widow had only visited once in these years.

This shows how popular the restaurant is and its dominant position in the high-end market.

Could Xu Can actually clear the entire venue?

"I bought this restaurant a couple of days ago; I can open it whenever I want. Today, you are the most important."

Xu Can's domineering CEO-style direct approach made Black Widow somewhat unaccustomed, though she felt a slight secret joy in her heart.

"What about Taylor and Emma? Are they important?"

Black Widow raised the beautiful curve of her red lips, posing a soul-searching question.

"I invited you out alone today; what do you think?"

"Then between those two, which one do you like more?"

Black Widow persisted relentlessly.

Xu Can elegantly cut a piece of tender, juicy steak with his knife, forked it, and held it to Scarlett Johansson's lips.

"You..."

Hesitating, Black Widow still leaned forward.