I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Chapter 448

Chapter 448: Villain (5)

Translator: NovelBin

A heavy silence filled Columbia Studios’ main conference room. The room was packed, yet no one spoke. The bald executive had just posed a question: “Are we really going to give up on Kang Woo-jin’s Joker?”

They had already witnessed Woo-jin’s Joker performance.

‘…We can’t let him go. Of all things, we have to secure Kang Woo-jin.’

‘Who else could deliver a Joker like the one we’ve seen? It would be nearly impossible.’

If they had never seen it, they wouldn’t know what they were missing. But now, having been “seasoned” by Woo-jin’s Joker, they couldn’t go back. It made sense; if Woo-jin left, any actor they brought in later would merely be an imitation.

The bald executive observed the quiet anxiety in the room, a faint smile appearing on his face.

“Why are we so fearful of other failures yet blind to the idea of losing Kang Woo-jin? Isn’t losing him one of the greatest failures we could face? Letting him go would be an irrecoverable mistake.”

“…”

“If it were just this project, maybe it wouldn’t matter. But how many sequels do we have planned with the Joker? It’s certain that Woo-jin’s Joker will be passionately embraced by audiences. Characters, whether heroes or villains, are beloved by fans; but as we all know, a well-loved villain carries a unique and powerful resonance.”

He was right. Villains are typically despised, but if an actor is extraordinary, the role gains a sense of admiration. Such villains become pillars that support the story.

“We need to put our faith in our Joker. Betting on the uncertain might be daunting, but since we’ve already rolled the dice on this cinematic universe, we need to see the whole forest, not just the trees.”

Slowly, others began to reveal their true thoughts.

“I agree. Honestly, I don’t think *Piero: Birth of a Villain* will flop at the Academy Awards.”

“The Academy won’t overlook a performance as extraordinary as that.”

“The bigger the risk, the greater the reward.”

The bald executive nodded, regaining control of the discussion.

“Kang Woo-jin has mentioned the Academy Awards repeatedly, from Cannes to the Emmys. His influence is already monumental, and it keeps growing. I also agree with Director Ahn. If we push forward now, we’ll strike while the iron’s hot, and if it hits, the impact will be nothing short of explosive.”

After speaking, he paused briefly, allowing everyone a moment to absorb his words before he continued.

“If Kang Woo-jin lifts the trophy at the Academy Awards after Cannes and the Emmys—”

Even as he spoke, the bald executive felt a shiver of excitement.

“Can you even imagine the power *Piero: Birth of a Villain* would wield? We would be witnessing the birth of both a legendary villain and one of the world’s greatest actors.”

The thought was mind-blowing yet almost impossible to fully grasp. Woo-jin’s reputation was already growing; by then, who could say how much more powerful he would become?

“The world will be clamoring for Joker. Don’t you all want to see that moment?”

Two days later, on the 20th, late in the morning…

In one of the massive sets at Columbia Studios, the team for *Piero: Birth of a Villain* was busy. Today’s shoot would involve moving between two locations: the set for the first half of the day and an outdoor location for the second half. There was no room for delays.

“Actors on standby!”

“I’ll let them know right away!”

Over a hundred foreign crew members worked in perfect synchronization. The efficiency of the Hollywood system was like a finely-tuned machine. Hollywood productions tend to have lengthy pre-production stages, allowing for shorter filming schedules than in many other places, including Korea.

This was also the case for *Piero: Birth of a Villain*.

Having completed the *Beauty and the Beast* poster shoot, Kang Woo-jin returned to filming two days prior. His first scene today involved him, so Director Ahn Ga-bok was deep in discussion about the storyboard with key staff members.

Observing all this with her arms crossed was Nora Foster, the stern-faced producer overseeing the set. After watching the bustling scene for a moment, she let out a small sigh of relief, running a hand through her slightly longer-than-shoulder-length hair. The filming was now in its mid-to-late stages, yet neither the director, the crew, nor the actors appeared rushed.

Then…

-??

Her phone rang. Nora glanced at the caller ID, then her eyes widened slightly. It was Columbia Studios. It was likely news regarding Director Ahn’s proposal. She quickly put the phone to her ear.

“Yes, this is Nora.”

The voice on the other end belonged to the bald executive from Columbia Studios. As he spoke again, Nora’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Wait, really?”

After a brief conversation, Nora lowered her phone, her face frozen in shock. She stood still for a few moments, processing what had just happened.

‘Is this really happening?’

The disbelief was evident on her face. Then, Nora spun on her heel.

-Swish.

She strode briskly toward Director Ahn Ga-bok, who was in the middle of discussing details with the team. Reaching him, she grabbed his arm.

“Director.”

Startled, Ahn Ga-bok turned to her with a surprised expression.

“Nora? What’s going on?”

“It’s done.”

“Excuse me? What’s done?”

“I didn’t think it would actually happen.”

“…No way.”

“Yes, it’s true.”

With a surprised smile, Nora relayed the news.

“Your proposal was accepted. Columbia Studios just confirmed they’ll follow the schedule you suggested.”

Director Ahn gazed at Nora for a moment, clenching his fist subtly—a small gesture of triumph. Nora, oblivious to this, added more details, her excitement growing.

“They even said they’ll provide additional funding as needed! The studio will handle all the support logistics, so they want you and the team to focus solely on the production. That’s the message.”

Ahn Ga-bok responded with a wrinkled smile.

“…Things are about to get busy, but it’ll be a good kind of busy.”

Shortly after, Director Ahn gathered the key staff. Though Nora, as the producer, would officially handle the next steps, as the director, he wanted to personally inform the team of the changes and what lay ahead.

“To start with, *Piero: Birth of a Villain* is aiming for the Academy Awards.”

“Oh!”

“Yes! We can do it!”

The key staff was instantly fired up. After all, Hollywood professionals regard the Academy Awards as the pinnacle. But Director Ahn’s next words left them in shock.

“But we’re not aiming for the awards in two years. We’re aiming for this year’s Academy Awards, in April.”

“…What?”

Their reactions were only natural. These key staff members were veterans who understood the timeline and knew how quickly the Academy Awards would approach in April. Initially, they thought Director Ahn was joking.

However…

“Here’s the proposal I made to the studio.”

As Director Ahn gave them an earnest briefing, the expressions on their faces shifted. Half of them were invigorated, while the other half were filled with astonishment. Regardless, the veteran director pressed forward with his explanation. The plan was exactly as he had told the studio: to release the film first in LA, meet the minimum Academy qualification, and aim for April’s Academy Awards.

Naturally, questions arose.

“Is… is that even possible?”

It was an incredibly tight schedule, but Director Ahn reassured them calmly.

“It’s definitely achievable. I’ve already seen the possibilities with *Leech*, but we’ll need everyone’s help.”

Gradually, he explained why he had made this proposal and the potential impact if things went well. Thankfully, the key staff’s reactions grew more understanding, even enthusiastic.

“Alright, let’s give it a shot!”

“Sounds exciting! If it’s the Academy Awards, this kind of effort is worth it!”

“Haha, does this mean Joker, who walked the Emmy red carpet, will now be headed to the Academy Awards?”

“First, let’s just get the nomination!”

“Joker seems like he’d make his way there on his own, doesn’t he?”

“That’s true, haha.”

Everyone seemed to be on board. Director Ahn glanced at Nora, who gave him an approving nod. She would handle the “realistic” logistics going forward. Soon, the set grew lively with chatter, and Director Ahn exhaled quietly.

‘From now on, it’s all about speed.’

To stay on track with the plan he presented to Columbia Studios, there wouldn’t be a single second to waste. At that moment, the actors began entering the set. Among them was Kang Woo-jin, dressed as “Henry Gordon,” with his usual nonchalant expression. Nora spotted him.

‘Kang Woo-jin—’

She gave a deep smile, muttering to herself.

‘I never thought Columbia Studios would place such a massive bet on this actor’s Joker.’

Her sentiment was genuine.

‘No, at this point, it’s an all-in gamble.’

Following that decision…

With *Piero: Birth of a Villain* officially set to aim for the Academy Awards, the pace of production intensified. The shooting schedule was also adjusted. Although they were still aiming to wrap up by September, every saved day would be an advantage.

This was all possible thanks to the agreement of the key staff and actors, including Kang Woo-jin.

Of course, the one exerting the most effort and driving the team would be Director Ahn Ga-bok. Without everyone’s support, his struggles would

 be in vain. Interestingly, the actors were filled with excitement rather than stress. Chris, who had grown close to Woo-jin, clapped him on the shoulder.

“Woo-jin! So you’re finally taking on the Academy Awards? Wait, does that mean I should expect some kind of award myself?”

The other actors shared similar sentiments.

Naturally, this plan was to remain top-secret. Until the release, they would guard this information closely. After all, with something this big, rumors could ruin everything if they spread prematurely.

While Woo-jin felt nervous, he kept it hidden.

Staying calm was best for managing expectations.

‘Still, aiming for the Academy Awards in April feels like a whirlwind.’

No matter what, Woo-jin would need to be more focused on his performance than ever. And with *Beauty and the Beast*’s first shooting day approaching, he intended to make the most of his scenes.

Thus, Kang Woo-jin threw himself into the filming of *Piero: Birth of a Villain*. Days turned into weeks. With everyone’s enthusiasm running high, time seemed to slip by unnoticed.

Meanwhile, *Beauty and the Beast* was also gearing up for its debut.

**?CNM/Controversial and Buzzworthy Live-Action *Beauty and the Beast*, Set for First Shoot on September 1st!?**

**?LA Times/*Beauty and the Beast* from Walt Disney Pictures One Week Away from Filming, Anticipation High for Chemistry Between Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara?**

With the first shoot set to begin soon, promotions started circulating outside of Hollywood as well, and final preparations were in progress.

Meanwhile, back in Korea, a project awaited by many was also making waves.

**?[Issue Talk] The Miracle of Six Emmy Awards! *Beneficial Evil* Part 2 to Premiere on Monday, September 19?**

*Beneficial Evil*, the global phenomenon that had recently completed editing for Part 2, had its launch date confirmed, causing excitement worldwide.

**?Overseas Fans Thrilled by *Beneficial Evil* Part 2 Launch News, Powered by Emmy Awards Success?**

**?Best Actor Emmy Winner Kang Woo-jin to Move Overseas Fans Once Again in *Beneficial Evil* Part 2?**

Netflix was launching an extensive promotional campaign, and Woo-jin’s social media and his “Woo-jin’s Persona” channel were also filled with teasers. The promotional scale was unprecedented.

It seemed September would be an eventful month.

And Kang Woo-jin reflected.

‘Wow—September already? Is the year really ending this fast?’

Time was indeed flying by.

The reality of time slipping away hit Woo-jin fully as he woke in the early hours of the morning.

“Ugh—too bright.”

Groggily, he checked the time.

- September 1 / 5:11 AM

The dawn of September had come before he knew it.