The Maker: Hollywood

”You aren’t supposed to move,” Daniel said. ”You’re Tony Stark. You’re in a cave. You’re dying. You built this to survive, but it’s a prison. That panic? That feeling that the walls are closing in? That is the scene.”

Robert’s breathing was ragged, amplified by the metal acoustics.

”Don’t fight it,” Daniel commanded. ”Use it. Give me the panic. Let Tony feel it.”

There was a long silence from inside the suit. The crew held their breath.

Slowly, the frantic breathing slowed. It became deep, rhythmic.

”Okay,” Robert’s voice came back. It sounded different. Heavier. ”Okay. I’m good. Leave the panic in.”

Daniel smiled. He patted the metal shoulder. ”Pop the helmet, Sam. Let him breathe.”

---

By 1:00 PM, the tension had broken, replaced by the primal need for calories.

There were fancy catering trailers on the lot, staffed by chefs who could make a quinoa salad taste like heaven. But Daniel didn’t want quinoa.

He wanted grease.

They sat on plastic lawn chairs in the alleyway behind Soundstage 4. Daniel, Robert Downey Jr., Rachel McAdams, and Don Cheadle.

In the center of the makeshift circle sat four cardboard boxes from In-N-Out Burger.

”I’m just saying,” Robert mumbled around a mouthful of a Double-Double, ”if I have to wear the tin can for twelve hours a day, I demand a catheter. I have a small bladder, Miller. It’s a medical condition.”

”It’s called drinking three espressos before noon,” Rachel McAdams countered, wiping ketchup from her lip. She looked effortlessly cool, even eating a burger in a windbreaker. ”Just hold it, Stark. It builds character.”

Robert pointed a fry at her. ”See? This is the abuse I deal with. Rhodey, back me up.”

Don Cheadle took a slow sip of his milkshake, unbothered. ”She’s right, man. You pee in the suit, you clean the suit. That’s in the contract.”

”I didn’t read the contract,” Robert admitted. ”I just signed where the blurry line was.”

Daniel watched them. The dynamic was already forming. Rachel wasn’t intimidated by Robert’s chaotic energy; she parried it. Don was the anchor, the guy who rolled his eyes but had your back.

”You know,” Robert said, wiping his hands. ”The scene when I get back. The press conference.”

”Yeah?” Daniel asked.

”I shouldn’t ask for a doctor,” Robert said. ”I’ve been eating sand and MREs for three months. I shouldn’t want a medical checkup. I should want a cheeseburger.”

He mimed stumbling out of a car. ”I want an American cheeseburger. No pickles. And a press conference. In that order.”

Rachel laughed. ”That’s disgusting. And completely accurate.”

Daniel grabbed a napkin. He pulled a pen from his pocket.

Tony: ”I want an American cheeseburger.”

”Keep it,” Daniel said, tucking the napkin into his pocket. ”We shoot it on Thursday.”

Robert grinned, saluting with a french fry. ”The Miller Method. I like it.”

---

After lunch, Daniel left the creative bubble and entered the shark tank.

The office of The Distribution Mill (TDM) was located in a renovated bungalow on the edge of the lot. Inside, Marcus Blackwood was pacing in front of a whiteboard covered in theater chain logos.

”We have a problem,” Marcus said as Daniel walked in. ”AMC and Regal are pushing back. They saw the budget. They know it’s self-financed. They’re classifying Iron Man as an ’Independent Production’ risk.”

”Which means?” Daniel asked, sitting on the edge of a desk.

”Which means they want a 60/40 split in their favor for the opening weeks. Usually, a blockbuster gets 90/10 in the studio’s favor for week one. They’re trying to squeeze us because they think we’re desperate for screens.”

Daniel didn’t look worried. He looked bored.

”We aren’t desperate,” Daniel said. ”Get Richard Sterling on the phone.”

”Cinemex?” Marcus frowned. ”Richard is on board, but he doesn’t control the domestic market like the big boys.”

”He controls the leverage,” Daniel corrected. ”Call him. Tell him to leak a story to Variety. Tell him that Cinemex is considering an exclusive window for Iron Man because the other chains are ’refusing to carry the next film from the creator of the new Star Wars trilogy’.”

Marcus paused. ”You want to frame it as them refusing us?”

”Exactly,” Daniel said. ”The narrative isn’t ’Miller needs screens.’ The narrative is ’Theaters are blocking the most anticipated movie of the year.’ Then have Richard announce that Cinemex will be hosting the Harry Potter midnight release parties exclusively.”

”That’s dirty,” Marcus grinned. ”The other chains rely on those concession sales to survive Q1.”