[Chapter 139: Net Worth]
Many media outlets recounted his remarks at the Oscars.
The statement, "Having the freedom to dress and eat doesn't equate to being truly wealthy," now sounded quite bizarre. The editor of The Sun quipped about Link, who was worth around four to five hundred million dollars, questioning how much wealth one needed to be considered truly rich.
USA Today labeled Link as one of the highest-paid directors in Hollywood, second only to seasoned veterans Spielberg and George Lucas. Other directors, after decades in the industry, had not earned as much as Link had in just the past year.
Vanity Fair joined the conversation, featuring Link on the cover with the headline "Hollywood Fairytale -- Cinderella Becomes a Prince," chronicling his journey from rags to riches, and referred to him as "Mr. Millionaire."
Link's meteoric rise to fame at just twenty-one years old put him in the top 400 wealthy individuals in America. It was quite the standout achievement.
...
After the Forbes Rich List was announced, Link's phone rang off the hook with congratulations from acquaintances. Some poked fun, calling him "Mr. Millionaire," while others in the media industry sought interviews with him, turning his phone into a hotline.
But before the "Forbes frenzy" settled, The Hollywood Reporter dropped a bombshell.
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The 1992 box office rankings were out!
The Hollywood Reporter released this list in March or April instead of January to account for films released at the end of the year, including blockbusters like Aladdin and Home Alone 2, which premiered in December. They had to wait until those films finished their box office runs to compile the statistics.
At the top of the annual box office rankings, Paranormal Activity claimed the North American box office crown with $318 million and topped the global box office with $645 million.
Aladdin took the second spot with $210 million in North America and $504 million worldwide, produced by Disney. Home Alone 2 came in third, with $173 million domestically and $358 million globally, distributed by 20th Century Fox. Batman Returns followed in fourth place with $162 million in North America and $266 million globally, from Warner Bros.
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Boom!
The release of these figures shocked countless people, leaving them with a sense of disbelief.
The shock stemmed from the outrageous numbers associated with Paranormal Activity. In the 1970s, there were 17 films that crossed the $100 million mark at the North American box office. The highest-grossing was Star Wars: A New Hope, which earned $307 million domestically and $503 million worldwide, directed by George Lucas.
In second place was Jaws, a thriller from 1975 that grossed $260 million in North America and $470 million globally, helmed by Spielberg.
The 1980s saw 45 films surpassing the $100 million threshold at the North American box office. The highest of these was Spielberg's E.T., which debuted in 1982 and raked in $359 million domestically and $792 million globally.
By the 1990s, there were 22 movies that had crossed the $100 million bar at the North American box office. Paranormal Activity was now first, with $315 million in North America and $645 million globally, directed by Link. The second spot was taken by Terminator 2: Judgment Day, with $204 million domestically and $504 million globally, directed by James Cameron.
When comparing the financial successes of films over the past thirty years, the ones at the top had all been big-budget blockbusters with high-profile directors. Yet, this low-budget film, Paranormal Activity, had a production cost of just $20,000.
It was unbelievable that this little film not only surpassed Aladdin and Home Alone 2 in the North American market but also outshone grand classics like Star Wars and Jaws, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of the past thirty years, right after E.T.
What was even harder to grasp was that the film's quality and impact were far weaker than those below it, having relied heavily on marketing hype to achieve its sales.
Many colleagues within the industry were left scratching their heads, wishing they could confront Link to ask how this obscure film could surpass so many exemplary films without fearing the backlash.
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After seeing the data released by The Hollywood Reporter, Link himself found the box office figures for Paranormal Activity a bit exaggerated. Fortunately, it hadn't surpassed E.T.; otherwise, the pressure would have been even greater.
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Along with the annual box office rankings, The Hollywood Reporter disclosed the total box office figures for the North American market for that year.
In 1992, a total of 247 films were released in North America. Twelve films grossed over $100 million, 36 films surpassed $50 million, and 105 films topped $10 million, with a cumulative total box office of $4.51 billion -- an increase of 4.2% from the previous year.
Guess Pictures, the distributor for Paranormal Activity, generated $340 million in box office revenues from films released in the previous year, accounting for 7% of the total North American box office.
This achievement propelled Guess Pictures past independent companies like New Line Cinema, Miramax, and Carolco Pictures, making it the eighth largest studio in Hollywood, just behind the big seven.
Another jaw-dropping statistic emerged.
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The Hollywood Reporter commented that 1992 was the most embarrassing year for the North American film market. A movie that cost only $20,000 dominated the box office, overshadowing numerous commercial blockbusters, beloved animated features, and classic dramas. It took the annual box office crown, relegating films like Aladdin, Batman Returns, and Unforgiven beneath Paranormal Activity.
Everyone in the film industry and various studios had to introspect why this had happened. What was the flaw that allowed a film of such modest means to become the box office champion, and what lessons could be drawn from the success of Paranormal Activity?
However, 1992 was also an extraordinary year in the history of global cinema. A $20,000 independent film soared to the top of the annual box office, earning $640 million worldwide with a return on investment of 32,000 times -- a record-breaking, miraculous achievement.
The Hollywood Reporter named Link "Director of the Year," "Most Thrilling Director," and "Most Talked About Director."
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"Congratulations, you multi-millionaire, big director, and great writer!
Link, you know we're all human, so how come you're so talented? The news says you've been favored by the goddess of luck; could you perhaps ask her to bless me too?"
In the office, Link received a call from Quentin.
"Sure, but can you please stop grinding your teeth while you talk? It sounds like you're cursing me out," Link chuckled, leaning back on the sofa.
"Ugh, I really want to curse you. Last year, we lived in the same apartment, filming together, going to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival, and our films released simultaneously. Now, just a year later, my second film hasn't even started shooting, and you've become a multi-millionaire and the top-grossing director of the year.
That's so messed up! We all started on the same line, and before I even made a move, you're already at the finish line. Is that fair?"
Quentin seemed to express genuine jealousy.
Link could almost smell the strong hint of lemon through the phone line.
"How about I treat you to a drink?"
"Just drinks won't cut it. You also need to take me to see a strip show -- three times. It'll need to cost you a pretty penny for me to feel balanced."
"You've got green-eyed syndrome; I'd recommend seeing a therapist."
"Not needed! I just need to make a film that grosses higher than Paranormal Activity, and I'll feel just fine."
Quentin asked him if he had any free time that afternoon to grab drinks at Kettle Bar with Steven Soderbergh, Robert Rodriguez, Tim Roth, and several newcomers, including some beautiful girls he could introduce Link to.
Link had two interviews scheduled for the afternoon and couldn't make it, but they planned to meet at the bar later in the evening, with Link covering the tab.
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As soon as he ended the call with Quentin, Link received another from Steven Soderbergh. Steven was more serious than Quentin, first congratulating Link for becoming the top-grossing director of the year, then discussing his new film, The Underneath.
This script had been revised several times by Steven, but he still felt unsatisfied and was continuing to make changes.
Link assured him to take his time, saying he could shoot it whenever he wanted as the company was ready to support him whenever.
Steven expressed gratitude and suggested they grab a drink together.
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After wrapping up the conversation with Steven, Link got calls from Sam Haskel, Jerry Katzman (president of WMA), Marty Bauer (president of UTA), Jerome Preston, William Mason, Tim Robbins, and several others, all calling to congratulate him.
The last time he made it on the Forbes Rich List, they had called to congratulate him. Just two days later, they were reaching out again with more good wishes.
Link was indeed on a winning streak.
*****
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