[Chapter 173: Response]
In order for Final Destination to dominate, there needed to be a strategic emphasis on film promotion.
The previous film, The Blair Witch Project, had a box office subsidy of 1.2 times. With effective promotion showcasing the 'Blair Witch incident,' it became well-known throughout North America, drawing attention to the small town and its supposed murderous witch. This alignment between the film and market discourse had gradually improved through the promotional efforts.
Eventually, the box office subsidy rose to 1.5 times, leading The Blair Witch Project to surpass $300 million globally.
Link pondered this for a moment and then called the management team, summoning them to a conference room to discuss promotional strategies for Final Destination, aiming to boost the film's profile.
...
By the fourth week of its release, The Firm earned $16.17 million in North America, accumulating a total of $91 million, successfully holding its position as the weekly box office champion. However, that week saw a significant drop in revenue, making it the least successful weekly box office champion of the summer.
Additionally, due to several blockbuster releases being delayed, the combined box office of all films that week totaled only $54.75 million, which was a considerable drop compared to previous weeks and the same period in prior years. This drew criticism from other filmmakers towards CAA and The Firm's strategies.
...
The New York Daily News published an article claiming that the maneuvers of The Firm and Paramount Pictures hinted at monopolistic practices that could hinder the film market's growth, suggesting that judicial authorities should investigate potential illegality during The Firm's release.
Variety commented that the silence of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) during the process only emboldened the relevant companies' illicit behaviors, which was detrimental to the entire film industry and harmed the interests of all filmmakers.
The British newspaper The Guardian noted that the current Hollywood film market bore a resemblance to the pre-Paramount Decree days of 1948, when Hollywood was monopolized by the "Big Eight," such as Paramount - a situation that seemed unchanged today.
Prominent film critic Will Roger remarked in the Hollywood Reporter that while the free film market felt refreshing, the monopolization of the industry reeked of decay. He pointed out that The Firm, initially intended to be a film to unveil dark realities, had sadly transformed into a source of the very evils it sought to expose, making for a bitter irony.
Entertainment tabloids reported that Tom Cruise was a member of a controversial religious group, and that other distribution companies faced pressure resulting from this affiliation, prompting them to delay their releases post-The Firm.
Additionally, speculations arose in gossip columns branding The Firm as a box office flop, suggesting that the film's revenue figures had been artificially inflated due to the collaboration between CAA and Paramount. Critics proclaimed the figures lacked credibility.
Under the pressure of public sentiment, several films originally set to be delayed moved forward with their releases.
...
In the fifth week of The Firm's showing, the blockbuster The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford, debuted. It raked in $27.35 million its opening week across 2,340 theaters, easily landing the weekly box office crown. Meanwhile, The Firm only made $6.58 million that week, falling to fourth place with dwindling prospects.
In second place was the fan-favorite film Poetic Justice, featuring pop star Janet Jackson and rapper 2Pac, which premiered to $11.19 million in its opening week. Third place was claimed by Guess Pictures' film The Wedding Banquet, which brought in $6.93 million.
Holding fifth was Jurassic Park, which had been in theaters for 12 weeks and earned $4.15 million that week, bringing its total to $315 million.
...
After the week's box office figures were released, the fourth-place finish of The Firm surprised many, as did the unexpected earnings of The Wedding Banquet. No one anticipated Guess Pictures would release such a film that would even surpass The Firm at the box office and land in the top three for the week.
Media outlets delved into The Wedding Banquet's background, uncovering more surprising details. It turned out to be a film exploring LGBTQ themes, produced by Good Machine and released under Guess Pictures after the latter acquired them. The low-budget flick, costing $750,000 to make, was directed by Ang Lee, whose cast was composed mostly of lesser-known actors.
The Wedding Banquet had started screenings two weeks prior, earning $134,000 in its opening week from seven theaters -- averaging $19,000 per day -- a remarkable feat. In the following week, it expanded to 426 theatres, where it earned $6.93 million, bringing its total to $7.06 million, nearly ten times its production cost, marking it as a success.
After the news broke, many in the industry envied Link's good fortune; his films were hitting big at the box office with immense returns, and now he had turned up another hit from the company he had just acquired.
The irony that a low-budget film like The Wedding Banquet could surpass Tom Cruise's The Firm only added to the intrigue. Initially, many doubted Link could prevail. However, as The Wedding Banquet thrived, it shifted perspectives, giving some newfound confidence in Link's chances.
Even in gambling circles in Las Vegas, several casinos adjusted the odds, lowering the payout for Link's victory from 11 to 1 down to 8 to 1.
...
"Damn it! How could Guess Pictures land a film release now, raking in so much box office?" Tom Cruise exclaimed, feeling frustrated. He despised losing, especially to someone he perceived as lesser than himself.
Seeing the headlines about Guess Pictures scoring big at the box office stirred discomfort in him, as it indicated Link had a shot at winning his bet.
"It's alright," Paramount Pictures Chairwoman Sherry Lansing reassured him. "The Firm has already grossed almost $100 million, and projections suggest it'll reach at least $170 million and possibly gross over $300 million globally. It's slated to be one of the top five box office hits this year. Link's new film is unlikely to match those numbers."
Sherry Lansing, aged 50, had joined Paramount Pictures in 1992, becoming its chair and CEO, making history as the first woman to lead one of the major Hollywood studios.
Upon taking office, Sherry initiated numerous film production plans aimed at revitalizing Paramount. One of those plans centered around Tom Cruise, intending to cultivate a series of blockbuster films that featured him, including last year's A Few Good Men, The Firm, and the future Mission: Impossible series.
Over the past two years, Tom had gained significant status within the industry, becoming an international movie star, heavily supported by Paramount.
"Sherry, I know it's tough for Link's new film to reach $300 million, but surprises happen. I don't like surprises. I hope The Firm does even better than expected, ensuring Link's film never catches up. Can we arrange that?" Tom sought her reassurance with wide eyes.
Gently, Sherry stroked his cheek and replied, "Don't worry. The company continues to promote The Firm. I'll ensure they ramp up the efforts to generate more box office revenue for the film."
"Thank you, Sherry!" Tom exclaimed, hugging her waist and resting his face against her.
...
After leaving Paramount, Tom called CAA President Michael Ovitz, seeking advice on how to contend with Link. Ovitz urged him not to stress, stating that The Wedding Banquet was just a low-budget indie film; it wouldn't earn more than a few million and wouldn't impact The Firm's revenue.
Moreover, CAA would maintain outreach with the media and amplify promotional efforts, ensuring The Firm's box office numbers would undoubtedly rise next week.
With Ovitz's reassurance, Tom Cruise finally felt a sense of relief.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.