[Chapter 243: Continuing the Hype]
Se7en continued its box office dominance, accumulating $161 million in North America. Given the current trajectory, crossing the $200 million mark for the film seemed achievable, with a strong chance of catching up to Forrest Gump and potentially reaching $300 million or even more.
Despite attempts by the major studios to suppress the film, its impressive earnings were a clear snub to industry heavyweights like Michael Ovitz. It mocked their ineffective maneuvers.
"Keep promoting this matter, no matter the cost! I need to ruin him; I want him disgraced!" Ovitz shouted into the phone, his expression twisted with fury.
"Michael, let it go. The hype surrounding the Simpson murder case is too high; we can't contain it. There's no way to stop Guess Pictures from using this case to promote their film. Se7en's success is inevitable. All we can do is accept reality and limit our losses. Continuing to spend money to suppress this movie will only lead to further financial losses," Lawrence countered.
"Let it go? I'm not agreeing to that." After losing a bet to Link last year, and now teaming up with the major studios to take him down, he found himself facing another defeat. He couldn't accept it.
"In June, we attempted to undermine Speed and failed. In July, we allocated even more resources to concentrate our efforts against Se7en. If we fail again, how will others perceive us? Will they think we're incompetent? No, I have to win. I refuse to be seen as inept!"
Ever since Se7en's massive success, Michael Ovitz had struggled to get a good night's sleep. Dark bags hung under his eyes, and lines crisscrossed his face, making him look frazzled and irritable.
"But what can you actually do? Use the media to claim Link is the killer?" Lawrence shook his head. "That's futile. People like Link don't engage in such foolishness. And even if he did, that team of lawyers would ensure his acquittal. You throwing money to smear him is essentially paying for a battle of narratives. Are you wealthier than Link? Besides, the more you promote the idea that he's a murderer to push the film, the more you're inadvertently boosting his publicity. Why would you want to do that?"
Michael tightened his fists. "Are we really just going to watch Link's new film succeed and see him make a fortune?"
Lawrence replied, "What difference does it make? Link is still in Hollywood. We'll have more time and opportunities to deal with him in the future. As long as we strike at the right moment next time, targeting his vulnerabilities, we might just take him down in one fell swoop."
Opportunities? Michael squinted his eyes, recalling Nicole Kidman's charm; perhaps this was a chance.
But accepting this defeat, acknowledging that he and the major studios had failed to suppress Se7en left a bitter taste in his mouth. He fantasized about orchestrating a scenario where Nicole Kidman would catch Link in a compromising situation, allowing Tom Cruise to expose him, and then using the media to ruin Link's reputation.
Unfortunately, executing such a plan would prove challenging.
...
Knock, knock, knock!
Michael's secretary entered, bringing him the latest update.
Due to rising suspicions surrounding Link, he had voluntarily walked into the Los Angeles Police Department that morning to explain his side of the story and requested a public statement clarifying his non-involvement.
Bang!
Upon hearing this news, Michael angrily slammed a full ashtray onto the floor. "That bastard is just playing the media! We've all been played!"
...
In reality, when Link arrived at the police station, dozens of journalists had followed along, capturing every moment.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Link entered the police door at 10:23 a.m. and exited at 10:41 a.m. Sources disclosed that Link spoke with Police Chief Willie Williams and lead investigator Sergeant Furman for approximately 14 minutes, after which Willie Williams personally escorted Link out.
In the lobby, Chief Williams addressed reporters, stating, "Link couldn't possibly be the killer. All the evidence collected thus far doesn't tie him to the case. Please stop spreading false rumors and causing unwarranted suspicion towards innocent people."
Given Link's billionaire status and his fame, the Simpson murder case's media attention rivaled that of the 1992 presidential elections.
When two major news elements interact, it becomes big news.
This story quickly spread across major media outlets in the United States, igniting considerable debate and interest.
Seventeen days after the Simpson murder, the Los Angeles police finally released preliminary investigation findings, confirming that the primary suspect remained Simpson, who had both the opportunity and motive on the day of the crime.
Among the evidence released, two pieces were related to Se7en. Just three days prior to the incident, Simpson had watched the film with his friend Collins at a local theater, praising it and particularly enjoying Morgan Freeman's performance.
The red graffiti on the wall reading "Greed," examined by experts, was found to be spray paint rather than the victim's blood. Neighbors confirmed that the graffiti had been present for several days, likely created by a passerby who was a fan of Se7en rather than being the work of the killer on the night of the murders.
Following the success of Se7en, similar graffiti began appearing in various places, becoming a part of popular culture and not seen as unusual.
Finally, the police stated that the graffiti on the crime scene wall reading "Greed" had no connection to the case. However, the fact that Simpson had viewed Se7en just days before the murders raised questions: did the film's depiction of murder trigger something within him, leading him to mimic a killing similar to that of a John Doe?
The police did not dismiss this possibility.
...
Following the statement from law enforcement, Link and Guess Pictures momentarily escaped suspicion.
Even so, the media buzzed with claims of Link's guilt.
World Entertainment Weekly commented that even if Link had not committed murder, the influence of watching Se7en prior to the actual crime could explain Simpson's drastic and horrific actions.
Some media outlets surmised that Se7en promoted violence, making it potentially incendiary and thus should be banned from screening.
In a bid to refute these rumors and mitigate the negative impact on his reputation and that of his company -- as well as promote the film -- Link and his crew made time to participate in various media interviews and talk shows, openly discussing Se7en and the Simpson case.
*****
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