[Chapter 196: Movie Soundtrack, Step Up 2 Premiere]
Regarding the soundtrack for The Rock, after careful consideration, Linton decided some changes were necessary. Previously, for The Shallows and Speed, he had only written a theme song for Speed, and left the rest of the soundtrack production to Universal. However, the results were less than ideal and didn't meet his expectations.
For a big-budget action movie like The Rock, a great soundtrack could really enhance the film and boost its box office performance. In turn, a hit movie would drive strong soundtrack sales. Ideally, these should complement and enhance one another. Frankly, that synergy wasn't achieved with The Shallows and Speed.
Recalling retrospectives, Linton remembered a well-known maestro in the film music world, Hans Zimmer. Previously, Hans had made his mark with Rain Man, though he hadn't yet become a household name -- his talent was unquestionable.
...
Hans was thrilled to receive Linton's invitation since this would be his first time scoring a top Hollywood blockbuster. After reading the script, Hans offered two competitive pricing options for Linton to choose from.
The first was a flat fee of $2 million, with no participation in soundtrack profits. The second was the usual option: no upfront fee but 10% of soundtrack sales revenue. Of course, regardless of the option, the rights to the soundtrack's compositions remained with Hans. The final score, of course, had to satisfy the production team.
No question -- the first option was chosen immediately. The production team signed a contract with Hans and paid $1 million upfront, with the remaining $1 million to be paid after post-production.
...
Universal Records still handled soundtrack production and distribution, but because the score was provided by the production team, the soundtrack revenue split was 68% to Universal, 32% to the filmmakers.
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Later, pressed by Daniel, Linton returned to Universal's MV shooting crew to finish filming four remaining songs. The four female leads had been eagerly waiting for this rare opportunity and, afraid of any last-minute replacements, now officially started shooting. Excited, they all simultaneously tried to charm and tease Linton with various tactics, as if ready to pounce.
Though each was gorgeous with fair skin and long legs, Linton immediately lost interest thinking back to Carson and the other two during auditions clutching their waists. By the time filming ended, he didn't give them any chance, and they quietly left.
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Step Up 2 was set for release on August 13, with promotional efforts in full swing. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer, and Anne were busy with media interviews, talk shows, and variety appearances, doing everything possible to attract audience attention.
Thanks to the first film's success and a scandal during filming that PR manager Ellie leveraged to ignite media buzz, Step Up 2 was already a nationwide sensation with tremendous hype. Now it was about converting that excitement into ticket sales.
On August 11, Universal held a grand premiere for Step Up 2 at the Los Angeles Music Hall. Linton cut short his MV shoot to escort Naomi, the original film's female lead, to the event.
Though Step Up 2 was a modest commercial production, buoyed by the first film's success and massive fan base, industry insiders were optimistic about its market prospects.
Many top stars attended, including Tom Cruise and his wife, Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner, Jodie Foster, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone, and Meg Ryan.
Linton's entourage included Madonna, Sophie Marceau, Cameron Diaz, Winona Ryder, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who had just returned from UK promotions, lighting up the event.
The crowd of fans was huge, mostly from Step Up.
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After walking the red carpet with Naomi, Linton headed to the guest lounge. As investor, co-producer, and screenwriter -- though he didn't see himself as the main creator -- other guests treated him like the host, congratulating him eagerly.
Sharon Stone and Nicole Kidman both gave him hearty hugs and quietly asked if he was free later to celebrate together. Not likely, especially with Tom Cruise nearby! What a scandal that would be.
Perhaps because his movies had successively won big, many stars approached him for collaboration, which he politely deferred to future opportunities.
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To Linton, Step Up 2's greatest strengths were its outstanding casting and stunning dance sequences. At the after-film sharing, he praised the film profusely.
"Leo is incredibly handsome, Jennifer is stunning, and they shine throughout the movie, sure to attract countless fans. The dance scenes are breathtaking, especially the 'Rain Dance' at the end -- I couldn't take my eyes off it.
I give this film a perfect score and believe it will surprise audiences at the end of the summer season."
Amid applause, the host asked Linton to predict box office numbers, "They say your box office forecasts are spot on. Can you predict Step Up 2's earnings?"
"With such a great film, Jennifer so beautiful, Leo so charming, and those killer dance moves, the box office will definitely be huge."
"Can you give a specific number?"
"At least $100 million domestically."
His answer barely elicited a reaction; the $100 million mark seemed to have become expected.
"Just $100 million? That's too low," the host echoed the audience's thoughts.
"Not at all. Let me tell you, Step Up 2's production cost was only $13 million, so making over $100 million domestically means the investors will make a killing," Linton said.
"I heard the investor is your production company?"
"Right. My goal was $100 million domestic, and you all expect even more. But I'm not going to share the profits with you," Linton joked.
Laughter erupted among the audience, followed by thunderous applause.
*****
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