[Chapter 384: The Arrival of Summer Blockbuster Season]
In late May, the summer blockbuster season arrived, and movie studios scrambled to promote their films by seizing all media resources. Newspapers and television were filled with film announcements, interviews with directors and actors, and plenty of gossip about various stars.
The first big blockbuster of this summer was Warner Bros. Pictures' Batman Forever, directed by Link and starring Ben Affleck, Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, and Nicole Kidman.
It premiered in 2,614 theaters across North America on May 10, grossing $65.1 million in its opening week. Although it didn't break the record for first-week ticket sales set by The Sixth Sense, it still marked an impressive start.
After the box office results came in, Terry Semel, Richard Fox, and Michael Ovitz were quick to call and congratulate Link on his movie's strong performance.
...
The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews. The New York Times called it a successful commercial movie with high artistic merit, complimenting Link's directorial skills. Originally, no one at Warner Bros. wanted to direct the sequel as the first two Batman films had been heavily influenced by Tim Burton's dark Gothic style, making it challenging for other directors to create a worthy continuation.
Link faced skepticism when he took on the project; many doubted his ability to handle such a superhero character, especially in light of the previous Batman films. However, upon its release, all doubts were swiftly dispelled. Batman Forever was noted for not being shackled by the darker tones of its predecessors. Link managed to create a Batman that distinctly bore his personal stamp, which was a remarkable achievement.
The Los Angeles Times published a lengthy review praising Jim Carrey's performance as the Riddler, declaring him irreplaceable in the role. It also noted that Ben Affleck's portrayal of Batman was the most faithful to the original character, describing him as handsome, strong, and nimble, giving his performance a score of 80. Gary Oldman's portrayal of Two-Face was seen as equal to Jack Nicholson's Joker, just as crazed and frightening. Nicole Kidman's performance as Dr. Chase was described as captivating and stunning, among other commendations.
After its debut, 38 media outlets rated the movie above 85%. It surpassed the 1992 film Batman Returns, trailing just behind the original Batman, which held an 88% rating.
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The second highest-grossing film that week was Columbia Pictures' The Craft, which earned $9.25 million in its opening week. In third place was Fox's romantic comedy The Truth About Cats & Dogs, with a revenue of $6.76 million. The movie Dangerous Minds by Guess Pictures ranked fourth, in its fourth week, standing at a cumulative North American box office of $61.35 million, projected to exceed $80 million.
Although the film performed well, it fell short compared to last year's performance of Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. By May, Guess Pictures had released six films, yet none had crossed the $100 million mark in North America, providing some relief to the Big Seven studios.
Total Film magazine assessed the box office performance of Guess Pictures' six films and the upcoming releases, concluding that Guess Pictures was unlikely to retain its title as the total box office champion this year, giving the Big Seven a chance to regain some market share.
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In its second week, Batman Forever saw $57.21 million in box office revenue across 2,834 theaters. As the number of cinemas screening the movie increased by over 200 compared to its first week, the box office dropped by less than $8 million. The two-week cumulative gross reached $122 million, allowing it to maintain its position at the top of the box office.
The movie was expected to earn at least $300 million in North America, making it the highest-grossing film in the Batman franchise. Warner Bros. Pictures anticipated a significant profit from this film.
Link was also poised to earn big, as per the profit-sharing agreement with Warner Bros., with the film's North American box office exceeding $300 million, he stood to gain 10% of the global box office, coupled with a base salary of $10 million, leading to total earnings of at least $60 million.
The media buzzed not only about Batman Forever's box office but also about the lucrative contract signed between Link and Warner Bros., hailing Link as a cash cow with extraordinary earning potential.
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Following the success of Batman Forever, the Hollywood Big Seven's attitude towards Link became increasingly positive. Previously, they had merely consulted him for script reviews, now they were actively engaging with him, extending invitations for directing major films with attractive offers.
After receiving multiple invitations, Link selected two promising film projects: Disney's science fiction disaster film Deep Impact and Universal Pictures' The Mummy, both of which had budgets exceeding $100 million.
Alongside these projects, Link was already preparing for Primal Fear, Saving Private Ryan, and the MGM franchise's 007 sequel, Tomorrow Never Dies, plus conceptualizing the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
For the upcoming two years, Link wouldn't be short of blockbuster opportunities.
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"Link, the Big Seven are Guess Pictures' rivals. Isn't directing for them aiding the competition?"
In the office, Sam Haskel chuckled.
"Not at all. I'm the chairman of Guess Pictures while also being a freelance director. The film projects presented by the Big Seven are impressive, and their salary offers are very sincere. I have no reason to decline."
Link shrugged it off.
"After the release of Batman Forever, many media outlets speculated it could become the annual box office champion, predicting a significant growth in Warner Bros.' performance this year. If that happens, they could surpass Guess Pictures in overall ticket sales, causing you to lose your spot as the yearly box office leader. Wouldn't that be disappointing?"
"Not at all. Hollywood is for everyone. Guess Pictures has no intention of dominating Hollywood or monopolizing North American box office revenue. If all film companies in Hollywood can make money, that benefits Guess Pictures too."
Link stated, this was something he had come to realize recently.
Hollywood's vast opportunities had been built up collectively since the 1920s; any absence of a studio would hinder Hollywood's current success. For Hollywood to continue thriving and ensure the future of the film market, it benefitted from a diverse array of studios like the Big Seven.
If Guess Pictures were to dominate Hollywood, it might push the Big Seven and independent studios to either bankruptcy or decline.
In the short term, Guess Pictures could rake in big money. However, this approach had substantial long-term downsides. Without collaboration, the film market could become homogenized and lose vitality and competitiveness, leading to poorer quality films and a decline in cinema attendance, ultimately becoming niche.
Moreover, Link's purpose for being a director was to make films; growing through film awards took precedence over profit. After achieving a net worth in the billions, money became less significant for him.
Therefore, he considered the broader environment when making films, striving to maintain internal balance and sustainable development within the industry.
"Indeed, the more film companies in Hollywood, the greater the influx of capital into the industry. This will only enhance profitability for both studios and agencies."
Sam Haskel nodded in agreement.
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Knock knock!
A knock on the door broke the conversation, as Lewinsky entered, ushering in a tall blonde beauty, Charlize Theron.
The girl wore a sleeveless dress, her golden curls draped over her shoulders, accentuating her tall figure and striking legs, making her very eye-catching. The only drawback was that her curves were less pronounced, making her appear more streamlined.
"How did the audition go, Sally?"
Sam Haskel asked.
"Pretty good."
Charlize Theron glanced nervously at Link as she spoke, her cheeks flushed.
"What are you looking at? Our audition process is fair -- we never play favorites."
Link joked.
"I didn't ask for your help. I performed well in the audition; the chances of success are high, and I don't need your assistance."
Charlize replied with a playful pout, looking quite proud.
Link smiled gently, wishing her the best of luck at the audition.
Today, Charlize Theron came for the audition of the lead role in The Devil's Advocate. This character is a beautiful and seductive wife who succumbs to mental illness after her husband turns dark, eventually leading to her tragic demise, which also greatly impacts the male lead.
After Sam Haskel and Charlize Theron left the office, Link made a call to check on the audition status for The Devil's Advocate. Hearing that Charlize performed well, he didn't pry further into the matter.
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In the meantime, besides promoting Batman Forever, he also spent his free time writing a new script for Pirates of the Caribbean, considering this series as a key development project for the future of his company.
Ring ring ring!
"Nicole, what's up?" Link answered the phone.
"Link, tonight it's just me and Julie waiting for you in the master bedroom. When will you be back?"
"I'm working on the script and should be here until around five."
"Okay, Monica and Sofia said they wanted to watch my performance tonight. Should I agree to them?"
Nicole Kidman's voice held a mix of excitement and nerves.
Raising an eyebrow, Link chuckled, "That's your choice. If you mind it, just turn them down. They're just curious and won't blame you."
"I don't mind!" Nicole replied playfully.
"Good. Get ready, tonight might be a bit challenging."
Link laughed as he returned to his work.
*****
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