The British media began gloating. This Hollywood blockbuster chose London as its filming location. Not only was a British the main actor, but there were also many familiar faces.
The most important part was that this movie would premiere in London.
These guys were somewhat overreacting. Didn't Home Alone already premiere in London? It's just a matter of time zones.
The Americans didn't have much of an opinion on this rural exuberance. They had so many choices. What difference does it make if it's a bit earlier or later? Isn't there a Spielberg movie too?
Whatever the reason, that stubborn boy chose to back off, which made Lucas breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't plan to confront him directly. After a phone call, the other party showed a lot of respect.
"Rumors are unreliable. Who the heck said this guy was overbearing and unreasonable? He handles public matters quite skillfully, definitely not consistent with his age." Lucas couldn't manage how people complained about him, but the Hollywood giants were relieved. It's better not to be rough with everything, negotiations are always possible.
William White wasn't foolish either. Raiders of the Lost Ark was the box office champion of 1981. There was no way Johnny English could outdo it, and even if it did win, it wouldn't mean much.
Moreover, there was no need to offend Lucas and Spielberg, as these two were even more troublesome than the bigwigs. It's best to maintain mutual understanding since he's here to make money.
...
The economic environment was now quite similar to that before World War II. Although not as bad as that time, there was still a possibility of continued deterioration.
There have always been rumors that their parliament barely passed the motion for war, with considerable opposition to the invasion. Only recently did news come out that the motion was actually vetoed, and the so-called expeditionary force was illegal.
This summer, there was Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Even if William White acted smug, he couldn't directly compete; it would be self-destructive.
While he dodged The Empire Strikes Back, he bumped into Warner's The Shining. There's really no other way. The summer season is the most important in North America. If you don't fight for it, nobody will pay attention to you.
The Shining is adapted from Stephen King's novel. Though well-made, its audience is limited. It's just a horror film.
It's not that William White underestimated horror films. In this era, horror films didn't perform that well. With Star Wars, other movies were bound to fail.
Moreover, The Empire Strikes Back was of exceptional quality, a pinnacle of this era. Delaying the release was the only choice.
The box office in 1980 was much better than 1979. Influenced by White Films, comedy films were piling up this year. Whether they could break through remained to be seen.
Communication with Lucas went smoothly, so William White no longer worried about scheduling.
...
United Artists was certainly in a bind. Their Heaven's Gate clashed with Home Alone 2. Although they were outwardly confident, they were actually insecure. Fortunately, there was a one-week gap, avoiding a direct head-to-head choice for the audience.
As for Heaven's Gate, William White was just waiting for the spectacle. He couldn't understand why an Oscar-winning director could make such a strange film.
After winning an award, directors swelled with pride, always hoping to instill something into the audience. Failures are inevitable under such circumstances. It's just that this time, Home Alone would benefit.
"Suzuki, help me arrange a trip to Japan." After sorting out the schedule, William White told his personal assistant.
Considering the ease of communicating with Japan, William White had hired this mixed-race girl.
"Okay, boss, I'll arrange it right away."
Although short in stature, the Japanese girl excelled in obedience and was quite skilled in serving.
Of course, being his assistant wasn't easy, requiring a series of legal agreements.
William White had many secrets, and any leak would be a big deal. Caution was necessary.
The arrangements in Japan were significant, involving substantial interests. It was best to be cautious.
...
Three Japanese game companies were already overwhelmed with work, eager to fulfill orders as soon as possible. Now, it wasn't just American orders; demands from Europe and Japan were also increasing.
Legendary World in Los Angeles essentially served as a showroom, welcoming different clients daily, with a constant flow of various orders.
Now it seemed the initial evaluation was conservative. Selling arcade machines for a billion dollars a year wasn't difficult. If this year's new games were equally strong, not making a fortune would be hard.
*****
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