Britain began its expedition, quite puzzled about ensuring supply for a journey over 8,000 miles if it couldn't be sorted out swiftly. Luckily, the opponent was rather weak, and since the island wasn't connected to any land, as long as the navy and air force were strong, there wouldn't be a big problem.
William White wasn't concerned with these matters; his movie was releasing today, and it was the premiere, so everything else had to be put on hold. With nearly 2,000 screens, he had been given plenty of space for his movie. As for the so-called premiere, it wasn't too flashy; they just invited some critics.
A movie that was captivating from start to finish, was indeed amazing; not only the local folks were impressed, even the seasoned critics were taken aback by the intense scenes.
"Lucas, this is truly mind-blowing. A cop drama of this caliber must be the pinnacle."
"Haha, even though I've watched it multiple times, I can sit through it again."
"Wonder how his dramas will turn out; if he manages well, he'd be a big director."
"Winning awards might not be easy, but the box office surely won't be lacking."
"That much confidence?"
"Ha, haven't you seen how the soundtrack is already selling like hotcakes? With those music videos, plus the tension over the Falkland Islands now, man, how could it not be a box office success?"
As the two continued discussing William White's lucky streak, the film was reaching its climax. When the subway car burst onto the street, Lucas distinctly felt the emotions of those around him.
Rather than a sigh of relief, it was like the tension accumulated over more than an hour was finally released. As the credits rolled on the big screen, the audience stood up and applauded collectively. In under two hours, they had witnessed a visual feast, just as White's advertisements had promised, it was worth every penny.
Even though those critics typically didn't prefer this genre, they had to admit it was a splendid film, far more entertaining than the cheap effects of the Superman flicks.
There was no need to mention the film's box office success; at peak times, tickets were selling out completely.
"Congratulations, congratulations."
"Haha, Lucas, we should celebrate together, don't you have an investment in this too? Did you forget?"
"Judging by the response, I'd say two hundred million dollars is guaranteed."
"That sounds about right. After all, this isn't a family flick, so it won't beat E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."
"Haha, William, you're being too modest," Spielberg chimed in.
"I'm not joking. How about we trade? I'll sell you this movie, and I'll take E.T."
"Are you serious?" Lucas was stunned.
"Of course. There's at least a 90% chance I'd lose, so what's there to be unsure about? I'm willing to sell it outright."
It wasn't just Lucas; even Spielberg was taken aback. Though he was confident in his movie too, he didn't dare to claim it would definitely outdo Speed.
...
The conversation between the three that night quickly spread. With plenty were people around, such interesting talk was surely going to be shared.
Given William White's current status, there was no need for deceit. Hollywood knew these three were USC alumni and got along well. It would be pretty shameful to play tricks over petty matters.
The Hollywood bigwigs were thrilled and decided they must ally with Spielberg. After all, looking at Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and potentially E.T., this guy was quite something.
In some ways, White wasn't quite on Spielberg's level; the reason was clear -- their marketing budgets were different.
Now nobody criticized movie trailers for spoiling the plot or making viewers lose interest. That kind of talk vanished completely.
It was unclear who was better, but the $35 million box office weekend made all of Hollywood buzz with excitement.
Still, the big shots weren't too happy. They were learning low-budget filmmaking from White, yet he was suddenly out of the game.
Big productions? The disaster at United Artists was still fresh in everyone's minds. Without a solid script, it's best not to act hastily. Even with a script, the director choice is crucial, and if Lucas and Spielberg were available, they'd be perfectly fine.
Nobody doubted the upcoming box office trajectory. With such a strong reputation, and with so many repeat viewers, how could it bring in $35 million otherwise?
...
Industrial Light & Magic caught the attention of the big shots; they couldn't believe a subway train car would really burst out of the ground.
The concept of film effects piqued the industry's interest with Star Wars; they just didn't expect special effects to work for cop dramas too.
Some young directors and writers surely had a different view. They might be a bit begrudged, but even they had to admit that William White was indeed remarkable.
Wall Street managers were a bit frustrated. They had just criticized him for not sticking to his core business.
And the result? Making movies was way profitable, recouping costs in just one weekend. What rebellious spirit!
The first weekend in North America hit $35 million, and global earnings approached $70 million.
Okay, with such a major production, it's set to dominate screens for at least six months, during which massive amounts of dollars would flow into White Films.
And you said he wasn't focused? Here's someone for whom earning is like drinking water, and that makes people a bit envious. Couldn't he be a bit more clueless?
The most puzzling for Wall Street was that his stock investments were making money too.
Since the inception of White Funds, mockery from various fund giants hasn't ceased, almost as if they were the only ones who could invest.
Looking back now -- wow, even his charity funds and family funds have hefty surpluses. And even the fund designated to trouble Citibank is turning a profit.
In this overwhelmingly gloomy era, how could you be so capable? The arrogant lot back then are now as quiet as quails.
Another amusing observation: his fund's strategy was rather quirky. It's all buying, never any selling.
*****
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