[Chapter 888: How Many Bond Girls Are There Really?]
"I'm Bond, James Bond."
Inside the concert hall, after Bond and the trio of angels destroyed Spectre's base and rescued Angela, the screen froze with the iconic line from 007 as the end credits began to roll.
Though it was a premiere, usually at this point, the audience would be restless, even if they didn't immediately get up to leave. But this time, as the credits rolled, there was complete silence in the auditorium. Despite being an absolute commercial action blockbuster, Casino Royale still managed to deliver countless details that viewers would savor over and over, aside from the thrilling major scenes. Of course, the imminent Easter egg was also one of the biggest reasons everyone patiently awaited.
...
"My dad once said that the more pretentious a boss is, the quicker they tend to meet their end. Look at that; he's right again. I wonder if Charlie will cover his face when the explosion happens. I haven't even seen what he looks like yet."
As the credits came to an end, Penelope's bubbly voice as Lucini carried through, but this time, her tone carried hints of panic and sadness.
The camera focused clearly on three tall figures clad in tactical gear, looking a bit disheveled as they searched through the ruins of a bombed-out cabin. Jill and Selena worked together to lift a collapsed wall panel while Lucini squatted down to clear a pile of debris. Soon, she found two walkie-talkies tied together.
"Okay, looks like we won't need to change bosses after all. God knows, we haven't even been paid this month."
Lucini sniffled, muttering a series of half-laughs and half-cries as Jill and Selena gathered around her. Suddenly, the walkie-talkies emitted a crackling sound.
As both the trio of angels on the screen and the audience in the hall anticipated a voice from the walkie-talkie, the screen abruptly went dark.
...
"Fuck!"
Many audience members, now left in suspense, couldn't help but let out an expletive. But when the lights came on around them, everyone erupted into warm applause. The premiere guests, media critics, and fans alike were thrilled with the entire film. Even those critics who had been tasked with finding faults couldn't help but give it an eight out of ten in their hearts.
Many seemed a bit unsatisfied, and as the straightforward press conference kicked off, the first journalist who had his hand raised directed his question at Eric. "Mr. Williams, I'm a reporter from The Guardian. Was the final Easter egg about the trio of angels and Bond's destruction of Spectre's base meant to suggest that detective agency owner Charlie Townsend faced retaliation from Spectre?"
"I actually shouldn't answer that question," Eric smiled on stage and replied, "But since you're clearly a fan of the spy movie universe, I'll give you a definitive answer -- yes."
Light laughter spread through the room. The young reporter, with a somewhat green face, felt a little embarrassed. He truly was a die-hard fan of MGM's spy movie universe; otherwise, he wouldn't have quickly linked those seemingly random shots, abandoning his prepared questions to seek validation from Eric regarding his speculation.
The opportunity to ask questions was, of course, limited to one. Reluctantly handing over the microphone, another journalist from The Daily Telegraph now had the floor. "Mr. Williams, how do you view the series of defeats faced by big-budget live-action films this summer? Do you think the box office of Casino Royale will be affected by these factors?"
"Viewers are hoping for good movies," Eric replied. "If film studios only have the ambition to chase Titanic's box office without putting in the same meticulous effort, they're doomed to fail. As for Casino Royale, I did everything I could, so I'm confident about its box office prospects."
"Do you think Casino Royale can catch up to Titanic at the box office?" another journalist pressed with a sharper question.
Eric didn't hesitate much, practicing some diplomatic fencing: "That really depends on whether moviegoers want to create another box office miracle."
Eric's responses had an air of officiality, and the reporters realized it would be difficult to extract sensitive info from him. They redirected their questions towards Kate Blanchett, the 'newcomer.'
Before the premiere, Kate's manager had repeatedly given her instructions on how to handle the journalists. However, in the face of their onslaught, Kate struggled a bit, inevitably falling into the traps of their inquiries. Eric and Barbara Broccoli even had to step in to shield Kate from some of the tougher questions.
...
"I'm so sorry, Eric, I didn't realize that question about Charlize was directed at you," Kate approached Eric at the Hyde Park Hotel party after the press conference, holding a drink to apologize.
Eric smiled and shook his head, saying, "Not a problem. You'll gain more experience at these events over time. By the way, everyone has been raving about your stunning performance. Have you planned your next movie?"
As a newcomer, when Kate landed the role of Vesper Lynd, she also signed a three-film option agreement with Firefly. Her next two films would have to come from Firefly's studios, but those details didn't require Eric's direct involvement.
Kate shook her head, saying, "Not yet. New Line has already recommended a couple of scripts to me, but Ron wants me to wait until after Casino Royale's release to decide."
Upon finishing her sentence, Kate suddenly realized this attitude of waiting for the best offer shouldn't be voiced in front of Eric, her face flushing red and feeling awkward enough to want to flee.
Eric simply smiled, not minding too much. In fact, he held a bit of fondness for Kate's straightforwardness and was about to steer the conversation away when a pair of middle-aged individuals approached. The man looked to be around fifty, tall with a beard, while the woman appeared to be in her thirties or early forties, dressed in professional attire instead of the glamorous gowns worn by other guests, giving off a shrewd, competent vibe.
"Mr. Williams, hello. I'm Frank Lipton, a film critic," though he had come for Kate, Frank extended his hand to Eric first.
Eric shook his hand, noticing that the woman next to Frank didn't disguise the fact that she was sizing up Kate. Realizing their intent, he gestured towards the woman and smiled at Frank Lipton, asking, "And this is...?"
The woman quickly pulled her gaze from Kate, politely extending her hand toward Eric to introduce herself. "Mr. Williams, I'm Alison Owen, a producer at Working Title Films."
Working Title Films... Eric recalled their past films. They had been associated with the Coen brothers' Fargo from the previous year, as well as Oscar favorites like Dead Man Walking and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Their name had appeared on a number of films, implying that institutionally, it held a status in the UK similar to Gaumont in France, though in Hollywood, it was probably just on the tier of a second-string studio.
With many other guests still to converse with, and recognizing their focus on Kate, Eric decided to excuse himself. If they wanted to invite Kate to star in a film, they would need to go through Firefly first, and Eric wasn't about to butt in at this stage.
...
Given that England was five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, Eric didn't get much rest after the party the following day. The first wave of reviews for Casino Royale began appearing in British newspapers. By noon, reviews from America started rolling in.
"The film's plot was tight and smooth, delivering a cohesive 145 minutes. Eric Williams has made a triumphant return after Jurassic Park." -- The Guardian
"After suffering through a slew of disappointing summer films, Casino Royale finally treated us to a thrilling visual feast." -- The Daily Telegraph
"Newcomer Kate Blanchett's performance was stunning; Vesper Lynd is set to become one of the most iconic Bond Girl figures. Christina Aguilera, the youngest Bond Girl in history, delivered a satisfying performance in her brief appearance. The trio of angels made a surprise entrance. Of course, we also had the long-awaited 'Muppet Girl.' Williams never lets down the fans. However, one, two, three, four, five, six... all right, I can only say, Casino Royale is undoubtedly the Bond film with the most Bond Girls." -- The World News
"Even without the intertwining of the spy movie universe, Eric Williams' directorial Casino Royale has effectively redefined the Bond series. In this film, James Bond is finally more than just a sharply dressed figure. He gets injured, becomes fatigued, falls in love, and pursues a life of an everyday person... Perhaps, this version of Bond is what everyone really wanted to see. Bond's underwater farewell with Vesper is heart-wrenching, especially the line, 'The job is done. And the bitch is dead' -- it evokes a deep sense of despair. Although Bond ultimately rises from the ashes to become the terrifying super spy once again, we can be sure that from now on, Bond will be a true mortal, no longer a detached screen symbol." -- The New York Times
"Without a doubt, MGM's spy movie universe plan has officially found its footing after Casino Royale. Eric Williams has adeptly managed the storylines across the three major franchises. The overall tone of the James Bond series remains unaffected by the other two series, yet the merger of the three series brings more cinematic enjoyment for fans." -- San Francisco Chronicle
...
In their villa on Kensington Gardens, Eric and his assistant had just finished lunch and were still sitting in the dining room, reviewing the various press reviews they had received from Peter Rich.
After patiently going over the press reviews, the assistant glanced up excitedly. "The overall score is a 9! Eric, how much do you think we can make at the box office?"
Eric had just compiled the North American box office data from the previous week.
In its second week of release, Finding Nemo earned another $65.63 million, bringing its total box office to $163 million over two weeks. With envious gazes from all around, it continued to dominate the summer market without a doubt, and all major box office tracking organizations no longer doubted the film's potential to reach $300 million in North America.
In contrast, Batman & Robin's first-week box office was only $59.47 million. The media comprehensive score of this comic adaptation blockbuster, which cost 125 million US dollars, has not only dropped to the worthless level of 1 point, but the first week box office is also far less than the more than 70 million of Godzilla a few weeks ago. Time Warner publicly announced it would halt all DC adaptations under its banner.
The dismal performance of Batman & Robin led many in the industry to express a negative outlook on Firefly's simultaneous projects, Spider-Man and Iron Man. Avi Arad even called to express that actors interested in appearing in both adaptations had suddenly cooled their enthusiasm, including the preordained Spider-Man actor Stuart Ronkel's representation at CAA ramping up their price demands and requesting the number of films in his contract be reduced from six to below three.
...
While pondering these matters, upon hearing the assistant's words, Eric set aside the box office chart and quickly glanced through the reviews for Casino Royale. "That's hard to say. While North America has traditionally been the biggest market for the Bond series, it has never been exceptionally popular here. I believe, considering the current word of mouth coupled with my own box office draw and the halo effect of the spy movie universe, Casino Royale should be capable of hitting $200 million in North America, perhaps even better overseas -- around $400 million, given that the impact of Jurassic Park is still felt."
"Eric, why don't you have more confidence? I just spoke with Amy; she thinks this film might even hit $300 million in North America!"
Eric laughed, "It's meaningless to make such predictions now. We should have a clearer picture once the first-day box office from North America is released tomorrow."
"Well, okay," the assistant momentarily dropped the topic, glancing at him mischievously. "What are we doing this afternoon?"
*****
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