[Chapter 969: Easter Movie Package]
Eric quickly found a short story collection signed by Nancy Collins on Amazon. After reading the summary, he realized that the concept for Underworld clearly came from a story titled Monster's Love within the collection.
Natasha hadn't returned yet, so Eric dialed the girl's phone, asking her to swing by the bookstore and pick up the collection for him.
"Eric, is this the book?" After another half hour, Natasha handed him a not too thick book, saying, "I found it after checking three stores."
Eric glanced at the cover and nodded, "That's it. Did you manage to get the leather outfit? Put it on so I can see."
Natasha shook several shopping bags in her hand and walked towards the bedroom.
After she left, Eric leaned back on the sofa and began reading the seven or eight-page story, Monster's Love. It was yet another tale akin to Romeo and Juliet -- a love story between a werewolf and a vampire. But due to the ancient feud between their two species, their families' objections ultimately kept them apart, leading to a tragic double suicide.
As he finished reading the story, Eric was about to write an email instructing the Firefly copyright department to acquire the adaptation rights when he heard the sound of boots thumping against the floor.
Looking up, he saw Natasha Henstridge entering in a black leather outfit, completed with matching black hiking boots. The snug leather accentuated her already perfect curves, and the simple ponytail paired with high-topped boots gave her an added air of confidence.
But.
Eric noticed the black leather belt in her hand with a slight sense of apprehension. "What are you planning to do with that?"
Natasha held the belt up and playfully smacked it against her palm twice, sporting a cold, queenly demeanor as she approached him, pushing him back against the chair. She then straddled him, leaning in.
Feeling a warm tongue slowly slide across his neck, Eric gasped sharply, "Stop!"
Natasha Henstridge paused, assessing Eric with playful eyes before bursting into laughter. "I thought you'd like this."
Eric shook his head firmly, "No, not at all. If you keep this up, I'll throw you out. Now, let's get rid of that ponytail."
Natasha remained on Eric, making a silly face before tossing aside the belt and undoing her ponytail. Shaking her head, her golden hair cascaded down, the soft allure instantly dissipating her previously androgynous vibe. "Is this better?"
"Yes, perfect," Eric nodded, admiring the beauty so close to him. "I just called the restaurant at the club and made a reservation for lunch. Let's go eat and I'll tell you about the movie."
Excitement lit up Natasha's face as she wrapped her arms around Eric's neck. "So, does this mean I passed the audition?"
Eric nodded, "Once you change your hair color, you'll look the part, and your acting skills are good too. As long as you're willing to work hard, this movie is yours."
"Why will it be hard? Is it loaded with action, like Charlie's Angels?"
"Pretty much. You're the only female lead, so your action scenes will likely exceed those of the three girls combined. I'll need you to undergo a few months of physical training beforehand."
"That's no problem," Natasha quickly affirmed, pretending to stand. "I'll go change."
Eric smiled, holding her back. "No need; you can wear that to the restaurant."
"Hehe, I thought you didn't like it?"
"If I didn't like it, would I have let you buy that outfit?"
"Well then..."
"No more questions."
"Oh."
...
After finishing three days of work starting Monday, the crew returned to Los Angeles that afternoon. Next, they had nighttime shoots at the Los Angeles Disney Studio. Since there was no work scheduled for Thursday during the day, Eric only returned to Los Angeles with Natasha Henstridge the following morning.
After a week of work, the crew surprisingly did not have to work overtime that weekend.
The following Monday, March 23, would be the 70th Academy Awards ceremony.
Eric had received a personal invitation call from the president of the Academy two months prior, and with the Oscar's 70th anniversary approaching, it was inappropriate for him to miss the event again. So, he agreed to attend and even consented to present the award for Best Original Screenplay.
However, while filming Iron Man, Eric's primary focus was on the upcoming Easter release window.
It was already late March, and this year Easter fell on April 12. Typically, films released during Easter would premiere a week earlier -- April 3.
The joint marketing plans by Firefly, MGM, and Fox were in their final stages. At this point, movie posters and trailers for The Wedding Singer, Species, and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery could be seen frequently on cinema facades and street advertisements, as well as during prime advertising slots on major networks.
The three studios were bundling all three films together, investing $50 million solely into marketing.
This budget exceeded that of a high-profile blockbuster film with a production cost over $100 million since most blockbusters involved marketing and distribution budgets of less than $50 million, while the combined budget of the three films amounted to only $83 million.
Originally, there was another movie that had a chance to be included in this Easter package: City of Angels produced by Warner Bros.
This fantasy romance film, starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan, had a production budget of $55 million thanks to the involvement of two major stars, and Warner was highly confident it could become an Easter hit.
When Firefly proposed a bundled promotion, the Warner management team was interested in collaborating. However, given that City of Angels had both a more substantial cast and budget, they inevitably outlined a series of conditions favoring their film.
Due to the internal strife within Warner, their efficiency dropped to worrying levels.
Eric thought that if they truly waited for these conditions to be hashed out, Easter might pass them by entirely, so he decided to drop the negotiations and allow both sides to pursue their paths independently.
Even among the three companies, there were individual concerns regarding the collaboration. The most significant disagreement revolved around splitting the $50 million marketing budget. Some wanted an equal split, while others felt it should be divided according to the production budgets.
Eric didn't want these disputes to interfere with the collaboration, so he took matters into his own hands and firmly declared: "We'll divide based on the final North American box office receipts. The higher the receipts, the larger the share; the lower the receipts, the smaller the share. This way, nobody will feel cheated."
The Wedding Singer, Species, and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery each focused on promoting warm romance, sci-fi thrills, and crude comedy, respectively, and they specifically offered discounted holiday packages.
With the $50 million marketing budget splashed out, the fresh buzz and extensive publicity resulted in noticeable effects.
Surveys indicated that a majority of the potential audience was aware of the existence of these three films. Over 80 percent of surveyed moviegoers claimed they would likely choose one or more of the films to watch in theaters based on the situation.
In contrast, Warner's City of Angels also invested $25 million in marketing, but its impact could not compare to Firefly's Easter movie package.
While Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan were undoubtedly box office draws, the Firefly team boasted stars like Mike Myers from Austin Powers and Ben Stiller from The Wedding Singer, both of whom made their mark on Saturday Night Live and were household names in America.
Additionally, Jennifer Aniston, the lead actress in The Wedding Singer, had established her status as America's Sweetheart after nearly a decade and 200 episodes of Friends. Even Heather Graham, the star of Species, known as a sexy icon since her debut in the '80s, resonated strongly with audiences.
The collective star power of these four far matched that of Cage and Ryan.
Moreover, in terms of promotional efforts, their advantages predominantly outshone those of Cage and Ryan. When it came to TV promotion, Cage and Ryan could only participate in a few relatively popular talk shows as per Warner's arrangements.
In contrast, the quartet had more leeway to appear on multiple shows. Saturday Night Live was a must, and all four would take turns to be featured.
Shows like Late Show with David Letterman or The Jay Leno Show could easily welcome them due to their connections in the television circle, even without Firefly's arrangement. Additionally, since Friends had recently resumed after its winter hiatus, an episode had been specifically scheduled to cross-promote with the films, featuring guest appearances by Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, and Heather Graham.
Upon detailed consideration, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery would release on April 3, alongside Warner's City of Angels, while Species and The Wedding Singer would follow on April 10, Easter week.
Thanks to the grand promotional campaign, while none of the three movies were major blockbusters, the North American theater chains were eager to screen them.
Each of the three films would premiere on around 3,000 screens, a privilege typically reserved for major productions. Of course, this number was also feasible because Easter was not yet considered a highly competitive release window.
*****
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