[Chapter 988: Wrap Party]
At Firefly Studios, the lower-level lobby of an office building in the administrative district was temporarily converted into a press conference room for Stark Industries.
Surrounded by several cameras, Eric stood at the podium, confidently delivering his final lines before wrapping up the film: "Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type, clearly, with this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public --"
Don Cheadle, who played Colonel Rhodes, leaned in with a helpless expression and whispered, "Just stick to the cards."
Eric nodded in understanding, looked down at the cue card in his hand, scanned the audience briefly, and slowly continued, "The truth is, I am Iron Man."
The media guests shifted in surprise, then erupted into applause, raising their cameras and tape recorders.
In the front row, Natasha Henstridge lowered her slender legs and transformed her initially skeptical expression into one of perfectly timed shock.
...
Outside, behind the monitor, Joss Whedon called for a stop at the right moment, "OK, good!"
Eric stepped down from the stage and joined Joss Whedon to review the footage they had just captured.
This moment marked the seventh take of the scene, and as they approached the conclusion, the creative team remained committed to ensuring the film's quality. From Eric's tiniest expressions to Natasha Henstridge's reactions upon hearing the "I am Iron Man" line, every detail had been extensively discussed and refined to achieve the satisfactory result they had now reached.
Once everything was confirmed, Joss Whedon stood up and announced loudly, "I declare that Iron Man has officially wrapped!"
Applause erupted throughout the lobby, as everyone on the crew celebrated.
After three busy months, Eric didn't hesitate to follow up by announcing a wrap party that would take place tonight in the banquet hall aboard the Titanic, which brought on another wave of cheers.
While the crew managed the final touches under the direction of Joss Whedon and others, Eric exchanged pleasantries with several key players before heading to remove his makeup. Although it was already afternoon, he still had other matters to attend to.
...
Today was Wednesday, May 27.
Last week, Lethal Weapon 4 had a disappointing opening weekend with a final box office of only $49.15 million. This weekend, Sony Pictures' The Patriot premiered, inevitably impacting Lethal Weapon 4's earnings. The following weekend saw a drop of 46% from its opening, with weekend earnings dwindling to $18.38 million compared to the $34.05 million of its first weekend. The film's total in ten days was $67.53 million, falling short even to the opening weekend earnings of last month's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
On the flip side, if there was any competitive edge The Patriot had over Lethal Weapon 4, it was its production cost of $110 million.
Originally, the leading role should have been played by Mel Gibson, but due to his commitments to Lethal Weapon 4, Kevin Costner stepped in as the new lead.
The opening weekend for The Patriot also reached just $32.19 million, failing to exhibit the blockbuster churn expected from such a significant release.
These two summer blockbusters' box office results indirectly served as a reminder of how remarkable the total North American gross of $360 million achieved by the three films released during Easter was. With Lethal Weapon 4 having a production cost of $140 million, it equated to the total investment of all three films combined. To add to that, Warner Bros. had invested heavily in Lethal Weapon 4's marketing, yet its box office potential barely exceeded that of The Wedding Singer from Easter.
However, the lackluster performance of these two heavyweights did nothing to dampen fans' anticipation for the summer release season.
Most people's focus had shifted away from these two films. The big studio's sci-fi blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow from Firefly Studios, MGM's Charlie's Angels 3, Universal's The Scorpion King, and Amblin's The Matrix 2 became the summer's main attractions.
These four films, with the exception of Charlie's Angels 3, all focused on special effects-driven spectacles. This was also part of the reason many fans were eagerly awaiting their releases since the special effects market, having only recently taken off, had yet to reach saturation.
Nonetheless, with the crossover of the spy film universe resulting in this being the first sequel after last year's Casino Royale, which grossed over $1 billion globally, Charlie's Angels 3 without a doubt garnered the most attention this summer. Audience expectations even outstripped those for The Matrix 2. Many media sources predicted that if a film were to break the billion-dollar threshold this summer, Charlie's Angels 3 would be the frontrunner.
...
Once Eric finished removing his makeup, he stepped out of the dressing room to find Natasha Henstridge, now dressed casually in a T-shirt and long pants, elegantly waiting outside.
She waved when she saw Eric come out, "Hi, Eric."
Eric smiled back, "Is there something up?"
As Natasha walked alongside him, she answered, "Not really. I just found a nice apartment in Santa Monica and was about to head home. Can you give me a ride?"
Under normal circumstances, Eric would not hesitate to accept such an invitation. However, at that moment, he couldn't help but shake his head, "Sorry, Natasha, I still have work to do."
"No worries," Natasha said pleasantly, "You're coming to the party tonight, right?"
"Of course, I wouldn't miss it," Eric nodded. As they walked out of the office building and onto the parkway, he asked, "Do you have plans for the rest of the afternoon?"
Natasha's eyes lit up, "No, I don't."
Eric suggested, "How about joining me for a movie? It's a private screening of a horror film."
"Sure!"
"However," Eric added playfully, "this horror film might be a bit different. It's, um, very scary, so you'd better be prepared."
Natasha mischievously blinked, "If I get scared, can I hide in your arms?"
"Uh," Eric joked with an exaggerated glance upwards, "you're all grown up now! Hiding in a man's arms is not cute at all."
As they laughed, they entered another nearby office building.
...
New Line Cinema CEO Kenneth Horne and director Gore Verbinski of The Ring were already waiting inside. They quickly approached Eric and Natasha as they walked in together.
Eric was set to view the new version of The Ring today.
Preparations for The Ring had begun last year. In fact, by mid-April, it was mostly complete. However, Eric was dissatisfied with the current cut and had urged Gore Verbinski to make revisions, even reshooting some scenes.
The release date was scheduled for July 24, which wasn't too far into the crowded summer schedule.
Despite continuous changes, promotional efforts had ramped up since last month. With Johnny Depp's involvement, this horror film had generated significant buzz, even though Depp had not yet become a box office star before his work in Pirates of the Caribbean. His combined pay for The Ring and Sleepy Hollow was just $14 million, averaging $7 million per film.
Initially, Eric loosened the budget for The Ring at Gore's insistence, but since Depp's fee wasn't overly high, the final budget for this horror movie was around $30 million -- much less than Gore's initial estimate.
This screening was particularly important for Eric, so with Natasha he had only four individuals attending.
Once they settled into the small screening room within the office building, Kenneth Horne told the staff to begin prepping the film. The four of them took their seats in the screening area.
While waiting, Eric turned to Gore Verbinski, recalling Johnny Depp, and asked, "Gore, how's it been working with Johnny?"
With all of Eric's continuous requested changes, Gore had been feeling a bit frantic lately. Still, everyone was quite satisfied with the current film's result, and he couldn't help but admire Eric's keen insight in this area.
As Gore was about to respond to Eric's question, Kenneth Horne smoothly interjected, "Gore, come sit over here. It'll be more convenient for you to discuss the film with Eric."
Eric smiled as he watched the two switch seats graciously, internally praising Kenneth Horne for managing New Line Cinema so successfully in recent years. It was not surprising, as he evidently recognized Gore Verbinski's potential and wanted to bring him onboard.
Once Gore sat beside Eric, he expressed his gratitude to Kenneth Horne with a nod, then turned towards Eric, unsure of what Eric wanted to know. He said generally, "Depp is a fantastic actor, full of ideas, and very proactive in his performances."
Eric nodded and asked, "How's your relationship with him? Any plans for collaborations again?"
Gore sensed the implication and replied, "If the opportunity arises, absolutely."
After some small talk, the screening officially began.
...
The storyline opened with the mysterious deaths of four girls. One mother believed her daughter's death was too peculiar and hired her reporter sister, Keller, to investigate the truth. Keller, following clues, soon found a tape in a cabin where the girls had once stayed.
The original American version of The Ring leaned more towards thriller and mystery genres, focusing primarily on the protagonist's journey to uncover the truth behind the girls' deaths.
The rationale behind this approach was the psychological horror employed to perfection in the Japanese version of The Ring; it wouldn't be reasonable to directly replicate it. So while the American version excelled in various details, it could never match the terror of its Japanese counterpart.
Having captured the rights to the Japanese version before it had even started filming, Eric felt free to diverge from common filming techniques. This time, he incorporated elements from both the Japanese and American versions. Specifically, this version leaned heavily towards the Japanese style, both visually and in terms of musical scores, with a clear intent: to scare and terrify people. Thus, he revisited one of the most iconic scenes from the original Japanese film -- the moment Sadako crawled out of the TV. Eric certainly wouldn't let that slip by again.
What had initially dissatisfied Eric in Gore Verbinski's first cut was the establishment of the horror atmosphere, a point he had repeatedly insisted on modifying throughout the past month.
Now, the effect was undeniably immediate.
As the ghost named Samara crawled slowly from the TV screen, it sent chills down Eric's spine. Natasha Henstridge, sitting beside him, was so terrified that she closed her eyes tightly and reached over in distress to clutch Eric's arm.
...
Until the screening concluded and the lights came on, Natasha's face remained pale and ghostly.
Eric comfortingly patted the back of her hand, glancing at the other two. Although he had directed the film himself, Gore Verbinski's expression was not any better. Kenneth Horne remarked, "The current cut is indeed much better than the initial one, and although there are no traditional bloody scenes, the sheer horror of it even reminded me of The Exorcist. Gore, congratulations; this film is destined to become another horror classic in Hollywood."
"Thank you," Gore Verbinski nodded towards Kenneth Horne before looking at Eric, who also turned to him.
Eric nodded, "Great. It's ready to be submitted for rating by the film association. By the way, have you set the promotional strategy for the next two months?"
"Yes, in terms of popularity, we're highlighting Depp, primarily targeting the audience under 26. Eric, we have two different trailers ready, and they're scheduled to air on television and in theaters. Would you like to take a look?"
"No need," Eric shook his head, "You all can handle that. The only thing I insist on is adding a disclaimer to the movie trailer and posters: 'Viewers with heart conditions should watch with caution.'"
Before Gore Verbinski could digest that, Kenneth Horne, who was well-versed in film marketing and distribution, nodded vigorously, "That's a fantastic marketing angle! The more it's prohibited, the more it intrigues the audience. However, this approach may only work once in the short term, which is disappointing."
Eric nodded in agreement and then shook his head, "Ken, I'm not giving you a marketing suggestion; I'm being serious."
The previous installment of The Ring had genuinely frightened audiences. Adding that disclaimer ahead of time would serve as a sort of liability waiver. Should anything untoward happen later, it could minimize future complications. Simultaneously, on the other hand, including that notice could effectively amplify the marketing appeal.
*****
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