Hollywood Director 1992

[Chapter 305: Box Office Bomb]

"You tied Monica up like that last night? Is that some kind of bondage technique? How do you know about that stuff?"

In the early morning, Beverly Hills, sunlight filtered through the mist, casting a warm glow on the jogging track. Sofia, wearing a snug athletic tank top that highlighted her toned neck and collarbone, turned her head curiously toward Link as she jogged. Below, she sported a pair of black shorts that accentuated her long, lean legs, radiating vitality.

With each steady stride, her golden ponytail bounced behind her, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. A light flush graced her cheeks from the exercise.

"In the old days, they bound captives with ropes to prevent them from fleeing. Some were tied by hands and feet, while others were completely restrained. Eventually, this practice made its way to bondage, where it was adapted for use in bed and even featured BDSM films. I learned a few moves from a prop master back in the days when I was working on a film set," Link explained as he continued to jog.

"Monica seemed really happy last night. I want to try it too; is that okay?" Sofia blinked sweetly, her voice tinged with teasing anticipation.

"Sure, if that's what you want," Link replied, ruffling her hair playfully. Sofia gave him a playful glare before suddenly jumping onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Link chuckled as he carried her along, continuing to run.

"Hey, take it easy! My chest hurts!" Milla Jovovich, observing their playful banter, laughed and quickened her pace to catch up.

...

After their morning workout, Link returned to the elegant living room of their villa. Everyone was up except for Monica; some were doing aerobics, others were applying face masks or getting dressed, while little Cici sat on the sofa yawning, looking as though she hadn't quite recovered from being forced to wake up early.

As Link walked in, Lily waved over to the staff to bring breakfast, and the family gathered around to eat.

In the dining room, sunshine streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, pouring over the oval table that could sit twenty. The table was adorned with a variety of breakfast options, filling the air with the rich aroma of coffee and freshly toasted bread.

"Link, look at this," Lily said, accustomed to reading the newspaper during meals. After flipping through a few pages, she handed one to Link with a serious expression. "The box office numbers for The Man from Earth just came in, and a lot of media outlets are seizing the opportunity to downplay us. They even mentioned that the second round of funding might fail, which is bad news for us."

Link took the newspaper and flipped through a few pages. The three newspapers -- the Los Angeles Times, the International Herald Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal -- all led with stories about the disappointing box office performance of The Man from Earth.

...

The Los Angeles Times published a piece titled "Star-Studded Cast Can't Conceal Box Office Bomb; Can Guess Productions Recover?"

The article made a point to mention the film's prestigious production team, including the legendary director Francis Ford Coppola as the producer and art director, with the hottest director around, Link, on script and edit duties, while Sofia wore dual hats as director and producer. The cast boasted seasoned actors like Richard Castellano and Talia Shire.

Given the talent involved, expectations had been high for the film's performance. In addition, it was adapted from Link's best-selling novel, Interstellar. Since its release in 1992, the book had sold over 120 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling works in science fiction history. The Man from Earth, being a classic from that novel, was celebrated by countless fans for its profound philosophical exploration and imaginative storytelling.

Because of this, anticipation soared when the announcement was made last year about the film adaptation. With a star-studded cast, a beloved IP, and out-of-this-world marketing from Guess Productions, many media outlets predicted that The Man from Earth could be the first film in North America to cross the $100 million mark in 1995. They believed Guess Productions would set new records with this release.

However, it turned out that the predictions were far from reality. After three weeks in theaters, the movie only garnered $1.21 million at the box office, a stark disappointment that marked it as the biggest box office failure of the year.

...

The International Herald Tribune reported similarly, using a humorous tone to say, "Lucky Link seems to have lost his box office magic!"

Back in 1991, Link had shot Buried for just $20,000, and it grossed $75 million globally; in 1992, he followed it up with Paranormal Activity, shot for the same price, which pulled in over $600 million worldwide. That same year, he released The Blair Witch Project, also on a low budget, accumulating $300 million. These impressive records left audiences confident in Link's ability to produce successful low-budget films.

When Guess Productions announced they would make The Man from Earth for just $20,000, many assumed the film would surely continue this winning streak. But it didn't.

The film's box office failure not only shattered the illusion that Link had the "box office key" but also cast a shadow over Guess Productions' future.

...

The Wall Street Journal focused more on the impending second round of funding for Guess Productions. Most companies complete fundraising rounds in under four months; pulling off a successful round within that timeframe often means gaining market and investor confidence. If funding stretches beyond that period, it indicates potential troubles, with added uncertainty complicating the process.

In December of the previous year, Guess Productions had announced an ambitious $1.6 billion second round of funding. However, two months later, the investment market had slowed to a crawl, with no investors willing to step up.

The underlying issue was that the company's valuation significantly exceeded what investors were willing to consider, compounded by recent fluctuations in the film market amplifying perceived risks. Investors had opted to stay on the sidelines.

A columnist for The Wall Street Journal noted that if Guess Productions could release a few box office successes during the funding period, it might reignite investor enthusiasm and help underline the company's potential and stock value.

However, reality wasn't looking optimistic. The first film Guess Productions dropped this year, The Man from Earth, had tanked miserably at the box office, further complicating the company's financial situation and severely denting investor confidence. The columnist concluded with a hint of sarcasm, "Guess Productions finds itself in the embarrassing position of being 'valued but unsalable' -- no amount of hype can overcome the market's indifference."

...

Link regarded the newspaper, a wry smile tugging at his lips. With news of The Man from Earth's poor performance making headlines, it was clear that their ambitious $1.6 billion valuation had ruffled quite a few feathers.

"Link, how do we respond to all this negative press?" Lily asked with a serious expression.

"There's nothing to worry about. We're a movie company; everything comes down to box office results. When the next film performs well, that will speak volumes. As for this bad press, we'll just ride it out until we have another hit, and the media will do our promoting for us."

"But the next film, Rumble in the Bronx, might not do so well either," Lily said anxiously.

"I don't think it will tank too badly. Action films have a market in North America. Even if it underperforms, that's alright. Beyond these two films, we have several others with great potential for box office success this year. So, stop frowning -- you'll end up with wrinkles," he teased.

"Wait, do I have wrinkles? Where?" Lily asked, quickly checking her eyes and feeling relieved when she didn't feel any.

"Nope, you look like an eighteen-year-old girl," Link said, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Give me another," Sofia and Milla began to tease from the side, while little Cici clapped her hands in excitement.

Flushed with embarrassment, Lily lightly pushed Link away and returned to her seat to eat.

...

"Hey everyone, good morning!"

Monica walked into the dining room, glowing with happiness and wearing a silver spaghetti strap mini-dress that showcased her radiant skin, curvy figure, and slim, fair legs.

On her exposed skin -- arms, calves, shoulders -- were faint reddish lines, remnants from last night's playful antics, radiating a unique allure. Despite the wildness of last night, Monica's complexion glowed; her eyes sparkled, her cheeks were flush like fresh blossoms, and her skin looked dewy and youthful.

The few spots she usually had seemed to have vanished, leaving her with a vibrant glow, as if she had shed years off her appearance.

"Monica, what happened? You look amazing," several of the women exclaimed, getting up from their seats to crowd around her for a closer look.

"Nothing, I just had a good rest last night," Monica replied, her face beaming with happiness.

"Last night? We all know what went down; could that kind of thing be the secret to youthful skin?" Lily asked, curiously touching Monica's smooth skin.

"Is that true, Monica?" Sofia and Renee looked on with eager interest.

"I think it might be. I feel fantastic today. If you're interested, you can give it a try," Monica said with a subtle smile, leaning down to give Link a light kiss.

Lily and the others turned their attention to Link, their eyes turning hot with interest.

Link noted their gaze and couldn't help but chuckle, "Not now, we still have work to do later."

*****

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