Hollywood Director 1992

[T/N: I have modified the subsity to 2.8 insterad of 3.8. With the modifications made by Link, it was supposed to earn about 80 million and with the system, now it has a chance to win 224 million.

I changed it to 3.8 before because of 54 million original box office of the movie and the author was using 100 million. So, I increased it for comparison with the movie The Firm.

The system only provides possibilities to earn 2.8 times but utilizing these possibilities or not is MC's responsibility. And if done well, there is chance to earn more than 224 million as well.]

[Chapter 176: Raising Funds to Suppress]

"Ten million?"

Richard Gere frowned immediately upon hearing that figure.

With big-name stars, the expenses escalated, and the bigger the star, the larger the daily costs. After putting up eight million for the wager, he didn't have much left in his account. Actors like Robert Downey Jr. were even worse off; they had borrowed funds to place their bets. Asking them to come up with ten million dollars to boost box office was a tall order.

"Michael, do we really have to fake the box office? The current takings for The Firm are at 135 million dollars. In seven or eight weeks, it should reach at least 170 million. I doubt Link's new movie can top that," Richard said, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Ovitz replied, "Who can guarantee that? Link's first three films had a return ratio of over a thousand percent. Final Destination was his first major investment over ten million, and if it makes a 20 times return, that's 200 million. At 30 times, it's 300 million. At 40 times, you're looking at 400 million. This guy has incredible luck; we have to treat this seriously if we want to win this wager."

Richard recalled Link's past record-breaking box office returns, which only made him more anxious.

"It's just that ten million is too much. Most of what Robert and the others are betting is borrowed money. If we ask them to invest more for publicity, they're unlikely to agree."

"Richard, you need to persuade them. To enhance The Firm's box office, CAA and Paramount had previously added over ten million in additional activity funding. If we want the film to break two hundred million, we'll need to invest another twenty to thirty million. We're in this together -- if we win our bet, everyone profits. The money should be allocated proportionally."

Ovitz continued, "Also, if The Firm exceeds 200 million at the box office, our chances of winning will increase dramatically, to over 99%. Once we beat Link, we'll recover all our investments, and the only one left losing will be him."

Richard understood, but securing an additional ten million for the box office was an uphill battle.

Ovitz continued, "Of course, if you think this wager is a lock and see no need to support The Firm's box office further, I'll listen to everyone. We can leave it to the market to determine its final box office. With a bit of luck, maybe we can still win the bet. Everyone can decide how to handle things; I'll wait for your news."

"Got it!"

...

After hanging up, Richard called Robert Downey Jr. and shared Ovitz's message. When he mentioned needing an additional ten million to support The Firm, Robert and Kiefer Sutherland expressed that they were out of money -- their previous wagers had relied on loans.

If they had to invest additional funds, they'd need to borrow more. If they couldn't repay, they'd all go bankrupt.

Richard pointed out that Link was remarkably fortunate, effortlessly acquiring a film company only to stumble upon a sleeper hit like The Wedding Banquet. No one could say how much his new movie would make or whether he would continue his lucky streak.

If they didn't find a way to boost The Firm's box office now, it would be too late when Link's new film released.

They would lose all their bets and end up embarrassed in front of Link.

Richard also mentioned that CAA and Paramount had already poured in an additional ten million toward the promotion and that they would need to invest twenty to thirty million more to push for box office improvements.

As business partners, they couldn't just sit back and benefit from someone else's efforts.

As for Ovitz's suggestion of investing over ten million to boost The Firm's box office, Richard and the others had no doubts, as many media outlets reported suspicions of the film's box office numbers being inflated.

This was undoubtedly a move orchestrated by Ovitz and his team.

So it made perfect sense for Ovitz to ask them for additional investments.

"Do we really need to add more? The Firm's current box office sits at 135 million; it should hit 170 million in seven weeks. Can Link's new film match those numbers?" Kiefer Sutherland questioned.

Richard replied, "If it were anyone else, we wouldn't worry, but Link's films consistently achieve high returns. We need to be cautious to ensure victory."

Richard also noted CAA and Paramount's multi-million dollar investment in promoting The Firm. If they didn't contribute and just benefited from the success, they'd have a hard time dividing any potential winnings down the line.

Robert Downey Jr. and the others requested some time to consider. If additional investments were necessary, they would need to arrange some loans. Dustin Hoffman expressed that he would align with Richard; as long as Richard committed to the additional investment, he would follow suit.

...

After informing them, Richard called Tom Cruise to discuss the need for additional investments.

Though Tom was the star of The Firm, part of CAA and Paramount, his role in this wager was facilitated through their side. If they were to gather funds to support The Firm, Tom would need to chip in as well.

"How much do I need to add?" Tom asked.

"Ovitz said we needed to come up with ten million. Based on our initial investments, you'll need to add 2.4 million dollars."

The last time Tom had initially invested two million in the wager, he'd later learned that many were in on it and had added another 3 million, totaling 5 million.

The calculation for the additional investment was based on their collective totals, which meant Tom needed to invest another 2.4 million. Hearing that figure made him frown. Although 2.4 million wasn't much for him, it was still a significant amount, meaning he would have put in a total of 7.4 million.

This was his highest stake to date.

However, Tom didn't oppose investing; after all, The Firm was his film, and its success would benefit him greatly. He also didn't believe he would lose to Link.

"Alright, Richard, I'll transfer the money to you shortly."

...

After hanging up, Tom frowned thoughtfully and called Ovitz, inquiring about the film's promotion, expressing his desire that Ovitz wouldn't resort to inflating the box office numbers because he felt it unnecessary.

This film was quite good; the reason it hadn't broken through 150 million yet was due to insufficient promotion -- many viewers hadn't been intrigued enough. If they ramped up the marketing efforts, the box office would surely rise.

He had enough confidence in the film.

Ovitz responded with a cheerful agreement.

...

"What's going on?"

After hanging up, Nicole Kidman walked over with a face mask, her silk nightgown accentuating her figure.

Tom found himself momentarily stunned by her curves but quickly regained composure. He had been so busy with work lately; just recently he had spent a long day at Paramount's president's office and didn't have the energy for anything else.

"What's the matter?"

Nicole asked, sitting on the opposite sofa while pouring herself a glass of red wine.

Tom explained about the additional funding for the film's promotion, making sure they could secure their victory against Link.

Nicole queried, "So is it true that the news claimed The Firm's box office is inflated?"

"False. In recent weeks, Paramount has invested over ten million to raise the box office by attracting more audiences to theaters. This is no different from how Link promoted his films; it's legitimate marketing," Tom clarified.

Nicole continued, "Currently The Firm's box office in North America is at 135 million; it has a chance to cross 170 million in eight weeks. Isn't that enough to secure a win against Link's new film?"

Tom frowned, "Ovitz thinks Link's film has enormous box office potential. The Firm needs to exceed 200 million to ensure a foolproof victory."

"Link's films have hardly ever failed at the box office; this one should do well," Nicole remarked.

"Hmph! His films are all rubbish; he lures audiences in with hype -- it's nothing to be impressed about," Tom scoffed.

"Yes, Link's films aren't great, but they do have solid box office numbers," Nicole laughed. "Why don't we ask Naomi Watts? She attended the screening of Link's new film; she might have some insights into what we can expect for box office numbers."

Tom felt a wave of unease but nodded in agreement after thinking it over.

...

Nicole called Naomi and asked her about the film. Naomi was British, raised in Australia, and was a classmate of Nicole at acting school.

However, luck had favored Nicole; after moving to Hollywood, she married Tom Cruise, becoming a well-known figure in the industry, while Naomi was still an emerging actress.

Naomi appeared in Final Destination as a small role and had been signed as a junior client by UTA after her audition for the film.

When asked by Nicole, Naomi hesitated, saying she had a confidentiality agreement with Guess Pictures and couldn't disclose anything about the movie.

"Naomi, I'm not putting you in a tough spot. Just tell me how Link's new movie stands. What box office do you predict?" Nicole probed.

Naomi hesitated, saying, "Link's new film is quite impressive, full of creativity and fun, with a terrifying plot and remarkable special effects. Plus, Link knows how to direct actors well; everyone delivered solid performances."

"Can you estimate how much box office this film will generate?"

"I can't say exactly how much it will earn, but Link's films don't typically underperform," Naomi replied hesitantly.

Nicole kept asking questions but didn't uncover much more. They chatted casually for a while before hanging up.

...

"It sounds promising. It's still a horror film with effects and depth, plus strong performances -- it looks like this movie could really sell!" Nicole remarked.

"Hmph! No matter how much his film makes, it won't surpass The Firm." Tom scoffed.

"Yes, I believe you," Nicole agreed, moving closer to him and gently wrapping his arm.

Tom caught her scent, and his heart raced, but he was too worn out to respond. He waved his hand and got up to excuse himself to the study to review the script.

Nicole peeled the mask off her face, watching him hurry away with a cold stare.

*****

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