Hollywood Director 1992

[Chapter 186: Negative Press]

After the release of Final Destination, the film received increasing praise from both media and audiences alike. Some critics claimed it was the best thriller of the year, even better than the previous hit paranormal horror film, Paranormal Activity. Others noted that Link's directorial skills had shown remarkable improvement compared to his earlier works, showcasing a maturity in his approach that hinted at limitless future potential in filmmaking.

The media buzz surrounding the film was overwhelming, surpassing the hype created for his previous projects. Link found it surprising; while he thought the film was interesting, he didn't see it as particularly exceptional. It had some quality, yet he questioned the extent of the adulation.

He called Jon Gordon to discuss the marketing strategy. He expressed that the focus should be on the film and the cast rather than excessively promoting his role as the director. However, Jon informed him that the praise came from critics after viewing the film, who had given it their objective evaluations based on its merits.

...

Still doubtful, Link decided to visit a theater screening of Final Destination to see if the audience's reactions lent any credence to the accolades. To his astonishment, the audience's responses surpassed his expectations. Many gasped and screamed at the thrilling moments, while openly complimenting the leading actors and praising the storyline's ingenuity -- declaring it an outstanding film.

Sitting in his seat, Link listened as those around him couldn't help but express their enthusiasm, almost like they were hired cheerleaders for the film.

"Link, this movie is incredible! You totally nailed it!" Jennifer Connelly exclaimed excitedly.

"Is it really that good? It seemed pretty average to me," he replied.

"It's fantastic! You probably just watched too many times to appreciate it," Jennifer laughed.

As Link observed the screen and absorbed the audience's excitement, he began to understand why they loved the film. It was the early '90s, and the film industry hadn't produced many classic horror films yet; thus, viewers weren't too picky, and their threshold for shock hadn't been pushed high by movies like Saw, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Walking Dead, The Conjuring, or The Ring.

At this time, even slightly innovative horror films like Final Destination would capture viewers' affections. Moreover, the film had received a 15% boost in quality rating, elevating it to over 98%, leading to an enhanced viewing experience and contributing to the audience's heightened excitement.

With this newfound understanding, Link felt at ease handing promotional duties over to Jon Gordon as he continued filming.

---

By the third week of its release, Final Destination had grossed $29.35 million at the North American box office. Despite a significant drop from the previous week, it remained firmly at the top of the weekly box office charts.

In second place was the fantasy-thriller-comedy The Addams Family Values, which opened during Halloween with earnings of $16.12 million and a total gross of $30.23 million, showing a substantial gap compared to the first film. The third position was held by the action blockbuster Demolition Man, garnering $6.04 million this week, a 52% drop, with a cumulative total of $45.58 million, falling significantly short of expectations, with predictions of around $60 million at the North American box office.

This prompted the film's star, Sylvester Stallone, to publicly criticize the distribution company, Warner Bros., blaming them for poorly scheduling the film and contributing to its underwhelming box office performance, asserting that they bore full responsibility.

In fourth place was the romantic thriller Flesh and Bone, starring Meg Ryan, which earned $451,000 in its opening week, showing mediocre results. Consequently, CAA's strategy to target Final Destination at the box office had nearly failed completely.

...

However, during this third week of Final Destination's release, the media exploded with negative headlines about Link, which adversely affected the film's box office performance. Numerous newspapers reported that his personal life was chaotic, insinuating entanglements with various leading ladies from the entertainment industry.

Alongside Monica Bellucci, names like Jodie Foster, Winona Ryder, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Madchen Amick, and Courteney Cox were thrown into the mix, suggesting that if he had encountered any female celebrity, there may have been something romantic involved.

Gossip tabloids captured this narrative. Reports also emerged claiming that Link had used underhanded methods while casting actors, suggesting that any aspiring actor seeking a role in his movie had to sleep with him, putting Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, and Angelina Jolie among the alleged victims.

Some media even drove home the point of Liv Tyler and Angelina Jolie's ages to suggest that Link's conduct might be criminal, insisting that an investigation by the police was warranted.

...

Initially, Link's camp paid little attention to these reports. However, when major publications began to circulate the rumors, Guess Pictures and the WMA agency staged a swift rebuttal to these false reports.

They clarified that the casting for Final Destination was entirely under the control of the casting director and that Link had neither the time nor inclination to engage in any misconduct. Additionally, during the filming process, Link worked alongside Liv Tyler and Angelina Jolie as colleagues and had no current intentions of pursuing any romantic relationships with them -- branding the media's reports as pure fabrications.

WMA's legal department announced plans to take action against the defamatory media outlets.

...

During an interview, Liv Tyler was asked about the swirling rumors about Link. She responded that while they occasionally chatted on set during filming, they hardly interacted outside of work.

"Link is very serious. He tends to criticize people," Liv commented. "I get nervous just being around him, so there's no chance of dating."

When the host brought up Link's strict demeanor on set and asked the other leads if he was difficult to work with, everyone except Angelina Jolie said he wasn't. Ryan Phillippe and others noted that Link was a highly skilled director, imparting significant acting knowledge throughout the shoot. They praised his insights, stating that his advice surpassed that of a typical acting coach.

The cast, having had little acting experience before entering production, performed notably well in Final Destination, earning recognition from industry professionals, all thanks to Link's guidance.

When the host later questioned Angelina Jolie about her assertion that Link was hard to work with, asking if she was concerned about offending him, she shared that Link's challenging nature stemmed from his repeated rejections of her attempts to date him.

"This man is nothing like the playboy he's rumored to be," Jolie said, expressing her disappointment. "I can usually manage to get along with guys, but he's like a hard stone; he doesn't let anyone in. That's why I think he's a tough guy to collaborate with."

Her remarks drew laughter from the audience.

...

Even with the backlash, Link's side attempted to address the negative coverage, but the media continued to churn out unsubstantiated dirt. Some argued that he harbored a bias against Black individuals, citing the antagonist from Paranormal Activity was a black shadow as indicative of this prejudice, and claiming that the Grim Reaper's appearance in Final Destination as dark smoke hinted at racial undertones.

Furthermore, apart from a few Black actors in supporting roles in Final Destination, his previous films were predominantly cast with White actors, which some pointed to as evidence of his alleged discrimination.

These allegations were nonsensical. Link chose to ignore the noise, focusing on his filmmaking, directing his company's publicity team to concentrate on promoting the film rather than addressing the unfounded claims.

For someone of his stature and status, a bit of adverse publicity hardly made a dent.

*****

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