The first weekend box office of “Saw” may not have been particularly remarkable amidst the crowded summer blockbuster lineup. However, the box office trend over the weekend remained steady: $2.55 million on the 26th, $3.05 million on the 27th, and $3.1 million on the 28th, culminating in a weekend box office total of $8.6 million, landing it in third place on the North American box office chart for the week.
The top-ranking film was “Natural Born Killers,” released concurrently with “Saw,” which secured the week’s box office championship with $11.1 million. In second place was the long-released “Forrest Gump,” with a weekly box office of $9.8 million, expected to continue screening for a long time to come.
In other words, there was inevitably some competition among the three films.
Fortunately, it was already the end of the summer blockbuster season, with many films set to be taken off screens. The entire autumn season wouldn’t see any major commercial releases, so there would be an increasing number of screens available at theaters, without the need for deliberate competition.
However, what puzzled some media outlets was that the production company behind “Saw” was just a small studio, seemingly with some connection to the famous director Coppola.
Soon, some media outlets dug up some inside information: the lead actor in the film was Coppola’s nephew, and the executive producer and assistant director were his daughter.
The only thing that still puzzled the media greatly was likely the multifaceted Ryan Gosling, what was his background exactly?
There were quite a few commercial blockbusters released in North America in 1994. By the end of the summer blockbuster season, several films with box office earnings exceeding $100 million had already appeared.
Based on the current data for “Saw,” it would be difficult to even break into the top ten in North America, let alone the top twenty.
But don’t forget, “Saw” was just a low-budget horror film, directed by a relatively unknown newcomer, yet it had made a decent start that couldn’t go unnoticed by the media.
This was just the box office for the weekend. Next, whether it was Fox Searchlight Pictures or 20th Century Fox, they would increase their promotional efforts to secure more screen time.
However, compared to Ryan’s previous film, “The Blair Witch Project,” “Saw” was somewhat lacking. According to the projections of Fox Searchlight Pictures and 20th Century Fox, “Saw” wouldn’t surpass “The Blair Witch Project” in terms of box office earnings.
“The Blair Witch Project” was expected to secure a spot in the top ten North American annual box office rankings without any surprises.
The reason for this situation was mainly due to the incredibly effective publicity campaign for “The Blair Witch Project.” In comparison, there wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary about the promotion of “Saw.”
Late at night, the offices of Fox Searchlight Pictures were still brightly lit. Nancy Etterly looked at the audience questionnaire in her hand with a hint of excitement.
A total of 1,000 audience questionnaires were distributed, and the final evaluation was a B+, indicating very positive audience feedback.
“Less than forty percent of the audience are loyal horror movie fans; the rest are mostly young people seeking excitement and thrills.”
“So, the next promotional direction should lean towards this demographic.”
“By next Thursday, I want to see at least 1,000 more screens.” Nancy Etterly’s eyes were sharp as she spoke.
The performance of “Saw” was something that some people couldn’t stop.
The upper echelons of 20th Century Fox were not entirely harmonious, as there were inevitably some internal competitions, especially with the establishment of Fox Searchlight Pictures, which would undoubtedly affect the interests of many.
At the same time, Ryan was not idle. He attended a small gathering with Helen and Sofia, smiling and greeting each unknown film critic who had never heard of them before.
Film critics!
A group that Ryan had never heard of in his previous life, but in 1994, before the rise of the Internet, film critics remained active in every corner of Hollywood.
Even though these vampires were about to become a thing of the past, they still had to be greeted with a smile.
He didn’t have the luxury of antagonizing film critics yet, and it wasn’t the right time now; “Saw” still needed these people to cheer it on.
Actually, these film critics were very aware that they were attending this gathering only to receive gifts from Fox Searchlight Pictures. As for the final reviews in the media, that would be another matter entirely.
They didn’t care about good or bad reviews; as long as there was enough money, film critics didn’t care about those things.
Just for tonight’s gathering, Fox Searchlight Pictures had already paid a budget of over $60,000.
Similarly, as long as film critics accepted the gifts, they generally wouldn’t speak out recklessly. Before publishing any extreme comments, they would even consult with Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Moreover, with Fox Searchlight Pictures backed by 20th Century Fox, a behemoth supported by the News Corporation, they could easily silence any film critic.
These were the unspoken rules between the film industry and the media, and no one would rashly break them. Film critics who didn’t follow the rules had already left Hollywood long ago, leaving behind only some smart ones.
Next, Ryan would have to deal with some media interviews, but most of the media outlets that came were under the News Corporation, and they didn’t ask overly tricky questions.
For a moment, Nicolas Cage, Monica Bellucci, Edward Norton, and the seemingly unproductive Sofia Coppola received a lot of questions from the media.
As for the upcoming publicity, Ryan didn’t participate. Firstly, in the Hollywood of the 1990s, unless they were some famous directors, it was difficult to attract the attention of the media and the public.
Secondly, he had always hoped that the upcoming publicity plan would focus on the main actors.
It should be noted that the heat from his previous film, “The Blair Witch Project,” had just subsided. If it were hyped by the media, it might cause some public backlash.
Approaching midnight, the crowd at the party began to disperse slowly, some even leaving with charming young ladies in their arms.
Most of these young ladies were invited by Fox Searchlight Pictures, with only a few actively seeking opportunities.
Finally, Ryan could have a moment of quiet. At this moment, Monica Bellucci, dressed in a very sexy and fashionable outfit, approached.
Facing Ryan, Monica Bellucci took a deep breath and sincerely said, “Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I might have left Hollywood by now.”
A weekend box office of $8.9 million was simply unbelievable for her.
“Monica, you don’t have to thank me so much.” Ryan replied with a smile. “Next, perhaps we’ll have more cooperation.”
Although the other party had never become a top Hollywood actress in his memory, her influence in Europe, especially in Italy, was not to be underestimated.
A female star who could still become famous after her thirties was not just an ordinary person.
Of course, it had to be admitted that she was attractive enough.
“More cooperation!”
“Is it the next ‘Saw’ movie?” Monica Bellucci’s heart trembled, unable to help but ask.
She had long been planning to participate in Ryan’s next film, but she hadn’t had the chance to say it.
“The next ‘Saw’ movie!”
“Mira Max Films can invest in your next film, including the next ‘Saw’ movie.”
Suddenly, a voice came from nearby. A fat man holding a glass of wine, his eyes wandering unscrupulously over Monica Bellucci, finally reluctantly landed on Ryan.
Seeing the sudden appearance of the person, Ryan’s heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, “Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Weinstein.”
“But, I currently don’t have plans to shoot my next film.”
The fat man in front of him, he had known for a long time, was Harvey Weinstein, the powerhouse of independent film circles, and the head of Mira Max Films under Disney.
Whether it was in his past life or now, Harvey Weinstein didn’t have a good reputation. Forcing female actors was just a very common small matter.
Harvey Weinstein frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. “Perhaps we can formulate a new plan together. Mira Max Films can handle all the investments.”
“Listen to me, as long as we cooperate, winning an Oscar will no longer be impossible.”
“Think about it, the youngest award-winning director in Oscar history. You will become the brightest star in Hollywood.”
Oscar!
Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Ryan showed a hint of surprise, as if he had suddenly thought of something, and said regretfully, “I’m sorry, Mr. Weinstein, I can’t give you any answer for the time being. I need some time to consider.”
The expression on Ryan’s face naturally fell into Harvey Weinstein’s eyes. He nodded satisfactorily and said, “Mira Max Films is your best choice.”
“Well, then I’ll take my leave now. I wish you all a pleasant evening.”
After speaking, Harvey Weinstein turned and left. In his eyes, Ryan was just a newcomer in Hollywood. As for the matter of competing for Oscars, he would definitely be enthusiastic sooner or later and would eventually throw himself into the arms of Mira Max Films.
As for Fox Searchlight Pictures, it couldn’t be compared to Mira Max Films now, even with the support of 20th Century Fox.