Chapter 353: An Excited Heart

Chapter 353: Chapter 353: An Excited Heart

Sherry then swept her gaze across the conference room, her tone growing more resolute. "Besides, by 2006, the series effect of Pirates of the Caribbean should have fully exploded. As a director, Irene’s popularity and appeal at that time will only be higher than they are now. Launching Transformers then will be the perfect opportunity to leverage her momentum and create a synergistic effect."

She paused and added, "There is one more point. As a major studio, Paramount possesses a complete vertical monopoly system of production, distribution, and exhibition. We can lock in core theater resources nationwide in advance to secure the best showtimes and screening halls for Transformers. With Irene’s directing talent combined with our channel advantages, the box office ceiling for this film is immeasurable."

The marketing director had a sudden realization. "You mean to leverage Irene’s IP appeal, while avoiding direct competition with the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean, and also utilize sufficient time to polish the work. Three birds with one stone?"

"That’s right." Sherry nodded, a confident smile appearing on her face. "Furthermore, giving Irene enough rest time is also to ensure she can commit to Transformers in the best possible state. She worked too hard during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean. I heard she only slept four hours a day for half a month straight. This kind of high-intensity work state can easily affect the quality of her creation. We need an energetic, inspired Irene, not a director worn down by fatigue."

She walked to the conference table and tapped her finger heavily on the report. "Additionally, keep a close eye on the developments of the Saw sequel. If Irene initiates the filming of a sequel, we can consider participating in the investment. After all, no one wants to miss out on such a low-cost, high-return project."

Just then, Sherry’s personal assistant pushed the door open and handed over a latest industry brief. "Ms. Sherry, this is news that just came in. The global distribution rights for Saw have already sparked a scramble among several overseas studios. Theater chains in the UK, Japan, and Australia are all proactively contacting Irene’s team, wanting to import this film. Also, the discussion volume for related topics on Facebook has exceeded 1 million, and the image of Jigsaw has become a new horror icon."

Sherry took the brief and browsed it quickly, the smile at the corners of her mouth growing more apparent. "It seems that Irene Coppola’s film and television empire has already begun to take shape."

She looked up at everyone, her tone serious. "Notify the legal department to finalize the details of the director’s contract for Transformers as soon as possible, and join the scramble for the overseas distribution of Saw to let Irene see our sincerity."

The executives in the conference room nodded one after another and began to get busy.

On the other side, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Future World Pictures headquarters, where James Wan and Leigh Whannell were waiting excitedly for the arrival of Robert Smith.

James Wan was wearing a simple black hoodie. His usually calm eyes were astonishingly bright at this moment, and even the bloodshot eyes revealed his excitement. To wait for the opening weekend box office figures, he had hardly slept all night.

Leigh Whannell kept rubbing the legs of his jeans, his fingertips slightly red from the pressure. He looked at the conference room door from time to time, then turned to exchange an incredulous look with James Wan, as if he were still doubting whether everything before him was a dream.

"42.06 million," Leigh repeated the number in a low voice, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling. "A year ago, we took the script for Saw and ran to over twenty studios in Hollywood, but no one was willing to believe in us. They said the subject matter was too dark, the scenes too monotonous, and without stars to carry the film, it was impossible to make money. But now the opening weekend box office has broken 40 million?"

James Wan nodded heavily, his throat feeling tight. "I still remember that at the time, we invested all our savings into script polishing and sample filming, and we could barely pay the rent. If Ms. Coppola hadn’t been willing to believe in us, willing to provide the funds, and come up with the promotional method of using a Facebook game to warm up, this movie might have stayed on our hard drive forever." His tone was full of gratitude. "That game is so magical. I heard there are now dedicated puzzle-solving communities on Facebook where players analyze the easter eggs in the game frame by frame, and some people even got premiere tickets because they cleared the game."

Leigh immediately chimed in, his eyes shining with excitement. "Speaking of that game, I have plenty to say! To experience the most authentic feeling, I specifically registered a new Facebook account, teamed up with players to solve puzzles, and it took me three full nights to clear it!"

He spoke with great animation. "The escape room designs in the game echo the movie scenes perfectly. The process of cracking the blood-letter password and the whispering easter eggs in the ventilation ducts are exactly the same as our original script ideas, and some details are even more ingenious than we imagined. Ms. Coppola not only understands film but also understands player psychology so well. She is amazing!"

Just as the two were expressing their sentiments, one word after another, the conference room door was pushed open.

Robert Smith was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit and carrying a black briefcase, walking in steadily. He had a gentle smile on his face, swept his gaze over the two excited men, and raised his hand slightly to signal, "Sit, sit, no need to be so reserved."

James Wan and Leigh hurriedly stood up and subconsciously tidied their clothes. It wasn’t until Robert sat down at the head of the long table that the two carefully took their seats.

"First of all, congratulations to you both, James, Leigh." Robert spoke first, his tone full of praise. "The opening weekend box office for Saw is 42.06 million US dollars. This achievement has not only shocked Hollywood but also created a box office miracle for low-budget films. Now the entire industry is discussing this movie, and you have become the benchmark for a new generation of directors."

James Wan waved his hands hurriedly, a humble smile appearing on his face. "This is all the credit of Future World Pictures, and even more so, the credit of Ms. Irene. If it weren’t for your strong support, we would never have had the chance to bring this movie to the screen. Especially that Facebook game warm-up method, it was so innovative and many times more effective than traditional trailer and poster promotion."

He paused and added, "We have received a lot of feedback from the audience. They said that it was precisely because they played the game that they developed a strong interest in the movie. Some viewers even expressed that the foreshadowing in the game made them feel more immersed while watching the film."

Leigh also nodded, his tone sincere. "That’s right, Mr. Robert. We are truly very grateful for your investment in this film, not just the financial support, but also the full cooperation in every aspect like promotion and distribution. Now that the film has achieved both critical and commercial success, we feel both excited and grateful."

Robert smiled and raised his hand, interrupting their thanks. "You don’t need to be so polite. The success of the film lies primarily in your excellent script and directing talent. We just did what we were supposed to do, providing a platform for more people to see this outstanding work."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious. "Now that the film’s popularity is at its peak and audience expectations are getting higher and higher, we hope to strike while the iron is hot and start the preparations for Saw 2 as soon as possible. Irene specifically instructed me to communicate with you about the sequel script."