Chapter 24 For publicity?
With the sudden news of a bet dispute between Warren Beatty and a young CAA agent in newspapers and magazines such as The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Premiere, and Variety, Disney's two films, Pretty Woman and Dick Tracy, have indeed attracted a lot of attention.
Disney
In Jeffrey Katzenberg's office.
"You are so brave, you dare to embarrass the veteran movie star like this?"
Jeffrey Katzenberg was of course happy, after all, in this way, Pretty Woman completely took advantage of the popularity of Dick Tracy;
Dick Tracy, adapted from a popular comic, with an Oscar-winning director and an Oscar-winning actor and a world pop queen, is not something a low-cost romantic comedy can compare to.
Aaron also saw the newspaper, but his name was not mentioned much, and it was mainly about Warren Beatty, but the news about Al Pacino in Pretty Woman was also a news point.
A small figure like me doesn't even have many opportunities to show my face, right?
"However, your promotional method is still quite effective!"
Jeffrey Katzenberg also saw the interests of Disney. As for what the final result would be for the young people in front of him, he didn't care much.
Aaron smiled, "Mr. Katzenberg, do you think I'm promoting the movie?"
"Oh, isn't it?"
Jeffrey Katzenberg looked at Aaron Anderson with a puzzled look. Could it be that the box office of "Pretty Woman" would be more than that of "Dick Tracy"?
"How can a mediocre script like Dick Tracy compare to the script I like?"
"How can Warren Beatty, a loser who only knows how to play with women, make a good movie? Have you forgotten what happened to Flew Over the Maze two years ago?"
Aaron shook his head. "There is no place for them in the New Hollywood any longer;"
"The audience watches their movies just for the sentiments of the elderly. Who among the young people nowadays wants to watch a group of old guys talking about old-fashioned love?"
"Young people like to watch the fist-to-fist fights between Schwarzenegger and Stallone, the bravery of Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson, and the handsomeness of Tom Cruise. No one is interested in these old Hollywood studs..."
The new generation of Americans now pursues individual freedom, rebellious personality, and new ideas and new trends.
"As long as you have confidence," Jeffrey Katzenberg didn't care about anything else. Anyway, both movies were Disney works, and it was enough to have news points.
Aaron didn't have to worry about Warren Beatty daring to play any tricks on Disney's projects. A listed group with a value of tens of billions of dollars is an absolute giant.
---
June 23, 1989 — Early Morning, Hollywood
The day had arrived. The anticipation for Batman with the budget of more than $35 million —Tim Burton's take on Gotham's Dark Knight—was at an all-time high. Billboards, advertisements, and radio spots had filled the airwaves for months. The world was ready. The stage was set.
Aaron Anderson was seated in his apartment, a clear view of the bustling city in front of him. The kind of city that was about to fall under his control once again. His fingers hovered over the system interface as he prepared to activate the Box Office Swallowing Power.
Aaron was no stranger to manipulating Hollywood's machine, but today, he had a special plan. Batman was expected to break records, make history. But Aaron wasn't simply content to let it succeed. No, he would alter the flow of things. He would shift the course of destiny, just slightly—enough to claim the box office as his own.
With a slight grin, he activated the function. His power kicked into gear, and the world would soon feel its effects.
---
Early Morning: 23rd June 1989 – The Swallowing Effect Begins
As the sun rose and the first theaters began to open, Aaron's influence began to take hold. It was subtle at first. An odd occurrence here, a strange set of circumstances there.
A group of moviegoers who had planned to catch the midnight showing suddenly called in sick—fever, fatigue. A wave of disinterest seemed to spread. Some friends who had been planning a movie night decided at the last minute to change their plans, or simply didn't feel like going. Word of mouth about the movie took an unexpected turn, too—rumors began to spread about technical issues with the film's prints, or a few unflattering critiques of the movie's pacing, causing some early viewers to think twice.
But the effects didn't stop there. As the morning hours ticked by, Aaron's power spread, undetected. By the time the first matinee showings of Batman began, about 50% of the expected audience for the day had quietly dropped off. The seats remained empty.
Families stayed home. College students got distracted by new plans. A sudden "mysterious illness" began to sweep through various theaters, sending large groups of eager viewers back to their homes. In some locations, word spread that the movie was not as great as expected, causing a ripple effect of negative reviews and shifting interest.
Aaron sat back in his chair, watching the real-time reports. The numbers weren't what anyone had predicted. The box office of Batman still saw a strong opening, but only half of what it could have been—thanks to the subtle, undetectable shift that Aaron's power had caused. Batman's opening weekend which should be around $40 million, but now, it only crossed $20 million on the box office.
He felt a rush. The power had worked. The movie still released, still succeeded—but it wasn't the record-breaking phenomenon it was meant to be. It wasn't quite the smash hit it could've been. The buzz surrounding Batman was half-hearted at best, and the audience numbers were down, leaving Hollywood scratching its head.
---
Later That Evening – Hollywood Bar
Aaron stood with Nicole Kidman in a sleek Hollywood bar, surrounded by the glitz of the entertainment world. The atmosphere was buzzing, but Aaron's mind was still focused on his recent success. He had been positioning himself for years, and this was just the beginning.
"Warren Beatty also said in an interview that you are just doing it for news points," Nicole Kidman, who was seated in Aaron's arms, reminded him with a soft smile.
Aaron couldn't help but chuckle. "Do they really think it's all for the spotlight?" he replied, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "I'm just ahead of the game. Always."
Nicole nodded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You're sure this movie will work?"
Aaron grinned. "Absolutely. Sex, Lies, and Videotape is coming out this August. It'll make waves. People are underestimating the impact of low-cost films with great stories. By then, everyone will know exactly how accurate my vision really is."
---
In the evening, Aaron took Nicole Kidman to meet producer Steven Reuther in a bar in Hollywood.
"Aaron, you're going a bit big this time?"
After all, as the producer of "Pretty Woman", Steven Reuther is very happy that the popularity of the movie has suddenly increased.
Aaron Anderson really made a great effort to promote it this time!
Aaron was speechless. Do you think I'm just trying to attract attention? I'm telling the truth, the truth.
Aaron blinked, "Now, no one believes the truth?"
"Who wants to see an old guy in his fifties with wrinkles like a Shar Pei trying to look cool?"
"Warren Beatty is no longer the same as he was when he was young. His face has become a replica of Richard Nixon!"
His acting is good and he can do plot scenes. Even if Dick Tracy is successful, it can never be compared with Pretty Woman!
Steven Reuther smiled and said, "Okay, we'll know the result when the movie is released next year."
After Steven Reuther left, Nicole Kidman said worriedly, "Aaron, are you a little impulsive this time?"
Aaron smiled and said, "It's okay. Sex, Lies and Videotape will be released in August. By then, the box office of this low-cost movie will surprise people;"
"Then you'll know how accurate my vision is!"
"Well, there is a producer in Australia who I have worked with before. He wants me to star in a youth romance film, but not as the protagonist. Should I go?"
Nicole Kidman asked.
Aaron shook his head, "Aren't Australian movies just a waste of time?"
"Next, we'll go directly to New York and get the heroine for "Wild at Heart" first, and then you just need to prepare well;"
"This art film has great potential to win awards!"
On the other side, in Warren Beatty's villa in Beverly Hills, the newly crowned Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman was coming out of the room in a disheveled manner, hugging a young model.
Warren Beatty was lying on the sofa, smoking a cigar. He looked up and saw Dustin Hoffman's expression, and smiled, "Are you satisfied?"
Dustin Hoffman nodded, "It's just that I'm a little overwhelmed. I don't know what's wrong!"
Warren Beatty smiled, "What's the matter, our old friend Playboy is looking for things to liven up the party, and he always needs them."
"How about it, are you still angry about that CAA kid?"
Dustin Hoffman poured himself a glass of whiskey, "Young man, you don't know how high the sky is after you've made a little achievement. Is Ovitz going to make us unhappy because of him?"
Of course Warren Beatty was angry. After all, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor and won an Oscar for Best Director. How could he be challenged by a new Hollywood agent in front of him?
"Hmph, it's just a show of grandstanding. However, Pretty Woman is a project favored by Jeffrey Katzenberg of Disney, so there's nothing we can do."
Dustin Hoffman smiled, "Don't worry, can a low-cost romantic comedy be compared to a gangster movie like ours?"
However, Warren Beatty really needs a successful movie now, or there will almost be no place for him in Hollywood , he hasn't produced any works for so many years, and he made a comeback two years ago and directed and starred in a movie called "Ishtar" which had a budget of $55 million, suffered a double failure in word of mouth and box office and only collected $14 million worldwide!
It's no wonder that young people in Hollywood don't pay much attention to Warren Beatty now. After all, Hollywood respects results.
Hearing Dustin Hoffman's words, Warren Beatty also nodded. If Dustin Hoffman hadn't joined "Dick Tracy", Disney would not have given him a budget of 47 million US dollars?
"What a pity, I originally thought that Al and you would play the funny gangster boss in the play, which would also attract most of the attention!"
Now, we can only find another one
END OF THE CHAPTER....
[ Box Office Energy Absorbed: $355.1 million+ $ 205.5 million= $560.6 million.]