Chapter 521: Bringing Murphy Back

On Monday morning, as Bruce Rosenblum, the CEO of Warner Bros., started his day, a variety of reports and data about "Batman v Superman" were laid out on his desk. After briefly glancing at the North American and global opening weekend box office statistics, his focus quickly shifted to the market reactions and projections.

"'Batman v Superman' received a CinemaScore of 'B-', significantly lower than the 'A+' earned by 'Man of Steel.' The film has a 63% Popcorn Score, indicating mediocre audience feedback. Additionally, it has been heavily criticized by the majority of media outlets and critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 24% of 263 media reviews were positive, resulting in a freshness rating of 24% and an average score of 4.3. Metacritic recorded an average score of 41 from 50 media reviews, considerably lower than 'Man of Steel's' 85."

Seeing this, Bruce Rosenblum ran his hand through his hair, his initial good mood from the decent box office numbers vanishing without a trace.

He then looked at CinemaScore's box office predictions for "Batman v Superman."

"This film has received mixed audience feedback, showing a clear trend of a strong opening followed by a steep drop. The projected North American box office gross is estimated to fall between $300 million and $310 million, and surpassing $800 million globally will be challenging."

Bruce Rosenblum's face turned grim. Warner Bros. and DC Comics had expected "Batman v Superman" to exceed the highly acclaimed "Man of Steel" in box office earnings. With the combined draw of Batman and Superman, and building on the foundation laid by "Man of Steel," their expectations were not unreasonable. A North American gross of over $400 million and a global gross of over $1 billion seemed feasible.

However, CinemaScore's projections were significantly lower.

Bruce Rosenblum felt his heartbeat quicken and his chest tighten. He quickly adjusted his breathing and tried to reassure himself that CinemaScore's predictions might not be accurate.

But this reassurance was swiftly dismissed. CinemaScore had rarely been off by more than $10 million in their predictions for major blockbusters.

Once his breathing was steady, Bruce Rosenblum glanced at the negative feedback summary.

"Due to Warner Bros. terminating their collaboration with Murphy Stanton, DC had no choice but to squeeze both Superman and Batman into 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,' while also introducing Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg. Introducing so many characters in the second film of the universe was a risky move, a necessity forced by the loss of Murphy Stanton."

"It's evident that Warner Bros. and DC Comics wanted to break free from Murphy Stanton's influence, so 'Batman v Superman' did not delve deeply into social and political issues, focusing instead on establishing the broader universe. However, the profound impact left by Murphy Stanton's 'Man of Steel' has set certain expectations among fans for depth, while general audiences might compare it to the entertaining nature of Marvel's 'Iron Man.' The film ultimately lacks both depth and entertainment value."

"For the future, Warner Bros. and DC Comics should consider bringing Murphy Stanton back to continue the original plan."

Bring Murphy Stanton back? Bruce Rosenblum's carefully controlled breathing faltered. He had been the one to end their collaboration over the issue of Stanton's high pay demands. Asking him to return would be a blow to his pride.

The poor reviews and underwhelming box office projections were already embarrassing enough. Did he need to add to that humiliation?

From a personal standpoint, Bruce Rosenblum was unwilling to rehire Murphy Stanton. After all, the DC superhero series could potentially succeed without him.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. After inviting the visitor in, DC Comics' CEO Diego Harris entered the office.

"Please, sit down."

Bruce Rosenblum gestured to the chair opposite his desk. Diego Harris sat down and got straight to the point. "The situation with 'Batman v Superman' isn't looking good."

"Hmm." Bruce Rosenblum nodded.

While the film's opening weekend box office numbers were decent, anyone familiar with the industry could see that it was facing a sharp decline in momentum, with the second weekend likely to see a significant drop in ticket sales.

"The marketing department has just made a prediction," Diego Harris continued with a serious expression. "They anticipate a drop of over 70% in the second weekend's box office."

"What?" Bruce Rosenblum stood up abruptly, disbelief written on his face. "Over 70%?"

"Yes, over 70%," Diego Harris confirmed.

Bruce Rosenblum sat back down slowly, at a loss for words.

"This film's box office success is built on the brand equity established by 'Man of Steel' and the combined appeal of Superman and Batman," Diego Harris explained earnestly. "If 'Batman v Superman' fails, it will damage the entire series' brand. If this continues..."

He shook his head firmly. "The consequences would be disastrous."

Bruce Rosenblum understood the implications. He thought for a moment before asking, "Diego, do you have any suggestions?"

"Indeed, I do." Diego Harris spoke directly. "I believe we should bring Murphy Stanton back."

Bruce Rosenblum remained silent, his expression souring.

Diego Harris pressed on, "Zack Snyder cannot replace Murphy Stanton. His dark style is only skin-deep compared to Stanton's."

Bruce Rosenblum nodded slightly. This was evident from "Batman v Superman." But he was reluctant to bring back Murphy Stanton, so he countered, "Zack did well too. The comic fans loved his work."

"But, Bruce, have you considered this?" Diego Harris could guess Bruce Rosenblum's reluctance. "How many comic fans are there? Are we making these DC superhero movies just for the comic fans? If the films can't attract general audiences, how will we recoup such massive investments? We're making these movies to expand our fan base, not to isolate comic fans from the general public!"

Bruce Rosenblum fell silent again. He understood the logic perfectly.

"Zack Snyder is a true DC comic fan, and that's great!" Diego Harris continued. "He bases his films heavily on the comics, unlike Murphy Stanton, who diverged from the source material. But Stanton's films had a universal appeal that Snyder's lacks."

Hearing this, Bruce Rosenblum remained silent.

Diego Harris couldn't hold back any longer. He stood, leaning on the desk, and lowered his voice. "Bruce, what's more important—your pride or your current position?"

Bruce Rosenblum was startled, as if awakened from a trance. Of course, if the DC superhero series failed, he would be out of a job. This was Warner Bros., not his family business.

However, swallowing his pride and reaching out to Murphy Stanton was a tough pill to swallow.

"Bruce, what are you thinking?" Diego Harris's voice carried a hint of urgency. "Are we going to wait until the DC superhero series completely exhausts its credibility? What good will that do us? We'll just be ousted from our positions by Warner Bros."

Bruce Rosenblum stood up and paced behind his desk, weighing the pros and cons. Ultimately, he realized that maintaining his position was more important than his pride.

He returned to his chair and looked at Diego Harris. "You represent me and Warner Bros. in approaching Murphy Stanton and his agent Bill Rossis. If he's willing to negotiate on his pay, we can work with him again."

"Bruce!" Diego Harris warned. "If that's the case, we might as well not work with Stanton at all."

"Fine!" Bruce Rosenblum gritted his teeth. "The terms Stanton previously asked for are our bottom line."

Diego Harris nodded. "Understood. I'll handle it."

Bruce Rosenblum waved his hand. "This task is yours. If you can secure a deal with Stanton, I'll push for our renewed cooperation in the company board meeting."

Diego Harris stood up. "I'll contact CAA and Bill Rossis right away. Given our extensive collaboration with CAA, I'm sure they'd welcome our continued partnership with Stanton."

Bruce Rosenblum waved again, and Diego Harris left the office. He didn't head to DC Comics but instead drove to Century City. On the way, he called Bill Rossis to arrange a meeting, heading directly to the agreed location.

Diego Harris knew convincing Murphy Stanton wouldn't be easy. It would require substantial financial incentives.

Having accepted Warner Bros.' invitation, Murphy certainly wouldn't miss the North American premiere of "Batman v Superman," held in New York. Since the disagreement with Warner Bros. over remuneration, Murphy knew Zack Snyder was chosen to helm the DC series but hadn't followed up much. Hearing Warner Bros. chose "Batman v Superman," he sighed inwardly, recognizing they stubbornly returned to their old ways.

Murphy couldn't understand why DC, starting almost simultaneously with Marvel, felt the need to rush. Perhaps Warner Bros. and DC Comics wanted to prove they could achieve unparalleled success without Murphy Stanton.

This was mere speculation on Murphy's part and not definitive, but Warner Bros. and DC Comics abandoning his step-by-step plan was a fact.

Busy with the Oscars and then preparing a new project, Murphy didn't attend the "Batman v Superman" screening. However, initial reports suggested the screening had received positive feedback. Rotten Tomatoes had a 100% fresh rating, all seven participating media outlets gave positive reviews, and IMDb had a temporary score of 9.4.

Warner Bros. even touted the film as having zero negative reviews.

All this was eerily reminiscent of the situation before the release of the previous "Batman v Superman" film Murphy remembered. The pre-release hype was phenomenal, with fans giving zero negative reviews during screenings. But the outcome?

Before heading to the Lincoln Center, Murphy watched the trailer for "Batman v Superman." Influenced by his involvement, the film bore Zack Snyder's typical style. Despite lacking Wonder Woman, resulting in many changes, Snyder's deep-rooted personal style was unmistakable.

For hardcore comic fans, Snyder was always the best adaptation director, but for casual viewers, his adaptations were less friendly.

Upon arriving at the Lincoln Center, Murphy walked the red carpet. The premiere was grand, with an electric atmosphere. After all, it was a movie featuring Superman and Batman, naturally drawing attention.

Knowing he wasn't the main attraction tonight, Murphy quickly walked the carpet and saw Chris Evans and Ben Affleck, reprising their roles as Superman and Batman.

Before entering the theater, Murphy had to pass through the media zone set up in front, where reporters wouldn't miss a chance to question him.

A reporter shouted, "Director Stanton, why did you leave the DC superhero series?"

Murphy shrugged slightly, "I had other films to make."

Another reporter asked, "What do you think about Zack Snyder taking over the series?"

"Zack Snyder is a great director," Murphy replied diplomatically. "I'm sure he'll deliver an exciting superhero film."

Ignoring further questions, he headed toward the theater. Just before reaching the entrance, he heard the clicking of high heels behind him, someone seemingly hurrying to catch up.

"Hey, Murphy."

Recognizing the familiar voice, Murphy turned to see Margot Robbie in a yellow evening dress approaching.

As a friend and close confidante of Gal Gadot, Murphy nodded and smiled, "Didn't expect to see you here, Margot."

Linking her arm with Murphy's, Margot Robbie explained, "Didn't you hear? Warner Bros. and DC are planning to greenlight 'Suicide Squad.'"

"Interested in the project?" Murphy immediately understood her implication.

"Yes," Margot Robbie nodded. "My agent suggested I go for the role of Harley Quinn."

Murphy glanced at her, "You'd be perfect for it."

Entering the theater foyer, Margot Robbie suddenly remembered to ask, "Is Gal back yet?"

"She came back briefly in February but returned," Murphy said briefly. "She has family matters to deal with and will be in Israel for a while."

Margot Robbie, aware of Gal Gadot's situation, asked, "Not her parents trying to keep her in Tel Aviv?"

"No," Murphy shook his head, "Business matters."

As they conversed, Bruce Rosenblum, Warner Bros.' CEO, approached and greeted Murphy, "Hello, Murphy. Long time no see."

"Hello, Bruce," Murphy shook his hand. "Indeed, it's been a while."

Thinking of Margot Robbie's ambition to play Harley Quinn, Murphy introduced her, "This is my friend, Margot Robbie."

"Hello, Miss Robbie," Bruce Rosenblum shook her hand lightly. "Your performance as Sansa Stark was impressive."

Margot Robbie feigned surprise, "Thank you. It's an honor that you watched the show."

Rosenblum, courteous due to Murphy, turned back to him, "Your 'Man of Steel' set a great precedent for us. Zack Snyder's film nearly seamlessly follows it."

"Really?" Murphy replied nonchalantly. "I'll be sure to watch it closely."

"Feel free to watch it as many times as you like," Rosenblum said proudly. "Warner Bros. can give you free tickets."

Murphy shook his head, "That won't be necessary."

Rosenblum pointed to the theater entrance, "I have others to greet. Enjoy."

Seeing Murphy nod, he turned to leave, glancing back to see Murphy chatting with Margot Robbie, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Warner Bros. initially wanted Murphy Stanton as their partner, but his asking price was too high—25% of total film revenue. That was exorbitant, nearly half the profits. No one in Hollywood would pay such a high price for a director. So, they opted for a cheaper alternative, Zack Snyder, whose style closely resembled Murphy's.

So far, Snyder had done well. Warner Bros. had a test screening with nearly a thousand die-hard DC fans, receiving no negative feedback, raising high expectations for "Batman v Superman."

If successful, the film could pull the entire DC superhero series out of Murphy Stanton and "Man of Steel"'s shadow, proving their choice right.

As long as the film exploded at the box office and received praise, it wouldn't be an issue.

After greeting familiar faces, Murphy entered the theater, with Margot Robbie following. She even swapped seats to sit next to him.

"Murphy."

Before the film started, Margot Robbie asked, "What do you think of the film?"

"How would I know?" Murphy spread his hands. "I didn't attend Warner Bros.' screening. How could I know if it's good or bad without watching?"

Margot Robbie shrugged, "I thought you had seen it."

Soon, the movie began. Like in his memory, it opened from Batman's perspective, relegating Superman to a supporting role. This wasn't inherently a problem, but after watching for a while, Murphy could only shake his head.

"Batman v Superman" wasn't a bad film, far from a Hollywood disaster. However, like its predecessor, Snyder's version was a film for DC comic fans.

It wasn't a mainstream, diverse commercial film, nor an accessible one. Despite cuts, it was still overloaded with information. Even Murphy, somewhat familiar with the comics, found himself confused at times.

Films are inherently subjective. Snyder always had his distinct style, which die-hard fans might find perfect, capturing the dark tones just right.

But as an early installment laying the foundation for a series, shouldn't it aim to attract new fans rather than only please existing ones?

Moreover, the film's pace was too slow and its plot too lengthy. In today's fast-paced world, this nearly guarantees many viewers will find it hard to accept.

"Pff..."

As the final battle between Batman and Superman unfolded, Margot Robbie couldn't hold back her laughter. Soon, exaggerated laughter echoed throughout the theater.

In such a dark, serious film with no comedic elements, causing laughter meant something was seriously wrong.

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