Chapter 81: It Turned Out to Be a Publicity Stunt

[Chapter 81: It Turned Out to Be a Publicity Stunt]

During the trial, new evidence came to light, prompting the court to announce a postponement.

After the second round of hearings concluded, defense attorney and involved party Tina Worthington stood before dozens of reporters, asserting that much of the content in Paranormal Activity had drawn heavily from her life story. She claimed that numerous plot points closely mirrored her own videotapes.

She had valid reasons to suspect that Link had viewed her footage prior to filming Paranormal Activity and had borrowed her cinematic style, which she deemed a form of theft. Thus, she felt justified in demanding $100 million in damages from Guess Pictures.

This news broke yesterday and made headlines in numerous newspapers today, with ABC, CBS, CNN, and other news channels reporting it continuously.

...

"Haha! So Paranormal Activity is ripping off someone else's story. I was wondering how Link, a guy from the slums, could have come up with such a compelling narrative. Turns out he was just copying someone else's work. Now, let's see how he handles this," laughed Robert Downey Jr. after catching up on the news.

"This is great news! After the huge success of Paranormal Activity, our film Hero also felt a significant impact. With this news coming out, Paranormal Activity's box office will surely take a hit or even face an early end in theaters. At least it will stop at $150 million. This is incredible!" Kiefer Sutherland clapped his hands in excitement.

"Haha, and let's not forget the woman is asking Link for $100 million in damages. If the claims hold true, Link is likely facing bankruptcy," chimed Robert Downey Jr. as he raised his glass in a toast with Kiefer Sutherland.

Kiefer took a sip, noticing that Jimmy Rich still wore a frown.

"Jimmy, what's bothering you?"

"This issue isn't that straightforward. Tina Worthington's accusations are riddled with holes," Jimmy replied as he gazed at the newspaper.

"Holes?"

"Definitely. For instance, Paranormal Activity began filming at the end of April, and this case arose in mid-May; the homicide occurred more than two weeks after filming started. Furthermore, Tina only filed the complaint five weeks after Paranormal Activity's release. It seems more like an attempt to avoid legal consequences.

From the legal standpoint, the court cannot acknowledge claims of 'sleepwalking murder' or being 'possessed by evil spirits.' If they did, numerous previous cases could be overturned, leading to chaos in the American justice system. Hence, despite many media outlets questioning whether Paranormal Activity infringes on copyrights, the situation won't hurt the film's box office, nor will it cost Link any money."

"So, what you're saying is that this case won't really affect the box office for Paranormal Activity or cause Link any trouble?" Robert Downey Jr. said, his expression darkening as he gripped his glass.

Jimmy frowned as he reviewed the news again.

"As things stand, this case may not only avoid impacting Paranormal Activity's box office, it might even boost it, allowing Link to rake in even more cash."

"What do you mean?" Robert and Kiefer gazed at him, puzzled.

They had hoped to witness Link's downfall, and their disappointment was palpable. But now Jimmy was suggesting that the case could potentially benefit Link.

"This seems like a deliberate publicity stunt, trying to link Paranormal Activity with the murder case to enhance its notoriety and make the plot feel more authentic and thrilling, thereby attracting more audiences to theaters," Jimmy elaborated.

"A publicity stunt?" Robert Downey Jr. blinked, his eyes widening. "Are you suggesting Guess Pictures is using this angle to boost Paranormal Activity's visibility?"

Jimmy nodded. "After hearing about this case, those who watched Paranormal Activity would start questioning its connection to the murder. Meanwhile, those who haven't seen the film would be even more curious and would rush to theaters to see what the film has in common with the murder case. They'd want to find out if it really is a copycat story. If that happens, we could foresee even better box office results for Paranormal Activity this week."

Jimmy privately admired Guess Pictures' marketing strategy; they knew how to drive regular people's curiosity to the theaters, which would likely send the film's earnings soaring. He suddenly felt a new respect for Link as a competitor. The guy was far shrewder than Robert Downey Jr. and Kiefer Sutherland.

"So you're saying this explosive news is Link's doing, that he wants to use it as bait to draw audiences to see Paranormal Activity?" Robert asked incredulously.

"Possible," replied Jimmy.

"Damn it! The North American box office has almost surpassed $150 million, ranking in the year's top ten. Is he not satisfied yet? Does he want even more?" Robert shouted in fury.

"Unfortunately, it seems so."

"Damn! This is fraudulent advertising and malicious marketing. I need to expose him to prevent people from falling for it!" Robert slammed the table, standing up.

"That's pointless. On one hand, the news holds immense reporting value, and the media will ramp up coverage, making it a social hotspot. Even if we raise our voices, it won't garner much attention; if anything, it would just serve to promote Paranormal Activity further.

On the other hand, after everyone sees the news, it's not just us who recognize Guess Pictures' promotional tactics; many ordinary people will see it too. But what does that matter? The public's curiosity has already been piqued, flaring like a raging fire. If we try to expose or oppose it, we might only increase the film's exposure. Those who are now intrigued will still buy tickets to see Paranormal Activity to satisfy that curiosity," Jimmy explained slowly.

"So, according to you, Paranormal Activity will likely do big numbers at the box office this week?"

"Very likely!"

"Damn! Just damn! This awful movie has already made over $100 million at the box office. Isn't he satisfied? Does he really want to hit $200 million or $300 million? That bastard Link is insatiable!" Robert slammed his fist on the table in anger.

Kiefer Sutherland clenched his teeth tightly.

According to the Business Daily, if this film's box office in North America exceeded $200 million, Link could potentially net over $100 million from its revenue-sharing arrangement.

A $20,000 investment turning into $100 million, and becoming a multi-millionaire at just 20 years old -- all while being handsome and talented. It was beyond infuriating. Kiefer glanced at Link's photo in the newspaper, jealousy boiling within him.

*****

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