Chapter 153: The Buzz

[Chapter 153: The Buzz]

In the seventh week since the release of The Blair Witch Project, the film grossed $6.69 million, bringing its North American total to $151 million and its global earnings to $259 million.

Link and Guess Pictures managed to rake in $166 million from the film, and after deducting the production cost of $120,000 and marketing expenses of $10 million, netting over $150 million. After the money rolled in, he transferred his share of the profits to Glimmer Capital, continuing to buy Microsoft stock in the stock market. Currently, Glimmer Capital owned 2.87% of Microsoft shares, along with 0.85% of the voting rights.

This growth was fueled by President Clinton, who took office last year and proposed the information superhighway, leading to a boom in the internet sector and a corresponding rise in Microsoft shares. In April of last year, Microsoft's market value stood at $13.7 billion; by April of this year, it soared to $24.3 billion, marking its debut in the top fifty largest companies in the U.S. and continuing to grow.

To acquire more Microsoft shares, Glimmer Capital would need to invest even more funds. However, the increase in Microsoft's value had already pushed Glimmer Capital's worth past $600 million. With the value from Guess Pictures, UTA shares, and other assets factored in, Link's net worth reached $700 million.

...

After the box office results for The Blair Witch Project's seventh week were announced, media coverage of the film's earnings dwindled to just a few reports. This decline was primarily because the film's previous weeks had been tremendously successful, leaving media and public enthusiasm exhausted; now, a few million each week barely registered as news.

Currently, the media buzz surrounding Link mostly concerned the preparations for his upcoming film. Final Destination was set to start filming, many outlets reported on it. Rumors swirled about the film's production budget, which was said to exceed $12 million. This was hundreds of times the cost of his earlier projects.

An increased budget meant a larger crew and a work volume that soared exponentially, complicating the shooting process. Many were skeptical of Link's ability to manage such a large-scale project since he had no prior experience working with big crews or major productions. The anticipation was tinged with a sense of schadenfreude; they watched closely to see if his film would succeed and if the box office would remain strong.

...

"Hey, did you hear Link's starting his new movie?" Richard Gere commented while sipping a drink with Dustin Hoffman and Robert Downey Jr. at a bar.

"Yeah, just a couple of days ago, he brought his crew to New York for prep. Said it's a campus thriller," Dustin chimed in.

"That guy only knows how to make horror films, and after three hits, he still wants to stick with it. Let's see what he comes up with this time," Robert added with a chuckle.

"He loves casting fresh talent, but for a project over ten million dollars, sticking with newcomers is just foolish," Richard replied.

"Definitely. A high-budget film needs at least one seasoned actor or star in the lead roles. His cast of all newcomers is way too risky," Dustin agreed.

"Ha! That guy's used newcomers all along, and all three films were mega hits. He's grown too cocky, claiming he finally figured out how to make movies and what audiences want. He thinks he can succeed no matter what, so he doesn't care about using experienced actors," Richard laughed.

"Pfft, he's boasting. If he had really figured out the market, how come The Blair Witch Project's box office barely crossed $300 million? It wasn't even half of Paranormal Activity's total. That clearly shows Link's on the downhill," Robert opined, a sense of foreboding in his tone. "I have a gut feeling this new movie's going to flop."

"Yeah, I think so too. Cheers!" they all raised their glasses.

"Don't underestimate him. Link is a multi-millionaire with plenty of cash and resources. Even if this film flopped, it wouldn't hurt him too much," Richard elaborated. "We need to keep an eye on him, find his dirt, and expose it so that the audience turns against him and stops supporting his films."

"What's his dirt? I heard he's quite the ladies' man, involved with the beautiful Monica Bellucci and has some closeness with Jennifer Connelly, Sofia Coppola, and Brooke Shields. Would that be enough dirt to spill?" Robert offered.

"That won't do any good. He's not married to any of those women; exposing it would just give him more tabloid headlines, increasing his fame without significant downside. To really tarnish his image, we need concrete dirt," Richard replied confidently.

"That's a tall order. I investigated; Link doesn't do drugs, drink excessively, gamble, or visit strip clubs, and he always travels with bodyguards. He has almost no bad habits, which makes finding leverage on him difficult," Robert pointed out.

"Hmph, I don't buy that he's just a good guy. A young man who suddenly becomes rich must have some bad habits. If we dig slowly, we'll surely find something," Richard sneered, raising his glass with a sense of determination.

Dustin and Robert nodded in agreement, convinced that every man, especially one worth hundreds of millions, had skeletons in their closet.

"Hey, Michelle, are you here for a drink too?" Dustin looked up as Michelle Pfeiffer entered, dressed in a black dress and carrying a small handbag.

Michelle scanned the room and smiled, "Wow, what a coincidence! I'm here because director Nichols invited us leads to discuss the script. I got here early. What brings you guys here?"

"Just hanging out here on a slow weekend. Nichols isn't here yet, so we were just chatting," Dustin replied, welcoming her to join them.

With a friendly smile, Michelle greeted Richard and the others before taking a seat.

"Hey, Michelle, you look great! Found someone special in your life?" Richard quipped, winking at her.

"Not really, just been in a good mood lately," she responded lightly, touching her cheek. The glow on her face was undeniable, stemming from a rare sense of personal and emotional fulfillment.

Dustin couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. "With all of us pursuing you, and you picked David Kelley? He's one lucky guy. But just keep an eye on him; he's not exactly known for being faithful. I've heard quite a bit about him at parties."

"Must be misunderstandings; I trust David wouldn't betray me," Michelle replied, nonchalantly.

Dustin felt even more bitter -- before he could comment further, Michelle changed the subject. "So, what were you guys discussing? The new movie?"

"Not exactly -- just talking about Link," Robert answered.

"Link?" Michelle's heart raced at the mention of his name. Images of the dark-haired, brown-eyed man flooded her mind -- the handsome face, the intense physical presence, and the wild, thrilling night they'd spent together.

Subconsciously, she clasped her knees together, feeling heat creeping to her cheeks.

*****

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