Chapter 248: Batman
[Chapter 248: Batman]
"The North American box office is expected to surpass $300 million, with over $400 million overseas. This movie is set to gross over $700 million. Link is truly on fire," remarked Jackie Chan, glancing at an article about the box office success of Se7en.
Coupled with the success of Speed, Guess Pictures' films during the summer were set to earn over $1 billion globally -- a feat surpassing even the profits of Fortune 500 companies.
Jackie Chan couldn't help but feel envious.
"Don't just see the money he's making; consider his challenges too. Look at this news -- it says that the major studios can't outperform Link and they are trying to frame him as a murderer in hopes of ruining his career. This shows how tough it is for anyone to establish a foothold in Hollywood," said the president of Golden Harvest, Raymond Chow, looking at a second-hand news report from a British outlet.
"Do you think Link will be okay?"
"Of course. Link's net worth exceeds $1 billion. In America, someone with that kind of wealth is a top-tier individual, surrounded by a battalion of attorneys, and possibly some political allies. It would take more than mere rumors to bring him down," Raymond Chow replied, shaking the paper.
Jackie nodded in agreement.
He continued, "The post-production for Rumble in the Bronx is complete, and by September, I'll send someone over to see Link and get his input. If everything goes smoothly, we might have a release in America by the first half of next year."
"Can I go along?" Jackie Chan asked eagerly.
"What else do you have to do besides chase girls here? If you have nothing better to do, join me. If you're thinking about making it in Hollywood, you need to get serious. Buy a place there and bring your family over, and stop coming back to just goof off. Spend time with Link in Hollywood; build a rapport with him. If he has a promising film project, will he not take you with him?"
Raymond Chow, who was also Jackie Chan's mentor, spoke candidly to him.
"Sure thing, you're right." Jackie Chan replied with a sheepish grin.
Raymond Chow then resumed reading the newspaper but suddenly looked back up, "By the way, Link picked Vivian Chow for the lead role. Did you see them on a date while filming?"
"Not that I know of! Link appeared on set when Rumble in the Bronx started, exchanged a few words with Vivian, and then didn't come back. I heard he was busy filming something else. Why do you ask?" Jackie Chan inquired.
"Does Vivian have Link's contact information? Has she reached out to him?"
"I heard Link gave her his business card, but I'm not sure if she contacted him," Jackie replied.
"That complicates things. If Link has an interest in Vivian, it would be beneficial for her to get close to him. Right now, their relationship is somewhat uncertain, which means there's a lack of safety in this arrangement."
"Hey, godfather, are you trying to hook Link up with her? C'mon!"
Before he could finish, a newspaper hit him, causing Jackie Chan to nearly leap off the couch.
Raymond Chow glared at him, "What are you talking about? This is about paving the way for you! Don't you know who Link is? He's a world-renowned director, the owner of the largest independent film company in Hollywood, and a billionaire ranked among the top 300 in America. If he takes a liking to you and is willing to cast you as the lead in a Hollywood film, you could be rolling in dollars! You'd be a superstar back here too! And yet when I'm trying to have a serious conversation, you're cracking jokes. Do you want to fail in Hollywood?"
"Alright, I get it! I'll follow your advice." Jackie said, scratching his nose with a smile.
"Ask Vivian if she's interested in developing a career in Hollywood. If she says yes, invite her along next time. If Link chose her among ten actresses, he must have a reason. Having Link to look out for her in Hollywood would be much better than getting tangled with some local guy here. If she's not interested, then forget it; there are plenty of beautiful women in the industry.
Once you're in Hollywood, make sure you maintain your relationship with Link. You like to date, and so does he. You'll have a lot to talk about. If you can introduce him to a few potential love interests, he'll appreciate that. This would give you a solid foundation and lots of resources in Hollywood. Understand?"
Raymond Chow had successfully made Bruce Lee a star, and he knew all about helping actors make their way in. He understood the importance of having a strong ally for Asian actors trying to make it in Hollywood.
"Godfather, I understand. I'll call Link and ask him what kind of girl he likes to make sure he's satisfied," Jackie Chan grinned, pulling out his large cellphone.
Raymond Chow shook his head but didn't stop him.
American media had already labeled Link a playboy who liked to date various beauties, and that resonated with Jackie Chan. If they became friends due to this shared interest, he wouldn't mind at all.
---
"Richard, I think we need to change our stance on Link," said Terry Semel, the president of Warner Bros, glancing at the report card on the paper, turning to Richard Fox, the executive vice president of the production department.
Richard Fox nodded thoughtfully. Guess Pictures' films were doing tremendously well at the box office, while Warner Bros' Wyatt Earp had bombed, and other films like The Client and Natural Born Killers had performed poorly.
As someone who was high up in the company, he felt the pressure mounting. If things continued down this path, this management team risked being replaced sooner than they expected.
"Michael Ovitz probably won't back down."
"Michael?" Terry Semel said, shaking his head. "The competition between major studios and Guess Pictures is an internal industry battle. Michael Ovitz, as an outsider, inserts himself into this, acting as the vanguard against Guess Pictures. That's a rather foolish move; he probably got trapped by the title of 'Most Powerful Man in Hollywood' and thinks he can do anything.
However, after failing against Link twice, his reputation in Hollywood took a major hit. Conflicts were brewing within CAA, and he should focus on stabilizing CAA to maintain competitive power in the talent representation field rather than meddling in internal studio rivalries.
If he doesn't wake up soon and continues to pursue Guess Pictures, partnering with him won't be beneficial given his track record."
Richard nodded in agreement. "What's your plan regarding Link?"
"I heard there's dissatisfaction in your production department about Tim Burton as a director," Terry Semel said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Tim Burton has a strong skill set, and his films have distinct personal styles -- gothic, dark, and peculiar. However, that style is too niche for a mainstream audience in Hollywood, especially for a hot property like Batman. We suggested inviting a director whose work aligns more closely with broader commercial appeal for Batman Forever," Richard clarified.
Batman was being developed by Warner Bros. Since 1989, they'd released two Batman films, Batman and Batman Returns, both directed by Tim Burton. The first film grossed $410 million worldwide, while the sequel, released in 1992, made $265 million.
Though these films had done well, Warner Bros was still unsatisfied. They believed the Batman series should align more with mainstream commercial films for back-to-back box office success, thus they decided to change directors for the third installment.
"What about Link?"
Terry Semel pointed to a magazine cover featuring a young man exuding charisma.
"Link?" Richard stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Se7en was quite good, blending artistry and commercial appeal. Final Destination and Paranormal Activity were also successful commercial films. Inviting him to direct could be a smart move, but his fees are steep, and there could be tensions within our company regarding that. It might not be easy to secure him."
"It's worth a try. Offering him the chance to direct Batman Forever could signal a desire for reconciliation. He's a smart guy -- he'd want another partner." Terry Semel replied.
Richard nodded in agreement.
*****
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