Chapter 91: Box Office Champion
[Chapter 91: Box Office Champion]
That evening, after wrapping up a talk show recording at the TV station and returning to the hotel, Naomi, Halle, and Tyra, as usual, gathered in Linton's room for a poker game, continuing their heartfelt well-wishes for the movie.
Perhaps because they were about to part ways tomorrow, Halle and Tyra were especially eager, unleashing their full energy, captivating most of Linton's attention, somewhat sidelining Naomi.
As Halle put it, "Tomorrow it'll all be yours, so tonight just give it up a little."
The joyful time lasted through the night, and their fun was intense and passionate.
Since Halle and Tyra were leaving soon, they went all out that night, fully immersed in playful battles filled with various moves and teamwork, with Naomi assisting, making the three of them evenly matched against Linton.
Both had modeling backgrounds, with bodies toned and agile, their mixed-heritage beauty and smooth skin gave Linton an intense experience, and in return, he shared a bit of his energy essence with them.
Linton clearly felt his ability to absorb the energy growing faster as the movie's popularity soared.
---
The next morning, good news kept coming. On Saturday, more theaters added Step Up screenings -- 2,720 theaters with 5,650 screens pulled in $12.87 million in box office. Over the two days, it totaled $23.95 million. It was already certain that Step Up would break the $100 million mark in North America.
However, media coverage today was slightly different. Over a dozen outlets began to disparage Step Up with the usual attacks: casting controversies, claims that Naomi rose by compromising herself, rookie director and actors, poor acting -- old cliches.
Today, critics' reviews were also released. Contrary to much media praise, most critics found Step Up mediocre. Kenneth Turan from the Los Angeles Times called it "a soulless spectacle," asserting that the film missed opportunities to explore human nature, crime, and race, rushing through serious subjects.
He even advised Linton to pursue deeper artistic goals in future works.
...
Linton, the production team, and Universal had already prepared for such criticism.
After all, Step Up was a purely commercial indie film aimed at young audiences.
Linton wasn't chasing awards and Universal hadn't spent on critics' PR. It was normal for critics not to like it.
Honestly, critics still influenced box office but mostly among older viewers. Young audiences cared more about their favorite stars, word-of-mouth buzz, and what their friends were watching.
Step Up's target crowd was young people.
Ellie, after dealing with the disparaging media and coordinating with Universal's distribution department, reported to Linton, "It's clear the smear campaign was orchestrated by Miramax's PR, basically paid to do dirty work. But both Universal and I believe this old cliche attack actually boosts the film's buzz; we don't need to worry."
"Does Miramax have any movies out now?"
"No, which is odd. They're hurting themselves without any gain by trying to tarnish us."
"Damn, Harvey acts like he's God. We just didn't collaborate with him. He throws bait hoping others will bite and get screwed. We'll see how it all plays out," Linton mentally noted.
---
After hosting a media and fan meet in Chicago's Sears Plaza that morning, Linton and Naomi flew to New York to join new cast members Matt Damon and Emma Lister for continued promotional tours.
Meanwhile, Halle and Tyra flew to Washington to join George, Snoop Dogg, and Edward for a new promotional circuit.
New York, the largest city and box office hub in North America, also hosted the famous Ziegfeld Theater. Besides interviews and TV talk shows, the team added interactive sessions with fans at Ziegfeld Theater.
...
That night, the largest auditorium of Ziegfeld Theater with over 1,150 seats was packed. After Step Up finished screening, the doors opened, and the host walked in, followed by the Step Up team's entrance. The audience erupted in cheers.
"Let's give a big round of applause for the Step Up creators, director and lead actor Linton Anderson!"
"Naomi Watts!"
"Matt Damon!"
"Emma Lister!"
They walked to the stage and stood side by side. Linton began, "Hello everyone, we're thrilled to be at Ziegfeld Theater and have this post-screening chat..."
"Linton, I love you!" someone shouted.
Cheers and applause immediately followed. Once the excitement settled, Linton continued, "Feel free to ask any questions."
Besides promotion, the tour allowed face-to-face interaction with the audience.
Questions ranged from plot details, actors' personal lives, Linton and Naomi's romance, to how they pulled off those cool dance moves, creating a lively atmosphere.
Most questions were directed at Linton, but with the movie's success, Naomi's popularity soared and she was asked more questions. Both answered gracefully, even encouraging questions for Matt Damon and Emma Lister.
Finally, Linton wrapped up, "We felt a lot of pressure making this film. At the start of the year when it was greenlit, many doubted us, and the media was skeptical. Thanks to the entire crew's perseverance and teamwork, Step Up is here today. Thank you all. We hope you enjoyed the movie -- please support and spread the word!"
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As expected, despite poor critic reviews and some negative media, Step Up's box office wasn't impacted and continued to surge.
On Sunday, Step Up pulled in $9.81 million with a total opening weekend of $33.76 million, clinching the top spot.
Unforgiven, in comparison, earned $6.07 million Sunday and $21.78 million total, placing second. The box office gap between the two was big.
...
On Monday, Step Up's strong weekend box office was widely reported not only in entertainment media but major national newspapers like The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and New York Times.
Universal's PR push played a big part -- less than ten movies each year in North America hit over $100 million, so they made sure to seize the promotional opportunity.
...
Energized by the high box office, both promotional teams worked even harder, warmly welcomed wherever they went, each feeling their star power rising fast.
Since Halle and Tyra's departure, Naomi had moved straight into Linton's room in New York, ignoring the separate hotel room prepared for her.
As the lead actress, Naomi's rise was unparalleled -- from unknown newcomer to a B-list Hollywood star. Her agent was already fielding offers for leading roles and numerous commercial endorsements.
It felt like a dream to Naomi, making her excited and energized daily, with boundless passion, passionately entwining with Linton each night until dawn.
...
Starting Monday, Step Up continued sweeping the box office.
Though a workday, Monday still brought in $5.42 million.
Tuesday, theater discount day, saw an increase to $5.85 million.
Wednesday and Thursday pulled in $5.31 million and $5.16 million respectively.
After a full week, Step Up racked up $55.5 million in North America, against a $10 million budget -- a real box office miracle sparking widespread media discussion.
Step Up's success also prompted several studios to prepare new musical youth films.
*****
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