Chapter 58: The Party

The next day, the newspaper immediately featured the news of Mission Impossible's blockbuster box office and countless positive reviews from viewers.

But don't think that these came for free. Apart from the ten million dollars spent on subsequent publicity, which included media campaigns, there was also the purpose of silencing film critics.

Without satisfying them, negative reviews would undoubtedly plague a commercial film like this.

If they weren't appeased, critics would relentlessly give Mission Impossible negative reviews in the print media.

And this kind of public relations effort could only last for a couple of weeks at best.

However, Warner Bros. and MGM aimed to secure the opening week, which was the most lucrative period. During this time, anyone who dared to find fault would naturally face their retaliation.

As for the subsequent weeks, after the box office started to decline, the impact of negative reviews wouldn't be as significant with the impressive initial performance.

...

Warner Bros. and MGM's actions prompted the theater chains to take notice of the popularity of Mission Impossible. They couldn't sit idly by.

Commercial films already had the broadest audience, and upon learning about Mission Impossible's successful box office and positive word-of-mouth, the theater chains decisively allocated more screens to Mission Impossible, squeezing out the underperforming films.

In this scenario, the second-day box office results were released.

Mission Impossible reached a terrifying box office record of around 29 million dollars, setting a new high that left everyone astonished.

...

CAA Building.

As Ovitz looked at the achievements created by Kevin and Cruise, he immediately regretted his previous actions.

A director who consecutively created blockbuster films was an extremely valuable and cherished resource in Hollywood.

Unfortunately, this resource was driven away by the dominant attitude of CAA.

Countless thoughts surged in his mind, and ultimately, Ovitz picked up his phone and called Cruise.

"Hey, Cruise, congratulations on the success of your film."

"Thank you!"

Cruise was a bit puzzled. Usually, Ovitz wouldn't call him specifically to congratulate him on such matters.

"The film's success, how about throwing a party? It would be great to invite Kevin and other contributors. Let CAA cover the party expenses."

Ovitz suggested.

Cruise understood what he meant. Although Kevin had a falling out with CAA, it didn't mean that the rift couldn't be repaired.

By establishing a channel of reconciliation between CAA and Kevin, he was willing to be the one to facilitate the reconciliation.

"Alright, leave it to me."

After hanging up the phone, Cruise promptly called Kevin and invited him to attend the party he was hosting.

Similarly, apart from Kevin and the leading actress, the party included representatives from MGM, Warner Bros., Paramount, as well as other Hollywood stars.

The primary purpose of this party was to seek better cooperation opportunities among them.

...

Kevin received the second-day box office results and also received Cruise's party invitation.

Only then did Kevin truly relax.

As a director and investor, he bore the greatest pressure. If he failed, the losses would not only be financial but also affect his reputation.

The difference between a director who never fails and one who has experienced failure is like night and day in the eyes of the public.

The biggest gap, when seen from the outside, is in attracting investments.

With three consecutive successful films, Kevin now had the ability to independently fund a major production. With his fame, even if he didn't collaborate with other film companies, he could still produce a high-budget movie on his own.

There were plenty of people outside willing to invest in his new film.

Of course, external investments and Hollywood investments are not the same, and Kevin was well aware of this.

For a big production, without the investment of Hollywood giants, he didn't know how many troubles would arise. Bribery of personnel, film reels being destroyed, rating restrictions, and public opinion suppression—there were countless potential issues.

The reason Kevin had never encountered these troubles was that he understood the importance of sharing the profits.

In his first film, "Saw," the majority of the profits went to New Line Cinema, while Warner Bros. had a share through overseas distribution.

In the second film, both New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. invested together.

And as for the third film, it goes without saying that it was a collaboration between Warner Bros., Paramount, and MGM—the three Hollywood giants.

In Hollywood, if you received investments from these three companies and still encountered trouble, it would undoubtedly be a challenge to these giants.

No one could withstand the retaliation from the three giants.

This is what has allowed Kevin's career to be so smooth-sailing.

Three days later, at the party, Kevin took the opportunity to establish a good rapport with Nicolas Cage and Robert Downey Jr.

...

"Kevin, glad you could make it!" Cruise greeted Kevin with a smile as he saw the crowd dispersing.

Kevin returned the smile and replied, "Thanks for inviting me, Cruise. This is quite a party you've organized."

Cruise chuckled and nodded. "Well, when we have reasons to celebrate, we should do it in style, right?"

Kevin nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. It's been an incredible journey with 'Mission: Impossible,' and the success of the latest installment is beyond expectations."

Cruise's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Indeed! It's a testament to the hard work and talent of everyone involved. And you, my friend, have done an exceptional job as the director. I couldn't be happier with the results."

Kevin's smile widened. "Thank you, Cruise. Your support means a lot to me. Working with you and the rest of the cast and crew has been a privilege."

Cruise clapped Kevin on the shoulder. "The feeling is mutual, my friend. But enough about work for now. Let's enjoy the party and celebrate our success!"

They both laughed and made their way further into the party, mingling with the industry insiders, actors, and executives present. It was an opportunity for Kevin to reconnect with old acquaintances and form new connections within the industry.

As the night went on, the atmosphere was filled with joy and excitement, and Kevin couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. The party served as a reminder of the impact his work had made and the opportunities that lay ahead.

Little did he know that this event would be a turning point in his career, opening doors to even greater collaborations and projects in the future.

"Get used to it sooner, Director Kevin," Cruise said with a smile.

"Along with your success on the directorial path, more and more people will come forward, trying to be a part of your new film investments."

To be honest, even Cruise himself wanted to invest in Kevin's next film.

As the saying goes, actors are the ones who can truly feel whether a film will be a flop or not.

Working on Kevin's films made Cruise feel his own progress and reignited his passion. He had never been so wholeheartedly invested in a film before.

From that moment, he knew that Kevin would not fail.

At least, Kevin would not fail before this passion for filmmaking faded away.

However, his investment ideas were being held back by his own investment manager.

Investing in films in Hollywood was an extremely high-risk endeavor.

Countless directors have gone bankrupt after using their own money to make films.

Sometimes, Hollywood film studios were not unwelcoming to their investments. It's just that they themselves were too afraid to invest.

That's also why Kevin was able to easily secure a 30% investment share.

They were also afraid of film failures causing significant losses.

Facing Cruise's words, Kevin finally let out a sigh of relief and adjusted his mood.

Only at this moment did he realize that he truly possessed immense fame in Hollywood.