Chapter 326: Negative Reactions

Thursday afternoon, the North American premiere of "Gone Girl" commenced on time at the Hollywood Chief Rock Theater.

This was Murphy's most unique premiere to date.

On both sides of the red carpet, throngs of movie fans held up posters of Charlize Theron, seemingly all becoming fans of the South African beauty. When Charlize Theron walked the red carpet with her boyfriend Stuart Townsend, their appearance triggered cheers that rivaled even those for Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio.

However, fans loudly chanting "Amy" caused Charlize Theron some embarrassment.

After a series of real-world promotional stunts intertwined with the film, more and more people started calling her Amy.

Compared to Charlize Theron, James Franco, who followed on the red carpet, received a cold reception, with intermittent shouts of "murderer" from the crowd.

Society isn't just influenced by reality affecting movies and the internet; the reverse is equally true.

James Franco took it all in stride, not letting the jeers bother him.

As the red carpet event neared its end, Murphy approached the entrance of the Chief Rock Theater when suddenly, a tumultuous noise arose not far away, accompanied by numerous people waving banners.

Protesters had appeared.

"Fraud!"

"Shameless!"

"Boycott Murphy-Stanton!"

"Refuse to watch 'Gone Girl'!"

These shouts faintly carried over, a reminder that excessive marketing inevitably brings some backlash.

"Don't worry," Kara Faith approached, "It's just a small group of people."

Murphy shrugged, "I'm not worried. Any excessive marketing is bound to have a negative reaction."

Pointing towards the commotion, he added, "I thought at least a few hundred would show up, but it looks like there aren't even a hundred."

Kara Faith rolled her eyes, "I worried for nothing."

She pushed Murphy, "Go and give your interview."

Hollywood not only churns out films like a production line, but premieres are similarly formulaic. Since Nicole Kidman's deliberate wardrobe malfunction at the "Eyes Wide Open" premiere, it has become increasingly difficult to innovate at such events.

Movies like "Gone Girl" have exhausted all promotional tactics by the time of the premiere, turning the event into a predictable template.

Following interviews with the press, photo ops with the cast, and meet-and-greets with sponsors, Murphy entered the theater lobby to greet some executives from 20th Century Fox. Soon after, David Ellison approached with a young woman.

"Hi, Murphy," he introduced, "This is my sister, Megan. Megan, this is Murphy."

Murphy extended his hand, "Nice to meet you, Miss Ellison."

"Call me Megan," she replied, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, "I really like your movies."

"Thank you," Murphy recognized the polite remark.

"Is it true there are protestors outside?" David Ellison, who had arrived early, hadn't seen them, "Could that affect our film?"

"It might a bit, but it's negligible," Murphy wasn't concerned about the protesters, "More people will be drawn to the theaters by our marketing."

"You told me that pre-sales for the opening week are around $15 million, right?" Megan Ellison, who seemed knowledgeable about the industry, commented, "That should rank in the top three for films released this year."

David Ellison smiled at Megan, "It's my first investment, so being a bit nervous is normal."

"You guys talk," Megan waved off, heading to take a picture with the leading actress.

As mentioned before, David Ellison was particularly anxious about this investment, "Murphy, with $15 million in pre-sales, what do you think the opening weekend box office could be?"

"At least double that," Murphy speculated, "Possibly even triple."

"Let's hope for triple," David Ellison murmured, then added, "I have two more investments lined up; could you give me some advice later?"

"Sure," Murphy nodded.

Investors like David Ellison, who are not immediately seeking high returns, who have significant capital, and who don't interfere with the creative process, are rare in Hollywood.

Moreover, David Ellison's negotiation skills brought in up to $12 million in advertising sponsorships for the production.

Most sponsors signed variable sponsorship agreements based on box office performance. If "Gone Girl" surpasses $200 million at the North American box office, it would trigger the maximum payout under these agreements, totaling $12 million in advertising fees.

Though this money would mostly be paid after the film's run in theaters, it's worth noting that "Gone Girl" had already recouped nearly $10 million in investments before even premiering.

Achieving $200 million in North American ticket sales would depend on the effectiveness of the initial marketing, but Murphy was confident in reaching at least $150 million.

As Murphy prepared to leave, David Ellison mentioned, "I heard you're planning

 to invest in a TV series?"

"Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire," Murphy disclosed, as it wasn't a secret, "The script is just completed, but preparations will take some time."

He raised an eyebrow, "Interested in investing?"

David Ellison scratched his head, "We could continue our previous arrangement."

Hearing this, Murphy understood that David Ellison wanted to continue riding his coattails.

"We'll discuss this later," Murphy decided, "Stanton Studios will continue working with 20th Century Fox. If you're interested in investing, have your people talk to Bill."

After a year, the script for "Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire" was nearly finalized, with only some details left to polish. Murphy had also discussed co-producing the series with Kara Faith and executives from 20th Century Fox, with negotiations set to continue after "Gone Girl's" premiere.

Choosing 20th Century Fox was partly to help Kara Faith and partly because Murphy didn't own a TV network.

For a TV series like this, it couldn't simply be sold as DVDs or shown in cinemas; that would be ludicrous. The demands for a small screen production are entirely different from those for a big screen, and such an approach would be laughable.

A major network with a broad audience was necessary for airing and promoting the series, a fact Murphy was well aware of, so he was inclined to choose the Fox Network.

David Ellison, in high spirits, made a phone gesture, "I'll wait for your call."

Murphy reminded him, "David, when you invest, try not to get fixated on planes and air combat."

Seeing David Ellison's puzzled expression, Murphy shook his head and moved on. If David didn't heed his advice and invested in bizarre film projects, he would just be paying to learn from his mistakes.

The time was right, and Murphy led the cast and crew into the theater, taking seats in the front row.

The previously noisy hall gradually quieted down, with media reporters, professional film critics, and general audience members all eagerly anticipating the start of this highly controversial summer film.

As a staunch fan of Murphy-Stanton, Daisy also sat in the premiere theater. From the start of the film, she was captivated.

This film perfectly suited her taste, essentially exploring how to distinguish between genuine and pretentious behaviors.

The answer was straightforward: Amy was genuine, and Nick was pretentious.

When the pretentious mortal Nick first met the genuine genius Amy, he mockingly addressed the foolish masses, telling genius Amy, "I am like you, not a mere mortal."

The proposal highlighted this further. Amy had to attend an annoying party and endure interviews with foolish reporters, while Nick, once again acting differently, awkwardly interviewed her, loudly praising Amy's talent, rescuing her from the lowly, stupid social interaction.

After marriage, genius Amy realized Nick had reverted to being a mere mortal. In fact, Nick's only genius trait was his exceptional ability to put on a show, the only aspect of him that genius Amy appreciated.

But after marriage, Nick lost the desire to perform.

For instance, Nick moved back to his small hometown, which was unbearably tacky, filled with lunatics and weirdos. The bustling, diverse New York was always the best refuge for geniuses and those who stood apart from the norm. In contrast, their small American town, where even a slightly educated local seemed out of place, was unbearable.

Running a bar, playing video games, and flirting with airheaded young women, Nick had become just like any ordinary man, lacking any uniqueness, which was precisely why genius Amy couldn't tolerate him.

Ironically, when Nick refused to have children, he used "being different" as an excuse: "We're not the kind of ordinary people who rely on children to sustain their marriage."

Forced to become a common mortal, genius Amy sought revenge.

In her plan, genius Amy consistently demonstrated her intellectual superiority over neighbors, the media, and the police—someone like her could never fit into small-town life.

When genius Amy once again witnessed Nick's exceptional performance in "putting on a show," she realized the Nick she loved had returned: That's right! Great performance! Use your charming smile to bewitch those foolish simpletons! Deceive them! Mislead them! Spin them around! Just like I crush their intellect! That's you!! That's the Nick I love!

With a minor adjustment, she coldly eliminated a wealthy suitor and altered her plan, returning to Nick's side. And Nick, forced to continue his adept showmanship, and Amy together became the model couple in the public's eyes.

Ultimately, Nick was a mortal, afraid of public opinion and unable to leave Amy. His sense of fatherly duty kept him by Amy's side. Fame and responsibility forced him to stay with Amy, occasionally using his skill in "putting on a show." Genius Amy, treating mortal Nick like a pet, kept him by

 her side as part of her plan.

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