Chapter 328: The Successful Ones

A black Mercedes sedan exited the airport, heading towards the San Francisco Bay Area. David Ellison, seated comfortably in the spacious backseat, couldn't conceal his youthful, excited expression. It was his first time feeling this thrilled since leaving USC School of Cinematic Arts.

The sensation was like swallowing a bowl of ice water on a blazing summer day... no, even better than that!

"Are you that happy?" 

Megan Ellison, sitting beside him, had grown tired of David's constant smiling and teased him, "Hey, take a look in the mirror. David, you're smiling like an idiot."

"Is it really that exaggerated?" David rubbed his face.

Turning away, Megan didn't want to see his silly grin anymore, "Your expression is even more exaggerated than my description."

David coughed lightly, shook his head vigorously trying to look serious, but the excitement and joy in his eyes and at the corners of his mouth were impossible to hide.

"Is it just because the opening day box office was good?" Megan spoke disdainfully, "Is it really necessary to be this excited?"

"What do you mean 'good'!" David corrected her, his eyes wide, "It was great! It was a smash hit! It was a blockbuster! It was a windfall! It was hugely profitable!"

Megan remained unimpressed.

"It was $18.4 million! 'Gone Girl' made $18.4 million in one day!" David gestured energetically, forming the numbers with his fingers, but Megan was unimpressed by the figures, still sporting a look of disdain. David felt defeated, his excitement and joy about his success seemingly pointless to share with her. He waved his hand dismissively, "Forget it, you wouldn't understand."

"How would I not understand?" Megan protested, "The first-day earnings of $18.4 million mean that the North American opening weekend will surely break the $40 million mark, even possibly reaching $50 million, right?"

David pointed at her still unconvinced face, "Then why are you acting like this?"

"Because of two reasons!"

As she spoke, Megan raised a finger, "First, it's just $50 million. How can such an amount even catch your attention?"

She shook her head, then raised a second finger, "Second, this is entirely Murphy-Stanton's project. As far as I know, from the script to preparation to marketing, it was all led by him. You just hitched a ride."

"Is that all?" Now it was David's turn to be dismissive. As the car crossed an intersection, he raised a finger, "First, this $50 million, and the even higher box office returns to come, include my investment and profits that exceed bank interest rates. This money isn't from family funds or any other grant; I earned it myself!"

"Dear, when you enter Hollywood, you'll understand that making money and advancing in this circle is not easy. The Ellison name might carry weight in Silicon Valley, but in Hollywood, few care if we're Larry Ellison's children."

With that, he raised a second finger, "Without Murphy, there wouldn't have been success in this investment. Yes, I did ride Murphy-Stanton's coattails, but in all of Hollywood, countless people want to ride those coattails. Why was it me who succeeded and not others?"

Megan opened her mouth to retort but found herself at a loss for words.

Even as a freshman at USC School of Cinematic Arts, she had heard of Murphy-Stanton, recognized as one of Hollywood's most promising young directors. The premiere she attended the night before had proven his capabilities.

His films lacked neither depth nor entertainment, seamlessly blending thought-provocation with commercial success.

Thinking back to her experience in the cinema, from the moment the film began unfolding its mysteries to gradually resolving them, the process was intensely gripping.

Where had the "Gone Girl" disappeared to? Conventional thinking might suggest she fell victim to her husband, leading to a typical crime story of murder. But would Murphy-Stanton let the audience off so easily? No, the film was relentlessly brutal, chilling to couples everywhere.

Reflecting on the entire viewing experience, Megan realized how Murphy-Stanton had masterfully controlled her emotions and thoughts, immersing her completely in the story and character development...

The most attractive, or rather the best aspect of a movie is its suspense. Well-crafted suspense, tightly linked plot conflicts, and complex character relationships make a story compelling.

Undoubtedly, "Gone Girl" triumphed with its suspense. Murphy-Stanton laid it out layer by layer, logical yet unexpected, leading viewers to anticipate the end yet constantly taking turns.

In short, Murphy-Stanton was like the hand holding a kite, pulling on the string in people's hearts, drawing them into his traps, making it impossible for them to stop watching.

Megan turned back to look at David, feeling only one

 thing: her brother had incredible luck!

Seeing his sister quiet down, David didn't continue the conversation. Instead, he started browsing through a pile of newspapers he'd bought, especially focusing on sections that reviewed "Gone Girl," soaking up the praise for Murphy-Stanton and the film as if it were directed at himself.

The "New York Times": Murphy-Stanton has always been a bold and fearless film director who trusts the audience's capacity to understand and further stimulates their passion for cinema. Watching "Gone Girl," we felt as though we had experienced four films in one, not just one.

Scoring a perfect hundred (100/100).

"Variety": Murphy-Stanton's direction is as precise as surgery, the film cold yet amusing, captivating from start to finish. This tense and generous psychological thriller represents an extraordinary integration of filmmaking and suspense setting. (100/100)

"Los Angeles Times": While the film carries many subtexts, the most captivating aspect of "Gone Girl" is its narrative process. After undergoing two plot twists, director Murphy-Stanton boldly steers the film towards the absurd, humorous, tangled, and eventually morphs it into a dark fable, elevating the entire film. It can be said that the young Murphy-Stanton has given the thriller genre a unique artistic flair, which is incredibly appealing. Murphy-Stanton, this young director, truly lives up to his reputation. (100/100)

"Hollywood Reporter": "Gone Girl" is not Murphy-Stanton's best work, nor is it the most satisfying traditional movie, but it perfectly represents Hollywood's excellent craftsmanship. (91/100)

"Premiere": "Gone Girl" is both an artwork and entertaining, a thrilling horror film that is assuredly popular with general audiences. (88/100)

From yesterday onwards, the reviews David Ellison read in the media were overwhelmingly positive, whether it was media acclaim or critic reviews, described aptly as "off the charts."

Leaving Los Angeles that morning, he had specifically visited Stanton Studios. Although he didn't see Murphy-Stanton, he got a special audience reaction report from Paul Wilson.

Cinema.Score rated it an 'A+', with a popcorn index of ninety-four percent, indicating excellent audience reviews.

Regarding audience demographics, women made up nearly sixty percent on opening day, with over seventy percent of viewers over the age of 25. Media reviews were mostly positive, with Rotten Tomatoes showing an 88% approval rating from 98 media reviews, averaging 8.6 out of 10. MetaCritic compiled 49 media reviews with an average score of 81.

Having dropped out of USC Film School to enter Hollywood over a year ago, David Ellison had a basic understanding of the movie industry and knew that critical acclaim didn't directly correlate with box office earnings. But a film that performed well on its opening day and received such stellar reviews was clearly going to bring substantial results.

That meant not only an impressive North American opening weekend but also robust longevity and a similarly strong international market response.

Currently, Cinema.Score hadn't officially released their forecast for "Gone Girl's" North American box office, but David had inquired specially, and according to Cinema.Score's research department, the film's final North American earnings would not be less than $180 million!

That was four times the production cost of $45 million!

Though he wouldn't receive a direct cut, David was thrilled. This success would prove to his father, to Hollywood, and to those who saw him merely as a naive rich kid, that he had a keen eye for investments.

The Mercedes pulled up in front of a yacht club in the Bay Area, and David and Megan Ellison stepped out and entered the club.

"Hello, David."

A person looking like an assistant was waiting at the door, "Mr. Ellison is waiting for you in lounge number fifteen."

"Okay." David nodded and followed the assistant toward lounge fifteen.

Recalling his father's harshness and the occasional mocking, David felt a twinge of apprehension. But thinking of his first successful Hollywood investment and possible future collaborations with Murphy-Stanton, he lifted his head with a newfound confidence that he had never felt before when facing his father.

He was now a successful man, no longer the loser he had been in his father's eyes.

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