Chapter 55: Internal Screening - Positioning an S-Class Commercial Blockbuster

The original plot of Mission Impossible is actually not complicated.

The CIA receives intelligence indicating the presence of a traitor within their team of agents. This traitor plans to sell the list of CIA agents deployed in Eastern Europe to a foreign espionage organization. Under the guidance of agent Jim, the protagonist Ethan, along with a team of agents, goes to the designated meeting point.

To their surprise, they fall into an ambush, resulting in the elimination of all the agents except for Ethan and his wife. Meanwhile, Ethan's account inexplicably shows a large sum of money, making him the prime suspect of being the traitor.

Subsequently, Ethan relies on his exceptional intellect and skills to venture into dangerous situations, attempting to clear his name.

Such a plot wouldn't be considered extraordinary in any setting. However, the ability of the director lies in their capability to present a simple story in a completely different and captivating manner on the screen.

Through editing, the use of visual colors, and the director's personal aesthetic, a thrilling film is formed.

Of course, the existing audience base for Mission Impossible and the fan base of Tom Cruise, the lead actor, are both crucial.

This is a significant aspect of attracting audiences to theaters during the early stages of the film.

Otherwise, Kevin could have easily made Mission Impossible with a smaller investment. For example, he could have changed the movie title, excluded the existing Mission Impossible audience, and cast a less-known actor instead of Tom Cruise.

By doing so, the investment could have been reduced to $50 million or even less. However, the probability of the film's failure would increase to over 80%.

In essence, the success of a film depends on various factors. The number of screens, audience reviews, the star power, the intellectual property (IP), and the quality of the film all influence the audience's willingness to watch it in theaters.

Kevin never believes that there is a film that can achieve good results without proper marketing and operation. Marketing is an essential and integral part of a film's success.

...

Inside the screening room, everyone, including the executives and the screening managers, is fully engrossed in watching the film.

The story is simple, but Kevin's brilliant editing immerses the audience completely into the protagonist Ethan's character, making them worry for him.

At the same time, they anticipate Ethan using his skills to clear his name and uncover the real traitor within the CIA.

Compared to previous spy films, Kevin's directed Mission Impossible feels exceptionally authentic.

This authenticity doesn't mean it is exactly like real intelligence agencies, but rather, it aligns with people's imagination of what intelligence agencies and agents should be like.

After all, the audience consists of ordinary people who don't delve into the specifics of real intelligence agencies. They simply want to see the portrayal of agents that matches their preconceived notions on screen.

Once it deviates from their expectations, naturally, it receives negative reviews and criticism.

Ethan's various abilities portrayed in the film give the impression of a trained elite agent. The expression of these abilities leaves the screening managers and the executives in awe.

Clearly, they have been captivated and immersed in the story and the world constructed by the film.

Observing their reactions, Kevin immediately knows that Mission Impossible has succeeded.

There are many ways to certify an excellent film, but for Kevin, the most fundamental aspect is to keep the audience engaged and immersed in the cinematic world, captivated by the story. If that is achieved, then the film is already halfway to success.

The remaining aspect is whether the story can firmly grasp the audience's attention within the short span of just over an hour.

Clearly, Kevin has accomplished that.

Mission Impossible completely captures the audience's attention, and this is evident from the executives and screening managers who are attentively focused on the film playing on the screen.

….

Over the span of just over an hour, time flew by.

The President of MGM, Reed, was the first to come to his senses. As he regained his composure, he immediately congratulated Kevin.

"Director Kevin, you have once again succeeded in creating an outstanding commercial blockbuster!"

This was undoubtedly praise for Kevin.

For all film companies, a director who specializes in making commercial films is highly sought after. They are the key individuals who can ensure the company's continuity.

Reed's eyes revealed an eager and thirsty expression, indicating that he couldn't wait to bring Kevin under the MGM banner.

A glimmer of ambition flashed in Kevin's eyes as well, but he quickly concealed it.

If MGM wanted to bring him on board, why wouldn't he want to secure MGM's support?

Meanwhile, Robinov listened to the opinions of the Warner Bros. screening managers.

"As a top-tier commercial blockbuster, I would give it an S-level rating. I believe this will be another espionage classic that can rival the James Bond series."

A short, chubby middle-aged Caucasian man spoke with a confident tone.

He was the highest-ranking screening manager within Warner Bros.

After watching movies for over twenty years, whenever he assigned a rating, there were rarely significant market fluctuations.

When he mentioned an S-level commercial blockbuster and a spy film comparable to the James Bond series, Robinov instantly knew that Mission Impossible was going to be a huge hit.

Following that was the dissatisfaction with Warner Bros. only having a 30% investment stake and their desire for the subsequent Mission Impossible films.

However, it was a pity.

Once this evaluation was made, Robinov knew that Paramount had no possibility of giving up the rights to Mission Impossible.

Setting aside Robinov's frustration on the side, Reed also inquired about the opinions of MGM's screening managers.

"Comparable to the James Bond series!"

"The best spy film I've ever seen!"

"Thrilling! The classic scenes from the film are still echoing in my mind."

"..."

With the unanimous opinions of these screening managers and his own personal experience, Reed knew that his gamble had been successful.

After arranging for the others, Reed took Kevin and Robinov to his office.

Shortly after, Reed handed each of them a newspaper.

Kevin stared at the newspaper and immediately saw the tabloid articles about Tom Cruise.

There were rumors of him joining unknown organizations, allegations of domestic violence, rumors of an affair with Angelina Jolie, and even rumors of drug use, almost occupying half of the newspaper's front page.

Robinov also noticed these contents.

Kevin had already seen these articles during the post-production phase of the film.

However, the specifics of how to handle them were a decision he and Reed had unconsciously made to address after watching the film.

Now that Mission Impossible had proven itself, Warner Bros. and MGM naturally couldn't allow these newspapers to freely spread negative stories about Tom Cruise and potentially affect the film's box office performance.

...