Chapter 441: Dystopian Novel

Nighttime at Charles's beachfront villa in Santa Monica Palisades, a high-pitched cry echoed in the bedroom.

Kristen Stewart, feeling listless, gave Charles a shove and said, "Doesn't seem like the media thinks much of the Twilight movie!"

Charles rolled over and lay beside her, chuckling, "The Twilight books are all about sad romances and love triangles, not exactly high literature. People just think these fan movies without much substance are bound to fail!"

It wasn't just the media; no movie company wanted to adapt it. Even youth-focused studios had no interest.

Charles propped himself up, sweeping his hand across her chest teasingly, "You usually don't care about these things. Concerned now?"

"With so many fans of the book, it's easy to get bashed by the readers," Kristen Stewart gave Charles a pointed look.

"Relax, people will get their money's worth with the handsome men and pretty ladies in the movie. Plus, Catherine Hardwicke's direction for Twilight is still pretty solid," Charles had just discussed with Donna Langley. If Catherine Hardwicke didn't follow the company's vision, they would replace her for the sequel.

The movie's reputation was unlikely to surpass the first Twilight.

Kristen Stewart brushed her hair and rested her chin on Charles's chest, "If it does well, the sequel will follow quickly, right?"

"Of course," Charles nodded, "Don't worry, my instincts are spot-on. Twilight will make you a big star. By this time next year, Twilight 2: New Moon will be out!"

Unless it flops like New Line Cinema's The Golden Compass, which led to the cancellation of The Dark Materials trilogy right after the first movie.

"I heard Disney canceled the third Chronicles of Narnia movie because the box office for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian didn't meet their expectations," Kristen Stewart kept up with the news.

"Yup, they did. 20th Century Fox is talking to Disney about acquiring the rights to film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader themselves," Charles was in the loop. With a budget exceeding $150 million for a fantasy blockbuster, it wasn't surprising 20th Century Fox was confident in taking over.

Wasn't Percy Jackson & the Olympians also a youth fantasy film developed by 20th Century Fox?

"How do you know all this?" Charles asked curiously.

"The director mentioned Ben Barnes was considered for the male lead in Twilight - the same guy who played Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - before they chose Robert Pattinson," Kristen Stewart explained.

"Oh, I see," Charles wondered if he should have pushed for Robert Pattinson's casting.

"Charles, are you ready?" Kristen Stewart asked again.

"What?" Charles was puzzled.

Kristen Stewart kissed his ear, "It's still early, let's go again!"

Charles grinned, "Sure, but you'll have to help me out first!"

Kristen Stewart eagerly slipped under the covers...

...

Twilight was a story completely dismissed by movie companies, but on its first day, it grossed $36 million in North America. The first weekend brought in $76 million, shocking Hollywood.

After all, the opening weekend for Quantum of Solace only hit $67 million in North America!

With a production budget of $200 million for Quantum of Solace compared to Twilight's $40 million cost, Twilight became an instant hit.

The high box office and heated discussions baffled Hollywood analysts about how this supposedly doomed movie became a roaring success.

Capet Pictures quickly announced the sequel, Twilight 2: New Moon, with the same team on board.

"Hahaha, this is going to be interesting," Charles laughed, sitting in his office at Capet headquarters.

"Boss, is The Hunger Games novel as successful as Twilight?" Phyllis Jones reported on the novels the company purchased this year, including The Hunger Games, a newly published dystopian fantasy adventure bestseller.

The Hunger Games sold well, but it wasn't about tragic romances.

"Boss, in just three days, Hollywood has planned almost 30 projects based on cheesy love stories and Mary Sues, all trying to capture the female market following Twilight's success," Phyllis Jones reminded.

Charles waved her off with a smile, "Relax, within a month, there will be at least 100 more copycat projects. Hollywood is the best at bandwagons!"

"The first to act always wins," Charles was pleased with acquiring the rights to The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games, published in September, had Capet Pictures signing a first purchase option with author Suzanne Collins six months before its release.

The Hunger Games was a dystopian series centered around a female protagonist's fantasy adventure.

The first novel immediately topped bestseller lists in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

However, most movie companies didn't realize the potential of a dystopian future fantasy adventure with a female lead.

"Just wait. When Suzanne Collins publishes the second and third books, the novels will have a massive fan base," Charles smiled, having long anticipated the rise of novels like Twilight and The Hunger Games.

Now, with the first Twilight movie out and The Hunger Games novel published, things were falling into place!

Wonder what's going on with Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate. One lost the Twilight series, the other no longer had the Saw series, and even the future-defining overseas distribution potential of The Hunger Games was lost.

Would Lionsgate still merge with Summit Entertainment afterward?

*****

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