Chapter 321: Inside Information

20th Century Fox held great expectations for "Kingdom of Heaven," far surpassing last year's "Deadpool." This was evident from the release schedule—the film was slated for the competitive summer blockbuster season and, at the strong insistence of Dave Scola, premiered on the first weekend of the summer.

"This timing couldn't be better," Kara Faith commented, standing in front of the Hollywood Chinese Theatre as she watched Dave Scola being interviewed. "There are no similar scale films premiering the weekend before or after. Our real competition doesn't start until May 19th."

"Are you referring to George Lucas's 'Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'?" Murphy asked casually.

Back then, it wasn't common for big-budget films to release simultaneously, and many blockbusters moved their release dates to avoid clashing with Lucas's final Star Wars installment, such as Warner Bros.' "Superman Returns," which shifted from late May to late July.

The conversation then shifted as Kara mentioned, "I heard that Natalie Portman declined to attend the premiere again."

"Yes, I heard," Murphy replied indifferently. "She cleverly used her studies in Jerusalem as an excuse."

"Why do you say that?" Kara looked puzzled. "Isn't she worried about offending George Lucas?"

"She doesn't care anymore. I've heard that Padmé Amidala dies in this installment, so she won't be in Star Wars anymore. And since Lucas isn't a member of the Directors Guild and isn't liked by the old guard at the Oscars, he won't be an obstacle to her future aspirations there."

"She's as realistic as we are," Kara remarked with a hint of admiration. "If it weren't for her blunder with you, I'd actually like to meet her."

Returning to the topic at hand, Kara asked, "You've seen 'Kingdom of Heaven' in previews. What do you think?"

"Terrible." Despite the film being different from his memories, it wasn't any better than the version that had been released previously. Given the challenges faced by epic war movies, Murphy concluded, "I personally think it won't recoup its costs anytime soon."

He gestured towards the interview area, where Orlando Bloom and Eva Green were speaking to the press. "Dave Scola insisted on casting these two, and they're just not pulling it off."

Murphy knew from Kara that Ridley Scott had originally preferred other actors for the leads, but had been forced to go with Bloom and Green due to Scola's insistence.

"Orlando Bloom can be a great addition in any commercial film, but as a leading man..." Murphy shook his head. Even though many actors get by on their looks, a character as thinly written as a blacksmith impacts the audience's reception negatively. "And Eva Green, her look..."

Struggling to find the right words, Murphy finally added, "She has a distinctive presence, unforgettable and great for playing ethereal roles, but too far removed from the heroine of this film in terms of appearance and demeanor."

"My choices for the leads are that inadequate?" a loud voice suddenly interrupted from behind. Before Murphy could turn around, Dave Scola, who had been interviewed earlier, had approached. "Does Director Stanton not have high hopes for my film?"

Murphy, unfazed by being overheard, simply shrugged and responded calmly, "These are just my personal views, and I'm merely stating the facts."

Dave grunted.

"What are your expectations for the opening weekend?" Murphy probed, not realizing the tension.

"I'd say fifty million dollars," Dave replied, though he wanted to claim a hundred million.

Murphy nodded silently. Given the current circumstances and the mediocre quality of the film, reaching that figure would indeed require a miracle.

"Dave, how about a wager?" Kara proposed, not one to back down. "If 'Kingdom of Heaven' meets your opening weekend target in North America, I'll resign from all my positions at 20th Century Fox. If not, you resign from yours. How about that?"

After Fox's substantial investment in "Kingdom of Heaven," Kara was confident in Murphy's assessment.

"I..." Dave started, taken aback by Kara's confident, smiling demeanor. He swallowed the rest of his sentence.

He wasn't a child to accept such a foolish bet.

After exchanging looks with Murphy and Kara, Dave nodded and walked away. Anything more said now would be redundant. He would wait for the box office results to speak for themselves.

"Do you really trust my judgment that much?" Murphy asked Kara, watching Dave leave. "Aren't you worried about losing?"

"Would I lose?" Kara wasn't really concerned. "Even if I did, you wouldn't let me end up on the streets, right?"

Checking her watch, she excused herself, "I have to go talk to Alan Harris."

Murphy waved her off, unconcerned.

As attendees started entering the Hollywood Chinese Theatre for the premiere, Murphy joined

 them, but was quickly approached by a reporter.

She was from "The Hollywood Reporter," someone he'd met before but whose name he'd forgotten.

"I saw you at the film's screening," the reporter said bluntly. "I think there's something wrong with this movie. Director Stanton, what's your take?"

"Ridley Scott's capability is beyond doubt, having proven himself time and again," Murphy replied, never one to mince words. He paused, then added, "Provided there's no interference from external factors, Scott's works are a guarantee of quality and box office success."

The reporter paused, slowing her pace as she mulled over his words. "Not influenced by external factors?" she murmured, sensing a deeper story. Energized, she realized this might be a scoop.

If the film succeeded, all would be well, but if it failed, the behind-the-scenes drama could be even more intriguing.

Due to the release of "Kingdom of Heaven," Murphy was keeping a close eye on this weekend. Although attending this premiere, he was also following another film, "Crash" by Paul Haggis, a contender at this year's Oscars and the eventual winner of Best Picture.

This continued the trend set by "Gladiator," another early-year release that had snagged an Oscar.

Release timing was crucial for an Oscar run, but appealing to the tastes of predominantly white, middle-aged male voters was even more critical.

"Gone Girl" was scheduled for August, past the prime summer blockbuster season, avoiding competition with major commercial films, which could benefit its market performance.

That weekend also saw the release of "House of Wax" starring Paris Hilton. Due to a widely circulated video, Murphy and Gal Gadot had gone to see it together—a typical American horror film, with no surprises but also no disappointments.

While Murphy continued to focus on post-production for "Gone Girl," May was shaping up to be a disappointing time for some.

Over the weekend, "Kingdom of Heaven" outperformed both "Crash" and "House of Wax" to top the North American box office charts. This should have been good news, but the three-day weekend tally was a meager $18 million, far below Fox's $50 million expectation, and not even half that figure.

If a film's opening weekend fails, it can sometimes recover through sustained interest, but "Kingdom of Heaven" suffered from poor reviews and audience reception.

"In a two-hour film filled with one battle after another, aside from worn-out clothes and dirty hair, don't expect anything else from the movie," was a representative critique.

With unanimous pessimism surrounding "Kingdom of Heaven," even the most optimistic professional forecasters doubted it could exceed $50 million in North American gross, with a global ceiling of $200 million.

This meant "Kingdom of Heaven" was not only far below expectations but also poised to be a huge financial flop for 20th Century Fox.

Such a colossal failure would inevitably lead to accountability.

With a total production and marketing budget exceeding $220 million, encountering a Waterloo early in the North American summer box office was sure to draw wide media attention.

Especially for the reporter Murphy had subtly tipped off, who was keen on uncovering the truth behind the façade and had access to considerable inside information.

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