Chapter 354: The Concert

"Wayne's World," or as it's directly translated from Chinese, "Wayne's World," embodies the rebellious and mischievous spirit in Cantonese slang. Since Mike Myers joined "Saturday Night Live" last year, the sketch "Wayne's World" he created has showcased a bold world of absurd fantasies between the duo, Wayne and Garth, often featuring celebrity cameos.

Inside the Daenerys Entertainment branch in Greenwich Village, Simon sat in his office on the East Coast, holding the script for "Wayne's World."

By Hollywood standards for commercial films, the script of "Wayne's World" was almost without merit: lacking a main storyline, the plot was haphazard, and as a comedy, it did not have the typical 'Happy Ending.'

Yet, this very film had grossed $120 million in North America upon its release in 1992, ranking among the top ten box office hits of the year. Mike Myers, a local TV actor who had struggled in the industry for years, suddenly tasted stardom and secured his place as a top comedy star of the '90s through the "Wayne's World" series and the "Austin Powers" series.

Following the box office success of "Wayne's World," analysts began identifying key factors of its success, such as breaking the fourth wall, its amateurish humor, parodying pop culture, and the iconic use of "Bohemian Rhapsody," among other elements.

Success or failure, it's always easy to retroactively identify numerous reasons.

In the office, only Simon and Danny Morris, president of New World Cinema, were present.

Simon was enthusiastic about "Wayne's World," whereas Danny Morris was skeptical about the film's prospects. However, committed to realizing Simon's vision, he intended to negotiate and fulfill his responsibilities diligently.

After stepping down from Highgate Pictures, Danny Morris had missed one opportunity and was not about to miss another.

The rapid rise of a company can significantly motivate its employees, and the somewhat lukewarm executives of New World Entertainment had outperformed their previous selves after joining Daenerys Entertainment.

Of course, part of this was due to Simon's relentless drive, likened to a taskmaster.

Even a slight increase in weekend overtime made Daenerys Entertainment incomparable to any of the big seven studios in Hollywood.

Although Danny Morris had relinquished control of Highgate Pictures, his performance as president of New World Cinema had thoroughly satisfied Simon, securing his position.

Simon, inherently impatient with mediocrity, was engaged by the script's humor, which he found delightful due to his unique amalgamation of memories from over a dozen individuals, despite his Eastern origins.

After quickly reading through the entire script, Simon looked up at Danny Morris and asked, "Have the costs been estimated yet?"

Danny nodded, saying, "Due to the numerous outdoor scenes and sets that need to be constructed, the initial estimate is around $20 million."

Recalling the completed film "Wayne's World" from his memories, Simon acknowledged that while the film was a lowbrow spoof comedy, it featured numerous large scenes and minor explosions, making a $20 million budget quite modest.

Danny Morris, observing Simon's reaction, suggested, "Simon, if you think it's too high, I could talk to Myers about cutting some of the more expensive scenes. That could probably bring the cost down to under $15 million, or even around $10 million."

"No need, $20 million is fine," Simon responded, then asked, "What about Mike Myers' contract?"

"A two-picture deal," Danny replied. "The pay for 'Wayne's World' is $1 million, covering both acting and writing fees, with a potential increase up to 500% for the next film."

Given Mike Myers' rising popularity from "Saturday Night Live," a combined fee of $1 million for acting and writing was reasonable.

If the first film was a hit, whether for a sequel or a new project, a maximum salary increase to $5 million would align with top-tier male star levels without reaching the exorbitant fees of stars like Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger.

With no further questions, Simon handed the script back to Danny Morris, emphasizing, "One last thing, and it's crucial. Whether it's you or the specific producer for the next project, maintain thorough communication with Myers. Understand every humorous reference in the script inside and out. If you don't even know where the jokes are, there's no point in moving forward with this movie."

"I'm already on it, Simon," Danny assured him with a smile. "Honestly, it feels like a real learning experience."

"Then," Simon glanced at his watch, "it's almost noon. Let's have lunch, and Bob's joining us."

Lunch with Danny Morris and Robert Egger inevitably turned to discussions about other company matters.

At New World Cinema, Sandra and her senior colleague Robert Duvall agreed to star in

 "The Silence of the Lambs," with original director Jonathan Demme also on board. The initial budget was set at $15 million, with filming scheduled to start in September for an August release the following year.

The final chapter of the "Scream" series, "Scream 3," was also in the planning stages, with a budget estimated at $30 million, triple that of the first film, still set for a Halloween 1991 release.

"Children of the Corn 2," having achieved a decent box office during the Easter season, was moving into early script development for a third installment.

Building on the popularity of the first two films, New World Cinema allocated a $10 million budget for "Children of the Corn 3," aiming to develop a mainstream horror series similar to the continuous storyline of "Scream."

Although Peter Jackson's edgy puppet film "Meet the Feebles" did not secure a North American theatrical release, its distribution through channels in Australia, North America, and Europe recouped its $1 million budget and turned a profit.

New World Cinema signed a three-film deal with the New Zealand director, with Jackson's next film, "Braindead," a classic zombie movie Simon was familiar with, already set.

With the addition of Mike Myers' "Wayne's World," New World Cinema's slate for the following year included five projects.

Simon aimed for New World Cinema to match Highgate Pictures with a yearly output of ten films, prompting Danny Morris to continue scouting additional projects.

Over at Daenerys Television, led by Robert Egger:

The 1990 spring season had concluded, and apart from "Beverly Hillbillies," other reality and drama projects were gearing up for a new season. Simon personally selected "Seinfeld," which ABC acquired, aligning with his long-term strategy.

As for "Beverly Hillbillies," it would take a break during the autumn season.

If all went well, "Beverly Hillbillies" would resume in the spring of the following year, with a brief autumn hiatus unlikely to significantly impact the project's popularity.

After lunch, Simon headed to Jersey City across the Hudson River to meet Madonna for the final rehearsal of tomorrow night's concert.

Then it was Saturday.

The concert at Brenda Barry Stadium was set to start at 8 p.m., and just after 6 p.m., Lisa Collins hurried to East Rutherford, a suburb of Jersey City, with her boyfriend, Frank Walken.

Arriving near Brenda Barry Stadium, despite having seen numerous media reports recently, the sheer magnitude of the crowd still seemed unbelievable to Lisa Collins.

Could there be 100,000 people? Maybe 200,000? She couldn't count them all.

Superstar concerts typically attracted more fans outside the venue than could fit inside. Brenda Barry Stadium had a capacity of 40,000, and actual ticket sales were even fewer. If not for securing tickets through her friend Jennifer, Lisa might have struggled to purchase any.

Driving around the massive crowd, Lisa and her boyfriend eventually parked two streets away from the stadium and walked through the throng towards the entrance.

The short distance under a kilometer was lined with fans holding signs, offering high prices for tickets. A regular ticket costing $30 was now priced at $300.

Clutching her purse tightly, Lisa eventually held it in front of her as protection. Inside were two inner circle tickets right below the stage, obtained through her friend's connections. Considering the frenzied mood around, she felt that revealing her tickets might lead to a mob scene.

Yet, she hadn't anticipated such a powerful draw from just one man.

A mere three-song cameo had attracted this massive crowd.

Thanks to her connection to Jennifer, Lisa had somewhat reduced the distance between herself and her idol, Simon. Now, with her boyfriend working directly under Simon at Cersei Capital, their connection seemed even closer.

But this was Simon Westeros's concert.

From the initial hit "Flight of the Bumblebee," many recognized his extraordinary musical talent.

Over the years, blockbuster films like "Run Lola Run," "Pulp Fiction," and "Batman: Battle Begins" had built a strong fan base for him.

And it wasn't just in movies and music. The usually low-key Simon occasionally made headlines that fascinated his fans.

Rumors of Simon's formidable personal strength were legendary; stories circulated about him breaking legs before his fame and his involvement with a now-vanished Hollywood actor. However, when a video surfaced of Simon knocking out ten professional boxers in a Melbourne boxing ring, the display of raw power drove his fans wild.

When she saw the video, Lisa's first impulse was to call her friend to feel him up.

Just a touch...

A mere touch would suffice.

Then she was scolded for her fangirl behavior.

She once discussed with her friend that fan mail for Simon was measured in sacks weekly.

Simon's infrequent public appearances were typically brief and focused on promoting his movies, often bringing along co-stars and quietly sitting

 away from the host, allowing them the spotlight.

Now, Simon was about to appear publicly at a concert, bringing two new songs.

It was an opportunity not to be missed.

With Simon's current wealth and status, missing this might mean never seeing him on such a stage again.

As she excitedly fantasized, Lisa and her boyfriend finally squeezed into the stadium, checking the time to see it was just past 7 p.m.

The long summer day bathed Brenda Barry Stadium in golden sunlight.

Even inside, as she and her boyfriend made their way to the stage, people still approached her, offering high prices for tickets, evidently hoping to get closer to Simon.

She naturally refused.

With pre-show music already playing, though the concert was scheduled for 8 p.m., Lisa knew Madonna often started late, typically around 9 p.m.

But she didn't mind.

Lisa wasn't particularly interested in Madonna; the entire show could be given to Simon as far as she was concerned.

Securing a prime spot in front of the stage with her boyfriend, Lisa couldn't help but feel a slight resentment towards her friend who didn't attend. If she had come, Lisa might have gotten backstage to meet Simon.

Unfortunately, her friend wasn't interested in Madonna's concert.

And she could almost meet him daily and had heard him play "Blizzard" just for her.

A full belly does not understand the plight of the hungry.

So today, she didn't come to the East Coast.

Ah, Lisa thought, she should have boldly followed her friend to work as Simon's assistant.

Now that he was married, the chances of getting close to him were slim, and her seemingly gentle but secretly jealous friend would probably not approve.

Shaking off various thoughts, with an hour to wait, Lisa naturally started chatting with the people around her in the inner circle.

Many, indeed, were here for Simon.

Especially a petite girl next to her named Jennifer, holding a "Westeros, I love you" sign, her eyes burning with anticipation and her cheeks unnaturally flushed. When Lisa introduced herself as a Westeros fan, the girl didn't show camaraderie but instead appeared guarded, as if Lisa might steal Simon away.

Humph.

What could her fervor do? Had she ever touched him in person?

Lisa had!

With this small sense of superiority, and fueled by the heated atmosphere, time swiftly passed.

Perhaps wary of inciting the crowd's ire, the habitually late Madonna appeared on stage just half an hour late this time.

At 8:30 p.m.

The concert officially began.

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