Chapter 54. A Little Shock

In January, "Sharknado" had almost ceased to be shown in theaters, remaining only in a few screens. The film earned another 13 million dollars, completely exhausting its potential. The final box office gross is expected to be around 115 million dollars. Since the premiere took place in December, its earnings belong to 2002, and at the moment, the film ranks 18th on the list of the highest-grossing films of the year in North America, unexpectedly making it into the top 20.

Shortly after the premiere in Europe, Australia, and Africa, the film is expected to gross another 20-30 million dollars. In Asia, however, the film was not released, as such movies are not popular there.

Simultaneously, the Oscar nominees were announced. Films like "Gangs of New York," "About Schmidt," "The Hours," "The Pianist," "Chicago," "Spider-Man," and "The Lord of the Rings" made it to the list of nominees. The announcement of the nominees had little impact on the box office of most films, but it could affect DVD sales and broadcasting rights. Nonetheless, films like "The Hours" and "Chicago" were still in theaters and hoped for an additional influx of viewers thanks to the nominations.

"The Hours," for example, featured a star-studded cast: Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep. But their box office earnings for the first weekend amounted to a meager 330 thousand dollars. Yes, you heard right, only 330 thousand dollars. Despite some improvement in later figures, the film still had not reached 20 million dollars in North America, and the producers hoped to recoup some of their investment thanks to the nominations.

In parallel with the announcement of the Oscar nominees, reviews of "Saw" were published. Most critics gave positive ratings and recommended watching the film.

Movie Magazine: "'Saw' is one of the best horror films I have seen in recent years. Unlike other films of this genre, it tells a deep and meaningful story. The script is of high quality, and we strongly recommend watching it until the end – you will be surprised, just like with 'The Others'!"

Chicago Tribune: "I must say, 'Saw' surprised me. Before going to the cinema, I did not expect much. Their slogan 'Want to understand the meaning of life? Want to really live?' seemed like a joke to me. But after watching, I must say: to understand the meaning of life, you must see this film."

The Independent: "A typical film with a mediocre plot. 'Saw' entices viewers with deep-sounding phrases but is actually full of flaws. Perhaps, watching the film for the first time, you will be distracted by the blood and shocking scenes, but looking back, you will realize you were deceived. It's just an average film."

Fox News: "This is an amazing work. James Wan and Leigh Whannell, these young talents, have set a high standard for horror films in 2003. Watching this film, try not to focus on the blood and traps, but think about its meaning. MGM has truly found a gem in 'Saw,' and its box office earnings will undoubtedly meet all expectations!"

The reviews of "Saw" were significantly different from the reaction to "Sharknado." Besides traditional media, the film received many positive reviews online. On IMDB, "Saw" was even called the best horror film of 2003. The positive word of mouth attracted more and more viewers to theaters, and the attendance of "Saw" grew daily.

Amid the enthusiastic responses, "Saw" grossed 33 million dollars in its first three days of release. Considering the production costs of 5 million dollars and advertising expenses of 10 million, the film almost broke even.

...

Cooper's home.

Charlie opened a bottle of red wine, beaming with joy. The recent events had been a series of successes for him. "Red Dragon" started successfully, "Barbershop" brought profit, and "Sharknado" became an unexpected hit. Even "Saw" showed excellent box office results, and "Die Another Day" also promised good returns.

The money earned was important, but even more important was the recognition and respect of his colleagues. The consecutive successes allowed Charlie Cooper to take pride in his achievements.

He poured wine into a glass, a little saddened by Joshua's absence. Lately, he had been busy training with the San Francisco 49ers team, where he got a chance to become a starting player due to the quarterback's injury. The training was intense, and Joshua had not been home for a long time.

"Thank the Lord for the food He has given us. Amen!"

Closing her eyes and folding her hands, Emily's mother finished the prayer before dinner. She was a devout Christian and never demanded the family pray with her, even attending church alone.

"Eric, where did you find such a goldmine as 'Saw'? When you asked for 10 million dollars for advertising, I thought it would be wasted money, but the film really surprised me!" his father said, slicing a piece of tender beef and slowly chewing it.

"Dad, you should attend the internal screenings more often. Chen Xin invited you several times, but you were always busy."

Charlie Cooper sighed with slight fatigue: "You oversee all the film projects yourself. Honestly, I was worried at first, but now I can fully rely on you. One time, luck can be accidental, twice – as well, but if success is consistent, it means you are born for this."

"When we get our share of the box office earnings in a couple of months, it will significantly improve MGM's financial situation."

Eric didn't particularly think about finances. When they paid Kirk Kerkorian 2 billion dollars, they still had 1.1 billion dollars in liquid funds left. The company's recent projects were also not numerous, with the major one being "Transformers." Although a lot of money was spent on acquiring the rights, Eric didn't think the company was short on funds. However, judging by his father's look, things were different.

"Dad, does the company have financial problems?"

"Not yet, but we are planning to buy Hasbro shares. Their price has risen, and to continue purchasing, more capital will be needed. You couldn't find me because I was looking for ways to raise money."

"What is the current share price?"

"$35.1 per share. On the day of the announcement of the main characters in the film, Hasbro shares rose by 7%. I think Weta Digital played a big role."

Eric nodded: "I remember we recently bought 5% of the shares. How much do we have now?"

Charlie Cooper raised three fingers: "8%. During this time, I secretly acquired another 3%, which cost 230 million dollars. MGM has now invested 530 million dollars in the stock market."

"Besides MGM, someone else is secretly buying Hasbro shares. Their price is constantly rising, and it is becoming more difficult to continue purchasing."

"The Hassenfeld family."

"Undoubtedly, the Hassenfelds. After all, only they and we knew the inside information. But after the announcement, there may have been other players as well."

Eric tapped the table thoughtfully until his mother touched his hand: "Eric, that's rude!"

"Sorry!"

"Dad, if good news can drive Hasbro's shares up, how much do you think they can fall due to bad news?"

Eric pondered, then squinted, his voice turning cold.

"What?"

"If the market believes that the 'Transformers' movie will fail, how much can Hasbro's shares drop?"

His father thought for a moment: "They will probably return to their previous level. But if a mass sell-off starts, a decrease is also possible. Although it will not be significant since Hasbro's core business is toys."

"That's about what I think. Dad, get ready to sell our shares. It's time to give them a little shock!"

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