Chapter 66

In the media's praise of "Lola Run", the weekend passed quickly.

However, since February 16 is the third Monday in February, President's day, one of the federal statutory holidays. According to the Convention, the weekend box office of the new week is calculated from February 13 to February 16, which is actually an important reason for Orion to choose February 13.

February 17, Tuesday.

Due to the recent busy time, Orion film president Mike medova has not had much rest in the past three days. However, he still arrived at the company early today.

Sitting in his office, looking back on the frustrations of Orion in the past year, Mike medova even felt a sense of survival.

In 1985, Orion produced and released 12 films, but the best film "looking for Susan" only got $27 million at the North American box office, nine of which are facing losses.

As a result of a series of film box office failures, in 1986, Orion, which was in a serious financial crisis, was faced with the fate of being taken over by the well-known Warburg Pincus Investment Group on Wall Street. Once it was completed, all the original management of the company would be dismissed.

At the critical moment, the company's CEO Arthur crim convinced his good friend, media tycoon John Kruger, to buy 6.5% of Orion's shares, which brought the company the most needed amount of working capital, which saved everyone's jobs.

Then everything seemed to start to go smoothly.

With more than 90 million US dollars in North American box office, "back to school" released by Orion summer archives has completely extricated the company from the financial crisis. At the end of last year, the company focused on the release of "field platoon". As of last week, the cumulative box office also exceeded 40 million US dollars. According to the current box office curve, the film's North American box office can easily reach the $100 million mark.

In addition, in terms of awards, Orion also gained a lot this year. Orion has won 18 nominations in the 59th Oscars, more than one of the top seven.

Now, in the twinkling of an eye, it's 1987, and Orion seems to have completely inherited last year's good luck.

At the beginning of the new year, the company picked up a small box office "black horse" from the big seven.

Lola, run.

Although we haven't seen the box office data of the first weekend yet, according to the feedback of various aspects in the past few days, Mike medovas has no doubt that the film will make a good start for Orion in 1987.

Looking at a document and thinking about these things, the Secretary knocked on the door: "Mr. medova, Miss Johnston is here."

"Let her in," said Mike medova. After thinking about it, he stood up again and asked, "by the way, did the box office data of last weekend arrive?"

The Secretary shook his head: "do you need me to rush it?"

"No, just drop me off at my office, and make me two coffees," he said, as Mike medova turned his desk and reached out to Janet, who had entered the door. "Miss Johnston, it's still early today."

Janet shook hands with Mike medova with a smile and said, "aren't you, too?"

"It's my job. Of course, I have to work hard," said Mike medova, gesturing Janet to sit down in the reception area at will. She also sat opposite the tea table and said, "it's usually 9:30. It's almost time."

Janet also heard the conversation Mike medova had just had with her secretary, only nodding slightly.

They sat down. Mike medova was about to ask Simon about his recent situation when the door of the office was pushed open again. The Secretary raised a fax in his hand and said, "Mr. medova, the box office is here."

Mike medova felt that the Secretary's tone was a bit stuttering, his face was puzzled, and he even had some bad premonitions in his heart, so he just took the initiative to pick up the box office report.

Just a glance, Mike medova's expression also became strange, turned and asked the Secretary, "are you sure you're right?"

The Secretary didn't seem to be relieved, and said, "I, Mr. medova, would you like me to call and ask?"

Although he felt that there was little chance that his data would go wrong, Mike medova nodded.

Janet got up and came over, reached out and said, "Mr. medova, may I have a look?"

"Oh, of course," said Mike medova, handing the box office report to Janet. "The data should be OK, but it's incredible. It's much higher than I thought."

Janet didn't answer, but her eyes fell on the box office report in her hand. She saw the name of "Lola Run" and the box office figures at a glance.

5.51 million US dollars.

Very good.

It was Janet's first thought. Then he began to calculate that $5.51 million, according to the 15% fixed box office share agreed by Simon and Orion, only in the past four days, he could get back more than $800000, even if he had to pay the copy fee in the future, it would be a payback.Mike medova noticed that Janet just slightly raised her eyebrows and showed a satisfied smile. Although she knew that she had just come into contact with the industry, it was difficult for her to understand what the box office data of "Lola Run" meant, she still wanted to wake up the woman in front of her and say: "is that how you react?"

At the same time, in Beverly Hills Century City, less than a kilometer away from Orion's headquarters in fox, Ronald Goldberg waved his box office report and asked his assistant: "5.51 million dollars! How is this possible? Is there a mistake in the cinema line? "

The assistant, holding the folder in his hand, was not as flustered as Secretary Mike medova, and replied with certainty, "Mr. Goldberg, I've already called to confirm, that's right."

Listening to the assistant's calm voice, Ronald Goldberg took a deep breath and waved to her.

When the assistant left and sat down again, Ronald Goldberg opened the drawer beside his desk, looked at the cigar box in it, then closed it, picked up the box office report again and swept it down line by line.

North American box office data for the seventh weekend of 1987.

First place: field platoon; $12.87 million; Orion.

Second, cruel fate; 6.31 million US dollars; Bowe.

Third place, high spirited; US $5.99 million; fox.

Fourth, Lola Run; 5.51 million dollars; Orion.

Fifth place, leap to the top; $5.15 million; Warner.

In the top five, the box office of field platoon, which is currently the most popular movie, has exceeded US $10 million, but the box office of the other four movies does not seem to make much difference. However, if we continue to compare the number of screens of several films, we will find how big the gap is.

In the five films, besides "Lola Run", even Fox's "show off" has 932 screens. The other three films all have more than 1000 screens, and Stallone's new work "leap to the top" has reached 1758 screens this time.

By contrast, "Lola Run" has only 207 screens, less than a quarter of "high spirited" and an eighth of "over the top.".

However, with such a paltry 207 screens, "Lola Run" has reaped 5.51 million US dollars in the box office, making it into the top five of the North American weekend box office list.

It's not surprising.

What's more, with such a good box office at the beginning, what's next?

You know, Orion has only released "Lola Run" in California, Nevada, Oregon and other west coast counties, even though the second tier independent film company can't reach the overseas market. However, in central, Eastern and even northern Canada, "Lola Run" has not been shown yet.

Well, the box office momentum will continue.

Ronald Goldberg shivered suddenly, hardly daring to think about it any more. He could not help thinking about a lot of things in the past few months.

Simon westero completed "Lola Run", the first contact is fox pictures. After the film won high praise in the Sundance Film Festival, westero is still inclined to give the distribution right to fox. Until the film finally won the award in the Sundance Film Festival, fox still has a chance to win the film.

It's just that.

All of these opportunities have gone wrong.

Now.

Oh, my God.

What did you miss?

He leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. Ronald Goldberg pressed the phone button on his desk, and his assistant soon came in again.

"You say hello to David giller. I'm going to see a sample of the butterfly effect this afternoon. Besides, another play by Simon westero, um, what's it called? "

The assistant skillfully reminded: "death is coming."

"Yes, death is coming. Please contact wma and send the script. In addition, Simon westero..."

Ronald Goldberg pondered for a moment, but before he made a decision, his assistant had already volunteered: "Mr. Goldberg, Simon westero is currently in Arizona and is involved in making a film invested by d'laurentius entertainment, called" night of the blood corpse. "

Ronald goldbergton had some doubts: "is there anything special about this movie?"

"No," the assistant shook her head and said, "but the director of the film is Katherine Bigelow. During the shooting of Lola Run, Katherine Bigelow acted as the assistant director of Simon westero. He should be paying back the favor."

Hearing the assistant's words, Ronald Goldberg's mind flashed the question of who Katherine Bigelow was, but he didn't ask any more. He just waved his hand and said, "in that case, forget it for the time being. You can do what you just did first."

No matter how surprised, gaffed and regretted the executives of Hollywood film company who had the chance to get the distribution right of "Lola Run", the amazing box office data of the first weekend of "Lola Run" still spread rapidly and appeared in many important pages of evening newspapers that afternoon.