Harry Percy was right.
While the old Hollywood scholars and stubborn elites remained stuck in their self-congratulatory, self-important bubble, Anson once again blazed a new trail, rewriting the history of film distribution, promotion, and marketing.
Not only did he promote the film, but he also built a strong connection with the audience, even among ordinary people, creating a sense of relatability while establishing his personal style in the process.
He accomplished multiple goals at once.
And he did it so smoothly, without leaving any trace of a carefully crafted strategy.
In 2002, when the internet wasn't fully developed, and globalization was just taking off, this strategy was groundbreaking, easily overshadowing everything else.
Realizing this, Harry wasn't the least bit smug. Instead, he was more certain than ever that Anson was a force to be reckoned with—a devil to be avoided at all costs, or you might end up selling your soul without even realizing it.
Describing it in just a few words, it seemed like a flash of brilliance; but in reality, Anson's whirlwind promotional tour across North America lasted a full fifteen days.
Starting on Christmas Day 2002, and crossing into 2003 with nonstop activity, the tour just kept pushing eastward.
The buzz? It was there.
The hype? It was there.
Curiosity and interest? All there.
But what about the box office?
As grand as the promotional campaign seemed, it would all be pointless unless it translated into ticket sales—unless people actually went to the theaters. Only then could it be considered a success.
That's what the studios cared about. Otherwise, all the glitz and glamor would fade away, leaving nothing but frustration and emptiness when the spotlight went out.
Naturally, the more lively the promotions, the more attention on the box office.
December 24, Christmas Eve: the premiere of Catch Me If You Can.
December 25, Christmas Day: Catch Me If You Can releases nationwide.
Obviously, this was a prime time for release but also a challenging one.
On the positive side, it's a holiday, so families have time, and going to the movies is an option to pass the time. That's why movie ticket sales usually spike during holidays. Christmas, in particular, has enormous box-office potential.
No one has forgotten the Home Alone craze during Christmas or the box-office miracle of Titanic, which also happened during the holiday season.
On the negative side, Christmas is a day for families to gather, so who's going to the movies? With so many other entertainment options at home, movies often take a backseat.
Unlike the summer blockbuster season, holiday releases have this inherent contradiction, and Hollywood still hasn't fully cracked the code.
A prime question is whether or not to release a movie on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Most of Hollywood tends to avoid it.
Holiday box office success hinges on the days surrounding the holiday, creating an atmosphere. But on the holiday itself, theaters are usually quiet.
The numbers don't lie.
In North American box-office history, the single-day Christmas record—whether for premieres or existing films—was set by Ali, a biographical film released on Christmas Day 2001, starring Will Smith as the iconic figure.
It grossed $10.2 million on opening day, making it the only film to break the $10 million mark on Christmas Day.
The message couldn't be clearer.
So, most holiday films avoid opening on Christmas Day, opting for an earlier release instead.
There's another factor. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, films eligible for the Oscars must be released between December 25 of the previous year and December 24 of the current year, and must play for at least one week in Los Angeles theaters. Otherwise, they're disqualified from the competition.
This date range shifts slightly from year to year but generally centers around Christmas.
As a result, to avoid any last-minute drama, films aiming for the Oscars tend to release in the week leading up to Christmas.
The result? The week before Christmas is often a packed schedule of new releases.
This year was no exception.
In the week leading up to Christmas, only Catch Me If You Can was scheduled for release on Christmas Day.
But the previous week was an absolute free-for-all.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was the heavyweight champion of the week, but several other films dared to open simultaneously.
Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock's romantic comedy Two Weeks Notice was released nationwide. After the disappointing Murder by Numbers, Sandra was returning to her roots in romantic comedies, partnering with the king of rom-coms himself, Hugh Grant.
Gangs of New York, the highly anticipated awards contender of the season, also premiered that week. With big names like Martin Scorsese, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cameron Diaz, it was a major event.
And that's just a few of the contenders. Two other films were released in over 1,000 theaters, along with three smaller awards-season films, making for a grand total of eight new releases—a packed week that rivaled the summer season.
In this chaotic environment, Catch Me If You Can made its debut.
DreamWorks could have waited until Friday, December 27, for a wider release, but for various reasons, they stuck with their original plan for a Christmas Day opening.
And then—
Wednesday, Christmas Day.
On one hand, the film received glowing reviews, with critics praising Steven Spielberg's comeback and Anson Wood's continued success after Spider-Man.
On the other hand, the "Christmas Surprise" flash mob event kicked off in Los Angeles, spreading rapidly among fans, even though major outlets like TMZ hadn't caught on yet.
So, how did Catch Me If You Can perform at the box office? Did it break the Christmas Day curse? Could Anson continue his summer blockbuster magic?
Three, two, one—here's the answer:
$13 million.
Hollywood: …
Stunned silence.
Everyone was so shocked that they couldn't react. They kept checking the numbers to make sure they hadn't added an extra zero by mistake, but it was true.
History was made.
Records were shattered.
Just as he had rewritten history during the summer season, Anson did it again during the holidays. The miracle that Warner Bros. had hoped for with Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings didn't happen for them.
Instead, it happened for the same man as before:
Anson Wood.