[Chapter 322: The Truck Driver Came to the Door]
The promotional strategy for Get Out was largely similar to that of Happy Death Day. The biggest difference was replacing scandal-driven hype with a focus on racial equality, with various civil rights groups across the country voluntarily assisting in promotion.
After early buzz-building, advance screenings for audiences and theater representatives, the exhibitors were very optimistic about the film's box office prospects. Since November is typically a slow month for movies, the release was set at 2,800 screens.
On October 28th, Linton Films held the premiere of Get Out at the Los Angeles Dome Theater. This was the company's first-ever premiere event, though their distribution department was no stranger to such events due to past experience co-releasing The Rock with Universal.
Considering that the movie featured only one somewhat known star, Sophie Marceau, who was still considered a second-tier actress, and other cast members including the black male lead Will Smith were relative newcomers, the distribution team hired a PR company to arrange live "fan services" to boost the atmosphere.
As expected, during the red carpet walk, the applause and shouting from fans on both sides were nonstop, especially when Sophie Marceau appeared, drawing screams and cheers that overwhelmed the press photographers' cameras.
The guest list was also impressive. Linton's group of leading ladies -- Naomi, Cameron, Cristiana, Monica, Jennifer, Winona, Catherine, Charlize, and Noriko Sakai -- were all present, which alone excited the media and audience.
Additionally, the three male leads from The Rock, Nicholas Cage, Ed Harris, and Roger Moore, showed up, along with stars like Matt Damon, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, and others.
The recently acclaimed directors Anne, Michael Bay, Quentin Tarantino, and Zack Snyder also attended.
What surprised Linton most was seeing James Cameron at the premiere.
...
The huge screen lit up with the Linton Films logo. After the producer and director credits, the movie started.
The sunny opening showcased a passionate young black man and a beautiful young white woman, immediately grabbing audience attention.
Chris, a black man who had lost his parents early, was very ambitious and hardworking. By age 26, he was a moderately successful professional photographer.
He had a beautiful and gentle white girlfriend, Ruth. After dating for four months, Ruth invited Chris to her family home.
Her parents were very hospitable, showing no unusual reaction to Chris's skin color -- in fact, they were excessively welcoming.
But due to their over-the-top friendliness, Chris felt something was off.
He found the girlfriend's family, and even the entire town, strangely odd. He wanted to leave. Though Ruth was reluctant, she reluctantly agreed.
Meanwhile, inside Ruth's home, a silent auction was taking place. The father had a photo of Chris behind him; the auction's object was Chris himself.
Just as Chris and Ruth were packing to leave, they found Ruth's family blocking the door.
After a struggle, Chris was captured. When he awoke, his hands and feet were tied to a chair.
A white elderly man appeared on the television opposite, revealing the conspiracy's truth.
The town had developed a technique allowing old white men's brains to be transplanted into the bodies of strong black men, enabling them to live on.
After a life-and-death fight, Chris succeeded in striking back and ultimately escaped the town.
The plot was simple but very engaging. The director's pacing was excellent, and the actors delivered strong performances. Several plot twists kept audiences breathless yet glued to the screen.
At the end, the audience erupted into enthusiastic applause, cheers, and screams.
...
The premiere was a huge success. After seeing off the guests, at James Cameron's request, the two met at a business club.
After finishing coffee and once the waiter left, the director handed Linton a manuscript.
"Linton, have you seen the 1958 black-and-white movie A Night to Remember?"
"Yes, it's a disaster film loosely based on the Titanic story."
"Right. I have a new idea to tell this tragic historical event through a poignant love story, turning it into a classic romance movie."
"A romance?" Linton's heart skipped. "You mean Titanic?"
"Exactly. I want to set it during the 1912 maiden voyage of the Titanic, telling a story of two people from different social classes -- a poor artist Jack and noblewoman Rose -- defying societal prejudices to fall in love. Jack ultimately sacrifices his chance to survive to save Rose. This is my handwritten draft."
"Nice, it's a touching story. Do you have concrete plans?" After reading the draft, Linton felt confident. This was sure to smash box office records and become a historic classic. He couldn't believe such a blessing fell right into his lap.
What he didn't know was that last year, when James had spent $115 million producing the blockbuster True Lies, due to excessive graphic violence, it was rated R. However, James refused to give in and make the changes, resulting in the film being released with an R rating in the end.
Though it grossed $370 million worldwide, considering the $115 million production cost, $50 million marketing budget, and box office share with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the film barely broke even, relying mainly on later licensing for profit.
As a result, 20th Century Fox showed little enthusiasm toward James's new project, neither cold nor warm.
James felt a kinship with Linton during their meetings, as both admired each other's work. Plus, Linton Films was rolling out hit after hit with abundant funding. Since Fox's support felt lukewarm, James decided to try his luck with Linton, which led to this meeting.
"To perfect the script and recreate the setting accurately, I want to visit the Titanic's wreck site, 2.5 miles deep in the North Atlantic, to examine the remains and film as much as possible."
"Sure, how can I support you?"
"Linton, I want to be clear: the budget will be at least $120 million. Are you committed to investing?"
"Absolutely. You're one of Hollywood's top directors. Any film you direct has my full support, and I love this story."
"Great. Let's sign a letter of intent and you can give me $500,000 upfront. I'll do the expedition, then finish the script based on my findings."
"No problem. Come with your agent tomorrow to sign the contract."
Linton was thrilled. Hesitating even a second now would be disrespecting both his memory and the dollars at stake.
*****
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