The film The Color of Money experienced a significant commercial surge following the 59th Academy Awards, thanks in large part to Paul Newman winning the Academy Award for Best Actor. Due to this Oscar bump, the film was able to extend its domestic theatrical run by three weeks, ultimately completing its domestic theatrical run at $107 million. Internationally, the film grossed $64 million, bringing the final total global box office receipts to $171 million.
This massive commercial success set several important records for the key talent involved. For director Martin Scorsese, the $171 million global gross established The Color of Money as his highest-grossing film to date; his next biggest commercial success until then was the 1976 classic Taxi Driver.
For lead actor Paul Newman, the film ranked as his third highest-grossing feature globally, following the immense successes of The Towering Inferno (approximately $203 million) and The Sting (approximately $200 million).
The Color of Money is Alex's fourth highest-grossing film, after Catch Me If You Can ($268 million), Ferris Bueller's Day Off ($203 million), and Footloose ($193 million).
The box office success of The Color of Money was swiftly eclipsed by the year's Best Picture winner, Platoon. Following its immense critical acclaim and multiple Academy Award victories, Platoon experienced a massive, prolonged box office surge. This push has propelled its domestic gross to a current total of $156.4 million, crossing the $150 million mark with ease.
Industry analysts are already predicting that, by the conclusion of its theatrical run, Platoon will easily surpass the current all-time domestic gross of Alex Hayes's film, Catch Me If You Can, which is $167 million. If this forecast holds, Platoon would become the highest-grossing domestic film featuring Hayes to date.
Anticipation is now at a fever pitch for Alex Hayes's next major feature, the action drama Top Gun. Leveraging the immense box office success of his recent films, the Universal Studios has committed to the largest opening of Hayes's career to date.
Top Gun is scheduled for release on June 26th and will debut in over 2,240 theaters across America. This massive release footprint—the biggest of Alex Hayes's career—is a clear indication of the studio's confidence in his drawing power and the film's potential to become a true summer blockbuster,
The undeniable commercial momentum surrounding Alex Hayes has culminated in a high-stakes bidding war for the adaptation of the fantasy classic, The Princess Bride. Sources confirm that the project is now being developed directly under Alex Hayes's own production house making it a must-have for every major studio.
With pre-production actively underway and Hayes already commencing intense swordplay training for his role as Westley, the film is officially on a fast track. Studio executives are aggressively contacting Nancy attempting to secure the high-profile project.
The intense bidding war for the adaptation of the fantasy The Princess Bride, has concluded with Disney successfully securing the project, leveraging their globally recognized brand alignment with family-friendly and fantasy-driven features.
The film is set with a production budget of $25 million.
Crucially, Alex Hayes, who is starring as Westley and producing the film through his own production house, negotiated what industry analysts are calling one of the most lucrative contracts ever signed for an actor-producer, demonstrating the extreme leverage he now holds in the marketplace. For his role as Westley, Hayes will receive a guaranteed $7 million upfront salary. However, the truly unprecedented element lies in his backend compensation: Hayes has secured 15% of the worldwide box office gross from the first dollar. Furthermore, Hayes's production house is set to receive an additional 15% of the film's net profits after deducting the distributor's fees and marketing and publicity costs.
This deal was only made possible because he is 'Alex Hayes'.
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Disney, in collaboration with Hayes's production house, has finalized the casting for the key ensemble roles, prioritizing strong, character-driven actors to anchor the fantasy narrative.
The role of the charming, vengeance-driven swordsman Inigo Montoya will be played by Mandy Patinkin. Patinkin is best known for his powerful work on the Broadway stage, particularly his Tony-nominated performance in Evita. On film, he is recognized for his sensitive portrayal of Avigdor in Barbra Streisand's Yentl (1983). Patinkin's stage and musical background are expected to bring a dynamic charisma to the role.
The fast-talking, arrogant strategist Vizzini has been cast with the acclaimed character actor Wallace Shawn. Shawn is instantly recognizable to critics and arthouse fans for his work as the titular lead in the cult-classic experimental film My Dinner with Andre (1981) and for his early, memorable appearances in Woody Allen's Manhattan (1979).
In a casting move designed to draw immediate public recognition, the gentle giant Fezzik will be played by legendary professional wrestler, André the Giant. A globally known figure, André has had limited but notable acting experience, including a memorable appearance in the film Conan the Destroyer (1984). His sheer physical presence and widespread fame are anticipated to generate significant publicity for the film.
The ambitious and cruel Prince Humperdinck will be played by Chris Sarandon. Sarandon's career rocketed after his Oscar-nominated film debut as Leon Shermer in Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon (1975). He recently gained significant commercial attention for his role as the menacing vampire Jerry Dandrige in the horror hit Fright Night (1985), positioning him as a bankable cinematic antagonist.
The sinister and calculating Count Rugen has been cast with the multi-talented actor and writer Christopher Guest. Guest is best known for his role as the outrageously pretentious rock guitarist Nigel Tufnel in the seminal mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap (1984). His versatile background, which includes writing for Saturday Night Live and a comedic turn in Little Shop of Horrors (1986), suggests an unexpected, dryly humorous approach to the villain.
With the strong supporting cast secured, the production's focus has shifted entirely to finding the perfect Buttercup, the beautiful farm girl who becomes The Princess Bride. The role requires an actress with a delicate balance of innocence, strength, and classic beauty, and the search is wide open. Given that the film stars and is produced by Alex Hayes, who consistently delivers massive box office returns, this single role is widely recognized throughout Hollywood as the most desirable leading female part of the year.
The search has been immense, with every top young actress vying for the part. Reports confirm that major stars and rising talents alike have tested for the role. High-profile names confirmed to have auditioned include Molly Ringwald, Brooke Shields, and Demi Moore, alongside rising stars like Courteney Cox, Meg Ryan, and Uma Thurman.
Despite this incredible roster of established and rapidly ascending talent, both director Rob Reiner and producer/star Alex Hayes remained profoundly unsatisfied. None of the seasoned actresses captured the delicate, unspoiled essence of the young woman at the heart of the story. They felt the auditions were delivering movie stars playing a peasant girl, not a true farm maiden destined for romance and adventure. Reiner and Hayes agreed to expand the search scope, determined to find an unknown talent who possessed that unique, essential quality.
The exhaustive search finally paid off when a young actress named Robin Wright was called in to audition. At the time, Wright was known primarily for her work on the daytime soap opera Santa Barbara. Rob Reiner and Alex Hayes were immediately struck by her presence. She had the classic, elegant bone structure required for the princess Buttercup, yet maintained an utterly believable innocence that none of the other actresses could replicate. She possessed a fresh-faced beauty that was entirely natural and unvarnished, with eyes that held both the naiveté of a sheltered farm girl and the fire of a determined woman. She was the living embodiment of the character they had only previously imagined. The search was over.
The joy of casting Robin Wright was immediately overshadowed by a major contract problem. Wright was legally contracted to the daily soap opera Santa Barbara until 1988, and the rigorous schedule created an impossible scheduling conflict with the movie.
Alex Hayes knew they had to secure their perfect lead. He contacted his agency, CAA, and tasked his agent, Paula, with finding a way out of the contract.
In the bustling office of CAA, Robin Wright sat nervously in agent Paula's office. She had recently ended her association with a very small, ineffective agency and joined the powerhouse CAA, but the negotiations for her release felt like an eternity. She was praying that the powerful agency was successful; she didn't want to lose this life-changing opportunity to work with Alex Hayes.
The door opened, and Paula entered the room, greeting Robin with a smile.
"What happened?" Robin asked, her voice tight with worry.
Paula's smile broadened. "Robin, you are no longer under contract. You're free."
Robin was stunned. "How? How did you manage that?"
"We're CAA, Robin. We have influence. And we also paid $500,000," Paula confirmed.
Robin's surprise was evident. "You paid half a million dollars for me?"
"Not for you, but for our top client, Alex Hayes," Paula clarified with a knowing look. "And yes, you are our client now, too. This movie will do wonders for your career, and this $500,000 is our investment in you."
In that moment, Robin Wright fully understood the immense importance of influence and contacts in Hollywood.