"Good morning, Mr. Semel."
The receptionist greeted him with a warm smile.
"Good morning."
Warner Bros. CEO Terry Semel was in an exceptionally good mood and returned the receptionist's greeting with a smile.
Not long ago, Time Warner successfully acquired Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), a major move that significantly boosted the group's overall strength.
And now, what made Terry even happier was that more good news awaited him.
With Turner Broadcasting now under Time Warner, its subsidiary, New Line Cinema, naturally became part of Warner Bros.'s holdings.
However, Time Warner made a wise decision not to interfere with New Line Cinema's daily operations. After all, New Line Cinema had always been doing quite well, with good profitability, so there was no need to meddle unnecessarily.
Furthermore, New Line Cinema's most recent film had received excellent reviews and generated considerable buzz in the market. Although Terry couldn't directly manage New Line Cinema for the time being, seeing the company thrive made him feel at ease. At least he didn't have to worry about New Line Cinema becoming a burden for Warner Bros. and dragging the group down.
Terry walked into his office with a light step, then instructed his secretary to bring him the latest newspaper. He planned to focus on this month's film news.
On the newspaper, a film review for Se7en caught his eye.
"The ingenuity of Se7en is truly remarkable. It introduces the killer half an hour before the end, and even gives him many profound lines. This is by no means a simple, crude film driven by car chases or mere predator-prey scenarios; rather, it features a twisted yet eloquent villain. He brings his'sermon' to a close with a chilling plan. (It's worth noting that the filmmakers did not credit the actor playing the killer on the poster or in the opening, so I won't spoil it here.) The film is meticulously detailed and unflinching in its portrayal of crime scenes. Its realistic and brutal depiction is clearly not suitable for teenagers or more sensitive viewers. Overall, it is undoubtedly an excellent film, yet it seems to be one step away from becoming a great classic — the ending feels a bit rushed. The film's early setup is very effective, and the characters are well-developed, but in the end, it takes the easiest way out. Perhaps such an ending offers some catharsis to the audience, but compared to the meticulously crafted atmosphere and buildup, it feels rather inadequate." — Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
Even Roger Ebert, an influential film critic, had reviewed the film and given it a highly positive "two thumbs up" rating.
Terry knew full well that such positive reviews were largely due to New Line Cinema's public relations efforts.
"I wonder how much New Line gave Ebert this time."
His lips curled into a slight, disdainful sneer, and then he turned to another film review in the newspaper.
"The real explosive point of Se7en is not who the killer is, but director Fincher's successful elevation of suspense to the level of moral provocation. If Pulp Fiction first introduced audiences to the charm of such challenging films, then we should thank Tarantino, not criticize him." — Peter Travers (Rolling Stone Magazine)
Terry nodded unconsciously as he read the reviews.
He had personally attended the premiere of Se7en and was deeply impressed by the film at the time.
He heard that the film had received a lukewarm response during early test screenings and hadn't garnered much attention, but its opening weekend box office numbers slapped those who doubted it.
The midnight showing grossed 3.6 million, friday 4.2 million, Saturday 3.1 million, and Sunday 3 million — a total of 13.9 million for the opening weekend.
Such results far exceeded Terry's expectations.
It was important to remember that Se7en had a dark overall tone, gritty visuals, and numerous bloody and violent scenes, making it clearly unsuitable for family viewing.
Achieving such excellent box office results under these circumstances was truly remarkable.
"Kazier Gray? Where have I heard that name before?" Terry frowned slightly as he looked at the name of Se7en's screenwriter in the newspaper. He then pressed the call button on his desk, summoning his secretary.
"Emily, do you know Kazier Gray?" Terry asked.
"No, sir," replied his secretary Emily, looking bewildered.
"Ask other departments. Hollywood isn't that big; someone might know," Terry instructed.
After all, in any industry, there are always people who know the relevant figures.
"Alright." Although Emily was completely confused and didn't understand why her boss was suddenly interested in this person, she complied.
She picked up the phone on her desk and started calling each department.
"Me? The CEO of Warner Bros. is looking for me?" Enrico Pusi was stunned when he received the notification.
He was a producer in the production department, and his main job was to scout for promising scripts, occasionally overseeing film projects himself.
At the moment, he was swamped, busy with promotional work for batman forever!
"Sir, Enrico is here," the secretary's voice came from outside the door.
"Let him in," Terry said.
Enrico walked into the office with an uneasy heart. As soon as he entered, he saw Terry sitting at his desk, flipping through the newspaper. His heart pounded, unsure of what awaited him.
"Enrico, I heard you've met Kazier Gray?" Terry put down the newspaper and looked directly at Enrico, asking.
Enrico swallowed, instantly realizing why he had been called here.
"Don't be nervous, I don't blame you," Terry said, his tone softening as he seemed to sense Enrico's tension. "I had my secretary pull Se7en's script from New Line's library. To be honest, if it were me, I'd also think this script wouldn't make much money."
"Yes, sir…"
Enrico let out a long breath, his previously taut nerves relaxing slightly.
"But I hear Kazier Gray has a new project. If you have time, go talk to him. If his new film is interesting, I don't need to tell you what to do, do I?"
Terry looked at Enrico, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll do my best," Enrico quickly nodded, secretly relieved that he hadn't been scolded this time.
Terry waved his hand, signaling Enrico could leave: "Alright, you can go now."