July, a scorching summer month, saw students eagerly embrace their long-awaited summer vacation, with ample leisure time to immerse themselves in cinemas and fully enjoy the fun and excitement that movies bring.
All studios are well aware of the importance of the summer season for the film market—it's the golden period for making money all year round.
Look, in July, a slew of films like Different Instincts, Life and Death Heroism, and Hour of Slaughter premiered, making the competition exceptionally fierce.
However, the entire month's box office was largely dominated by two films: the hangover and independence day.
Time flew by, and by July 31st, independence day's box office had soared to 228.99 million.
For a single film to achieve such high box office in one month, it's no wonder it became the 1996 box office champion.
In Hollywood, no one doubted that it would continue to make big money, as the film's popularity had not yet waned, and surely many viewers had not yet had the chance to see it in cinemas.
the hangover's performance was equally impressive, reaching 207.01 million at the box office.
These two films, released almost simultaneously, both broke the 200 million box office mark, an astonishing and almost unbelievable achievement.
After in-depth analysis, the studios' marketing departments concluded that audiences were very receptive to sci-fi films, especially those with excellent special effects; as for the hangover, its remarkable success was largely fueled by scandal—many people heard about Kazir's incident first and, out of curiosity, went to see the film.
However, let's not forget that independence day was the first film in history to advertise during the Super Bowl. This move caused an instant sensation—after all, hundreds of millions of people watch the Super Bowl every year, and such massive exposure undoubtedly played a huge role in promoting the film.
Ultimately, the success of both these films can be attributed to effective promotional strategies. Their distribution and marketing efforts were flawless, and the conclusion is as simple and direct as that.
Even Disney was regretting it immensely at this point—their meddling to trip up Kazir was a complete miscalculation. Different Instincts flopped miserably, and the scandals they created not only failed to harm Kazir in the slightest but instead helped Warner Bros. and Kazir generate buzz, significantly boosting the hangover's visibility.
What's worse, Salvatore Barlo directly declared that Kazier Gray would absolutely not work with Disney and Universal Pictures in the future.
Yes, this agent was that assertive, daring to openly state his position! He wasn't worried about the consequences—after all, Hollywood has five major film studios, and Kazir could still collaborate with the other three, so Disney and Universal weren't essential.
...Michael.
Harvey Weinstein wiped the sweat from his forehead; he was the one who had secretly fanned the flames behind the scenes, causing the scandal to escalate.
Michael Eisner closed his eyes, silent.
Disney's films this year had a mixed performance; even big productions like The Rock and ransom failed to break the 200 million box office mark, and animated films were becoming less appealing, struggling to capture audience interest.
It seems we need to inject some fresh blood into the company.
This was also why Michael Eisner brought his friend Michael Ovitz in as Disney's president.
Michael Eisner had been Disney's chairman for almost ten years; he was strong-willed and had led the company through many glorious periods.
However, he knew in his heart that the traditional hand-drawn animation market was gradually shrinking, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to make a living from it.
We need to buy Pixar. His mind was racing with countless thoughts, and he suddenly asked, Did Michael Ovitz agree to mess with Kazir back then?
He didn't say anything, so it was tacit approval! Harvey Weinstein replied truthfully.
Michael Ovitz, the founder of CAA, clearly didn't want to get involved in Harvey Weinstein's messy affairs, so he turned a blind eye and remained silent.
So WMA was the one who connected you, giving you Cassandra Hocklap's contact information, and you helped them cause trouble?
Yes.
This is troublesome. I didn't expect you to be used as a pawn by WMA.
Harvey Weinstein gritted his teeth, remaining silent.
He was the founder of Miramax, always arrogant.
He had been holding a grudge ever since he failed to acquire the rights to napoleon dynamite, which is why he wanted to trip up Kazir to vent his anger.
No need to explain, you can go!
Harvey had no choice but to turn and leave, resigned.
After all, Disney was the major shareholder of Miramax Films, so ultimately, they called the shots.
The Fat Man stormed out of the office, filled with indignation.
Perhaps we should kick the Weinstein Brothers out of Miramax. Michael Eisner sighed.
But the reality was, Miramax was effectively held tightly by the Weinstein Brothers, and as chairman, he had little say in many matters.
However, Michael Eisner had always been autocratic and had long planned to remove the Weinstein Brothers from Miramax.
This might be an opportunity.
When Harvey used Disney's resources to harm Kazir, Michael Eisner tacitly allowed it because he thought Kazir was just a newcomer who couldn't cause much trouble.
But now that his film has exploded like this... this Kazier Gray, he's actually piqued his interest.
I need to see if this kid is a talent that can be used or a troublemaker.
While Hollywood was embroiled in schemes and undercurrents, Kazir, along with the hangover's creative team, flew to the United Kingdom on Warner Bros.' private jet.
Australia and the United Kingdom are both English-speaking countries, and Hollywood films usually choose to premiere in these two places first—because the language is the same, films are more easily accepted by local audiences and more likely to achieve good box office results.
Of course, there are other English-speaking countries that are also important markets, but Australia and the United Kingdom are undoubtedly the most profitable.
After the promotional tour in the United Kingdom, the actors would have to rush to other European countries to continue promoting the film.
European art films have always been known for their high quality, and European audiences are very discerning about films, possessing a high appreciation for their artistic merit.
However, in recent years, the competition between European art films and Hollywood blockbusters has become increasingly fierce, making it harder for European art films to secure a place in the market, with their market share continuously squeezed by Hollywood blockbusters.
Do you think we'll get to meet Princess Diana? After getting off Warner Bros.' private jet, Reese Witherspoon asked Kazir excitedly.
Princess Diana? Oh! Kazir suddenly realized—Princess Diana was still alive at this time!
It was so sad what happened to her later... He sighed, his voice full of regret. As for the conspiracy theories circulating about her and the royal family... I can't say exactly what happened.
I really admire Princess Diana; she was genuine... unlike her husband. Reese Witherspoon made no secret of her affection for Princess Diana.
Reese, keep your voice down. Kazir quickly reminded her. After all, the royal family still rules this country, and we shouldn't offend anyone. Besides, Prince Charles is going to inherit the throne.
Really? Reese Witherspoon's eyes widened in surprise.
Hmm... I heard that's the case.