Chapter 437: Albert's Temptation

Darkness blanketed the sky over New York. At the Times Company building on 8th Street in Manhattan, the lights still blazed despite the early hour. A new week had begun. The New York Times was awaiting its final layout before being sent to printing presses across America. When dawn broke, the paper would appear at countless homes and businesses.

As editorial director of The New York Times, Dean Baquet dictated the layout most of the time. Unless a major story broke, executive editor Howell Raines generally didn't interfere.

Nearing two in the morning, Dean Baquet breathed a sigh of relief after reviewing the paper's layout. The day's work was almost done; he could finally head home and rest.

"Amanda!" Dean Baquet called his assistant. "Have someone take..."

He didn't get to finish. The office door was suddenly pushed open. Dean Baquet furrowed his brow, ready to voice his displeasure, but instantly suppressed it the moment he saw who had walked in.

Howell Raines strode into the room. Given the hour, Baquet was certain the executive editor hadn't come to chat.

Sure enough, Howell Raines got straight to the point. "What's the front-page headline?"

"Prince William traveling to Afghanistan to visit the troops..." Dean Baquet waved his assistant away.

Taking the hint, Amanda immediately stepped out.

"Pull that from the headline." Raines left no room for negotiation. "Put it on page two!"

"Breaking news?"

Though he didn't object, Baquet found it strange. What could possibly draw more eyeballs than Prince William visiting the troops?

"I just got the news," Raines said. He wasn't overly dictatorial, so he offered a brief explanation. "Duke Rosenberg and his movie have opened a new chapter for North American cinema. A brand-new era has been born!"

Dean Baquet immediately understood what the executive editor meant. He picked up his phone, dialed a number, and barked, "I want Duke Rosenberg and The Two Towers as the headline! And listen closely, not the front page of the entertainment section! The front-page headline of The New York Times!"

While The New York Times was published in New York, it was distributed nationwide and globally, wielding considerable influence. It was the top choice for many corporate subscriptions, and Universal Pictures was among its readership.

Striding into his office, Ron Meyer tossed his copy of The New York Times onto his desk. He sat down and hit the intercom. "Is Michael Ovitz here yet?"

"He arrived ten minutes ago. He's currently in the lounge."

Hearing his secretary's reply, Ron Meyer immediately said, "Send him in!"

Although their relationship had fractured after they co-founded CAA, that didn't affect the cooperation between Universal Pictures and the Artists Management Company. Moreover, Ron Meyer knew Michael Ovitz's capabilities. The massive success of their last collaborative project, Fast & Furious, had proven exactly that.

The two were currently collaborating on a major project with an investment exceeding $150 million. In the face of such enormous stakes, personal conflicts meant nothing.

Yet looking at the figure on the front page of The New York Times, and thinking about Michael Ovitz's proposed release date for Van Helsing, Ron Meyer could not blindly trust the man.

A light knock sounded at the door before Michael Ovitz pushed it open, walked right in, and took a seat across from him.

The two had once been friends, then became enemies. Now, sitting together as partners, there was no room for pleasantries—just a mutual nod.

Ron Meyer had no desire for idle chatter and cut straight to the chase. "Michael, have you seen last weekend's box office numbers?"

Michael Ovitz gave a slight nod.

Raising his voice slightly, Ron Meyer asked, "Do you still think Van Helsing should be released next May?"

"Have a little faith in yourself, Ron!" Michael Ovitz seemed to have no intention of giving up. "Our movie might just be able to shake Duke Rosenberg! Yes, his performance in the summer season has been outstanding, but don't forget that Stephen Sommers has also achieved massive success in the summer season twice in a row. His ability to direct fantasy is second to none!"

Ovitz didn't speak quickly, but he was brimming with absolute confidence. "Hugh Jackman is already an A-list actor, and one with incredible box office draw at that. Our total investment is a staggering $160 million. And our film features iconic characters like Count Dracula..."

"Say no more, Michael!" Ron Meyer picked up the copy of The New York Times and tossed it in front of him. "Nothing you say is more persuasive than the numbers printed right there!"

Ovitz's grand rhetoric instantly died in his throat. No matter how much he talked, it was a joke in the face of Duke Rosenberg's epoch-making box office numbers.

He sighed softly, his eyes falling on the front page of The New York Times.

"A Great Moment Forged by a Director! A New Era Created by a Film!"

"In recent years, the North American film industry has grown rapidly. Market capacity continues to expand, giving rise to directors with extraordinary commercial success like James Cameron and Duke Rosenberg. The latter, in particular, possesses boundless creative energy, releasing new work almost every year. The fantasy craze sparked by last year's The Fellowship of the Ring hasn't faded yet, and The Two Towers, released just last weekend, has already set another magnificent record!"

"Over the past three-day weekend, The Two Towers raked in $103.03 million in North America, becoming the first film in North American history to break the $100 million mark in a single weekend. Duke Rosenberg has also become the first person to achieve this monumental feat..."

At that point, Ovitz looked away. He didn't want to subject his eyes to the sycophantic flattery that followed.

"Greatness, glory, super director..."

He couldn't stomach seeing words like that!

"Over $100 million in its opening week!" Meyer spoke up again, his voice rising. "And that was a hundred million earned while under siege by your Artists Management Company, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney, and a host of other studios. Doesn't that tell you something?"

He didn't give Ovitz a chance to speak. "If it weren't for our online smear campaign, how high would the box office for The Two Towers have gone?"

Just thinking about it made Meyer feel humiliated. So many companies had participated in that online siege—whether openly or in the shadows—yet Duke Rosenberg had still carved a bloody path to victory. He had even set a terrifying box office record. It was an absolute slap in the face to all of them!

Why wouldn't Duke Rosenberg just fail? Ovitz furrowed his brow tightly. He desperately wanted to teach the young man a profound lesson, except...

"Michael, I hate to sound defeatist," Meyer said, his mind made up. "But from the box office data to the market reception to the sheer number of supporters, how on earth does Stephen Sommers even compare to Duke Rosenberg? You don't honestly believe he can beat him, do you?"

If Ovitz still claimed that a Stephen Sommers production could go toe-to-toe with Duke Rosenberg, he and Universal Pictures would absolutely find a way to kick the Artists Management Company off the project.

Because that could only mean one of two things: either Ovitz had turned into a complete fool, or he had allowed his personal grudge against Duke Rosenberg to severely compromise his judgment.

Ovitz was incredibly unwilling to accept it. He had done so much, yet he still couldn't stop the man. He had mobilized immense power, drawing half of Hollywood into an online war, yet Rosenberg's movie was still a massive hit—a record-breaking hit, no less...

Meyer stopped beating around the bush. "There is absolutely zero room for negotiation. Van Helsing will definitely not be released anywhere near the window for Return of the King."

He bluntly kicked his guest out. "We're done for today, Michael."

'Van Helsing has to stay as far away from that summer season maniac's movie as possible!' Right now, that was Ron Meyer's only thought.

A mega-hit movie inherently damaged the interests of some while bringing tremendous profits to others.

The Two Towers exploded in its opening week. Including the $4.07 million earned from advance screenings, it had already raked in $107.1 million in North America. This severely squeezed the performance of other films released in the same window. The Eye, which ranked second at the box office that same weekend, had only managed to scrape together a little over $17 million.

Such a disproportionate box office ratio immediately led theater chains to make scheduling decisions heavily skewed in favor of The Two Towers.

That same Monday morning, AMG's weekly meeting kicked off at its headquarters. There was only one focus of discussion: The Two Towers.

"I have only one recommendation!"

As the vice president in charge of theatrical operations, Lynch was a staunch supporter of The Two Towers. In truth, practically everyone in the conference room supported the film.

"Anywhere there's an AMG Cinema Line theater, there will be screens showing The Two Towers!" Lynch declared. "Every AMG Cinema Line location must join the ranks of those screening The Two Towers!"

Nobody voiced any objections; instead, murmurs of support continued to ripple through the room.

"Our theaters need to continue increasing the screen share for The Two Towers," someone said. "I think a seventy percent screen share is still too conservative. Eighty percent or even higher is the right choice!"

Another executive chimed in. "According to the news I received before the meeting, Regal Entertainment has not only committed their commercial and arthouse theaters, but they've already raised their screen share to seventy-eight percent. We have to move fast!"

"Exactly. I agree with continuing to raise the screen share."

It wasn't just about the screen share. Amidst the flurry of discussion, the AMG executives also reached a decision: until Star Wars Prequel: Attack of the Clones hit theaters, they wouldn't drop the number of screening theaters for The Two Towers by even a single location!