The hillside mansion Simon had acquired early in his career, with its panoramic view of Los Angeles and the Pacific, had become a favored venue for Westeros Group's events. Tonight was no exception.
It was Saturday, June 8th.
As dusk fell, stars from Malibu on the west to the Sunset Boulevard estates on the east began converging upon Palisades, the party's heart. The event celebrated Danvers Entertainment's strong start to the summer box office season, acknowledging both its directly distributed films, Romeo and Juliet and Black Mask, as well as the studio's involvement in The Mummy and Mission: Impossible 2. Invitations extended to their production teams and partner executives.
This joint celebration, encompassing films led by both Fox and Paramount, had initially irked the two studios. It seemed to publicly declare who was truly steering these blockbusters.
Yet, despite their frustration, neither studio raised objections. In today's Hollywood, to put it bluntly, everyone had to consider Danvers Entertainment's influence, especially if they weren't able to create their own mega-blockbusters. The industry's dream factory, Hollywood, had always been pragmatic.
Take last week's box office figures, from May 31 to June 6, for example: three Danvers-related films monopolized the top three spots. These were also the only films surpassing $10 million for the week.
At the top was the highly anticipated Mission: Impossible 2, which opened strong as expected.
The original Mission: Impossible 2, with its stylistic John Woo action scenes, had received acclaim from both media and audiences but was often criticized for lacking the suspense and intrigue of the first film. This time, while Simon had indeed brought John Woo back to direct, he had also ensured the screenplay preserved the series' hallmark suspense.
The impact of these strategies showed in the results.
Following its premiere, Mission: Impossible 2 earned an impressive media rating of 8.2.
The box office results were even more striking.
Within its first seven days, Mission: Impossible 2 raked in $76.15 million, marking the highest opening-week performance of any 1996 release thus far.
This box office result, while not quite at the level of DC Universe's billion-dollar hits, was still a vast improvement over the first installment. Released three years prior, the first Mission: Impossible had earned only $46.35 million in its opening week, and it took two weeks to reach $75.69 million in cumulative ticket sales. With Mission: Impossible 2 earning $76.15 million in its first week alone, surpassing $200 million domestically seemed a near-certainty.
On the cost side, the film's $90 million production budget and $40 million in marketing brought the total to $130 million. However, even with profits split, the Mission: Impossible franchise continued to establish itself as one of Paramount's flagship series, much as it had in the original timeline.
Inevitably, Mission: Impossible 2's success impacted the week's other releases.
Ranking second, The Mummy saw its ticket sales drop by 53% in its third week, dropping from $41.93 million in week two to $19.69 million. With a cumulative $125.16 million after three weeks, the film was expected to reach around $150 million domestically. The Mummy had already grossed over $100 million overseas and was projected to double its domestic earnings internationally. By the end of its third week, the fantasy adventure film, a co-production between Fox and Danvers Entertainment, had fully recouped its $105 million production and marketing budget and was turning a profit.
The Mummy had always been planned as a series. With its initial success, it was positioned to become a pillar of Fox's lineup.
The modern Romeo and Juliet, a surprising hit among young audiences, secured the third spot on the list.
In its fourth week, even as other movies struggled against Mission: Impossible 2, Romeo and Juliet declined only 29%, adding another $13.37 million. After a month in theaters, the modestly budgeted $15 million film had grossed $89.11 million.
The film was set to pass the $100 million milestone by week's end.
Outside the top three, no other movie crossed the $10 million weekly mark.
Disney's Eddie, a comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg about a woman who unexpectedly becomes an NBA coach, had opened alongside Mission: Impossible 2 but pulled in just $8.01 million in its first week, against a $30 million budget.
With a domestic box office likely to cap at $20 million, Eddie faced a clear loss.
Between Austin Powers and Eddie, Disney's two failed projects left its summer hopes resting on the upcoming The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Rock.
The Rock had been a holdover from Disney's brief partnership with Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Bruckheimer and his partner Don Simpson had signed with Disney a few years ago, but when Vivendi acquired Disney, tensions arose, and the pair eventually parted ways.
However, Vivendi had retained The Rock in its lineup and positioned it as a major summer release.
In the original timeline, The Rock was a moderate success, but much of its original crew was no longer attached. Michael Bay was now under contract with Danvers Entertainment, Nicolas Cage had become the face of Mission: Impossible, and even Jerry Bruckheimer was no longer involved. Only Sean Connery remained from the original cast.
Given these changes, The Rock would essentially be a different film. Simon wasn't overly concerned about its performance; its reception would be revealed over the Fourth of July holiday.
In fifth place was Eraser, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which Warner Bros. had lost hope in. With a four-week cumulative of $73.29 million, it had already been eclipsed by Mission: Impossible 2's first-week earnings.
Outside the top five, the only notable mention was Black Mask.
Despite being a lower-profile entry, Black Mask earned over $1 million in its opening week, pulling in $5.03 million in its second week despite competition from Mission: Impossible 2.
The movie's $15.41 million cumulative might seem small next to Hollywood's heavyweights, but with its modest $5 million budget, it was a win. Recent media comparisons between Black Mask and Eraser made it clear: the Hong Kong import was more profitable than Schwarzenegger's homegrown blockbuster.
As the West Coast was enveloped in night, Jet Li and his manager Jeremy Zhao arrived at the Palisades mansion. Spotting the photographers gathered near the gate, Jet Li asked, "What are they hoping to capture?"
"Oh, plenty," Jeremy, still a bit nervous about attending, explained. "If you want to be in the papers tomorrow, you could step out here. They'll take your picture and maybe even interview you. For smaller stars, attending a party like this is a chance to boast and boost their visibility. So, Jet, want to get out here?"
Jet Li shook his head, smiling. "No need."
With that, the car moved through the gate. After showing the invitation, they proceeded to another checkpoint where the hotel-provided driver and car were not permitted further. Security checked their IDs, put them through a metal detector, and directed them toward the party.
Jet Li, who had attended a few Hollywood events recently, found this level of security impressive. Sensing his curiosity, Jeremy softly said, "Simon."
Jet Li understood instantly.
The young tycoon's power extended well beyond the title of Danvers Entertainment CEO, and the security made sense.
They were led to an open-air area near a cliff with most of the other guests. Under warm lighting and accompanied by vintage jazz music, the Mediterranean-style mansion and its decor were well-suited to the mood.
Many guests had already gathered, chatting in small groups, dancing, or enjoying the food. The pool nearby had a mermaid-like woman swimming gracefully, completing the scene of a glamorous, hedonistic night.
Jeremy scanned the room and quickly recognized faces he'd hoped to meet.
But he also knew Jet Li had initially planned to bring his girlfriend along but had changed plans to help him network. With Jet Li's loyalty in mind, Jeremy refrained from wandering off, given that Jet's English was still a work in progress and he might need translation.
Seeing them standing on the edge of the crowd, Jeremy pointed toward a woman chatting nearby. "Jet, see that woman over there? That's Linda Vargas, Simon's go-to casting director. You'll realize how valuable it is to know her; she's not well-known outside the industry, but even the heads of the Big Three agencies treat her with respect."
Jet Li nodded, "Jeremy, I'll follow your lead on who to meet."
"Of course. I'll do my best."
With a champagne glass in hand, Jeremy led Jet Li over to Linda Vargas and the man she was talking to.
As they approached, they overheard their conversation.
"Jim, you know Simon doesn't like actresses with thick lips, and he's very particular about Girl, Interrupted. I hope you're not considering her because of Jon Voight."
"I swear there's no bias here, Linda. I'll send the audition tape next week, and I think Jolie has a shot at an Oscar nomination for this role. Her performance was stunning."
"Send it to me tomorrow, then. If she's really that good, I'll pass it on to Simon."
"Will do."
"And one more thing: remember, Mia is the lead in this film. Simon wouldn
't want the supporting role to overshadow the lead. It's not good for the movie. Focus on Mia."
"I know, Linda. Mia's got this moody, on-the-edge-of-breakdown vibe. But we both know showy performances attract attention and, well, Oscars, so—"
"Just do your best. Simon has taken all of this into consideration, and Mia is young. She has time."
During the conversation, Jeremy discreetly whispered to Jet, introducing the black-haired man with Linda as James Mangold, an emerging director highly valued by Danvers Entertainment.
Noticing a pause in their conversation, Jeremy introduced Jet to Linda Vargas.
"Hello, Jet. It's a pleasure to meet you." Linda's warm smile belied her shrewd demeanor. Over the years, her poise had allowed her to hold a trusted position with Simon. She was aware of Simon's interest in the Asian martial arts star and treated him with the respect he deserved. Besides, with Jackie Chan's ill-advised choice to partner with Disney, Jet Li might now receive more opportunities. Given recent tensions between Simon and the French government, Jackie's move had raised eyebrows.
After a short conversation and exchanging business cards, Linda introduced Jet to James Mangold before she excused herself, leaving them to mingle.
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