On June 26, after the premiere of Sleepy Hollow, Danilis Entertainment's only major solo release of the summer, the latest box office week in North America concluded.
From June 21 to June 27, three new films released on Friday posed no threat to the second-week earnings of Spectre, the latest installment in the 007 series. With a minimal drop of just 37%, Spectre brought in $56.22 million.
After just two weeks, Spectre's domestic gross had soared to $145.39 million.
As July approached, opening nearly two months of the summer blockbuster season, Mission: Impossible 2 remained the only film keeping pace with Spectre. In its fourth week, MI2 saw a 43% dip in its weekly earnings, bringing in $15.94 million and ranking second in the weekly box office, with a cumulative total of $177.18 million.
The third spot was held by Empire of the Cops, starring Sylvester Stallone.
This crime thriller, made with a modest budget of just $10 million and featuring an all-union minimum wage cast, opened with $12.76 million. Judged by its budget, Empire of the Cops was one of Stallone's best returns in recent years.
With its solid reviews, the film's domestic box office was expected to reach around $25 million, promising a small profit for Danilis Entertainment.
In fourth place was Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
This 2D animated classic, adapted from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, had an impressive per-theater average of over $9,300, approaching blockbuster territory, though with only 1,297 opening screens, the opening-week gross was capped at $12.03 million, just below Empire of the Cops.
Steven Spielberg's latest work, Amistad, ranked fifth.
This historical drama about a slave revolt had a modest opening of $7.36 million, marking one of Spielberg's lowest-performing films in recent years. Given that it wasn't award season, it was unlikely the film would gain momentum in the coming weeks.
Rumors of tension between Paramount and DreamWorks, co-founded by Spielberg, had already begun circulating.
Simon, naturally, was aware of the situation.
Paramount was displeased with Spielberg's choice of such an unconventional topic, urging him to make another blockbuster like Jurassic Park or even reboot Indiana Jones. However, now that he had established DreamWorks, Spielberg preferred to pursue his own interests and focus on topics he found meaningful.
This was a common issue for many successful commercial directors, who, after making a name for themselves, felt compelled to explore more artistic or thought-provoking projects.
The friction stemmed largely from the sudden rise of Danilis Entertainment.
Historically, following Jurassic Park, Spielberg's last box office phenomenon, he shifted more toward producing, with his name attached to hits like Men in Black, Transformers, Deep Impact, and Gladiator. But now, Simon had filled the role that Spielberg once held, with Danilis Entertainment's influence reaching even greater heights and gradually encompassing the entire Hollywood industry.
---
At Danilis Studios in Malibu, Kate Beckinsale had spent the afternoon observing the bustling scene at this massive film production base. While indirectly, she clearly felt the pervasive influence of a certain young man who was not much older than herself.
As the day neared its end, Kate made her way back to the post-production center on the second floor, surprised to find another woman there, Natasha Henstridge.
They knew each other but were hardly close, so their exchanged glances were charged with a hint of rivalry. Kate regretted her impatience earlier, which had led her to leave for a while.
After wrapping Good Will Hunting in April, Kate had returned to Los Angeles.
Knowing that Simon would be meeting with Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant to discuss post-production, she arranged to join them. Yet after just half an hour in the editing suite, Kate grew restless, prompting Simon to suggest she explore the studio grounds.
Being granted special access, Kate had roamed the vast complex freely.
She witnessed the packed film crews in every studio on the first floor, the fantasy-like Pixar workshop on the second floor, where the Danilis VFX team was busy with various post-production projects, and the bustling office floors on the third.
The sheer energy of the place set it apart from other studios in Los Angeles. It was more than just lively—Kate sensed a powerful, almost aggressive drive.
And this was only one of several Danilis Entertainment production sites.
Having grown rapidly over the years, Danilis Entertainment now had production bases across the U.S., including the East Coast, as well as in Melbourne, Australia, and Toronto, Canada.
Just last week, Rachel, who had joined the Titanic team in Australia, reported that the 20-hectare filming base on the Gold Coast was comparable in size to an entire studio lot. Likely, once Titanic wrapped, this site would evolve into yet another Danilis Studio location.
Such grandeur could only be matched by the MGM of Hollywood's Golden Age. In its prime, MGM boasted up to six filming locations around Los Angeles, practically a city within a city. Now, Danilis Entertainment was extending its production empire worldwide.
With less than ten minutes until 5 p.m., Kate entered the editing suite, where Simon was still reviewing footage with Gus Van Sant. She noted Natasha sitting quietly on the couch in the lounge area, reading a magazine. Realizing that the other woman had managed to wait patiently, Kate, though spoiled in her way, decided not to interrupt. Instead, she grabbed a magazine and sat beside Natasha.
After a moment, Kate decided to break the ice. "What brings you here?"
Natasha, surprised that Kate had started a conversation, glanced at Simon and Gus at the work table before responding softly, "I'm here for a production meeting."
She left it at that.
Kate, however, quickly asked, "Is it Deep Rising?"
Natasha was clearly taken aback. "How did you know?"
Kate had read the script. Stephen Sommers, who wrote Deep Rising, was also the director of The Mummy, whose lead actress, Rachel Weisz, was Kate's close friend. In Hollywood, connections often overlapped, with professionals from one project staying in touch for future work.
Thanks to Rachel, Kate had learned about Deep Rising and even asked her agent for the script. She soon discovered other details as well.
With a slightly smug smile, Kate raised an eyebrow and said, "I read the script. It's a shame the lead is just a trophy character—I wasn't interested."
The implication was clear: if she had wanted the role, Natasha wouldn't have even had a shot.
Natasha, sensing the subtle challenge, glanced back at Simon and Gus, who were deeply engaged in their work. She then lowered her eyes, choosing not to engage with Kate's provocation.
Kate waited for Natasha to respond, and when she didn't, Kate took another glance at Natasha's noticeably high neckline, feeling a twinge of envy.
Natasha, noticing Kate's wandering gaze, couldn't help but feel a touch of satisfaction. She glanced discreetly at Kate's chest and, noting the difference, fought the urge to look again.
Kate wore a simple white crop top, form-fitting and midriff-baring, emphasizing her slender waist. But compared to Natasha, she felt inadequate in a particular area. As Natasha continued her subtle appraisal, Kate finally snapped, "You're going too far."
Unfazed, Natasha leaned back, seeming compliant.
Kate, feeling even more irritated, taunted, "That's why you're only good for eye-candy roles."
Natasha, however, simply sat up straighter, accentuating the very thing that annoyed Kate.
The silent rivalry continued for over twenty minutes until Simon finally finished his discussion with Gus. The two women immediately moved to greet him.
Simon gave Natasha a brief kiss on the lips and, catching Kate's glance, extended an arm toward her as well, then led them both out of the room. As they walked, he asked Natasha, "How did the meeting with Stephen go?"
"It went well," Natasha replied. "We even tried some camera work. Sommers thinks I'm a good fit for the role of Trillian."
"And how did you feel about it?"
Natasha blinked a few times, then replied, "It's a fantastic script. Reminds me of Alien."
Simon smiled, then asked directly, "If you're not interested, you can always let me know."
"No, no, I like the script a lot."
Though Natasha's character was more nuanced than just a "trophy," the role would still involve a lot of physically challenging scenes, given the monster movie premise. However, she was fully aware she had little say in the matter. Unlike her previous roles, this one was more substantial, hinting at a gradual career progression that Simon had set up for her.
Many actresses would have envied this kind of opportunity.
Meanwhile, Simon turned to Kate, who had been lingering around the studio all afternoon. "Disco Inferno won't start filming until next year, so you can take a good break for the rest of the year."
After working on Charlie's Angels and Good Will Hunting back-to-back, Kate had been busy for over half a year. Simon could guess why she had come to the studio today, but he didn't want her overextending herself. Too many roles in quick succession could lead to audience fatigue.
"I plan to visit the Titanic set in Australia soon, maybe take a holiday," Kate replied, wrapping her arm around Simon's and adding
, "Simon, Disney recently announced Terminator 3 and The Fifth Element. Do you think I could try out for one?"
News of a female Terminator had been circulating.
As for The Fifth Element, it was another major production with a prominent female lead, so Simon wasn't surprised by Kate's interest.
But he shook his head. "My relationship with Vivendi isn't great, and I'd rather you avoid Disney projects."
Kate was taken aback, but then nodded.
Despite her strong-willed nature, Kate wasn't foolish enough to go against Simon's wishes.
As the trio left the post-production center, Kate noticed the stream of employees heading to the parking lot, and, still holding Simon's arm, she squeezed closer and coyly asked, "Simon, are you free tonight?"
Simon shook his head again. "I have to head home, and I also need to review a Pixar animation sample, so I'll be working until about seven."
"But it's Friday…"
"Yes, and tomorrow's Saturday," Simon said with a laugh, releasing Natasha's waist and turning to Kate. "You two go on ahead. If you're bored, maybe go shopping together. Just don't get into any fights. Or if you do, no face-scratching, alright? Anything else, I don't care."
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]