Simon only managed to watch half of American Pie's rough cut before it was time for lunch. The review would continue in the afternoon, but for now, he had a meal scheduled with Amy Pascal, who had recently returned to work after her maternity leave. They planned to discuss a few business matters over lunch.
It was Monday, March 3rd, 1997.
The Easter holiday that year fell on March 30th, with the holiday box office season kicking off a week earlier on March 21st. During that period, Dania Entertainment would be releasing three films in succession: The Frighteners, Taken, and The Cable Guy. Adding to that lineup, MGM would release Species II.
The 69th Academy Awards would also take place on March 24th.
In the 1990s, the Oscars were still at their peak in popularity. Even though Simon had deliberately scaled back Dania Entertainment's involvement this year, treating it as a less competitive "off year" for awards, the event was far from irrelevant.
And, of course, there was the matter of current box office performance.
The Star Wars re-releases, which had briefly dominated the North American box office, had quickly ceded their lead to Dania Entertainment films.
As of February 27th, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace had been in re-release for a month and had barely crossed the $100 million mark, reaching $103.7 million. Judging by its weekend trends, the re-release had about $20 million of box office potential left, meaning it would likely cap out at $120 million domestically.
Meanwhile, The Empire Strikes Back, which opened on February 21st, saw diminishing enthusiasm from fans after the initial nostalgia wore off. Its first-week box office was just $21.46 million, with domestic earnings likely to cap at $50 million.
By contrast, Bridget Jones's Diary, which debuted on February 14th with a strong $37.62 million opening weekend, managed to sustain a solid performance. For the week of February 21–27, it experienced a modest 23% drop, earning another $29.03 million to easily hold its spot as the weekly box office champion.
In the most recent weekend, February 28–March 2, Bridget Jones's Diary saw a slightly larger drop of 33%, but still pulled in $12.73 million. Its total box office to date had reached $79.38 million, putting it just $20 million shy of crossing the $100 million mark.
Given its strong word-of-mouth appeal, Bridget Jones's Diary was expected to maintain a healthy box office curve through Easter. A conservative estimate suggested the film could add at least $50 million more domestically, bringing its total to around $130 million.
With Julia Roberts as the lead—her star power far surpassing Renée Zellweger from the original timeline—and Hugh Grant unscathed by any scandals, this version of Bridget Jones's Diary had a production budget of $35 million, higher than the original's $25 million. Even so, the film had already recouped its production costs in North America after just two and a half weeks.
Dania Entertainment's three-film "British bundle" strategy in February, which included Bridget Jones's Diary, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Following, had a combined marketing budget of $20 million. Even if $15 million of that was allocated solely to Bridget Jones's Diary, the film would still enter its profit phase within two weeks, as it was poised to surpass $100 million domestically.
As for the other two films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels had earned $23.13 million domestically by the end of the most recent weekend, while Following had reached $19.19 million. With respective production budgets of $2 million and $3 million, plus a combined $5 million in marketing costs, the films' combined $40 million in box office revenue had already started yielding substantial profits for Dania Entertainment.
And that was just the North American market.
The real success of Dania Entertainment's bundled marketing strategy was in the United Kingdom.
The complex love-hate relationship between the U.K. and the U.S. aside, these three films, which could be seen as a point of national pride for British cinema, were performing extraordinarily well in the U.K.
While the British box office numbers couldn't match North America's sheer scale, early reports indicated that Bridget Jones's Diary would likely break the equivalent of $100 million in the U.K., even if it didn't reach North America's numbers.
The two smaller films, helmed by up-and-coming British directors and buoyed by stellar quality, were even more warmly received in the U.K. than in North America, with both expected to outperform their U.S. earnings.
During lunch, Amy couldn't help but bring up Dania Entertainment's recent success in February, half-joking and half-serious as she asked Simon about his uncanny knack for picking winning projects.
"It's all about staying one step ahead," Simon replied with a smile. "The film industry has evolved through distinct phases—silent to sound, black-and-white to color—and at each stage, every conceivable genre has been explored to its fullest. The only way forward is to innovate. Take the Star Wars re-releases as an example: if those films had been released twenty years later than they were, the outcome would've been very different.
"For Dania Entertainment, technical advancements like CGI and 3D animation represent progress on a technological level, while the concept of cinematic universes is a breakthrough in storytelling. As for February's trio of films, they succeeded because we already had three great movies to work with, and we added a touch of marketing innovation."
Though Simon's answer veered slightly off-topic, Amy seemed to find it thought-provoking. After a moment, she said, "If that's the case, then the 3D and IMAX technologies Dania Entertainment has been investing in might be our next big leap, right?"
"Absolutely."
For years, Simon had been pushing the development and limited rollout of 3D and IMAX technologies, even acquiring the Canadian-based IMAX Corporation. The 2015 release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had been IMAX's first big splash, with its 26 North American IMAX screens contributing over $50 million to the film's box office.
Since then, the number of IMAX screens worldwide had rapidly surpassed 100 in the past year, and that number was set to double this year. In China, Simon had invested in two pilot "Golden Scroll" cinemas, each featuring an IMAX auditorium.
With the pilots proving successful, the next wave of 20 cinemas under construction would also include IMAX as a standard feature.
As the number of IMAX screens increased, the previously prohibitive costs of conversion and prints were becoming more manageable, making the format increasingly attractive to studios. As the owner of IMAX, Dania Entertainment naturally held a significant competitive edge.
Compared to IMAX, however, the adoption of 3D technology was progressing more slowly. This was primarily due to the immaturity of 3D filming and projection technologies. As a result, Simon had pushed back the timeline for 3D's wider rollout, planning to ramp up efforts after 2000.
Amy shifted the conversation. "By the way, Helen Fielding has already finished conceptualizing the second Bridget Jones's Diary novel. The subtitle is The Edge of Reason, and it explores Bridget's relationship with Mark after they get together. Under our contract, we have the right of first refusal. I spoke with Helen, and she'd love to see the sequel film released alongside the novel."
Simon recalled the performance of the original timeline's Bridget Jones sequel, which was lukewarm in North America but still a global hit. He nodded. "You handle it. If I remember correctly, Julia signed a five-picture deal with us. Does she still have one left?"
Amy thought for a moment before replying, "Starting with Steel Magnolias, then Pretty Woman, Sleeping with the Enemy, The Pelican Brief, and now Bridget Jones's Diary—that makes five."
Simon leaned back in his chair, a nostalgic look crossing his face. Amy noticed and teased, "Feeling sentimental about the passage of time?"
"Yeah," Simon admitted with a smile. "I'm 29 already."
Coming from Simon, that sentiment sounded oddly out of place. Amy rolled her eyes and continued, "Since the five-picture deal is up—and especially since you gave Shakespeare in Love, a role Julia really wanted, to Kate Beckinsale—it might be tricky to get her on board for the sequel."
"If we can't lock her in, just put the project on hold. We've got plenty of other things in the pipeline; we're not hurting for this one."
Amy nodded. Having worked at Dania Entertainment for so many years, she had long since adopted her boss's no-nonsense attitude toward A-list talent. The studio didn't need to bend over backward for anyone.
After lunch, Simon spent two hours finishing his review of American Pie and discussing follow-up production details. Next came a meeting about Paranormal Activity.
Over the past few months, Justin Lin had completed a script based on Simon's brief outline for Paranormal Activity. While Simon could have assigned the script to a more experienced screenwriter, he wanted the project to retain a raw, unpolished feel. A seasoned writer might inadvertently shape the story into something overly formulaic, undermining the sense of realism Simon was aiming for.
To avoid this, Simon had specifically instructed Justin Lin not to watch any horror films—especially those from Dania Entertainment's Conjuring universe—while writing the script. The goal was for Lin to approach the story like an ordinary person encountering a haunting, keeping it grounded and authentic.
With the script finished and the cast selected, production was set to begin. For the cast, Simon had requested newcomers with strong acting skills. Casting director Linda Vargas had scoured acting schools in Los Angeles and New York, ultimately narrowing it down to students from theater programs.
As it happened, Simon ended up selecting two "familiar faces."
One was Amy Adams, 22 years old, from a working-class background. She hadn't attended college but was studying acting part-time at a private school in Los Angeles. Simon's requirements for the female lead included moderate beauty—around a 7 out of 10—paired with a slightly brooding vibe suitable for a horror film. Amy Adams, whose look had always struck Simon as perfect for a dark, complex character, fit the bill.
The other was Jessica Chastain, a student at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Her performance during auditions was even better than Amy's. However, Simon gave Chastain a supporting role as a friend visiting the haunted couple's apartment.
The choice was deliberate: Simon didn't find Chastain particularly attractive, rating her a 6 out of 10. For a low-budget horror film, the lead actress couldn't be too stunning, as that would distract the audience. Amy's moderate looks hit the sweet spot.
Interestingly, the original Paranormal Activity had a lead actress whose appearance bore a striking resemblance to Amy Adams, a coincidence Simon couldn't ignore.
Although one actress got the lead and the other a smaller role, Simon saw potential in both and planned to keep them on his radar for future projects.
As for the male lead, Simon wasn't as invested. He chose a young actor with strong skills but no name recognition.
The afternoon's production meeting marked the first full gathering of the Paranormal Activity team. Upon learning that Simon himself had conceived the film's concept, the cast and crew were thrilled. Though neither Amy nor Jessica was bold enough to flirt openly, they couldn't resist subtle attempts to make an impression.
Simon, however, showed no particular interest in either actress beyond their roles in the film. Perhaps it was the mounting pressure of having six pregnant partners at home that had dampened his enthusiasm for casual flirtations.
The meeting was short, lasting only half an hour, as Simon outlined the film's core vision: authenticity and naturalism. He even suggested the team watch reality shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills to capture the unscripted feel he wanted.
Satisfied with the team's direction, Simon moved on to a meeting about Deep Impact, followed by another on The Hangover. By the time he wrapped up with Ben Stiller and the Hangover team, it was already late evening.
As Simon prepared to leave, one of his assistants, Allison, entered the room with a bemused expression. She handed him a note. "This just came in from Mrs. Westeros."
Simon unfolded the note. At the top was an address—one of his Beverly Hills properties. Below it was a single line:
"Very pale Natasha is waiting for her dear one to enjoy."
Simon stared at the note for a moment before recalling the Ukrainian representative from that morning at SpaceX. It seemed Janet had wasted no time "helping" her husband secure a bit of relaxation.
What a wonderful wife, Simon thought with a faint smirk, though he couldn't help wondering if Janet was more amused by the situation than genuinely concerned about his well-being.
Allison, observing Simon's reaction, asked tentatively, "Would you like me to arrange for you to leave early?"
Simon shook his head. "No, I'm heading home."
"Really?" Allison blinked in surprise.
"Really. I'm just not in the mood lately."
Allison nodded without further comment and left the room.
Simon worked until 6 p.m. before heading back to the Dume Point estate. Janet, already home, was lounging by the floor-to-ceiling windows, flipping through a large book with Seattle. When she saw Simon enter, she looked genuinely surprised.
Simon wrapped her in a hug, signaling for their babysitter, Zoe, to take Seattle away. As the little girl left, Simon and Janet settled onto the sofa together, watching the last traces of the sunset fade into the Pacific horizon.
Janet snuggled closer, resting her head on Simon's shoulder. After a moment of silence, she teased, "Why didn't you go to Beverly Hills? She's really, really pale, you know. I even took her for a full spa treatment."
Simon laughed. "I'm a responsible man. Of course, I come straight home after work. Why would I go out gallivanting?"
Janet scrunched her nose, clearly skeptical. She bit Simon lightly on the shoulder, then settled back into his arms. Just as Simon thought they were finally going to relax, Janet suddenly jumped up and ran off barefoot, leaving him bewildered.
Less than a minute later, she returned. Climbing onto his lap, Janet straddled him and cupped his face with both hands. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she whispered, "This time, it's your lips. Think of it as a reward for coming home on time—but don't get any funny ideas."
Without waiting for a response, Janet leaned in and kissed him.
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