[Chapter 416: Final Destination Explodes onto Screens, UPN Transforms]
On August 13, Linton bid a reluctant farewell to Xu Qing, ending his trip across China, and boarded a plane back to Los Angeles.
Upon returning to the estate, all the women who had heard the news rushed back, including Michelle Reis, who was filming in Hong Kong, Izumi Sakai and Akina Nakamori from Japan, along with the ever-reluctant Charlize Theron. Also present were Jennifer and Noriko Sakai, who had just begun a two-week nationwide promotional tour for Final Destination.
Following recent extensive media coverage of various accidental deaths in newspapers, magazines, and TV shows, the publicity campaign for Final Destination had gained tremendous attention in a uniquely impactful way. Coupled with Jennifer's star power, the film grossed an impressive $1.63 million during its midnight screening on August 12.
On August 12 alone, the film raked in $10.85 million, bringing the first-day total, including midnight showings, to an astounding $12.48 million. For a movie with a modest $15 million budget, this was an extraordinary success, marking another blockbuster hit born from a small investment yielding high box office returns.
That morning, director James Wong happily kicked off a nationwide roadshow with Jennifer, Noriko Sakai, and the male lead Christian Bale.
Meanwhile, Cristiana and Nicole Kidman, both busy capitalizing on the overwhelming momentum of Independence Day, had paused their activities to join the event.
Independence Day had now been in theaters for nearly 50 days, earning $353 million in North America alone, just shy of E.T.'s record $359 million. Despite daily earnings slowing to just over $1 million, surpassing E.T. to claim the crown for highest domestic box office was all but guaranteed.
Overseas, the film had grossed over $430 million, bringing its global total to a staggering $780 million. Both Cristiana and Nicole Kidman had firmly established themselves among Hollywood's top-tier female stars with this hit.
The next few weeks promised a flurry of spectacular parties and live performance events. Madonna's due date had been tentatively set for August 25, less than two weeks away. Yet, nourished by Linton's vital energy, she remained in excellent health, free from the usual discomforts associated with late pregnancy.
Even amid the wild, vibrant parties, she was fully engaged, donning various seductive nightwear and uniforms. Her radiant presence among the women was strikingly unique, radiating an irresistible allure that drew even more of Linton's attention and energy.
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After a day and a half of revelry and theatrical performances with the women, the festivities finally wound down. Everyone dispersed to attend to their own affairs.
Linton then returned to his long-neglected office, convening meetings with the management teams of both his film company and UPN Television Network to hear their reports and assess operational status.
Both companies were running exceptionally well. The film company's summer blockbuster season, bolstered by Independence Day and Final Destination, delivered unprecedented energy.
UPN's progress was even more impressive. The second season of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which started airing in late July, had attracted unexpectedly strong advertising bids. Following fierce competition, Pepsi secured the 15-episode season's naming rights for $80 million.
Along with additional sponsorships, the season's total advertising revenue exceeded $200 million, based solely on product placements.
The hour-long program included five commercial breaks during the broadcast, plus seven ad segments before and after the show, each lasting 20 seconds for a total of 140 seconds. Advertising slots sold for $260 million, and after sharing revenue with affiliate stations, UPN's net income from this alone surpassed $130 million.
The show aired in the highly competitive Saturday prime time variety slot. Viewer ratings skyrocketed throughout the summer, surpassing an impressive 5%, holding the top spot for that time slot.
International licensing deals also flourished, with rights sold to 34 countries and one-time licensing fees exceeding $300 million. The revenue sharing from international broadcasts promised to bring in even more impressive sums.
The BBC in the UK had already aired the first season, achieving explosive ratings. The revenue share from BBC alone was expected to exceed $20 million.
Even more remarkable was the hit drama ER, now in its twelfth episode, consistently climbing in ratings. The most recent episode garnered a 6.5% viewer share, and the afternoon reruns still regularly broke a 1% rating.
It had become a true phenomenon, second only to Friends in popularity over the past five years.
The show's six lead actors -- Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Noah Wyle, Eriq LaSalle, Sherry Stringfield, and Vivian Chow -- had become household names across North America. George Clooney, in particular, was skyrocketing to superstardom.
Due to ER's soaring ratings, the production accelerated filming of the first season, aiming to complete it by early August.
Another surprise was Teletubbies, which, after a promotional buildup in April and May, saw ratings surge in June. Even in the 5:30 pm Tuesday slot, ratings exceeded 1.5%.
The show's merchandise sales also exploded. The four Teletubbies plush toys sold out completely, with manufacturers ramping up production but still unable to meet demand. It was estimated that profits from these plush toys alone would surpass $300 million this year.
Licensing deals for other merchandise like backpacks, snacks, bottles, cups, stickers, and toys also boomed. In less than two months since July, over 200 licensing deals had been signed, totaling $160 million in fees.
Thanks to Teletubbies' massive success and merchandise profitability, broadcasters in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and other countries clamored to buy the show's local broadcasting and merchandise rights.
Neither UPN nor Linton's film company had the capacity to distribute globally or manage overseas merchandise. Although selling the overseas rights outright reduced potential profits, partnering with local broadcasters was the most viable option.
Without the means to monitor sales or licensing overseas, a one-time high-fee buyout was the practical solution per country.
Through this strategy, rights sales and merchandise licensing in just the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Spain had generated over $500 million in revenue.
UPN Television Network's resurgence was undeniable. This year alone, its profits might exceed $2 billion, with cash flow soaring to an astonishing $1.7 billion.
CEO Chris was ambitious, launching multiple initiatives: channel expansion, news division growth, and nationwide coverage.
UPN was confidently marching toward its goal of becoming the fifth largest television network in the United States.
*****
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