[Chapter 448: Trump's Visit]
On the afternoon of December 12th, at the Universal Amphitheatre, Linton Films held a grand premiere for The Sixth Sense.
The real stars of the movie were Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment. However, to create more buzz and grab media attention, Linton still walked the red carpet flanked by Monica Bellucci and Noriko Sakai as co-producer and screenwriter, respectively.
Interestingly, Monica, Sophie Marceau, and Cristiana Reali were all around three months pregnant at the same time, having passed the critical stage safely. Coincidentally, the movies starring these three were all scheduled for Christmas releases.
Sophie Marceau's Braveheart had already premiered on December 7th, and she had been actively promoting it with the cast. Linton initially wanted to help them skip or postpone their promotional tours, knowing how exhausting such work could be, especially during pregnancy. He worried about their health.
However, all three insisted on continuing. Sophie Marceau had it a bit easier since she had just won an Oscar earlier in the year and had confidently stepped into the A-list. Cristiana and Monica were still rising stars, eager for their new films to do well and boost their careers.
Besides, they were only two to three months pregnant, and thanks to special prenatal treatments, each of them was in excellent health and confident they could handle the grueling schedule.
Seeing their strong determination, Linton relented but used his influence to arrange private jets for Cristiana and Monica during their promotional tours, adding extra bodyguards and assistants to support them.
He didn't get involved in the discussions with Paramount; Sophie Marceau had enough standing to negotiate her schedule herself with pregnancy as her reason.
---
Though The Sixth Sense was a horror film, it mainly centered on family bonds and emotional themes. Throughout the screening, Linton noticed many audience members wiping away tears.
The movie told the story of a nine-year-old boy named Cole who claimed he could see deceased people. When a psychologist tried to treat him, Cole resisted, convinced that no one could help him escape his troubles.
Yet, through persistent effort, Dr. Malcolm broke through Cole's defenses. The boy eventually opened up about his struggles and gradually accepted the doctor's guidance. The ending was unexpectedly profound.
Cole's special ability was his "second sight," which caused him to see ghosts relentlessly, filling him with terror. Under Dr. Malcolm's care, he came to accept this reality.
Dr. Malcolm himself faced his own troubles -- a successful child psychologist helping troubled kids, yet dealing with a failing marriage and his wife's suspected infidelity. As the treatment progressed, he shockingly realized of his own death.
The film succeeded by blending the psychological dread with the suspense, creating a unique atmosphere. Unlike the usual gore-heavy horror flicks, The Sixth Sense emphasized mystery and ethical dilemmas, probing themes of humanity, life, death, and emotions.
The final twist was a classic revelation: the deceased did not realize he was dead until the very end, leaving audiences astonished. This bittersweet ending softened the ghosts' image, making them surprisingly touching and leaving viewers deeply moved.
The guests and reporters at the premiere gave glowing reviews.
...
At the end, when asked to predict the box office, Linton dropped a bombshell: the film aimed to gross $300 million in North America alone.
The announcement electrified the press and paparazzi. They expected Linton's usual conservative estimate but were stunned by this bold projection. Tomorrow's headlines were already written.
Superstars making audacious box office claims were media gold. If the film fell short, the tabloids could pounce with stories like, "Linton's prediction fails spectacularly."
Yet, the cast and crew were bewildered. The film was well made and moving, but $300 million seemed overly optimistic.
...
At that night's party, Monica and Noriko repeatedly asked Linton, "Darling, do you really think The Sixth Sense can make $300 million in North America?"
"Of course," Linton assured them. "The film is powerful, and with such strong promotion, a $300 million box office is very likely."
"Fantastic, darling! If that happens, Monica and I will give you the biggest surprise!" Noriko exclaimed excitedly.
"I agree -- we'll make it unforgettable," Monica added.
"What surprise?" Linton inquired.
"You'll see when the time comes," they said with a smile.
---
After finishing his reorganization at Universal, Linton didn't set up his permanent office there but returned to the 16th floor of the Linton Tower.
Although Universal had provided an enormous chairman's office, nothing compared to the entire floor of Linton Tower, fully equipped with top-notch facilities -- truly a world apart from Universal.
This was where Linton felt most comfortable and at ease. Other locations were just occasional stops for inspections.
For a boss as successful as him, slacking off at work was the norm.
...
The next day, back on the 16th floor, after handling some business for Linton Films in the morning, his assistant Meena handed him a meeting request: Donald Trump, New York real estate mogul, wanted to visit the following day.
Haha, Donald Trump, huh? He probably just finished clearing his bank debts. Does that qualify him as a real estate mogul yet?
Linton had no prior dealings with him, and Trump's businesses were mainly in real estate and casinos. He wondered why Trump wanted to meet.
Wait, this guy used to cameo in various movies and TV shows before his financial troubles, often playing billionaire roles under his real name.
Linton specifically remembered Trump's brief appearance in 1989's Ghosts Can't Do It, even though the 20-second cameo earned him a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor -- a consequence of his dubious acting skills.
After going bankrupt, Trump stopped film cameos to focus on recovery.
Could it be that now he was back on his feet and craving attention again, seeking Linton's company once more?
Well, Trump was definitely a character. In his past life, he built massive businesses, eventually won the presidency, and stirred up great waves worldwide.
Since Trump proactively requested the meeting, Linton decided to see what kind of ideas he had and what he was up to now.
*****
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