Following the strong word-of-mouth and the promising initial box office numbers, Universal Pictures wasted no time in capitalizing on the success. The film's run in 100 theaters was expanded into 500 theaters across the country.
The increase in screens immediately paid off, demonstrating that the appetite for the coming-of-age drama was substantial.
The film's performance through its expanded run was proof of its growing appeal. Friday saw a major jump, grossing $753,000. Saturday was even stronger, bringing in $824,000. Sunday concluded the weekend with a gross of $738,000.
This brought My Bodyguard's second weekend collection to a total of $2,315,000.
The massive jump pushed My Bodyguard up the national charts. For the weekend ending July 20, 1980, the film officially reached the Number Two position at the domestic box office, an astonishing feat for a modest production. The only film it trailed was the massive hit Airplane!, which dominated the weekend with a gross of $2.7 million.
Following its second weekend surge, My Bodyguard proved its staying power. In the next four weekdays, the film continued to perform strongly, adding another $1.1 million to its total gross.
The third weekend demonstrated remarkable stability for the film's run. It grossed $1.9 million, once again solidly occupying the Number Two position at the domestic box office. The remaining four days of the third week maintained momentum, adding another $1 million to the tally.
Seeing the sustained audience interest, Universal Pictures moved decisively. They expanded the film to 700 theaters for the fourth weekend. This move paid off spectacularly: My Bodyguard grossed $2.2 million, finally overtaking Airplane! and claiming the Number One position in the weekend box office. This achievement was a major milestone, confirming the film's status as a genuine sleeper hit of the summer.
The film's dominance continued through the following four days, grossing another $1.1 million.
The film's domestic gross after four weeks (28 days) reached $10,438,000 domestically.
Back in Los Angeles, Michael Ovitz, sitting in his minimalist, high-powered CAA office, finally felt the kind of leverage he needed.
The financial performance of My Bodyguard was proving to be a solid success. With a production budget rumored to be around $3 million, the film had already surpassed $10.4 million domestically. This was an excellent return that was definitely turning heads in Hollywood. Michael calculated that if the film continued to perform as it had been, there was a real chance it could reach or even exceed $30 million domestically.
This level of performance was more than enough. Michael picked up the phone, a confident gleam in his eye. Alex Hayes was no longer just an aspiring actor; he was the star of a legitimate, successful feature film. This success created the necessary momentum. The time had finally come to pitch Alex's spec script, Can't Buy Me Love, to the major studios.
*********
The executive boardroom at MCA Inc./Universal Studios in July 1980 filled with thick cigar smoke. The meeting was focused on the biggest film on their upcoming slate: Smokey and the Bandit II, the sequel to their massive 1977 hit.
Lew Wasserman, the formidable Chairman and CEO of MCA Inc., leaned forward, surveying the cluster of executives and marketing heads around the polished mahogany table. "Sidney, what is the strategy for the Smokey II release, and in how many theaters are we planning to open?"
Sidney Sheinberg, the President and COO, cleared his throat. "Lew, there is genuinely good buzz around this sequel. Given the original's massive $126 million domestic gross, the expectations are enormous. We've maximized our marketing spend, and we need to hit the ground running. We are looking to open in no less than 1,300 theaters nationwide. "
"One thousand three hundred," Wasserman repeated, tapping his pen on a leather pad. "Good. I want to clear $15 million in the first three days. " He nodded, satisfied with the plan for their guaranteed summer blockbuster.
He glanced around the room, signaling the end of the primary discussion. "Ned, is there anything else? Any small business we should be aware of?"
Ned Tanen, the head of Universal Pictures, spoke up, leaning slightly forward. "There is one small matter, Mr. Wasserman. CAA is aggressively pitching a spec script around town this week."
Wasserman raised an eyebrow, mildly annoyed by the interruption to the sequel talk. "A spec script? From who?"
"It's a teen comedy," Tanen replied. "Called Can't Buy Me Love. It was co-written by a new writer, Michael Swerdlick, and a young actor named Alex Hayes."
Sheinberg frowned, the name ringing a faint bell. "Alex Hayes? Isn't that the lead young man from that film, My Bodyguard?"
Tanen nodded quickly. "Yes, sir. He is."
Lew Wasserman scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "What is a kid doing writing scripts? He's an actor. He should stick to it."
Sidney Sheinberg held up a hand. "Actually, Lew, I read the script along with Ned, and it looks good enough. Not a sensational script, but it is a crowd-pleasing, commercial teen comedy. More importantly, we can use this to maximize the My Bodyguard box office."
Wasserman signaled for him to continue.
Tanen took over. "The plan is simple: let's buy the script and make it news that Universal bought a script from Alex Hayes, the teen star of My Bodyguard. The announcement increases interest in My Bodyguard right now and gets us great, early publicity for Can't Buy Me Love."
Wasserman's eyebrows rose slightly. "Two birds with one stone, huh?" He nodded slowly. "Okay, contact CAA and get it done."
They all agreed, and the meeting quickly adjourned. And within the hour, the necessary calls were placed to CAA regarding the acquisition of the Can't Buy Me Love script..