"This isn't even the craziest part," Stora said, picking up another magazine filled with lavish interior design photos. "Even some home renovation companies have caught on to the trend, offering 'gun concealment upgrades.' They design hidden weapon storage spaces based on client needs—secret doors behind bookshelves, lift platforms under floors, and bedside tables with quick-access compartments. You'll never guess how busy they are—their schedules are already booked until the end of the year!"
Kalinski rubbed his temples, staring in disbelief. "So we're not just selling games, we're selling the *John Wick* fantasy—and even boosting the home renovation industry?"
"In a way, yes," Stora shrugged. "People see the movies, play the games, and they want to be John Wick. They can't become real assassins, but at least they can turn their homes into 'safe houses' and organize their weapons as stylishly as in the movies."
His eyes lit up. "Tom, this isn't just about box office numbers and game sales. This is a cultural phenomenon. We've successfully extended the virtual world experience into real life."
The entire United States was swept up in a new gun-related craze.
From street-corner debates to soaring sales figures, and from the proliferation of firearms training courses to home defense consulting services, John Wick's influence was transforming people's daily lives and consumption habits in unexpected ways.
And Sega was undoubtedly one of the masterminds behind this revolution.
On Monday morning, as the sun climbed up the glass facade of the Universal Pictures headquarters, Ron Meyer's phone rang incessantly in his office.
Ignoring the eager congratulations from his subordinates, he personally dialed Tom Kalinske's number.
"Tom! Thirty-two million dollars!" Ron's voice burst out over the receiver, hoarse from a hangover yet brimming with excitement. "Three days, thirty-two million!"
On the other end, Kalinske's calm voice carried an unmistakable undercurrent of smug satisfaction, as if he'd anticipated this all along. "I thought it would be higher."
"God, I should record this and play it for the board," Ron laughed heartily, his cigar nearly falling from his mouth. "My financial analysts are going crazy! They're saying, at this rate, North American box office will easily break a hundred million! For a movie that cost less than twenty million to make! Tom, do you know what this means?"
"It means you can start preparing the dividend checks."
"Hahaha! It was worth all the trouble I went through to secure this project." Ron took a deep drag on his cigar, the smoke he exhaled seeming to carry dollar signs. "And we haven't even factored in the video rental market! You know how cash cows these types of films are in rental stores—they'll be selling for years!"
Kalinski chuckled softly, leaning back in his executive chair, and casually dropped his own news: "Congratulations, Ron. By the way, from last Friday to Sunday, we received over eight thousand additional orders for *John Wick* arcade cabinets. The coins dropped into *John Wick* arcades across North America in just those three days could probably cover the pre-production costs for another sequel."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, followed by Ron's even more exaggerated laughter.
"Devils! You game sellers are the real devils!" he chuckled. "By the way, the CEO of Remington Corporation called me this morning to invite me to play golf. He said their tactical accessories are selling out left and right, and our movie has been an incredible marketing tool for firearms."
"Shouldn't that home decor company give me a medal?" Kalinski chimed in, laughing. "I just read in the paper that the hottest home design style now is 'Wick-Feng'—all about hidden gun compartments behind bookshelves and under floors."
"It seems we accidentally turned every gun enthusiast in America into a covert agent ready to go to war at any moment."
The two men laughed heartily over the phone.
As the laughter subsided, Ron's tone shifted subtly, becoming slightly hesitant and probing.
"So, Tom... when should we talk about... a sequel?"
Kalinski chuckled again. He walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the bustling cityscape below.
"Ron, of course we're making a sequel. But we're aiming for more than just that."
On the other end of the line, Ron Meyer fell silent for a moment, as if pondering the deeper meaning behind Kalinski's words. "What do you mean?"
"Do you remember Mr. Nakayama's original pitch?" Kalinski turned and leaned against the window. "From the very beginning, he envisioned not just a lone hero's story, but an entire assassin's world."
Ron's breathing was clear over the phone; he was clearly recalling that pitch he had once dismissed as pure fantasy.
"You're saying... we should film all those background elements—the High Table, the Continental Hotel... everything?"
"More than that." Kalinski's voice carried a strategic certainty. "In this world, there shouldn't only be one John Wick. We can have assassins specializing in blades, elegant snipers, even squads dedicated to handling 'aftercare.' Every character has their own story, their own code of conduct, and their own combat style."
Ron's mind raced, quickly grasping the crux of the matter. "Are you saying... even without Liam Neeson, this franchise could continue?"
"That's precisely it, Ron," Kalinski said deliberately. "We can't stake the entire series' fate on a single actor. Salaries rise, actors age, and accidents can happen at any moment. But as long as this world exists, we can endlessly generate new stories. Audiences love John Wick's Gun Fu today, but in two years, they might be obsessed with another character's blade combat."
He paused, giving Ron time to digest this vast vision.
"Moreover, this approach gives us ample time to develop games. A movie followed by a game, spaced two to three years apart—this rhythm is perfect. It maintains the franchise's momentum while allowing my development team the time to craft truly innovative experiences. Think about it: if we released a sequel next year, what new features could the game possibly offer beyond a few new maps? Players would be furious."
On the other end of the line, Ron Meyer exhaled a long cloud of smoke, his voice brimming with the excitement of sudden realization.
"I get it! I fucking get it!" he exclaimed, letting out a laugh. "Tom, you game developers have sharper minds than we filmmakers! While we're still trying to plan a trilogy, you're already envisioning an entire world!"
"So, my suggestion is to release a movie every two to three years. We can tell John Wick's story or create spin-offs featuring other characters. This will flesh out the assassin world and keep audiences constantly engaged," Kalinski summarized.
"Great! Let's do it!" Ron slammed his hand on the table. "I'll have the writing team start brainstorming new characters right away. Damn it, I'm going to build an assassin database!"
"Exactly," Kalinski said, his lips curling into a smirk. "Remember, Ron, in the eyes of investors, the real star of this franchise isn't any particular character."
"Then what is it?"
"It's all the different guns and the new ways to kill people with them."
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