Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion-Chapter 557 - 428: Good Box Office (3/10)_2

Brian said no, adding that not only Joaquin, but also Film Emperor William Holt, Michael Keaton, and other actors spoke out for "Mr. Tree" without being influenced by their public relations efforts.

Link asked Brian why this was the case; did these people want to curry favor with Lionsgate Films in this way?

Brian Goldsmith said it wasn't necessarily so and shared another piece of news with him.

Many film critics in the media were praising "Mr. Tree," some of whom were brought in by the company, but a significant portion was not a result of the company's PR; instead, after watching the film, they genuinely liked it and took the initiative to publish positive reviews.

"So you're saying the movie is not bad?"

Link was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, in terms of artistry, this movie is considered nearly top-tier at the international level. The only issue is the deep Huaxia backdrop and themes, which make it difficult for many people to understand. Those who do understand tend to appreciate it, finding it explores humanity and society and touches on profound themes, making it a niche gem," Brian explained.

Link nodded; he seemed to have underestimated the film, as well as the audience's level of discernment.

At the time of distribution, he worried about the language barrier and the story's comprehensibility, so his expectations for the film were not high.

Yet art knows no borders, and a fine work of art can bridge various divides and resonate with people, just like the Asian films "The Kite Runner," "Children of Heaven," "Rashomon," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which received much acclaim upon their release in the United States.

"Mr. Tree," in its third week, grossed 2.337 million US dollars at the North American box office, ranking 15th for the period and bringing its cumulative earnings to 3.41 million dollars, far exceeding expectations.

Initially, Link's goal was 1.5 million, which was ten times the cost of the rights.

If one doesn't count his PR expenses, the company had invested around 1.8 million dollars in rights, production, and promotional fees for this movie, and they had now broken even.

"Damn it, how could this kind of movie possibly have a box office of over two million in a week?"

Harvey said with a stern face.

This week, the Weinstein Company also released a Huaxia film, directed by Chen Kaige – "Wuxia," which had been nominated for the 'Midnight Screening' section at the Cannes Film Festival not long ago.

Harvey had acquired the North American distribution rights for this film with 650,000 US dollars.

Having distributed "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The Promise," "Kung Fu Hustle," "Shaolin Soccer," and other Huaxia action films since 2003, he had some understanding of this genre and believed "Wuxia" would have potential at the box office.

The results were very disappointing.

"Wuxia" screened at eight theaters over the weekend and took in only 107,000 dollars, far below expectations.

The occupancy rate and average daily box office were nowhere near what Link's haphazardly purchased "Mr. Tree" achieved.

Harvey was very dissatisfied with this outcome.

Both being Huaxia-themed films, the kung fu focused "Wuxia" should logically have had greater potential than the rural themed "Mr. Tree," yet that was not reflected in their box office performances.

"David, do you have any way to improve the box office of 'Wuxia'?"

Harvey put down the newspaper and looked towards David Glaser, the company's Chief Operating Officer.

"Chairman, I suggest we allocate additional funds for promotion," said David Glaser after some thought.

To achieve a good box office, you need word of mouth on the one hand and publicity on the other. Being a foreign film, "Wuxia" didn't have exceptional quality, making it challenging to accumulate high praise and spread by word of mouth, so it would require investment in publicity to get widespread attention.

Just like Lionsgate Films, "Mr. Tree" was a very niche film and had not been expected to do well upon release.

Yet, with continuous promotion and operation by Link and Lionsgate Films, it astonishingly sold 3.39 million dollars worth of tickets in three weeks, tripling the budget.

"Complete Movie" analyzed three reasons for the film's box office success.

First was Link.

Link's fame drove the initial wave of moviegoers, giving the film decent results in preview screenings.

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Second was promotion; Lionsgate Films had a good publicity strategy and was willing to spend money. Despite the unclear market prospects, Lionsgate gambled over a million dollars on promotion and won.

Third was the film's quality, which was good enough to deserve praise.

"Wuxia," if it wants to emulate "Mr. Tree," must first keep up with promotion, be willing to spend money, and stir up movie hype.

"Mr. Tree" had Link's new song to help with promotion, which attracted a lot of attention.

"Wuxia" didn't have top-tier celebrities to drive sales, so it would require spending money to hype up the film with critics and find ways to lure audiences into theaters.

"Spend money?"

Harvey frowned, thinking that he could also come up with such a method, but spending money presupposes having money, and given the company's current financial situation, this was not an advisable approach.

"If I give you a million to spend on promotion, how much can you recoup?"

"This..."

David Glaser shrugged his shoulders, "Investing in films is like betting in a casino; no one can be sure of making a profit until the very end. I think Lionsgate Films also took a risk with 'Mr. Tree,' having little assurance they would recoup their investment."

Harvey thought deeply, weighing whether to take the gamble. If he won, he could recover the cost; if he lost, he would lose even more.

"What's the marketing department's opinion?"

"They think this film has moderate prospects and that even with increased promotion, it's unlikely to see much at the box office. They suggest ending the screenings early and releasing it on DVD, which might recoup part of the cost," answered David Glaser.

Harvey thought with a stern face and, finding no better options, decided to accept the marketing department's suggestion.