Chapter 196
Behind The Spotlight Chapter 196
Second week of January.
Year 2000.
While Collin was in Paris, negotiating with the Beaumont family, watching Princess Chantal's concert, and looking for gigs and projects that his clients could earn money from, Wyatt Bray and Henry Greyson were having a smooth conversation with Uni-versus Pictures. The negotiation progressed faster than expected.
Week On A Cruise Ship was a successful comedy film that grossed over $400 million worldwide and was also loved by critics. It was an R-rated movie that tackled adult humor. For an R-rated film that grossed over $400 million in the mid-90s, Week On A Cruise Ship was undoubtedly a blockbuster and cemented its place in pop culture.
R-rated movies had weaker selling strength compared to PG-13 movies, simply because PG-13 had a higher market share and appealed to a broader demographic. Almost everyone could watch a PG-13 movie, while R-rated films restricted younger audiences aged 17 and under unless accompanied by parents, which limited ticket sales. Hence, a $400 million R-rated movie was considered a success by industry standards.
Naturally, Uni-versus Pictures was thrilled when they heard that Wyatt was interested in starting a sequel to this successful movie. Their excitement was barely hidden. They had long been eager to milk a franchise. At last, Week On A Cruise Ship would be classified as one, with a long-awaited continuation.
A sequel to a successful movie usually made huge profits because it was already a recognized title and had gathered fans through theaters or videotape sales and rentals, a built-in audience. Lately, sales of discs such as DVDs, CDs, and Blu-rays had been increasing as the years went by. Videotapes might become obsolete in a few years.
"If we're talking about the budget, $75 million is passable," an executive said cautiously.