July 16th.
After 10 days of limited screenings, "The Blair Witch Project" finally expanded its release on this day.
1900 theaters!
That's right, the screening scale climbed from the initial 29 theaters to 97, and now to a full 1900 theaters.
It must be said that Page Pictures' current strength in North America is quite formidable.
In the original timeline, Artisan Entertainment poured all its resources, used every trick in the book, and made numerous concessions to theater chains to secure a release in 1100 theaters; however, Page Pictures easily secured 1900 theaters during the summer blockbuster season.
This is the difference in strength!
With the film's wide release, advertising funds naturally had to keep pace.
Following the initial investment of 5 million US dollars, Page Pictures once again invested a staggering 14 million US dollars to promote "The Blair Witch Project."
"Without a large investment, how can there be high box office?"
Bill Mechanic, President of Page Pictures and former CEO of 20th Century Fox, naturally understood this well and operated with extreme proficiency.
"Mystery!"
"Idiots, remember, 'The Blair Witch Project' is a no-name film with no star actors, no famous director, no spectacular special effects, and a production cost of only 60,000 US dollars. We must maintain the audience's sense of mystery about the film."
"Otherwise, we'll all be screwed!"
"Popular magazines, fashion weeklies, the internet, keep our buzz going, get everything moving!"
For a time, the entire Page Pictures was plunged into intense and busy work.
The expanded release of "The Blair Witch Project" was naturally a blessing for moviegoers.
"I got it!"
"I finally got a ticket!"
"They say it's a true story, a top-secret police file, a DV recording that scares people to death without repercussions.
I want to see how terrifying it is."
San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Seattle... in major cities across the United States, and even in various small towns, on this day, many moviegoers bought tickets to enter theaters, just to witness the horror of "The Blair Witch Project."
However... many people cursed immediately after watching the movie!
"Shit!"
"What the hell is this garbage?"
"Buddy, are you sure today isn't April Fool's Day? I didn't feel any horror in the entire DV recording, only dizzying shaky shots, and the picture quality was even rough. The overall experience was not friendly at all."
Many people felt cheated.
Some even realized: "This is not a top-secret file at all. It's probably the production company playing a trick on everyone and deceiving consumers~"
There were still quite a few smart people.
However, after "The Blair Witch Project" expanded its release, the box office performance on that day was spectacular!
27 million US dollars!
That's right, the film's North American box office on that day reached 27 million US dollars, ranking first on the North American box office chart for that day.
Among the films released concurrently, whether it was Warner Bros.' 50 million US dollar big production "The Hurricane," or Universal Pictures' classic comedy "American Pie," their box office performances all ranked below "The Blair Witch Project."
Other films, even more so, became cannon fodder during this period!
Undoubtedly, Page Pictures' targeted viral and deceptive marketing achieved unprecedented success.
On July 17th, the film took in another 21 million US dollars;
On July 18th, it earned another 17 million US dollars;
...As of July 22nd, after "The Blair Witch Project" expanded its release, a full week of wide-area screenings, plus its previous earnings, it had accumulated 110 million US dollars in North American box office.
Instantly, the entire United States was in an uproar.
Many Hollywood film companies were so angry they stomped their feet!
"Despicable and shameless Page Pictures!"
"Too shameless!"
"This tactic is truly dirty!"
If Barry Meyer of Warner Bros. saw through Kyle and Page Pictures' plan, then did other Hollywood film companies truly not notice anything at all?
Of course not!
There are countless shrewd people in Hollywood!
However, Kyle wasn't worried in the slightest.
To put it bluntly, while the major film companies in Hollywood are often in competition, they also form a community of shared interests.
In this industry, production and distribution companies, with their vast resources and high financial backing, are naturally at the top of the entire industrial chain, the players in this capital game. The Hollywood Big Six are the top-tier players, collectively dominating numerous groups such as actors, agents, directors, lighting technicians, cinematographers, editors, special effects artists, and so on.
Everyone makes a living from this industry!
The better Hollywood's "great, glorious, and correct" image, the better its development naturally, and everyone makes money.
Industry insider rules, all unwritten understandings, and even scandals, dare you expose one to try?
One move affects the whole body!
If you expose one company, it's equivalent to going against hundreds of large and small film companies in Hollywood.
Actions that destroy livelihoods are absolutely intolerable!
Looking back at Hollywood in the 90s, there were many actresses who exposed "red couch" and "casting couch" incidents, but did they cause a big stir?
No!
Even as we entered the 21st century, Harvey Weinstein and a host of other top Hollywood producers were exposed, leading to their downfall, but look at the actors who participated in the exposure incidents; how many of them were able to survive in Hollywood afterward?
How many are still thriving?
—A tacit blacklist!
The various players in Hollywood's major film companies absolutely do not allow scandals to be exposed outside the industry; whoever dares to cause trouble is everyone's common enemy.
To this day, no one has dared to challenge this "rule"!
If you're stubborn, then you can expect to disappear from Hollywood~
Similar to the major film companies in the Great Heavenly Dynasty, if one film company encounters a scandal, do you see any other film companies kicking them while they're down?
In the film and television industry, we prosper together, and we suffer together!
As of now, the number of people who, like Barry Meyer, saw through Kyle's plan is not small, but none of them spoke out or participated in the exposure.
As for the main creative personnel of "The Blair Witch Project" who will be pushed to the forefront in the future, they are absolute scapegoats!
No one in Hollywood will sympathize with them!
Because everyone does it!
Sure enough... when the opposing voices on the internet and the astroturfing were almost uncontrollable, Page Pictures played another trick.
"Genius director, genius planner!"
""The Blair Witch Project" is a film, a film with a production cost of only 60,000 US dollars!"
The two directors of "The Blair Witch Project," Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, were pushed to the forefront by Page Pictures.
"Go forth, you two!"
Kevin Feige brought the two of them to the WB Television Network, a subsidiary of Golden Dawn Entertainment Group.
""The Blair Witch Project" was conceived by the two of you, and it was also filmed by you. Even the information about witches and missing persons collected on the official website originally came from your ideas. Now that the film has achieved over 100 million US dollars at the North American box office, you have made great contributions and are great heroes. Now is the time for you to enjoy the cheers, flowers, and honor!"
Kevin Feige used inflammatory rhetoric to entice the two rookie directors.
The viral and deceptive marketing of "The Blair Witch Project" could no longer be kept under wraps, so scapegoats had to be put forward to bear the audience's impending wrath.
Once the TV program was broadcast, coupled with another round of publicity.
Tsk tsk tsk~!
Page Pictures came out completely clean.
Hmm, pure and innocent Page!
"Poor fools, no one will sympathize with you." Facing the two directors' gratitude, Kevin Feige immediately showed disdain.