Would Hard Candy be released on July 19?
"That's not good news. What are the theaters trying to pull?!" Victor fumed.
Zucker narrowed his eyes as well.
In North America, the summer blockbuster season ran from the first weekend in May to mid-August. It was also when major releases flooded theaters, and many Hollywood studios made a fortune at the box office.
Of course, that also meant an exceptionally brutal fight for audiences!
If even the big studios faced such fierce competition, small and mid-sized companies were inevitably left without enough screens for their films, which could only end up as cannon fodder.
And July was right in the middle of the North American summer season!
Even small and mid-sized companies were afraid to release films with budgets of around ten million dollars during the summer, worried they would be crushed.
If even ten-million-dollar films were scared, how could a movie like Hard Candy, with a budget of less than one million, dare to compete with a blockbuster from a major studio?
Wouldn't it get crushed into cannon fodder?
Clearly, Wald Pictures wasn't about to charge headfirst into a wall!
"Boss, the theaters are trying to screw us over!"
Victor pulled out the North American release schedule for July. As he looked at the string of big-budget films listed there, his anger kept building.
Eraser, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Spitfire Grill, Independence Day, A Time to Kill, White Squall, and so on—which of them wasn't produced and distributed by one of the Big Six Hollywood Studios?
Holy crap!
Zucker looked at the films opening in late June and July. Every last one of them was a monster!
"Goddamn it, they're trying to kill me!"
"These films are all in the top forty at the North American box office this year, and not one of them made less than fifty million dollars!"
This was giving him a headache.
What could their own Hard Candy, with a budget of less than a million, possibly do against these blockbusters?
It was like throwing an egg at a rock!
"Martha, contact a few theater chains and see if we can move Hard Candy to early or mid-August," Zucker said at once.
"Of course, boss."
Martha immediately called the theater chains, but the results weren't encouraging.
"Boss, the August schedule is full across the board. They can't make any adjustments. If... if we insist on postponing the release, the only option is September." Martha looked just as grim.
"September? Damn September! The students will be back in school by then. Who's going to watch the movie, ghosts?!" Zucker exploded.
Victor looked at Martha and asked in a low voice, "How many screens will they give Hard Candy for its July 19 release?"
With no hope of changing the date, they could only try to get more screens.
Three hundred screens for the opening weekend. They also said that was because Run Lola Run had made a hundred million dollars overseas. Otherwise, we'd be lucky to get even a hundred screens," Martha said through gritted teeth.
A measly three hundred screens?
What good was that?
The theater chains were treating Hard Candy and Wald Pictures as cannon fodder!
Sure, Hard Candy had a small budget and was an art-house film, so it wasn't likely to make a huge amount at the box office. But it was a good movie. With a decent release date, it could surely bring in six to ten million dollars.
But now?
They'd put it out in the crowded summer season. They'd be lucky to make three million!
"Boss, should we postpone Hard Candy until March or April next year?" Victor suggested.
March and April were relatively open. With Victor's plans, Hard Candy could indeed bring in a decent box-office return. But Zucker didn't want to wait!
"No need to wait until next year. We'll release it on July 19," Zucker said through gritted teeth.
"But..."
Victor started to say more, but Zucker cut him off.
The Barbarian was coming out in March or April next year. It was a monster of a movie, with nearly sixty million dollars at the North American box office—enough to crush a whole host of niche films.
The summer season was packed with blockbusters, but Hard Candy was a niche film with a completely different sensibility. If they promoted it properly, it might still do well. The odds were terrible, almost hopeless, but it wasn't impossible.
There was another reason Zucker hadn't mentioned.
Hard Candy was directed by Zack Snyder!
A future Hollywood megadirector!
Zucker had watched Zack's finished cut. He had to admit it was even better than Hard Candy in the original timeline. Postponing the release would inevitably bring a string of unforeseen complications. By facing the challenge head-on, he could make Zack even more grateful to Wald Pictures and strengthen their relationship, which would pay off enormously in the future.
July 4.
Wald Pictures.
Director Zack Snyder sat on the sofa, his face dark. He was so furious that his whole body was shaking.
"Zack, I'm sorry. Wald Pictures is too small to get you a good release date or enough screens. After all, Hard Candy is your first feature film. I never expected our company to mess things up for you. Well, let me say it again, Zack—I'm sorry."
Zucker spoke with such heartfelt emotion, looking as though he'd been devastated by the setback. Zack couldn't help feeling guilty.
Just look at him!
Really, take a good look!
What a benefactor!
Such a wonderful man!
"I'm just a director. Mr. Wald owns the company, and he's the one who'll lose the most if Hard Candy doesn't get a good release date. Yet here he is comforting and reassuring a nobody like me..."
Zack felt more and more guilty. "Maybe I should go back to shooting music videos."
With that thought, he immediately stood up and said solemnly, "Mr. Wald, it's not your fault the film didn't get a good release date. It's mine. If... if my directing skills were stronger, I could've convinced more theater chains to take a chance on it. So please don't apologize to me. I'm the one who should be apologizing!"
He paused, then continued, "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a director. Maybe I don't have the talent. I might spend the rest of my life shooting music videos. I..."
"Bullshit!"
Zucker roared at him. "Zack! Mr. Zack Snyder, remember this: you're a genius, a rare filmmaking genius!"
"It's just one movie. If it loses money, so be it! I believe in you. As long as you're willing to keep making films and I still have money, you can keep making them. If one film doesn't work, we'll make two. If that's not enough, we'll make eighty or a hundred!"
"No money? Then I'll mortgage the company! I refuse to believe we can't make it!"
Zack was so moved that tears streamed down his face.
Just look at him! This was what it meant to have someone recognize your worth!
At that moment, Zack Snyder was so overwhelmed he almost dropped to his knees and pledged eternal loyalty to the Old Wald family, ready to drink, smoke, and get a perm for them for generations to come.
"Damn, who knew I had such great acting skills?" Zucker congratulated himself inwardly.
***
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