Zucker, the Fitness Buff

A $12.45 million opening weekend?

"Okay, got it. Send me the information later. Mm-hmm, that's all." Zucker hung up.

At that moment, Zucker was reclining on the bed in his villa. Hearing that Wrong Turn had done well at the box office put him in an excellent mood.

Jessica Chastain was lying beside him, just as naked as he was. "Are the opening weekend numbers for Wrong Turn in?"

"That's right."

Zucker nodded. "It made a total of $12.45 million in its first three days, behind only The Bad Heart from Summit Entertainment and The Exorcist Expert from Touchstone Pictures. That puts it third on this weekend's box office chart."

Jessica couldn't help exclaiming, "That much?"

"Of course."

Zucker was feeling pretty pleased with himself.

Wrong Turn's opening weekend numbers had indeed exceeded his expectations.

Before the film's release, Victor, Zucker, and the others had estimated that it would make between six and seven million dollars over its first three days.

However, audiences had grown tired of supernatural and exorcism horror films. A quality splatter horror movie was a refreshing change. On top of that, most of the films released this weekend were terrible, so audiences naturally chose Wrong Turn. Thanks to its success, theaters had also adjusted their schedules to give it more screenings.

Otherwise, how could it have taken in over ten million dollars in its first three days with only a little over 800 screens?

"From what you're saying, the film's reviews must be pretty good too?" Jessica asked.

Zucker nodded. "That's right. It currently has a 7.5 rating on IMDb, an 81% Popcornmeter score, and an 83% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes."

"That's a great start. Even if the ratings drop after a while, they probably won't fall below 7." Jessica's eyes lit up.

"Definitely! Just look at who wrote the screenplay!"

Zucker was feeling more smug by the second.

Whatever happened down the line, Wrong Turn's box office performance had earned him the right to call himself a "genius screenwriter."

In the original timeline, aside from the first Wrong Turn film, which scored a respectable 6.5, none of the later installments managed to break 6. Their ratings just kept getting worse.

But who cared?

As long as the films made money, the series would keep going!

After all, Wrong Turn was a low-budget franchise. Even the most expensive installment in the future wouldn't cost more than five million dollars. So why not keep making them?

"Oh, right, Jessica. Juno will wrap filming soon. What are you planning to do next?" Zucker asked.

Her plans?

Jessica had only two options at the moment!

She could keep acting;

or she could go back to school.

Jessica Chastain thought it over. "I haven't decided yet."

"I see. Juno hasn't come out yet, so you've got time to think about it. But I'd still recommend acting. You should find a performing arts school and work on your craft. It can only help."

"Okay, I'll think about it," Jessica said with a nod.

There was no denying that thanks to Juno, Jessica Chastain was off to a much stronger start than she'd had in the original timeline.

In the original timeline, she graduated from college in 1998. It was only after a friend's suggestion that she chose to study acting at Juilliard School. Then, in 2004, she finally landed a small speaking role and began her career on screen.

She didn't become famous until 2011, thanks to The Tree of Life.

That year, she was still radiant and beautiful, but she was already 34.

For men in Hollywood, 34 was no big deal. Most were at the peak of their careers.

But it wasn't so kind to women.

She was a little too old to play a young leading lady;

yet too young to play a mother.

So even after Jessica Chastain became famous, she found herself in an awkward position in Hollywood.

That was why she accepted every offer that came her way and kept making films over the next few years. At her busiest, in 2015, she appeared in as many as eight films in a single year.

That was how she earned the nickname "the workhorse."

People praised her for her hard work, but the truth was harsh.

She didn't have many good options!

She only had a few years at her peak!

Since you chose to sleep with me in this life, whether it's out of love or a business arrangement, I have to make you famous sooner, Zucker thought as he looked at Jessica.

"Huh?"

A name suddenly popped into Zucker's head.

—Elliot Page!

Holy crap! With all my shenanigans, I may have wrecked Elliot Page's career before it even started.

He couldn't help thinking so.

After all, Hard Candy and Juno were both breakout films for Elliot Page. Now Zucker had gone and made them early and released them ahead of time. Hadn't he ruined Elliot Page's prospects?

Zucker pursed his lips.

Of course, he soon got over it.

Every man for himself!

Besides, he didn't know Elliot Page. If he'd taken those roles, so be it.

Could you really call it stealing when you were a time traveler?

Heh!

Having put the matter out of his mind, Zucker turned his gaze back to the naked Jessica.

"Darling, since you're awake, how about we get some exercise?"

Please call me Zucker, the Fitness Buff.

A few days later.

Thanks to its decent word of mouth, Wrong Turn continued to bring in respectable numbers even on weekdays.

Monday: $2.15 million;

Tuesday: $2.03 million;

Wednesday: $1.78 million;

Thursday: $1.42 million;

The following weekend, it took in another six million dollars over three days.

After ten days in theaters, Wrong Turn had grossed a total of $25.83 million!

Of course, as a horror film, it still couldn't escape the genre's inherent weakness: its box office would drop off quickly. The film was ultimately expected to finish with between $30 million and $32 million. Even so, Zucker's Wald Pictures was making a fortune!

The budget was low!

Meanwhile.

In Richard Kidman's office in Time Warner's international distribution department, he smiled at his young assistant. "Reed, you've seen Wrong Turn's ten-day box office numbers, right?"

"Yes, boss. Just as you predicted, Wald Pictures has unlimited potential," Reed said with a sigh.

He couldn't help being impressed. His boss was simply too good.

A few months earlier, they had acted decisively, paid two million dollars—hundreds of thousands above the market price—and secured the international rights to Hard Candy. That gave them an early opportunity to make contact with Wald Pictures.

Richard Kidman continued, "That's why we can't just focus on what's right in front of us. We need to think long term. All right, enough marveling. In a little while, get in touch with Wald Pictures and try to secure the international rights to Wrong Turn."

"Got it. I'll take care of it right away."

Big companies were big companies. Their approach always made you feel like you were in the best of hands!

Then, without drawing attention to it, they deepened their ties with the smaller company. As time went by, the smaller company became more entangled with the big one, until it was eventually acquired.

You had to watch your back!

Of course, Zucker didn't care one bit. He had a cheat code, after all!