Seeing Jon Berg looking struck, McDonald dared not say much and quietly waited for the president's latest instructions.
Jon Berg said, "It's alright, advance ticket sales are directly related to sequels and adaptations, and since we are neither a sequel nor a popular comrcial adaptation, it's quite normal for the advance ticket sales to be a bit low."
McDonald wasn't sure whether those words were ant for him or if the president was talking to himself, so he simply chose not to reply.
Jon Berg waved his hand, "That's enough for today, everyone go ho and get so rest early."
McDonald left the president's office, notifying his assistant team that it was ti to leave work.
Jon Berg sat on the sofa but didn't move for a long ti.
He had a bad premonition.
But no sooner had this thought flashed through his mind than he forced himself to stand up. "Jack the Giant Slayer" had just started screening in North Arica. Average advance ticket sales didn't an much, as many movies that didn't sell well initially went on to do great during opening weekend.
It was too early to conclude the film's success or failure now, it wouldn't hurt to wait for tomorrow's box office results.
Jon Berg blocked out those negative thoughts, seemingly very relaxed as he left the office and drove ho to rest.
As the film officially premiered in North Arica, the dia and websites exploded with ratings and reviews that Warner Bros. had kept under wraps until the next morning.
"What more could moviegoers in May expect beyond the film's dazzling special effects, fairy tale legend, and youthful fantasy?"
The Chicago Sun-Tis, in the original "Roger Ebert at the Movies" column, gave the movie 88 points.
"An exciting, highly original, and entertaining adventure story movie."
Variety, owned by Warner, also gave the movie 80 points.
Judging solely from the film critics on the dia, it seed like a quality sumr blockbuster.
In an age when film reviews are comrcialized, these are naturally marketable.
However, "Jack the Giant Slayer" received extrely bad reviews from the audience.
On the internet, where young viewers gather, the IMDb score was only 5.5 points, and by noon it had fallen to 5.3 points.
On Twitter, it was almost all criticism.
Consequently, while many professional review columns in traditional dia praised "Jack the Giant Slayer," ordinary movie fans across the internet branded it a terrible film.
Despite desperate efforts by Warner Bros.' online PR team to control the narrative, the overwhelming negative response was impossible to turn around.
Warner Bros. imdiately responded.
Jon Berg ca forward for an interview, addressing the poor reviews online: "A movie can't please everyone. 'Jack the Giant Slayer' has faced so negative online reviews, but it also received many positive dia reviews. This doesn't an the film is of poor quality; it's just a polarized reception."
Perhaps under great pressure, Jon Berg also criticized those giving negative reviews and those maliciously enjoying his misfortune: "So people may not like this movie, and we can accept reasonable criticism, but your way of attacking the film is too brutal!"
This interview had a huge impact as there were so many people criticising "Jack the Giant Slayer."
Ordinary movie fans erupted instantly.
I haven't spent money on a ticket to watch this movie and indeed have no right to comnt and rate it.
But I did pay to watch it, so I can't call out a bad movie as being bad? I have to admit I don't have good taste?
Fans flocked to the official Twitter account of "Jack the Giant Slayer," leaving countless angry ssages.
"Are you calling this a polarized reception? It's clear that the comnts with high scores are paid for, while everyone else is rating it low!"
"What kind of terrible movie has Warner made, don't you have a clue?"
"I understand why the lead actor in the movie has a split personality, because Warner's president is a delusional patient!"
As for websites like IMDb, the flood of negative reviews ca down like raindrops in a downpour.
On the other hand, Cinemascore published on-site audience ratings from cinemas, averaging only a C!
Warner Bros.'s three previous high-investnt flops—"Gods of Egypt," "Green Lantern," and "Dark Places"—also received a C from audience ratings.
In the years that Cinemascore has existed, films with a C rating from audiences have nearly always been box office disasters.
"Jack the Giant Slayer" did not stand out as an exception on its North Arican opening day, earning just 5.59 million US dollars in 3,855 theaters.
Upon receiving the data, Nolan imdiately called Martin, "Have you seen the box office numbers? This film is going to result in horrendous losses."
Martin replied with a laugh, "Chris, are you ready?"
Nolan responded, "As soon as the North Arican weekend box office is out, we strike."
"Okay," Martin said, "I'll wait for your whistle."
He reminded, "What about Bryan Singer?"
"I've contacted him," Nolan said. "He's waiting for an opportunity."
Martin understood, "I'll help Bryan Singer create a suitable opportunity."
Nolan added, "I'm now heading to DreamWorks and Paramount to talk with Spielberg and Bob in person. The 'Interstellar Rescue' project has been delayed for too long."
Martin said, "Good luck."
Then Nolan hung up the phone.
Martin put down his cellphone.
Louise next to him threw back the covers, put on her black-rimd glasses, without wearing anything else, and walked over to the desk.
Leaning back on the soft pillow, Martin enjoyed the sight: "You're tempting ."
Louise picked up the address book, faced Martin, and spoke seriously, "Warner Bros., even the whole of Ti Warner, has never lacked the gene for infighting. It's like Kevin Tsujihara and his Warner Bros. Team coming to power as a result of internal struggle. There are many within Warner Bros. who covet the presidency of Warner Bros."
She raised her leg, resting it on a chair, and continued discussing serious matters in a strange pose, "Our old friend Danny is a typical example. Based on the information I've got, several of Warner Bros.' recent big productions have failed, with Jon Berg always attributing the bla to Danny. Danny is extrely dissatisfied with Jon Berg."
Martin said, "Danny's chance has co."
Louise said, "I will call Danny personally."
Martin burst into laughter, "That's fantastic."
"You need to pay for this phone call!" Louise pushed up her black-rimd glasses.
Martin imdiately took action, topping up the paynt.
......
As the North Arica opening day box office for "Jack the Giant Slayer" was released, the reputation Jon Berg had invested a lot to maintain could not hold up any longer.
The so-called "polarized reputation" completely collapsed.
Kenneth Turan, a film critic from the "Los Angeles Tis," harshly criticized the film in his column.
"The film just took the most well-known parts of two fairy tales, then stitched together a very diocre piece of work with so fancy shots! Bryan Singer is a very seasoned director, yet this film is a huge letdown, making many low-level mistakes, it's unbelievable."
After reading this, Bryan Singer declared he would not carry this black pot!
At the recomndation of a friend, he contacted TMZ and accepted an exclusive video interview where he personally narrated the behind-the-scenes stories of the making and production of "Jack the Giant Slayer."
The video quickly featured prominently on the front page of TMZ.
"Anyone who followed the promotion of 'Jack the Giant Slayer' should know that from beginning to end, I did not attend any promotional appearances for the film, because it simply isn't my work!"
As the film was so bad the male lead had a ntal breakdown, Bryan Singer said he wouldn't take the bla: "I want to make it clear here, 'Jack the Giant Slayer' is not my work!"
He elaborated, "The majority of the film's shots were indeed directed by on set, but many of them were not what I wanted to shoot. The shoot in Atlanta started smoothly, but then for so reason I can't explain, Warner Bros.' president Jon Berg sent a new producer, agreeing that the other investors could each send one of their producers as well."
"In a production team with six powerful producers directing the filming, before every scene, every shot, they would examine in detail and give their opinion, all differing from each other, leading to endless arguing on set. Every scene's shooting had to wait for them to reach an agreent amongst their quarreling before I could start..."
"Do you know what that feels like? I was tortured for a whole month, a month!" Singer said in the video, clenching his teeth, "After completing the shooting and returning to Los Angeles, I suffered severe psychological and physical trauma, my heart developed problems, and I had to be hospitalized for treatnt. Jon Berg took the opportunity to strip away my right to participate in post-production."
"Here, I'd like to thank him. Thanks for not letting be involved in post-production, otherwise I would have gone mad. Jon Berg, the president of Warner Bros., ca up with a crazy post-production model."
"He first had those six producers each edit their own version of the final film, then organized a team of experts to review the films, picking out the best parts from the six edits, and personally directed the editor to combine them into the released version. Perhaps this is why many fans feel the characters, the plot, and the style keep switching and jumping erratically."
As Bryan Singer explained his situation, he tossed the pot back: "So 'Jack the Giant Slayer' is the work of Jon Berg and his producers, not the work of Bryan Singer. I don't even qualify as the on-site general director."
Not only did he issue a clarifying video through TMZ, but Bryan Singer imdiately had his agent contact Warner Bros., the Directors Guild, and the Producers' Alliance, requesting that his na be removed from the director's category for "Jack the Giant Slayer."
How bad must a film be for a director involved in its shooting to refuse to acknowledge it as their work?
Bryan Singer's position caused the reputation of "Jack the Giant Slayer" to completely collapse.
By Saturday, the movie's box office had already begun to decline, garnering only $5.24 million that day.
Over the opening weekend in North Arica, amidst a storm of negative reviews, "Jack the Giant Slayer" earned a box office take of just $14.22 million.
This was a box office disaster even more dire than "Gods of Egypt" and "Green Lantern."
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