Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 194 Walking on the Path of a Great Director
Besides these analyses and reviews of "The Sixth Sense," the newspaper also raised a new question that piqued the interest of many:
"Can 'The Sixth Sense' surpass 'Jaws' and create a new legend in horror films?"

Everyone is familiar with "Jaws," the breakthrough film for director Steven Spielberg. With a budget of only $900 million, it achieved a box office phenomenon, grossing $2.7 million in North America and $4.77 million worldwide. Keep in mind that this was in 1975; the $4.77 million figure was far more valuable in the market then than it was in the 90s.

The box office record for "Jaws" has remained unbroken for over 20 years, a record that no horror film has ever broken.

Some people debate whether Jaws is a horror movie. If Jaws is considered a horror movie, then logically Jurassic Park should also be included, since it is also scary!
However, most people prefer to categorize *Jurassic Park* as a science fiction adventure or monster thriller rather than a horror film. This is because the groundbreaking aspect of *Jurassic Park* lies in the visual impact of the giant dinosaurs, not in the fear they evoke.

However, "Jaws" is also classified as a horror film because the movie consistently uses sharks to create a sense of fear, which is well-documented. When "Jaws" was released, business at all beaches plummeted, with many tourists avoiding beaches for fear of shark attacks, leading to protests from beach resorts against Spielberg. This demonstrates the terrifying effect of "Jaws."

Now, in less than four weeks, The Sixth Sense has grossed $220 million, which is clearly not far from the $270 million North American box office record of Jaws. Will it be able to break it?

Regarding this issue, a television station even sent a reporter to the cinema entrance for a live interview.

"Hey lady, do you think 'The Sixth Sense' can break 'Jaws' box office record?"

"Um, I'm not familiar with the records of Jaws. Is it much worse now?"

"Jaws made 2.7 million, now there's a 5000 million gap. What do you think?"

"Then I think 'The Sixth Sense' should be able to do it. Although 5000 million is not a small number, it is not difficult for it to achieve its goals."

"So, what do you think of the movie 'The Sixth Sense' compared to 'Jaws'?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't seen *Jaws*. But I think *The Sixth Sense* is a really great movie. It's so special, not just because of the chilling ending, but also because the emotions it evoked completely and shattered my preconceived notions about horror movies. I think it's better than *Jaws*!"

……

"Hello, sir, do you think 'The Sixth Sense' can break 'Jaws' box office record?"

“Hey, I think it’s unfair of you to compare them like that. They are completely different movies. Jaws stimulates the audience through the elusive sharks and audiovisual sensations, while The Sixth Sense is about the power of the mind and tells a story about inner emotions. They are completely different!”

"Sir, I just want to ask, which of them do you think will have a higher box office?"

"This is completely unfair. They are not even from the same era. The purchasing power of money is different. You have to take inflation into account. It is a very stupid thing to do to simply compare box office revenue!"

"Well, okay, sir, then who do you think is better?"

"Fuck, can't you understand me? This comparison is so unfair! They're both great, and they shouldn't be compared like this!"

……

Watching this street interview on television, David Geffen, one of the three giants of DreamWorks, smiled at the middle-aged man next to him who looked like a refined professor:
"Steven, look, a lot of people are saying that *The Sixth Sense* will surpass your *Jaws*!"

Spielberg shrugged: "It's just a boring record. It's only being used for comparison now as a publicity stunt!"

As a Hollywood mogul, Spielberg saw through the trick immediately. It was definitely a publicity stunt by the producers to piggyback on his fame and maintain the popularity of "The Sixth Sense" by leveraging the name of "Jaws" and Spielberg's reputation.

David Geffen nodded upon hearing this, but then remarked with a sigh:
"But the box office momentum of 'The Sixth Sense' is really strong! Look, Cinemascore has raised its box office forecast again."

David Geffen handed the newspaper to Spielberg, which contained his latest prediction: "The Sixth Sense North American box office: $3.1 million, worldwide box office: $6.3 million."

Spielberg's expression turned serious upon seeing this number. There aren't many movies that can force Cinemascore to raise its predictions several times, and this box office performance is already quite frightening, completely surpassing last year's box office champion.

Spielberg then remarked with a touch of regret, "If only this movie, with its box office success, were from DreamWorks!"
DreamWorks, formed by the combined efforts of these three giants, ambitiously aims to establish a new foothold in Hollywood and challenge the old order. However, in the five years since its founding, it has faced various forms of suppression and obstacles. If a film could be released now, grossing over $6 million worldwide, it would undoubtedly greatly boost DreamWorks' momentum.

And it wasn't just about reputation, but also finances. "The Sixth Sense" only cost $60 million to make, and to achieve a $600 million return on that investment is truly a huge profit! DreamWorks has never had a film gross over $600 million worldwide since its inception!
David Geffen asked, "Steven, could you invite Wu Yuchen to join our DreamWorks?"

DreamWorks is undoubtedly eager to have Wu Yuchen, a director whose three films since entering Hollywood have all achieved high box office returns. Crucially, he not only has high box office success but also low production costs!
Consider the production costs of his three films: "Frequency" cost 3500 million and grossed 3.7 million; "Phone Booth" reportedly cost less than 2000 million but grossed 3.8 million, all of which yielded returns of more than ten times. And now, this film, "The Sixth Sense," is poised to reach ten times its initial value again!
If such talent could join their Dream Factory, it would greatly alleviate their current situation, and they would have much more confidence in confronting the Seven.

Spielberg shook his head: "It's difficult. I tried to invite him once before, but he didn't agree. Now that he's been successful one after another, it's even harder to invite him again. And seeing that he's started his own independent production company, he's obviously very confident in himself and wants to make the lion's share."

David Geffen shook his head and laughed, "Making big money isn't that easy. Otherwise, why would we have started DreamWorks? I'll personally visit him and talk to him again."

Spielberg nodded in agreement. For someone as talented as Wu Yuchen, it wouldn't be too much to visit him three times: "Be nicer to him and cater to his preferences!"

David Geffen chuckled, "Of course, he's a hot commodity these days. It's just a pity he likes beautiful women. If he liked men, I think I'd be even more confident in winning him over."

Spielberg declined to comment on his partner's sexual orientation. Their group is currently sensitive yet united, and is a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.

……

"Wu, you are my king!" Jennifer Connelly, oblivious to everyone else, excitedly kissed Wu Yuchen on the cheek. Inside the room, Bruce Willis, who had remained composed just two or three weeks ago, was now losing his composure. He completely ignored Jennifer Connelly's actions; not only Jennifer, but even he wanted to kiss Wu Yuchen on the cheek.

He paced excitedly back and forth in the room, repeating in an excited tone, "Wu, are you a prophet? Are you a visionary? You are truly amazing!"

At first, Wu Yuchen said the box office would be a pleasant surprise, and he didn't quite believe it. But as the past few weeks have passed, now that he's looking at the latest weekly box office figures, he's completely blown away by the numbers. "The Sixth Sense" earned $3152 million in North America this week, bringing its total to $2.55 million!
Bruce Willis's film "Armageddon," which topped the global box office last year, only just broke $2 million at the North American box office, which is already his North American box office record!

While holding Jennifer Connelly, Wu Yuchen joked with Bruce Willis, "Hey Bruce, you can stop and rest for a bit, you're making my eyes blurry~"

"Hey Wu, how can you be so calm?! We're going to hit 3 million at the box office, and we'll reach 6 million USD worldwide! That's an insane number!"

Bruce Willis waved, then sat down, poured himself a glass of wine, gulped it down, and asked Wu Yuchen again, "Wu, can we really make 6 million?!"

While last year's "Titanic" shocked the world with its $20 billion box office, it remains an unattainable figure. $6 million is still a very difficult number to reach in today's global film industry; it's a number that 99.99% of actors would never dare to dream of in their entire lives, even a superstar like Bruce Willis had rarely considered it before.

Wu Yuchen pointed to the newspaper in his hand and said with a smile, "Doesn't it have predictions from professional organizations?"

“Oh no, I don’t believe any of those bullshit predictions anymore, I only believe yours, Wu!” Bruce Willis shouted.

Wu Yuchen chuckled upon hearing this. Under the intense gazes of Bruce Willis and Jennifer Connelly, he added an ice cube to his glass and confidently said, "It'll only get higher!"

Bruce Willis laughed heartily upon hearing this and toasted Wu Yuchen cheerfully.

Actually, there's another crucial factor influencing how high the global box office will be: its current partner, Disney. While Disney ostensibly invested 25%, and theoretically, higher overseas box office revenue should benefit them more, the numbers don't work that way. Ultimately, Wu Yuchen's side takes the lion's share.

With box office success in North America, Disney must be experiencing both joy and pain. The joy comes from the film's box office explosion, but the pain lies in the fact that Wu Yuchen will take the lion's share of the profits, making the overseas market crucial for them.

The two sides have been dragging their feet on overseas distribution until now, partly because North American box office performance still has room for improvement, and partly because they are considering how to negotiate the deal. Wu Yuchen is also waiting for Disney to come to him for negotiations; the delay cannot be allowed to last too long, otherwise it will be detrimental to overseas box office performance.

However, Wu Yuchen did not expect that before the Disney he was waiting for arrived, someone he did not anticipate came to him first.

"Wu, congratulations! You know what? You're the object of everyone's attention in Hollywood right now. I was really worried about not being able to get an appointment with you, so I apologize for bothering you like this."

Looking at the middle-aged man in front of him, who was already balding but behaving like a gentleman, Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "Of course not, you are very welcome, Mr. Geffen!"

The man in front of him was a very influential figure in Hollywood and one of the three giants of DreamWorks. No matter what his purpose was, Wu Yuchen could not possibly turn him away.

David Geffen had just sat down when he smiled at Wu Yuchen and said:

"Wu, seeing you is like seeing Steven back then, equally dazzling, equally successful. You are already on the path to becoming a great director!"

"Oh, Mr. Geffen, thank you for the compliment, but I am still quite a distance from Mr. Spielberg, whose every film causes a sensation around the world."

Wu Yuchen's words were not flattery. Spielberg was truly amazing back then. He made three movies in a row: "Jaws," "Indiana Jones," and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." All of them were recorded in film and television. The three movies were three different genres, and each one was the leader in its own genre. The sensational effect they caused was definitely no less than that of Wu Yuchen today.

"No, no, I have more faith in you than Steven. A person's creative lifespan is limited. Most people's creative peak is in their youth and middle age. As time goes by, creative passion and talent will fade, and even Steven is no exception."

And you, you're even younger! Steven didn't reach his peak until he was 39, and you're only 22. You've already begun your creative journey, and your creative lifespan will far exceed Steven's. Who knows what amazing works you'll create in the future!

David Geffen appeared sincere, his tone gradually rising, and his language becoming quite persuasive:
"Wu, you are destined to become a master director. You shouldn't be bound by the existing Hollywood system. Believe me, you should join DreamWorks and create a new era in Hollywood with Spielberg! The future of Hollywood will definitely be yours!"

Listening to the bald man's passionate words, Wu Yuchen thought to himself, "Wow, he's starting off by giving me a pep talk and making grand promises. This is an elite capitalist! If I were a 22-year-old fresh out of school, wouldn't I be completely fooled?"
Wu Yuchen smiled, revealing his bright white teeth: "Oh, Mr. Geffen, thank you so much for your praise and high regard. Actually, I'm quite satisfied with the current situation, you know? I feel like I've been surrounded by good people since I entered Hollywood. Whether it was the previous collaboration with Fox or the current one with Disney, it's all been very pleasant!"

Wu Yuchen's meaning is quite clear: by bringing up these two partners, he's implying that DreamWorks' conditions can't compare to the Big Seven studios. Doesn't DreamWorks still rely on Paramount for its own distribution channels? Besides, he's making good money making his own movies, why would he join DreamWorks and work for them?
David Geffen clearly understood the meaning behind Wu Yuchen's words. He smiled and then said:
“Wu, do you know why Steven founded DreamWorks? It’s because he didn’t want to be exploited by these big studios anymore. The Sixth Sense was a huge success, far surpassing your previous two films. But I have to tell you the truth, your situation will become worse than before.”

Wu Yuchen frowned upon hearing this, but did not speak, instead waiting for the other party to continue.

"You were simply working for Sony Columbia on the movie 'Frequency,' and I heard that you endured various constraints during filming, which is why you chose to produce your second film independently, is that right?"

Seeing Wu Yuchen nod, David Geffen smiled and said:
"And your second film, 'Phone Booth,' was fantastic. You freely showcased your talent and ultimately reaped a huge reward. We all know you made a lot of money. But to be honest, that was the only time, because none of the seven major Hollywood studios expected that this small production would earn so much."

Then David Geffen tapped the table again:

"And with 'The Sixth Sense,' you were smart to give Disney a 25% share. But as you achieve great success, the seven major studios will take you much more seriously, and it will be impossible to give up just 25% in the future."

If I'm not mistaken, starting with your next film, the Big Seven studios will unite against you. If you don't release the majority of your budget, no one will provide you with distribution channels anymore. The major studios won't tolerate individuals repeatedly reaping exorbitant profits while they themselves become mere laborers, scraping by.

(End of this chapter)