"I'm currently calling Cameron at least once a day. Post-production for Titanic is progressing steadily, and it should be completed by the end of May. Simon, there are increasing negative rumors in the media about this film. I believe the longer we delay, the worse it will be for us. It's best if we release it as planned during the summer."
"The summer release is out of the question. The timeline is too tight, and if something goes wrong, it will disrupt many plans. Also, tell Jim to stay in Australia. He's not allowed to come back until Titanic is completed."
In Malibu, at the Daneris Studios headquarters.
It was Wednesday, January 8, 1997.
Since Christmas, Amy Pascal, now approaching her due date, had started her one-month maternity leave on Simon's insistence. Business management theory often says that to test a company's health, observe whether it continues to function smoothly when its leader steps away for a while. Simon, too, was curious to see how things would unfold.
However, as chairman, Simon wasn't too involved in the company's professional and routine financial, HR, or legal matters. His focus was primarily on the core aspect of Daneris Entertainment: content production. At the very least, he was there to guide major decisions.
The current meeting was convened with the heads of the three key production labels under Daneris Entertainment, along with other senior executives, to discuss production and release schedules for several of 1997's key projects. The primary focus was on release dates.
With the three labels now operating as equals, internal competition for prime release slots was becoming inevitable. Without intervention from Simon or Amy, disagreements over scheduling could escalate, leading to harmful infighting that could weaken the company's film operations at their core.
The discussion had just turned to Titanic, which finally wrapped production before Christmas last year, after months of delays.
News about Titanic's troubled production had been circulating since the second half of 1996. Many took it as proof that Simon Westeros wasn't infallible and could indeed make missteps. To address the situation, Daneris Studios president Tom Pollock personally traveled to Australia and spent more than a month overseeing the project, ensuring that filming was completed before the end of 1996.
Now, the release date was the new point of contention.
As Pollock noted, releasing the film during the summer as originally planned could help counteract the negative buzz. But Simon wasn't confident in Cameron's ability to complete post-production on time. Even if it were finished, the rushed timeline left little room for error, making a year-end release the safer option.
In the Meeting Room
Upon hearing Simon's ultimatum—that Cameron wasn't allowed to return from Australia until Titanic was completed—the attendees sensed his frustration. The underlying message seemed to be that if this project turned out to be a box office disaster, Cameron could forget about ever working in Hollywood again.
At this point, Daneris Entertainment had more than enough clout to blacklist a director entirely.
Those who frequently interacted with Simon often marveled at his calm and approachable demeanor. For such a young mogul, he seemed to lack the impulsiveness typical of youth, making him naturally likable. However, those who observed him from a distance often came away with a different impression.
Ruthless.
After Simon's decision, Tom Pollock reluctantly commented, "If we're aiming for the end of the year, the Thanksgiving slot is already taken by A Bug's Life and MGM's Contact. That leaves Christmas, but we also have The Flash 2 scheduled for the holiday season. The first Flash movie performed decently, but with its crossover tie-in with Wonder Woman 2, the sequel's box office potential could rise significantly. If we want to play it safe, Simon, we might consider swapping Contact with Titanic."
Before Pollock could finish, Mark Belford, Daneris Entertainment's global operations VP, interjected. "Tom, if Disney wants to avoid The Flash 2, they're highly likely to schedule Terminator 3 for Thanksgiving. Sony also has Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, which reportedly has a $100 million budget. Moving Titanic to Thanksgiving doesn't seem wise either."
Pollock countered, "I've seen the script for Starship Troopers. It's mediocre, with little chance of being a hit. Moving Titanic to Thanksgiving wouldn't clash with A Bug's Life. And as for Terminator 3, it's unlikely to overshadow The Flash 2."
New Line Cinema president Danny Morris weighed in: "I still think Titanic should stay in the Christmas slot. Thanksgiving already has A Bug's Life, Contact, and my film The Wedding Singer with Adam Sandler. Adding more to that lineup is overkill."
Gaumont president Ira Deutchman added his thoughts: "Why not shift The Flash 2 to Thanksgiving, like we did with Wonder Woman 2? I'm sure we could get Warner Bros. to agree."
Nancy Brier, head of Pixar, immediately opposed this idea. "We can't do that. A Bug's Life needs to dominate both Thanksgiving and Christmas to ensure the best performance. That film is the most important release for us at the end of the year."
Deutchman quickly realized his mistake.
Pixar's animated films weren't just about ticket sales; they were integral to multi-billion-dollar merchandising opportunities and critical to Daneris Entertainment's broader operations in family entertainment, theme parks, and gaming. Even if Titanic were to bomb, A Bug's Life's release schedule had to be preserved.
As the room debated, Deutchman privately concluded that Titanic, with its anticipated $200 million production cost, was likely to meet the same fate as Waterworld or Cutthroat Island.
At the head of the table, Simon listened patiently to the arguments while reviewing a weekly box office ranking chart for 1997. After a moment, he interrupted the debate.
"Enough. Titanic will be released during the Christmas season. The Flash 2 will keep its prime December 19 slot, as already decided. Titanic will release one week earlier, on December 12."
The room went silent. Everyone exchanged glances before turning back to Simon.
Tom Pollock hesitated before saying, "Simon, wouldn't it be better to push it a week later?"
Releasing Titanic one week ahead of The Flash 2 seemed, to many, like setting it up to be crushed. If Titanic didn't receive strong early reviews, it might be overshadowed by The Flash 2 in its second week, effectively ending its run prematurely. By releasing it a week later, The Flash 2's momentum would have subsided somewhat, potentially giving Titanic room to perform.
Simon, sensing their concerns, wasn't surprised.
If the goal were merely to ensure Titanic avoided embarrassment, shifting it to early January could have been an option. However, doing so would have relegated the film to a quieter post-holiday period, diminishing its chances of a major rebound even if it garnered strong word-of-mouth. Releasing it a week ahead of The Flash 2, on the other hand, could allow Titanic to capitalize on the lucrative holiday season. If it performed well, it could dominate the box office through December.
Ultimately, while the executives were thinking about minimizing losses, Simon was aiming for Titanic to repeat its historical box office success.
After reevaluating, Simon firmly stated, "It's settled: Titanic will release on December 12."
The discussion moved on to other films on the 1997 slate.
For Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ira Deutchman's initial plan to debut it at the Cannes Film Festival as a contender for the Palme d'Or was dismissed. Simon argued that the film's positioning shouldn't align with the arthouse aesthetic of Cannes, as this might limit its mainstream appeal. Instead, it could premiere at Cannes without competing and then be released in late July, when summer blockbusters had begun to wane.
Deutchman relented but added, "We let The English Patient dominate this year's Oscars. Can we aim for an Academy Award campaign next year?"
Simon paused briefly, unable to reveal his real plan: that both Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Titanic were his top Oscar contenders for 1998. For now, he diverted attention by suggesting, "There are a few European films we've invested in that have award potential. For example, The Full Monty from the UK, as well as Giuseppe Tornatore's The Legend of 1900 and Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful from Italy. They could all serve as Oscar hopefuls."
Deutchman nodded but countered, "Those films aren't mainstream enough. I'd like to finally greenlight Shakespeare in Love. We've been sitting on that script for two years, and it would be perfect for the end of the year."
Simon hesitated briefly. Shakespeare in Love had been a historical success but also mired in controversy, especially for its perceived underserving Oscar win over more deserving films like Saving Private Ryan. Nonetheless, he nodded in agreement. "Fine. Let's move forward. Have you considered casting?"
Deutchman replied, "For the male lead, I'm considering Daniel Day-Lewis. For the female lead, Julia Roberts. She recently wrapped Bridget Jones's Diary and trained
in accents for the role. Plus, she loves this script."
Simon approved Daniel Day-Lewis but wasn't sold on Julia Roberts, believing she lacked the elegance required for the role. Instead, he proposed Kate Beckinsale, whose recent performances had impressed him. Deutchman reluctantly agreed.
The meeting continued as they finalized release dates for other key films:
February 14: Bridget Jones's Diary Easter: Four releases, including Peter Jackson's The Frighteners, Jet Li's Taken, Jim Carrey's The Cable Guy, and Species 2. Summer blockbusters: Face/Off (May 23), Twister (June 6), American Pie (June 20), Independence Day (July 4), and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (July 25). Halloween: The Conjuring 3. Thanksgiving: A Bug's Life, Contact, and The Wedding Singer. Christmas: Titanic and Shakespeare in Love.
By the end of the meeting, Simon had mapped out a robust lineup for 1997. Unlike previous years, the majority of the films on the slate were entirely funded by Daneris Entertainment, signaling a strategic shift toward greater independence and dominance in the industry. Global expansion and market consolidation remained the company's primary goals for the foreseeable future.
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