Late June to early July is one of the most coveted periods in the North American film market. A few years ago, multiple big-budget productions would typically vie for attention during this time. However, in recent years, Matthew Horner's dominance over the Independence Day weekend has led to the period being unofficially referred to as the "Matthew Horner Slot." Most major studios now avoid releasing their films during the weekend before Independence Day to steer clear of his massive draw. Those who dare to share the slot usually either release their films a week earlier or later to avoid direct competition.
That said, competing films don't necessarily fail. For instance, the Ice Age series once shared the Independence Day slot with a Matthew Horner movie and still performed exceptionally well at the box office.
This year's Independence Day lineup featured two major blockbusters: G.I. Joe: Retaliation, starring Matthew, and Sony Columbia's reboot of The Amazing Spider-Man.
While G.I. Joe: Retaliation hit theaters on June 29, The Amazing Spider-Man—despite the appeal of Peter Parker—was strategically scheduled for release on July 3 to avoid direct competition with Matthew's film.
In late June, Hasbro and Paramount Pictures hosted a grand premiere for G.I. Joe: Retaliation in Los Angeles.
Matthew and the rest of the creative team attended the event.
Although Matthew's relationship with Hasbro and Paramount had been strained, he remained professional and committed to his promotional responsibilities. However, during the premiere, he noticed a marked shift in Paramount's attitude toward him and director Stephen Sommers.
Before the premiere, Paramount's interactions with him were cordial but perfunctory, lacking the warmth he experienced in collaborations with Disney or Warner Bros. Yet, at the premiere, when he met Brad Grey, Paramount's CEO, Matthew could sense genuine sincerity in the executive's demeanor.
It felt as if Paramount was particularly reliant on him.
From Matthew's perspective, this change was undoubtedly tied to the financial success G.I. Joe: Retaliation was expected to deliver.
Indeed, on its opening day, the film easily grossed $51.5 million, dethroning the previous week's Ted, and claiming the top spot at the box office.
Despite Ted breaking several R-rated comedy records, its $10.5 million single-day earnings were no match for the market pull of Matthew Horner's name and his established blockbuster reputation.
On its second day, Saturday, G.I. Joe: Retaliation maintained its momentum, earning another $49.8 million while continuing to dominate the daily box office. Neither Ted nor Pixar's Monsters University posed a significant threat.
By the end of its first weekend, G.I. Joe: Retaliation had grossed $142.1 million across more than 4,300 theaters in North America, easily outpacing Ted, which earned $30.15 million, and claiming the top spot on the North American box office charts.
Simultaneously, the film debuted in nearly seventy overseas markets, capturing over 80% of the weekend's box office wins. Its international earnings for the first weekend narrowly missed the $200 million mark.
In just three days, the film raked in a staggering $338.56 million worldwide.
Both in North America and globally, G.I. Joe: Retaliation topped every conceivable box office chart.
However, the film's critical reception was lukewarm. Its reviews and ratings were on par with the first film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and fell short of the acclaim Matthew had received for Inception and Fast Five.
Despite this, G.I. Joe: Retaliation proved to be a thrilling popcorn flick.
History has shown time and again that pure popcorn entertainment tends to have broad global appeal.
"This is less of a victory for Paramount Pictures…"
In his office at Paramount's Hollywood headquarters, CEO Brad Grey remarked to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, "…and more of a personal victory for Matthew Horner."
Lorenzo, who had been dissatisfied with Matthew during production, misinterpreted Brad Grey's statement and seized the moment to vent. "This film will likely gross $350 million in North America and $800 million globally. With such high earnings, Matthew Horner's 20% box office share will take a significant chunk. His personal income from this film could rival Paramount's profits! If this continues, the G.I. Joe series will end up funneling more money into Matthew Horner's pockets than into the studio's."
Brad Grey frowned slightly, giving Lorenzo a measured glance.
Undeterred, Lorenzo continued, "Boss, I strongly suggest replacing Matthew Horner! We can start the third film by killing off Duke and promoting Channing Tatum's Flint as the lead. This change would cut casting costs by more than half."
Brad Grey's frown deepened. "Have you considered the consequences of such a decision?"
"Uh?" Lorenzo froze, unsure of what his boss meant.
Brad Grey replied flatly, "Channing Tatum may have a lower salary, but have you thought about his drawing power? Tell me, what do you think was the primary reason for G.I. Joe: Retaliation's explosive opening weekend?"
Before Lorenzo could respond, Brad slid a report across the desk and said decisively, "In the past three days, we hired multiple market research firms to conduct audience surveys across North America. Out of the 35,000 responses we received, 88% said they came to see Matthew Horner. Nearly half of them explicitly stated that he was their sole reason for buying a ticket."
Faced with these numbers, Lorenzo fell silent.
Brad Grey pressed on, "Even the most conservative estimate attributes half of the film's opening weekend gross to Matthew Horner's star power alone."
He sighed and added, "Without Matthew Horner, G.I. Joe: Retaliation would be, at best, a $50-60 million opening weekend film."
Lorenzo opened his mouth to speak but found himself at a loss for words. Without the data, he might have continued his complaints, but these figures unequivocally demonstrated Matthew's immense value.
Still, Lorenzo couldn't shake his frustration. "I still think Matthew Horner's salary is too high." As one of the film's producers, he couldn't help but fixate on the profits Matthew would take. "The thought of how much he'll earn makes my chest feel tight."
Brad Grey understood Lorenzo's concerns and wasn't angry. "I don't feel great about it either," he admitted. Then, with a resolute tone, he added, "But Paramount needs to continue working with Matthew Horner."
Lorenzo hesitated, but Brad Grey continued.
"Paramount Pictures needs Matthew Horner and the continued success of the G.I. Joe franchise," Brad explained, rubbing his temples as fatigue crept into his voice. "DreamWorks has decided to sever ties with us and move under Disney's banner. We've lost an important partner."
Lorenzo tentatively offered, "We still have other collaborators, and we still have Tom Cruise."
Tom Cruise was undoubtedly one of Paramount's biggest assets.
But Brad Grey countered, "Do you think Tom Cruise compares to Matthew Horner now?"
"They're both superstars…" Lorenzo's voice trailed off.
"Tom Cruise can't hold a candle to Matthew Horner!" Brad Grey declared firmly. "Aside from the Mission: Impossible series, when was the last time Tom Cruise achieved success comparable to Matthew Horner? He hasn't!"
Grey's gaze sharpened. "We've invested in several films starring Tom Cruise, and most of them have barely broken even—or worse, lost money. What does he have to compete with Matthew Horner? The Mission: Impossible series? Don't forget, Tom Cruise holds all the power in that franchise. We're just his support team."
Lorenzo nodded reluctantly.
Brad Grey concluded, "Paramount is facing challenging times, and we need Matthew Horner's partnership. If nothing else, his involvement helps stabilize our stock price."
"I understand," Lorenzo replied, though he clearly still had reservations.
"You must understand," Brad Grey emphasized. "I don't care what you think of Matthew personally. You need to set those opinions aside and approach him with the utmost sincerity. Make him believe that Paramount values him and is committed to renewing his contract for G.I. Joe 3."
"Yes, I'll make sure of it," Lorenzo promised without hesitation.
As Lorenzo left the office, Brad Grey let out a long sigh. No executive enjoyed watching a significant portion of their profits flow into someone else's hands. But without showing genuine commitment, how could Paramount hope to secure a superstar like Matthew Horner?
After all, Hollywood only had one Matthew Horner.
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