Leaving Jupiter Toys and on the way to Hutchison Whampoa,
Lin BaoCheng said to his secretary Qin Lan, who was riding in the same car:
"Qin Lan, tell me yesterday's box office numbers for Snake in the Eagle's Shadow."
"Yes, Mr. Lin. I was planning to report once we reached Hutchison Whampoa," Qin replied. She took out a notebook from her bag, flipped through it, and said:
"Last night Snake in the Eagle's Shadow was screened three times in cinemas, earning a total of HK$84,900."
"Mr. Lin, would you like the detailed breakdown?" she asked.
"Go ahead," Lin nodded. Since they were in the car, he might as well listen.
Qin reported:
"Starshine Cinema's ten theaters have 74 auditoriums, with 11,100 seats. Because ticket prices were half‑price for the first three days after opening, each ticket cost only HK$3."
"In the first screening yesterday, 9,450 tickets were sold; in the second, 10,330 tickets; in the third, 8,520 tickets."
"Altogether, 28,300 tickets were sold. At HK$3 each, that makes HK$84,900 in box office."
"Not bad," Lin remarked.
At first glance, three screenings in one evening earning HK$84,900 suggested that a full day could bring in over HK$100,000, ten days could exceed HK$1 million, and a month could reach HK$5 million.
But that was unrealistic, unless the film was a timeless classic with growing momentum.
Typically, Hong Kong films ran for about a month, but attendance declined over time. Weekends and holidays differed from weekdays, when fewer people had time for movies. Box office couldn't stay high every day.
For Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, the strong numbers had reasons: it was Saturday, people were off work; the film had been heavily promoted on ATV and in newspapers; and most importantly, tickets were half‑price. That produced an average occupancy rate of 85%. Normally, only classics could achieve that. Ordinary films were lucky to reach 50%.
The film was good, but not yet a classic. Jackie Chan wasn't famous enough to draw huge crowds. Future box office would depend on word of mouth.
If audiences liked it and spread the word, results could be strong. If reviews were mediocre, the film would flop, no matter the promotion or cheap tickets.
Lin told Qin:
"Report today's box office to me once it's out. And again after next week's numbers."
"Yes, Mr. Lin," Qin said, noting it down.
As the boss, Lin wasn't overly concerned. As long as results weren't disastrous, it was fine.
But for Wu SiYuan, Starshine Pictures' manager, this first release mattered greatly. He had overseen production. A poor box office would be embarrassing.
The creative team also cared deeply, especially director Zeng ZhiWei and lead actor Jackie Chan. Their futures depended on the film's success.
On Sunday, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow was screened all day.
Hong Kong films ran about 90 minutes, so Starshine scheduled ten screenings. Only this film was shown.
Average occupancy wasn't as high as Saturday's three screenings, but thanks to quality, promotion, and cheap tickets, it still reached 63% — a strong figure.
Even on Sundays, morning screenings drew few viewers. So averaging over 50% was already good.
With 11,100 seats per screening, ten screenings meant 111,000 seats. At 63% occupancy, 69,930 tickets were sold — nearly 70,000. At HK$3 each, that was about HK$210,000.
Unfortunately, tickets were half‑price. At full HK$6, the same attendance would have earned over HK$400,000. But whether such high occupancy would hold at full price was doubtful.
The next day, Lin glanced at the Sunday box office report and set it aside. The numbers were too small to interest him. At this pace, the film's total box office would be only HK$3–4 million, not much profit.
At HK$3 million, Starshine Pictures' share would be HK$1.5 million. Production cost was HK$400,000. Promotion on TV and newspapers, even at discounted rates, cost over HK$100,000. Film prints another HK$100,000. Posters and flyers added more. Total cost was about HK$800,000.
So at HK$3 million box office, profit was only HK$700,000. Fortunately, overseas markets — Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia — could bring in revenue from selling distribution rights. Otherwise, production companies would starve.
Even so, a few million in profit meant little to Lin. He valued film for its media influence, not money. If he wanted pure profit, he'd focus on cinemas, not production.
Cinemas were costly but stable earners, with real estate appreciating. Films were uncertain. No one could guarantee every release would succeed.
Lin dismissed the modest profit. But Wu SiYuan, Zeng ZhiWei, and Jackie Chan were thrilled. Learning Sunday's box office hit HK$210,000, they rejoiced. It meant the film would likely surpass HK$2 million total, covering costs and earning profit.
For them, a profitable film meant career advancement. Each had taken a solid step forward.