"bohemian rhapsody" continued its rampage on the big screen, claiming another box office championship in its second week.
It dropped to second place in the third week and remained in fifth place in its fourth week.
Within a month, the film grossed $288 million in North America.
And Queen's rock music wasn't just taking off across North America; it was resonating worldwide.
The United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Chile, Australia, Japan.
It even landed in China, sparking a wave of nostalgic memories among the middle-aged and elderly.
Chinese music had also experienced a rock craze before, with Cui Jian, Black Panther, and Tang Dynasty all having popular representative songs.
Although rock music did decline around the turn of the millennium, the spirit of rock never died.
After a month of battle, outside of North America, "bohemian rhapsody" was also dominating everywhere, figuratively speaking.
There was no other way to describe it; its competitors were simply no match, as it secured at least one weekly box office championship in almost every country.
With $191 million overseas and $288 million in North America, its global box office of $479 million had already caught up to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
If it continued, a top ten finish for the year was secure, and there was even hope of breaking into the top five.
Joaquin Phoenix and Cate Blanchett were beaming with joy.
Everyone knew that Joaquin Phoenix was very resistant to interviews, talk shows, and red carpet events, often sitting silently and awkwardly during variety shows.
In short, he lacked a sense of humor and didn't even like to smile.
This time, however, he was much better; he himself said it was because he was very satisfied with the film's critical reception.
Critical acclaim over box office success—that had always been his standard.
He even cooperated with Cate Blanchett, performing several more reenactments of being 'hammered.'
Eric also promised him that he would help him contend for the Best Actor Oscar next year, so Joaquin Phoenix naturally promoted the film with even more enthusiasm.
At a villa in Santa Monica, Eric drove in, with Elizabeth in the passenger seat.
If anyone else were in the car, paparazzi would undoubtedly follow them.
No one paid much attention to Elizabeth; everyone was used to it, as the two of them often went out to watch movies and eat together.
"Eric, I seem to have become a shield."
"That's great, baby; you make our lives much freer and easier."
"Then you should thank me."
Eric pinched her cheek: "No problem, you'll receive a special gift very soon."
"This villa?"
"Sort of. This will be your new home from now on, but don't tell your sisters yet."
Elizabeth Olsen sniffed: "If there's a secrecy clause, then my price needs to be higher."
Judy had bought this house not long ago; someone was eager to sell, and it was acquired for only $15 million, far below market value.
After purchasing it, it was naturally prepared as Eric's second palace.
Upon entering, Daddario was seen holding a bowl of vegetable salad, eating and watching TV.
Judy and Avril were standing on a dance mat, swaying to the music.
Liu Xiaoli stood in front of a mirror, holding two outfits and comparing them, with many more discarded on the floor.
See? Raising these girls not only took effort but also a lot of money.
When they were bored, you always had to find something for them to do.
Seeing Eric, Daddario waved him over to watch TV, while Elizabeth Olsen was pulled away by Liu Xiaoli to try on clothes.
Although they were a few years apart, the difference in race meant their heights had developed similarly.
In terms of figure, upon closer comparison, Elizabeth Olsen's seemed slightly larger.
Perhaps it was due to more frequent contact with Eric, leading to better 'development.'
"Dear, I've been playing fallout recently. When will the TV series start filming?" The husky girl rubbed against Eric's arm.
"It should be almost ready. Are you very idle?"
"'Dragon Ball' finished filming so long ago, and I've only taken on some magazines and GG."
"All the scripts my agent gave me were trash: big-breasted dumb blondes in horror films or silly teen comedies, all low-budget productions under ten million dollars."
"'Two and a Half Men' did invite me for a guest role, but didn't you say Charlie Sheen was a plague-ridden drug addict? I wouldn't dare go near him."
Patting her head, Daddario deliberately barked a few times.
The nickname 'Dog-Eyed Husky' had already spread, but dogs were America's most popular pets, so it wasn't considered a derogatory term.
"You're quite picky. How many actors have been extras their whole lives and never even had a five-minute line?"
"Hehe. That's all thanks to you."
"I'll ask about the situation on Monday and tell you, but you must pay in advance."
Daddario smiled alluringly: "No problem, you can do whatever you want."
Eric looked at Avril, who had taken off her clothes because she was hot from dancing and was currently only wearing shorts and a bra.
"Can a dog understand its owner's thoughts?"
"Woof woof! Of course, perverted owner!"
Soon, a brawl broke out in the villa.
Clothes were torn to shreds, and the scene was too tragic to be made public.
After November, MGM and Warner Bros. had no new blockbusters released, each putting out a few low-budget films to give smaller players a chance.
Eric was kind-hearted and never advocated for monopolizing everything.
"bohemian rhapsody" was only showing in a few remaining countries, and the general box office figures were already out.
Globally, it reached $734 million, not quite reaching the nearly $1 billion height of the original version.
This was understandable given the era.
It might also be due to Eric's script changes, which reduced dramatic conflict, but it was already excellent enough.
Family relationships also became increasingly harmonious, under Judy's strong control.
The Santa Monica Four officially announced their formation, just waiting for the right moment to charge the Beverly Hills Five.
As for Elizabeth Olsen, she belonged to neither group, always faithfully following Eric.
The harem had expanded to ten members.
Outside, Liu Xiaoli, Zhou Wenqiong, and Elena were still watching intently, ready to pounce and take a bite at any opportunity.
Eric had no plans to recruit new members for now; he truly couldn't handle any more.
Jesus and the thirteen disciples—very good!
Another month passed, entering December.
The merger of Dual Star Entertainment and Hasbro had been completed; now, one could say they were intertwined.
Their interests were so interwoven that they couldn't be separated.
It was almost time for Dual Star Entertainment to go public, followed by a complete merger with Hasbro to integrate resources.
Meanwhile, to the anticipation of countless fans, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," which had been delayed for half a year, finally arrived in cinemas.
It was now the Christmas season, and Christmas was not far off.
The goal was to re-engage the children and dispel the gloom of "prisoner of azkaban."