Amidst the media's widespread praise for 'Run Lola Run', the weekend quickly passed.
However, since February 16th was the third Monday of February, Presidents' Day, a federal holiday in the United States, the customary weekend box office for the new week was calculated from February 13th to February 16th, a four-day period.
This was also a significant reason why Orion chose to release the film on February 13th.
February 17th, Tuesday.
Due to being extremely busy recently, Mike Medavoy, President of Orion Pictures, hadn't rested much during the past three-day holiday.
Nevertheless, he still arrived at the company early today.
Sitting in his office, recalling the arduous journey Orion Pictures had experienced over the past year, Mike Medavoy even felt a sense of surviving a catastrophe.
In 1985, Orion produced and distributed 12 films; the most successful, 'Desperately Seeking Susan', only grossed $27 million at the North American box office, with 9 of them facing losses.
Due to a series of box office failures, at the beginning of 1986, Orion, facing severe financial crisis, was on the verge of being taken over by Warburg Pincus, a well-known Wall Street investment group.
If this happened, the original company management would all be dismissed.
At this critical moment, CEO Arthur Krim persuaded his good friend, media mogul John Kluge, to buy 6.5% of Orion's stock, bringing the much-needed working capital to the company, which saved everyone's jobs.
Immediately after, everything seemed to start going smoothly.
Orion's summer release, 'Back to School', completely pulled the company out of its financial crisis with over $90 million at the North American box office.
Released at the end of last year, the company's key release of 'Platoon' had accumulated over $40 million by last week.
According to the current box office curve, this film could easily break the $100 million mark in North America.
Furthermore, in terms of awards, Orion also had a fruitful year.
With the excellent reputation of 'Platoon', 'Hannah and Her Sisters', and 'Hoosiers', Orion received a total of 18 nominations for the upcoming 59th Academy Awards, more than any of the Big Seven studios.
Now, in the blink of an eye, it was 1987, and Orion seemed to have fully inherited last year's good luck.
At the beginning of the new year, the company picked up a small box office 'dark horse' from the Big Seven.
Run Lola Run
Although he hadn't yet seen the first weekend's box office data, based on various information feedback over the past few days, Mike Medavoy had no doubt that this film would bring a good start to Orion in 1987.
As he casually flipped through a document, idly thinking about these things, his secretary knocked on the door: "Mr. Medavoy, Ms. Johnston is here".
"Let her in," Mike Medavoy responded, then thought for a moment, stood up, and asked, "By the way, have the box office figures for last weekend been sent?"
The secretary shook her head: "Should I follow up?"
"No need, just send them directly to my office later, and also, make two cups of coffee," Mike Medavoy instructed, already turning around his desk and extending his hand to Janette, who had just walked in.
"Ms. Johnston, you're early again today."
Janette smiled and shook hands with Mike Medavoy, saying, "Aren't you too?"
"This is my job, so of course I have to work hard," Mike Medavoy said, gesturing for Janette to sit down in the reception area, and he sat opposite her at the coffee table, saying, "It's usually delivered by 9:30, and it's almost that time now".
Janette had also heard Mike Medavoy's conversation with his secretary and simply nodded slightly.
As they settled down, Mike Medavoy was about to ask about Simon's recent situation when the office door was pushed open again.
The secretary held up a fax and said, "Mr. Medavoy, the box office report has arrived".
Mike Medavoy felt his secretary's voice was a bit stammering, and a look of doubt appeared on his face.
He even had a bad premonition, so he simply stood up and walked over to take the box office report.
With just a glance, Mike Medavoy's expression also changed, and he turned to ask his secretary, "Are you sure this is correct?"
The secretary's emotions didn't seem to have recovered yet, and she said, "I, Mr. Medavoy, should I call and confirm?"
Although he felt the chances of the data in his hand being wrong were slim, Mike Medavoy still nodded.
Janette also stood up and walked over, extending her hand and saying, "Mr. Medavoy, may I take a look?"
"Oh, of course," Mike Medavoy handed the box office report to Janette, saying, "The data should be fine, but this is truly incredible, much higher than I imagined".
Janette didn't reply, her gaze fixed on the box office report in her hand.
She immediately saw the name 'Run Lola Run' and its box office figure.
$5.51 million.
That's pretty good.
This was Janette's first thought.
Then she began to calculate: $5.51 million, according to the 15% fixed box office split Simon had negotiated with Orion, just from the past four days' box office, they would get back over $800,000.
Even accounting for future copy costs, this was already a break-even.
Mike Medavoy noticed that Janette merely raised an eyebrow slightly, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Although he understood that since she was new to the industry, it was difficult for her to grasp the significance of 'Run Lola Run's box office data, he still wanted to loudly tell the woman in front of him: "Is that your only reaction?"
Meanwhile, at Fox Studios in Century City, Beverly Hills, less than a kilometre from Orion Pictures' headquarters, Ronald Goldberg, waving the box office report in his hand, somewhat uncharacteristically questioned his assistant loudly: "$5.51 million! How is this possible? Did the theatres make a mistake?"
The assistant, holding a folder, was not as flustered as Mike Medavoy's secretary.
She replied very confidently, "Mr. Goldberg, I've already called to confirm, and it's correct".
Listening to the assistant's calm tone, Ronald Goldberg took a deep breath and waved her away.
After the assistant left, Ronald Goldberg sat back down and pulled open the drawer next to his desk.
He glanced at the cigar box inside, but then closed it casually, picking up the box office report again and scanning it line by line.
North American box office data for the 7th weekend of 1987.
First place: 'Platoon' - $12.87 million; Orion.
Second place: 'Cruel Fate' - $6.31 million; Buena Vista.
Third place: 'Mannequin' - $5.99 million; Fox.
Fourth place: 'Run Lola Run' - $5.51 million; Orion.
Fifth place: 'Over the Top' - $5.15 million; Warner.
Among the top five, apart from the currently popular 'Platoon' breaking ten million dollars, the box office figures for the other four films didn't seem to differ much.
However, if one were to compare the number of screens each film was shown on, the disparity would become evident.
Among the five films, excluding 'Run Lola Run', even Fox's 'Mannequin' was shown on 932 screens.
The other three films were all shown on over 1000 screens, with Sylvester Stallone's new film 'Over the Top' opening on a massive 1758 screens.
In comparison, 'Run Lola Run' was only shown on 207 screens, less than a quarter of 'Mannequin' and even less than an eighth of 'Over the Top'.
However, with such an insignificant 207 screens, 'Run Lola Run' raked in a staggering $5.51 million at the box office, forcefully pushing its way into the top five of the North American weekend box office chart.
How could this not be astonishing?
Moreover, with such an excellent box office start, what would come next?
It's important to know that Orion is currently only distributing in a few West Coast states, including California, even if this second-tier independent film company is unable to reach overseas markets.
However, 'Run Lola Run' has not yet been released in the central, eastern, or even northern parts of the Federation, including Canada.
So, if this box office momentum continues...
Ronald Goldberg suddenly shivered slightly, almost daring not to think further.
Many things that had happened in recent months also flashed through his mind.
When Simon Westeros completed 'Run Lola Run', the first company he contacted was Fox Pictures.
After the film received critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, Westeros still leaned towards giving the distribution rights to Fox, and even after the film won an award at Sundance, Fox still had the opportunity to acquire it.
It's just that...
All these opportunities were missed.
Now.
My God.
What did I miss?
Leaning back in his chair, Ronald Goldberg quickly thought for a moment, then pressed the intercom button on his desk phone, and his assistant quickly entered again.
"Tell David Giler and the others that I want to see the rough cut of 'The Butterfly Effect' this afternoon.
Also, Simon Westeros' other script, um, what was it called?"
The assistant skilfully reminded him: "'Final Destination.'"
"That's right, 'Final Destination.' Contact WMA and have them send over the script.
Also, Simon Westeros..."
Ronald Goldberg pondered for a moment, but before he could make a decision, the assistant proactively said, "Mr. Goldberg, Simon Westeros is currently in Arizona, participating in the filming of a movie invested by De Laurentiis Entertainment, called 'Near Dark'".
Ronald Goldberg was immediately puzzled: "Is there anything special about this movie?"
"No," the assistant shook her head and said, "However, the director of the film is Kathryn Bigelow.
During the filming of 'Run Lola Run,' Kathryn Bigelow served as Simon Westeros' assistant director, so he should be returning a favour".
Hearing the assistant's words, the question of who Kathryn Bigelow was flashed through Ronald Goldberg's mind, but he didn't press further.
He just waved his hand and said, "In that case, let's forget about it for now. Just go ahead and do what I just asked."
Regardless of how surprised, flustered, or regretful the Hollywood studio executives who had the opportunity to acquire the distribution rights for 'Run Lola Run' were, the astonishing box office data for its opening weekend quickly spread and appeared on the important pages of many evening newspapers that afternoon.