"I'm extremely sorry, I can't promise you right now, Mr. Blackwood," the 23-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio said. He was very polite and smooth, making it hard to argue.
But Zane didn't mind at all. He just smiled his warm, easy-going smile.
"Oh, please, don't be sorry! That's a big decision," Zane said, his voice friendly. "You should talk to your agent. I'm not in any rush. The offer is just on the table for you to think about. No pressure at all."
Leo looked a little surprised. He was used to producers being pushy. He wasn't expecting Zane to be so... well, nice and reasonable about it.
"Wow," Leo said with a small, surprised laugh. "Mr. Blackwood, you're really... Anyway, thank you very much for your invitation."
Zane just beamed. "Of course! I just think it's a win-win. You're a huge star, and I'd love to have you as part of our brand. Just have your agent call my team if you're interested. Now, let's just enjoy the movie!"
...
Soon, the Titanic premiere officially began. As the movie played, people in the theater started whispering.
"Nolan, what do you think of the movie?" Zack Snyder asked, leaning over.
Nolan frowned, thinking. "Director Cameron's skills are amazing," he whispered back. "The way the camera moves, the colors... it's all so beautiful. And the love story... wow. It's the kind of love everyone dreams about."
"Oh?" Zack asked. "So you think the movie is wonderful?"
"Yes, I have no doubt about that!" Nolan said firmly. He knew most people didn't think the movie would be a hit, but he loved it.
Zack nodded. "The movie is great. But, like everyone is saying, it's just so long. It's really unfriendly to the audience. Not many people can sit still for three hours and fifteen minutes."
He was right. People's lives were getting faster. They wanted movies that were fast and fun.
"In 1980," Zack whispered, "a super-long movie called Heaven's Gate made a giant, 100-year-old movie studio go bankrupt!"
"Audiences watch movies to relax and pass the time," Nolan agreed, "not just to stare at art."
Zack and Nolan both nodded. They both made big, fun, "commercial" movies, but they also loved to put real art and smart ideas into them, just like Cameron. They respected what he had done.
Other people in the theater were talking, too.
"The movie looks stunning!" "Yes! Especially when Jack and Rose are on the front of the ship, with the beautiful sunset, and he shouts, 'I'm the king of the world!' It's just... beautiful." "I agree, but... it's too long. I'm sorry, but I just fell asleep for a little bit." "Haha, Joel, me too."
Finally, the movie reached its big, exciting ending. The ship hit the iceberg and was about to sink!
"You jump, I jump!" "Never let go, Rose. I'll always love you!" "Winning that ticket... was the best thing that ever happened to me. It brought me to you."
The end of the movie grabbed everyone. Even the meanest movie critics were silent, completely captivated.
The giant ship sank, but the movie wasn't just about a disaster. It was about how human kindness and love can shine, even in the darkest times. It was a beautiful, powerful love story that everyone wished they could have.
Was Titanic wonderful? Yes, it was very wonderful!
However... just as everyone had worried... the movie's super-long runtime really hurt its box office.
On December 19th, its opening day, Titanic made $28.63 million. That sounds pretty good, right?
But you have to remember: the two giant studios, Paramount and Fox, had used all their power to get the movie into 40% of all theaters in America. They had also spent $100 million on ads, which was more than Jurassic Park!
For all that, only $28 million was a disaster.
The two studios, Paramount and Fox, started to panic.
"Darn it! The movie is terrible!" "Yes! If this movie doesn't make over $600 million, we're going to lose money!" "Buddy, wake up! It only made $28 million on its first day. If it makes $300 million total, we'll be thanking God!"
Suddenly, all the newspapers and TV shows started saying the movie was a giant flop.
...
Back at Wald Pictures, CEO Victor's face was grim. "Boss," he said, sounding worried, "the tens of millions of dollars we invested in the ship... it's probably all going to be lost."
Kevin Fitch also had a sad, bitter smile. "I just came from the theater. The attendance for Titanic today is very low. I think today's box office will be even lower than opening day."
They were both so worried.
Zane listened to them, his face calm and reassuring. He knew they were scared, but he also knew a big secret. He wasn't worried at all.
Losing money? he thought to himself, a small, hidden smile on his face. Oh, just you wait.
Just then, his phone rang. It was his assistant, Alexander.
"Boss!" Alexander said, "I've got great news! Mr. DiCaprio and his agent just called. They agreed to your offer. He is willing to be the new spokesperson for the SpongeBob stores!"
"That's fantastic!" Zane said, his voice full of energy. "Contact the company's finance and legal teams. Make sure they get that contract finalized within three days, understand?"
Why did Leo change his mind so fast?
It was simple. He saw the terrible opening numbers for Titanic and got scared. He realized that a guaranteed, good-paying job from Zane's company was a very, very smart move to make.
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