The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 234: Box Office Returns

After the premiere, the film wasn't released immediately; instead, it had to wait for the weekend for its public debut. Originally, Disney Pictures had planned for "Pirates of the Caribbean" to officially open in North America this Wednesday, but after several test screenings and positive feedback, they adjusted the schedule again, opting for a traditional weekend release.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" would kick off its theatrical run with Thursday evening preview screenings in over 3,500 theaters.

As an actor, Matthew had no say in the matter; his job was simply to cooperate with the cast and follow the release schedule set by Disney Pictures.

After the Disneyland premiere, he was more focused on the word-of-mouth reception. For a film that was neither an adaptation nor a sequel, public buzz could directly impact the box office results after just the first week.

In the three days following the premiere, reviews for "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" poured in from a wide range of press outlets and critics. Just as with the early screenings, the film was, on the whole, well-received.

Roger Ebert wrote in his column: "'Pirates of the Caribbean' is a blend of lighthearted family humor with a touch of tension and fright, appealing to both younger and older audiences, and most importantly, it's packed with special effects. Overall, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' doesn't escape Hollywood clichés and the plot is relatively simple, but that doesn't stop it from being a highly recommended watch. In addition to films that tackle societal regrets or expose darkness, we can also choose movies like this one—light, funny, and capable of whisking us back to our childhood dreams and fantasies of pirates, all while satisfying our craving for visual splendor and beauty."

He also singled out the two male leads: "Johnny Depp, as Captain Jack Sparrow, turns the classic pirate image on its head, and Depp's performance is superb. His co-star, Matthew Horner, as Will Turner, complements the captain's strengths, and together they create a brilliant pairing."

The mainstream press in North America was largely positive in its assessment of the film.

"The film will appeal to both kids and their parents, but it must be said that it runs a bit too long." — USA Today.

"A stunning pirate film—unconventional, funny, and spectacular." — Entertainment Weekly"Johnny Depp and Matthew Horner together create one of the summer's funniest and most energetic duos, and that alone is a reason to see the film." — The Washington Post Review

"The film is reminiscent of a good animated feature, and the two leads, Johnny Depp and Matthew Horner—one eccentric, the other heroic—are sure to charm you with Gore Verbinski's pure cinematic magic, especially if you're tired of this summer's more serious films." — Los Angeles Times

"Thanks to brilliant special effects and two impressive leads in Depp and Horner, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' is a must-see for the whole family." — Houston Chronicle.

Over the past few days, Matthew had read through nearly all the reviews from major media outlets, briefly categorizing them based on his impressions. There were almost no reviews that gave "Pirates of the Caribbean" a low score—at least, none that he had seen. The criticism was mainly focused on genuine flaws, such as the film's excessive runtime and slightly sluggish action pacing.

The praise, however, was largely concentrated on the superb special effects, the innovative approach to the old pirate genre, director Gore Verbinski, and his two leading men.

The review in Premiere magazine was the most representative.

"'Pirates of the Caribbean' tells an entertaining adventure story, perhaps the best commercial blockbuster since the start of summer. Director Gore Verbinski's use of sweeping shots is praiseworthy, and the leads, Johnny and Matthew, are definitely the most distinctive pair of film heroes this year. Their personalities clash with passionate results. No pirate film has ever featured such a contrasting pair of characters who so perfectly complement each other's strengths and weaknesses."

Such positive reviews, spread by the media, could effectively encourage audiences to buy tickets—after all, the previous tabloid hype had already made an impression on potential viewers, and good reviews could only strengthen that impression.

And the nature of "Pirates of the Caribbean," essentially a kids' movie for adults, also helped drive box office numbers, as family audiences have always been a crucial consumer group that the film market cannot afford to ignore.

Moreover, for a film like "Pirates of the Caribbean," with so many impressive special effects, the movie theater is the ideal place to watch it.

Today, and for more than a decade to come, this genre of film would offer a cinematic experience that was simply unattainable on mass-market home entertainment systems.

A film can have both good and bad reviews.

For instance, there was criticism that Matthew's acting was mediocre; that the film was more style than substance; that Jack Sparrow seemed gay, and Will Turner looked gay right alongside him; that the female lead, Elizabeth Swann, left audiences cold, and so on.

But overall, "Pirates of the Caribbean" had very few bad reviews. The film itself was a quality product, and Walt Disney's PR machine was historically excellent.

Matthew had been in Hollywood long enough to know that word-of-mouth wasn't what the average moviegoer imagined—a natural consensus formed by the media, audiences, and critics based on a film's quality. In reality, one of the most common forms of advertising in Hollywood was called word-of-mouth marketing.

Of course, if a film was genuinely bad, word-of-mouth marketing would have little effect.

Among this summer's commercial Hollywood blockbusters, "Pirates of the Caribbean" had received truly outstanding reviews.

The film's score on Rotten Tomatoes was unlocked, and of the forty-six reviews collected on the site, the vast majority were positive, earning it an 82% fresh rating and an average score of 7.5.

This was exceptionally rare for a family-friendly comedy film.

The internet era had arrived, and information flowed faster than ever before. It often took only two or three days for buzz about a major hit's debut to spread across the United States.

So, by the time "Pirates of the Caribbean" held its Thursday evening previews, attendance in most theaters was quite satisfactory. Matthew already had a fan base thanks to "The Scorpion King," and Depp had garnered a considerable following over the years. There were also moviegoers who appreciated Keira Knightley, plus the appeal of the Disney brand itself and those who had been swayed by the possibly relentless advertising and marketing campaign. These groups largely made up the preview audience.

If a film is neither an adaptation nor a sequel, the previews often come down to marketing, branding, and the appeal of the lead actor and director.

"Pirates of the Caribbean" had its strengths and weaknesses in each of these areas.

Shortly after midnight, Matthew was woken by the chime of a text message on his phone. He pulled it out from under his pillow and glanced at the screen; it was a text from Helen. The entire message contained only a single number: 6.1 million.

He knew, of course, that she meant $6.1 million—the preliminary box office number for "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Seeing that figure, Matthew couldn't help but sit up. The sleepy haze in his eyes was instantly replaced by excitement; this was far better than the midnight box office returns for his film "The Scorpion King"!

He began calculating in his head: with a midnight number like that, "Pirates of the Caribbean" would likely approach the $20 million mark on its opening day, with a very good chance of grossing over $50 million for the weekend.

How much could "Pirates of the Caribbean" gross in North America?

Matthew only remembered that the film had been successful enough to launch a franchise, but as for the exact box office figures—how could he, someone who watched Hollywood popcorn flicks for pure entertainment, have ever looked that up specifically?

In his opinion, if the film's box office performance remained steady and audience reception was good, it could reach the $300 million mark in North America and $500 million worldwide.

If that really happened, it wouldn't be difficult for him, as one of the male leads, to climb to the top of Hollywood's B-list.

Hopefully, the $6.1 million midnight box office was just the beginning of a massive explosion for "Pirates of the Caribbean" in North America and across the globe.

With this thought, Matthew lay back down but felt not the slightest bit of drowsiness. His mind was racing, utterly thrilled, so he decided to talk to someone.

Most Hollywood stars were night owls, and Johnny Depp was a prime example.

As soon as Depp picked up, Matthew asked, "The early numbers are in, have you seen them?"

Depp, it seemed, hadn't gotten the message yet. "How much?"

Matthew's voice rose. "$6.1 million!"

"Cool," Depp replied in a strange tone, then added irritably, "Is that what you interrupted me for?"

Matthew pressed on, "Interrupted you from what?"

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he heard a woman moan. He coughed softly and said, "Ah, I get it. I won't bother you. We'll talk in person."

Depp immediately hung up the phone.

Listening to the dial tone, Matthew shrugged and put his phone back.

Then Matthew closed his eyes, but he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Visions of "Pirates of the Caribbean" exploding at the box office and becoming a nationwide hit flashed through his mind.

"Maybe after this film, I'll be more famous than Depp is now?"

The thought had just crossed his mind when Matthew suddenly remembered Helen's warning that "Pirates of the Caribbean" was not without competition—20th Century Fox's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was also opening this weekend.