Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

The production cost of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was $13 million, while Scary Movie 3 had a budget of $45 million.

Both films boasted impressive lineups. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was produced by Michael Bay. Although most of the cast was relatively unknown, audiences could expect plenty of gruesome and horrifying visuals to grab their attention.

On the other hand, Scary Movie 3 even featured Michael Jackson in a cameo appearance.

In comparison, Saw could only be described as meager.

With just a few million in budget, a cast of unknown third-tier actors, and nothing to distinguish it from the countless R-rated flops, it seemed destined to fail.

To avoid this fate, Ethan decided to kickstart the promotion campaign early.

The strategy was clear: focus on the weaker opponent. Scary Movie 3, as an established sequel with a strong reputation, was untouchable. However, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a different story.

Following the classic formula of American horror films, the movie told the story of a group of men and women who entered a remote village, only to be slaughtered one by one by a chainsaw-wielding maniac.

Even though the story was widely known, Ethan believed audiences were tired of this repetitive narrative. The film was essentially a formulaic production made solely to meet the Halloween season's demand for a blood-soaked horror flick.

Ethan's mission was to let audiences know that Saw and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were both gore-filled horror films—but Saw was better, more thrilling, and more innovative.

If this message could resonate with audiences, Saw could stand out in the Halloween season and achieve impressive box office results.

Ethan tapped the table, looking at Carl, who was pacing nervously. "Stop fidgeting, Carl. Let's stick to the plan and execute it early."

"But if we start early, what about the budget?" Carl asked, concerned. Launching the campaign a month earlier would undoubtedly increase the promotional costs.

If Saw underperformed, there was a real risk they wouldn't break even.

"Double the budget!" Ethan decided to go all in. "I believe in this movie. The priority now is to make people aware of it. Notify the reporters at Merc; they can start pushing the news. Also, contact the factory and get our orders produced. Finally, reach out to Lionsgate and see if they can move up the release date for Saw."

"Move it up?" Carl was puzzled.

"Yes, as close as possible to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's release date. If the two movies clash on the same day, word of mouth will be crucial. I'm confident Saw will have a better reputation."

However, thirty minutes later, Lionsgate rejected the proposal, saying they could only move the release date to the day after The Texas Chainsaw Massacre—Saturday, October 18th.

This was because The Texas Chainsaw Massacre had a massive release, with over 4,000 screens nationwide.

Moving the release any earlier didn't make sense, as midweek openings were generally poor.

Ethan agreed. A one-day gap was still better than a three-day delay.

Meanwhile, in the New Line Cinema office, President Bob Shaye was discussing recent box office results with his top executives.

"How's the box office for Freddy vs. Jason?" Shaye, dressed in a black pinstripe suit with a white shirt and gray tie, asked. His short hair stood upright like steel needles, giving him an energetic appearance.

Despite New Line Cinema being acquired by Warner Bros. in 1993, Shaye retained most of the company's shares, so New Line continued to operate independently.

"It's at $12 million," said Jess, a senior executive in the distribution department.

Hearing this, Will Bond from production frowned uneasily.

Freddy vs. Jason had been released on August 13th, and after a week, the box office performance was underwhelming.

Shaye popped a lemon slice into his mouth and chewed for a few seconds. "Production cost: $25 million. Opening week: $12 million. In other words, we're struggling to break even."

As he spoke, Shaye's frown deepened. It was unclear whether it was due to the sour lemon or the poor box office numbers.

"Well, theoretically, that's true. But if we add the global box office, breaking even shouldn't be an issue. Plus, there's always revenue from home video sales," Will Bond quickly explained.

Hollywood films had various revenue streams beyond box office earnings, including merchandise and home video sales. In the internet age, older films also generated decent income through streaming platforms.

Shaye nodded, tossing the chewed lemon slice onto a plate. "So, our goal is just to break even?"

Will Bond didn't respond. He stared at the shiny tips of his shoes, pretending to be deep in thought.

"If we're only aiming to break even, why not just put the $25 million in the bank? Not only would it be safer, but we'd also earn more," Shaye said, slamming the table. "What other films are coming up?"

"Secondhand Lions and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," Jess answered immediately.

"Hmm… The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Shaye pondered for a moment. "Are there any other gore-filled films for Halloween?"

"There should be one called Saw, but we don't know its release date."

Shaye chuckled. "Saw and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Two chainsaws clashing on the big screen. But clearly, our chainsaw is sharper!"

"Exactly. Saw is just a low-budget indie film. It's no threat to us," Jess added with a laugh, prompting others to smile as well.

"Even so, we mustn't slack on promotion. In horror, small films pulling off big surprises happen too often."

"Don't worry, boss," Keller from marketing assured. "We've already secured ad spots nationwide, including on Fox TV. Within a month, everyone will know The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is returning to the big screen."

"Good, but don't limit yourself to ads. Newspapers are important too. Get reporters to write retrospectives about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

"Understood." Keller nodded, jotting it down.

"Alright, let's get to work. The Halloween season is near, and we're aiming for more than just breaking even!"

"Yes, boss!" everyone replied in unison.

After they left, Shaye opened his computer and logged onto a sepia-toned website titled Horror Pumpkinhead.

The top post was a discussion thread about the latest videos from Jigsaw's website.

Recently, Jigsaw had uploaded two new videos featuring his gruesome contraptions. While the camera angles were intentionally obscure, the blood-curdling screams and flying gore left viewers both horrified and intrigued.

The top post showcased a fan-made model of Jigsaw's "human body twisting machine," sparking awe at the craftsmanship.

Even Shaye couldn't resist commenting with a thumbs-up emoji.

He often browsed forums for ideas. New Line Cinema had made its name with low-budget horror films, so he kept a close eye on the genre.

Though he hadn't followed the Jigsaw case closely, summary posts had convinced him that Jigsaw's story could captivate horror fans if adapted into a film.

However, his attempts to contact the original poster for more details had gone unanswered. For now, all he could do was wait for further developments.

Little did anyone know, a breakthrough in the case was about to occur on an unremarkable weekend.

That afternoon, Milon was helping Judy pick out her favorite hair clip.

As Judy deliberated, Milon grew bored and stepped out for some fresh air under the pretense of buying water.

On his way back, he noticed a red newsstand on the street. With Judy's indecisiveness in mind, he decided to kill some time by browsing newspapers.

While flipping through them, his eyes landed on a small paper titled New York Metropolitan News. Its bold headline and accompanying photo immediately caught his attention.

"Wait! What's this? Give me a copy!" Milon paid quickly and ran back to the store without even reading the full article.

The doorbell jingled as he burst in, waving the paper at Judy. "Judy! Look at this!"

"What's wrong? Why are you so worked up?" Judy asked, turning around to see Mirren holding the paper at eye level. The headline was impossible to miss:

"Horrifying Torture Device Killer Strikes Near New York! Scene Bloody and Gruesome!"

"What?!" Judy gasped, her face turning pale.