[Chapter 558: Charlize's Surprise]
From then on, Linton deliberately cut back on his other work commitments, carving out more time at the estate to practice singing and dancing in preparation for the upcoming concert tour.
Madonna, Shania Twain, Vivian Chow, Izumi Sakai, Akina Nakamori, and Noriko Sakai all made time to visit the estate as well, collaborating with him to finalize the setlist for the concerts. Among them, VIvian chose to duet with him on That's the Way Love Goes, Akina picked I Finally Found Someone, while the others performed their own songs.
However, all six ladies unanimously insisted that each concert include at least one song they would sing together with Linton. He decided to perform Legends Never Die with them during the Los Angeles show and The Brightest Star in the Night Sky at the New York concert.
---
By November 27th, the premiere of Run Lola Run, starring Charlize Theron, was held at the Universal Amphitheater. Linton reluctantly paused his rehearsals to attend, proudly accompanying Charlize down the red carpet.
[T/N: Originally A Time to Kill was for Winona Ryder and Run Lola Run was for Charlize Theron. But considering the acting skills required, height, and characteristics, Linton swapped the roles. It seems author forgot this.]
Though Run Lola Run was a low-budget film with a production cost of only ten million dollars, its premiere was anything but modest. A host of A-list stars filled the venue, and members of Linton's inner circle rushed back to Los Angeles to show support. For the first time, Xu Qing walked the red carpet alongside her fellow sisters.
The sight of so many beautiful women on the red carpet electrified the crowd and whirling paparazzi, who promptly blew through countless rolls of film. The atmosphere soared to a fever pitch when Charlize linked arms with Linton, closing the parade with undeniable star power.
...
The plot of Run Lola Run was straightforward. Lola and Manny were young lovers; Manny was a small-time hustler, while Lola lived by the creed that "love can conquer all." One day, Manny completed a diamond deal for his boss, carrying $200,000 in cash concealed in a bag as he awaited Lola's pickup. But Lola's bike was stolen, causing her to miss the rendezvous. Manny had to take the subway back.
On the train, Manny helped a nearby beggar up but soon realized two police officers were approaching. In a panic, he got off the subway, accidentally leaving the money bag behind -- seemingly stolen by the beggar. With just twenty minutes left before Manny's meeting with the boss, failure to produce the cash meant death. Desperate, Manny called Lola for help, warning that if she didn't arrive in time, he'd be forced to rob a supermarket across from a phone booth.
This was Lola's test of love, and the film follows her desperate quest to raise $200,000 in twenty minutes.
Run Lola Run employed the then-fresh concept of time travel -- still relatively novel to Hollywood in 1996 -- using it three times to correspond with three intense chases.
During the first run, Lola dashed to her banker father seeking a loan but came up empty. Desperate, she attempted to rob the supermarket herself but was accidentally shot by police, entering a liminal realm. Time reversed for the second run, where Lola held her father hostage at the bank to secure the money, yet Manny was fatally hit by an ambulance, sending Lola back to that other world once again.
The third run rewound time again, this time seeing Lola win money at a casino while Manny recovered the lost cash. They resolved their dire predicament, even pocketing a windfall, and finally escaped hand-in-hand, concluding the story with a satisfying resolution.
For the mid-90s, this was a rare Hollywood film with a strong female lead, a story about a woman who saved the day rather than waited to be rescued. Lola was constantly on the move, actively shaping events -- even altering time itself -- while Manny passively awaited his fate. This role reversal shattered traditional gender roles prevalent in earlier decades.
Had this movie been made in the 1980s, it would have been a box office disaster. But beginning in the early 90s, the rise of feminism across Europe and America began reshaping society; women sought greater rights and standing. By 1996, a film about a woman saving the world was perfectly poised to resonate deeply with female audiences.
Naturally, the film's marketing targeted women explicitly. TV spots, newspaper features, and magazine ads all catered to female demographics. The premiere's invited guests were predominantly women as well.
To Linton's surprise, after test screenings, several feminist groups approached the studio voluntarily to help promote the film for free.
No doubt Charlize's breathtaking beauty and fearless performance attracted male viewers, plus her growing fan base meant box office success was well within reach.
Indeed, the theater chains, sensing the feminist wave, scheduled an unlikely number of screens for such a modest production -- 2,600 screens, accounting for 10% of the market. By comparison, Paramount's $60 million Star Trek: First Contact opened in 3,500 screens and a 15% share.
...
The premiere was a grand success. During the screening, female attendees audibly gasped and cheered along with the story, glowing with excitement as if they had just experienced a euphoric sensation. This film had clearly struck a nerve.
At the final press panel, seated in the audience, Linton was predictably asked to forecast the film's box office. Without hesitation, he predicted the film would surpass $100 million in North America.
His bold claim stunned many guests into silence, but sent reporters and paparazzi into a frenzy.
Everyone knew Run Lola Run was a low-budget, simple-story film, its only standout being Charlize herself. And in Hollywood, except for Julia Roberts' female-centric hits, box office champions were almost always male-driven.
Declaring a $100 million haul for this movie forced the press into a dilemma: either take the risk of public shame should the film bomb or promote the prediction aggressively.
Everyone silently held their breath, eager to see if Linton might embarrass himself, given his spotless reputation. The press refrained from negative coverage, wary of repercussions from a man of Linton's stature.
Apart from routine gossip attempts, the media had nothing but lavish praise. If a misstep appeared, its sales would skyrocket.
...
After the premiere, Linton returned to the estate with the ladies. Charlize was practically bursting with joy, snuggling into Linton's embrace as she excitedly asked, "Darling, do you really think Run Lola Run will break a hundred million at the box office in North America?"
"Baby, trust me. This film will be a hit. Even if it doesn't break a hundred million, eighty million is definitely in the bag."
"That's wonderful, darling," Charlize cooed, pressing a tender kiss to him. "Love me."
She was elated beyond words. Though she considered Run Lola Run mainly an awards hopeful and hadn't expected huge commercial success, Linton's confidence ignited her hopes for superstardom.
At just over twenty years old, Charlize was still a fresh-faced, radiant beauty. With the success of The Fault in Our Stars, her status had risen into Hollywood's second tier, but she had yet to reach the iconic heights she would later claim.
If Run Lola Run achieved both critical and commercial triumph, she could firmly establish herself among Hollywood's elite.
Her excitement made her flush with warmth as she initiated a playful challenge.
"We're only a few minutes from home. Let's talk there," Linton suggested.
"No way, too many people at the house. I want to celebrate with you alone. Don't you want a little taste of the thrill right here in the car?" Charlize purred, throwing on her most alluring charm.
As the saying goes, good energy nourishes the body. Charlize was a top-tier beauty, famously hailed as the South African Diamond. Among Linton's harem, while every woman was stunning, Charlize, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cristiana, Monica Bellucci, and Sophie Marceau stood out as the creme de la creme -- clearly a level above the rest.
With Hollywood's glamorous aura and her long immersion in the limelight, Charlize was a peerless enchantress -- a breathtaking goddess in every sense.
Seeing her coy invitation on such a short drive overwhelmed even the battle-hardened Linton. His heart warmed immediately, and he signaled Nicole to slow the car, taking a leisurely lap around the block before heading back to the estate.
He lowered the divider between the driver's cabin and the backseat.
"Baby, as you wish. Now no one can interrupt us..."
Inside the spacious cabin, sweet, joyful songs began to fill the air...
*****
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