Chapter 3: The Sequel

"Allen, I really enjoyed your film."

"Thank you, Miss..."

"Here's my private number. If you have a new script, I'd love to play a role in it. Of course, I'm free even if it's just to hang out."

Amidst the clinking glasses and lively chatter of the party, a blonde woman with heavy makeup and a seductive smile pressed a prepared note into Allen's hand.

As she pulled her hand away, her fingers lingered, lightly tracing his before she swayed off towards her next target with a suggestive wink.

Sipping his wine, Allen watched her leave, glancing down at the note.

He raised an eyebrow but didn't bother to open it. He simply crumpled it up and tossed it onto a nearby plate of discarded food.

Hollywood parties weren't just for celebration and drinks.

They were also stages for people like this woman, seeking opportunities.

In reality, the rise to fame for many Hollywood stars was far less glamorous or inspiring than it seemed.

Allen smirked as he witnessed the blonde woman leave the party arm-in-arm with an older white man, easily twice her age.

In the fame-obsessed world of Hollywood, Allen wasn't trying to be aloof or different.

He simply knew that the current "big shots" of Hollywood would eventually pay for their reckless actions in the near future.

And if he didn't want to be swept up in that future storm, he needed to be vigilant and avoid becoming a name on that list.

At least, not until he had amassed enough fame and power to become a force to be reckoned with.

Besides, as far as Allen could remember, he had no impression of this woman who had just handed him her number.

She was destined to be just another nameless, forgotten face among the countless fame-seekers in Hollywood.

...

"Allen, let me introduce you..."

As the director of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," James Wan was undoubtedly the star of the party.

However, as a seasoned veteran of Hollywood, he didn't forget the one who helped him achieve this success: Allen.

"This is Leigh Whannell, my good friend and the screenwriter of 'Saw.'"

Although the idea for "Saw" came from both James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the final script was written entirely by Leigh Whannell, who also starred in the film.

"And this is Ron Meyer, Vice President of Film Distribution at Universal Pictures."

Following James Wan's introduction, Allen's gaze landed on a bespectacled man with silver hair.

"Mr. Allen, I really enjoyed your creative adaptation of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.'"

Universal Pictures had changed ownership three times in recent decades. To maintain a stable position amidst such complex personnel changes, Ron Meyer naturally had his own way of adapting.

To Ron Meyer, Allen might be an insignificant figure, but that didn't stop him from being courteous.

Especially since "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" had already brought substantial profits to Universal.

With a gentle smile, Ron Meyer extended his hand towards Allen.

"Do you have any thoughts on creating a sequel to 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'?"

Judging by the current box office trend, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was destined to be a blockbuster horror film. The only question was how much more it would earn.

Therefore, as a competent film producer, Ron Meyer naturally began to focus on the sequel.

Hollywood's obsession with sequels stemmed primarily from minimizing investment risk. Not every film could achieve the success of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or James Wan's "Saw" with minimal capital and maximum returns.

"Underdog stories" were called that precisely because they were uncommon, even in the history of Hollywood.

Typically, a Hollywood film, even a medium-budget one, spent a significant portion of its budget on actors' salaries. If the box office performance was poor, the entire investment would go down the drain.

Therefore, to ensure a higher success rate for film investments, sequels became a good way to mitigate risk. Although many believed the original was always the best and sequels rarely surpassed them, there were still plenty of people willing to pay for nostalgia and continuation.

This was why Lionsgate, the production company behind "Saw," quickly released "Saw II" and "Saw III" within two years, and in Allen's original world, the "Saw" franchise even extended to seven films.

They had certainly milked the "Saw" franchise for all it was worth.

Even though the potential of "Saw" was exhausted by the seventh film, it remained a profitable investment for the producers.

In fact, it was precisely because of Lionsgate's relentless exploitation of the "Saw" theme that James Wan chose Universal Pictures instead of Lionsgate for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

"Actually, I already have some ideas for the sequel..."

Allen was naturally familiar with the subsequent storylines of the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise.

This was also his leverage for climbing the ladder in Hollywood.

"Universal Pictures would be delighted to continue working with you, Mr. Allen."

Ron Meyer's smile widened upon hearing Allen's response.

...

Mid-November.

As the Halloween season faded, the strong box office momentum of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" also slowed significantly.

However, thanks to the lackluster performance of other films in the same period, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" continued to shine, maintaining a weekly box office revenue of around $15 million, while its global box office numbers began to rise.

After more than half a month in theaters, the potential of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was nearing its end. Some cinemas began to remove its promotional materials and prepare for the release of new films.

However, these actions couldn't diminish the buzz generated by "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

With a global box office revenue exceeding $360 million, it had proven itself as the most lucrative horror film in Hollywood in recent years.

Just before "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" ended its theatrical run, Universal Pictures, the film's production company, made an announcement.

The sequel to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was officially in development. Universal expressed their preference for James Wan to return as the director, and the script would once again be penned by Allen, the screenwriter of the first film.

...

In his cheap apartment, Allen received the $200,000 advance payment for the first draft of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2."

However, he felt no excitement.

His entire attention was captivated by the gradually reforming garbled code on the fragmented system panel before him.

New book, please support!

(End of chapter)