After the delicious dinner, they enjoyed dessert, lingered for a long while chatting, and when they finally finished, they decided to move back to the living room and settle in there.
The conversation continued with laughter and anecdotes as they waited for midnight to toast Edward's birthday and give him his gifts.
Sarah, however, was more focused on her phone. She ended up opening one of the many articles that had appeared over the past few weeks about Good Will Hunting.
It had already become something of a routine: every day seemed to bring a new piece analyzing the phenomenon her brother's film had become.
An even bigger impact than Paranormal Activity the previous year, if that was even possible.
📰 Variety
What Is the Ceiling for This Year's Independent Drama?
'Good Will Hunting' Targets $250 Million in Its Sixth Weekend as It Leads the Oscar Race
With a budget of just $13 million, Owen Ashford's self-financed phenomenon, distributed by Neon, continues to shatter Hollywood's traditional metrics in the middle of blockbuster season.
By William Rubin
July 16, 2023 | 8:30 AM PT
As movie theaters prepare for a new wave of releases, all eyes remain fixed on one thing: the retention metrics of 'Good Will Hunting.'
The original drama, written, produced, and starring 21-year-old prodigy Owen Ashford, officially enters its sixth weekend in theaters today. According to early exhibitor projections, the Neon-distributed film is on track to cross the $250 million global mark sometime between Saturday and Sunday, cementing itself as the most profitable commercial anomaly of the year so far.
Box Office Frenzy: Neon's Projections
Released on June 6 following a triumphant run at the Cannes Film Festival, the film cost $13 million, fully financed by Ashford's boutique studio, Second Take Films. Following an aggressive $20 million marketing campaign led by Neon, its theatrical performance has defied any precedent for a drama in recent years.
Weekend Forecast: Analysts at Boxoffice Pro estimate the film will add another $17M to $22M worldwide over the next three days, driven by unstoppable word-of-mouth and a weekly retention drop of just 12%.
What Is the Ceiling?
With several weeks of theatrical exclusivity still remaining before its digital debut, industry experts are already projecting that the film will finish its theatrical run at around $300 million, and possibly beyond.
Strong rumors suggest that Ashford managed to secure a massive and historic share of post-theatrical net revenue (backend participation). If confirmed, it would place the 21-year-old in a financial and operational position with virtually no precedent for someone his age.
Having entered the multimillionaire club following the sale of the global rights to Paranormal Activity to Lionsgate earlier this year, this latest theatrical run further establishes Second Take Films not as a lucky internet success story, but as a boutique studio with complete financial autonomy and absolute creative control over its projects.
...
'It doesn't make any sense,' Sarah thought after finishing the article.
And yet, it did.
The person behind all of it was sitting only a few feet away from her, casually talking with the rest of the family. Her brother, whom many outlets now considered a serious contender in the upcoming awards season.
Thinking about that future ceremony, which promised to be much bigger than the one she and the entire family had watched on television when Owen won for Paperman, Sarah kept scrolling through her screen.
Another article caught her attention. She frowned slightly and clicked on it.
📰 The Hollywood Reporter
AWARDS > OSCARS
Anatomy of a Favorite: How 'Good Will Hunting' and the Owen Ashford Phenomenon Reshaped the Oscar Race
With a Cannes double victory, a flawless screenplay, and a massive $250 million commercial success, the Second Take Films and Neon production stands as the film to beat just before the arrival of "Barbenheimer."
By Scott Feinberg
July 13, 2023 | 9:00 AM PT
With only eight days remaining before the summer is overtaken by the simultaneous phenomenon of 'Oppenheimer' and 'Barbie,' Academy Awards strategists have been forced to throw out their early prediction boards. The reason does not come from a major studio, but from the most impactful dramatic film of the year so far: 'Good Will Hunting.'
The film, which today enters its sixth weekend while obliterating commercial benchmarks with a global projection that will surpass $350 million, has achieved what seemed impossible in Hollywood: merging European prestige with massive mainstream appeal. As of July 13, voters and awards pundits have formally placed it at the top of the awards race, ranking above the acclaimed 'Past Lives' (A24).
The Ashford Hurricane: From Cannes to the Top of Best Actor
The narrative behind Owen Ashford's campaign is exactly the kind of mythology that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences loves to reward. At only 21 years old, the hyperactive kid from Los Angeles already has a Cannes Best Actor Award on his shelf, making him the second-youngest winner in the festival's history; an Academy Award for Best Short Film; and the Jury Prize at Cannes.
His intense portrayal of Will, a working-class genius broken by trauma, displays a vulnerability, charisma, and acting maturity rarely seen at his age, leaving both critics and general audiences speechless with the sheer range of his performance.
In a year where the first half's major releases were heavily concentrated in female-led categories, Ashford has established himself as the male contender to beat before Cillian Murphy reveals his hand in Christopher Nolan's film.
The Acting Duels and the Cranston Factor
But the dramatic weight of Second Take Films' production does not rest on a single pair of shoulders. In the Best Supporting Actor category, unanimous prediction boards place Bryan Cranston firmly at the top.
His portrayal of therapist Sean Maguire has delivered moments that critics are already calling instant classics.
The face-to-face acting duels between Cranston and Ashford, crowned by the devastating "It's not your fault" scene, have overshadowed the notable performances of Glenn Howerton (BlackBerry) and Chris Messina (Air) seen earlier in the spring. Cranston's emotional weight is, as of now, the giant to beat in the supporting category.
The Battle Ahead: The Indie Phenomenon vs. The Blockbusters
While distributor Neon prepares the checks for an aggressive Oscar marketing campaign, and Ashford remains in Los Angeles working on his technological anthology 'Black Mirror,' the chessboard is set.
The 2024 Oscar race is no longer a simple quest for studio prestige; it is the independent, self-made phenomenon of Second Take Films going head-to-head with Scorsese, Nolan, and Gerwig. And for now, the 21-year-old holds the strongest hand at the table.
...
Sarah looked up from her phone and glanced at Owen on the other side of the living room.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was the leading candidate to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.
She had watched Good Will Hunting more than once and knew perfectly well why critics spoke about him that way.
Owen had carried the film on his shoulders. It hadn't been a matter of vanity, being the one who financed and wrote the movie and then casting himself as the lead.
He had delivered a performance full of nuance, intensity, and emotion. Several of those scenes would be remembered for years.
The narrative of the young prodigy who had financed the film with his own money and then made a fortune from it was fascinating to people. However, that was no longer what sustained the conversation.
Now people talked about his performance and his talent. That he had the ability to compete on equal footing with the best actors in the industry.
A few months earlier, when Owen attended the Oscars for Paperman, he had primarily been seen as a promising filmmaker. A talented screenwriter and a young entrepreneur with extraordinary vision.
Yes, he was also an actor.
But nobody placed him in the same conversation as the biggest stars of his generation.
Not at the level of names like Timothée Chalamet or Austin Butler, actors who had already accumulated major accolades and Oscar nominations.
Much less alongside established figures like Leonardo DiCaprio.
But that had changed, and it had happened rather quickly.
Even more so after his speech in Cannes, when he won Best Actor and declared that his goal was to become one of the greatest actors in history.
It hadn't sounded arrogant after winning such an award, and even less so now that his film was the favorite throughout the entire awards season and was on its way to $300 million at the box office.
'Will I ever be able to act that well?' Sarah wondered.
Sarah pushed the thought aside when she heard the conversation the others were having.
Her mother softened her gaze as she looked at Owen and Jenna with a warm smile. "Have you already picked a hotel?"
Sarah wrinkled her nose with a clearly confused expression. "A hotel? Where are you going?" she asked, looking back and forth between them.
Owen, exaggerating the gesture a little, took Jenna's hand across the table. He intertwined their fingers, raised their joined hands for everyone to see, and declared in a dramatic tone, "On a romantic getaway. Two whole days in New York to attend the exclusive premiere of Oppenheimer."
Sarah blinked, completely caught off guard.
As far as she knew, the two had already enjoyed a romantic getaway in Malibu not long ago, and now they were planning another trip together. It seemed strange coming from two people who appeared to live for work.
Her brother loved movies. The idea of watching Oppenheimer before its worldwide release on July 21 undoubtedly excited him.
But that was very different from enjoying everything that came with a premiere of that magnitude: the red carpets, the photographers, the designer suits, and the media circus.
The same went for Jenna.
Yes, they were both actors. They were used to that kind of event and, as one of the industry's most talked-about couples, they would inevitably attract an enormous amount of attention.
Even more so given Owen's current situation, as he seemed to be part of every conversation in Hollywood at the same time.
Still, Sarah had always pictured them as the type of people who would quietly wait for a movie's worldwide release, then go see it in a regular theater, buy tickets like everyone else, and try to go unnoticed.
Jenna, noticing Sarah's analytical look, stepped in with an amused smile to clarify things.
"Well, it's not one hundred percent a romantic getaway and vacation. In reality, I'll either have a camera pointed at me or I'll be acting as the camerawoman for a large part of the trip. Owen is making a vlog for his YouTube channel."
Hearing that, Sarah's suspicion immediately vanished, and she nodded with a sigh of understanding, "Now it all makes sense. I was already thinking it was really weird that you'd just take more vacation days out of nowhere."
"Hey, of course it's going to be a romantic getaway," Owen immediately protested, turning toward Jenna with a slightly offended expression. "We're not going to be filming all the time. I've got it under control."
Sarah took the opportunity to let out a teasing little laugh, "Making your own girlfriend be the camerawoman... It's going to be hilarious seeing how people on the internet react when they watch that video. Besides, Tyler is going to feel betrayed because you didn't bring the camera guy."
Since it was an intimate, short trip with just the two of them, he wasn't going to bring Tyler, his trusted cameraman for the main vlogs.
That meant the responsibility of documenting the trip would fall into a dynamic exchange of hands: Jenna holding the camera to capture Owen's antics, and then him taking control so they could both appear on screen.
Jenna let out a soft laugh and, before Owen could start an argument with Sarah, said, "I don't mind being the camerawoman for a couple of days. In fact, I think it'll be really fun to make a vlog together. Besides, I said it wouldn't be one hundred percent romantic, which means we'll have plenty of time alone without any cameras turned on."
Then she closed the distance and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.
Sarah rolled her eyes dramatically, earning a restrained laugh from the rest of the family.
Elizabeth kept smiling while Edward gave a slight nod, pride evident in his gaze as he watched his son not only succeed in his career but also find stability and happiness alongside a girl like Jenna.
Emily was also looking at the young couple fondly, but it didn't last long. She turned her head and gave James a subtle yet firm elbow to the ribs, glaring at him with a frown.
"What?" James asked, blinking in confusion as he adjusted his jacket.
"Your brother, who runs a movie studio and has I don't even remember how many projects in development, still finds time to plan romantic getaways with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, you haven't taken me anywhere in months because you're completely buried in the law firm with your lawyer friends," Emily said in a sharp, reproachful tone.
James opened his mouth to defend himself, but nothing came to mind. In the end, he simply said, "We'll go somewhere next weekend, I promise."
This weekend was impossible with his father's big birthday party tomorrow. And unlike Owen, who enjoyed tremendous flexibility as his own boss, James couldn't simply skip work at the courthouse in the middle of the week.
Eager to get Emily's inquisitive stare off his back, James hurriedly changed the subject and looked at his brother.
"Hey, Owen... Aren't you basically giving free publicity to a rival movie?"
Although the year was barely halfway over and many major productions were still waiting to be released, the awards season already had an undisputed leader: Good Will Hunting was the unanimous favorite among both critics and audiences.
However, the imminent cultural phenomenon of "Barbenheimer" was just around the corner, and the hype surrounding Oppenheimer was enormous.
Christopher Nolan's towering historical blockbuster promised to be a titan. The official trailer released by Universal in December 2022 had already accumulated more than 35 million views on YouTube.
James knew the massive reach of Owen's channel, where any video could rack up millions of views within days. Adding to that the curiosity and appeal of showcasing a romantic date with Jenna at the most anticipated premiere of the year would make for an absolute click magnet.
"Yeah, I guess so, but I don't think it'll change much," Owen replied with a shrug.
He knew his vlog would give Universal free marketing, but he also understood that the success of a film like Nolan's wouldn't depend on a YouTube video.
If Oppenheimer turned out to be the cinematic masterpiece everyone expected, it was going to compete with Good Will Hunting during awards season regardless of whether he uploaded that vlog or not.
The conversations around the table continued in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, stretching on until the clock struck midnight.
Officially, the calendar rolled over to Saturday, July 15.
At that very moment, everyone began congratulating Edward on his fiftieth birthday.
Sarah was the first to get up, wrapping her arms around her father's neck in a hug.
"Happy birthday! I love you, Dad," she whispered into his ear.
James and Owen approached immediately afterward. Less emotional, typical of a father-and-sons relationship, they gave him firm handshakes accompanied by affectionate pats on the back.
Jenna joined in as well, congratulating him with a warm smile.
Once the initial congratulations were over, Sarah, with a spark of excitement in her eyes and a broad smile, exclaimed, "Time for presents!" before disappearing from everyone's sight.
She returned less than a minute later carrying an immaculate presentation box.
"Happy birthday, Dad!" she said, handing over the gift with obvious pride.
Edward accepted it with a smile, already knowing that this gift was one hundred percent special.
Unlike previous years, Sarah had purchased it entirely with the salary she had earned herself while working on Lights Out.
That simple fact brought a subtle layer of emotion to the man's eyes as he opened the package.
When he revealed the contents, an impressive collector's bottle of whisky appeared inside. Sarah hurried to explain, puffing out her chest slightly, "It's from your birth year, 1973!"
James stepped closer to examine the label. His eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the seal of The Macallan Fine & Rare, one of the most prestigious, exclusive, and expensive single malt whisky collections in the world.
He let out a low whistle of amazement.
"I hope you get me a gift on this level for my next birthday, or I'm going to be offended," he commented.
"Mmm, I don't know if you deserve it, James," Sarah said doubtfully.
"Thank you, Sarah," Edward said, gazing at the bottle with a touched smile.
Then it was time for the next gift.
James and Emily presented him with an elegant leather box containing a white gold Patek Philippe Calatrava. It was the most iconic dress watch and flagship collection of the prestigious Swiss manufacture.
Edward's face lit up. As a great lover of haute horology, he owned an extensive personal collection, a passion he had passed on to both James and Owen.
That piece, a mechanical work of art, had definitely cost no less than thirty thousand dollars.
"Thank you, son. And thank you, Emily," Edward said.
His tone became especially warm when addressing Emily; the prospect of her soon giving birth to his first grandchild had him very excited, even if his usual serious demeanor tried to keep those feelings in check.
Next, Jenna handed over her own package.
It was a luxury cigar humidor from Davidoff, fully stocked with several boxes of premium limited-edition cigars.
Owen had told her a few days earlier that his father enjoyed smoking cigars, so Jenna had taken the time to do some research.
Not wanting to choose something overly extravagant or ridiculously expensive that might make things awkward since it was her first time sharing one of his birthdays, she opted for a middle ground: a sophisticated gift that had cost her a little over six thousand dollars without becoming excessive.
Edward opened the humidor, appreciating the aroma of the premium tobacco.
"It's a splendid gift, Jenna. Thank you very much, but it's too much," he said gratefully.
Then Elizabeth handed him her gift: a pen from a high-end brand, delicately engraved with a commemorative inscription celebrating his fiftieth birthday.
"Thank you," Edward said, leaning in to kiss Elizabeth, who smiled sweetly before accepting the kiss.
Sweetly before returning the gesture.
At that moment, every gaze automatically shifted toward Owen.
As if he had been patiently waiting for the exact moment to show off, Owen slipped a hand into the inner pocket of his black jacket and pulled out what appeared to be a flat envelope or card with a completely matte-black finish.
He handed it to his father casually and said, "Happy birthday, Dad."
Edward took it with curiosity, examining it closely. The exterior was a mystery; the black surface bore no logo, embossing, or printed symbol that might reveal its contents.
The intrigue was immediate.
James, Emily, Sarah, and Elizabeth all leaned forward, practically surrounding Edward's space to see what was inside the envelope.
Knowing that Owen possessed an enormous fortune, the family's imagination ran wild: James perhaps suspected an all-expenses-paid luxury trip to some exotic destination, Sarah might have been betting on front-row VIP tickets to a major sporting event, Emily perhaps imagined tickets to an important premiere, while Elizabeth thought of a membership at some exclusive golf club.
But it was none of those things.
Edward opened the envelope and pulled out a solid titanium card that gleamed beneath the living room lights.
When they saw that it contained laser-engraved text, the collective confusion only deepened.
"Edward Ashford, we look forward to welcoming you on Monday, July 24, at 8:00 AM to begin the Bespoke configuration process for your next Rolls-Royce Ghost..." Edward read slowly, stopping just before the automaker's official signature.
The room fell into complete silence.
They kept reading the card as if they needed to confirm they had read it correctly. Then every gaze shifted toward Owen.
Jenna watched the family's reaction while suppressing an amused smile. She, of course, already knew perfectly well about the gift Owen had been planning for days.
"A Rolls-Royce, son?" Edward asked, the first thing that came out of his mouth. His tone, usually unshakable, carried genuine disbelief.
"Yes. And before you say anything, I've already made a fifty-thousand-dollar non-refundable deposit," Owen replied quickly, cutting off his father's counterattack before it could begin. "So you can't reject it, or I'll lose money and we'll look bad in front of Rolls-Royce."
By revealing that detail, Owen completely closed off his father's escape route.
He knew Edward might tell him it was too expensive and that he couldn't accept it.
"'Bespoke configuration'..." James interjected, impressed by the scale of the gift. "Custom-built! That's insane!"
At Rolls-Royce, the term Bespoke refers to its exclusive custom-tailoring program. It functions like a haute couture service, allowing each client to participate in the creation of their vehicle and ensuring that no two cars in the world are exactly alike.
Of course, that level of customization drove the final price even higher, but if you were already spending a fortune on the base vehicle, adding personalized details wasn't a ridiculous difference for someone with that level of income.
"Dad, accept it!" Sarah exclaimed happily, her eyes wide as she already imagined herself riding around in such a machine. "Owen is already making more than seventy million dollars from the Good Will Hunting backend! Besides, I want to learn how to drive in the Rolls-Royce!"
Upon hearing that last sentence, Edward's expression changed. He raised an eyebrow sharply. Under no circumstances or planetary alignment was he going to allow Sarah to touch the steering wheel of that Goodwood masterpiece for her driving lessons.
"You're not touching the driver's seat of that car, Sarah. In your dreams," Owen said.
"It's Dad's car, not yours, so he's the one who decides," Sarah replied, crossing her arms before sticking her tongue out at him.
Edward let out a soft laugh, set the titanium card down on the coffee table, and walked over to Owen to give him a hug.
"Thanks, son. It's too much, but I don't want to make you lose fifty thousand dollars, so I'll accept it," he added with a light chuckle, patting him on the back.
Owen laughed as well, returning the gesture.
The evening ended shortly afterward. No one wanted to drag the night on for too long. The big celebration awaited them the next day.
Saturday arrived, and that evening the celebration moved to an exclusive private venue in one of the city's most sought-after areas.
Owen, dressed in a far more stylish suit than the one he had worn the previous day, wandered through the venue with a curious gaze while holding a glass.
The scale of the event was obvious: a live jazz band played softly in the background, sophisticated open bars offered top-shelf liquor, white-gloved waiters paraded through the room carrying trays filled with gourmet hors d'oeuvres, and a private security team discreetly guarded the entrances.
More than a hundred people were spread throughout the venue.
According to what his mother had told him, the official guest list had closed at 154 attendees.
The entire branch of the family that had traveled specially from England was there: his grandparents, British aunts, uncles, and cousins, Elizabeth's immediate relatives, partners from Edward's financial firm, members of his golf club, investors, bankers, and old friends from the family's inner circle.
Owen noticed the subtle yet constant glances directed toward him.
It wasn't solely because of his newfound fame.
It was a combination of several factors.
The previous year, he hadn't even attended his father's birthday gathering. While there hadn't been an event of this magnitude back then, his relationship with his family had only begun to recover toward the end of June 2022.
For the vast majority of those present, Owen was still etched into their collective memory as the troublesome youngest son, the Ashford family rebel.
Seeing him appear now, transformed not only into a ridiculously successful and widely famous actor, screenwriter, and producer, but also arm in arm with Jenna Ortega, Netflix's Gen-Z star, caused a seismic wave of impressions and whispers that were difficult to hide.
Thus, amid conversations, congratulations, and an atmosphere of high society, the party eventually came to an end.
Sunday passed just as quickly.
Just as box office analysts had projected, Good Will Hunting's performance over those three days comfortably surpassed the $250 million mark.
Between Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the film grossed $20.7 million worldwide, pushing its total cumulative box office to approximately $262.2 million.
Owen knew that beginning this week, the film would naturally start experiencing a decline in performance.
The number of theaters carrying it would begin to shrink, and with the simultaneous arrival of Oppenheimer and Barbie the following Friday, the box office landscape was about to be shaken up dramatically.
Even so, he remained confident that the film's theatrical run would stretch far enough to cross the coveted $300 million milestone.
Early Monday morning, Owen and Jenna boarded a flight to New York.
The camera started rolling from the very first hours of the day for the vlog. They documented the chaos of last-minute packing, casual shots inside the plane, and the details of their arrival at the hotel in Manhattan.
Owen explained the day's schedule.
The red carpet at AMC Lincoln Square would officially begin at 5:00 PM, while the screening itself would start at 7:00 PM.
A very intense week was beginning for Owen.
After these two days in New York, he had to edit the vlog, sit down to negotiate the distribution of Lights Out with several studios, begin the first table-read rehearsals with Sadie Sink for San Junipero, get in touch with Curry Barker to evaluate bringing him into Second Take Films, and handle several other matters.