Jason glanced at the girl beside him, noticing how tense she seemed.
"It's okay, it's just a movie, sis," he said softly. "Even if we don't get tickets right now, we'll get them for tomorrow."
"You don't understand, Jason!" Mira shot back, her tone heated. "I'm not some stupid fangirl watching this film just for Troy's sake. I'm watching it because I'm a cinephile, and that guy cannot be in a bad movie. The rave reviews this film got more than prove my point. I can't wait until tomorrow to watch a masterpiece like this."
"Hmm." Jason nodded slightly. "So the fact that you attended his concert two days ago, screaming his songs like crazy, has nothing to do with it? Don't forget the shirt you're wearing right now."
Mira quickly crossed her arms over her torso, attempting to hide Troy's face printed on her oversized white T-shirt—the same one she had bought at the concert.
"You're saying that as if you didn't enjoy it," she pointed out, her face flushing with embarrassment at being caught in her lie.
"I did," Jason admitted. "Troy is an amazing singer and actor—no doubt about it. But he's only a supporting actor in this one. That's the category he got nominated for at the Globes. So I'm not sure how much screen time he'll actually get."
"Roger Ebert seems to think he was the best-cast character in this film," Mira countered. "And he's rarely wrong. There's a reason he's called the best film critic."
Jason rolled his eyes. "As if some old man knows what the younger generation actually wants to see."
Before their conversation could continue, they reached the ticket counter.
"Two tickets for [Little Miss Sunshine] for the next show," Mira said, already holding out her driver's license before the clerk could even ask for it since the movie had an R-rating due to its colorful language.
"You're in luck," the clerk said after checking his computer screen. "We have exactly two tickets left for that show."
Mira visibly struggled to contain her excitement as she handed over the cash, eagerly accepting the tickets in return. Seeing the massive line of people behind them, it was obvious that many would leave disappointed.
She waved the tickets in front of her brother. "You don't have to come in if you don't want to. I only asked you because I needed a driver, and since you dropped out of flight school and were free, I figured—" She glanced at the long line of hopeful moviegoers. "Now I'm pretty sure I could sell this ticket to someone else for a higher price and recover the cost of mine."
Jason shot her a deadpan look before snatching the tickets from her hand and striding toward the entrance. Mira burst into laughter before following him in.
Inside, the theater was packed. It seemed like everyone and their mother wanted to see [Little Miss Sunshine].
"I just don't understand." Jason scratched his head in confusion. "This was supposed to be a small indie film, not a blockbuster. Why is everyone here to watch it?"
"That, my dear brother, is the Troy effect," Mira said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Take any of his films from the last decade, and you'll wonder why it became a blockbuster. Every time, you'll come back with the same answer—because Troy was in it."
Jason decided not to comment further and silently waited for the film to begin. Soon enough, the Paramount logo appeared on the screen, followed by Phoenix, Troy's company.
And then the movie began.
There were six main characters, each bringing their own idiosyncrasies to the film—from a wannabe pageant winner to a suicidal man, a failed self-help author, and a homemaker barely holding the family together. But the character that pissed Jason off the most was Dwayne, played by Troy Armitage, a teenager who wanted to be a fighter pilot.
"As if you can become a fighter pilot just by staying silent," Jason scoffed. "That's bullshit."
"Shhh!" Mira hissed before turning back to the screen.
The movie was genuinely funny at times. Some scenes had the entire theater howling with laughter—like Grandpa's crass advice to Dwayne, the family's car refusing to start until pushed, leaving Olive behind at a gas station, and, of course, the absurd body heist they pulled off after Grandpa's death.
But beyond the humor, the film had heart. The touching moments made it feel raw and real. Overall, Jason liked it, but not enough to call it his favorite movie.
That was until Troy, as Dwayne, broke his vow of silence.
One moment, the family was driving normally. The next, a bombshell dropped—Dwayne couldn't be a fighter pilot because he was colorblind. What followed was a masterful performance by Troy Armitage, portraying a real-time mental breakdown with devastating authenticity.
Jason's eyes watered. He let out a choked sob, trying to suppress it, but soon another escaped.
Mira turned to him and hugged him sideways. "I'm sorry, Jay."
People around them shot annoyed glances at the sobbing man, irritated by the disruption. But when Mira whispered in a stage voice, "He was kicked out of flight school due to a physical injury. Cut him some slack," the angry looks softened into sympathy.
Jason gradually quieted down and whispered, "Thanks, Mira."
"No worries." She smiled. "Now shush and let me watch the rest."
As the film continued, Jason knew one thing for sure—[Little Miss Sunshine] was his new favorite movie. He had never cried at any other film before. Any movie that could do that to him deserved the top spot on his list.
(Break)
January 2007, Twickenham Stadium, London, UK
"Thank you for coming here tonight," Troy greeted his fans through the mic, standing on the stage of the biggest stadium in the UK. "I hope you all had a great time."
Krissy, Zoe, and Riley—three of Troy's self-proclaimed biggest fans—screamed like crazy as the seemingly final song of his first-ever UK concert came to an end. The venue was hours away from their homes, but like so many others, they had carpooled, driving nearly two hours to get here.
In the end, it was all worth it.
The last few hours had been some of the best of their lives. The music was out of this world, the audience vibed together in perfect harmony, and the light show was flawlessly synchronized with the songs. Troy's pitch-perfect voice had held them spellbound from start to finish.
Zoe turned to Krissy. "When can we come back again? It hasn't even ended yet, and I'm already missing it."
"Hopefully, soon," Krissy replied.
Before they could continue, Troy began speaking again, forcing them to listen intently.
"I had the best time performing at my home," he said, his voice warm with emotion. "It's so good to be back in England after all the touring I've been doing. As you know, this is my last concert of the tour, so I want to close it with a bang. And just like I did at my first concert in L.A., tonight, I want to share a glimpse of a new song from my unreleased second album. Are you guys interested in that?"
Zoe, Krissy, and Riley lost their minds.
"Holy fucking shit!" "Oh my God!" "Yes!"
They weren't alone—the entire stadium erupted with excitement. And for good reason.
Until now, the only unreleased song from Troy was Golden Hour, which had already become a massive hit on YouTube. But it left a bitter taste in Zoe's mouth, knowing that the girl for whom the song was written had broken up with Troy before it officially came out.
So obviously, everyone was more than a little pumped to see how this new song would turn out.
And judging by the sea of glowing fans around them, that sentiment was universal.
"This song is very close to my heart," Troy continued, and the stadium fell into an expectant silence. "I wrote it when I was heartbroken and didn't want to move on at all. Then a good friend of mine literally shook me out of my stupor and told me to channel all that hurt into my music. That's exactly what I did. So here's my latest creation—titled Arcade."
A crew member wheeled a piano onto the stage. Troy sat down on the bench, played a few experimental chords, and then launched into the song. The musicians behind him took his cue and joined in.
The sounds that reverberated through the arena were nothing short of heavenly.
[Arcade - Duncan Lawrence]
~A broken heart is all that's left
I'm still fixing all the cracks
Lost a couple of pieces when
I carried it, carried it, carried it home~
Zoe closed her eyes and swayed gently, letting Troy's voice wash over her. If the music was heavenly, his melancholic yet powerful vocals completely floored her.
And she wasn't alone. Every true music lover in the stadium could feel just how special Arcade was. It was even better than Golden Hour simply because it seemed much more personal than the other.
Then Troy reached the chorus.
~I spent all of the love I've saved
We were always a losing game
Small-town boy in a big arcade
I got addicted to a losing game
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
All I know, all I know
Loving you is a losing game~
Zoe's mouth fell open in shock. The high note Troy hit on the last line was unreal. How could a human being even reach such a note?
He didn't sing the full song—this was just a teaser for his upcoming album—so he repeated the chorus a few times. By the third time, the entire stadium was singing along.
~All I know, all I know
Loving you is a losing game~
When the song finally ended, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Most people jumped to their feet, screaming their appreciation.
But Zoe didn't. Or rather, she couldn't.
Her eyes were misty, and she was trying very hard not to break down in tears.
Beside her, Krissy and Riley were in the same boat. Sitting between them, Zoe reached out and wrapped her arms around them, pulling them into a hug.
Anyone with even a slightly above-average emotional intelligence could tell that Troy hadn't just performed a song—he had bared his soul. He had shared a piece of his shattered heart with them.
And everyone knew exactly who had broken it.
Zoe hadn't been there when Troy and Rihanna broke up, but she didn't need to be. The raw emotion in his voice told her everything.
"Thank you for coming here tonight," Troy said, his voice thick with emotion. "Please watch my movie, [Little Miss Sunshine], which is releasing this week in cinemas near you."
Zoe already knew that the three of them would be watching it. But after witnessing this performance—after feeling Troy's emotions in real time—it wasn't just a possibility.
It was inevitable.
(Break)
[Little Miss Sunshine] opened in limited theaters in the U.S. on December 29, 2006—the last Friday of the year. This strategic move was made solely to ensure the film's eligibility for awards season.
After that, it received a phased worldwide release throughout January, following Paramount's unconventional (some might even say reckless) marketing strategy.
Troy's concert tickets had been sold through the same website that handled sales for his L.A. concert, and just like before, they sold out within a single day.
In cities with massive fan bases—London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo—tickets were gone within hours.
This was a remarkable feat, considering the average stadium capacity was around 85,000 seats. Paramount had pulled strings, called in favors, and secured the largest venues in each city to maximize audience turnout. More than a million tickets were sold for the 12 concerts Troy performed.
With an average ticket price of $149.50, the tour generated a staggering $153.8 million in revenue. However, expenses for a tour of this scale were just as massive. Costs included private jet travel, luxury hotel accommodations, crew salaries, production expenses, venue rentals, marketing, and various other logistical fees, all totaling $98.5 million.
Then came the additional revenue streams—merchandise and album sales at the concerts brought in another $32.2 million, with production costs of $9.5 million.
When all revenues and expenses were accounted for, Troy's total profit from the tour stood at $78 million—an incredible sum for just two weeks of performances.
The most astonishing part? Four of Troy's concerts became the biggest concerts in history. Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona, Melbourne, and London all saw record-breaking crowds, each surpassing 100,000 attendees.
But the real victory wasn't just the money. Paramount's bold marketing strategy had paid off. Many concertgoers, even those who weren't hardcore members of the Trojan Army, left the stadiums eager to watch the film Troy had so passionately promoted.
The film received its wide U.S. release on January 12, 2007, competing against three new releases—[Stomp the Yard], [Primeval], and [Alpha Dog]—as well as box office juggernauts [The Pursuit of Happyness] and [Night at the Museum], both of which were still performing well.
Initially, trade analysts predicted an opening weekend between $10–15 million, considering its indie roots and the competition. But when the numbers came in, they left Hollywood speechless. It opened to a staggering $7.2m on Friday, $9.3m on Saturday, and $6.6m on Sunday for an astonishing $23.1m in three days, topping the box office in its debut week.
Even more impressive, the film's strong word-of-mouth kept audiences coming back week after week. Viewers told their friends and families about the heartfelt story that made them laugh and cry in equal measure. Paramount, recognizing the momentum, spared no expense in its awards campaign, ensuring the film remained a major contender throughout the season.
The magic of Little Miss Sunshine didn't fade after opening weekend—it only grew stronger.
Over the next few weeks, the film continued to pull in impressive numbers. The second weekend brought in another $18 million, followed by $13 million in the third, $9 million in the fourth, and $5 million in the fifth. The drop from week to week was minimal, a rare feat in Hollywood, proving just how much audiences loved the movie. By the time the film wrapped up its domestic run, it had grossed $161 million—a staggering number for an indie project that many had underestimated.
But the real shock came overseas. Thanks to Troy's world tour, the movie had a built-in global audience that rushed to see the film the moment it hit theaters. In every city where he had performed, Little Miss Sunshine saw an unprecedented surge in ticket sales.
In London, Tokyo, Paris, and Rio, theaters were packed with fans who had just experienced Troy's concerts and now wanted to see him on the big screen. The numbers spoke for themselves—$35 million in France, $27 million in Germany, $47 million in the UK, $36 million in Australia—and the list went on. By the end of its international run, the film had amassed $254 million overseas, bringing its total global box office earnings to an astonishing $415 million.
For a quirky indie film with a modest budget, this was unheard of.
Behind the scenes, the financial success of the film was just as remarkable. Paramount had spent $20 million on marketing in the U.S., but Troy had taken on the responsibility of promoting the film internationally—through his concerts. It was a gamble, but one that paid off beyond anyone's imagination.
After splitting revenues with theaters, Paramount took home $182 million from the box office earnings. Per their deal with Troy, they deducted their marketing expenses and a 15% share of the remaining revenue, leaving Troy with $137.7 million.
But there was still one more deduction—since Troy had purchased the film for $9 million, he owed 10% of his earnings ($13.77 million) to the original producers. When all was said and done, his net profit from the film alone stood at $115 million.
And that wasn't even counting what was still to come.
If Little Miss Sunshine performed anything like The Perks of Being a Wallflower in home video and TV rights, Troy could expect another $180 million in profits down the line.
Which meant that, between his $78 million from the tour, $115 million from the film's theatrical run, and projected $180 million from post-theatrical sales, Troy was looking at a total payday of $373 million.
And yet, as massive as that number was, it wasn't even the most exciting part. Because as the weeks passed, Little Miss Sunshine wasn't just making money—it was making history.
With award season in full swing, it was becoming clear that the little indie film wasn't just a box office darling. It was a serious contender.
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AN: Visit my Pat reon to read ahead, or check out my second Hollywood story set in the 80s.
Link: www(dot)pat reon(dot)com/fableweaver