Three days after the test screening, Irene was called by her father to the American Zoetrope office for a meeting.
The agenda was to select a distributor for Legally Blonde.
"Several companies have reached out. After review, we’ve narrowed it to MGM and 20th Century Fox." Francis handed Irene documents outlining both companies’ scale and current position.
"Why isn’t Paramount on the list?" Irene reviewed the materials, her eyes widening.
She recalled that the Paramount representative had shown interest at the screening.
"Paramount is releasing Julia Roberts’s new film in late July, so they likely won’t have capacity for us." Shelly answered first.
Julia Roberts was also a CAA client. Though not his, the agency had invested in that project.
"That explains it. I haven’t heard from them. What’s your view, Irene? Between MGM and 20th Century Fox, which do you prefer?" Francis left the choice to her.
"MGM, I think." MGM had distributed Legally Blonde in her previous life with strong results, and with the Bond franchise, they had experience promoting mainstream films like hers.
"Alright, MGM it is. We’ll send someone to discuss terms." For them, MGM and 20th Century Fox were comparable, and both charged standard industry fees.
At MGM, executives were also meeting regarding the film.
MGM’s recent performance had been uneven. Aside from the Bond franchise, they had few notable hits.
In the conference room, senior heads from production and marketing sat around the table, reviewing documents with serious expressions.
Acquisition Executive Joyce Jackson sat to one side, her fingers resting on the Legally Blonde script, her expression focused.
"Finished reading?" Department head Robert Smith broke the silence, looking up from a report.
"A project Joyce strongly recommends. The script is energetic, but the issue is the director." He tapped a thin file on the table, his tone cautious.
That was Irene Coppola’s file, only a few pages, clear at a glance.
"Irene Coppola. Seventeen years old." When Robert read that, a quiet reaction moved through the room.
"Yes, seventeen, just out of high school. This is her graduation project. No feature directing experience, and her only credit is a music video for a new singer."
"However, her background is significant: Francis Coppola’s youngest daughter. The film is fully backed by Francis. Joyce, you’re proposing the company commit substantial resources to a project led by a minor?"
All eyes turned to Joyce. She took a breath and kept her tone steady.
"I understand the concern. Yes, it’s her first feature. And she is young. But I watched the rough cut three times. What I see is not ’inexperience,’ but capability."
She looked around. "Every frame has energy, a sincerity and humor specific to young audiences that we currently lack. It isn’t forced or derivative."
"Irene Coppola has captured the confidence and appeal of young women today—the drive to improve and the willingness to do it their way.
She understands what current audiences want to see, hear, and what they find funny. That’s intuition many established directors no longer have."
A marketing vice president frowned.
"The risk is high, Joyce. We can’t commit the company’s reputation and an eight-figure budget to a minor’s ’intuition.’"
"We’re not gambling," Joyce said, her voice rising slightly.
"We’re investing in the future. Look at our slate. We reference past successes, but the market has shifted.
We need new perspectives and voices that connect with the next generation. Irene Coppola is that voice."
She picked up the script.
"Legally Blonde is the right project. It’s funny, intelligent, and positive. It has the potential to be a hit. We’re not just signing one film; we’re working with a talent who may influence future trends."
"This is a calculated risk and a strategic investment. We can build a long-term relationship with her before she becomes widely recognized. Passing on her may be a decision we regret."
The room was quiet again, but the tone had shifted from doubt to consideration.
Robert looked between Joyce’s expression and the thin file. Finally, he said:
"Joyce, your argument is persuasive. Perhaps we should listen to younger voices. Contact this director and set a meeting."
Joyce felt relief; she knew the company was ready to change.
With both sides interested in working together, the process moved quickly.
Within a week, MGM and American Zoetrope finalized the distribution agreement.
MGM would handle North American distribution for Legally Blonde, taking 12% of the North American box office and 12% of North American home video as distribution fees, with first option on overseas rights.
Marketing costs and print expenses would be recouped from box office before revenue was split, after the North American run concluded.
The release date was set for mid-July. No major releases were scheduled immediately before or after, and other films Irene knew were distant from that date.
Except for Julia Roberts’s Runaway Bride two weeks later, but with a two-week gap, the consensus was that neither would affect the other significantly, so Irene did not object.
By the time terms were settled, it was April, three months from release. MGM began promotion.
They placed posters offline and, at Irene’s suggestion, started online marketing — an early version of digital campaigns.
Even 007 trailers carried Legally Blonde ads at the end. They committed fully.
Meanwhile, the music video Irene directed for Britney began its rollout.
The cross-promotion benefited both of them, and with the same agent, coordinating was straightforward.