The success of Ghost had officially shifted the industry's perception of Alex. The massive success of Ghost had officially cemented Alex Hayes as a successful debut director. He was no longer just the world's biggest movie star; he was now its most sought-after director.
They realized that Alex's "Golden Touch" translated to behind the lens as well as in front of it.
Hollywood's elite were watching his every move, and the undeniable momentum was gathering behind Pretty Woman.
The production of Pretty Woman moved to the sprawling green expanse of a prestigious polo club for one of the film's most crowded sequences. The field was a sea of activity, filled with over three hundred extras dressed in high-society finery, professional polo players warming up their ponies, and a massive crew managing the complex outdoor lighting.
Between setups, Julia stood at the edge of the field, watching the riders maneuver with a look of pure confusion. "How does this actually work?" she asked, turning to Alex. "It looks like chaos with mallets."
Alex walked her through the basics during the production breaks, explaining the "line of the ball" and how the players score.
"Do you play?" she asked, glancing at his athletic build. "You look like you'd be good at it."
"No, I don't play polo," Alex said with a quiet laugh. "But I do ride horses. Always have."
"Really?" Julia asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"I'm from Texas," Alex explained. "My father was a farmer, and horses were part of the work. But polo is a completely different animal. It requires a specific kind of precision and a different set of skills than just staying in the saddle on a ranch."
"If Alex had actually tried, he probably would've been somewhat good at it," a voice called out from behind them.
Alex turned to see Nancy, the President and CEO of Hayes Productions, approaching with a sharp, discerning eye. As Alex's aunt, she had been the backbone of the company since day one, managing the business side of his company while he handled the cameras.
"Nancy!" Alex smiled, stepping forward to give her a warm hug. "Good to see you on set."
Julia offered a polite greeting, but as Nancy's professional gaze swept over the massive production, the young actress sensed the shift in energy. Sensing they needed to talk business, Julia excused herself. "I'm going to go check on my wardrobe for the next setup. See you in a bit."
With Julia gone, Nancy and Alex began a slow walk along the edge of the polo field, the thundering of horses' hooves providing a rhythmic backdrop to their conversation.
"The success of Ghost has changed the temperature in the room, Alex," Nancy said, her voice low and focused. "Everyone is looking forward to Pretty Woman now. All the major studios have come forward, practically begging to extend distribution offers. They want a piece of whatever you touch next."
Alex kept his eyes on the horizon. "No decisions yet, Nancy. Keep them talking, but don't commit. Just try to get the best terms possible while the momentum is on our side."
Nancy nodded, making a mental note. "Consider it done."
"And what about Goodfellas?" Alex asked, the topic shifting to his next major project.
"Warner Bros. is aggressive," Nancy replied. "They want to capitalize on the Ghost fever immediately. They're pushing to release it in September."
Alex stopped walking and shook his head firmly. "Don't do that. Tell them we won't budge on anything earlier than November."
Nancy looked at him, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "For the Oscars?"
"Yes, for the Oscars," Alex confirmed. "If the film is still fresh in the voters' minds when the season starts, it has a much better chance of going all the way."
"Are you really that confident?" Nancy asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she weighed his strategy.
"Oh, you wouldn't believe it," Alex laughed, the sound carrying over the distant gallop of the polo ponies.
"Well, I hope your intuition works again," Nancy said softly. She fell silent then, but the rhythm of her stride changed. Alex, who had known her his entire life, sensed the weight behind her quiet. It was the silence of someone holding back a confession.
"Aunt Nancy, what is it?" Alex asked, stopping near the edge of the grass. "You seem to be struggling to say something."
Nancy sighed, looking out at the massive production she helped build. "I'm thinking of moving to Houston, Alex."
Alex stared at her, genuinely caught off guard. "Houston? Why?"
"Edward," she said, referring to her husband. "He's been offered a senior position at a world-class hospital there. He's spent years supporting me, staying in Los Angeles so I could run this company and be near the heart of the industry. He's turned down so many offers because he knew moving meant I'd have to leave Hollywood. Now... I think it's my turn to support him."
Alex remained silent for a long moment. He knew how brilliant Edward was; a surgeon of his caliber usually had his pick of the globe, but he had anchored himself to California for Nancy's sake.
"Are you sure?" Alex asked, his voice low and serious. "You won't regret it? You've spent your life at the center of all this."
Nancy offered a warm, bittersweet smile. "Alex, when your mother, Katherine, and I were young, we both dreamed of being famous actresses. I never made it onto the big screen like we planned, but because of you, I've worked at the very top of this industry. I've met the legends, I've managed the biggest stars, and I've built a brilliant legacy by your side. I've lived the dream, just from behind the scenes. I have no regrets."
Alex looked out over the polo field, the sound of the crowd and the horses fading into the background as he processed what Nancy had just said. For a long moment, the only sound was the wind.
"Thanks, Aunt Nancy," Alex said finally, his voice soft but steady.
Nancy looked up at him, a bit surprised. "For what?"
"For being there for me from the very start," Alex said, looking her directly in the eye. "Without you as my agent, I wouldn't have even had my first chance in this town. Everything I have now, every record we've broken—you are an integral part of it. You're family, Nancy. Blood or not, you're the one who kept me grounded."
He felt his eyes sting, and he could see the same reflection in hers. Nancy's composure, usually as sharp as a diamond, finally softened.
"Oh, Alex," she said, a tear finally escaping and rolling down her cheek. "You've gone and made me all teary-eyed." She let out a small, shaky laugh that had the sound of tears in it.
Alex stepped forward and pulled her into a deep, meaningful hug. In that moment it was just two people acknowledging the end of a long, successful chapter.
The moment was broken by the sharp call of the first assistant director echoing across the field: "Everything is ready! We're losing the light!"
Nancy pulled back, wiping her eyes and straightening her shoulders, the CEO mask sliding back into place with practiced ease. She gave him a small, supportive push toward the camera crew.
"Go," she said with a proud smile. "Go do your thing."
Alex walked back toward the monitors, his steps firm and his focus returning to the scene at hand. While the moment with Nancy had been emotional, he wasn't feeling a deep sense of loss. After all, she was just moving to Houston—only about 67.8 miles away from his hometown of Eagle Lake.
In the grand scheme of things, that was a short drive. He could visit her anytime he wanted, and they would certainly still be talking business over the phone. To Alex, this wasn't the end of their story; it was just the end of a chapter, not the book.
******
The box office trajectory of Ghost became a definitive case study in theatrical endurance. Starting from its fourth weekend, the film enjoyed a remarkably steady run, characterized by small percentage drops that kept theaters packed well into the late summer.
The film grossed $17.1 million over the fourth weekend, representing a slim 16% drop from the previous week. It added $8.2 million during the weekdays, bringing the total to $155.7 million. In its fifth weekend, the film pulled in $14.0 million, a 18% drop, with $6.5 million in weekday earnings, pushing the total to $176.2 million. The sixth weekend saw the movie earn $11.5 million (another 18% drop) and $5.1 million during the week to reach $192.8 million.
The seventh weekend provided a significant boost due to the Labor Day holiday, where the film actually saw its weekend numbers climb to $12.4 million (an 8% increase), with $3.2 million in the remaining days, officially moving it past the double-century mark at $208.4 million.
In the eighth week, the film earned $10.1 million over the weekend—a 18.5% drop—and added $3.8 million over the four weekdays, bringing the cumulative total to $222.2 million.
The momentum finally faced its toughest challenge during the ninth weekend (September 15–17). Facing the opening of Al Pacino's Sea of Love, Ghost finally relinquished its #1 crown. It grossed $6.9 million for the weekend, which marked its biggest drop yet at 31.6%, and added $2.2 million in the remaining four days. This brought the domestic total to a staggering $231.3 million.
While the U.S. numbers were historic, the international performance was equally explosive, reaching $198.4 million by the end of this nine-week period. Even as it settled domestically, the film was still expanding globally, with international figures showing no signs of slowing down as they prepared to move past the domestic totals.
The film struck a deep chord in Asia and South America, becoming a genuine cultural phenomenon.
In many Asian markets, the story's portrayal of a protective spirit and the concept of "karmic justice"—where the villain is physically dragged to a dark fate—aligned perfectly with local spiritual beliefs and folklore about the afterlife.
In South America, the "love-beyond-the-grave" melodrama mirrored the high-stakes emotional storytelling of the region's most popular telenovelas, making it an instant romantic classic.
With a global total of $429.7 million, Alex Hayes is on the way to break Top Gun box office with ease.
The momentum behind Ghost had reached a level of feverish speculation in the industry trades. With the global total already sitting at $429.7 million, the consensus among experts was that the film would cross the $500 million milestone in just a few days. And if the international expansion continued at its current pace, the film might easily breach the $600 million mark—a figure previously reserved for only the most massive sci-fi spectacles like Star Wars or E.T.
By this time, the principal photography for Pretty Woman had already been completed. With his sophomore directorial effort in the can and Ghost still shattering records, Alex didn't slow down; he immediately set his sights on his next massive project: the high-octane racing drama Days of Thunder.