SOLVED. Adult Thriller: Stealing a print of a major movie sequel before release. Read early 2000s. [s]

[Ian]

I read this book in the early 2000s. I suspect it was published anytime between the late 1970s and then.

The plot concerned an auteur-type director who had gone way over budget filming a sequel to his successful sci-fi (a long shoot in Antarctica was a plot point). The director believes they've failed to make a worthwhile movie.

A group of people decide to steal the final print of the movie (I assume to blackmail the producers) but because the director thinks that he has failed, he would rather they destroy it and he gets the insurance payoff. leading to the thieves to kidnap a movie critic to convince him the sequel is actually good.

I put Adult Thriller as the genre, but even re-reading my description makes me think there were elements of satire throughput.

Thanks fort any help!

[Kris]

Ian, do you think this is the same book that Brandan is looking for?
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Ian]

Almost certainly.

[Juels]

Maybe The Negative by Michael Covino?

[Ian]

Juels, this is exactly what it is. Plot summary matches up and the cover shown on Amazon confirmed it for me. Thank you!

Solved!

[Kris]

Ah, a two-fer including an old request. Nice job, Juels.

[Juels]

You're welcome. Thx Kris.