Although the transaction contract has been signed, it will definitely take a month or two to complete the various trivial and cumbersome assets and business delivery between Firefly Investment and Sony Group.
However, through Bill Michanik, Eric quickly completed the control of Columbia Pictures. A week later, Colombia was largely back to normal operations.
After so many years of tossing in the hands of the Japanese, Eric does not expect too obvious changes in Colombia in the short term, as long as it restores the production and distribution scale that a major film company should have in the next year or two. In all fairness, in Hollywood, as long as you don't make a fuss and make movies seriously, it is really not easy for a big film company like Columbia to lose money.
In recent years, Sony has never been able to clarify the operating rules of Hollywood, and has made a series of stupid decisions. Coupled with the instinctive rejection of local power, this has caused the situation of Sony Pictures to get worse.
In fact, if Sony Pictures can be given a few more years, even if there is no blockbuster work like "Spider-Man", the other party will be able to gradually adapt.
Now, of course, Sony will never have such an opportunity again.
The acquisition of Sony Pictures was completed, and the Firefly system included more than half of Hollywood's major film companies in one fell swoop. Although the remaining three major film companies did not express anything on the surface, they were not calm about this matter in private.
The first week of October is also the 11th week of the release of "The Ring".
This horror film, which created a phenomenon-level movie-watching trend unexpectedly for everyone, earned another $6.74 million at the box office this week, and still maintained a very weak 16.9% weekly decline.
What amazes everyone is that while continuing its miraculous box office trend, "Midnight Ring" also achieved a total North American box office of 251 million U.S. dollars this week, successfully breaking through the 250 million U.S. dollar mark, becoming the current 1998 annual box office ranking. The third film on the list.
More than "Midnight Ring", "Charlie's Angels 3" has also become the only North American box office film to break through the 300 million US dollar mark so far this year, with a total North American box office of 322 million US dollars.
The following "The Day After Tomorrow" had a North American box office of 256 million at this time. However, compared with "Midnight Ring" which still maintains a very impressive single-week box office, whether it is "Charlie's Angels 3" or "The Day After Tomorrow", the weekly box office has entered the final stage of only a few hundred thousand dollars. The total box office data in North America will basically not change much.
It is not difficult to imagine that in the next week, the total North American box office of "Midnight Ring" may surpass that of "The Day After Tomorrow". The horror flick will hold on to its No. 2 spot on the box office charts for a long time ahead of the release of "Star Wars Episode 1" and "Mission: Impossible 3" at the end of the year.
Judging from the production cost of "Midnight Ring" is only 30 million US dollars, the return on investment of this horror film is even more staggering.
On a nice weekend, on a yacht off the coast of Los Angeles, Michael Eisner, Edgar Bronfman, Redstone, and Gerald Levine got together in a rare way, casually gathered around There was a bridge game at a round table on the deck. After an unknown amount of time, Gerald Levin suddenly said, "I heard that Firefly will hold a second victory banquet for "Midnight Ring" tonight."
Lei Shidong counted the cards in his hand, and answered casually: "Oh, it should be, if Paramount can produce such a movie, I can hold ten celebration banquets."
Gerald Leving paused, and said, "I just want to say, this can't go on like this."
Edgar Bronfman closed the cards in his hand, looked at everyone seriously, and suggested, "Perhaps, we can form an alliance like those four."
Lei Shidong glanced at Edgar Bronfman: "What about the advantages? What advantages can we bring by forming an alliance?"
Gerald Levin shook his head and laughed at himself, "We don't have Eric Williams here."
Edgar Bronfman nodded, not knowing whether it was intentional or unintentional, he muttered to himself, "It would be great if there wasn't Eric Williams over there."
The people at the table suddenly fell silent.
After a moment of silence, Lei Shidong, the oldest in the grade, glared at Edgar Bronfman fiercely, and warned: "Ed, for the sake of my friendship with your father, I would like to warn you that this It is a world with rules, and you must never give birth to such thoughts in the future. If there is no Eric Williams, then naturally you can also be without me, and everyone can disappear casually. This world It's messed up."
Of course Edgar Bronfman was not a stunned young man, he regretted what he said just now, and said solemnly: "Thank you, Summer, I will remember."
Lei Shidong nodded in satisfaction, looked at Michael Eisner who hadn't spoken just now, and said, "Michael, you can also say a few words."
Michael Eisner said: "Winning Sony Pictures is already the limit of Firefly's expansion. The three of us, no matter which one, can no longer be eaten by that side, and it is impossible for the federal government to win any more. Eric is allowed to do this. The key is how we can gain more market share in the next competition.”
Realizing that Michael Eisner already had his own ideas, Redstone asked, "Tell me carefully."
Michael Eisner said with a smile: "Actually, this is not difficult at all. Because the template of the Firefly system is there. Since Eric Williams has proved his vision in ten years, then what Firefly does What, we can just follow up quickly. Just like Japanese-style horror films such as "Midnight Ring", I have already asked people to choose several scripts during this time."
Gerald Levine said: "Just following the fireflies all the time, which everyone has been doing for years."
"So, we should follow closely. As long as Firefly starts certain projects, we don't have to wait for the results, we must follow up as much as possible, so as not to be left behind." Michael Eisner continued: "In addition , we must also increase investment in special effects blockbusters, although the three alliances will not bring us any advantages. However, if the three of us can combine together to create a special effects company similar to the digital field, then we can also make up for it. Shortcomings in special effects technology. Over the past few years, this aspect has always been our shortcoming, which has limited the scale of our production of special effects movies. You should be able to find that it is just a special effects movie project that has not yet been released in the hands of the Firefly Group. Projects, such as the big-budget "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Iron Man", "Spider-Man", "Sleepy Hollow", etc., as well as medium-budget "Teddy Bear", "Underworld", "Resident Evil" "Wait, that adds up to more special effects movies than all three of us."
After listening to Michael Eisner, Lei Shidong nodded in agreement and said, "Perhaps, we can give more support to Industrial Light & Magic."
Michael Eisner immediately shook his head and said: "Industrial Light and Magic can't help it, it has been pulled too far by the digital field, and Lucas has no ambitions in movies, the most recent "Star Wars Episode", Many CG special effects are entrusted to the digital field. Looking at the digital field, it already has three branches in North America, California, and New Zealand. I heard that they may also establish a branch in Canada in the next year or two. Therefore, We'd better start immediately and integrate the resources of our three special effects companies."
Stimulated by the digital field, although the scale is small, several major Hollywood film companies have also established their own special effects film departments.
Several people discussed briefly and finalized their decision. Gerald Levine said again: "Well, what do you think of Firefly's '4200' plan? Do we need to follow up?"
After a moment of silence again, it was Lei Shidong who spoke first: "The investment is too high and the risk is too high."
Michael Eisner said: "The last time I went to Firefly Studios to see the effect of the RealD system, it was very shocking. However, not to mention the initial investment, if you want to implement it, it will only increase the copy cost of each movie in the future. times. The cost of copying in IMAX format is higher, about ten times that of ordinary film copying. According to the blooming scale of 2,000 screens, if a film that originally only cost 4 million US dollars to copy is released in 3D and 3D-IMAX format, With 2,000 3D screens plus 100 3D-IMAX screens, the cost of copying will increase to $12 million."
Several other people took a breath. In the film era, the most important factor limiting the scale of independent film producers' film distribution is the cost of copying. Even for the Big Seven, the cost of film copying is also an expense that cannot be ignored.
The $12 million cost of copying a film is equivalent to directly excluding all low- and medium-budget productions. Even if it is a big-budget film, the studio needs to carefully consider whether to adopt this method of distribution based on the box office prospects of the film.
"Maybe that's why Eric Williams is determined to eat Sony Pictures, after all, the source of films worthy of release in 3D and IMAX is a big problem," Edgar Bronfman said, remembering Michael Eisner's suggestion just now looked at him and said, "So, Michael, do you think we should follow up?"
"If Firefly allows us to join this plan, I think follow-up is a must. The point is, since Eric has invested so much in the early stage, he is unlikely to allow us to enter the market immediately to take a share."
"There are only 2,100 3D and IMAX screens in North America. In my opinion, an average of one new film source per month is the most reasonable, at least not less than one every two months. It is impossible to distribute all films in this way. The three of us must still have the film sources that Firefly needs.”
"Let's let this matter go for now," Lei Shidong said suddenly: "Michael, after you go back, you can discuss it with Shirley and Richard from Warner, and first integrate the special effects department in our hands. Get up. As for Firefly's '4200' plan. If they succeed next year, the theater chain will automatically increase the number of 3D screens. If it fails, we don't have to worry."
When Lei Shidong said this, everyone remembered that Lei Shidong's family started by operating theaters, and no one present was more familiar with the theater business than him.
In fact, as Redstone said, if Firefly's '4200' plan is successful, theaters will definitely take the initiative to increase the number of 3D screens. At that time, there will definitely be extra resources for the other three films. If it fails, the major theaters will definitely avoid Firefly's 3D projection system, and there will be no need to pay attention to this matter at that time.
The only thing that is troublesome after all is the IMAX theater. Firefly Group has fully bought the Canadian IMAX company and plans to build its own theater.
However, this does not seem to be a problem. After all, compared to the theater scale of more than 30,000 screens in North America, 100 IMAX screens will basically not affect the overall situation.
…
At the same time, Firefly Studios.
In the studio of "Gravity", although today is Saturday, in order to solve some minor problems in shooting, Eric still rushed over to study the solution of the problem with Robert Byron and others.
Entering October, the filming of this film is finally coming to an end. According to the current progress, it will only take about ten days, that is, after October 20th, the crew can leave for Arizona to shoot the few scenes Outdoor scenes, and at the same time, everyone in the crew can relax.
When he was busy in the morning, Eric received a call from ICM. Not long after, ICM's gold medal female manager Michelle Simmons rushed over with Charlize Theron as a visit, and at the same time Also discuss about "The Soul-shifting Girl".
Walking into this studio, which is said to be the most advanced in Hollywood, Michelle Simmons and Charlize Theron looked around curiously, and when they saw Eric waving at them, they hurried over.
"Hey, Eric, long time no see," Michelle Simmons warmly hugged Eric, and Charlize also stepped forward to hug Eric.
After saying hello, Michelle looked at the huge robotic arm and complimented him: "Eric, maybe you are the only one in Hollywood who can come up with so many wonderful ideas."
Eric sent a staff member to make coffee for the two women, and nodded with a smile: "Thank you, Michelle, and Charlie, come and sit down."
After leaving the two girls at a large operating table, Eric sat down and said straight to the point: "So, have you read the script of "The Girl Who Moved Soul"?"
Because Eric reprimanded Kate last time, Charlize was inexplicably cautious in front of Eric, so Michelle had to take the initiative to answer: "Well, this is a very good script, and Charlie and I both think it's great. Woolen cloth."