Chapter 92: Nothing’s More Fun Than Butchering a Fat Sheep
Chapter 92: Nothing’s More Fun Than Butchering a Fat Sheep
After listening to Amy Pascal relay the conditions offered by The Coca-Cola Company CEO Goizueta, it was impossible for Eric not to feel tempted. He even wondered whether there was some enormous trap hidden underneath all this, because how else could such a pie-from-the-sky opportunity possibly exist?
They would provide sufficient production funding, completely refrain from interfering in the filmmaking process, even offer a substitute production team to help him fulfill his contract obligations to 20th Century Fox, and afterward he would still receive thirty percent of the domestic box office and ten percent of the overseas box office share.
These terms were downright insane. Even Steven Spielberg could never obtain treatment this generous.
“Amy, Columbia offering terms like these makes everything feel unreal to me. You know, my previous collaboration with Columbia wasn’t exactly pleasant, so it’s difficult for me to believe there isn’t some kind of… trick involved.”
Amy replied seriously, “Eric, believe me. In order to make this cooperation happen and prevent anyone from obstructing it, the board specifically removed former president Blount Cohen from his position. That alone is enough to demonstrate Columbia’s sincerity.”
Eric still shook his head.
Although he was delighted that Blount Cohen had been kicked out, that alone was not enough to convince him that Columbia had done it because of him.
“I need a real reason. One that can actually convince me.”
Amy thought for a moment before explaining in detail:
“Because Columbia is currently in acquisition talks with Sony, and they need hit movies to stimulate the stock price. Right now, you are the safest option available. Every film you’ve participated in has achieved astonishing box office success. With that continuous accumulation of box office appeal, audiences have already developed a certain viewing habit. When your next movie comes out, many people will instinctively lean toward going into the theater to watch it. As long as your next film maintains the same quality as before and doesn’t take any extreme risks, another hundred-million-dollar box office result is only natural.”
Seeing Eric gradually reveal a look of understanding, Amy continued:
“So don’t think Columbia is making a losing deal. This is a win-win cooperation. Eric, the success of Home Alone previously pushed Columbia’s stock price from twelve dollars to a high of fourteen dollars. Its market value rose from 2.2 billion dollars to 2.56 billion dollars.”
Eric calculated quickly. In other words, thanks to the favorable impact of Home Alone, Columbia’s market value had increased by 360 million dollars.
Under normal circumstances, although that kind of growth was exciting, shareholders would not dump their stocks just because the share price rose by two dollars. After all, they cared more about long-term profits and annual dividends. At the same time, if a film investment failed, the stock price could just as easily fall again.
But once Sony decided to acquire Columbia, the situation became different. Every cent of stock price growth would directly transform into real cash.
Columbia’s shareholders were certainly not going to calculate net asset values with the Japanese. If Sony wanted to buy, then the acquisition price would be based on the market value, plus an additional premium.
Eric remembered that in his previous life, Sony had spent nearly five billion dollars acquiring Columbia. It had absolutely been the act of a gigantic sucker, because Columbia’s actual assets had not even reached two billion dollars. Yet only one year after the acquisition, Columbia’s stock price had fallen back to normal levels, wiping out 2.7 billion dollars in market value and leaving Sony’s board wanting to cry without tears.
Whether in his previous life or this one, Eric had never particularly liked the Japanese. How could he possibly leave himself out of such a perfect opportunity to butcher a fat sheep?
Of course, outwardly he still had to pretend to look troubled. His own interests came first.
“Amy, if that’s the case, then I’d be very willing to cooperate with Columbia again. However, I previously signed a three-film agreement with Fox. As for what you said about Columbia providing a ghost production team to help me fulfill my Fox contract, I definitely won’t agree to that. That concerns my personal reputation. There are already plenty of people questioning whether someone my age could really have made my previous films.”
Hearing Eric finally loosen his stance, Amy asked:
“Eric, do you already have a plan in mind?”
Eric smiled faintly.
“I’m guessing you’ve already obtained the detailed contents of that contract, otherwise Columbia wouldn’t have offered such terms. Although the domestic percentage is five percent lower than Fox’s, considering what Columbia is willing to pay, the price is still very reasonable.”
Amy’s cheeks flushed slightly.
Although the exact terms of Eric’s contract with Fox were not strictly confidential, they had never been publicly disclosed either. Corporate espionage had obviously played a role.
Eric had no interest in gossiping about such matters and continued:
“Since Columbia already knows the contents of the contract, then you should also know that the Fox agreement was mainly created so they could obtain the distribution rights to Home Alone 2. A lot of detailed clauses specifically targeted that movie. As for the other two films, they weren’t actually very concerned about them, so…”
Amy Pascal interrupted excitedly:
“So your next movie doesn’t necessarily have to be distributed by Fox, as long as you deliver three films to them before the end of the year, right?”
Eric nodded, then shook his head.
“Even if it doesn’t violate the agreement, Fox won’t be that easy to brush aside. Fox has already scheduled my next movie for the summer season. And because Fox’s film release slate this year isn’t very large, if I pull out, it effectively means Fox withdraws from the summer box office competition altogether. That would cost Fox anywhere from tens of millions to over a hundred million dollars in profit.”
Amy Pascal frowned in frustration.
Although the Big Six studios competed and cooperated with each other at the same time, Columbia could never provide enough leverage to make Fox willingly abandon such enormous profits.
She glanced at the boy sitting opposite her.
Eric could only shrug helplessly. For the moment, he could not think of a solution either. Moreover, the summer release schedule for this year was already saturated, especially when it came to big-budget productions.
Of course, Eric could still force it and direct another movie for Fox. Other people might not be capable of something like that, but for someone with a cheat ability like his, it was entirely possible.
But then what?
Should that extra movie go head-to-head against Batman in May?
Or clash directly with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in June?
Or perhaps move it into July and compete against himself?
Any of those options would inevitably result in mutual losses.
At the same time, however, he was unwilling to give up the incredibly generous terms Columbia had offered.
Even assuming his next film earned two hundred million dollars domestically, the difference between Columbia’s revenue share and Fox’s would only amount to ten million dollars, while Columbia was willing to fully cover the thirty-million-dollar production budget.
More importantly, Eric was not entirely confident in his next movie.
As long as he could recruit Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks, combined with his own box office appeal, breaking one hundred million dollars would definitely not be a problem.
But how much beyond that it could earn was impossible to predict, because unlike his previous films, his next movie was not adapted from a Hollywood film from his previous life.
“Amy, give me a few days. I need to speak with Barry Diller first. If I can obtain Fox’s understanding, that would be best. If reconciliation really proves impossible… then technically I still wouldn’t be violating the contract anyway.”
“Does Columbia need to do anything?” Amy Pascal asked.
Eric neither confirmed nor denied it.
“What could Columbia do? March into Barry Diller’s office and say, ‘Hey, we’re negotiating with the Japanese and need some leverage. Mind giving Williams’s next movie to us?’”
Amy laughed and shook her head.
“Alright. I’ll wait for your good news. If you need help, contact me directly.”
The two exchanged contact information before parting ways.
After returning home, Eric immediately called Barry Diller’s office, only to be informed by the assistant that Barry Diller had gone to Europe on business and would not return for another four days.
Although the assistant provided Barry Diller’s temporary contact information, Eric did not call him directly. Instead, he scheduled a meeting for four days later.
After all, this was not the kind of matter that could be clearly explained over the phone. With thousands of miles between them, if communication went poorly and the relationship soured, the losses would outweigh the gains.