I Am Hollywood

by Cui Shi yi

1 - 702

27. 831

I am Hollywood #Chapter 831: Chapter 832: The More Developed, The Harder It is To Change - Read I am Hollywood Chapter 831: Chapter 832: The More Developed, The Harder It is To Change Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

[Chapter 832: The More Developed, The Harder It is To Change]

The story of Casino Royale was quite simple: James Bond faced off against the Spectre organization over a massive $150 million in gambling stakes. The entire film could be broken down into three segments: the airport crisis, the casino showdown, and the final battle, creating a complete and smooth narrative. Even the appearance of the Angel trio didn't require much backstory, thanks to the groundwork laid by the first two Charlie's Angels movies, allowing for an explosive action sequence right from the start.

Over the years, after personally directing numerous big-budget films, Eric increasingly grasped the key factors for achieving success in commercial filmmaking. One of the most crucial elements was that a film's story needed to be straightforward and clear. This notion aligned perfectly with the high-concept film theory that emerged in the 1980s.

The simpler the core storyline, the more room the director had to exercise creativity during filming. A classic example of this was Cameron's Terminator, where the plot centered solely around the T-800 being sent by Skynet to kill Sarah Connor, without any convoluted subplots. This approach allowed Cameron to showcase his filmmaking talent lavishly, and as a result, the film was made for $6 million but grossed $80 million worldwide, catapulting Cameron into the ranks of Hollywood's top directors.

In contrast, if a film attempted to present too much content for the audience, directors often struggled to tell a complete story in just two hours. Hollywood had plenty of examples of films failing for this very reason.

...

In the screening room, MGM executives and the film's creative team were evidently pleased with the film's outcome. Traditional 007 films frequently suffered from fragmented storylines, with producers stuffing in irrelevant plot points merely to highlight Bond's charm or invincibility. This often led to glaring holes in the plots. Casino Royale managed to retain the classic 007 style while effectively flipping this drawback on its head. Bond no longer appeared randomly at a nameless villain's military base to wreak havoc, nor was he abruptly called away from some hot woman's bed by MI6 for a mission.

When the movie ended, the lights came on, and a round of applause filled the theater. Knowing that Eric was not an obstinate director, everyone began openly sharing their opinions on the film.

Eric was also satisfied with the outcome of Casino Royale, but he understood the concept of being too close to the project. Differences in personal vision could make certain scenes seem fine to him but utterly out of place to others. After over an hour of discussion, Eric had a preliminary list of modifications in mind, planning to make a second round of edits within the next week.

According to the production and release schedule for Casino Royale, the film would be completely finished by March. During this time, the movie would undergo further internal test screenings. This process resembled closed beta testing in online gaming; ordinary viewers would be selected and seated in screening rooms equipped with real-time monitoring systems. Audience members had special buttons on their armrests; if they found certain scenes boring or off-putting, they could press the button at any time. The production company would then adjust the film based on real-time feedback from viewers, before moving on to rating and promotional phases.

Of course, these processes were not inflexible and depended heavily on the balance of power among investors, producers, and the director. If a director had complete control over the film's production, the investors and producers could not interfere, allowing the director to edit the film exactly as he envisioned. Conversely, if the final cut authority lay firmly with the producers, the director might find himself completely sidelined during the final editing stage.

Eric indeed had absolute control over Casino Royale. As long as he wanted, he could edit the film exactly as he wished. However, that would clearly be unwise; even Titanic had gone through a 'closed test' phase where Cameron adjusted certain plot points based on audience feedback.

After discussing suggested changes and having lunch at Firefly Studios, everyone parted ways. ...

MGM's headquarters had moved close to Firefly Studios in Venice Beach, right near where Flower Films was located. Initially, Kirkorian sold all of MGM's soundstages as land, so most films needing to shoot on soundstages rented space at Firefly Studios.

With MGM's resurgence, the management had discussed plans to reconstruct soundstages. Drew sought Eric's opinion, but he vetoed the idea. In recent years, more and more films began to pursue practical effects, especially big-budget ones. Unless it was a special effects scene, filming often took place outside of soundstages. With tax incentive programs blossoming across various states and even overseas, fewer Hollywood films would choose to shoot in Los Angeles. Building soundstages now would only lead to wasted resources.

Eric and Drew saw off the Broccoli siblings, and as a girl exited the parking lot alongside him, Eric asked with a smile, "Don't you have to work this afternoon?"

Drew moved a couple of steps closer, playfully linking her arm with Eric's, and cheerfully replied, "I do, but it's just a casting for a film. I decided not to go at the last minute since Amy and the others are taking care of things."

"Ha," Eric chuckled, "What film is it?"

"Species, a sci-fi horror film."

Eric nodded, not showing any surprise. He remembered it was a 1995 film, but with many projects being produced earlier these days, it wasn't unusual for some films to be delayed by a year or two. It wasn't uncommon for Hollywood movies to be in the works for ten or more years.

Talking about the audition piqued her interest: "Today's audition is for the female lead! I made Natasha try out too, but unfortunately, they were both so wooden on camera; they couldn't even get a word out."

Eric glanced back at the quiet twins following along, and upon hearing Drew, the Natasha sisters blushed and instinctively bowed their heads when Eric looked over.

Since Eric enjoyed casting Ivanka as a lucky charm in his films, Drew had once suggested making the Natasha sisters his mascots at Flower Films. Unfortunately, Eric had never seen the twins appear on camera. It appeared they might not have that talent. Drew had frequently popped up in various films since her cameo in Scream.

Recalling that the original lead actress for Species was Natasha Henstridge, who happened to be part of the Victoria's Secret roster, Eric asked, "Since it's an audition at MGM headquarters, this must be the final round. Do you have any standouts in mind?"

"Amy initially wanted Paulina Porizkova to play the lead, but the director disagreed, so everyone had to start over."

Eric remembered Porizkova's likeness to Audrey Hepburn. If he had to decide, he wouldn't agree either. The female lead in Species needed to embody the cool and sultry charm that Natasha Henstridge had, while Paulina Porizkova's elegance suited roles like a Monaco princess.

Aside from previously directing the Victoria's Secret fashion show, Eric had not interacted much with Natasha Henstridge. He decided not to dwell on that and casually remarked, "If the budget allows, you could get Claudia to try out."

Claudia Schiffer would be more than adequate to replace Natasha Henstridge, as their vibes were quite similar.

Drew shook her head. "We invited her, but Claudia didn't want to take the role because there are a lot of nude scenes, and the budget isn't huge, so they plan on opting for a cheaper newcomer."

...

Walking together, they didn't return to Eric's office in the executive center but headed towards the Digital Domain office loft. Cameron had already come by that morning, but Eric had been too wrapped up in Casino Royale matters to catch much of a conversation with him during lunch, unsure if Cameron was still around.

Entering the primary Digital Domain loft, Eric asked the staff and quickly spotted Cameron in the lounge, animatedly talking with Stan Winston.

The global success of Titanic had completely relieved the pressure Cameron previously faced, making him quite buoyant lately.

Seeing Eric approach, Cameron and Stan stood up to greet him. After exchanging pleasantries, the group sat down at a long table. Eric instructed the twins to grab some coffee, but Cameron couldn't contain his excitement. "Eric, I can't believe you kept such great things hidden! How come you never told me?"

Eric laughed, "You know this place better than your own home. What could you possibly not know?"

As a tech-savvy filmmaker, whenever Cameron showed up at Firefly Studios, it was typically to explore the Digital Domain. Even without a specific job, he often checked in to explore the latest visual effects technology they had developed. The collaboration between them had been very smooth, with Digital Domain supporting Cameron's projects tirelessly. This had prevented Cameron from needing to create his own Lightstorm Entertainment studio; he mostly utilized Digital Domain's resources to bring his various ideas to life while Digital Domain benefitted immensely in return.

Seeing Eric looking puzzled, Stan explained, "Eric, it's the new IMAX and 3D screen we just installed."

Eric immediately understood. Last year in New York, after noticing IMAX, he had requested Digital Domain to establish a technology team specifically for collaborating with the Canadian IMAX company on the development of IMAX and polarized 3D technology.

These two technologies had actually been around for decades but hadn't widely penetrated filmmaking for various reasons. Now, with Digital Domain's financial backing and technological support, applications were rapidly being developed. The IMAX company was also refining the last of its protocols for transferring standard film to IMAX, which they predicted would allow standard two-hour lengths in IMAX movies the following year. Before this, IMAX films had only been 40 minutes long, and the transfer technology wasn't quite mature. The polarized 3D technology was even simpler; recently, Digital Domain had installed a 3D-IMAX-compatible big screen within the studio for various tests. This must have been what Cameron was referring to as the 'good stuff.'

In the past six months, Cameron had been busy with the production of Titanic; alongside the pressure from its budget and box office, he understandably hadn't kept track of Digital Domain's new technologies.

"This is some of my thinking from last year," he elaborated. "From silent films to talkies, and from black and white to color -- all of that took less than thirty years. Now, thirty years have passed again. The way we present films needs to change significantly as well. That's why I'm optimistic about these two technologies."

Cameron was visibly excited. "Eric, are you saying you plan to widely promote 3D and IMAX?"

Eric shook his head slightly with a smile. "That's the plan, but it needs to be done step by step. You've likely experienced the challenges of promoting these technologies firsthand. 3D is probably more feasible; switching to 3D projectors and the necessary equipment is manageable. But for IMAX, replacing the screens in most North American theaters isn't realistic."

The number of movie screens in North America had exploded over the past several years, growing from over 22,000 in the early 1990s to more than 28,000 today. However, as the film industry became more advanced, making changes grew increasingly difficult. Among the 28,000 screens across the U.S., most were built according to conventional 2D specifications, making it impossible to fit IMAX screens, which were dozens of meters wide and tall, into existing theaters. Promoting IMAX necessitated building new cinemas altogether.

Thus, Eric's first step was simply to focus on the more manageable introduction of 3D.

Cameron, a passionate filmmaker, exhibited a clearer idealism than Eric. Undeterred by Eric's points, he responded: "Eric, I believe as long as you want to do it, you will succeed. So, don't you think we could try using this technology in Spider-Man? Just imagine Peter Parker soaring through skyscrapers on that huge IMAX screen! And don't forget about the 3D -- those visuals would be breathtaking!"

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 833: An Idea]

Cameron painted a picture of imagination, his tone filled with longing, but the girl sitting next to Eric laughed, pouring cold water on him. "But that's definitely going to be very expensive."

"Oh, Drew," Cameron shook his head, pointing at Eric. "Your concerns are definitely not a problem for this guy."

"The money issue isn't a problem, but the distribution channels are," Eric smiled at Cameron. "If you plan to make Spider-Man in 3D-IMAX format, you'll find that you won't be able to find any theaters playing it."

Eric's words hit like a bucket of ice water, and Cameron quickly awoke to the reality. He recalled what Stan Winston had said: the 3D-IMAX screen meant for testing at Firefly Studios was, if not the first of its kind in the world, certainly one of the very few globally.

However, thinking about that 3D-IMAX screen, Cameron suddenly understood, looking at Eric. "You tricked me for a moment. Since the 3D-IMAX screen is here, you must have a plan ready, right?"

"Of course," Eric didn't keep it secret and said, "In fact, Firefly Software has already started secretly developing professional software tools for converting 2D to 3D. As soon as the timing is right, a dedicated 3D conversion subsidiary will be established in Digital Domain to bring Hollywood's classic films suitable for conversion back onto the big screen."

Strictly speaking, 2D to 3D technology had already emerged. If it weren't for having all his resources tied up with Titanic, according to the original timeline, Cameron should have already produced a 3D version of Terminator 2 by this time. However, the current 2D to 3D technology could only be described as crude and was nowhere near scalable commercialization.

Eric had witnessed firsthand how the proliferation of pseudo-3D technologies had ruined the bright prospects of this emerging cinematic technology in the original timeline. Now that he had enough influence and power in Hollywood, he obviously hoped that the related technology could develop more maturely to facilitate the healthy growth of the industry.

Cameron pressed, "Hey, Eric, don't be so vague. How long do you think it will take? Is three years enough? The production cycle for Spider-Man is exactly three years."

"Jim, you need to understand that to widely promote 3D films, and even further, 3D-IMAX, we face a massive upgrade across the entire industry chain. From the basic research and development of 3D cameras to the upgrade of final theater equipment, any one of these stages cannot be achieved overnight. I think, at least five years will be needed before we see any real results. So, it's best to wait for your next film to consider this."

In fact, forcibly accelerating this process wasn't impossible, but it didn't align with Eric's expansion plans for Firefly.

Eric had once received a theory from Buffett: to build strength during good economic times and seek expansion in adverse environments. In recent years, North America's economic conditions had been the best time. Not to mention the rapidly developing IT industry, even Hollywood was experiencing robust growth due to the thriving global film market, with home video/DVD and cable television expanding further. Hollywood's average annual growth rate exceeded 10%.

Eric knew that the current favorable environment in Hollywood would enter a period of stagnation around the year 2000 as the internet bubble burst. That would be the best time for Firefly to further expand.

Eric's investment plan in Nasdaq IT stocks through Clover Holdings was also a way to accumulate funds for Firefly Group's expansion post-2000. With Firefly Group's current scale, hundreds of millions of dollars in small mergers could hardly be called an expansion. If he could use the timing of the internet bubble to accumulate two to three billion dollars in cash reserves, Firefly Group could then pay less in equity shares or even not use the stock exchange model at all when entering new industries or seeking merger targets.

Cameron obviously couldn't envision such grand industrial development plans; he just felt it was a bit of a pity. Under other circumstances, Cameron might have postponed the production plan for Spider-Man for a few years, and he could wait. However, this project was something he had promised Eric long ago. Although he faced enormous pressure from Titanic, Cameron also knew that Eric was under just as much, if not more, pressure. Eric had been so supportive, sometimes blindly so; if Titanic failed at the box office, the management at Firefly might lose faith in Eric. Since Eric had given him such great support, as someone true to his nature, he wouldn't let Eric down.

They chatted some more about 3D-IMAX. Eric felt a bit dry mouthed and took a few sips of his coffee before casually asking, "Jim, what have you been busy with lately?"

The Spider-Man project wasn't set to kick off until the second half of the year, and Cameron didn't need to worry about the Oscar campaigning for Titanic. Whether or not to go to Europe or Japan for the next phase of promotion was entirely up to him; he should be having a pretty carefree time.

Cameron said, "Not much. I'm not as much of a workaholic as you. Oh, by the way, I just thought of another good idea. Once it matures, I might present it, maybe Firefly would want to make a movie out of it."

Eric perked up, "Share it; maybe we can brainstorm together."

Cameron didn't hold back and replied, "It's a sci-fi screenplay about a girl escaping from a cyborg base after the world suffers a global disaster. Right now, I have just some basic background setups, I'm still figuring out what this global disaster should be."

"Of course, it's nuclear war," Drew joked from the side.

Eric immediately recalled what Cameron's 'idea' was, chuckling, then added to the girl's words, "If it's nuclear war, there wouldn't be many survivors left on Earth. A large-scale nuclear war would leave strong radiation that could prevent life from continuing on the planet for decades."

"That's correct," Stan Winston added from across the table. "Moreover, following a nuclear war, there would likely be a nuclear winter where radiation clouds block out the sun, and the Earth's surface temperature could drop below freezing. Even if humanity survives the war and has some means to shield from radiation, the ensuing nuclear winter would lead to the death of vast amounts of flora and fauna, ultimately causing humanity to starve."

"I think the same," Cameron said. "So, nuclear war is simply unsuitable. That'd be a full-on post-apocalyptic era. What I want is just a chaotic period after a large-scale global disaster. Humanity might face mass fatalities, cities could be desolate, but the living environment on Earth wouldn't become too harsh."

"You're a fan of anime, right?" Eric interjected, pretending to be casual as he listened to Cameron. "If that's the case, you should know there are various special global attacks in many Japanese sci-fi comics that can cause massive malfunctions in electronic devices worldwide."

Cameron immediately got it: "You mean electromagnetic wave attacks?"

Eric nodded, "Electromagnetic weaponry is still in the experimental stage, but by your conception, I can guess you're choosing a point in the future where these weapons would be fully developed, and humanity's dependence on electronic devices would be even stronger. So when these devices are attacked, it would undoubtedly lead to worldwide social chaos. Just think about it: if there were a global blackout today, the consequences would be catastrophic."

"Exactly," Cameron clapped his hands, suddenly seeing things clearly. "We could even establish a more comprehensive worldview for this story. In a turbulent era, under martial law, where ordinary citizens struggle to survive. Hmm, and also a much larger conspiracy brewing after this disaster."

"So, the female protagonist in the story should be the link connecting all of this," Eric continued. "However, with this setup, I feel this idea should be more suitable for a TV series rather than a movie."

"That's fine, too," Cameron agreed, not insisting. "The girl in the story should be very kind but also strong, and her character should have multiple complex facets, like an angel fallen to the bottom. Hmm, let's call her Dark Angel -- what do you think?"

"Sounds good," Eric nodded with a smile.

"I'll flesh out the concept during this time. Eric, if Firefly's interested, get a writing team ready for me."

Eric nodded. Although in the history of television, this classic sci-fi series had only run two seasons before being canceled, it wasn't any flaw of the show itself. Years later, sci-fi fans continued to reminisce about the series' unresolved stories.

"Jim, I can help you get a writing team, but I do have one condition."

"What is it?" Cameron asked, sounding curious.

Eric grinned, "The lead actress -- I'll pick her. I really don't trust your taste."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Cameron shrugged, "Fine by me, but I was very satisfied with the lead actress in Titanic, so that means our tastes should be pretty close."

"Oh, and one more thing," Eric suddenly remembered. "This TV series fits the tastes of younger audiences and isn't suited for ABC. Coincidentally, this year Fox's The X-Files has concluded; if you're willing, it might be good to have this series take over The X-Files' time slot."

"That's your job," Cameron said. "I won't fuss over distribution. I wouldn't mind if you directly had Fox produce it."

Eric nodded and laughed, "Then I'll have the writing team from The X-Files contact you. They have extensive experience in crafting sci-fi scripts."

...

Dark Angel was purely serendipitous. Cameron's focus would still remain on Spider-Man, not taking on the producer's role as he would have in the original timeline, and Eric swiftly let Fox take the lead on this project. With The X-Files wrapping up, Fox needed a new sci-fi series to fill the slot. Thanks to the powerful impact of Titanic, Fox placed great importance on Dark Angel, and the project quickly entered the preparation phase.

...

In the meantime, Eric continued working on the post-production of Casino Royale. Meanwhile, beyond Hollywood, after months of preparation, international capital led by Soros' Quantum Fund began its first wave of probing attacks on Southeast Asian countries.

This first wave wasn't particularly large. Additionally, because Soros had been openly predicting the downfall of the Southeast Asian economy since last year, there was a degree of wariness amongst those nations. In just two weeks of this initial attack, international capital not only failed to gain an upper hand but also lost hundreds of millions in the Thai baht trading war.

While this loss didn't cause any tangible impact on the massive international capital, it solidified the confidence of Southeast Asian countries, which believed they had enough power to resist external currency speculators attacking their currency.

As Southeast Asian nations celebrated stories of international capital 'returning empty-handed,' they remained blissfully unaware that their vulnerabilities had already been inadvertently grasped by their opponents.

What came next would be the real storm.

...

From the very start, Eric had no intention of passing up this opportunity. Since the beginning of the year, Chris had secretly begun assembling a trading team in New York.

After the first probe from international capital, Chris flew to Los Angeles to personally discuss future plans with Eric.

By mid-March, in Malibu at the Liberty City Estate, after having just finished lunch, Chris and Eric sat together by the villa's glass wall, discussing the matter.

Eric put down his coffee cup and said, "We just finished compiling the annual financial data; our net profits for the year were approximately $1.76 billion. After dividends, we can take home around $1.3 billion, but Yahoo needs to set aside $500 million. That's the biggest expenditure. Firefly Electronics will also need $200 million. As for Amazon, I've reviewed Bezos's investment report -- another $100 million. Other companies, just to be safe, need to set aside $200 million, so you'll only have about $300 million to work with."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 834: Wedding Invitation]

Based on the trajectory of the Nasdaq over the coming years, Eric's stock investments from the past two years were likely to yield at least five times his initial investment when cashed out at the right moment.

After buying $2 billion worth of Nasdaq IT stocks last year, Eric planned to invest another $4 billion this year and next while the Nasdaq index remained below 2000, and begin cashing out in phases once the index hit 3000.

Compared to this plan, the currency speculation during the Asian financial crisis appeared less enticing. After months of operations, the returns might barely reach twofold, making it seem unworthy if too many funds were tied up in it, ultimately delaying the opportunity to purchase IT stocks at the right price.

At the same time, Eric wanted to avoid attracting too much attention from Southeast Asian countries. Whether it was Firefly Group or Firefly Investments, both would eventually aim to develop business in the region. Thus, he was only willing to contribute $300 million this time to simply join in the fun and make a little pocket money; after all, the girl had long wanted to buy a Boeing 777.

Chris was aware of Eric's situation and didn't think that the $300 million was too little. However, after some observation, Chris perceived the Asian economic crisis as an opportunity. He remarked, "I leveraged a portion of my equity in the company and secured a $300 million loan from JPMorgan. Emily's family is also willing to pitch in $100 million, so combined, we have $700 million."

"$700 million -- that's a pretty lucky number," Eric laughed. Chris's 3% stake in Firefly Investments was valued over $1 billion based on their current asset size. Eric didn't find anything wrong with it, knowing that even if Chris lost the entire $300 million, a 1% stake loss wouldn't have a substantial impact on Firefly Group. Moreover, this was purely a game of how much could be earned.

The coincidence of the number arose from Eric's earlier bet on Kuwait's oil futures, which was also in the vicinity of $700 million.

Chris immediately recalled how they had both thought Eric was crazy back then, only to see the results turn out to be wildly successful. With a chuckle, Chris added, "This time around, we surely won't see returns as crazy as before. Based on what I have, international hedge funds will need about three months to establish short positions following this exploratory strike. The next wave should be around July. In that three-month period, everyone's rushing to position themselves, and the competition will only reduce leverage, so being able to achieve even a 100% return would be quite good."

Although Chris had been focused on industrial investments for the past few years, Eric could tell that Chris hadn't lost his touch as a finance major. He remembered that the Asian financial crisis officially erupted on a grand scale in July.

"The potential returns from this money aren't what matters to me. I'm more concerned about the impact on the federal economy," Eric continued. "If the emerging Asian economies are destroyed like those in Latin America during the '70s and '80s, and Europe's economy hasn't recovered yet, a flood of hot money will flow into the North American market. It's easy to imagine; North America will experience another super bull market."

Chris nodded, considering his words. He said, "Eric, I know you have a detailed plan in mind, but I just want to remind you -- not to hesitate when it's time to cash out. From my perspective, the Nasdaq market already shows signs of a bubble. Look at Microsoft; they had an annual net profit of only $2.1 billion last year, and their current market cap has skyrocketed to $120 billion. That's way overvalued. The North American stock market doesn't have any trading halts, and if we wait too long, your $6 billion investment could turn from massive profits into significant losses in a single day."

"From where I sit, Microsoft's stock price hasn't even approached its peak," Eric replied seriously. "But don't worry, Chris. You know I'm not the type who lets greed cloud my judgment."

"Right," Chris nodded, then suddenly smiled, "Speaking of which, I attended a family party hosted by Steve Forbes last week. I got some figures from the upcoming Forbes billionaire list. Want to know how much you're worth?"

Forbes usually published its annual billionaire list around March, and Eric subscribed to the magazine. He remembered that this issue was slated for release the following Monday, but before that, there had been a flurry of discussions across various financial media regarding the Forbes rankings. Even if Eric hadn't been closely following, he would have heard some snippets of information.

Watching Chris build suspense, Eric grinned, "I'm curious to know what Forbes has estimated your wealth at."

"$1.1 billion, which pales in comparison to yours."

Chris shrugged, but he felt extremely satisfied. From a regular analyst at Morgan Stanley to amassing over $1 billion in six years, he surely ranked among the highest-paid fund managers in North America. While there were many family investment funds similar to Firefly Investments, those fund managers, despite their high salaries, rarely had access to equity.

Chris also understood that although Eric did little to manage the specifics of Firefly Investments, he was fundamentally the key figure behind its current scale. Chris was merely the executor. Without Eric's keen eye in identifying companies like Cisco, America Online, and Nokia, or his crucial role in establishing Yahoo, Firefly Investments would never have grown so rapidly.

Thinking about it, Chris picked up his coffee, took a sip, and said, "Forget it; you can check the Forbes magazine yourself next week. I'll leave you a surprise. I should probably head out now."

It was Thursday -- a workday. Chris had flown in from San Francisco, and neither of them was idle. Eric didn't try to prolong his stay, intending to walk Chris outside when Chris didn't budge. Instead, he pulled an envelope from his briefcase and handed it over.

"What's this?" Eric asked curiously. Seeing that the envelope wasn't sealed, he opened it and found a wedding invitation. Glancing at it, he looked up with a smile. "You and Emily are finally planning to tie the knot?"

"Yeah," Chris replied, a bit embarrassed, gesturing vaguely. "My dad and Emily's parents have been pushing us for a while. More importantly... Emily is over a month pregnant now."

"Wow, congratulations! You're going to be a dad!" Eric remarked, glancing at the invitation again. "May 20th -- what a nice date. Where are you planning to hold the wedding?"

"Maryland, at my dad's farm," Chris said, adding a hint of complaint, "You know Emily's personality. Ever since she found out she was pregnant, she's been angry at me for delaying her career. But there's really no reason to postpone any longer; my dad and her parents won't allow it."

"That's just pre-wedding jitters. It'll be fine after a while," Eric assured him, putting the invitation away. "So how are the wedding preparations going? Have you both invited anyone?"

"Dad and her parents are in charge of that. You know, they're retired, so they have plenty of time. You're the first one to get an invitation; we haven't finalized the guest list yet."

Eric pondered for a moment and suggested, "If you don't mind, why not take this opportunity to bring everyone together for a gathering?"

"Everyone?" Chris asked, puzzled.

"John Chambers from Cisco, Steve Case from America Online, Jorma Ollila from Nokia, and Ian Gurney from Yahoo. Plus, from Firefly Group, there's Katzenberg, Frank, and Robert..." Eric listed off. "Usually, we don't have a chance to get together. Your wedding would be the perfect occasion -- just like last year's Yahoo Alliance Conference. I've always thought we should gather at least once or twice a year."

"But wouldn't that be too much of a spectacle?"

Chris hesitated, realizing that Eric's idea would translate to a major gathering of the Firefly network's top management. It would undoubtedly attract more media attention than last year's laid-back encounter at the Yahoo annual meeting.

Eric joked, "Come on, it's a wedding! I really think you'll only have this chance once in your lifetime; it should be as lively as possible. Well, of course, you can talk to Emily about it first. If you want to invite any Hollywood stars to show up, just let me know, and I'll help you with the invites."

"Alright, I'll discuss it with Emily tonight. As for the stars, we'll pass," Chris accepted, packing his briefcase and standing up. "Oh, and about Joan and her side, Emily and I won't be sending them separate invitations. Just bring them along to Maryland; you can take a few extras if you like."

"Don't worry, I won't let you miss out on the fun," Eric laughed, playfully punching Chris on the shoulder.

The two continued their light banter as they walked out of the villa together.

...

After dropping Chris off at Santa Monica Airport, Eric went to Firefly Studios to review adjustments that needed to be made after a closed screening of Casino Royale. He had been busy with this project recently.

Working until 7 PM, Eric finally clocked out, and there was an added guest in his car, Christina Aguilera.

There were a few scenes involving Christina that needed adjustments, so she had been assisting with voiceovers at the studio's post-production center that afternoon. After Venice, the two hadn't found much time together, but after hinting subtly a few times, Christina patiently waited for Eric to finish work before he took her home.

After having dinner at a restaurant in Malibu, they arrived home after 8 PM.

The petite girl didn't spare any effort in flirting with Eric. Just as they were tangled together on the bed, Eric's phone unexpectedly rang.

Letting go of Christina, Eric checked the incoming call -- it was Chris calling.

He answered the phone and casually threw on a bathrobe as he stepped outside.

Eric didn't feel the need to overly guard himself against the women in his life; all he aimed to do was prevent them from making mistakes, which worked out best for everyone. It was already late night in New York when Chris called, suggesting that it must be something important, and so Eric preferred to keep Christina from overhearing.

Leaving the bedroom, Eric pushed open a small lounge upstairs, walking to the balcony to speak with Chris.

However, Chris didn't have anything too pressing to discuss; he brought up the topic of inviting Firefly management to his wedding, saying Emily had agreed and called to inform Eric.

They chatted for a few moments, and eventually, the phone was handed over to Emily. They talked about a few details, and once Eric hung up, he couldn't help but feel amused and a little sympathetic towards Chris. After flying around both coasts, having just returned to New York, he hadn't rested yet so late at night; apparently, Emily had been quite demanding lately.

A woman who discovered she's unexpectedly pregnant and dealing with pre-wedding jitters? Strong-willed -- yikes, that scene sounded terrifying.

Hanging up the phone, Eric returned to the bedroom and put the phone back on the nightstand, directing his gaze to the bed.

Christina lay nestled on the bed softly, her face flushed and eyes dreamy, looking like a well-loved doll. Although Eric knew she was just acting, he still felt a surge of desire and reached over to give her a gentle squeeze.

With a soft gasp, Christina curled into a tiny ball but tightened her embrace around Eric's hand, the sparkle in her eyes even brighter.

Lifting her up, Eric settled back onto the bed. "Hey, come sit on me and move around."

...

Perhaps they had played too hard the night before, as Eric was jolted awake by Christina's voice.

With the curtains automatically drawn open, bright sunlight flooded the room, forcing Eric to shield his eyes.

Holding a newspaper, Christina leaned beside him with a glint of excitement in her voice, "Eric, the latest weekly box office for Titanic is out! It grossed $22 million this week, totaling $469 million -- it broke the Star Wars record! You have to take a look!"

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 835: A Little Regret]

Titanic's box office had already hit $447 million last week, and it seemed almost inevitable that it would surpass the $460 million North American box office record of Star Wars this week. Eric wasn't overly surprised by this; listening to Christina's excited tone, it was obvious she was a fan of Titanic.

As his drowsiness faded, Eric turned over in bed, smiling as he looked at Christina, who lay next to him. "We'll talk about it later. Right now..."

As he spoke, Eric suddenly reached out, wrapping his arm around Christina's slender waist and pulling her close, rolling over in the process.

"Ah--haha, don't!" Christina playfully protested, laughing as she pretended to struggle against him.

With Eric towering over six feet, Christina, at only five feet one inch, was dwarfed by him, and as he moved, her petite form completely disappeared beneath him.

"Little kitty, remember this next time: waking a man suddenly can make him pretty grumpy."

Christina squinted at him, her cheeks flushed, stretching her arms as Eric removed her little T-shirt, begging softly, "Eric, I'm sorry; I won't do it again."

"We'll deal with the next time later; you still need to be punished this time."

"But I made breakfast! If you wait too long, it's going to get cold."

Upon hearing this, Eric felt hunger gnawing at him. He glanced out at the sunshine -- time was getting late. With the filming for Casino Royale wrapping up soon, he knew he had to oversee the final details himself. Resisting his temptation, he finally released Christina and rolled out of bed. "Alright, since you're being so good, I'll let you off this time."

...

Star Wars had grossed over $460 million after numerous re-releases in twenty years. Thus, if they were talking about first-release box office records, before Titanic, Eric's Jurassic Park, which had earned $450 million in North America, held that title.

Regardless, after twelve weeks in theaters, Titanic racked up a North American box office of $469 million, breaking all previous records and earning an unprecedented twelve consecutive weeks at number one in the North American box office.

Though everyone knew Titanic would break the North American box office record this week without question, the number of those as calm as Eric after the reality set in was few.

After getting up, in the half hour he spent having breakfast with Christina, Eric received five or six calls on his mobile phone.

The media in North America had focused on this achievement today; many of the newspapers Eric subscribed to displayed the headline news about Titanic breaking North America's box office record. Online, the excitement surged, with Titanic's large fan base flooding Yahoo Community and various movie forums to celebrate its box office success.

At the company's behest, ABC's morning show Good Morning America dedicated a full twenty minutes to recounting the film's journey from production to release. The host even connected live with several creative team members who were promoting the film in Japan, leading to a 30% increase in viewership for Good Morning America.

Just a few months earlier, no one had predicted whether Titanic would manage to break the North American box office record in that week.

However, today was March 14, with only ten days left until the 69th Academy Awards. After the nominations were announced, the release dates for the film in the remaining key overseas markets were scheduled in the subsequent two weeks to maximize Titanic's Oscar influence. This meant the number of countries where Titanic would be released internationally would soar from fewer than 30 to 68.

On this day, the number of overseas release countries for Titanic would increase by 17, including Germany, France, and Japan -- its most significant overseas markets.

In the original timeline, Titanic's first international run had grossed $1.2 billion.

Eric recalled that the Japan box office was about $200 million. Given the current $91 million box office figure from the UK market, both Germany and France, which had similar market scales, might also surpass $100 million. This meant these three markets would collectively account for around $400 million, representing about one-third of Titanic's previous international box office total.

With this in mind, Firefly was particularly focused on the releases in these three countries. In fact, the main creators of Titanic had already been rushing to attend premiere events across Europe and Japan, with Cameron and others still in Japan.

Eric was confident that after this new round of wide releases, Titanic's overseas box office would explode. Until then, due to Firefly's established distribution strategy, the overseas box office had barely reached $400 million.

...

After a busy morning at Firefly Studios, Eric headed to Burbank in the afternoon for a meeting about the next stage of Titanic's release.

The cumulative box office for Titanic in week twelve reached $469 million, which posed a minor dilemma -- or a regret -- for Firefly's distribution department.

"Even though Titanic's box office revenue has maintained a weekly scale of $20 million, based on our survey data, the majority of this consists of repeat viewings by core fans. These people keep returning to theaters, not only because of the film's inherent charm but also because of their passion for it and their hopes for it to create more box office miracles," Robert Thompson, the president of Firefly's distribution department, outlined the current situation during the meeting.

"So, Titanic has three promotional points to stimulate continued growth in its North American box office: breaking the North American box office record, reaching a total North American takings of $500 million, and the Oscars. If we can stagger these three events across three weeks, that would undoubtedly be optimal. But the current situation is that Titanic has already broken the record, and the remaining two points are likely to occur in the same week -- or even the same day. As the Oscars are just one complete week plus one weekend away, the awards ceremony is set for the Monday of the week after next. That's when the box office for the weekend's 14th week will be reported."

Though Robert Thompson stated this, his tone didn't carry much regret, nor did anyone else in the meeting room.

Everyone could tell that with Titanic breaking the North American box office record this week and then perhaps breaking the $500 million mark next week, followed by an Oscar battle the week after, it looked like a perfect sequence of promotional events.

However, maintaining a weekly revenue of over $20 million was already a huge show of support from fans. While Firefly could easily inject $10 million to boost Titanic's box office past $500 million next week, doing so would be akin to scratching a perfect gem like Titanic, which would likely send their competitors into a frenzy of envy.

As everyone murmured amongst themselves, someone commented, "Robert, did you forget to consider the global box office breaking $1 billion as a promotional point?"

"Of course I considered it," Robert Thompson replied, "but that's not a new record -- Jurassic Park broke that four years ago. Besides, this figure will likely be available after the Oscars, and by then, there's a good chance the North American box office will start to decline significantly. We shouldn't expect much from the North American market."

Someone else chimed in, "What about a global figure of $2 billion?"

The meeting fell silent for a moment before everyone broke into quiet laughter.

Robert Thompson shook his head, looking at the speaker -- Kenneth Horne, the president of New Line Cinema.

Before Titanic's release, Kenneth Horne had experienced a significant boost in his position within the group as New Line had nearly matched the box office performance of Firefly's major production departments. However, with Titanic's explosive success, New Line's numbers were left far behind once again. Kenneth, who had been seeking more resources for New Line, naturally felt very frustrated, though he wouldn't show it in this setting.

Within the Firefly group, Kenneth Horne and Robert Thompson held similar status.

Kenneth Horne oversaw New Line Cinema, which included a complete production and distribution system. Although they primarily produced mid to low-budget films, New Line had consistently delivered impressive results over the years. Supported by former New Line personnel, Kenneth still received significant attention from higher-ups. Robert Thompson, as president of Firefly's distribution department, managed the global distribution of films for Firefly, Disney, and Pixar. Even though he didn't handle production, his control over major film releases made him a formidable player.

Though their businesses didn't overlap, both were competitive within the same framework.

"Kenneth, since you said that, how about a bet? If Titanic's global box office surpasses $2 billion, I'll treat everyone present to dinner. If not, you do."

"Sure thing. A dinner is something I can manage," Kenneth Horne replied without hesitation, glancing around.

In this celebratory atmosphere, no one minded this small wager, although almost everyone felt that while Titanic could undoubtedly break $1 billion -- even possibly reaching $1.5 billion -- $2 billion seemed too far-fetched.

Eric closed the document he had been reviewing, raised his head, and smiled at the two of them. "Alright, I'll take note of your bet. I'll pick the place, so you both better save your year-end bonuses."

As key executives at Firefly, both Kenneth Horne and Robert Thompson earned bonuses in the multi-million dollar range. When Eric mentioned this, Robert Thompson exclaimed in mock horror, "Eric, you'd be better off robbing a bank! No hotel in the world could cost millions for a single meal."

"Robbery is illegal, and I'm a law-abiding citizen," Eric chuckled, making a joke.

After sharing a good laugh, Katzenberg announced the next agenda item.

"After analyzing for some time, we discovered that many Titanic fans are incredibly interested in the filming process. We've perfectly preserved all the props used during Titanic's production, and the massive model of the ship still stands at the filming location in Rosarito, Mexico, while some key props have been taken back to Los Angeles and are currently stored in the studios' warehouse. So, let's discuss the feasibility of a Titanic-themed exhibition."

As Katzenberg finished speaking, there was a moment of silence in the room; everyone was flipping through the distributed survey reports.

Eric also began reviewing the survey in his hand.

Many people have a keen interest in collections. Props from classic films can often sell for astronomical prices, providing a rich cultural context for hosting an exhibition on the Titanic's props.

While unsure of the specific figures from the original timeline, Eric remembered that after Titanic's massive success, Fox had held grand prop tours around the globe. There's no way Fox would have undertaken such an endeavor had there not been substantial financial incentive.

Moreover, one thing Eric regretted most in the original timeline was that Cameron's 1:1 scale Titanic model, replicated perfectly at the Rosarito set, was dismantled and sold for scrap metal during the film's post-production phase to raise funds. This would surely be a sore point for many fans.

This time around, Eric had instructed the film's creators from the start to preserve all props carefully. His initial rationale was to support future productions of retro-related Titanic films, as those props had cost tens of millions to create.

However, now that Titanic had achieved similar success as before, the real reason behind this decision could be presented without hesitation.

While the Titanic-themed exhibition could not exist as long as a Disney theme park, Firefly, armed with vast experience in operating theme parks, could easily surpass Fox's attempts from the past.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 836: The Rise of the Media Oligarchs]

When it came to hosting a Titanic-themed exhibition, the best venue was undoubtedly the Rosarito film set in Mexico. However, after much discussion, everyone unanimously agreed that this idea was completely impractical.

Not to mention the visa issues, most fans simply wouldn't travel across borders just to visit the filming location of a movie. Moreover, safety at the Mexico-U.S. border was also a significant concern. Eric's trip to Mexico last year had left him with a strong impression of this reality. If a visitor encountered theft or even kidnapping while touring the Titanic set, or worse, lost their life, Firefly would find itself in a very precarious position. Such incidents were an unfortunate norm in Mexico, which was plagued with drug traffickers and gang violence. Cameron's friend, the Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who had initially convinced him to set up the Titanic production in Rosarito, had seen his elderly father kidnapped shortly after he gained some recognition in Hollywood.

Los Angeles, on the other hand, was a different story. According to statistics, over 30 million tourists visited the city each year. As a holy place for movie fans worldwide, most visitors to Los Angeles typically toured attractions like Universal Studios and Disneyland, thus ensuring a steady stream of guests for the Titanic-themed exhibition.

After an afternoon of deliberation, Eric ultimately decided to place the Titanic exhibition within Los Angeles' Firefly Studios. The massive model of the Titanic that had been constructed in Rosarito would be disassembled and transported back to Los Angeles for reassembly, undergoing a complete renovation to create exhibition halls, restaurants, and other spaces for enhanced visitor experience. While this would incur hefty expenses, they paled in comparison to the enormous profits the Titanic would bring to Firefly.

Initially, Eric had purchased 100 hectares of land in Playa Vista. Although Firefly Studios had expanded over the years, much of this land had been utilized, there remained ample space to dedicate to the Titanic project. For a film destined to make its mark in cinematic history, Titanic deserved such treatment.

The company had a specialized team known as the Dream Engineers that was responsible for building and maintaining several major Disneyland parks across the globe. With the plan confirmed, the next stages of the project would be handled by this well-experienced crew.

During the meeting, some higher-ups also proposed expanding Firefly Studios into a full-fledged tourist attraction, mimicking the model of Universal Studios. This idea intrigued Eric. However, excluding Disney's brand resources, Firefly didn't possess enough projects accumulated over the years to support a theme park just yet. Therefore, this plan would have to be shelved. Nonetheless, the Titanic represented a promising start, and if successful, Firefly could later develop attractions based on their other movie projects more suitable for theme parks, leading to a natural transition into a tourist destination.

...

To wrap up the production of Casino Royale as quickly as possible, Eric didn't take a break that weekend. He finished the film's post-production work in the last two days, ensuring that the rating and promotional tasks wouldn't require his further concern.

As a new week began, while Eric hoped for a few days of rest, the influx of various matters kept him occupied. On Sunday night, March 16, FFM Television's highly-anticipated The Sopranos officially premiered. Eric had high hopes for this series. Aside from personally intervening in the casting of the lead role, ensuring that James Gandolfini from the original timeline was chosen, he hadn't meddled with any other aspects. Eric instructed Harvey Weinstein to allow the show's primary creator, David Chase, to have as much creative freedom as possible.

The Sopranos was recognized by multiple media outlets as the number one television series in the original timeline, mainly because it broke from traditional TV formats to create an entirely new and intricate narrative style. If those stuck in traditional production thinking nonsensically interfered, The Sopranos risked becoming a generic show, losing the unique qualities that made it appealing.

Although there were slight differences from the original, the core production concepts remained unchanged. Thus, after the first episode aired, The Sopranos immediately garnered significant attention from critics. Entertainment Weekly nearly gave it a perfect score, describing it as a "series filled with surprises." A well-known critic from the Boston Globe provided an enthusiastic review, saying, "The Sopranos is a surprisingly unique new series."

"The main character, Tony Soprano, is the head of a gang in New Jersey, but his crew is a far cry from the grandeur of the Corleone family in The Godfather, consisting merely of a handful of guys involved in shakedowns and protection rackets. His largest enterprise might just be a strip club. Beyond this murky identity, he is also a regular middle-aged man facing a midlife crisis, troubled by his restless children, a neurotic mother, and a wife who constantly brings him new challenges, forcing him to seek therapy.

From a character perspective, we might struggle to see any standout features. However, this innovative series presents a new layered narrative style underneath its mundane facade, with the storytelling flowing seamlessly without disorder, and the writer's control over the plot structure is nearly flawless, leaving audiences eagerly anticipating the next episode."

Eric wasn't too familiar with the process that led The Sopranos from its premiere to widespread popularity. He originally thought the series would develop gradually, akin to Breaking Bad later on. However, the response following the pilot episode far exceeded his expectations. In a call with Harvey Weinstein, Eric even asked if such an impressive media reaction was the result of Harvey's efforts, to which he chuckled and denied.

With strong initial promotion, The Sopranos' premiere drew 1.76 million viewers, nearly 40% of FFM's total subscriptions. As a pay cable channel, every viewer was a valid subscriber without the need to account for the 18 to 49 demographic, and no advertisements interrupted the show.

The Sopranos' successful launch immediately caught the attention of major competitor HBO, which once again announced its plans to produce original series in the upcoming week. They had previously announced plans for original programming last year, but due to slow execution within the Time Warner system, HBO hadn't released any formal projects until the premiere of The Sopranos.

Eric remembered HBO's first original series well. It wasn't Sex and the City or The Sopranos, but rather the less heralded yet equally excellent Oz. Given HBO's slow reaction, the Oz project was unlikely to fall into their hands. FFM had already acquired the script at the start of the year, and as long as The Sopranos garnered positive reactions, production on Oz would soon follow.

...

During the weekend, while Eric was at work, Christina stayed behind at the manor. The girl who had initially planned to spend the weekend at the estate only complained lightly to Eric over the phone.

Monday morning arrived. After finishing a call with Harvey Weinstein, Eric entered the dining room to read the day's newspaper. Christina, wearing a cropped T-shirt and jeans, with an apron nearly engulfing her petite frame, buzzed around serving breakfast in the dining room before finally sitting down across from Eric. Yet today, there was an unusual expression on her face -- one that resembled admiration or perhaps awe, leaving Eric a bit confused.

Taking a sip of hot milk beside him, Eric jokingly asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Did you just now realize I'm actually this handsome?"

"Not really," Christina said, smiling. She glanced at the stack of newspapers in front of Eric, raised her hand as if to point at something, paused, stood up, and inexplicably said, "I just remembered; I flipped through them this morning, and it's probably on the sofa by the wall."

Curious, Eric watched Christina dash out of the kitchen, quickly returning with a copy of Forbes. It turned out to be the latest issue of Forbes magazine, which he remembered was set to release today. Oh, this issue featured the list of the 400 wealthiest people in America, no wonder she had reacted that way. Eric's net worth had already reached $67.7 billion last year, and most financial media predicted he would surpass $80 billion when this issue came out -- $80 billion was quite a staggering figure for most.

This year, aside from the stable growth of Firefly Group, its investments in companies like Cisco, Yahoo, and America Online had nearly doubled. For instance, Cisco's market value had increased from just over $10 billion last year to $33.2 billion based on recent stock prices. America Online's market value, previously under $10 billion, had similarly risen to $15.3 billion.

"Let me see how much money I have now," Eric said with a smile as he took the magazine from Christina. Predictably, his photo graced the cover, and only glancing at the headline, he exclaimed in shocked amusement, "They really want to put me on the hot seat!"

On the magazine cover, what surprised Eric wasn't just the eye-catching figure of $98.7 billion, which was over $10 billion more than what most media had projected. It was the sensitive headline beneath that read, "The Rise of the Media Oligarchs."

The term "oligarch" was by no means a flattering one. While nearly all capital entities aspired to become industry oligarchs, few would openly brag about it. The term implied monopoly and exorbitant profits, as well as exploitation and oppression.

Just like in the early 20th century, although the Rockefeller family created an unprecedented wealth legend, their notorious practices, such as employing mercenaries to suppress miners, led to their lasting bad reputation. Even a century later, the Rockefeller descendants faced reporters spouting, "Do you still want to control America?"

Of course, even if one didn't care about external reputations, the connection to the term "oligarch" often led to unwanted antitrust investigations, which was quite the headache.

However, Eric soon noticed a crucial distinction -- the title used by Forbes was "The Rise of the Media Oligarchs" rather than simply "The Rise of the Oligarchs." That added word made a significant difference.

Realizing this, Eric quickly flipped through the magazine to find related articles.

...

"As is well known, Hollywood movie companies have always exhibited a competitive atmosphere throughout a century of development. Due to the strong uncertainties inherent in creative industries, it is challenging for any one company to dominate entirely. However, in recent years, the gradual relaxation of federal regulations on the media industry has allowed Hollywood's major movie companies to transcend their original confines in content production. Thus, the previously balanced state has been rapidly disrupted. The most vigorous force in this new reshuffling of the media industry is undoubtedly the Firefly Group, which was founded less than a decade ago.

Although the Firefly Group has yet to release its financial report for 1996, based on a wealth of publicly available information, we can predict that the Firefly Group's overall revenue for 1996 will likely exceed the unprecedented figure of $30 billion. Even just five years ago, only a handful of media companies crossed the $10 billion annual revenue threshold.

The Firefly Group's explosive revenue growth is attributable to a series of mergers and acquisitions since the 1990s. While media giants like Time Warner and Viacom have also pursued similar mergers, only the Firefly Group, after successfully merging with New Line Cinema, Disney, and ABC, through the remarkable foresight of Eric Williams and a robust and efficient internal management team, has managed to achieve rapid integration between the various companies post-acquisition, alongside persistent high-speed development.

By contrast, Time Warner, under the leadership of the late Steve Ross, could almost be indistinguishable from a disbanded group. Viacom's Sumner Redstone, while an experienced veteran, notably lacked the acumen for the rapidly evolving media industry. Following the mergers with Blockbuster and Paramount Pictures, the fundamentally conservative Redstone did not effectively restructure or integrate the two companies. Blockbuster's business showed clear signs of decline, while Paramount's film operations remained uninspired.

Theoretical analysis hardly showcases the differences among these three domestic media giants; however, their annual performance reports make it abundantly clear.

Based on available information, in 1996, Time Warner reported annual revenues of $10.1 billion, enduring an annual loss of $191 million. With fixed assets of $35 billion, Time Warner's stock market valuation stood at only $24.3 billion. In contrast, Viacom achieved revenues of $12.1 billion with a net profit of $1.2 billion, transforming into North America's second-largest media group, although the gap between it and the Firefly Group was starkly evident.

Thanks to its media networks, film and entertainment, theme parks, merchandise, and special effects companies, the Firefly Group's annual revenue has reached approximately $30 billion. Considering the group's average net profit margin of 11% from previous years, the Firefly Group's annual net profit should be around $3.3 billion. Given the ongoing strong growth across its various business sectors, the primary valuation for a public company suggests Firefly Group's market value should soar to around $85 billion.

Hence, whether in terms of annual profit, revenue figures, or market valuation, the Firefly Group has indeed created a significant gap from its industry competitors, demonstrating the characteristics of a dominant oligarchy."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 837: Going Against the Grain]

In addition to providing a detailed comparison of the financial data of Firefly Group, Time Warner, and Viacom, Forbes also drew parallels using examples from the three telecom giants to prove their point.

In 1996, ATT, the leading powerhouse in the American telecommunications industry, reported annual revenues exceeding $74 billion. In contrast, its closest competitors, Verizon and Sprint, racked up a combined total of only $30 billion, which was less than half of ATT's revenue. While Firefly's revenue figures didn't show as stark a difference from Time Warner and Viacom as ATT's figures did from Verizon and Sprint, the trend was clear.

Moreover, in terms of industry layout, Firefly shared many similarities with ATT. ATT was itself a diversified telecommunications giant, encompassing industries such as landline phones, mobile communications, cable television, communication software, and electronic products. If one were to compare a single business segment, ATT might lead, but not by a wide margin over its competitors. However, when viewed as a whole, ATT's strength far surpassed that of Verizon and Sprint among their industry peers. Currently, Firefly Group reflected a similar situation: while it maintained a slim lead over its rivals in sectors like television and entertainment, the combined force of its various ventures showcased an oligopolistic presence in the media landscape.

...

Eric sat in the restaurant, patiently reading through all the articles about himself and Firefly in this issue of Forbes. When he finally looked up, over half an hour had slipped by.

Christina remained quietly seated across from him. She had finished her breakfast and was observing him with curiosity.

Taking a glance at his watch, Eric smiled at Christina and said, "You've got that training today, right? I'll have the driver take you to Burbank."

Though Eric appeared relaxed, Christina couldn't forget the look on his face when he had been reading Forbes. She had a knack for picking up on people's emotions, and even if she didn't quite understand his reaction, she knew he was preoccupied. She nodded obediently, cleared her dishes, and left the restaurant with him.

Once outside the villa, they found the car waiting at the entrance. After giving the driver a few instructions, Eric kissed Christina on the cheek and sent her off.

He hurried back inside the restaurant, finished his breakfast, and took another car to Firefly's headquarters in Burbank. On the way, he called his assistant Kelly to take note of this issue of Forbes.

The articles published in Forbes would undoubtedly spark lively discussions among the media in the coming weeks. Having been in the industry for years, Eric understood just how significantly media perception could influence businesses, so he knew he had to prepare for potential fallout.

Since it was Monday, Eric decided to personally attend the weekly executive meeting at headquarters. Most of the time, Kelly represented him and would later prepare the minutes for him to review.

...

Recently, the company had primarily focused on the global distribution of Titanic. However, the spring television lineup had all premiered on the major channels under Firefly. Robert Iger, the head of television operations based in New York, discussed viewership ratings for shows launched on platforms like ABC, AE, and the Disney Channel via video call. ABC and the Disney Channel had stable and rising ratings, with the fall breakout hit Everybody Loves Raymond returning after a winter break and surpassing 22 million viewers at its peak.

AE's Lifetime channel, driven by flagship series like Sex and the City, Project Runway, and America's Next Top Model, continued to roll out new quality content and captured the female audience. Compared to the earlier ratings of under a million in prime time, under Annie Sweeney's excellent management, Lifetime's offerings were now averaging 3.5 million weekly during primetime, with core series' ratings smashing through the cable network record to reach 8 million -- making Lifetime one of the fastest-rising stars among cable channels in the U.S. in recent years.

As the final agenda point touched on Firefly's summer film releases and promotional activities, the meeting extended until eleven o'clock.

...

The executives present were well-connected and could not avoid mentioning the fresh issue of Forbes as they exited. They offered Eric congratulations earnestly or in jest. Naturally, some were quick to caution him about potential impacts the magazine's articles could have on Firefly Group.

As people filtered out, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Frank Wells remained, intuitively, and joined Eric in a nearby conference room.

Once the secretary served coffee, Katzenberg dismissed her and said, "Eric, I called Steve Forbes this morning. They shouldn't have used the term 'oligarchs,' but we couldn't anticipate this situation."

It was clear Katzenberg understood the potential repercussions of Forbes' article on Firefly Group's portrayal as "the rise of media oligarchs." From the angry look on his face, Eric speculated that Katzenberg's conversation with the Forbes head honcho had not been pleasant, and a confrontation was quite possible.

In this country, even the president gets dragged through the mud by the media from time to time. Though Firefly Group wielded significant influence in the media sector, it clearly couldn't control every narrative spun about it.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Katzenberg, without waiting for Eric or Frank Wells to speak, added, "This afternoon, I'll mention to Robert to cut the ad budget across all media platforms owned by Forbes for this summer. They can't just create a spectacle for attention like this."

It was apparent Katzenberg really had had an intense argument with Steve Forbes that morning.

Eric smiled and shook his head, about to speak when Frank Wells interjected, "Jeffrey, if you go through with this, we really become the media oligarchs Forbes described. I don't think the situation is that dire. It's better not to escalate things."

Frank had always played the role of the "good cop" within the group, earning Katzenberg's respect. Upon hearing Frank's words, Katzenberg calmed down, realizing his thoughts were too aggressive and personal. He nodded slightly and turned back to Eric.

"Although we don't need to sever ties completely, we should still show our stance. Let Robert handle that," Eric concluded before asking Frank, "Frank, do you think we might face any substantial legal risks?"

Frank, originally a lawyer, pondered before answering, "The group's continued expansion doesn't pose immediate risks. After all, we're still far from the real industry oligarchs like ExxonMobil, General Electric, or ATT. However, if in the coming years we expand into other fields -- like you've mentioned, cable operations -- we would face very stringent antitrust scrutiny, and the chance of setbacks would be high."

Eric had discussed this issue with the management team a couple of years prior. The decline of public television networks in North America and the rise of cable channels was a natural trend in the television industry. To maintain a competitive edge in this landscape, they needed not only to continue producing high-quality content but also to ensure they had distribution resources. Without a dedicated cable platform, Firefly's television operations could easily be undermined. While federal law did not prohibit media groups from owning cable channels, Firefly's dominant position would certainly attract antitrust concerns.

"Regardless, that's an issue for a few years down the line," Eric summarized his thoughts. "For now, let's focus on the challenges at hand."

Frank Wells nodded, "Our film and television ventures shouldn't encounter any legal hurdles, but there might be issues in Digital Domain. A few months ago, when we announced halting external partnerships, there were calls for the Justice Department to investigate. If Forbes stirs things up too much, several people could bring those discussions back to light."

"So, what we need to do is prevent the term 'oligarch' from being exploited, ideally shifting media attention away from the company," Katzenberg suggested, glancing at Eric. "Eric, I have a proposal worth considering."

Eric nodded, signaling him to continue.

"My suggestion is to shift more media focus onto you."

Eric spread his hands. "If that's effective, I'm all for it, but do you really believe any topic involving me could overshadow corporate matters?"

"That's why we'll need to create a focal point artificially," Katzenberg suggested, tapping on a copy of Forbes lying on the table. "The reported $98.7 billion is $60 billion more than the second richest, Bill Gates. That's a hard pill for many to swallow. Before Forbes released their issue, I saw plenty of media questioning the legitimacy of your fortune. Now might be the perfect opportunity to stir that controversy and redirect media and public attention."

Frank Wells chimed in, lightly tapping the table in agreement, "Eric, that's an excellent strategy."

After some deliberation, Eric agreed that this strategy was indeed viable. The $98.7 billion statistic from Forbes would draw significant attention but could also elicit skepticism, given people's reluctance to believe in miracles.

...

The trio discussed the details of the plan, and afterward, Eric called Kelly back to go over it. After lunch, Katzenberg and Frank returned to their tasks while Eric personally oversaw the implementation of their agreed strategy.

During that era, it was nearly impossible to find large-scale astroturfing to manipulate public perception. However, Katzenberg's observation during their discussion served as a wake-up call for Eric. With Forbes releasing a figure far exceeding the estimates of other financial media outlets, it was clear that those who had expressed skepticism before would be even more vocal now.

Eric's goal was to amplify their voices in the media as much as possible.

The efficiency in the assistant's office was impressive. Just after two o'clock, Kelly handed Eric a list of 45 names. All of these were well-known financial journalists or commentators who had published skeptical articles about Eric's wealth recently.

Looking through the folder, Kelly quietly explained, "We reviewed around 300 different newspapers and magazines. This group holds the most significant influence. If they manage to unify their voices in the media over the next period, it'll create considerable impact and encourage other media platforms to follow suit. Additionally, we've identified suitable outlets under News Corp, Hearst, and Conde Nast for potential articles, but you may need to reach out to them personally for their cooperation. I've already spoken with Tina at Yahoo, and she'll request related coverage from our list this afternoon."

After previewing the profiles, Eric pulled up a contact list on his computer. As he dialed, he joked with Kelly, "I wonder how those skeptics will react if they realize they've been played as pawns in this game."

Kelly chuckled softly, remaining quiet as Eric connected the call.

On the other side of the desk, Eric casually leaned back in his chair with a pencil in hand and propped his legs up on the table. A cheerful voice came through the receiver. "Hey, William, it's me, Eric. How've you been? ... Haha, really? Oh, you're at San Simeon? I've been wanting to check that place out forever, but you've never invited me! ... Not this time, too busy, but you can come to L.A."

After casual chit-chat with William Hearst III, Eric jumped into the topic once William inquired. "It's just a small request. I'm hoping you could line up a few feature pieces over the next week in your daily newspapers."

With AE and ESPN jointly held by Hearst, the connection between Hearst Group and Firefly had always been robust. Eric briefly explained his intentions, and Hearst quickly agreed. As the head of the world's largest newspaper group, William was no stranger to Eric's motives. He even threw in a playful jibe during the call.

After noting a higher executive's number that William provided, Eric hung up and dialed Rupert Murdoch's private number. While greeting Elisabeth worked just as well, direct contact with Murdoch often yielded faster results.

After making several calls, Eric finally sat up straighter and handed Kelly the list filled with contacts. "Here, reach out to these people. You can discuss specifics directly with them; they'll be cooperative."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 838: Overseas Box Office Explosion]

Strictly speaking, Forbes magazine's valuation of Eric's net worth at $98.7 billion this year was quite accurate.

Eric's assets mainly included Firefly Group and Firefly Investment Company. The Firefly Group, which controlled over twenty subsidiaries in fields like film, television, amusement parks, comics, music, and special effects, boasted fixed assets worth $50 billion. In 1996, the Firefly Group reported a revenue of $31.3 billion, which was almost 1.5 times the combined revenue of Time Warner and Viacom, which had market capitalizations of $24.3 billion and $28.8 billion respectively. Thus, Forbes' $85 billion valuation of Firefly Group was not exaggerated from any perspective.

Eric held a 73.7% stake in Firefly Group, which valued that portion at $62.7 billion. On the other hand, Firefly Investment Company held strong stakes in companies like Cisco, Nokia, and America Online, most of which were publicly listed. Based on various public data, this portion of Eric's assets was valued at around $36 billion. Combined, this brought Eric's total worth right to the $98.7 billion alleged by Forbes.

Most generally revered miracles and celebrated individual heroism. However, when certain miracles far exceeded their understanding, skepticism inevitably arose. Eric's personal worth of $98.7 billion surpassed that of second-place Bill Gates by a staggering $62.3 billion. This discrepancy left many with a strong sense of unreality, making doubt almost unavoidable.

In order to diffuse the potential antitrust investigation risk posed by Forbes depicting the Firefly Group as a "media mogul," Eric cleverly shifted the subsequent media conversations onto himself.

After the latest Forbes article was published, financial journalists and commentators, who initially could only criticize Eric's inflated net worth in lower-circulated trade journals or second-tier papers, found themselves approached by major North American newspapers and magazines. They were asked to express their thoughts on the latest Forbes wealth rankings.

These journalists could not have known that the very motivation driving this piece was Eric himself. Articles published in influential outlets like The Washington Post, New York Post, Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo Finance were the perfect avenue for enhancing his personal influence. They quickly got to work, producing a stream of well-argued articles.

Some among them even sensed that the platforms engaging them had close ties to the Firefly Group or to Eric himself, but as journalists who were at least superficially committed to the pursuit of freedom of expression, they wouldn't easily change their opinions for the sake of an opportunity. When many submitted what they believed to be left-leaning opinion pieces, they were even prepared to argue their points vehemently. To their surprise, these articles were published without obstruction.

In an instant, much of the North American media began to question Forbes' data accuracy, with articles criticizing Eric Williams' net worth being grossly overestimated pouring in.

"$98.7 billion, just a sensationalist number game."

"Yahoo Inc. seriously overvalued."

"The IT industry's general profit margins are low; the $36 billion valuation of Firefly Investment Company is highly inflated."

"Net profit at $1.76 billion? Firefly Group's net profit margin is plummeting."

"..."

Under the sudden and overwhelming media assault, Forbes naturally fought back to maintain its credibility. Consequently, there was a fierce exchange between the two sides across print, television, and even online platforms, focusing most news topics on how much money Eric really had.

Because the opposition to Forbes' data seemed overwhelmingly powerful, by the end, most of the general public unconsciously accepted the opposing view. They began to see Forbes' figures as a sensational joke. With repetitive bombardments of information, the public's common perception of Eric's actual net worth settled around the $60 to $70 billion range. Although this was still considerably above the second-ranked individual, it was far more palatable than the nearly $100 billion figure.

This was precisely the outcome Eric had hoped for.

After a week of noise, the topic naturally began to cool down, and very few media outlets continued to pay attention to Forbes' claim of a "media mogul."

Even though some media professionals sensed the signs of manipulation behind this, they would likely struggle to find direct evidence. After all, Eric's method of steering the narrative was quite clever; he simply amplified voices that already held certain views among the media, stirring the pot for an entire media frenzy. Many in this world don't realize the purpose their opinions could serve.

In the blink of an eye, the next weekend arrived, bringing with it an explosive new story that pushed the last vestiges of media interest in Forbes' rankings into the corner and quickly refocused attention.

It was the new weekly box office figures for Titanic.

...

Since its release, Titanic had been breaking record after record -- miraculous numbers that reshaped many people's views on traditional movie box office figures. News about the film had transcended entertainment discussions, becoming a social topic in itself.

Following a week of reflection and anticipation surrounding the upcoming Oscars the following Monday, North American Titanic fans were eagerly awaiting the film's domestic box office to cross the $500 million mark. Compared to the previous week, Titanic's thirteenth week in North American theaters saw box office numbers fall to $23 million, bringing the cumulative total to $492 million -- just one step away from the $500 million milestone.

However, what captured all the media's attention was not the already jaw-dropping North American box office numbers but the international figures.

After months of strong promotion, Titanic had launched in an additional 17 overseas markets, bringing the total to 46, including three major countries -- France, Germany, and Japan.

Clearly, with Titanic creating a string of miracles in North America both in box office and award nominations, audience expectations in these new markets had peaked.

Thus, after the new week, Titanic's box office figures soared to a staggering $179 million across the 46 territories.

It was noteworthy that, before this, Titanic had only reached $400 million in foreign markets over 12 weeks, despite uncertain release dates. In just one week, with the help of 17 new box office territories, Titanic's overseas weekly box office approached half of the total figure from the previous 12 weeks. This was undoubtedly a miracle.

Among these new markets, France, Germany, and Japan's performances stood out. France's first-week box office was equivalent to $28 million, Germany's first week reached $26 million, and Japan hit an incredible $49 million. In just one week, these three countries contributed a total of $103 million to Titanic's overall box office figures.

Even though the remaining 43 countries averaged about $1.7 million each, the overall $76 million still far exceeded the average figures from the previous 12 weeks.

Considering that France, Germany, and Japan might follow a similar box office trajectory as North America, and with 22 more countries set to open in the following weeks, many box office analysts boldly predicted that Titanic's overseas weekly box office could likely break the astonishing $200 million mark in the upcoming week with the Oscars and new openings in play.

In this era, 99% of Hollywood films would struggle to achieve a total overseas box office of $200 million, but Titanic could possibly accomplish this feat in just one week.

At this moment, fueled by overseas box office receipts of $179 million, Titanic's global gross had surpassed $1.071 billion. If in the following weeks Titanic could maintain an overseas haul close to $200 million weekly, the possibility of achieving a $2 billion worldwide total was no longer a distant dream.

A global gross of $2 billion would yield $500 million of net profit for Firefly Group. In Hollywood's Big Seven, not only would a single film rarely achieve that kind of profit, but often the combined profits from all films released in a year would not come close to that figure.

Moreover, box office revenue was just the beginning. Because the box office figures were so extraordinary, though later revenues from video rentals, original soundtracks, and other ancillary income would certainly not follow the traditional revenue ratios, it could be envisioned that this secondary revenue would still represent a staggering astronomical sum. Across the entire profit cycle of Titanic, with the operations along the entire industry chain, it wasn't impossible for Firefly Group to recoup profits equivalent to $2 billion along with the box office figures.

Originally, most people expected Titanic to gross a bit over $1 billion worldwide. This sudden leap to the $2 billion range sparked intense excitement among Hollywood studios regarding large-scale projects.

...

This weekend, Eric finally had a chance to relax, albeit only slightly.

However, he couldn't completely let his hair down, especially with the Oscars just around the corner on Monday. He had to attend to support My Heart Will Go On, which was nominated for Best Original Song.

Interestingly enough, from 1988 to now, Eric had produced numerous films but had never received a Best Director nomination. He had, however, been nominated as Best Screenwriter and for Best Original Song, already having taken home the latter's little golden trophy. Without a doubt, he was set to add another one to his collection.

In the living room of his mansion, Eric stretched out his arms as his identical twin sisters helped him into his tuxedo. He playfully asked the girl standing next to him, who was standing beside a customer manager from the Givenchy boutique, "Drew, I've already got the Best Original Screenplay award. It shouldn't be too hard for me to snag a Best Original Song too. So next, will I go on to take home all these other awards, like Best Visual Effects, Best Editing, Best Original Score, and the like? Oh, what's that saying again, a Grand Slam?"

The girl chuckled, "You're definitely not going to get a Grand Slam because you're a man."

"Fine, I mean," Eric remembered that he would never win Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor in his life. He continued, "Those awards are off the table for me."

"You can't get Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress either," the girl smirked, fully aware of Eric's train of thought. She continued her playful 'attacks.'

Everyone laughed lightly.

The Natasha sisters buttoned up the tuxedo on Eric and quietly stepped aside.

Eric had never been particularly interested in trying on clothes. He preferred to buy multiple identical outfits in bulk and wear them consistently. However, this time, his date insisted he find a suit to match hers for walking the red carpet.

Eric couldn't understand what was so necessary about repeatedly trying on variations of the same black tuxedos.

Drew clearly sensed Eric's impatience. She walked over and appraised him, whispering a few words to the stylish female customer manager from Givenchy before saying, "Alright, let's go with this one. Natasha, take that off; the sleeves need a little more adjustment."

After adjusting the tuxedo, Drew personally escorted the Givenchy staff member out. Eric exited the living room feeling at ease as he walked to the glass wall where a chaise lounge lay, stretching comfortably and casually flipping through a nearby magazine.

Drew soon returned and, seeing Eric lounging on the sofa, she cheerfully approached. She leaned over him and said, "Okay, Eric, it's been tried on."

"Mm-hmm," Eric tossed aside the magazine and casually wrapped his arm around the girl's soft waist, lazily squinting his eyes.

The girl blew warm air in Eric's ear before saying, "But there are still shoes; they're on their way."

Smack--

A sharp pop rang through the air.

"Ouch, that hurt," Drew twisted her petite frame slightly and then chuckled, "This time they're custom-made; you just need to see if they fit okay."

At last satisfied, Eric murmured an "mm" in agreement.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 839: I'm Afraid They Will Hit Me]

Everyone initially expected that Titanic's North American box office wouldn't cross the $500 million mark until the weekend of its 14th week in theaters. However, early on March 23, major North American newspapers were flooded with news that Titanic had indeed surpassed the $500 million milestone.

During the Friday and Saturday of the 14th week, Titanic grossed $5.5 million and $6.8 million on its respective days, pushing its total box office to an impressive $504 million, making it the first film in North American history to exceed $500 million in domestic earnings.

With this surge of news, many media outlets predicted that the viewership for the 69th Academy Awards would also reach a miraculous number. In a tongue-in-cheek tone, various outlets remarked that just like Titanic's box office, this viewership number was equally unpredictable.

With everyone's eyes on the event, the 69th Academy Awards officially took place on the afternoon of March 24 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

...

Eric spent a relaxing weekend without any sense of urgency about attending the awards. He received a call from Cameron that morning and brought Drew along to Firefly Studios.

Upon hearing that Eric intended to relocate all the props from Titanic, including the large ship model, to Firefly Studios for a themed exhibition, Cameron was thrilled and eagerly took on the project, even acquiring the title of chief engineer.

With assistance from the Dream Engineer team under Firefly's umbrella, Cameron quickly marked out a piece of land in the southwest corner of the studio and began the preliminary planning.

To implement more detailed modifications to the Titanic model's interior, Cameron even requested a $10 million budget. In the past, the company would have likely rejected such a hefty sum for this kind of project, but this time, even Katzenberg, who had often clashed with Cameron, approved it without hesitation.

Despite doubts among many within the group about the viability of the Titanic-themed exhibition, they could not overlook the film's box office miracle. They hardly minded the extra $10 million expenditure.

Even if the themed exhibition didn't perform well in the future, it would still stand as a culturally significant marker within Firefly Studios. The 270-foot-long ship model was nearly four times the size of the studio's largest soundstage. To anyone, such an iconic structure was undoubtedly impressive.

Eric spent the morning with the girl, listening to Cameron outline his plans on that vacant lot in the studio. After the materials for the Titanic model arrived from Mexico, Cameron wanted to create spaces like a restaurant and exhibition hall. He even hoped to recreate many of the film's iconic scenes.

Clearly, while the production had burned through over $200 million, many of Cameron's ideas hadn't made it into the film. This themed exhibition project had become a channel for him to address some of those missed opportunities.

...

Besides Titanic, Kathryn's The Thin Red Line also received multiple Oscar nominations. The company had dedicated personnel handling arrangements for the winners' attendance at the awards, so Eric and Cameron stayed at Firefly Studios until 5 p.m. It was then that Cameron's wife, Linda Hamilton, arrived from their home in Beverly Hills. Eric then took the girl and joined Cameron and his wife, heading toward the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles.

Sitting in the luxurious RV, Eric flipped through a magazine, feeling somewhat bored. The girl, dressed in a light blue gown, leaned toward the window, peering out, and then turned to Eric, saying, "Eric, have you noticed that Jim and Linda hardly talk anymore?"

Eric couldn't possibly miss that; in reality, Cameron's marriage with Linda Hamilton had been strained for quite some time. They were just waiting for the right moment to divorce.

However, during the filming of Titanic, Cameron's fifth wife, Suzy Amis, hadn't been involved, and Eric didn't harbor any malicious intentions of setting him up with someone else. So, it seemed Cameron and Linda would likely tolerate each other for a few more years before officially splitting.

"When did you start caring about this kind of thing?" Eric asked casually without looking up.

"Just curious," the girl replied with a slight sigh, sounding somewhat melancholic. "Why can't a man just stay in love with one woman forever?"

Though she often exhibited a carefree disregard for Eric's flirtations, one had to wonder if any woman could truly feel indifferent about such matters.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Eric instinctively began to ramble, "Uh, it's just part of male genetics, I guess. If you want to trace it back, we might have to go all the way back to the origin of life, around 3.8 billion years ago."

Noticing Eric's awkwardness, the girl burst into laughter. She grabbed Eric's hand and rubbed it against her soft cheek, then playfully bit it. "Eric, I know you care about me."

Eric, maintaining a shameless demeanor, replied, "While that's true, you have no idea how happy I am that you can see that."

"Hehe," she continued to giggle, explaining, "Because you never go near Natasha and the others."

Eric playfully squeezed the girl's little hand and said with a smile, "Well, I'm afraid they'll hit me."

"You know very well they wouldn't."

After a brief moment of tender closeness, the vehicle soon turned into the street where the Shrine Auditorium was located.

...

Thanks to the arrangements made by the Oscars' organizing staff, the vehicle paused briefly before slowly making its way to the Oscars red carpet entrance. Outside, enthusiastic cheers erupted, likely signaling the arrival of the Camerons on the red carpet.

Eric was the first to exit the vehicle. He walked around to the other side, taking the girl's hand as they stepped onto the red carpet together.

Over the past two years, Eric had appeared less frequently in public. However, due to his multiple influential roles and the recent controversy stirred up by Forbes magazine, his familiarity had not waned. As soon as they stepped on the red carpet, fans on either side began to cheer.

As they passed through the media area, the journalists' excitement intensified. Desperate for better photographs, they dropped the usual decorum to call out Eric and the girl's names, urging them to linger a bit longer.

Eric didn't completely ignore the enthusiasm around him. He wrapped an arm around the girl's waist and paused for a moment to smile at the cameras. After a frenzy of flashing lights, he and the girl moved on. The ABC broadcast cameras quickly swept over them.

As Eric spotted Cameron being interviewed nearby, he turned to Drew and asked with a grin, "Do you want to go say a few words?"

The girl laughed and replied, "They'd definitely prefer if you went up. I'm just here to enjoy the show."

"Let's skip it and head ahead," Eric suggested. He noticed an ABC producer signaling him, so he slightly shook his head.

Though the producer had hoped Eric would share a few words, understanding how much buzz Eric had recently generated, no one dared insist once Eric refused. The camera swept past them and quickly searched for the next target.

...

They passed through the ABC interview zone and reached the crowd gathered at the end of the red carpet.

As Eric and Drew appeared at the end of the red carpet, many eyes turned in their direction, and some familiar faces approached to greet them.

First to greet them were Harvey Weinstein and Julia Roberts from the Shakespeare in Love crew. Due to Titanic's overwhelming success, Shakespeare in Love faced slim chances of winning this year. Their close relationship meant Miramax couldn't employ any special tactics for publicity. Following the Golden Globes, having received an Oscar nomination, Miramax opted to abandon any unnecessary award publicity, leading to Julia unlikely winning Best Actress, like Gwyneth Paltrow did in the past.

To date, Shakespeare in Love's North American box office stood at over $60 million, but it had little momentum remaining and was unlikely to reach $100 million. Yet due to its status as an art film, Julia had signed a contract that paid her a meager $3 million on a salary-plus-bonus basis. With a production cost of only $25 million, Miramax had already made some profit from the North American market before even factoring in overseas earnings and videotape revenue.

Eric hugged Julia, noting how she instinctively leaned her chin against his shoulder. He quickly pinched her slim waist encased in a black gown, causing Julia to snap back to reality, a bit embarrassed as she released Eric.

Harvey seemed completely unfazed by Julia's momentary lapse. With a warm grin, he shook Eric's hand and said, "Eric, maybe I should congratulate you in advance."

Eric humbly replied, "It's always a bit early for that. Who knows what the Oscar voters will be thinking?"

"No, no, no," Harvey assured confidently, shaking his head. "In the past, there may have been some upsets, but not this time. The Academy knows how to choose."

"Let's hope so," Eric nodded, motioning nearby. "Well, I'll see you after the awards ceremony. You'll be attending the Vanity Fair party, right?"

"Yeah, I'm planning to meet a few actors about a film for next year. They're all here today," Harvey responded, acknowledging that many people were eager to greet Eric. He quickly added, "Oh, Eric, the ratings for The Sopranos have been climbing. We should find time to chat about our next in-house production."

"Of course, I should be free over the next few days."

...

After chatting for a bit, Eric and Drew turned to other friends. Firefly had two films receiving numerous nominations this year: Titanic and The Thin Red Line. However, many knew that while there were several outstanding films, most would ultimately play second fiddle to Titanic, which had all but locked up a majority of the Oscars.

Kathryn had already won the Best Director award for Saving Private Ryan and appeared unfazed this time. Dressed in a black silk corseted gown, strikingly tall, she stood out in the crowd. As Eric approached, Kathryn was deep in conversation with The Thin Red Line's screenwriter, Terrence Malick, seemingly discussing a new film. When Eric inquired, Kathryn appeared somewhat distracted.

After brief interactions, Eric endured a few more waves of greetings before making his way towards the Titanic crew. The girl beside him wore a slight, mysterious smile, prompting her to lean in and whisper in Eric's ear, "Eric, did you get her to your place?"

Feigning ignorance, Eric replied, "Who are you talking about?"

"Come on, she was looking at me in a way that was quite interesting."

Eric did a mental replay but hadn't noticed anything unusual from Kathryn, nor did he recall her looking toward the girl. So he asked, "How did you pick up on that?"

"Because you're a man! We women are just more sensitive to these things," the girl confidently chuckled. "She's jealous."

"No way, don't say such things."

Eric interrupted the girl, recalling that after their dreamy encounter in Australia, he had merely invited Kathryn to share a few dinners. Eric didn't want to overstep since Kathryn had such a strong personality. Therefore, there hadn't been any substantial progress in their relationship since.

...

Since he hadn't received a Best Actor nomination, Leo once again stubbornly declined to attend the ceremony. The crew hadn't pressed him, and Eric welcomed it. After all, Hollywood would lose a lot of fun over the next twenty years without Leo's incessant Oscar snubs.

Despite Leo's absence, the Titanic crew remained the most conspicuous group in attendance. After some pleasantries, the awards ceremony drew near, and everyone began heading into the auditorium.

At 7 p.m., inside the Shrine Auditorium, Billy Crystal appeared at the bow of the Titanic model, making a grand entrance on stage. He mimicked Leo's character from the film with a few cries, eliciting laughter.

As the audience erupted in thunderous applause, Billy moved to center stage, spreading his arms to address the auditorium filled with over a thousand attendees. "Well, good evening, everyone! Welcome to Titanic. We're big. We're expensive. Everybody wants us to get started quickly, so let's begin!"

To the rhythm of the music, Billy Crystal launched into his signature medley of opening songs.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 840: Unprecedented]

Billy Crystal opened the awards ceremony with a lively medley of songs, roasting all the nominated films.

The first presenter was the legendary Hollywood actress Julie Andrews, known for her roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. She took the stage to present the Honorary Oscar to director Mike Kidd. Eric didn't know the director, who was in his eighties, but he remembered the previous Honorary Award recipient, Kirk Douglas, who was Michael Douglas's father.

The second award of the night was for Best Costume Design, relating to Titanic. Julia Roberts stepped onto the stage as a presenter, introducing the nominees. At that moment, the auditorium seemed to quiet down significantly.

While nearly everyone predicted that Titanic would be the biggest winner of the night, the result was not set in stone just yet; uncertainty lingered.

The nominated films were clearly less exquisite in terms of costume design compared to Titanic. If Titanic didn't take this initial win, it would cast a shadow over the remaining thirteen nominations.

"The nominees for the Oscar for Best Costume Design are Sandy Powell for Shakespeare in Love; Paul Brown for Angels Insects; Ruth Myers for Emma; Alexandra Bryne for Hamlet; and Deborah Scott for Titanic."

Glamorous clips of the respective films flashed on the big screen. Julia opened the envelope before her and peeked at the result but didn't immediately lean into the microphone. Instead, she instinctively glanced at Eric, a smile on her face that seemed to say, "Look what I've got."

Eric quickly caught on, seizing the opportunity before the live camera turned towards them, he gestured to Julia discreetly.

Although some in the audience noticed this brief moment, most assumed this smile was merely a congratulatory exchange.

With Eric's silent cue, Julia smiled casually into the microphone and announced, "The Oscar goes to Deborah Scott for Titanic."

As expected, the auditorium erupted into loud applause.

In the back of the auditorium, a woman in her forties jumped up excitedly, hugged her husband, and then made her way to the front to congratulate the creative team of Titanic with handshakes and hugs. Eric, sitting in the middle of the third row, stood up and reached out to shake hands with Deborah Scott, congratulating her.

Following this opening win for Best Costume Design, Titanic went on to also win Best Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects, bringing its tally to four Oscars in less than half an hour.

After another unrelated award for Best Foreign Language Film was given, the composed Pierce Brosnan took the stage to introduce Celine Dion's performance of the Titanic theme song, My Heart Will Go On.

The heavenly music echoed throughout the prestigious Civic Auditorium, leading Eric to assume that the next award presented would be for Best Original Song. Instead, it was Nicolas Cage who stepped up to introduce the nominees for Best Actress.

The five nominees did not present a clear frontrunner. Under normal circumstances, if Titanic hadn't taken the spotlight, Julia might have had a strong chance of winning, especially given Miramax's powerful PR capabilities.

However, in light of Titanic's strong showing, Miramax had withdrawn PR efforts for Shakespeare in Love to conserve funds and resources, significantly decreasing Julia's chances.

As for Rachel Weisz, while her performance far eclipsed that of Leo DiCaprio, for a newcomer in Hollywood, a nomination for Best Actress was already a significant honor. Winning the award, however, was at least much less likely than for Julia.

The PR strategy set by Firefly did not focus much attention on Rachel's nomination either.

In the end, the Best Actress Oscar went to Frances McDormand for Fargo. This Hollywood star had originally burst onto the scene with the Coen brothers' cult classic, Blood Simple, and years later, won the Oscar again for a film by the same directors, marking a beautiful narrative.

Titanic added two more Oscars to its collection with wins for Best Art Direction and Best Original Screenplay.

When Cameron walked off the stage amidst loud applause, Eric glanced at his watch, noting that the ceremony had just crossed the one-hour mark. It seemed that the organizers had been quite strategic in order of awards to boost ratings.

Eric assumed the Best Original Song award, which was related to him, might be presented around the hour-and-a-half or two-hour mark.

...

As his thoughts wandered, the next presenter, Courtney Love, began announcing the nominees for Best Makeup. Eric sat up straight; winning this award was crucial for Titanic to potentially break the all-time Oscar record of 11 wins held by Ben-Hur.

Among Titanic's fourteen nominations, with the exception of Rachel's Best Actress nod (which had little hope), the outcome of its total wins was contingent on two more variables: Best Supporting Actress and Best Makeup.

Titanic had a notable advantage for costume design, but it faced stiff competition in makeup, particularly from Universal's summer hit The Nutty Professor. Eddie Murphy's impressive portrayal of an over-weight character through makeup was a formidably strong contender.

Only three films received nominations for Best Makeup: Titanic, The Nutty Professor, and Star Trek: First Contact.

After introducing the nominees, Courtney Love opened her envelope, and Eric instinctively squeezed the hand of the girl beside him.

"Then, the Oscar goes to..." Courtney paused with a small smile, building suspense before announcing, "Tina Earnshaw, Greg Cannom and Simon Thompson for Titanic. Congratulations!"

The auditorium erupted in applause once again as the three winning makeup artists made their way to the stage. This was Titanic's seventh Oscar, and the attendees were nearly in a state of numbness, many unaware of what this win truly signified for Titanic.

After congratulating the three makeup artists, Eric returned to his seat, where he was met with excited glances from Cameron and the two producers, Jon Landau and William Stuart.

The six Oscars won before the Best Makeup award clearly indicated that the Academy had acknowledged Titanic's massive commercial success. The biggest question that remained was whether it could surpass the 11 Oscars of Ben-Hur.

After securing the uncertain Best Makeup award, most guests and viewers awaiting the final results still might not comprehend the full significance of this win. However, the Titanic creative team and PR consultants, having simulated numerous outcomes during the PR phase, fully understood the implications.

Winning a Best Makeup award almost assuredly indicated Titanic would likely receive 12 Oscars, thereby creating a new historical record at the Oscars.

...

As Eric had guessed, when the ceremony reached the two-hour mark, the legendary Hollywood star Goldie Hawn presented the Best Original Song award.

Initially, Eric had hoped to share the award with Cameron and James Horner. After all, he had merely provided the lyrics and melody; the arrangement and recording were entirely done by Cameron and James. Now, with Eric's stature, it mattered little whether he solely held an Oscar; however, at the time of application, Cameron and James declined co-attribution. The PR team believed it would be more advantageous for promotional purposes and follow-up publicity for Eric to be the sole name on the award.

Before this award, Madonna had performed You Must Love Me from Evita, a song that posed the biggest threat to My Heart Will Go On. It was clearly another well-crafted strategy from the Oscars to generate suspense.

Goldie Hawn quickly opened the envelope and announced, "The Oscar goes to Eric Williams for My Heart Will Go On."

The applause erupted, louder than any since the beginning of the evening, with some cheers coming from the crowd.

Eric smiled, rising to embrace the girl beside him before leaving his seat to greet Cameron, Jon Landau, William Stuart, Rachel, and others one by one before gracefully stepping onto the stage.

Accepting the Oscar from Goldie Hawn, Eric hugged the timeless first-generation American sweetheart and approached the microphone.

As Eric stood before the microphone, the previously subsided applause surged back to enthusiastic levels.

"Thank you, thank you all," Eric graciously expressed his gratitude, patiently waiting for the applause to die down. He then lifted the Oscar, joking, "I feel I should clarify; actually, I'm a director."

After a brief silence, the audience quickly caught on to Eric's self-deprecating humor, bursting into laughter.

Eric was indeed a director, and no one doubted that he was one of the best in Hollywood. However, funnily enough, both times he had stood on the Oscars stage, the awards had nothing to do with Best Director.

While delivering his acceptance speech, Eric couldn't help but recall a playful joke made with the girl beside him while trying on clothes a couple of days ago. He wondered if he might end up winning every minor Oscar by the end of the night. While he had little hope for acting awards, he remained optimistic about categories like Best Screenplay and Best Editing.

After his brief speech, Eric walked backstage with Goldie Hawn.

...

After sitting in the auditorium for two hours, it was uncomfortable for anyone. Eric didn't rush back, finalizing the engraving for his Oscar before posing for a quick photo opportunity. He then made his way to the lounge.

Several guests were lazily lingering in the lounge, having skipped the auditorium. Oscars had designated seat fillers, who occupied seats when the guests left, preventing any conspicuous empty spots. Thus, as long as one did not pay close attention, the audience wouldn't notice when a guest slipped away.

As Eric entered, the guests eagerly gathered around to greet him. After all, Eric was not just a director; anyone getting familiar with him could expect unexpected benefits down the line.

Eric had just exchanged a few words with Al Pacino when a gentle female voice called from behind him.

"Hey, Eric, congratulations."

Eric turned to see Madonna, who had just performed You Must Love Me on stage, now quickly changed into a more comfortable outfit, smiling back at him.

Eric politely reached out to shake Madonna's hand, saying, "Thank you, Ms. Ciccone, your performance was fantastic too."

Madonna held Eric's hand, seemingly a little displeased, replying, "Oh, Eric, you can just call me Madonna."

Madonna...

Eric sweat a little; it would have been far easier to just call her "Queen."

Realizing her hand lightly scratched his palm, Eric suddenly snapped back to reality, noticing Madonna's cheerful gaze upon him. Awkwardly releasing her hand, he shrugged and said, "Sorry, Mad... uh, Madonna."

Eric's knowledge of Madonna was akin to someone saying, "Hey, let's make sure we wear proper clothes," so he didn't have a special feeling toward the star.

Madonna seemed intrigued by him. She pointed to a sofa in the corner of the lounge, saying, "Eric, how about we sit over there?"

Eric instinctively wanted to refuse but suddenly remembered the Yahoo Music Store opportunity and nodded in agreement.

Not to mention, Madonna was undeniably one of the biggest stars in music, on par with Michael Jackson. If the Yahoo Music Store could secure online sales rights to Madonna's music, it would undoubtedly advance the progress of music online sales platforms significantly.

They settled onto the sofa in the corner, where Madonna instructed her assistant to fetch coffee, then resumed examining Eric with keen interest, noticing his empty hands. She chuckled, "Eric, where's your Oscar?"

"Oh, my assistant put it away," Eric said, nodding toward Peter Rich standing nearby.

Madonna joked, "Ha! If I won, I'd hold onto that Oscar all night."

Eric teased back, "So you bring a pile of Grammy awards to bed every time, huh?"

Madonna shot him a playful look, responding coyly, "You want to see me in bed with a pile of awards?"

Eric shook his head immediately, saying, "Not interested."

Madonna paused, then burst into laughter, saying, "That's just heartbreaking, Eric. Speaking of which, My Heart Will Go On is certainly going to be a big winner at next year's Grammys. Maybe you'll get an invite. I mean, you should have received one years ago for New Divide. I still have that single! It's too bad you seem to have never cared."

"That's your domain; I won't intrude on the excitement," Eric said, not wanting Madonna to steer the conversation. He intended to bring up the Yahoo Music Store when a flurry of activity began near the stage entrance.

Peter Rich rushed over, saying, "Mr. Williams! Stuart just won Best Supporting Actress."

Surprised, Eric stood up. After winning Best Makeup, he hadn't held high hopes for Best Supporting Actress.

After all, competing against Gloria Stuart were legendary Golden Age star Lauren Bacall. In terms of credentials and fame, Gloria couldn't compare. Furthermore, if Titanic could nab all 12 awards, everyone was already thrilled.

Unexpectedly, this award had a chance just like Rachel's for Best Actress.

Once he calmed down, Eric asked Peter Rich, "How many has it won now?"

"Ten," Peter said, then added, "Next up for Titanic are Best Score, Best Director, and Best Picture."

The nominations for James Horner's Best Score, Cameron's Best Director, and the ultimate Best Picture -- by this point, what suspense could remain?

There was no question; Titanic was on track to win an unprecedented total of 13 Oscars!

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 841: Intense Flirting]

As the conversation flowed, 87-year-old actress Gloria Stuart, best known for her role as Old Rose, was slowly guided backstage by a group of people.

"Well, Maggie, see you at the Vanity Fair party," Eric called over to Madonna as he made his way toward Gloria Stuart. It was clear that discussing the Yahoo Music Store was no longer on the agenda.

Once seated on the sofa, Gloria, despite the ceremony running for over two hours, seemed to be in great spirits. She occasionally reached out to touch the small golden statuette held in her hands by previous Best Supporting Actor winner Kevin Spacey, smiling and murmuring, "Unbelievable, just unbelievable."

As one of the stars from Hollywood's Golden Era, Gloria Stuart had long faded from the limelight by the mid-forties. Thus, this was her first Oscar nomination, and she was finally receiving the award.

Eric approached to congratulate the elderly actress, shaking her hand warmly. They chatted for a moment, and despite her daughter's urging for her to rest, Gloria expressed her desire to witness the final moments of the ceremony. Eric then personally assisted her back to the auditorium.

...

Just as they returned to their seats, last year's Best Director winner Robert Zemeckis took the stage to announce the nominees for Best Director.

The five nominees for Best Director were showcased in close-ups on the big screen. Zemeckis opened the envelope and declared a name that was already a foregone conclusion: "The Oscar goes to James Cameron for Titanic."

Amidst the applause and cheers, everyone surrounding the Titanic crew stood up, and Eric rose to his feet, clapping as he looked back at Cameron, who was hugging people in the crowd.

Since Eric was sitting in the middle, as Cameron approached, he merely reached out for a celebratory high-five. Instead, Cameron took his hand while pushing past William Stuart and Drew, squeezing over.

With laughter among those around them, William and Drew quickly smiled and stepped aside into the aisle.

Enduring Cameron's bear hug, Eric patted his back twice and joked, "Man, I know you're excited, get up there, everyone's waiting for you."

"Thank you, Eric, no matter what," Cameron replied again, letting go of Eric and giving him a fist bump before continuing towards the stage.

Eric turned around, noticing that the girl had taken his seat and was playfully pointing to his original spot. "You should sit here; I don't want to risk Jim stepping on my dress again, it's expensive."

Eric had no choice but to sit beside her, listening to Cameron speedily deliver his acceptance speech. He turned to William and asked, "William, you're definitely going up there next. How does it feel?"

The Best Picture award could nominate up to three people. In original timeline, Titanic only nominated Cameron and Jon Landau. However, this time, as one of the key producers, Firefly had included William Stuart's name as well. Despite some unpleasantness during production, Cameron didn't oppose Firefly's arrangement.

"I'm excited," William Stuart replied, shaking his head with a smile. "But once was enough for this experience; working with Jim is just too challenging." After a moment, he tentatively added, "Eric, I'd actually like to help produce for you."

On stage, Cameron expressed his gratitude towards Eric once more, and the camera panned over to Eric, who smiled and nodded. Once the shot moved away, he said, "That's a great idea; I'd love to have someone familiar with CG effects to help me out; you must have gained quite a bit of experience this time."

For Eric's films, the production responsibilities were initially handled personally by Jeffrey Hansen. After Jeffrey's retirement, Jerry Bruckheimer took over the role, and they had a very pleasant collaboration on Jurassic Park. However, in recent years, Bruckheimer had been increasingly focused on his own film and television company. Though those companies were affiliated with Firefly, he certainly couldn't fully dedicate himself to being Eric's producer anymore. After completing the collaboration with the Broccoli siblings on Casino Royale, Eric needed to find a new producer to manage his projects.

William Stuart clearly recognized this opportunity. Upon hearing Eric, he quickly responded, "Then it's settled."

Eric understood William Stuart's eagerness and agreed with a smile, "Of course, it's settled."

On stage, Cameron exclaimed his iconic "I'm the king of the world" before leaving amidst applause.

The next presenter was Al Pacino, who came on stage to announce the Best Picture award -- a result that was, of course, no surprise.

Cameron hurried back to his seat, rising again to join Jon Landau and William Stuart as they made their way to the stage.

Thus, the 69th Academy Awards ended perfectly, with Titanic taking home an unprecedented 13 Oscars, setting a record in Academy history.

...

At this point, it was already early morning on the East Coast, but in Los Angeles, it was just around nine o'clock in the evening -- the beginning of the nightlife.

After the ceremony, regardless of whether they had won or not, most guests rushed off to various parties scattered throughout Los Angeles.

After several years of development, Conde Nast had placed even greater importance on the brand effect from the Vanity Fair party, increasingly leveraging their connections and resources to attract key Oscar attendees. As a mutually beneficial arrangement, more and more celebrities favored the Vanity Fair party following the Oscars.

Firefly and Conde Nast had established an agreement prior to the Oscars to cancel individual celebratory parties, directing all their crews to the Vanity Fair party in exchange for more coverage for Firefly's award-winning films across Conde Nast's media.

After the awards ceremony, the creative teams of both Titanic and The Thin Red Line rushed to the Vanity Fair party venue at the Beverly Hills Arts Center.

As Eric and Drew arrived at the parking lot, Peter Rich led a security team to fend off the throng of frenzied reporters waiting outside, escorting them into the arts center.

The moment they stepped into the lobby, Eric spotted a balding middle-aged man enthusiastically approaching them.

"Who is that?" the girl asked, leaning curiously against Eric.

Peter Rich, who had just caught up, quietly whispered to Eric, "Louis Horvitz, the director of this year's ceremony."

As the middle-aged man reached them, he didn't seem to notice Peter Rich's quiet words. He eagerly extended his hand, saying, "Eric, congratulations on the 13 awards, that's simply a miracle."

"Thank you, Mr. Horvitz," Eric replied as they shook hands. "This year's awards ceremony was fantastic."

"Ha ha, I'm glad you enjoyed it," Louis Horvitz beamed, engaging in pleasantries until they entered the party hall, at which point he bid farewell and left.

The girl watched him go and remarked, "What an interesting guy; he's so excited, it's like he won an award himself."

"He must have won something," Eric laughed, then turned to Peter Rich who was following behind and asked, "The ratings for the ceremony should be out by now, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Williams," Peter replied. "Preliminary numbers from ABC indicate an average viewership of 51 million, which is 12 million higher than last year. The highest ratings were during the last ten minutes, with 55.5 million. Based on these figures, this year's Oscars 30-second commercial price is about $950,000, which is a 30% increase from previous years. Director Louis Horvitz should receive a nice bonus as a result."

After hearing this, Eric chuckled, "See, he really did win something."

The girl chimed in, "Heh, but I'm sure it's not worth as much as the awards we received."

Just then, Eric recalled something and asked Peter Rich, "Madonna should be coming, right?"

Peter replied, "Miss Ciccone should be on the guest list. Do you want me to check?"

Eric nodded and added, "If she is confirmed to come, call to have a few Fireflyer samples brought over; I'll need them later."

"Sure," Peter said, and noticing Eric had no further instructions, he quickly turned and left.

The girl glanced back at Peter leaving and said, "He's quite capable; Eric, why did you let him work at FFM then?"

Eric picked up two drinks from a passing waiter and handed one to the girl, explaining, "Just like Allen. People like these should be considered part of our core team."

Eric had initially assigned his first assistant Allen Fisman to ABC as a department manager. After several years of hard work, he had climbed the ranks to become the Vice President of ABC Group.

Allen's success had inspired Eric to continuously seek out talent from within his assistant's office, familiarizing them for a while before placing them into various roles in the Firefly system, thereby creating a dedicated management team.

Of course, Eric wasn't going to grant them any special treatment due to familiarity; unless they proved their capabilities, they would still face elimination.

The girl merely nodded, seeming to understand half of it. As guests continued to arrive in the party hall, she abandoned that line of thought and eagerly engaged with Eric amidst the crowd.

...

As more people began to fill the venue, the atmosphere grew more lively.

The Titanic crew, housing most of the night's glory, undoubtedly stood out among the crowd. For a long time after the party commenced, the guests were enveloped in waves of congratulations and praises.

After about an hour, Eric finally slipped away. Madonna had just arrived at the party and had come over to say hello.

Grabbing a few Fireflyer players from Peter Rich, who was waiting on the side, Eric made his way to where Madonna was chatting in a booth.

Across from Madonna sat a young Hollywood actor Eric didn't recognize; he looked about 25 or 26, and possibly had appeared in the recent wave of teen horror films.

At the moment, Eric couldn't recall his name, so he simply said, "Hi, can I have a moment alone with Maggie?"

The young man, momentarily dazed by the queen's charm, quickly snapped back to reality upon noticing Eric. Evidently misunderstanding the situation, he humbly and somewhat flusteredly said, "Of course, Mr. Williams, oh, I'll leave right now."

As the young man hastily departed, Madonna watched him go, then turned back to Eric with renewed interest, saying, "Eric, I was just about to start a whole new romance, and you just interrupted it. How do you plan to make it up to me?"

Eric had no intention of rising to the bait; he held out a Fireflyer from his pocket, saying, "Here, just take this."

Madonna picked up the sky-blue Fireflyer and examined it, suddenly laughing as she said, "Oh, I've seen these before, and my manager told me that these little gadgets could seriously hurt physical album sales."

While saying this, Madonna shot Eric a playful glance, her eyes reflecting a mix of knowing and teasing as she seemed curious how Eric would respond.

"In the 70s, when Sony first released its video recorders, Hollywood had similar views to what you're expressing now. Universal and Disney even engaged in a ten-year legal battle with Sony," Eric replied, unfazed by Madonna's underlying rejection, and elaborated, "But twenty years later, video tape sales each year exceeded $13 billion, which is more than double domestic box office earnings. It was the rise of the video tape industry that contributed to Hollywood's current prosperity. Without the extra profits from the video tape industry, no studio would dare to produce a film like Titanic at such an investment level."

As he spoke, Eric pulled out another white Fireflyer from his pocket and said, "And what you're seeing now is the future of the music industry."

"Very interesting," Madonna remarked, playing with the device in her hands. "But Eric, I'm not someone who gets easily convinced."

"I never intended to persuade you tonight; I'm just creating an opportunity for everyone."

"Oh? What opportunity?"

"Of course, a chance to collaborate."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 842: The Black Room]

From the distracted expression on Madonna's face, it was clear that Eric's words had failed to impress her.

However, Madonna wasn't eager to come off as too strong in front of Eric. She took a few leisurely sips from her champagne glass, glanced at Eric with a habitual smile, and said, "Eric, I've never considered myself a smart person, so I tend to listen to my team's opinions. While what you just said made sense, I still trust my manager when she mentioned this little thing -- it's called Fireflyer, right? That's a lovely name. But if this product were to become popular, it would definitely impact the sales of physical records. Record sales are our livelihood. Besides, my manager also told me that the piracy of music on the internet is a serious issue, so I plan to stay clear of this new field. Even if, like you said, twenty years from now, this little device reaches the same industry standing that the VCRs have today, by then, I would have long retired."

Speaking of piracy, Eric, undeterred by Madonna's blunt refusal, continued, "Maggie, do you know what the internet means for the music industry right now?"

Actually, Eric's earlier reference to VCRs had already piqued Madonna's interest. Her lengthy rebuttal felt more like an attempt to bolster her own confidence.

Madonna realized that this young man seemed particularly persuasive, which made her resistant to the idea. At least, she didn't want to be swayed in the midst of the evening's gathering. For a moment, she considered getting up and leaving. But Eric's clever topic shift kindled an undeniable curiosity within her, prompting her to ask, "What do you mean?"

Eric gestured gently, his magnetic voice carrying a hint of allure as he said, "For the music industry, the internet -- with over a hundred million users worldwide -- is like a black room, an incredibly vast and expansive black room."

Madonna remained silent, tilting her head slightly to continue listening.

Eric pressed on, "In this dark, spacious black room, countless people yearn for light. They have the means to pay a fair price for it, but the light treats this space as a land of original sin and refuses to descend. Abandoned by the light, people can only resort to stealing sparks, and that's what piracy is.

The state of the internet music industry is precisely this: it gathers an immense group of the world's most powerful consumers, and there's no question about that. Yet, record companies refuse to acknowledge this potentially huge market due to various concerns. They believe that by doing so, they can withstand the impact of the internet on the physical record industry, but the outcome is quite the opposite. The record industry's resistance not only fails to quell the intense demand for music from internet users, but it also exacerbates the prevalence of internet piracy.

Even more concerning is that the absence of legitimate music sales platforms will lead users to become increasingly accustomed to free pirated music. The power of habit is daunting; when everyone gets used to downloading hundreds of songs for free from the internet at any time, do you think they'll still be willing to pay twenty dollars for a physical record?"

Maddonna raised her eyebrow slightly, countering, "Eric, that assumption is fundamentally flawed. No one would dare to spread pirated music on the internet so recklessly. Those who do could be driven to bankruptcy by lawsuits, or even face a thousand years from federal law."

Eric chuckled and replied, "Maggie, you don't understand the internet. You're not entirely wrong in thinking that way. But what you don't know is that anyone, even someone not very tech-savvy, can spend a few dozen dollars to buy a template for a music website. And with a little more money or even sometimes entirely free, they can rent a server in virtually any part of the world. Then, they can set up a pirated music website that stores thousands of songs, and it's incredibly easy to remain anonymous. You'd have no way of tracing the responsible party. Furthermore, because the demand for music on the internet is so massive, even if ten thousand pirated music sites are shut down daily for legal reasons, at nearly the same moment, thousands of new pirated music sites will emerge."

Madonna finally seemed to soften a bit.

Eric didn't stop there; he continued, "So, the most effective way to combat piracy is to establish legitimate online music sales platforms, allowing all users to have a legal way to access original music. From the moment this industry begins to develop, we should cultivate the public's habit of purchasing original music. Just like I mentioned earlier: if there's light in a black room, it may not illuminate every dark corner, but at least a substantial portion of people won't need to resort to stealing 'sparks.' They won't consider stealing 'sparks' as something acceptable. So, what do you think, Maggie?"

Madonna paused for a moment before regaining her composure, her gaze now revealing unmasked interest. She looked at Eric and said, "After hearing you go on like this, I suddenly think that if the internet didn't exist, that would be even better."

Eric shrugged, smiling. "Honestly, I think it would be fantastic if society could suddenly rewind ten thousand years."

Madonna assumed Eric was mocking her previous notion, pouting slightly. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely," Eric confirmed, nodding as his eyes traveled over Madonna, whose low-cut black dress drew admiration. He dreamily said, "By the standards of ten thousand years ago, people should still be going without clothes."

Madonna was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. Moments later, she leaned forward, nearly resting on the glass table, her eyes sparkling as she asked, "Eric, do you want to see what I looked like ten thousand years ago? Why don't we just find a room to explore that idea right now?"

Eric felt like slapping himself for digging himself into a pit.

Clearing his throat a couple of times, he finally gathered himself to say, "Maggie, let's talk about music instead. Even if you can't sell your new album on online platforms for now, I think you could still explore selling your previous releases. These albums that have already been released may not sell many physical records anymore, but I believe they could still bring you considerable income if placed on an online platform."

Madonna didn't seem frustrated by Eric avoiding her previous topic. She leaned back on the sofa and said, "But, Eric, I don't hold most of my music's release rights. You should talk to Warner."

"No, no, I still believe you have enough release rights in this matter," Eric insisted. While Madonna's status in the music industry couldn't quite reach the height of Michael Jackson, her collaboration with Warner Records mirrored his, as both had jointly established a music subsidiary to manage their respective music production and distribution.

This meant that Madonna held considerable autonomy over her music's release. Moreover, given that the internet's digital music distribution was just beginning to take off, it was almost a brand-new concept. With Madonna's stature in the music world, she could certainly discuss supplementary contracts with Time Warner. That's precisely why Eric had invested so much effort tonight; if it were some small-time artist fully controlled by a record company, he wouldn't waste his breath.

Seeing that Eric had seen through her excuse, Madonna remained unfazed. "But, Eric, what's in it for me if I do this?"

"Oh, well," Eric laughed, "the split model that Yahoo's online music store uses is a seventy-thirty split: the platform takes thirty percent, and the rights holders get seventy percent. If you fully own your music's digital release rights, I think you shouldn't have to share too much with Time Warner anymore, at least not excessively, right?"

Madonna's eyes lit up then, catching a new term from Eric's conversation: "Digital release rights?"

Eric nodded, saying, "This should be a brand new concept, referring to music distribution that's independent of tapes, CDs, or other physical media. Right now, it translates to internet music distribution. I presume the contract you signed with Time Warner doesn't touch upon this area, does it?"

Madonna instinctively nodded.

"So," Eric quickly lured her in again, "I believe you should soon discuss a supplementary agreement with Time Warner regarding the ownership of digital rights."

Madonna blinked a few times before bursting into laughter. "Eric, that's your ultimate goal tonight, isn't it? If I reclaim the digital rights to my records from Time Warner, that's sure to prompt other major label artists to follow suit. Yahoo hasn't been able to secure digital sales rights from the big five record companies, but if those rights were in the hands of the artists, you could deal with them one by one."

"I must say, Maggie, you're actually quite clever," Eric complimented her, adding quickly, "But you absolutely misunderstood my intentions. Do I look like the sort of scheming person?"

Madonna earnestly examined Eric again and confidently declared, "Yes."

"Alright, I'm hurt," Eric teased, placing his hand over his chest before handing the Fireflyer he had placed on the table to Madonna. "These two little devices are a gift for you. The rest of the accessories will be given to your assistant. And here's my business card; if you make any decisions, feel free to give me a call."

As Eric handed her a business card and prepared to leave, Madonna quickly stopped him. "Hey, Eric, you've asked me for so much. Don't you owe me something in return?"

"Uh, Maggie, I'm a pretty conservative guy, you know."

Madonna rolled her eyes. Given how many times she'd flirted with Eric, who never seemed to bite, she wasn't going to make a fool of herself. "What I really meant is, I'm preparing my new album. How about you write a few songs for me?"

Over the years, although Eric had produced very few songs, each one was stunningly remarkable.

Earlier, in the backstage of the Oscars, when Madonna had approached him to say hello, she had harbored this very thought. Honestly, her career had already begun to decline. If Eric could help her produce a few songs that matched the quality of his previous works -- even if she didn't leverage Eric's name when releasing them -- it would definitely help her make a comeback.

Eric genuinely hoped Madonna would agree to join Yahoo's music store. Not wanting to outright refuse, he thought for a moment and said, "How about having someone send me some material on the style of your new album? A few sample tracks would be great. I can give it a shot. Though I can't guarantee results; it requires inspiration."

"I'll have someone deliver it to you tomorrow," Madonna quickly nodded. After a moment, she added, "I'll also speed up the process with Time Warner about the digital rights issue. Honestly, I am looking forward to working with you."

"Then, let's hope we both won't disappoint each other," Eric extended his hand.

Madonna shook his hand and nodded, saying, "Looking forward to our collaboration."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 843: Three Animated Films]

On the night of the 69th Academy Awards, besides the more than 50 million viewers who watched the ceremony live on ABC in North America, a staggering global audience of over 1 billion people followed the award results via overseas television broadcasts, live internet news streams, and various other channels.

Therefore, Titanic's sweeping win of 13 awards at the 69th Academy Awards, breaking the Oscar record for the most awards won, quickly made headlines worldwide the moment the results were announced. In a world where victors are celebrated, the fact that Titanic had created such an Oscar myth remained undeniable, regardless of any controversy surrounding the results.

Spurred by Titanic's colossal success at the Oscars, from March 21 to March 27, the film saw an impressive surge in box office numbers in North America and around the globe. In its 14th week, Titanic's box office saw a rebound, earning $25.1 million, bringing its cumulative box office in North America to $517 million, continuously breaking its own records.

The overseas box office was even more impressive. During that week, Titanic's overseas earnings skyrocketed to a remarkable $236 million. Following the announcement of Titanic's Oscar record, many countries where the film had previously been released experienced a significant rebound in box office figures. Countries that had released the film in the last two weeks reported strikingly strong numbers.

After initial statistics, Titanic's overseas earnings for that week reached $236 million, excellently meeting media predictions that the film would surpass $200 million in overseas earnings. Simultaneously, Titanic's global box office total soared to an astonishing $1.332 billion, raising the worldwide box office record from $1 billion to $1.333 billion, with no one able to predict what the ultimate number would be.

Easter Sunday in 1997 fell on March 30, meaning that in the following week, most Western countries would celebrate the Easter holiday. While each country held different lengths of holiday, there was no doubt that this popular timeframe would once again boost Titanic's global earnings. Even if North American ticket sales saw a noticeable dip after the Oscars, the robust overseas earnings were quite likely to push Titanic's total global box office close to $1.5 billion in the coming week.

...

As Titanic continued capturing the attention of millions, the launch date for Firefly Electronics' first MP3 player, the Fireflyer, approached, set for April 2, after an intense month of promotions. Despite being a completely new and unfamiliar music player, Firefly Electronics had generated significant buzz by giving away 10,000 Fireflyers for free. This leap in interest led to strong reactions across the United States. After the trial giveaway ended, eager users were posting requests on emerging online trading platforms, with prices for the device reportedly skyrocketing to $1,200.

Naturally, traditional music player manufacturers recognized the threat the Fireflyer posed to devices like the Walkman and CD players. Some media outlets, under the influence of various traditional manufacturers, began to highlight the perceived threat that the Fireflyer posed to the recording industry, especially considering its potential for easily spreading pirated music. They even called on the Recording Industry Association of America to sue Firefly Electronics and directly prohibit the production and sale of MP3 players.

In this climate, pop queen Madonna Ciccone immediately drew media attention after the Oscars by entering negotiations with Warner Records regarding her personal digital distribution rights. Soon after, news of Madonna mingling with Eric at a Vanity Fair party spread quickly, revealing to Warner Records their intentions.

Before this, Yahoo Music Store had not obtained online music sales rights from any of the five major record labels. Thus, record label giants anticipated that if Madonna succeeded, many of their top artists would likely make similar requests. At that point, Yahoo could implement a strategy of targeting individual artists with digital distribution rights, putting record labels at a significant disadvantage.

Warner Records quickly rejected Madonna's request for negotiations over digital distribution rights. Warner Records' president, Roger Ames, emphatically stated at a press conference that the company would do everything in its power to prevent certain artists from seeking these digital rights, as digital distribution rights should not exist.

However, while Warner Records outwardly maintained a tough stance, the internal situation was far less rigid. Back in 1992, when Madonna's career was soaring, her Maverick Records, while still under the Warner umbrella, allowed her significant control and ownership over the distribution rights for her albums.

This meant that even if Warner Records opposed or denied the existence of digital distribution rights, Maverick could still independently grant the Yahoo Music Store the rights to sell Madonna's recent albums.

Madonna's negotiation with Warner was primarily to reclaim digital distribution rights for several albums released from the start of her career to 1992, as those rights were still held by Warner. Warner's harsh attitude only fueled the stubborn diva's defiance.

On the very day Ames made his announcement, Madonna publicly stated her intention to collaborate with Yahoo Music Store to sell three of her albums online, claiming she would sue Warner over the ownership of the digital rights.

For average one or two-tier artists, Time Warner could still intimidate them with threats. But with someone of Madonna's stature negotiating from an almost equal level, traditional tactics against an artist like her became increasingly ineffective. Warner Records executives could only cycle through a series of good cop/bad cop tactics in hopes of persuading her to abandon plans to work with Yahoo.

Meanwhile, Firefly Electronics and Yahoo were not idle either. Under Eric's guidance, they offered Madonna various attractive benefits.

...

As Eric's focus shifted back to the entertainment world post-Oscars, he became notably busy again. Although two months remained until the summer release window, promotional efforts for summer films had already begun ramping up.

This summer was set to be anything but calm. Alongside hotly anticipated live-action films such as Casino Royale and Bad Boys II, there were three animated films slated for release: Pixar's Finding Nemo, Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age, and Paramount Animation's The Lion King II.

It was clear that all three animated blockbusters had strong ties to Firefly Group. Notably, The Lion King II was the sequel to the original film that had achieved a phenomenal $900 million in global box office, making it the most prominent film of the three newly announced animated features.

When the release dates for the animated films were announced, Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone confidently proclaimed that The Lion King II would outshine both Finding Nemo and Ice Age.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 844: Taking Control of the Future]

Easter had just passed, and due to being too busy, Eric didn't make it back to New York to spend the holiday with the kids. However, he promised the women that he would return to East Hampton before April 10th, as the two little ones were about to turn four.

On a new Monday at a restaurant in Firefly Studios, Eric had breakfast with Katzenberg, discussing the recent buzz surrounding three animated films set to be released during the summer blockbuster season.

"The Lion King 2 was greenlit at the same time as Paramount's Pocahontas last year," Katzenberg explained. "Even though it's been three years, the influence of the first Lion King is still strong. Roger Allers has taken three years to perfect this movie, and the animation quality will likely be just as impressive as the original. The best we can do now is make it difficult for Paramount with our promotions."

Katzenberg took a sip of his juice and continued, "I've spoken with Mr. Murdoch several times. During the upcoming two months of promotion, Firefly's ABC network, Disney Channel, and all our TV platforms will not show any promotional material for The Lion King 2. Instead, viewers will only see ads for Finding Nemo and Ice Age. At News Corporation, platforms like Fox and Fox Family Channel will do the same. We're also going to try to grab ad spaces for trailers on NBC and CBS. According to our projections, when all these plans are implemented, Paramount's publicity budget may only achieve half of what it normally would."

Business competition was never warm and fuzzy. During the advertising push for Titanic at the end of last year, Viacom's MTV, which targeted a teen audience, outright refused to run trailers claiming there were no available ad spots. As film releases became more widespread, the importance of marketing efforts for box office success became increasingly apparent, especially with how significant a percentage of the total investment budget had shifted toward marketing.

This time, whether in retaliation for Viacom's actions months earlier or simply out of competitive necessity, it was crucial for Firefly to completely block The Lion King 2.

Viacom's best television asset at that moment was just MTV. Their Nickelodeon channel, aimed at children, didn't even compare to Disney Channel in terms of audience size. Since the internet was just starting to gain traction, the mainstream methods for movie promotion still largely relied on TV trailers, print media ads, and plastering posters on a multitude of public spaces. Among these, TV trailers were undeniably the most effective, especially for animated films, as a significant portion of their audience -- kids and teens -- often didn't read newspapers or magazines.

The joint ban from ABC and FOX meant that The Lion King 2 would lose at least half of its television advertising platforms in North America. With Viacom's television resources limited and facing competition from Firefly and Fox on external platforms like NBC, Paramount would have to pay a higher price for The Lion King 2's promotion, while the final marketing results would likely fall far short compared to Finding Nemo and Ice Age.

Once Eric finished his breakfast, he leisurely sipped on a cup of hot milk. After listening to Katzenberg's discourse, he asked, "Have you considered that Viacom might provoke the media about The Lion King 2 being banned?"

"Of course. Our response is straightforward: unless necessary, we will ignore them. This way, we can avoid giving Paramount any opportunity to stir up the topic. We discussed this in last week's meeting. If Viacom makes similar claims in the media, no department at Firefly will respond publicly. Besides, we're operating within legal bounds. If anyone raises concerns, we have ample evidence to demonstrate that all our ad slots are already sold out," Katzenberg said, shrugging as he broke into a slight smirk. He added a vivid analogy: "If there's no opponent to challenge, a person throwing punches into the air just looks ridiculous."

Eric chuckled and said, "I guess after this, Redstone will be determined to make another play for NBC."

"GE won't sell NBC anytime soon. As for CBS, based on its current market value, Viacom would need over $30 billion to buy it. With cable networks steadily eroding market share from public television, even if that price dropped by half, I wouldn't consider it worthy. When we acquired ABC, if it weren't for our shares in ESPN and AE, it would have started looking pretty bad by now."

Eric replied, "But Redstone isn't likely to see it that way. His perspective is still anchored to two decades ago, during the peak of public television."

He recalled that Viacom had invested a staggering $46 billion to acquire CBS but faced prolonged losses in the aftermath due to the pressure from the cable industry. Years later, to avoid being dragged down by CBS's underperformance, Viacom had to spin off CBS and other profitable cable channels like MTV.

Summer Redstone was undoubtedly an ambitious person. However, perhaps due to the limitations of his time, he often lacked foresight. While Viacom had grown increasingly massive during the media consolidation wave, it later proved that both the acquisition of Blockbuster Video and CBS were disastrous decisions, causing Viacom to slide from a first-tier media giant to a second-tier group in the new century.

The two then shifted their conversation to the release strategies of other films for the summer season. At last, Katzenberg hesitated and said, "Eric, regarding the recent digital music distribution rights, Barry Weiss and I had a talk, and he seemed quite anxious. I also feel that your digital distribution strategy for Firefly Records has been a bit too aggressive."

Barry Weiss was a high-ranking official Eric had recruited from Sony's JIVE Records and currently served as the president of Firefly Records. Over the last two years, Barry had propelled the Backstreet Boys into the elite ranks of pop artists, even achieving global sales of over 20 million for their first album last year.

In addition to the Backstreet Boys serving as the cornerstone, other artists under Firefly Records had also made good use of the group's extensive media resources and were developing steadily. Former MMC (Mickey Mouse Club) members like Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake had all released successful singles last year after years of training, and Firefly Records was now moving forward with plans to create tailor-made albums for them.

Eric was thus quite pleased with Barry Weiss's recent successes.

Upon hearing Katzenberg's comments, Eric felt no surprise. He said, "Jeffrey, I assume you've seen the digital distribution proposal I submitted to Firefly Records, right?"

Katzenberg nodded, "It seems akin to the phased release of films. There's a three-month physical album release window, followed by a digital release on Yahoo Music three months later. Though the window period might be short, it's acceptable. But the major concern is splitting the album into singles for individual sale six months after the album release; Barry believes this would severely impact album sales."

For many albums, unless one was a die-hard fan, most people typically only liked a song or two. Historically, record companies had leaned into this strategy to save resources and maximize profits; crafting an average song was undoubtedly easier and required less investment than creating a classic track. Yet, splitting albums could lead to many mediocre songs receiving no attention at all, posing a considerable threat to the longevity of the record company's business model.

"Jeffrey, let's set aside the merits of this proposal for now," Eric said, pulling out his frequently carried Fireflyer from his pocket. "You're undoubtedly familiar with this player, so let's run a hypothetical. If this player were developed by a company you personally owned, without any ties to the record industry, how would you promote it to maximize its outreach?"

Katzenberg had recently realized that the Fireflyer had the potential to outshine traditional portable music players.

Presently, Sony's Walkman remained the market leader with annual sales around 15 million units, with other CD players and MDs similarly hovering around that figure. In other words, the annual market capacity for portable music players was approximately 30 million units. If Fireflyer could seize this market completely, with the standard net profit margin for electronic devices being around 15%, a Fireflyer priced at $299 would yield about $45 in profit. An annual volume of 30 million units would bring in a profit of $1.35 billion -- enough to rank within the top 100 profit-generating companies worldwide.

Katzenberg was not one to be overly tied to a stringent moral code; given the enormous business possibilities embedded in this player, he would undoubtedly pursue the most advantageous promotional strategies possible -- even if it meant quietly allowing the spread of online pirated music. The record industry's survival would be of no concern to him.

In line with this reasoning, if handed the reins of Firefly Electronics now, he wouldn't hesitate to discard the interests of Firefly Records entirely. While Firefly Records had performed well in recent years, it contributed less than $100 million in profits annually. Even if it evolved to a big player among the five major record companies, it would still pale in comparison to the potential profits the Fireflyer could generate. After all, the value of the music industry couldn't hold a candle to the film industry; none of the top five record companies had an annual profit exceeding $1 billion.

Having worked together for so long, Eric thoroughly understood Katzenberg's character. After observing his moment of brief contemplation, he just smiled without saying anything else, as Eric could guess what he was thinking. Then he said, "This world is never short of smart people. The MP3 audio format was initially launched five years ago, and I can quite confidently speculate that traditional music device manufacturers must have harbored similar ideas for a player like Fireflyer during that time. Yet, to protect their established players and their substantial interests in CDs and tapes, they instinctively would have sought to avert such projects. But that's not the worst outcome. As I hypothesized earlier, if a similar player were produced by an electronics company with no connection to the record industry, they would certainly prioritize their interests over drama with record companies. They would need only a noble pretext: for instance, claiming that their player could only copy music from original CDs. After that, they could mass-produce and promote the product, with no qualms about where users obtained their music. Would you think they'd care?"

"And you?" Katzenberg suddenly asked, "Eric, do you care?"

Eric smiled, leaned back comfortably in his chair replied honestly, "No, I don't care either."

Katzenberg followed up, "Then why do it?"

Eric pondered for a moment before responding, "Because I want to gain the initiative, or to put it more bluntly, I merely wish to become a rule-maker, rather than sitting stagnant, waiting for others to establish the rules -- or worse, to be replaced. So, Jeffrey, if you dedicated more attention to Yahoo, you'd notice that they're already developing an MP4 video format based on MP3. If the IT industry continues developing in accordance with Moore's Law, it won't be long before Hollywood faces a similar situation as the record industry now does. At that point, the simplest way to survive better would be to become a rule-maker rather than futilely criticizing others or blindly resisting emerging technologies."

Katzenberg had always admired Eric's extraordinary insights into the film and investment industries. However, he often thought Eric lacked a commanding presence that a leader should possess, being overly gentle and lacking aggression in various matters.

But now, in that little restaurant at Firefly Studios, Katzenberg suddenly realized that Eric's vision was far broader than he had previously comprehended. Not only did he have a grasp on the present, but he even intended to control the future.

Katzenberg also recognized that maybe he was merely a pawn in Eric's ambitious strategy for the future, that pawns ultimately couldn't see the entire chessboard layout. They could only observe everything within their designated paths and arrogantly point fingers at the moves made by the player.

Would he willingly remain a pawn?

Katzenberg asked himself, but his inner self quickly provided an answer: Why not?

How many people in the world dared to claim they were not pawns? Countless people might go through their entire lives never encountering the opportunity to play with those making the moves. Yet now, he not only had that opportunity but could consciously collaborate with the player to create the future -- far luckier than those who lived their lives without purpose.

"Eric, I have a decent relationship with Geffen. Perhaps I can give him a call to invite him to the Fireflyer launch in San Francisco on April 2. What do you think?"

David Geffen's record label had once been a significant subsidiary under Warner Music Group, holding music rights nearly equivalent to Firefly Records. Katzenberg and David had always been good friends; when Geffen first left Time Warner, Katzenberg had even suggested to Eric that they acquire Geffen's record company, which Eric had declined.

Eric was unsure about the quick shift in Katzenberg's mindset in such a short time, but since he was willing to extend an invitation, Eric wouldn't refuse.

"Sure! If he's open to it, we can all gather then."

After finishing breakfast and chatting about a few other things, Katzenberg needed to head to the Burbank headquarters for their weekly meeting, and the two went their separate ways.

...

Eric also had a busy day ahead.

In the morning, he would review the rough cut of Jurassic Park 3 and discuss the subsequent post-production effects with director Joe Johnston and the digital post-production team. Lunch was scheduled with Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay to discuss the disaster film project The Day After Tomorrow. This project couldn't be delayed any further; Eric planned not to personally direct it, and the company couldn't continue waiting. Coincidentally, Michael Bay had just completed Bad Boys II and was looking to try his hand at working on special effects instead of pursuing Bad Boys III, leading Jerry Bruckheimer to suggest handing The Day After Tomorrow over to Michael Bay's directorship. In the afternoon, Eric would attend the final round of auditions for the lead role in Fox's Dark Angel. Eric no longer had much interest in appreciating or even hunting beauties through auditions. He didn't need such complicated routines to get any woman he wanted now. But since he took the initiative to take on this job, he had to show his face symbolically.

Given that Jurassic Park 2's box office results were nearly on par with the first film, and Joe Johnston still insisted on negotiating for a higher salary for Jurassic Park 3 despite having a prior choice option agreement, it had taken them three months of negotiations to reach an agreement on the salary. The writing of the third film's script and the assembly of the team hadn't been nearly as seamless as the second part. Thus, the planned two-year production schedule extended to two and a half years, putting the release of Jurassic Park 3 in the holiday season at the end of the year.

Jurassic Park 3 only just wrapped shooting right before the Oscars, with Jerry Bruckheimer still serving as producer. Originally scheduled for noon, Michael Bay, wanting to grasp the post-production process better, had actually arrived at Firefly Studios in the morning accompanied by Jerry Bruckheimer to sit in on the discussions about Jurassic Park 3's post-production plans. Eric was very content with Bay's attitude. After completing the morning's work, his doubts eased, and he decided to let Michael Bay handle the making of The Day After Tomorrow. When lunch came, they directly discussed the production plans for The Day After Tomorrow.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 845: Are You Sure You're Normal?]

At two in the afternoon, Eric arrived punctually at the Fox studio in Century City.

As he stepped out of the car, he spotted Elisabeth striding toward him in high heels, her assistant following closely behind, holding a stack of documents.

Eric embraced Elisabeth, and after letting go, they headed toward the parking lot. He couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here?"

Elisabeth shot him a look, "This place is mine, why wouldn't I be here?"

"I mean..." Eric wanted to ask why she came to pick him up. Although Elisabeth was currently only responsible for the film production department at 20th Century Fox, the project Dark Angel was significant to Fox but not under her jurisdiction. Still, Eric shrugged; after all, the whole studio seemed like her playground. "Never mind, I won't say anything."

"Humph," Elisabeth huffed playfully but then affectionately linked her arm with Eric's. "Dad asked me to talk to you about the digital release of original soundtracks..."

"Stop," Eric interrupted her before she could go further. "Liz, I've spent too much time trying to persuade others lately. Can we take a break from music talk today?"

To secure as much musical content as possible, Eric had crafted a strategy to delay the physical release of traditional artists' digital music albums for three months. This plan would not only be implemented within Firefly's system but also significantly expand the possibilities of bringing in content from external record companies.

However, the Yahoo Music Store couldn't be filled entirely with old music content. To make up for that, soundtracks for films within the Firefly system would be released simultaneously with physical records. Outside of Firefly, MGM had quickly agreed to the plan.

But Murdoch was not entirely satisfied with the proposal. Still, 20th Century Fox found it difficult to outright reject it, unlike other film companies. After all, the cooperation between Firefly and News Corporation had been closely interlinked over the years, even more so than with MGM. The two companies directly co-owned several firms, including Blue Sky Studios and FFM Television, as well as the Digital Domain's Australian branch. Additionally, collaborations like this one with Dark Angel happened frequently in TV businesses.

Outside of Hollywood, Yahoo had also reached an agreement with News Corporation to gain exclusive online news publishing rights from several of its media outlets. Elisabeth knew this very well; the music business under News Corporation was even less significant than Firefly, and she didn't see the need to fight for it.

Therefore, even though she was following her father's instructions to bring it up, she hadn't planned on convincing Eric. Looking at the slightly worn expression on the man beside her, Elisabeth smiled and feigned reluctance, saying, "Alright, we'll talk about it tomorrow then."

Eric didn't mind Elisabeth's habitual stubbornness. With a smile, they walked together into the administrative building of the studio.

Although Eric had handed Dark Angel to Fox to fill in for The X-Files, everything still followed regular commercial processes. This sci-fi series was co-invested by the television departments of Firefly and Fox, also including a shell company backed by Cameron. The rights to the series belonged to Fox, and Firefly would receive its share according to investment ratios.

Thanks to the miraculous success of Titanic, competition for the lead role of Max in the series was fierce, despite it being a concept by Cameron.

The production team had set very strict conditions for auditions for the female lead, requiring actresses to be between 18 and 22 years old, stand between 5'7" and 5'9", have at least three years of acting experience, and a background in dance or gymnastics to handle intense action scenes. Even so, over 300 girls initially passed the screenings and showed up for auditions, highlighting the strength of the American film industry.

The other minor roles had already been filled prior to this day. Today was simply the final round of auditions for the female lead, with only ten candidates remaining.

Though all the girls were gathered in the waiting room, the auditions weren't set to begin until two-thirty.

Cameron was currently focused on developing pre-visual effects technology for Spider-Man and the Titanic-themed exhibition. Aside from providing the main storyline and taking a producer credit, he wasn't personally involved in this project and didn't come over today.

...

Eric listened as Fox's producer for Dark Angel, Brian Spicer, briefly recapped the earlier audition process. He flipped through ten sets of information and remarked curiously to Elisabeth, who was diligently reviewing the candidates' profiles nearby, "Liz, have you heard the story about interviews? A hiring manager randomly picks a pile of resumes and tosses them in the trash, announcing that those people have been eliminated for a simple reason -- they just aren't lucky enough."

Elisabeth looked up at him, exasperated. "If you wanted to play that game, why didn't you come here earlier? There are only ten people left!"

"Then let's just eliminate one or two," Eric said, and sure enough, he picked out two applications from the thin stack, marked them with a pencil, and handed them to a stunned Brian Spicer and the others. "Notify them that they can leave."

Knowing Eric well enough, Elisabeth recognized that his seemingly nonsensical actions often had some rationale, although it was rare for her to figure out what it was. Still, she believed in him.

She snatched the two actor profiles from Eric's hand and glanced at them but saw nothing special. So she handed them back to Brian Spicer, saying, "Brian, is there a problem with these two?"

Brian took the papers, hesitated, then replied honestly, "Liz, this girl named Milla Jovovich was introduced by Mr. De Palma. However, I assure you, she meets all the criteria; she has a dance background and has been making cameo appearances in TV dramas since she was thirteen."

Elisabeth pondered and asked, "Brian De Palma?"

Brian nodded.

Brian De Palma was a veteran director in Hollywood who had recently made the first Mission: Impossible film.

Elisabeth didn't pay much attention to that; over the years, she gradually understood that Hollywood was a network of relationships, and she was confident Eric wouldn't be concerned about that. The issue was likely with the other girl. "And the other one?"

"Um, Ali Larter," Brian Spicer glanced at the name on the other resume, frowning slightly in confusion, then looked toward the other responsible parties in the audition room.

Everyone shook their heads. One of them leafed through the actors' profiles, thought for a moment, and said, "This girl was selected by John's group. Do we need to call him to come over?"

Brian looked toward Elisabeth and Eric, explaining, "John Knowles is the casting lead for group three, and we split the first round into five groups."

Just as Elisabeth was about to say something, Eric took the two resumes from Brian Spicer's hand, tucked them back into the file, and shook his head with a smile, "Never mind. I'm just a bit annoyed lately. I'm tired of the same old routine. Let's pretend nothing happened and get started."

Although they didn't understand what had just transpired, Brian and the team all sighed in relief.

Elisabeth lingered for a moment, adjusted her chair, leaned over, and lightly hugged Eric. She then reclaimed the two seemingly puzzling actor resumes and spoke assertively to Brian Spicer. "Brian, notify them to leave."

Brian once more took the two resumes, feeling Elisabeth's firm tone, not daring to press further. He nodded and promptly got up to leave the room.

Elisabeth still didn't let go of Eric. Ignoring the onlookers, she affectionately leaned her cheek against Eric's face, saying, "Eric, do what you want. You don't have to explain anything to them."

Eric gently patted Elisabeth's slim waist and grinned. "Why do I feel like that line just came out of that girl's mouth?"

This time Elisabeth didn't get upset at Eric for mentioning Drew but countered, "I'm nothing like her; she's crazy."

"Are you sure you're normal?"

"Isn't it that you're just a jerk?"

Onlookers were attentively eavesdropping on the rather odd banter between the two bosses, which could be labeled as sweet talk. But soon enough, Brian Spicer, who had just left, pushed the door open again, breaking the atmosphere.

Eric and Elisabeth noticed the footsteps and realized the situation around them, returning to their seats without further ado.

The remaining list featured eight girls whom Eric didn't know at all. The auditions began promptly at two-thirty and continued until seven that evening. With a tight schedule ahead, aiming to finalize the pilot episode before May, Eric didn't hesitate much; the auditions concluded, and the team quickly reached a decision. In the end, a lucky 19-year-old girl from Pennsylvania bagged the role of the lead character, Max.

With the lead for Dark Angel confirmed, Eric would no longer be involved in the show's detailed production.

...

On the afternoon of April Fool's Day, Eric flew from Los Angeles to Oakland, San Francisco.

The official product launch for Fireflyer was set for April 2 at 2 PM, to be held in the grand ballroom of the Marriott International Hotel in Oakland.

Although over a month of intensive promotion had made the groundbreaking Fireflyer player well-known worldwide, many particulars about the player remained undisclosed.

Thus, the launch event attracted mainstream media from around the globe.

Once the event date was announced, over 600 media outlets contacted Firefly Electronics for invitations.

In the tech hub of Silicon Valley, while competitors had thoroughly dismantled the player, they also wouldn't miss the chance to gather firsthand information. Coupled with lucky viewers selected via Yahoo portal, the final guest list reached 2,100 people.

The night before, Eric had watched a rehearsal of the press conference led by Firefly Electronics' president, Bill Olsen, working into the late hours. He woke early today.

Since the launch was at the Marriott Hotel, Eric chose to stay there as well.

Leaving his room, he entered the hotel's dining area where Chris was already seated at a table with two leaders of Firefly Electronics and Ian Gurney, the CEO of Yahoo, who had flown in from Boston.

"Eric, good morning," Ian waved as he spotted him, and the others turned their attention to him.

Eric approached, exchanged greetings, then took a seat next to Ian Gurney and asked, "What are you all discussing?"

They exchanged glances, before Ian Gurney spoke up, "Eric, about the pricing strategy for Fireflyer."

Eric casually ordered breakfast from the passing waiter, then replied, "You're not still thinking of raising the price, are you?"

Bill Olsen said, "Eric, based on our recent research, the $299 price point, which matches the Sony Walkman, does feel a bit low. Considering the popularity Fireflyer has already shown, I believe raising the price to $359, or even $399, could be on the table."

"But we've discussed this multiple times," Eric shrugged. "We all know that the technology in Fireflyer isn't groundbreaking. Even though we've secured a complete set of patents for MP3 players, competitors can easily create alternatives if they choose to venture in. What we need to do is make Fireflyer popular quickly, establishing it as an industry standard instead of chasing profits right out of the gate. Besides, the total production cost for Fireflyer is only $150, and as production ramps up and technology advances, overall costs will continue to decline. We already have sufficient profit margins."

However, Victor McNally, CEO of Firefly Electronics, shook his head. "Eric, your strategy isn't wrong, but I think you're underestimating the technological lead and patent barriers we currently hold. I can assure you that even giants like Sony would require at least three years to fully navigate around the patent barriers we've built. Those three years will be ample time for us to solidify our position in the MP3 player market."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 846: The Sudden Refusal]

Eric recalled Elisabeth's whispers from yesterday and decided not to elaborate further. He firmly stated, "Next year, Seagate will likely launch a 2GB micro hard drive. At that point, we can adjust the prices of different Fireflyers based on storage capacity. For now and in the future, the bottom line of $299 cannot change."

Victor McNally and others noticed Eric's slight frown, sensing an uncommon air of finality in his demeanor, and they wisely ceased their arguments.

After breakfast, everyone headed to tour the newly established multitouch capacitive screen lab at Firefly Electronics. This lab was set up after Firefly Electronics acquired a small company specializing in capacitive screen development a few months prior. Compared to the mainstream resistive screens, capacitive screens undeniably had more advantages, proving to be the leading technology for handheld mobile devices in the future.

Similar to the 3D and IMAX trends in the film industry, both capacitive screens and multitouch technology had been around for years, but no mainstream electronic products compatible with them had yet emerged, which had led to slow development. Eric believed that once the planned YahooPad tablet was launched, supporting multitouch capacitive screens would quickly become the standard for touchscreen devices, allowing Firefly Electronics to gain a competitive edge in technology patents by getting ahead of the game.

As noon approached, only three hours remained until the afternoon press conference, and more guests began to gather at the Marriott Hotel.

...

Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos had arrived in San Francisco that morning. After three rounds of investment, Firefly Investments owned 30% of Amazon. Under Jeff Bezos' leadership, Amazon had rapidly developed in recent years. Although it hadn't yet attained the dominance in online book sales, Bezos was eagerly steering Amazon toward becoming a comprehensive online retailer, with the Fireflyer being its initial foray into the retail space.

To show his commitment to Amazon, Eric set aside time for lunch with Jeff Bezos to discuss the company's next steps.

After selling the 30% stake to Firefly, Bezos intended to avoid losing control and was preparing for an IPO, not looking to seek further funding from Firefly Investments. Eric also had no immediate plans to acquire more shares in Amazon, understanding that the company's journey had not been without its challenges, and Firefly Investments had numerous opportunities ahead.

While the two were having lunch at the Marriott's restaurant, Bill Olsen, President of Firefly Electronics, rushed in and headed straight for Eric.

...

Bill nodded at Jeff Bezos, not shying away from the topic, and urgently told Eric, "Eric, Celine Dion's manager Renee Angelil just called. He mentioned Celine won't be able to make it to the press conference this afternoon."

Eric's mind raced, and he quickly grasped what had transpired. The launch of the Fireflyer posed a significant threat, particularly to Sony, which produced multiple mainstream portable music players. Celine Dion was, after all, an artist under Sony Records.

Though Celine's voice was often described as heavenly, her personal music style was rather singular. Without the massive hit My Heart Will Go On, it would have been nearly impossible for her to ascend to the ranks of top-tier pop stars. Hence, before Titanic, she had only been regarded as a second-tier artist under Sony Records. The massive success of My Heart Will Go On had certainly elevated her standing, but due to contractual limitations, she had none of the freedom that megastars like Michael Jackson or Madonna enjoyed.

Clearly, this was Sony exerting pressure on Celine, preventing her from attending the Fireflyer product launch.

What Eric didn't expect was for Sony to be so cruel as to apply that pressure just two hours before the event.

Before he could respond, Bill Olsen's phone rang again. Bill didn't answer but instead handed the phone to Eric, saying, "Ms. Dion just wanted to personally express her regrets to you."

Knowing this was orchestrated by Sony, Eric felt angry but didn't channel his frustration towards Celine. He answered the call and chatted for a few moments.

Celine understood the critical role My Heart Will Go On played in her career, so her tone was respectful during the call. She repeatedly expressed her apologies and cautiously hinted at her constraints.

After a brief discussion, Eric hung up, and at that moment, Chris and Victor McNally also entered the restaurant.

Given that the press conference would simultaneously announce the Titanic soundtrack's availability in the Yahoo Music Store, Celine Dion was, without a doubt, the primary performance guest of the afternoon. Bill Olsen had even arranged for her to appear towards the end of the event, representing the Yahoo Music Store to announce the official release of the Titanic soundtrack.

After a flurry of exchanges, the group left the restaurant and headed to a specially prepared meeting room at the Marriott to discuss strategies.

...

Bill Olsen looked at everyone and said, "It's probably too late to negotiate with Madonna, but it wouldn't be too difficult for the Backstreet Boys to praise a song. However, having them go on stage would disrupt the schedule."

Originally, three performers were slated to be the highlighted guests: Madonna, the Backstreet Boys, and Celine Dion. Naturally, Madonna wouldn't face the same restrictions as Celine, and she had openly expressed her willingness to collaborate with the Yahoo Music Store, agreeing to perform as soon as she received the invitation. The Backstreet Boys, being a staple for Firefly Records, would definitely be featured in the event. Celine had also confirmed her presence, but no one had anticipated she would be forced to withdraw due to Sony's pressure at the last moment.

Everyone had seen last night's rehearsals and knew that if someone were replaced at the last minute, the details for announcing the Titanic soundtrack's arrival at the Yahoo Music Store would require many adjustments.

After discussing for a bit, Chris suddenly looked at Eric and said, "Eric, since Celine can't go on, why don't you step up? You're the lyricist and composer of My Heart Will Go On, and you've seen the rehearsal, so it should all fall into place."

Before Eric could shake his head in response, the others enthusiastically urged, "Yes, Eric, you should! Your stature is far above Celine Dion's."

Actually, during the initial stages of planning the launch event, Bill Olsen had hoped Eric would deliver a speech but he had declined. Now that Chris suggested it, excitement bubbled up in the room. As the soul of the Firefly team, Eric's aura promised that his appearance would create an impact in the media far surpassing Celine's performance.

Eric raised his hand to quiet the chatter and chuckled helplessly. "You can't be serious about having me sing My Heart Will Go On, can you? That's ridiculous!"

Bill Olsen replied, "Not at all, Eric. Just say what you want to say and do what you want to do, then help announce the digital release of My Heart Will Go On."

Usually a man of few words, Victor McNally surprisingly chimed in with excitement, "Yes, yes, just like that."

Ian Gurney smiled and played the emotions card. "Eric, I don't think you want this press conference to be a disaster, right? I mean, it's really your responsibility -- the whole Firefly is yours."

Faced with eager gazes, Eric hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. "Alright then, let's discuss what I should say when the time comes."

Bill Olsen shook his head and smiled, "Oh, Eric, this is your area. We won't interfere. I need to go greet the guests."

Victor McNally stood up. "By the way, the VP from Best Buy is waiting for me downstairs."

"Haha, Jeff just mentioned he wanted to discuss Amazon's advertising on Yahoo, so I'll head down now."

Watching Bill Olsen, Victor McNally, and Ian Gurney leave the meeting room, Eric turned to Chris.

Chris shrugged with a smile, "As for me, I still haven't thought of an excuse."

"Forget it, I'll just wing it. Even if I mess it up, no one would dare say anything to me, the boss," Eric said, rolling his shoulders. He then shifted the conversation, asking, "How is the wedding planning with Emily coming along?"

Hearing Eric's question, Chris looked genuinely pained. "It's still the same. My dad and her parents are far more enthusiastic than we are."

Eric, imagining Chris being chased around by three eager parents discussing wedding details, couldn't help but joke, "I'll be in New York for a week or two. Perhaps I could help you brainstorm."

"You'd better not complicate things," Chris replied, shaking his head. He then asked with curiosity, "Two weeks? Aside from Kevin and Elia's birthdays, do you have anything else going on?"

Eric nodded. "Regarding the establishment of Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and the team have drafted a preliminary proposal that I need to confirm personally."

Chris occasionally heard Eric mention the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe plans and had far too many of his own matters to focus on, so he didn't show much interest in that topic. They chatted casually before leaving the meeting room together.

...

After noon, the banquet hall at the Marriott was already filled with over half of the invited guests, with more continuing to arrive.

As the event drew nearer, Eric went over the press conference details and began engaging with the attending guests.

Media reporters from various backgrounds didn't require Eric to personally greet them, but he still needed to connect with tech industry giants directly.

As time ticked away, Bill Gates from Microsoft, John Chambers from Cisco, Larry Ellison from Oracle, the newly appointed CEO of Apple Gill Amelio, and executives from Seagate and Best Buy all made their appearances. Even Warren Buffett had come all the way from Omaha. Besides these tech and investment giants, stars from the entertainment industry were also in attendance. Jeffrey Katzenberg arrived at the Marriott an hour before the conference began.

...

At 2 PM, all the guests had gathered in the banquet hall. The lights dimmed in the other parts of the room, leaving only a few beams focused on the stage.

Victor McNally, as the CEO of Firefly Electronics, was the first to take the stage, announcing the commencement of the press conference and delivering a brief welcome address to all the attendees.

Eric had initially suggested keeping this event succinct, so with a couple of interactive performances included, the press conference was expected to last an hour and a half. It primarily featured demonstrations of the Fireflyer's configuration and functions, an introduction to the Yahoo Music Store, and a discussion of sales methods and channels.

Bill Olsen had prepared for this product launch for two whole months, so everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. As Bill and others began unveiling details about the Fireflyer and the Yahoo Music Store, the audience frequently applauded and cheered. The cameras of media reporters flashed continuously. Throughout this time, countless media outlets had already exposed a plethora of information about the Fireflyer, but the official announcements held the most newsworthy value.

When Amazon's Jeff Bezos took the stage to introduce the formation of Amazon Fireflyer, amidst the applause, Bill Olsen, who personally served as the host, returned to the stage carrying a chair.

The atmosphere at the press conference remained lively, and Bill Olsen's peculiar action easily drew laughter from the guests.

Setting the chair down and dramatically patting its back, he did not sit down as everyone expected. Instead, he raised the microphone and said with a smile, "This chair isn't for me! Guess who's going to sit here!"

There were not many capable of warranting such an honor from the president of Firefly Electronics in the hall.

Someone quickly shouted from the audience.

"Eric Williams!"

"Eric Williams!"

"Eric Williams!"

As the roar intensified, Bill Olsen decided to stop teasing. He raised the microphone and called out, "So, let's all welcome Mr. Eric Williams!"

Amidst the enthusiastic applause and cheers, Eric walked up the stage from the side steps.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 847: Daddy's Favoritism]

As Eric took the microphone handed to him by Bill Olsen, he surprised himself by not sitting in the chair that was placed before him. This detail had completely caught him off guard, and he understood that Bill hoped he would stay on stage a little longer.

Like Bill, Eric patted the back of the folding chair and looked out at the audience. In the front rows sat figures who, in both this life and the past, shone with an incredible brilliance. They lifted their heads slightly, gazing up at him. Reminded of the moments from his rebirth over the years, Eric felt an unprecedented sense of ambition swelling in his heart. The inexplicable emotions he'd been wrestling with lately seemed to vanish in an instant.

Once the room fell silent, he rested a hand on the back of the chair and said, "I think when everyone sees an empty chair, the first reaction is to sit down, especially when you realize that this chair represents your place. However, for the next few minutes, I need to resist the urge to sit. I hope I can continue to curb similar impulses in the future. Because once we sit down, we often start to seek comfort and lose the drive to move forward."

Many people in the audience seemed puzzled by Eric's sudden remarks. Some journalists even treated this moment as a carefully orchestrated stunt. Therefore, when Eric's speech concluded, the applause that followed was polite but not particularly enthusiastic.

Yet Eric's smile didn't waver. He continued, "Many might not understand why I am saying this; I'm not at the age where I should be preaching life's philosophies. In truth, I just felt compelled to say it. This chair shouldn't even be here on this stage, just as I shouldn't be standing here according to the original plan. Everything changed just two hours ago. What transpired? I believe the hundreds of media friends present here will uncover all the details before sunset today. The reason you all gathered here is that you recognized Fireflyer and Yahoo Music Store's disruptive impact on the entire recording industry. But it's clear that those who have already settled into their own chairs and are enjoying comfort won't want to see such change. Thus, they instinctively find ways to delay or even prevent it."

Once Eric finished speaking, a buzz of discussion filled the banquet hall, and the cameras flashed wildly again. Some eager reporters had even begun dialing their phones.

Eric knew that revealing what had transpired just hours before wouldn't significantly affect Sony; it would merely add some pressure from the media. But, feeling inspired, he continued, "In this era of technological explosion, every company leader should realize that rather than being replaced by others, it's better to replace themselves. I admit that traditional portable music players are excellent and have brought us much joy. However, that shouldn't be a reason to resist change. Innovation and technological progress are major trends of our time. Now, I can proudly say that Fireflyer is a groundbreaking product. But I still look forward to the day something will replace Fireflyer, hopefully created by other companies within the Firefly ecosystem. As for those stubbornly holding onto their 'chairs,' I will not persuade or beg you for change. I will dismantle your 'chairs' and shatter everything surrounding you until you have nothing left!"

Eric's bold declaration left everyone momentarily stunned and silent, but soon, the loudest applause and cheers of the press conference erupted. In the society, there was a general reverence for freedom and daring to challenge authority. Eric's words ignited excitement in many, and the applause lasted over a minute before he could proceed to the next segment.

...

After the Fireflyer conference ended, beginning with the evening news the following day, headlines across North America and even around the world featured Eric beside the folding chair. His words echoed as the most stirring declaration of the release.

However, while there was overwhelming anticipation for Fireflyer from the media and public, not everyone was enthusiastic.

Just as Eric predicted, the day after the press conference, media outlets dug up information that Celine Dion had canceled her performance at the Fireflyer event due to pressure from Sony Records.

Surrounded by reporters, Sony US CEO Howard Stringer expressed that the Fireflyer was too reliant on CD drives and USB ports in PC hardware. While personal computer sales reached an astonishing 26 million units in North America in 1996 -- surpassing traditional home appliances like televisions -- many computers lacked the crucial CD drive and USB port, which had only been implemented in recent years. Among last year's 26 million PCs, fewer than 5 million had both interfaces. Even now, over half of the prevalent PC models lacked them. Although the Fireflyer was priced at an affordable $299, most families would not consider updating their thousands-of-dollars-worth computers for a music player. Therefore, for a long time, Fireflyer would remain a niche product, unable to compete with mainstream players like Walkman, CD players, and MD players.

...

Eric was well aware of Howard Stringer's concerns; Firefly Electronics had compiled detailed market research already.

However, considering just last year's and this year's PC sales, North America would still have at least 10 million PCs capable of connecting to a Fireflyer. Eric remained optimistic about the sales, while Bill Olsen predicted they could achieve sales of 100,000 units of Fireflyer in the remaining nine months of the year.

Historically, MP3 players first appeared in Japan and South Korea, using lower-capacity flash storage, and were not only expensive but also held fewer songs than traditional tape cassettes, leading to a prolonged lack of popularity. Apple's iPod, which utilized microdrives, also struggled to gain traction due to Steve Jobs' initial closed platform strategy. It wasn't until 2005, after much persuasion from Apple executives, that Jobs allowed the iPod to be compatible with Windows, paving the way for its reversal over traditional players, achieving sales of over 22 million units that year -- double what the iPod had sold through the closed platform in previous years.

To Eric, the iPod's platform opening era in 2005 missed the golden period for MP3 players. As more mobile devices supported music playback, MP3 players quickly faded. Meanwhile, Fireflyer seemed to have everything in place from the start; it used a large-capacity microdrive and was compatible with Windows. Even if its capabilities, functions, and computer support hadn't reached a later level of convenience, he remained very optimistic about Fireflyer's future.

However, it would prove that neither Eric nor the management of Firefly Electronics' outlook of 100,000 sales in 1997 was overly optimistic.

...

Following the April 2nd press conference, Fireflyer officially went on sale on April 5th at Best Buy stores and platforms like Amazon, achieving an impressive total of 25,000 units sold on launch day. This number was not merely coincidental; it reflected the total stock available across sales platforms. Before 4 PM that day, retail locations nationwide announced they were sold out, with Amazon's 5,000-unit stock of Fireflyer also vanishing by the evening.

Fortunately, anticipating a surge in initial sales following over a month of promotional buildup, Firefly Electronics had pre-stocked 100,000 players. That evening, they swiftly resupplied retail locations from various warehouses across the East and West coasts, and their San Francisco Fireflyer assembly plant also ramped up production to a maximum output of 150,000 units monthly.

While many media outlets attributed the successful launch day sales of Fireflyer to advertising and hype, when the product surpassed 100,000 units sold four days after launch and daily sales showed no signs of decline, public perception shifted. Some retailers even began to increase Fireflyer's prices.

In just four days, they recorded 100,000 in sales, with single-day sales hitting 25,000 units. Based on this trend, even if consumer interest cooled over time, Fireflyer's total sales for the year would certainly be more than 1 million units.

Thus, Sony and other traditional portable player manufacturers began to feel an urgency. After all, even the best-selling Walkman only sold 15 million units annually, averaging less than 50,000 a day. This figure accounted for the total sales across all major consumer markets. When focusing solely on North America, Walkman's daily sales paled in comparison to Fireflyer's recent astounding sales figures.

Consequently, on April 8th, the day it was announced that Fireflyer sales exceeded 100,000 units, Sony Records hurriedly announced they would file a lawsuit in San Francisco federal court, claiming that Fireflyer would lead to increased online music piracy, demanding that production and sales of the Fireflyer player be prohibited.

...

The next day, April 9th, a Gulfstream V business jet landed at a small private airport in East Hampton, Long Island. Firefly Electronics CEO Victor McNally and President Bill Olsen exited the jet and were greeted by a black Bentley waiting for them.

In just a few days, the two of them could easily describe it as being extraordinarily busy. The success came swiftly and intensely; they both felt a heightened sense of excitement, with Fireflyer achieving $30 million in sales within just four days. Even if the data cut in half as consumer enthusiasm waned, Fireflyer still wouldn't sell fewer than 3 million units this year, which translated to $1 billion in annual sales.

A billion dollars for a newly launched company was nothing short of a miracle, and both men were looking forward to substantial bonuses and stock options as a reward. Of course, the foundation for all of this was that Firefly Electronics needed to expand its production capacity quickly. The current factory in San Francisco capped its monthly output at 150,000 units, which couldn't satisfy market demand.

With plans to discuss new cooperation agreements with component suppliers worldwide, Victor McNally and Bill Olsen had filled their schedules for the week. However, Eric called them that morning, insisting they fly to New York to meet him and even sent a plane from Firefly to pick them up. Although Victor McNally and Bill Olsen hoped that any issues could be resolved through a conference call, Eric's firm stance compelled them to board the plane.

As their Bentley entered East Hampton's city center, Victor McNally expressed his dissatisfaction with Eric's arrangements, musing softly, "Eric probably wants to discuss the impending lawsuit from Sony Records. I feel this worry is completely unnecessary. After all, based on Sony's past experiences with lawsuits regarding their video recorders, federal court is likely to dismiss Sony's requests outright without even filing a case."

The American legal system follows a precedent-based model, using past judicial decisions as a basis for judging similar current cases. Sony faced a decade-long copyright infringement lawsuit from Disney and Universal regarding their video recorders, which ultimately ended with Sony's victory. This current potential lawsuit against Fireflyer mirrored that situation almost exactly; traditionally, federal courts would dismiss Sony Records' lawsuit according to the principles of judicial precedent. One could only wonder how Sony's executives felt, knowing that the foundation for dismissing their lawsuit rested on rights they themselves had spent long years fighting for.

Bill Olsen glanced at the driver in the front seat. He was far more adept at navigating social nuances compared to Victor McNally, who focused on technical research and development. Thus, rather than joining the complaints, he simply smiled in agreement, then looked out the car window at the neighborhood, suddenly remembering something. He turned to the driver and asked, "Mr. Moen, do you know of any good gift shops nearby?"

"Of course, just a little further up ahead," Carter Moen replied as he glanced in the rearview mirror at Bill Olsen.

"Then please stop there later," Bill said.

"Sure thing," Carter Moen nodded with a smile.

Victor McNally raised an eyebrow, puzzled, "What do we need to go to the gift shop for?"

Bill Olsen, feeling a bit exasperated by his straightforward but somewhat emotionally clueless partner, discreetly kicked him on the leg, signaling him to be quiet. Eric had mentioned a few days ago in San Francisco that he was heading to East Hampton to celebrate his two children's birthdays. Eric had been open about having kids, indicating he was quite close to them. Although they weren't sure if the children's birthdays had already passed, it seemed inappropriate to arrive empty-handed.

Carter Moen soon parked the car outside a boutique in East Hampton's downtown. Bill Olsen and Victor McNally exited the car and selected two nice birthday gifts before finally making their way to Eric's seaside estate.

...

Upon entering the estate, Victor McNally and Bill Olsen followed Virginia, who greeted them, into the villa. The two soon realized that this home had two female hosts, as it was Joanna Pacula, who played the female lead in Twister, who served them coffee.

Eric, dressed in a light-colored sweater and casual pants, was playing with two children around four years old in the corner of the living room, constructing with Lego blocks. Despite the odd scene, an unexplainable harmony filled the room. Seeing the two enter, Eric approached with the little boy in his arms. Victor McNally and Bill Olsen pretended not to notice and handed Eric their gifts. After thanking them, Eric smiled and introduced, "This is my son, Kevin, and this is Elia, my daughter."

Eric didn't formally introduce the two women, which eased the tension for Victor McNally and Bill Olsen. They greeted the little ones as if they were two odd uncles. The boy hesitated, hiding behind his father's shoulder, while the little girl, with her beautiful big eyes, curiously studied the two men but didn't respond to their greetings, putting Victor McNally and Bill Olsen in an awkward position.

After some casual small talk, Eric stood up, ready to take the men to his study for business discussions.

Virginia approached to take Kevin, but Eric simply shook his head and said, "I've got him. Also, Jeff Bezos will be coming over soon, so let him wait a bit."

With that, Eric started up the stairs carrying Kevin, while noticing a small figure following them. "Sweetheart, you can't come with us," Eric gently told Elia.

Looking at her brother still in her father's embrace, Elia blinked and said, "Daddy's favoritism."

Despite the complaint, Victor McNally and Bill Olsen sensed something peculiar in the girl's tone; it seemed oddly unemotional for a daughter expressing envy towards her father.

However, they chose not to delve deeper into it and exchanged quiet glances as they followed Eric up the stairs.

Eric seemed to have not heard his daughter's complaint, only smiling as he remarked, "Stay here and don't cause any trouble."

With Virginia and Joanna's light laughter around them, the little girl realized her words hadn't had the desired effect and obediently halted her steps, watching her father lead the two guests upstairs.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 848: The Hunger Marketing]

As Eric, holding Kevin, and the others disappeared around the corner of the stairs, Joanna reached out to take her daughter's little hand and said with a smile, "Alright, sweetie, Daddy has some important work to do. If you go in there and ask him a bunch of questions, you'll drive him crazy. How about we see if your birthday cake is ready, and maybe make a quick trip to the supermarket?"

The little girl seemed to have forgotten about being turned down by her father just moments before. She wasn't upset at all and, instead of showing interest in her mother's proposal, she looked up with her small face and asked, "Mommy, can I watch TV?"

Joanna shook her head, saying, "No, sweetie, TV is for the evenings only."

Feeling a bit bored, just as she was about to go along with her mother's wishes, Virginia walked out of the kitchen carrying the coffee cups that had just been used. Overhearing Joanna, she said, "I'll go. It's not convenient for you to take Elia, so you can stay here and wait for Mr. Jeff Bezos."

Joanna didn't insist. She waved goodbye to Virginia and the maid who were leaving in the car and took her daughter for a stroll on the front lawn.

About ten minutes later, another black car drove into the estate. Jeff Bezos got out and saw a tranquil and intelligent-looking woman walking over with a little girl.

Even though Joanna had stepped back from acting in recent years, she hadn't changed much since shooting Twister. Jeff Bezos immediately recognized her and surmised the identity of the little girl who was curiously gazing at him.

With a perfectly polite smile, Jeff extended his hand to Joanna, saying, "Hello, Ms. Pacula. I'm Jeff Bezos. Mr. Williams asked me to come by."

"Hello, just call me Jo," Joanna replied as she shook his hand with a smile. "Eric is busy discussing things with the two gentlemen. Please follow me."

The three of them walked into the living room of the villa. Joanna personally poured a cup of coffee for Jeff and said, "Please wait here. I'll go check on things."

"Oh, thank you," Jeff said as he slightly leaned forward from his position on the sofa, watching Joanna leave. He then felt the curious gaze of the little girl beside him.

...

Unlike the excitement and busyness experienced by Victor McNally and Bill Olsen during these days, Jeff's mind was focused on expanding Amazon's reach. After the success of Fireflyer on the Amazon platform, he was eager to capitalize on that victory. He wasn't rushing to introduce more products; instead, he planned to leverage the sales of Fireflyer to enhance Amazon's influence in e-commerce.

He even ambitiously suggested to Victor McNally that Amazon become the exclusive retailer for Fireflyer products, but his idea was promptly rejected.

Even though Eric didn't divulge the reason for his call to come to New York, Jeff hadn't abandoned the idea. He hoped Amazon's share of sales could expand. Currently, the production capacity of Fireflyer couldn't meet market demand, which was a common concern among all retailers collaborating with Firefly Electronics.

Jeff wanted to consider how to persuade Eric to provide more support, but the little girl's bright and clear eyes, seeming to look right through him, made him quite uncomfortable, distracting his thoughts. Despite being a highly successful figure -- having become the youngest vice president of a trust company at the age of 25 -- he realized he hadn't felt this way in many years, thanks to a little girl.

Jeff was a person who preferred to take charge, and as he straightened his back to speak to the little girl, she blinked her lovely eyes and asked, "Besides English, what other languages do you speak?"

Although her voice was sweet and childlike, her tone didn't reflect any childlike naivety or shyness typically seen in kids her age.

Jeff found the situation increasingly strange. Faced with the little girl's curious gaze waiting for his reply, he felt that if he couldn't speak another language, she would surely disregard him. He instinctively didn't want to be ignored by this little girl, and that feeling left him feeling quite unsettled. So, he decided to regain the upper hand, suppressing his expression, and said, "Hey, kiddo, that's quite rude. You haven't even told me your name yet."

"Hawaii Williams," the little girl blinked and replied.

Jeff chuckled slightly, not because of the seemingly odd name, but because he sensed that the little girl could tell he was just pretending and seemed nonchalant about it.

Jeff tried to convince himself that it was all just an illusion and continued, "Okay, Hawaii, why do you want to know about the earlier question?"

"Mommy speaks Polish and Russian, Vickie auntie speaks Spanish, Natasha and Yevgeny speak Russian, and Drew is a dummy who can't say anything besides English," the little girl said, furrowing her brow a bit when mentioning Drew. Her expression finally changed a little, and she continued, "Vickie auntie hired a French teacher for Kevin, and French numbers and grammar are interesting, but unfortunately, she got sent away a few days ago. Daddy said Kevin doesn't need to learn so many things. Actually, Kevin isn't dumb at all; he knows that as long as he clings to Daddy, Vickie auntie won't make him learn anything."

The girl spoke quickly with an agile mind, talking non-stop before she stared at Jeff again. "What about you?"

"Uh, I..." Jeff hesitated and said, "I know a little Spanish."

The little girl immediately switched to Spanish and asked, "Oh, then what do you do for a living?"

Although her Spanish was not perfectly pronounced, it was fluent enough. Jeff suspected it was a teaching issue, but he was even more astonished that since she could fluently switch to Spanish, maybe she also spoke the other languages she had just mentioned.

Jeff knew Spanish due to his family background, as his stepfather was from Cuba, where Spanish is the primary language. Additionally, Jeff had taken French in college. So he tentatively replied in French, "I'm a businessman, currently running a... website that sells things over the internet."

"Oh, I saw something about that on TV, but Daddy doesn't let me touch the computer until I turn 12. I had to bargain with him to let me start at 6," the little girl understood him and switched to French without any barrier, and her pronunciation was significantly better than her Spanish. Then she asked, "So, how is selling things online different from a supermarket?"

That question was quite complicated, and Jeff recognized that with his limited French, he couldn't explain it well. He subconsciously stopped seeing the little girl as just a child and hadn't realized that she was unwittingly controlling the conversation.

As he frowned, grappling with how to respond, Joanna walked down the stairs. Noticing the situation, she immediately understood what was happening, her expression showing a mix of helplessness and affection. She walked over, patted her daughter's head, and said to Jeff, "I'm sorry, Mr. Bezos, did Elia interrupt you?"

Joanna's arrival broke the little girl's unintentional control of the conversation. Jeff felt a jolt of realization, casting a few surprised glances at Hawaii. He hadn't expected to be overtaken by a little girl who looked no older than five. He had also underestimated her age.

Though it felt odd, Jeff quickly shook his head with a smile and replied, "Not at all, Ms. Pacula. Elia... Hawaii is very smart."

Joanna laughed and said, "Eric has almost finished his discussion with the two gentlemen. He said you could go up. The study is at the end of the corridor, to the right upstairs."

Jeff nodded, stood up, and walked towards the stairs, yet couldn't help glancing back at the living room. Hawaii was now whispering something affectionate into Joanna's ear, and Jeff instinctively wanted to know what the little girl thought of him, but he quickly shook his head self-deprecatingly, wondering what was wrong with him today.

...

After knocking on the door, Jeff entered the study on the second floor. He shook hands with Eric and the other two before sitting down on the sofa in a corner. His gaze unconsciously fell on the little boy beside Eric.

The little guy didn't seem particularly remarkable, quietly fiddling with his Lego toys. Upon seeing Jeff's arrival, he snuggled closer to his father, which made Jeff feel quietly relieved.

Everything seemed to have returned to normal.

Eric hadn't noticed Jeff's gaze. He picked out a document from a stack of papers on the coffee table and handed it to him, saying, "Jeff, please take a look at this proposal first."

Jeff nodded, flipped open the folder, and saw the printed words on the cover: Hunger Marketing.

On the other side, Eric flipped through another document, continuing the earlier discussion. He addressed Victor McNally and Bill Olsen, saying, "Like Firefly Electronics, Nokia experienced a supply chain crisis in 1995. However, they managed to navigate through it excellently and surpassed Motorola last year to take the top spot in digital phone sales. You two are handling research and development and marketing, respectively, and neither of you has enough experience with supply chains. Therefore, I have spoken with Jorma Ollila. They will send a vice president from the procurement department to serve as the vice president of Firefly Electronics, specifically responsible for developing the supply chain. Firefly Electronics must expand the production capacity of Fireflyer, but your proposals are a mess and merely blind expansion of production. So, once the other party gets to San Francisco, I will give you three months. Within these three months, to ensure the quality of Fireflyer products, the monthly production should remain at 150,000 units. However, after three months, I want to see the production capacity of Fireflyer doubled."

Victor McNally and Bill Olsen exchanged glances. Bill Olsen said, "Eric, the capacity for Fireflyer should increase gradually; it can't just happen overnight."

"Of course, that's why I've given you three months," Eric replied. "In those three months, I don't need to see an increase in Fireflyer production because I have other arrangements. You just need to focus on building new factories and contacting suppliers. Even if you achieve production early, the monthly shipment still needs to be capped at 150,000 units. But after three months, I want to see the results I expect. You know why I separated Fireflyer from Yahoo Music Store. If you don't deliver, I will authorize Nokia to produce MP3 players."

Victor McNally and Bill Olsen felt a chill run down their spines; they knew how formidable Nokia was. Firefly Electronics had already transferred the complete set of MP3 player patents to them, but the agreement stipulated that Nokia was only allowed to develop and produce MP3 music phones, and not simple MP3 player products.

However, if Eric lifted that restriction, it would be tough for Firefly Electronics to compete with Nokia and might end up becoming a purely technical research department.

Eric had already given Firefly Electronics enough support, and Victor McNally and Bill Olsen recognized that Eric was not joking. If they didn't succeed, all the bright prospects they had envisioned would vanish.

No further bargaining was done. Bill Olsen proactively said, "Eric, we'll do our best."

Victor McNally nodded in agreement.

Eric smiled, his earlier serious expression fading. "Now, let's discuss the collaboration proposal with Amazon."

As he spoke, Eric handed two similar documents to Jeff Bezos and the others, saying, "I give you three months to push this proposal forward."

Not long after Victor McNally and Bill Olsen flipped open their documents, Jeff, who had quickly read through everything, exclaimed excitedly, "This is brilliant, Eric. This is a genius idea!"

Eric nodded with a smile, saying, "Of course, I think so too."

The proposal in Jeff Bezos' hands was the famed hunger marketing strategy. This marketing approach not only maximized the consumers' desire to buy but also maintained product buzz for an extended period while achieving widespread brand promotion at the lowest cost and in the fastest way possible.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 849: The Marvel Cinematic Universe Plan]

To implement a hunger marketing strategy, certain essential conditions were usually needed. The price offered had to be lower than that of similar products, or the demand for the product had to significantly exceed its supply.

The price of the Fireflyer could hardly be considered low; in fact, due to recent overwhelming demand, retailers had raised the price to over $350. Strictly speaking, the arbitrary price hikes by retailers wouldn't benefit the Fireflyer brand at all. Therefore, during discussions between Eric and the heads of Firefly Electronics, they determined that they needed to limit retail price increases to a maximum of $30, or they would halt shipments altogether.

At the same time, the price increases by physical retailers provided a favorable opportunity for Amazon to implement hunger marketing.

The proposed plan aimed for Amazon to receive a monthly supply of 50,000 Fireflyers, maintaining a sales price of $299, with online flash sales occurring every three days. This arrangement would allow for ten sales each month, spanning a total hunger marketing period of three months.

Fireflyer had already performed exceptionally well under traditional marketing strategies, which contributed to its vigorous sales once released. However, it was still a brand new electronic product, and many traditional portable music player users were still on the fence.

The execution of this hunger marketing not only allowed Fireflyer to maintain a strong buzz for an extended period but also helped solidify the brand's presence in people's minds. Furthermore, it could effectively stimulate the purchasing desire of potential users who were still indecisive. Additionally, Amazon could gain more traffic and users while expanding its e-commerce market beyond just book sales. Thus, the plan was expected to yield utmost benefits.

Throughout the afternoon, the four individuals discussed the detailed implementation of the plan. Finally, Jeff Bezos suggested, "Eric, I think three months seems a bit too short. In my view, even after three months, Fireflyer will still remain in high demand for quite a while. Why not extend this plan?"

Eric firmly shook his head; he did not want Firefly Electronics to become a company that could only thrive through hunger marketing. "While this strategy has shown obvious results, it can't be considered a traditional marketing approach. If we continued with it indefinitely, we would definitely trigger strong consumer backlash. Our focus should still be on better product development and brand building. If it weren't for this advantageous opportunity for both Fireflyer and Amazon, I wouldn't have even proposed such a plan."

Once everything was discussed, it was already evening, and Victor McNally and the others hurriedly left East Hampton without lingering.

...

After the lively birthday party for the kids, Eric headed to New York the next day to begin discussions with the Marvel Entertainment team about establishing Marvel Studios.

In a large conference room at the Marvel headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, all the upper management from various departments gathered for the meeting, even Stan Lee was present.

Marvel Entertainment CEO Avi Arad stood in front of the projector, personally explaining the story arcs of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that the creative team had conceptualized over a year. Initially, Eric provided a basic draft based on his memories from a previous life, which Marvel's creative department then fleshed out, ultimately leading to today's outcome.

At this point, Marvel had basically taken back the copyrights of all core heroes, even Spider-Man, who was once in a stalemate. Thus, the new Marvel Cinematic Universe plan was even more grand in scale than in the original timeline, featuring a richer cast of characters.

The storyline of the new Marvel Cinematic Universe also began with The Avengers, but it would then expand its scope across the universe, centering on major events and introducing the Guardians of the Galaxy and ultimately a team akin to DC's Green Lantern Corps through the six Infinity Stones.

Avi Arad took a full hour and a half to outline the general concept.

Seated next to Eric, Stan Lee showed excitement throughout Avi's explanation. Bringing Marvel's superheroes to the big screen was arguably one of his lifelong dreams. However, after Avi finished his presentation, Stan regained some composure and asked Eric with uncertainty, "Eric, this plan is indeed exciting. But don't you think it would be very difficult to implement? From what I know of Hollywood, no one can guarantee success with films consistently, let alone with such a massive plan involving dozens of films. If even just one or two films fail at the box office, the entire plan could fall apart."

Everyone in the room had clearly heard Stan's question and turned to Eric, their expressions a mix of excitement for the grand concept of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and similar concerns. After all, dreams were often beautiful, while reality was rarely kind.

Sensing the questioning and hopeful gazes around him, Eric smiled and explained, "I'm certainly aware of these issues. That's why Marvel Studios will be under my direct management for a long time to ensure that no execution issues arise due to differing opinions at higher levels. Secondly, if you look closely at this plan, it can be viewed as a serialized comic-style film initiative. This means the films will generally maintain a high degree of stylistic consistency. As long as the initial films in the plan achieve commercial success and are accepted by the audience, the following films will have a very low chance of failure as long as they don't abruptly shift in style."

Immediately, someone else raised a question, "Mr. Williams, with such a sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe plan, we will definitely need to work with many different directors, and each director has their own unique style. That seems like a problem we can't solve at all."

"We won't shy away from working with big-name directors; however, the prerequisite is that these directors need to adapt to the Marvel film style. Otherwise, we'd prefer not to collaborate, and there's no room for negotiation on this point. On the other hand, we will also strive to employ promising new directors, as these individuals will cherish the opportunity more and thus more easily align with the Marvel film style."

A buzz of discussion broke out in the conference room in response to this. Eric smiled as he sipped his coffee, anticipating the group's thoughts.

However, Stan Lee, unhindered by others' reservations, asked first, "Eric, if we rely heavily on new talent, I think it might be challenging to produce outstanding superhero films."

Eric didn't shy away from the question, nodding in agreement, "Generally speaking, according to critics' standards, that would be the case."

Once again, murmurs arose in the room.

This time, Eric didn't wait for them to voice their concerns and continued, "First, you should understand that the only goal for all films under Marvel Studios is commercial success. Other factors, such as critical reviews or the opinions of core comic fans, are irrelevant. It is only with this clarity that the entire plan can proceed smoothly.

Moreover, to ensure the Marvel Universe plan's implementation, we must sacrifice the diversity of film styles. Whether it's directors, screenwriters, actors, or producers, they can certainly have their own styles, but those can never overshadow the overall style of Marvel films.

To put it bluntly or cruelly, in the Marvel Universe plan, all actors, screenwriters, directors, and other creatives will merely be cogs in a machine. A machine can never function without its screws, but those screws can never wield control over that machine."

The room fell silent for a moment, before Stan Lee added, "Eric, but if that's the case..."

Eric proactively interrupted his question, saying, "Stan, we have two options.

One option is to chase film quality by using what we think is the best production team, allowing directors and actors the freedom to express their talents with minimal restrictions. But the outcome will be mixed: some films will succeed both at the box office and in reviews, some will only earn one or the other, and others might fail in both. This would mean some superheroes soar in popularity, while others would be left behind, resulting in a disrupted Marvel Cinematic Universe plan.

The other option maintains a consistent overall style for Marvel films. While we may not create classic films that become legendary, the risk of failure will also be very low. Thus, we can ensure the continued, smooth execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe plan.

So, Stan, which would you choose?"

Eric then turned to everyone in the room and asked again, "Which would you choose?"

No one replied, but the answer was self-evident. Of course, if anyone opposed the plan, Eric would not hesitate to offer a severance package.

After discussing this issue, Stan Lee asked again, "Eric, what about the costs? As far as I know, Hollywood rarely makes it past a third installment of franchises, mainly because once a film is successful, the actors' paychecks also skyrocket?"

Eric realized Stan had clearly done his homework and his questions were quite on point.

However, Eric had also considered aspects like these, and quickly replied, "With actors, our approach is similar to that of directors. We won't refuse to work with A-list stars, but they must be willing to sign long-term contracts. As for salaries, as long as the film's box office performance is exceptional, we won't hold back, but we must agree beforehand on a deal that works for both parties. However, I personally favor using up-and-coming actors who are in the second or third tier, as Hollywood never lacks for talented actors. By employing newcomers, we can more easily negotiate packaged deals. Compared to A-list stars, who often introduce more uncertainties in continuation films."

Once Eric finished speaking, a wave of uncertain glances fell over the group.

If they were utilizing newcomers for direction and second or third-tier actors, what future did the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly hold?

Eric quickly picked up on this sentiment from their expressions and smiled as he said, "I understand your worries, but the success of a film has never primarily depended on whether the director or actors are famous. If you don't believe me, look back at Hollywood's history; not so much in the distant past, but even in the last ten years, there were countless examples of newcomer directors or unknown actors creating box office or critical masterpieces, such as Beverly Hills Cop, Three Men and a Baby, Lethal Weapon, Ghostbusters, Bad Boys, and The Matrix. These franchises, which once dominated the box office, started out with directors and actors who weren't particularly famous. Conversely, high-paid stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Kevin Costner have recently produced numerous flops that resulted in substantial losses for studio executives."

Following Eric's remarks, several attendees relaxed their expressions.

Having addressed the team's questions, and with no further inquiries from the group, Eric opened his notes and said, "Now, let's discuss some of my suggestions for your proposed plan. First, as I previously mentioned, the X-Men will be separated out as a standalone Marvel cinematic universe. However, I still noticed an excess of X-Men characters in this plan, and that must be changed..."

The meeting continued, and they only managed to cover a fraction of the topics by the time dusk arrived. The group would continue discussing various details over the next week, so Eric wasn't in a hurry. After the workday, he even invited Stan Lee to dinner at a nearby restaurant to hear the elder's extensive thoughts on films.

...

At nine o'clock in the evening, after dropping Stan Lee off, Eric got into his car and headed to a building near Central Park on Madison Avenue.

Taking out a birthday cake and a bouquet of flowers prepared by his assistant, Eric entered the building and took the elevator to a duplex penthouse on the top floor.

This was the residence Eric had arranged for Gisele and Alessandra. Over the years, he had bought numerous luxurious properties in both New York and Los Angeles. Aside from a few that he lived in, most were managed by a real estate company he owned, maintaining their value while also earning rental income. The apartment Gisele and Alessandrawere residing in was one of them. After gathering the two last year, Eric casually handed them a set of keys. Although the penthouse was just a block away, it still offered a great view of Central Park.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 850: Raising the Stakes]

Today happened to be Alessandra's 16th birthday. The girl had called Eric last month, asking if he would be free to come to New York for the occasion. At that time, Eric hadn't given her a concrete answer. After saying goodbye to Stan Lee, he found that he didn't have any other plans for the evening, so he decided to drop by last minute.

Riding the elevator to the top of the 85-story building, Eric arrived at the apartment door. He rang the doorbell several times but received no response; it seemed the girls had gone out to celebrate. Eric had anticipated this, so he had someone deliver a spare key beforehand. He then unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Due to his instinctive aversion to cramped spaces, Eric typically purchased very spacious properties, and this one was no exception. The two-story duplex boasted nearly 1,200 square meters, with four bedrooms and six bathrooms, as well as a study, kitchen, dining room, gym, and a private screening room. The living room alone exceeded 100 square meters, making it feel exceptionally expansive.

This luxury condo was one of the first properties Eric acquired during the oil crisis caused by the Gulf War. Located in a prime area overlooking Central Park and the entire Upper East Hydee, he had paid $12 million for it at the time. Given the recovery of the U.S. economy and the real estate market over the years, the value must have already approached $20 million by now, with future appreciation potential nearly unimaginable.

The six large double-layer tempered glass windows on the south and west sides of the living room reflected the dazzling lights of Manhattan. The interior decor featured warm pastel shades, meaning the living room didn't feel dim even without the lights on. A faint fragrance wafted through the air, and Eric recognized some feminine touches that Gisele and Alessandra had made to the living room.

After setting the cake and bouquet on the long table in one corner of the living room, Eric decided not to turn on the lights and quietly walked over to one of the windows. Each window surrounding the living room had a marble ledge big enough for a person to lounge on. Eric noticed a pillow on this particular ledge, imagining Gisele or Alessandra loved to lean there to admire the Manhattan skyline. The nighttime view was enchanting, filled with shimmering starlight. During the day, however, the vista of New York, a world-class metropolis, would indeed give one a sense of towering over everything.

...

Casually leaning against the pillow, Eric took a moment to gaze out at the scenery. He then glanced at his watch -- it was well past 9:30. He pondered whether the two girls might still be out celebrating until midnight. After a moment's thought, he took out his phone to call Gisele, just as he heard the sound of the door opening.

Soon, the pronounced clacking of high heels echoed from the foyer, accompanied by excited chatter. It seemed that a considerable group had arrived.

Eric frowned slightly. When he had given the key to Gisele and Alessandra, he had reminded them not to bring back a chaotic crowd. He had assumed that the girls understood the rules they were supposed to follow.

The lights flickered on, revealing a group of vibrant young women in front of Eric. As it was still quite chilly at night in New York during April, they were decked out in fitted jackets and jeans. Their devilishly proportioned figures created a striking visual impact, making it hard not to notice all the legs in the room. Eric also spotted Gisele and Alessandra among them; they were clearly with their tall and attractive friends. Some of the girls were already holding snacks and beers, suggesting they were planning on starting a raucous party in the apartment.

Once all the girls had entered the living room, Eric scanned the room and found no signs of any male presence, allowing him to relax his expression.

Since he had only known the two girls for a short time, there wasn't much emotional attachment yet. Their relationship was purely based on mutual interests.

While Eric had promised Gisele he would help her achieve success, he knew people's hearts were fickle. In a few years, if they chose to leave, he wouldn't feel any regrets. Having lived two lives and experienced an elevation in status and wealth, Eric's nature had grown somewhat indifferent and detached to the feelings of others. If any other men showed up at the apartment tonight, he would immediately have Gisele and Alessandra move out and sever all ties.

"Wow, it's huge!" shouted one girl.

"Oh my god, this is the ultimate dream of my life," said another.

"If I could live here, I'd be willing to do anything," chimed in a third voice.

Accompanied by a chorus of excitement and surprise, the girls soon noticed Eric observing them from the window ledge, momentarily jumping in shock. But then, Alessandra was the first to leap over, excitedly asking, "Eric, when did you get here?"

"I just arrived a little while ago. I meant to surprise you," Eric said, sitting up and embracing Alessandra as she hugged him tightly. He kissed her cheek and said, "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, Eric," Alessandra replied, giving him a brief kiss on the cheek too.

Gisele approached next, noticing the fleeting expression of displeasure Eric had shown earlier. Recalling Eric's initial admonition, she felt a bit uneasy.

All the girls quickly recognized Eric, their surprise morphing into various expressions of envy. After learning that Gisele and Alessandra lived in this building, they speculated that they must know some significant figures. However, no one had expected that person would be Eric Williams -- this far exceeded everyone's wildest imagination.

But soon enough, they felt it was only natural. Typically, the type of luxury penthouse they were in would be the residence of someone wealthy. Only someone like Eric Williams would freely lavish such an expansive Madison Avenue penthouse upon a lover.

Eric hugged Gisele again, whispered a few words to her, and then looked up at the group of beautiful women, clearly eager to engage. "Hey, girls," he greeted with a smile.

He said this imitating the opening line of Charlie Townsend, the boss of the detectives from Charlie's Angels, and it seemed that most of the girls had watched the movie, as they almost echoed back in unison, "Hi, Eric!"

"Well, it looks like you all have seen that movie," Eric chuckled as he snatched a dozen cans of beer from one of the girls. "So, is this a party? Though, these beers aren't that great. I'll have someone bring over some better ones."

With that, Eric returned to the window ledge, pulled out his phone, dialed his assistant, and then looked back at the girls before saying, "Peter, send over some party drinks -- about twenty servings. Please hurry."

Upon hanging up, a bold girl immediately piped up, "Eric, there's only fifteen of us! Twenty servings? Are you trying to get us all drunk?"

Eric flashed a mischievous grin and replied, "Why not? Maybe I'll even do something much worse. Those who are scared can leave early; it may be too late afterward."

"Ah," the girls squealed in what seemed like a mix of genuine and playful fear. A few of them showed hesitation, yet none were willing to turn and leave.

Eric laughed and clapped his hands. "Alright, let's get ready. Move the dining room furniture to the corner, and do you have any good music records at home?"

Eric's last question was directed at Gisele, who nodded and replied, "They're in the upstairs lounge, Eric. Let's go change outfits and get the records."

With that said, Gisele pulled Alessandra towards the stairs, and the other girls began to rearrange the furniture in the living room.

...

After being pulled upstairs by Gisele, Alessandra rubbed her wrist where Gisele had gripped her and complained, "What are you doing? I don't want to change clothes."

Gisele shot her a stern look while heading to the bedroom and replied angrily, "It's your fault for insisting on having a party here. Now look, we have a bunch of little vixens right in front of Eric."

Alessandra noticed the way her friends looked at Eric and felt a bit sheepish. After all, she was only sixteen, and being a girl, she had her vanity, wanting to show off her luxurious apartment to her friends. Unfortunately, it had backfired. She tiptoed, following Gisele like a little cat and defended weakly, "B-but you agreed as well."

Gisele didn't look back. She opened the closet to pick out clothes and said, "If someone suggested tossing you out from here right now, I would agree too."

Alessandra didn't dare argue back. She poked her head out and selected her favorite dress, just as there was a knock on the bedroom door.

Both Gisele and Alessandra turned to see a few girls had come over, eagerly glancing at Gisele and Alessandra's closet. One girl said, "Gisele, can we borrow a few dresses?"

Alessandra instinctively smiled and was about to respond when Gisele pinched her waist sharply.

Warning her to stay quiet, Gisele smiled but didn't hesitate to refuse, saying, "Sorry, Karen, I'm not used to others wearing my clothes."

Karen, unfazed, turned to Alessandra and asked, "So, Ale, you..."

Alessandra hastily shook her head, "I-I'm not used to it either."

Another girl beside Karen gave a sly smile and suggested, "Karen, how about we go down and charm Eric? Maybe he'll let Chanel send over a bunch of dresses. They can't be worse than what's in Gisele's closet. I've wanted to shop at Chanel for ages."

The other girls quickly chimed in, laughing along.

Gisele felt a strong urge to pinch Alessandra again but reluctantly moved her body aside and said, "Alright, help yourself, you little vixens."

"Haha."

The girls didn't mind Gisele's teasing. They laughed and rushed to grab clothes. Moments later, more girls swarmed upstairs to borrow outfits. Gisele, opting to ignore the scene, quickly changed into a purple long dress and moved to the lounge to choose music records. Noticing Alessandra following her, Gisele said, "Ale, you better stick to Eric like gum, don't give those other girls a chance, got it?"

"Got it," Alessandra nodded quickly but couldn't help muttering, "Like gum? Ugh, that's disgusting."

Gisele raised a music album and playfully tapped it against Alessandra's head. "That's all your fault."

Alessandra didn't fight back, allowing Gisele to hit her. "I just think, do you really need to be this tense? You're the rising star in fashion right now. If anyone should be concerned, it's me. You've already walked dozens of top designer shows this fashion week; you've made a name for yourself! Eric will be giving me opportunities this fall. If he starts liking other girls, I'll be toast."

"Looks like you get it."

"I'm not stupid," Alessandra scoffed. As she caught a glimpse of a girl's figure through the door, she instinctively turned to look, then quickly shifted her gaze back and said, "I think since we're already in this situation, regretting doesn't really help."

Gisele shot Alessandra a glare but didn't say anything more. Deep down, she wasn't as carefree as Alessandra.

Though Eric had pushed her into a position many models might never reach in a year, she knew she was still just a promising newcomer. Because of age limitations and various factors, she hadn't yet landed any brand endorsements compared to the top supermodels at the peak of the industry.

In recent years, the market share of Victoria's Secret soared from the initial 10% to over 40%, prompting a massive drive for profits, and LTD put considerable effort into building the Angel brand. With Firefly Group's media resources backing, the dozens of supermodels in the Victoria's Secret ranks enjoyed the highest exposure and top incomes in the industry while nearly monopolizing most of the high-end brand resources in fashion.

Currently, there was a prevailing opinion in the fashion scene that if you can't walk the Victoria's Secret runway, you don't deserve the title of supermodel, nor can you infiltrate the upper echelons of the industry. The number of Victoria's Secret Angels was consistently around forty, while there were hundreds of thousands in the industry at large, which highlighted the intense competition. Even if one miraculously secured a spot on the Victoria's Secret runway, advancing further would be incredibly challenging without Eric's direct support as the founder.

Gisele had always been acutely aware that she wasn't pretty enough. She still couldn't understand why Eric had chosen her in the first place, but she cared about this opportunity more than anyone else. She had vowed never to experience that sense of desperation again, where losing just $50 felt like the world was crumbling around her. If today's mistake allowed other girls around her to win Eric's favor and potentially replace her and Alessandra, she felt she would genuinely find a corner to cry.

...

Gisele picked some records and made her way back downstairs with Alessandra. By this time, the overhead lights in the living room had been switched off, leaving only a few soft yellow lamps aglow. A long table was already filled with various beverages, candy, snacks, and an array of colorful party toys.

However, what bothered Gisele even more was that the girls had changed into vibrant dresses and shorts, most of which belonged to her, and she dreaded seeing how they might be ruined by the end of the night.

Most of her earnings from the past year had been spent on clothing, which was essential for her profession.

Alessandra wasn't really making any money at the moment. Though they weren't paying rent for the luxury apartment, living in such an environment still required several thousand dollars a month for miscellaneous expenses. Their lifestyle was far from lavish. Gisele considered asking Eric, but she felt instinctively that even the wealthiest men wouldn't like women who openly asked for money. She didn't want to turn Eric against her.

Watching Eric, who was still sitting on the window ledge but now surrounded by several girls, Gisele handed the records to Alessandra and walked right over.

Eric seemed to be saying something that made the nearby girls giggle. One girl even attempted to lean against him lazily.

Gisele squeezed her way in and boldly settled at the edge of the window ledge, leaning her slender body against Eric's. In front of the amazed and envious gazes of the other girls, she had shed the assertive energy she held around Alessandra and transformed into a docile creature, like a kitten curling up in its owner's lap. Tilting her head, she planted a soft kiss on Eric's cheek and asked in a breathy voice, "Eric, what were you talking about?"

Eric didn't mind Gisele's obvious eagerness. He wrapped his arm around her waist, lowered his head to kiss her lips gently, and chuckled, "I was just talking about Hollywood; I've got plenty of juicy gossip."

Just then, upbeat music blared through the living room, and the girls began to sway to the rhythm without even realizing it.

Seeing that the girls were feeling a bit shy, Eric said with a smile, "Everyone, let's go dance! I love watching you guys dance."

As soon as he spoke, the girls became less restrained, quickly gathering in the center of the living room, cheering and dancing away to the upbeat music. Many of the girls boldly made eye contact with Eric, twisting their bodies and playfully teasing him with their movements.

Though it wasn't possible to create the full-blown nightlife atmosphere in such a short time, watching a group of stunning young women, each with looks and figures above an 8, dance like graceful mermaids certainly stirred a man's blood.

Seeing Alessandra join the crowd and wave at him, Gisele stood and said, "Eric, let's go dance too!"

"I'll just watch, you go ahead," Eric replied with a smile, shaking his head.

Gisele didn't want to give the eager little wolves a chance, so she quickly slipped off Eric's shoes and playfully pulled him by the hand, insisting, "Come on, you'll be bored if you don't dance."

Eric didn't push back too much, taking off his jacket and letting Gisele lead him to the center of the living room, where the girls quickly closed in around him.

He embraced Gisele and swayed to the music skillfully. Moments later, he felt Gisele's soft body pressing against him even tighter. She leaned into his ear and whispered, "Eric, let's go to the bedroom, okay?"

Naturally, being surrounded by youthful vitality and stunning warmth could elicit a response from him.

But Eric wasn't that eager. Instead of answering Gisele's question, he pulled Alessandra over, merging her with Gisele, and smiled, "You two dance for me, okay?"

Gisele knew exactly what Eric wanted and complied without argument, wrapping her arms around Alessandra. The two girls began dancing, kissing naturally as the surrounding girls erupted into a chorus of teasing laughter and shouts.

Eric observed their performance, feeling a few girls drifting closer to him. He casually pulled one girl into his embrace.

The girl was also tall with short blonde hair and a youthful doll-like face. Her eyes were large, and her cheeks were petite, with thin lips adorned with a subtle smoky look, resembling a living Barbie.

Even more astonishing was her tiny waist, barely fitting in a single grasp; Eric's hands almost enveloped her completely.

"Wow, you have an incredibly tiny waist. I'm curious, are you sixteen?"

Wrapped in his embrace, the girl sensed the change in him and blushed slightly. Instead of breaking free, she wrapped her arms around his waist, lightly rubbing against him, and replied, "Eric, I'm about to turn twenty-one."

"Wow, I'd never have guessed. I thought I might be committing a crime here."

"Hehe," the girl chuckled and introduced herself, "I'm Qusie Gauff."

Eric didn't recall that name and wasn't particularly interested. Chances were he wouldn't see her again after the night ended.

However, he still replied politely, "Gauff? Is that a German surname?"

Qusie shook her head, "Of course not, it's a proper English surname, just like yours."

Eric gazed at her face, particularly her lips, which bore a resemblance to Diane Kruger, and said, "But I think you must have some German ancestry, right?"

"Yeah, from my mom," Qusie nodded.

"Well, she must have been a great beauty," Eric complimented with a smile.

"I think so too," Qusie laughed, gazing at Eric with sparkling eyes.

Their brief exchange made her unknowingly drop her earlier discomfort, generating an inexplicable fondness for Eric. Moments later, the bold girl even stood on her toes and leaned in to kiss him.

Eric wasn't the kind who enjoyed kissing strangers; he had a fairly serious case of germaphobia. While he sometimes moved quickly in relationships with women beside him, it was primarily because he was familiar with them from his previous life.

Slightly tilting his head, he evaded Qusie's lips and instead gently kissed her cheek as a polite gesture, saying, "I'd rather not let our relationship develop too quickly."

Disappointed, Qusie didn't show it, still smiling as she said, "Eric, I'm tired. How about we go have a drink?"

"Sure, but be careful. I love to get women drunk."

Qusie didn't seem intimidated and smiled back, "Why don't I try to get you drunk instead?"

"Okay then, let's see how that goes."

...

As the first record finished its loop, the girls grew tired of dancing and were about to take a break when they noticed Eric encircled by several girls on the sofa. He held a bottle cap, aiming it at an empty glass on the floor a short distance away.

With a clear, ringing sound, the cap landed precisely in the glass.

"Ugh, that's annoying; I lost again," he exclaimed, the nearby girls complaining melodiously while immediately downing their drinks.

Then, like a group of playful cats, they clamored, "Again, again!"

"Are you sure?" Eric asked with a grin.

"Absolutely, definitely!"

"Alright," Eric said, tossing another bottle cap, the ringing sound echoing again.

The girls surrounded him, cheering as Eric successively landed two caps into glass cups. They teased, "Wow, no way! Eric, you must be cheating!"

Eric chuckled. Strictly speaking, he had indeed been cheating since he practiced this game while clubbing in his previous life. However, tonight's luck appeared to shine especially bright.

Seeing Qusie tugging at his right hand playfully, as if trying to check for any cheating devices, Eric laughed and said, "Alright, I won't pick on you. How about we switch to a different game? You can choose."

Immediately, one girl raised a deck of cards, saying, "How about poker? This way, you can't cheat, Eric!"

Eric nodded, "Sure, let's keep it simple. Everyone draws a card; anyone with a number lower than mine drinks. If everyone's cards are higher, I drink."

"Wow, how is that even possible for us to win?"

"That's not fair!"

"Eric, you're so shameless!"

A wave of mock complaints arose, to which Eric chuckled, "How about this? Let's raise the stakes and gamble a bit. That's my specialty."

Qusie laughed, "In that case, we're all in trouble if we have to play for ourselves!"

"Alright, you don't have to put up money. If I lose, it's $100,000, plus a private jet to take you to whichever city you want in the world for shopping: London, Paris, Tokyo, wherever you like. But you all need to raise the stakes a bit -- what do you say?"

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 851: No Playing Too Wild]

The ones who could hang out with Gisele were naturally not those struggling little models at the bottom rung. The modeling industry, while it seemed glamorous, didn't actually pay very well. There were only a few of them who could earn over a hundred thousand dollars a year. When Eric placed a bet of a hundred grand, plus a shopping trip on a private jet, the girls immediately screamed in excitement.

However, it wasn't long before one girl questioned, "Eric, even if we each had a fifty-fifty chance of beating you, the total probability of all of us winning is only one in 16,384. That's almost zero; it's so unfair."

Eric was surprised and turned to look at her. The girl who spoke had a Latina look, not particularly pretty, but she had the tall and curvy figure typical of a Latin girl.

"Who would've thought there was a math girl here," he replied.

"Hey, Eric, that's discrimination!" protested a girl leaning against him, being Qusie Gauff.

"Alright, I apologize," Eric laughed, turning his attention back to the girl who had just spoken. "What's your name?"

The girl, with a slight accent, carefully pronounced, "Fernanda Tavares."

Eric patted the thigh of the girl next to him and smiled, saying, "I like girls who can do math. Come sit here."

Fernanda Tavares walked over without hesitation, and the girl next to her reluctantly gave up her spot.

Gisele and Alessandra, squeezed not far away, felt frustrated. Fernanda Tavares was from Brazil. Alessandra had invited her today since they were from the same country, and now it turned out she was also a math whiz. It was infuriating.

What on earth does one in 16,384 even mean?

Gisele, still grappling with her English, thought bitterly and couldn't help but glare at Alessandra, who merely shrank back and continued to play the innocent.

Eric gestured to the girl sitting by the coffee table on the carpet to hand him a glass of champagne, which he passed to Fernanda Tavares before saying, "Alright, if I draw an Ace, I'll lose. This way, you'll have a one in thirteen chance of winning. Ten thousand dollars a pop, your turn to raise the stakes."

There was a moment of silence before the girls started thinking it over. Suddenly, one girl exclaimed, "Oh, I get it! Eric, you want us to take our clothes off, right? It must be that!"

The other girls seemed to also 'get it' at the same time and began laughing and joking.

Eric laughed too, replying, "I'm really not interested in your A cup frames; you look better with your clothes on."

The average cup size for professional models wasn't that high. When Eric originally produced the Victoria's Secret show, even after selecting girls with the best bodies, many of the Angels still resorted to little tricks like padding to achieve the optimal look.

Although Eric was saying the truth, a chorus of discontented protests erupted. Qusie gently slapped his arm, pouting, "Well, what do you want then, Eric? Do you want us to go to bed with you?"

Eric turned and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek, nodding eagerly, "That's a decent suggestion."

"Ah!!!"

Amidst the screams, a bunch of candy pillows and other small items flew through the air. Eric almost covered his ears, quickly saying, "Stop, stop, stop! I can't handle you little fairies all ganging up on me. Alright, since I see you can't really raise effective stakes, let's just use notes instead."

Qusie quickly said, "Eric, that would look so tacky, and it would mess up our makeup."

Eric reached for the deck of cards, shuffled them and cheerfully replied, "That's so unoriginal! I never said you had to stick them to your faces; you can stick them on other places too."

The girls paused for a moment, and then another round of little shrieks erupted.

"I knew it! I knew Eric still wanted us to take our clothes off!"

"Alright, alright, if you keep shouting, I'll go deaf from your little voices! Now, let's start until all the drinks are gone."

Even though they understood Eric's intentions, the girls' reactions were quite 'intense,' but in the end, none of them backed down, encircling him instead.

Thanks to the simple rules, the game moved quickly, and eventually, they didn't manage to finish all the drinks. By the time most girls had blurry eyes and were swaying, with two rushing to the restroom, Eric decided it was the perfect time to announce the game was over.

...

When the sunlight brightened in the sky, he woke up next to two soft bodies -- Gisele and Alessandra. While he hadn't lost that many rounds, each time, the girls had filled his glass with champagne to the brim. Eric didn't feel too light either and didn't have the energy to handle a group of drunken girls. He merely carried Gisele and Alessandra into the bedroom and fell into a deep sleep.

Looking at his watch, it was already 8:30.

They were supposed to continue discussing matters with Marvel today, so Eric perked up and sat up in bed.

As he moved, Alessandra grunted twice, shifted positions, and went back to sleep. Gisele, however, opened her eyes, mumbled a soft "Good morning," and cuddled closer, feeling the man's morning arousal. She whispered, "Eric, do you want some?"

After the game had wrapped up post-midnight, while Eric was still awake, he didn't want to take advantage of the two girls while they were intoxicated, so he hadn't done anything.

Although he was tempted, he kissed Gisele gently on the forehead and laughed, "This isn't a good time. Maybe next time? Besides, I lost quite a bit last night; I need to get back to work and earn it back."

Gisele sensed that Eric had held back last night and felt a little moved by his thoughtfulness. She reached out to grab his neck, leaning in to whisper, "Then let's take a shower together. I can help you out with my mouth."

Feeling Gisele's tongue teasing his cheek, Eric ultimately couldn't resist and got out of bed, picking her up amid her soft laughter as they headed toward the bathroom.

...

After more than half an hour, the two emerged from the bathroom. Eric knew he was destined to be late today. Although being a bit late didn't matter to him, he decided to give Marvel a quick call before heading downstairs with Gisele.

With the curtains drawn, sunlight didn't flood the room, but the living room was still a mess. A group of nearly naked girls sprawled across the sofa and carpet, some clutching pillows, others snuggled together, all in a deep sleep.

Looking at the scene in the living room, Gisele recalled how Eric had carried her off to the bedroom. She felt a faint sense of superiority, and her initial wariness dissipated. Since Eric hadn't done anything out of line last night, it followed that he wouldn't do anything today, especially since she had already satisfied his needs.

Letting down her guard, Gisele became much more considerate. She and Eric quietly tiptoed through the living room and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

However, just as she popped a piece of bread into the toaster, Gisele remembered something, saying, "Eric, you lost eight times last night. Are you really going to..."

Eric carefully flipped an egg in the skillet and chuckled, "You want me to back out?"

"That's eighty thousand dollars! Plus the private jet."

Just thinking about it made Gisele feel a pinch in her heart. Thanks to Eric's strong support, she had earned over a hundred grand in the past six months, but after deducting various agent fees and taxes, along with her and Alessandra's expenses, there wasn't much left. Not to mention the expensive cost of the private jet, eighty thousand dollars was a sum that felt unattainable, both then and now.

Eric plated the cooked eggs and cracked two more, continuing, "Here, I'll give you a math problem. Subtract 67.7 from 98.7 and then divide by 365 -- what do you get?"

Gisele thought of Fernanda Tavares from last night, turning things over in her mind, but she didn't have a clue; her math skills weren't that great. Yet, not wanting to give up, she put her milk carton down, walked over to grab a notepad and pen from the fridge, and calculated for a bit. Soon after, she turned back and announced, "It's roughly 0.085, right?"

Eric smiled as he watched her and replied, "Exactly! My net worth was $67.7 billion the year before last and $98.7 billion last year, which is a difference of one year and 365 days. So, what did you calculate?"

Gisele's mouth dropped open in surprise. "So... that means you make $85 million a day?"

"Yep, $85 million a day, $3.5 million an hour, and $60,000 a minute. Let me see... to earn back this $80,000, I'd only need about 13 minutes of work, so I can definitely cover the bet."

Gisele felt slightly dizzy at the thought. "That's just... insane."

Chuckling, Eric plated another egg. "Here, sweetheart, see how my three-minute egg tastes. It's very pricey."

It took the playful jab from Eric to bring Gisele back to her senses, compelling her to focus on anything but the overwhelming numbers. She walked over, picked up a fork, and tried a piece of the egg, grimacing exaggeratedly, "It's a bit salty."

"Should I make you another one for six minutes?"

"Ha! That one would definitely be burnt."

With laughter, they prepared breakfast. They didn't head to the dining room but rather sat at the bar by the window after pulling the curtains back a bit, and they began eating.

...

Perhaps because the indoor light increased or due to the delicious smells, one girl lying closer to them on the carpet stirred and woke up -- it was Qusie.

She sat up, shook her head, and hazily looked down at her chest. She reached to peel off a note that had stuck to her and instinctively put it in her mouth; it was a sweet piece of parchment glued to her from the cream on the cake Eric had brought last night.

The bitterness from her hangover faded, and she felt more awake. After sniffing, Qusie turned toward the bar area.

Eric happened to be sitting facing the living room and greeted her, "Good morning, Qusie! Want something to eat?"

Waking up, it was impossible to be as wild as the previous night, but seeing her equally disheveled companions didn't make Qusie feel overly shy.

Smiling shyly, Qusie peeled off the notes still stuck to her and casually tossed on a nearby dress before walking over to say hi, "Morning, Eric. Gisele."

Eric gestured for her to sit beside Gisele and pushed over the milk he had. "If you don't mind, drink this glass of milk first. It's heated."

With the enticing smells from the food, Qusie felt her stomach churn and knew she wouldn't mind. Thanking him, she took Eric's milk and sipped it slowly.

Seeing Eric offer his milk to Qusie, Gisele immediately got up and dashed to the kitchen to prepare more for him.

Once Qusie finished the milk, feeling relieved in her stomach, she looked up and smiled brightly at Eric, "Eric, can I take a shower?"

"Of course! The bathroom is over there," Eric said, pointing. Qusie thanked him and got up to head to the shower.

...

After a speedy wash, Qusie walked out to see that Eric had already finished breakfast and was seated at the bar, pen in hand, filling something out. As she approached, she realized it was a check. Remembering the events from the previous night, her heart raced. Eric had lost eight times -- that meant $80,000! Even if they split among fourteen girls, each would still get over $5,000.

Over five grand!

Oh, and a private jet and a world shopping trip.

When Eric proposed that bet, she, along with most of the girls, didn't expect him to follow through -- especially as he lost, the expectations dropped even lower. They generally didn't think someone would easily drop $80,000.

Pondering this, Qusie cautiously tiptoed closer to the bar, making herself seem invisible, but her eyes were glued to the numbers Eric was writing.

One zero, two zeros, three zeros... Huh, why was the first number a one? Shouldn't that be an eight?

Finishing the check, Eric looked up at Qusie with a smile and handed the check to Gisele. "Here, the extra is for you and Alessandra's pocket money. Here's my assistant's business card. Call him; he'll help arrange the private jet for you. You can go wherever you want."

Gisele held the hefty check in hand, her eyes sparkling at the string of zeros, but after hesitating, she reminded him, "But, Eric, the company probably wouldn't approve of us skipping town. We still have work to do."

"It's not fashion season now. There won't be that much work. Just say, I said it's a vacation. If anyone disagrees, have John Casablancas from Elite and... who's the president of IMG again? Let them call me." With that, Eric put away the checkbook, stood, and hugged Gisele. Glancing at the girls still sound asleep in the living room, he added with a smirk, "Now I'm off to work. And you, as the head girl, keep an eye on them; wherever you go, don't let them play too wild."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 852: Lawsuit Filed]

For Eric, last night's indulgence was simply a small interlude amidst his busy work schedule, and he didn't mind signing a check for one million dollars. After all, just like the math problem he had posed to Gisele, one million dollars felt to him akin to one dollar for an average person, given his vast fortune.

But for the girls, this check represented something entirely different.

As Eric left the apartment, Qusie immediately turned to Gisele Bundchen with an eager expression, staring at the million-dollar check in Gisele's hand. Unable to contain her excitement, she reached for it, saying, "Gisele, it's really a million dollars! Can I see it?"

Gisele show casing the check, replied, "Of course it's real; do you think Eric would give me a fake check?"

Qusie didn't dare snatch it away and returned to her spot at the bar window, but she couldn't help but correct Gisele, "That's for all of us."

Gisele sat back down at the bar, shaking her head, "Not quite. Eight hundred thousand is for all of us, and the other two hundred thousand is Ale and my spending money, as you just heard."

Qusie rolled her eyes and tentatively asked, "So you and Ale are still going to share that eight hundred thousand with us?"

"Of course," Gisele replied. "We played the game last night, too."

During their conversation, another girl woke up and sat up. Upon seeing the check in Gisele's hand, a wave of excited screams soon erupted, and all the girls woke up, rushing to the bar and surrounding Gisele.

"Wow, one million!"

"Eric really cashed in on the bet!"

"How much does that mean for each of us?"

"I think there's also shopping and travel involved, right?"

"What about a private jet?"

"Duh, the private jet is obviously at the airport; it can't park in the house!"

"..."

Looking at the chattering girls around her, Gisele suddenly recalled Eric's last words before he left.

Being new to the industry, even with Eric's support, she couldn't touch the elite circles at the top. From her few encounters, she realized that the likes of Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista, who had achieved great success, would never accept them.

Most of the girls around her were of a similar age to hers and could be considered a promising batch of newcomers in the industry. That's why they were able to bond so well. If that were the case, why shouldn't she build her own circle? And of course, she would become the 'big sister' Eric had mentioned. As long as Eric continued to support her, her future wouldn't be limited to just being a supermodel. She was sure that these girls could eventually become her allies.

Quickly calculating in her mind, Gisele clapped her hands on the bar, surveyed the room, and adopted the same commanding tone she used when correcting Alessandra. She raised her voice, saying, "OK, everyone, shut up."

The girls paused, clearly understanding the cue to stop their discussions.

Gisele was pleased with the effect. "Eight hundred thousand dollars and a private jet round-the-world trip -- Eric has promised. If everyone's passports are in order, we can leave for anywhere this afternoon."

Gentle cheers followed, and Gisele continued, "But you all know the rules. First, no one is allowed to blab about last night's activities. Otherwise, trust me, a quick call from Eric and the agency will terminate your contracts immediately. Your careers will be over."

Although Gisele came off as a bit overbearing, the girls obediently nodded.

Even though they were young, having secured contracts with big international modeling agencies like Elite and IMG meant these girls weren't clueless novices. Gossip about last night wouldn't benefit them; after all, models who dared to reveal industry secrets usually vanished from the limelight.

However, someone quickly raised an objection: "Gisele, if we don't say anything, the agency won't agree to our trip, right?"

That was indeed a valid point.

Gisele thought for a moment, daring to voice an idea. "How about this -- I'll personally call the boss of the agency to talk. As long as they arrange everything, not even the agent responsible for us can question it."

"Gisele, do you really think the bosses will listen to you?"

"Of course. Eric said he would intervene directly if they disagreed."

Gisele nodded with confidence, noting that the other girls still looked hesitant. She understood that the agency heads seemed like distant, untouchable powers in their eyes, but she didn't feel like trying to explain that.

Since Eric had shown interest in her and Alessandra, their nurturing approach from the two major agencies demonstrated his influence was significant. For instance, any modeling agency wanting their models in the Victoria's Secret fashion show had to clear it with Eric first.

"Gisele, do you think I can just get my share directly? I mean, I'm running low on cash, and I still owe rent."

The voice was quiet and hesitant, coming from Fernanda Tavares.

Gisele had already been displeased with Fernanda's earlier attempt to catch Eric's attention, and responded, "Sure, I'll give you your share, but you won't be able to join us on the trip."

Fernanda felt Gisele's displeasure and realized that being pushed out of the small circle would be a bigger loss, so she quickly shook her head, "Forget it, I don't want it."

Gisele was taken aback for a moment but then smiled, showcasing her grace. "Smart choice."

Others who had similar thoughts dropped them after overhearing the exchange.

Fifty thousand dollars in cash was undoubtedly a significant amount for them at that time. If they could secure it, they certainly wouldn't spend it all at once. Though they were young, they were clear on how to choose between money and opportunity.

Seeing that everyone was content, Gisele wrinkled her nose in distaste and casually reached to pull a few notes from Fernanda's jutting chest, squeezing them lightly. "You all look and smell like a bunch of natives who just emerged from the Amazon jungle. Go shower and clean up this place."

In their apartment, there were always plenty of bathrooms. The girls finally realized their disheveled appearance and erupted into laughter as they scurried into various bathrooms.

Securing her position as the 'big sister', Gisele felt satisfied. She picked up the phone on the bar, found the contact list, and began dialing the numbers for several agency bosses.

Due to work commitments, the girls all held multiple passports. They were headed to Tokyo that afternoon -- a destination chosen by Gisele, of course.

Although the girls had more opportunities to travel abroad compared to regular folks, those were mainly for fashion weeks, where they'd work over ten hours a day under the company's guidance, collapsing into bed without any time for sightseeing. This marked the first occasion they could truly let loose.

...

Eric had a good sense of what was happening when John Casablancas, CEO of Elite, called him personally. He just smiled and moved on.

He had initially planned to finalize Marvel's specific scheme within a week. However, it became evident that a week was far too short. There were simply too many discussions to have. Since Marvel's decisions affected Firefly's film layout for at least the next twenty years, Eric also refused to rush into anything. Therefore, he stayed in New York until late April.

...

On the other side, teams from Firefly Electronics and Amazon were remarkably effective. Just three days after confirming the hunger marketing plan, it began to roll out.

Due to production limitations and explosive sales, physical retail store prices for the Fireflyer player had skyrocketed to $329. This pricing rule came after Firefly Electronics had firmly stopped supplying certain retail stores that were inflating prices without hesitation.

Even so, the Fireflyers in physical stores remained in short supply.

Against this backdrop, Amazon initiated a scheme to release 5,000 Fireflyers every three days at the original price of $299, instantly capturing a lot of consumers' attention.

According to statistics from Yahoo, by early 1997, there were already 5 million Internet users engaging in online payments in North America. Although this number was still insignificant compared to the total number of Internet users, it outperformed all other overseas regions.

Consequently, the first round of Amazon's sales event sold out all 5,000 Fireflyers in just two and a half hours.

With the backing of several companies, a multitude of media outlets in North America extensively reported on the event.

Subsequent rounds of sales saw timeframes being sliced in half.

For the third round, it shrank to just ten minutes.

While hunger marketing wasn't a novel technique, this marked the first time it had been publicly showcased and sparked societal discourse on such a scale.

With the increasing buzz, more members of the public, not just those interested in the Fireflyer, inevitably began to notice this revolutionary music player. The originally skeptical potential consumer group also involved themselves in the purchase frenzy.

When the fourth round of Fireflyer sales began, the entire transaction lasted merely a minute.

Amazon's online store even experienced lag due to the sheer volume of incoming customers.

The explosive success of online sales also boosted physical sales. Although the price was $30 higher than on Amazon, scarcity drove most retailers to find that as soon as a new batch of Fireflyers hit the shelves, they were sold out just as quickly. Inevitably, this led to a surge of scalpers.

Soon after, some media outlets began to question if this was a joint scheme between Amazon and Firefly Electronics, claiming that the sales figures for Fireflyer in Amazon's online store were far less than advertised.

Amazon swiftly clarified the situation without revealing customer privacy, sharing the transaction records of each sale event directly on their homepage.

The Fireflyer's continuous out-of-stock status did annoy some users. Firefly Electronics rallied for public relations efforts, extensively explaining the causes of the Fireflyer's production limitations on Yahoo's portal. They even launched a dedicated product homepage providing real-time updates on the progress of the new factory and other product-related news, occasionally engaging fans with entertaining contests.

Through this close and collaborative effort, the Fireflyer brand image gradually solidified in consumers' minds. Amazon emerged as the biggest external beneficiary in this process. Thanks to the success of hunger marketing, Amazon's average traffic surged by 50% in just two weeks. Jeff Bezos promptly adjusted the original plan to seize the opportunity to introduce more product types.

...

Beyond Firefly Electronics and Amazon, Yahoo, which operated an online music store, also recorded impressive sales figures.

Despite not having a Fireflyer, the Yahoo Music Box software allowed users to play purchased music directly on their personal computers, even offering burning features.

Thus, after the Yahoo music store and the Fireflyer launched their sales simultaneously, propelled by the digital soundtrack of Titanic and popular artists like the Backstreet Boys and Madonna, the Yahoo music store amassed 1 million song sales within just five days -- far exceeding everyone's expectations in the industry.

Prior to this, even the most ambitious forecasts suggested that the Yahoo music store would take at least two months to reach its first million song sales; in reality, it took only five days.

At this sales pace, the Yahoo music store could easily generate over $70 million in revenue in its first year, a substantial figure that significantly contributed to Yahoo's overall revenue.

After all, Yahoo needed to present a strong annual report before its initial public offering.

The soaring sales figures for the Yahoo music store were a source of anxiety for major record companies.

Although CD burners for personal computers had just emerged, the CD burning capabilities offered by Yahoo's music box software effectively threatened to disrupt the traditional record industry's ecosystem.

Previously, a music album commonly sold for around $20, but the Yahoo music store essentially halved this price.

Even with profit-sharing rules, product companies earned about $7 per digital album sold through the Yahoo music store, not much less than they would gain from selling a physical product, yet major record labels still felt a significant threat.

Two weeks later, Sony Music, along with two other record giants, BMG and EMI, filed a lawsuit in a San Francisco federal court, citing that the production and sale of MP3 players would promote music piracy.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 853: Why Are You All Looking at Me Like That?]

In the two weeks that followed, Eric spent most of his time in frequent meetings with the Marvel management team. During this period, Jeffrey Katzenberg also personally rushed to New York to attend several important meetings.

After a series of discussions, the company preliminarily established the basic structure and development plan for Marvel Studios. Marvel would operate independently outside of Firefly Group's film production framework and, alongside the future Marvel Television Production division, would be responsible for developing all superhero film projects under Marvel Entertainment. Meanwhile, Eric would personally oversee the production of all Marvel adaptation films in Phase One, ensuring the smooth implementation of the plans.

In terms of filmmaking, Marvel Studios intended to emulate the standardized industrial processes of Hollywood's major studio era. All production staff, including producers, directors, and actors, had to conform to Marvel's overall style and vision. To manage costs effectively and ensure the sustainability of the comic book serialized film development plan, all core characters in films under Marvel Studios were required to sign long-term packaging contracts.

Additionally, Eric also decided to abandon the aggressive strategy of developing a full lineup of Marvel movies all at once. The initial cinematic universe plan had only confirmed the Avengers story arc for the time being. For projects like the X-Men and Fantastic Four, Eric decided to wait until the Avengers initiative was successfully implemented and Marvel films gained substantial influence before launching productions for other series.

Historically, it was indeed the great success of the Avengers initiative that fully activated all Marvel IPs, leading Marvel's entire superhero brand into a golden age. Before that, aside from Sony's Spider-Man, other Marvel adaptations had not been commercially successful. Particularly the X-Men series, which Eric believed was mishandled by Fox. Character development was unfocused, timelines were jumbled, and most sequels merely broke even at the box office.

Marvel was a vast goldmine that Firefly could not completely exhaust; Eric intended to collaborate with other studios. However, this was all contingent upon Marvel Studios retaining sufficient control over project development and a greater share of profits.

Even if Firefly maintained close relationships with Fox and MGM, if they could not demonstrate the massive potential of Marvel superheroes, collaboration would not be smooth. Thus, the success or failure of the Avengers became the key determinant for the entire Marvel cinematic universe's development plans.

Firefly had already signed James Cameron to direct Spider-Man. Due to the massive success of Titanic, utilizing Cameron felt somewhat contradictory to Marvel Studios' freshly established production principles. However, that was not the case; Cameron was a technically-focused commercial director who emphasized visual storytelling rather than artistic merit. The intention behind Marvel films similarly relied on superhero IPs and special effects to create blockbuster films, aligning their visions almost perfectly.

Of course, employing Cameron would likely obliterate any chance of cost control for Spider-Man, but the potential profits from Cameron's direction could make that acceptable. Nonetheless, the downside was evident: people would undoubtedly attribute the film's success to Cameron's involvement.

To prove the commercial potential of Marvel superheroes, Marvel Studios had to simultaneously produce a standard Marvel superhero movie while shooting Spider-Man.

...

As for which superhero to choose, Eric felt no hesitation.

"Tony Stark is a very unconventional superhero. He's egotistical, arrogant, and a bit crazy. At the same time, he has multiple identities: a genius, an inventor, a billionaire, and a playboy. He's a highly versatile character; if handled well, he will surely be incredibly charismatic on the big screen."

In the Marvel headquarters meeting, Eric wrapped up his points, leaving his notes and looking at everyone. He continued, "Moreover, Iron Man is a second-tier hero. If the film succeeds, that would undoubtedly demonstrate the remarkable value of Marvel's superhero characters. I'm highly confident about this project. Even if, by chance, it does fail, the overall impact on the Marvel cinematic universe would be minimal. We still have plenty of first-tier characters we can explore..."

As he said this, Eric sensed that everyone was looking at him with odd expressions, especially Stan Lee, who squinted and smiled in a rather lecherous manner.

Unconsciously touching his cheek, Eric puzzled, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Everyone wore bemused smiles, and Stan Lee spoke up, "Eric, according to the Marvel cinematic universe's timeline, Tony Stark was born in 1969."

In the original comics, Tony Stark was born in the 1940s. Based on the movie timeline roughly aligning with reality, he should now be in his fifties. That wasn't going to work, meaning they had to reestablish his age. The new version of Iron Man would, therefore, be significantly younger than Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal in the previous timeline. With the planned release date around the year 2000, the new Tony Stark would be about 30 years old, undoubtedly one of the most charming stages of a man's life.

Eric nodded in confusion, having read Marvel's proposed cinematic universe plan many times and provided insight from memory.

Seeing Eric nod, Stan Lee continued, "So, Eric, you were born in 1970, just a few months off, right?"

Suddenly, Eric grasped Stan Lee's intention and shook his head without hesitation. "Stan, don't even think about it."

Stan Lee, however, was unwilling to give up easily. "Eric, don't be so quick to refuse. Everyone knows my inspiration for Tony Stark came from Howard Hughes. You're practically identical to him -- no, you're even better! So why not give this character a shot? It's practically tailor-made for you."

"Forget it, Stan. I'm currently earning $60,000 a minute. I can't even afford myself, let alone you guys," Eric replied.

"See? Egotistical, arrogant, and a bit crazy," Stan Lee continued to laugh mischievously, like a wolf stalking its prey. "So, Eric, you are Tony Stark. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been the first to choose this superhero to make a film about."

"How about this," Eric, not wanting to entertain Stan's ramblings, closed the folder in front of him. "In the future promotions, you can use the title 'Eric Williams once intended to personally portray Iron Man, but faced strong opposition from Stan Lee' as a gimmick. Everything else is irrelevant."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Stan Lee found it both amusing and frustrating. "Eric, you're flip-flopping here."

"Of course, I'm turning things inside out. Who'd be interested in regular news? It's settled then. I'll return to Los Angeles next week to begin pre-production on the film. I'll give you all a month to come up with the first draft of the script. That's it, meeting adjourned."

With Eric's authoritative decision, everyone knew their secret discussions about the matter had come to an end. The once hopeful participants let out disappointed sighs as they gradually exited the conference room.

Eric wasn't entirely uninterested in playing Iron Man, but he knew that if he took that on, the superhero film would surely be seen as a personal project in the audience's eyes. This would be detrimental to the overall planning of the Avengers initiative.

...

After comforting the visibly disappointed Stan Lee, Eric stayed at Marvel headquarters until closing time before leaving the office alongside Avi Arad.

When they arrived at the underground parking lot of the office building, Eric instantly spotted a flashy red Maserati parked next to his ride, with Cindy Crawford leaning against it, smiling and waving at him. Perhaps refreshed from a recent surge in her career, the thirty-year-old supermodel seemed more radiant than ever.

Avi Arad glanced at Cindy Crawford with envy and instinctively took his leave.

Eric approached, gently touching the Maserati's hood. "Nice car."

Cindy, clad in a fitted black coat and knee-high boots, with a light scarf around her fair neck, subtly struck a pose and asked, "What about the other one?"

"Prettier," Eric chuckled as he hugged Cindy. He didn't get into his black Bentley but hopped into the Maserati's passenger seat instead.

Cindy intended to ride in Eric's car but, upon seeing him in hers, opted to take the driver's seat instead. Starting the engine, she noticed Eric comfortably lounging in the passenger seat and playfully suggested, "Why don't you drive?"

Eric laughed, "I'd be better off in a Hummer, the military kind."

"Why is that?"

"That way, if I crash into something, I'd be at an advantage."

"Ha ha," Cindy chuckled, realizing Eric was likely out of practice driving himself. She didn't bring it up again and slowly pulled the car out of the parking lot. "I've made reservations at Jean-Georges. Shall we go eat?"

Eric nodded, "Alright, I'll go along with your plans for the evening."

Cindy somewhat pouted, "You say that, but getting you to agree was tough; I waited two weeks."

While in New York, Eric inevitably received numerous party invitations from various local figures. Most he could turn down, but some he couldn't postpone. For these past few days, he had been socializing practically every night. Only with his imminent departure did he find free time.

Listening to Cindy's mildly sulky tone, Eric joked, "You're so eager to go out with me. Don't tell me you still don't have a new boyfriend? That's just not your style."

Cindy turned to glance at him as she steered. "Don't you want me to stay single?"

"I actually hope you get married; that would be more exhilarating."

"Pfft, you awful man," Cindy shot him a look and then said, "I tried dating someone recently, but found it too dull, so I broke it off at the end of last year."

"Ah, looks like your standards have risen," Eric teased with a laugh.

In his memory, Cindy had already passed the peak of her modeling career. During that period, she made a film called Fair Game in Hollywood, which didn't create much buzz, prompting her to settle down and marry a nightclub owner in New York. Compared to most supermodels who struggled to find stability until their fame dwindled, Cindy could be considered a real-life winner.

But now, with Eric's presence, Cindy's life trajectory had completely deviated from its previous course. As a Victoria's Secret Angel and the producer and host of America's Next Top Model, she had revitalized her career. Her annual income rivaled that of top Hollywood actresses, perhaps even surpassing them, and fittingly, her mindset would no longer allow her to settle down easily.

...

The two arrived at Jean-Georges on Fifth Avenue, ordered their meals, and casually caught up on life.

Once the waiter delivered their dishes and stepped away, Cindy casually remarked, "I recently bought a Fireflyer. My assistant got it from the black market for $400. Who would have thought your little invention would end up as contraband?"

This was the first Eric had heard of such a thing. He laughed, "You should've told me; I'd have sent you a few."

"I wouldn't dare trouble you for something so trivial," Cindy replied, smiling. "I read yesterday that Firefly Electronics got sued?"

"Yeah, Chris has already flown to San Francisco to handle it. It's not a big issue."

"I thought so too," Cindy nodded. "I read that article. It said that the record companies received profits from Yahoo Music Store similar to those from physical records. Moreover, because of the convenience of online sales, if internet music stores become popular, those companies could earn a lot more. Why are they so reactive then?"

"That's just the surface," Eric, unsure why Cindy showed interest in these things, explained, "The global annual revenue for the pure music industry doesn't even surpass $20 billion. That's why the major record labels are primarily under large conglomerates. The market size is limited; they can't grow much larger. However, the market for music players is much bigger. It also involves patent monopoly issues. Traditional portable player patents are mainly held by Japanese companies. A complete player patent licensing cost typically doesn't fall below 5% of the overall player price. From this alone, Japanese firms earn over a billion dollars every year. The emergence of the Fireflyer thoroughly disrupted the traditional portable music player patent monopoly, and once the Fireflyer becomes popular, devices like the Walkman will become obsolete. The patents worth tens of billions to Japanese companies will become worthless, which is why they are reacting so strongly."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 854: Do You Want to Know What's Different?]

Cindy exclaimed, a bit taken aback, "Tens of billions of dollars! I think they will definitely fight the lawsuit hard for that amount. I saw in that article yesterday that Sony fought Disney and Universal for ten years over the VCR."

Eric laughed, "You're probably reading one of those sensationalist tabloids. They conveniently left out the most important point: the precedent set by the Sony VCR case was actually very favorable for Fireflyer. Besides, if Fireflyer was to go mainstream, it would generate a massive amount of tax revenue and jobs for the federal government every year. Do you really think the federal court would side with the Japanese against a potential big taxpayer at home?"

Local protectionism existed in every country and region.

If the core patents for traditional portable music players were held by American companies, entangled in tens of billions of dollars, Firefly Electronics might face some trouble. However, those patents were in the hands of the Japanese. Even traditional American player manufacturers had to pay hefty licensing fees to Japanese companies every year.

In this situation, it would be downright absurd for the San Francisco federal court to side with the Japanese.

Chris had mentioned during several recent phone calls from San Francisco that the federal court was likely to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Sony and two other major record companies outright without even bringing it to the docket.

Cindy slightly tilted her head and listened quietly, her interest piqued as she finally asked, "What is case law?"

"You wouldn't be interested," Eric shook his head, smiling at Cindy. "But I am curious -- why are you suddenly asking about that?"

"Well, it's like this," Cindy replied seriously, not showing any embarrassment at being seen through. "Did you or did you not suggest that I invest in tech stocks last year? So I've been paying more attention to this kind of information."

Eric suddenly understood, chuckling, "You really bought in?"

Cindy wiggled two slender fingers playfully, "Twenty million dollars -- all into those four stocks you mentioned last year."

Eric couldn't quite remember those details and asked, "Which four stocks?"

"AOL, Microsoft, Cisco, and Intel," Cindy said, her eyes widening. "Oh my god, you actually forgot? That's most of my savings!"

Eric quickly motioned her to calm down. "Don't make such a big deal out of it. You must have made money, right?"

Cindy realized she overreacted. With their statuses, several guests were already glancing over, and now even more eyes turned toward them.

Sipping her red wine to compose herself, Cindy excitedly lowered her voice, "Yeah, it's crazy! All of those stocks have doubled in value in a year. The stocks I hold are worth nearly fifty million dollars now. I never thought I would have this much money."

Eric felt the same way. The Clover Fund had continuously funneled money into the Nasdaq market, and the returns were even more astonishing compared to her small investment.

"So what's next?" Eric asked with a smile, knowing Cindy wouldn't bring this up for no reason.

Cindy, now cutting her cod, spoke slowly, "Recently, my stockbroker advised me to liquidate all my stocks quickly, but I'm a bit uncertain, so I wanted to ask for your opinion first."

Eric raised an eyebrow, "Did he explain why? I mean, why the sudden recommendation to sell everything?"

"Um," Cindy nodded, "He said there might be an economic crisis in Southeast Asia that could affect North America, leading to a crash in the Nasdaq market."

The Nasdaq index was already nearing 1500 points, nearly double what it had been three years ago.

Thus, bearish sentiments regarding the Nasdaq had emerged long ago. Perhaps only Eric dared to confidently assert that the Nasdaq index was nowhere near its limits.

However, if Cindy's stockbroker was using the overinflated Nasdaq argument to persuade her to sell, Eric wouldn't find that surprising. It was common for brokers to coax their clients into frequent buying and selling to earn higher commissions. But for him to use a Southeast Asian economic crisis potential as a reason?

After pondering, Eric said, "Cindy, I don't know how good your stockbroker is. But if it were me, I would definitely do the same."

Cindy blinked, echoing Eric's previous question, "What happens next?"

After sipping his wine, Eric responded, "Nobody can be certain if Southeast Asia will actually face an economic crisis. But if that prediction proves true, I would then appear to you as a prescient stockbroker. You'd trust me more in the future. In that case, if the North American stock market remains unaffected and continues to climb, when I present a reasonable explanation, you would follow my advice again and buy back in. Just like that, I would secure two commissions."

Cindy seemed a bit lost following Eric's train of thought. It took her a while to process everything, and when Eric finally finished cleaning his plate, she said, "Are you saying that guy is intentionally misleading me?"

Eric shrugged, "It's possible. I don't know your stockbroker. Maybe he is genuinely considering his clients' interests; who knows?"

"But," Cindy tapped her utensils on the fine plate thoughtfully, "didn't you just say, um, that an economic crisis in Southeast Asia would happen, but wouldn't impact the North American stock market? Isn't that a bit unreasonable? I might not know much, but it seems like it should have an effect."

Eric replied, "Of course it would have an effect, but the impact would be the exact opposite of what your stockbroker described. Let me put it this way: do you know what the greatest impact of the two World Wars on the global economy was?"

Cindy shook her head, "No, I'm not really into things like wars."

Eric sighed, "You haven't been to college?"

Cindy lifted her pretty face, "Of course, I was at Northwestern for Chemical Engineering for a year. I even remember the formula for water, H... um, HO2, right?"

"Okay, you must drink a pretty special kind of water," Eric thought it was wise to steer clear of discussing dihydrogen monoxide and continued, "The biggest impact of the World Wars on the global economy was that Europe's collapse paved the way for the rise of the U.S. Similarly, if the Southeast Asian currency system is attacked and triggers an economic crisis, the effect would be akin to a large-scale war. The emerging economies of Southeast Asia would be devastated, and capital would undoubtedly flee. Given Europe's generally low-efficiency welfare state, along with the unlikely possibility of integration among European countries, it would no longer attract significant capital. At that point, North America would once again be the best destination for capital flight. With a massive influx of capital, the most direct manifestation would be a bull market in the stock market. So, everything is just beginning."

This time Cindy understood, nodding, "Looks like I need to switch stockbrokers. But Eric, can I still buy more stocks? And when do you think would be a good time to sell?"

"Sure you could. As for the selling timing," Eric thought for a moment, "When Yahoo goes public, that will definitely push the Nasdaq to a peak, and then you can start selling. After liquidating, don't reinvest."

From what he recalled, the Nasdaq market had crashed in March 2000. But having constructed a whole bunch of 'big butterflies,' Eric was sure the Nasdaq index wouldn't follow its previous historical trajectory.

Yahoo would probably choose to go public around the end of 1998 or the beginning of 1999. As the most eye-catching Internet tech company, Yahoo's IPO would surely boost the entire market, making it an optimal selling opportunity. By then, Cindy's stocks would undoubtedly have increased severalfold, so being greedy wasn't necessary.

As for the stocks held by the Clover Fund, Eric had a more detailed plan, but those details couldn't be casually disclosed to Cindy.

Cindy recognized Eric's reserved attitude. Though she was very curious about when Yahoo would go public, she also understood when to stop asking and smartly refrained from probing further.

Having nearly finished their meals, and since it was still early, Cindy showed no inclination to leave. She ordered coffee, and they continued chatting.

Even though Cindy sometimes struggled to keep up with Eric's thoughts, she understood that the information she casually gleaned while spending time with him far outweighed what those who only talked big had to offer. Others might idolize her beauty, but that approach didn't work with Eric. From here on out, it would only become increasingly difficult for her to get him out for a date, and she cherished this opportunity.

Stirring her hot coffee with a sugar cube, Cindy recalled something and asked, "By the way, Eric, will you still be in New York at the beginning of next month?"

Today was already April 25, a Friday. Eric planned to return to East Hampton for the weekend and fly directly back to Los Angeles from there, shaking his head, "No, I'll be leaving in a couple of days. What's up?"

Cindy expressed some regret, "The Met Gala is on May 5! I was hoping to invite you to be my date."

Eric thought for a moment. The Met Gala, formally known as the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was a charity event personally handled by Anna Wintour to combat the West Coast's Vanity Fair parties. It only invited the year's most popular celebrities to attend. Last weekend, while attending a party hosted by the Hearst family, Anna had asked Eric if he was interested in attending.

With a smile, Eric replied, "Even if I had the time, I certainly couldn't be your date. Drew would definitely come along to liven things up."

Everyone knew about the close bond between Eric and Drew. Cindy had interacted with Drew a few times and wouldn't dare compete with her. She always felt that there was a certain madness lurking behind that doll-like face, capable of turning on anyone in an instant. If a conflict arose with Drew, Cindy was certain Eric wouldn't side with her.

Reflecting on this, Cindy felt curious and asked, "Eric, what exactly is your relationship with Drew?"

Eric answered without evasion, "It's the kind of relationship you imagine -- like a tree and a vine, intertwined and unable to be separated from each other."

For some reason, the simple words Eric used to describe their dynamic ignited a strong feeling of jealousy in Cindy.

"So, doesn't she mind you... going out with us?"

"Of course, she minds!" Eric chuckled and then shifted his gaze back to Cindy, "But her worldview is a bit different from others."

Cindy instinctively shook her head, "I don't want to know."

"Ha," Eric laughed just as he was about to say something when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, gestured at Cindy, and walked a short distance down the corridor to take the call.

The call was from Katzenberg himself, reaching out from Los Angeles. They talked for about ten minutes before Eric returned to the table, glancing at his watch. He told Cindy, "We might need to leave early."

Cindy immediately forgot about the topic that had made her a bit regretful, asking with concern, "Is something wrong?"

Eric summoned the waiter, handed him his credit card, and then replied to Cindy, "Nothing major. It's Friday, and the global box office data for Titanic's 18th week just came in. They just transmitted the info from Los Angeles, and I want to take a look."

"Wow, already the 18th week?" Cindy asked, instantly interested. "I remember last week it was, um, 1.775 billion dollars. Isn't that just miraculous? What's it at now?"

"1.852 billion."

Eric stated the number, and his mood was a mix of calm and excitement. This figure meant that Titanic had officially broken the previous record of 1.84 billion dollars from its first round of screenings, and it was now rapidly approaching the new milestone of 2 billion dollars.

Katzenberg had just mentioned over the phone that, judging by Titanic's current box office curve, reaching 2 billion was basically a certainty. The only unknown remained how far its ultimate potential could go.

A month ago, when Titanic's global box office surpassed 1.5 billion dollars, the company executives had suggested throwing a grand celebratory party, but Eric had vetoed that, preferring to wait until the more significant milestone of 1.8 billion was reached.

During the call, Eric and Katzenberg had already arranged to host a grand celebration at Firefly Cinemas next Wednesday, with a Titanic model about to be set up, along with the official announcement of the Titanic exhibit project.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 855: Exchange Rate Issues]

Eric brought Cindy back to his regular apartment at the entrance of Sixth Avenue. It was just after 8 PM.

Following Eric inside, Cindy surveyed the unchanged living room and remarked, "I don't know why, but it feels a bit strange thinking of you living here all alone."

Eric hung his coat on the rack, made his way to the round table by the floor-to-ceiling window where his laptop sat, pressed the power button, and asked, "What's so strange about that?"

Cindy also hung up her trench coat, sat on the steps at the entryway to take off her knee-high boots, and thought for a moment. "Don't you feel it's a little lonely?"

As Eric typed in his startup password, he replied, "If I remember right, you should be living alone too, right?"

"I guess that's true," Cindy realized, pondering it over. She placed her boots down, slipped into some slippers, and walked over to the corner cabinet in the living room to grab a bottle of whiskey. "It's just odd; I feel differently about you living alone compared to how I feel about my own solitude."

"Interesting. Let me know when you sort that out," Eric said, feeling like the topic seemed somewhat familiar but didn't want to delve too deep. He logged into his work email and opened the box office report for Titanic from Los Angeles.

Cindy tilted her head, slightly distracted as she pulled open the mini fridge and turned to ask, "Do you want some ice?"

"I actually don't like drinking."

"That's quite a waste then. The liquor in your cabinet could probably buy a nice apartment in Manhattan," Cindy said, no longer seeking Eric's opinion. She added ice, brought over two glasses of whiskey, set one by Eric, leaned her chair closer, and asked, "Can I take a look?"

The email contained detailed box office numbers and some analysis for Titanic from the past few weeks. Most of this information would make it to the public media, so there was no need for confidentiality.

Eric nodded, shifting slightly aside, and casually picked up the glass of whiskey, taking a sip.

Cindy was initially excited at Eric's permission, but when she saw the rows of dense data tables and text on the 12-inch laptop screen, she suddenly felt dizzy and lost all interest.

After patiently sitting with Eric for a while, she stood up and said, "I think I want to take a shower, Eric. Want to join?"

Eric patted Cindy's small hand resting on his shoulder. "You go ahead; I'll wait a bit."

Once Cindy left, Eric directed his gaze back to the laptop screen.

...

Titanic's global box office hit an unprecedented peak during Oscar week and then began to decline. In the 15th week of its North American release, due to waning popularity, its weekly earnings rapidly fell below $20 million, landing at $18 million. The overseas box office didn't maintain the record of over $200 million weekly either; compared to the $236 million from the 14th week, the 15th week saw a 25% drop, earning $177 million.

In the following weeks, the drop in North American box office earnings widened, with the most recent week recording a total of $571 million, yet the weekly take fell below the $10 million mark, reaching just $9.3 million.

However, the overseas market experienced a relatively slight decline of around 20%. Over the last six weeks since the overseas market exploded during the 13th week, the total overseas box office surged from just over $400 million to a staggering $1.281 billion, pushing the film's global total to a towering $1.852 billion.

Although the North American box office saw a very low weekly income and was beginning to wind down, it meant that Titanic's North American earnings likely wouldn't vary much from its former release. Still, due to the completely different overseas distribution strategy used this time -- where many overseas markets launched during Titanic's peak weeks -- it sparked greater interest in potential audiences, leading to even better overseas earnings than before.

While the North American Titanic also witnessed a decline, it could not be matched by the same degree of impact because of the lack of confidence Fox had during its promotional phases and theater scale in its foreign strategy. When Titanic achieved box office and award miracles in North America, many overseas markets had already begun to finish their runs, making it challenging for Titanic's miracles to stimulate the market adequately.

At the same time, Eric noticed that due to the dissimilar distribution strategies, the overseas revenue recovery cycle was considerably more condensed, as overseas spectators interested in Titanic typically flocked to the theaters right when it opened. This was the main reason behind the film's miraculous $236 million overseas weekend take in the 14th week.

This factor also caused the overseas box office decline to outpace North America; in the 15th week, this relative high of 25% in decline meant Titanic failed to achieve another $200 million week.

Although the overseas earnings dropped to $68 million last week, the decline rate in the overseas market shrank to under 20%. This indicated that, after several weeks, the film had shed the trivial audience affected solely by award lights, while the local core fan base -- much larger compared to North America -- continued to show strength. It was expected that over the next two months, Titanic's overseas box office could still rake in around $300 million. Combined with North America's remaining ticket sales, the global total could likely reach the height of $2.2 billion.

Looking back to the end of last year, Eric had been influenced by a barrage of media pessimism and a general lack of confidence around him. He had only hoped that the film would at least break even.

Then, Titanic's North American earnings exploded, lifting Eric's anxious thoughts and leading him to anticipate achieving former box office numbers.

Around the Oscars, the film had collected months' worth of popularity, began a wide rollout, and even created an overseas miracle of $236 million in a single week. Eric couldn't help but think that perhaps Titanic's global box office could break the $2 billion mark.

Now, looking at Firefly's distribution department's ultimate prediction of $2.2 billion for the film's final box office, no thoughts remained in Eric's mind.

Perhaps, miracles ought to be beyond everyone's wildest expectations.

The email page displayed a thorough analysis of important overseas box office countries following the global box office forecast. Eric had lost interest in these details and scrolled down the page, intending to quickly skim through the rest of the email.

However, when he reached the section analyzing the Japanese box office, a number suddenly caught his eye: 30 billion yen.

This was the distribution department's total box office expectation for Titanic in Japan.

Eric noticed this number not only because it exceeded the box office figure from the alternate timeline by a full $80 million but also because it was strikingly close to the all-time number one film in Japanese box office history, Spirited Away. However, converting that 30 billion yen using the current exchange rate put it at about $280 million. He remembered that historically, Spirited Away had a local box office of roughly $250 million.

But where did the extra $30 million come from?

Glancing back at the page, Eric quickly searched for another set of numbers: 107:1 -- that was the current exchange rate of yen to dollars.

In an instant, Eric understood many things.

In the alternate timeline, Titanic had opened in North America at the end of 1997, with the openings in Southeast Asian countries staggeringly close in time.

What time frame were we talking about at the end of 1997?

The financial crisis was rampaging throughout Southeast Asia.

From Eric's memory, currencies in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines had nearly halved. Even Japan, feeling the effects of the greater economic crisis, saw its currency depreciate by around 20%. Such a devastated currency system clearly wouldn't bounce back to normal in the short term.

Hence, if he calculated based on that series of information, the historical exchange rate for yen to the dollar in 1998 was about 133:1. At that time, Titanic's $200 million box office in Japan would roughly convert to $250 million with the current rate of 107:1.

This recent difference of $30 million could likely be attributed to gains stemming from changes in the distribution strategy, rather than that unbelievable $80 million.

Realizing this, Eric promptly scrolled back up to examine the detailed overseas box office figures.

Aside from Japan, other Southeast Asian box office markets, including Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, had already accumulated a box office total of $120 million, and with small forthcoming gains, it was anticipated they could add about $30 million more.

This indicated that, including Japan, the Southeast Asian countries and regions would ultimately contribute around $430 million to Titanic's global box office. Based on a foreign revenue share of 35%, Firefly could expect a cut of about $150 million from the total.

However, this depended heavily on the stability of the Southeast Asian currency systems.

According to the release scheduling in most of the Southeast Asian markets, if Firefly were to follow its usual settling steps, it would likely have to wait until September for the box office share. By then, the Southeast Asian economic crisis would have hit its peak. Due to currency exchange factors, Firefly's predicted global box office of $2.2 billion would inevitably be adjusted downward.

If that weren't particularly consequential, the most direct result would be that Firefly might lose over $50 million in share revenue due to the devaluation of currencies in Southeast Asia.

Even if Firefly was doing tremendously well, Eric couldn't simply let go of that $50 million.

Regaining his focus, Eric opened his drafts and started to write an email detailing his series of findings, hoping that Firefly's management would discuss and come up with corresponding solutions swiftly.

...

From the other side of the living room, the bathroom door opened, and Cindy, wrapped only in a towel, sauntered out, her long, pale legs on display, exuding charm.

After sitting back down in her previous spot, she tidied up her still damp hair. Seeing Eric intensely working away at the keyboard, she mischievously swung her legs and playfully scratched Eric's thigh with her toes.

Eric paused his typing, turned to look at her, raised the glass of whiskey, and finished off the last sip. He shook the glass towards Cindy and handed it over, saying, "Here, hold this."

The cube of ice had melted down to the size of a walnut, making a crisp clinking sound as Eric moved the glass.

Cindy took the glass, a smile forming on her lips, but her eyes held a hint of wateriness, her expression slightly sulky. "Not this again; that ice has soaked in the whiskey. You want to set my mouth on fire!"

"I just want to see what it would look like if you did," Eric chuckled as he glanced at Cindy's glass of whiskey, which was still half full, before returning to his typing.

Cindy looked at the ice cube soaking in her whiskey, shrank her neck in apprehension, and obediently picked up Eric's glass, pouring the ice cube into her mouth, her cheeks puffing up as she stared wide-eyed at Eric.

Eric ignored her deliberately cute act, finished writing the email, and CC'd it to Jeffrey Katzenberg, Frank Wells, and a few other executives before finally shutting down the laptop.

Once Cindy saw Eric was done, she blinked her eyes, spat the ice cube from her mouth into her palm. Its original sharp edges had smoothed out considerably. "Looks like this one's still a bit big."

Eric picked her up and carried her towards the sofa, laughing, "Aren't you someone who always liked things big?"

"Ugh, gross... wait..."

...

As Eric sent that email, some people in Los Angeles were still at work.

Before long, the phone rang with calls from Katzenberg and others.

After spending the weekend in East Hampton, Eric returned to Los Angeles on Monday. The first meeting he attended was to officially discuss the email he had sent.

"Based on the preliminary plans we agreed on," Katzenberg narrated in the conference room, reflecting on the weekend discussions, "we can utilize hedging strategies in currency exchange to cash in the earnings from various Southeast Asian countries ahead of time; however, this would certainly incur some losses."

Eric read through the document Katzenberg had drafted over the weekend, looked up, and said, "Have our summer blockbusters like Finding Nemo, and Bad Boys 2, as well as the year-end releases of Jurassic Park 3 and Rush Hour 2, already discussed distribution agreements with Southeast Asian distributors?"

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 856: Who Bullies Whom]

"Eric, do you mean we should leverage the distribution contracts of these films to negotiate an early settlement for Titanic's box office with the Southeast Asian distributors?" As soon as Eric finished speaking, Robert Thompson, the president of the distribution department, immediately asked.

Eric nodded but quickly shook his head. "We can do that, but it's not limited to just that. What I mean is, we need to prepare for the worst in the Southeast Asian economy. While we work to get our share from Titanic as soon as possible, we should also consider directly pre-selling the distribution rights for upcoming films to Southeast Asian distributors at a buyout price."

It was quite common for Hollywood films to pre-sell distribution rights, especially for second and third-tier film companies with limited distribution capabilities. Even in the United States, they often adopted such strategies to quickly recuperate funds.

However, after years of expanding distribution channels, Firefly Group, even with some of its mid-to-low-budget films, had rarely resorted to this lower-yield pre-sale strategy. After all, it was akin to farming -- using the same piece of land for primitive slash-and-burn agriculture versus meticulous cultivation would yield vastly different harvests.

Sure enough, Eric's statement was quickly met with opposition.

"Eric, Titanic's box office is almost guaranteed. Trying to get our share back early won't incur any loss. But if we sell off distribution rights for films that haven't been released yet, not only would it be hard to get a high price, but if some films unexpectedly hit big at the box office, the decision we made now to avoid a potential economic crisis could cause us even greater losses. Southeast Asia accounts for about 30% of our overseas box office, so I strongly advise against this."

Eric recalled the Titanic box office data he saw last Friday night, confirming that Southeast Asia indeed accounted for around 30% of the overseas total, with Japan making up nearly 20%. He remembered that during the Southeast Asian economic crisis, the Japanese yen's depreciation was only about 20%, much lower than the dramatic declines other Southeast Asian currencies had faced.

Moreover, Japan's recovery speed compared to other Southeast Asian nations would likely be faster. Given this, a 20% currency depreciation was something Firefly could still manage.

As for the other Southeast Asian markets, there was simply no reason to hold on to them. It was easy to imagine that when the economic crisis hit, these smaller markets, already holding just over 10% of the overseas share, would plummet to around 5%, with no short-term recovery in sight.

In the coming years, it could very well be that the already declining Hong Kong films fell into complete silence, which would likely be related to the significant shrinkage of the Southeast Asian market.

After contemplating for a moment, Eric said, "Let's do this -- Japan will maintain its existing distribution strategy, while the other markets like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand will go with the proposal I just outlined."

Excluding Japan, the remaining smaller Southeast Asian markets combined would be even less than in Latin America, so the higher-ups stopped insisting. After discussing the detailed execution plans, they moved on to the next topic.

The meeting lasted all morning, and after having lunch at the Burbank headquarters, Eric began heading back to the Liberty City Cottage.

...

While still in New York, Madonna had called several times, eager to visit after Eric returned to Los Angeles. By this time, Madonna had started a legal battle with Warner Records over digital distribution rights. Although the outcome was uncertain, this issue had evidently sparked more attention from musicians regarding online music sales. Coupled with the close collaboration between both parties on the Yahoo Music Store, Eric had decided to block out half a day for their meeting, scheduling it for that afternoon.

Of course, Eric knew that Madonna's visit might also involve her nudging him to write her a song, something he had promised over a month ago.

Tomorrow marked the celebration party for Titanic crossing the $1.8 billion mark at the box office. Katzenberg would also be heading from Burbank headquarters to Playa Vista Studios in the afternoon, so he arranged to catch a ride with Eric and sneak in some business talk.

As Eric mentioned his intentions of heading back to the Cottage, Katzenberg said, "Speaking of the Yahoo Music Store, even though Warner and Universal Records didn't participate in this lawsuit, Barry Weiss from Firefly Records called a while back. It seems Warner secretly intends to poach the Backstreet Boys from us."

Eric asked, "If I remember correctly, their contract should be for five years, right?"

"Yes, until around 2000," Katzenberg replied, then added, "Barry mentioned they were enticed, but Warner might be unwilling to pay their full termination fees, which is why nothing has materialized. However, once the contract expires," he paused and glanced at Eric before continuing, "I fear they won't stay with Firefly Records."

Eric understood that the close collaboration between Firefly Records and the Yahoo Music Store could raise some concerns among the artists signed.

Due to the large-scale promotion from other record companies, many singers instinctively felt that the cooperation between Firefly Records and Yahoo Music Store was at the expense of their interests. Under the manipulation of the major record labels, even the American Music Association was reluctant to acknowledge the sales figures of digital music albums, which undoubtedly resulted in much lower reported sales for Firefly Records' artists compared to actual numbers.

Eric, however, did not believe this. With the impact of the internet, the physical music industry was inevitably heading toward decline.

Firefly Records' cooperation with Yahoo Music Store, by pioneering the online music sales market, could greatly diminish the damage caused by internet music piracy to the artists under Firefly, while also allowing them access to a wealth of promotional resources offered by Yahoo's network.

Eric was confident that as Fireflyer gained more ground, this advantage would soon become clear over the next few years.

"As for what Universal and Warner want to do, we can adapt to their moves," Eric said, gazing out the car window as they drove along Venice Boulevard. He caught sight of a massive poster for Godzilla flashing by.

...

If he disregarded all prior information from memory, the upcoming summer slate still boasted a thrilling lineup.

Besides the animated blockbusters Finding Nemo, The Lion King 2, and Ice Age, three major live-action films were set to release that summer. Alongside Casino Royale, directed by Eric himself, Batman Robin from Warner Bros., and Sony's Godzilla, all of them had production budgets exceeding $100 million. Casino Royale's production cost finally reached $110 million, making it the lowest among the three. Batman Robin cost $120 million, while Godzilla's production ballooned to a staggering $150 million.

Moreover, as the only CG-heavy blockbuster of the summer, perhaps motivated by Titanic's massive success, Sony displayed plenty of confidence in Godzilla. Despite its $150 million production cost, they unflinchingly allocated a $70 million marketing budget, bringing Godzilla's total expenditure to $220 million. Thus, this monster movie would need a worldwide box office return of $600 million to break even.

Eric couldn't recall what Godzilla's global box office had been in his past life, but based on its poor reputation that had been criticized for over fifteen years, it clearly would be far less than the $600 million mark.

Although Sony was the producer of Godzilla, the special effects were entirely managed by Digital Domain, making it easy for Eric to access the film's materials. Just the fact that this version of Godzilla resembled the Tyrannosaurus Rex of his previous life was enough for Eric to doubt the film's chances for success.

As for Batman Robin, it was best left unmentioned.

Nevertheless, Warner and Sony were evidently confident. Perhaps noting that Firefly had no CG-heavy blockbuster scheduled for the summer, they opted for a release date aligning with Firefly's customary June slate, with intentions that were not as straightforward as they might seem.

This was evident from the specific dates of these two blockbusters' releases.

Firefly maintained its "trilogy" strategy for its summer slate, yet unlike previous years, due to the absence of Jurassic Park 3, Firefly would release only two films in June: Con Air starring Cage and Pixar's latest animated film, Finding Nemo. Another film, Disney's Tarzan, was scheduled for mid-July, deliberately avoiding a direct confrontation with Casino Royale, which premiered at the end of June.

The other two films, Con Air was set for May 30 and Finding Nemo for June 13.

Perhaps Warner and Sony felt some trepidation regarding the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced, Nicolas Cage-starring Con Air, leading them to strategically place Godzilla's release on June 6 and Batman Robin on June 20, which were respectively the week before and after Finding Nemo's release. Clearly, Sony and Warner aimed to ensure their major films dominated the box office while also elbowing out Finding Nemo.

When Eric first saw the detailed summer slate, he felt an impulse to mourn for the two rival companies.

Two massive flops stirring up a billion-dollar ticket sales seed.

By that time, who knew who would be bullying whom.

Besides the main studios, New Line Cinema also planned to release two films during the summer slate: Bad Boys 2 on July 4 and Final Destination 2 on July 18, raising Firefly Group's total summer release count to five.

In previous years, New Line had typically avoided making a big fuss about gathering for the blockbuster summer slate to concentrate their promotional resources. However, following the previous year's successes, New Line was now officially gearing up, and it was clear from the release dates of the two films that they aimed to emphasize the summer month of July, seamlessly connecting with Firefly's June releases.

The reality of Firefly's dominance had been thoroughly exposed since Forbes magazine referred to it as an "oligopoly" earlier in the year.

Thus, Eric stopped minding if Firefly appeared to be more prominent.

At this point, Firefly's film division firmly held about 30% of the annual box office share, but if they could elevate that to 40%, Eric would definitely spare no effort.

With small talk, Eric dropped Katzenberg off at Firefly Studios before heading back to Malibu.

He returned to Liberty City Estate around two in the afternoon.

...

Madonna had already arrived early, sitting on the sofa by the glass wall, chatting comfortably with Drew. This had been Eric's intention; he did not want to be alone with the bold and outspoken pop diva.

Upon seeing Eric walk in, both Madonna and Drew got up to greet him.

After hugging the two women, Eric smiled and asked, "What were you two talking about?"

Drew, playfully linking her arm with Eric's as they sat on the couch, leaned in and said, "We were just talking about Scream 2. Madonna is curious about who's going to get killed off at the beginning this time."

Scream 2 was also set to be released that summer. Although it didn't carry the same weight as some major blockbusters, it was still generating interest.

In the first film, Drew had played the character who got killed off at the start. Since her influence level was entirely different now, it became a topic of fascination among viewers. As usual, MGM certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity to promote this point, and it was highly likely that the sequel would invite other well-known stars for similar roles.

Eric took the coffee cup Natasha handed him and curiously asked, "Oh, I don't know who it is either. Can you tell me who it might be?"

"Take a wild guess."

Eric eyed Madonna and shook his head with a smile. "I doubt I could guess that. It must not be you coming back just to get killed off again, right?"

"Haha, how could I be that boring?" Drew playfully shook Eric's arm and said, "It's Rachel."

Before Eric could even react, Madonna exclaimed in surprise, "Rachel Weisz?"

Drew nodded.

With Titanic's explosive box office success, both Leo and Rachel had skyrocketed to fame. Even Julia and Nicole could not compare to Rachel's overwhelming popularity during this time.

It was easy to imagine how shocking it would be for fans to learn that "Rose" had unexpectedly been "killed" in a horror movie.

Eric was genuinely curious now and asked Drew, "How did you manage to get her on board?"

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 857: Can You Imagine?]

Eric was genuinely curious and asked the girl, "How did you manage to convince her?"

Drew giggled, "Rachel was already pretty wild; it wasn't me who needed to convince her. Up until early this year, we were still looking for someone to play that character. After the blockbuster success of Titanic, I called Rachel, and she was interested right away, so it just fell into place."

Eric recalled that Caroline had once shared some amusing stories about Rachel Weisz. A girl who loved driving a big engine Jaguar would never actually fit the demure image she'd been labeled with.

Suddenly recalling something, Eric added, "Rachel agreed, but her agent must have been furious, right?"

Rachel had just risen to A-list status thanks to Titanic and before she could further solidify her position, she suddenly decided to guest star in a horror film. Aside from the financial implications, any significant image shift could unintentionally affect her popularity.

"Yeah, they were all really upset. Even Kepler called me to tell me not to go off the rails like this."

"And you still went through with it?"

"Yep. Rachel was pretty mad; she said she didn't want to be a puppet controlled by her agent. So she did it."

Eric laughed, not overly concerned.

It was just a whimsical guest appearance. The crew of Scream 2 definitely wouldn't overshadow Rachel's image too much. Besides, the potential for substantial negative impact was minimal, aside from generating some buzz.

After chatting a bit about amusing anecdotes, Eric turned to Madonna, who was sitting nearby. She was still a guest, and he didn't want to appear too dismissive. "Maggie, what about you? What have you been up to lately?"

Madonna lounged lazily on the single sofa, cradling her coffee cup and seemingly engaged in Eric and Drew's conversation. She answered, "Oh, I'm quite free. So, Eric, do you think Firefly has a movie that would be right for me?"

Madonna was undoubtedly one of the singers who frequently gravitated toward Hollywood. She not only persistently appeared in various films (some of which never even made it to theaters) but also often flirted with Hollywood filmmakers.

Last year's Evita was arguably Madonna's most celebrated film. The project almost fell into the hands of Firefly, but due to concerns about the quality of Madonna's previous works, the production team rejected the creative team's $55 million budget, and cooperation fell through.

In hindsight, that decision proved correct. While Evita garnered some recognition at the Golden Globes and Oscars, it only managed to pull in just over $50 million in North America, and Warner Bros, who eventually took on the project, still sustained a slight loss.

Recalling Madonna's string of Golden Raspberries, Eric immediately shook his head, feeling a bit intimidated. "I think you're better off focusing on your singing."

"Eric, that's quite hurtful," Madonna shot Eric a sideways glance, her tone lacking any real anger. Though she appeared arrogant and perhaps even narcissistic to outsiders, she was certainly not completely lacking in self-awareness.

After chatting for a while, Madonna indeed brought up songwriting.

Eric stood up, saying, "Actually, I already wrote something while I was in New York. Come with me."

Madonna's expression instantly brightened as she stood up excitedly, but the girl remained lounging, waving Eric off as she lazily sprawled on the couch and turned on the wall-mounted TV with a remote.

...

Eric led Madonna to the door of the downstairs study. He hesitated for a moment and then recalled that there wasn't much confidential information on the whiteboard, so he opened the door.

Following Eric down the stairs into the study, Madonna, just like many first-time visitors, was taken aback by the giant whiteboard that covered an entire wall.

On the board were several Iron Man armor blueprints held up by magnets, along with some handwritten notes from Eric.

Unable to resist, Madonna walked over to the whiteboard, scanning the realistically colored renderings of the Iron Man designs. She exclaimed, "Wow, these are all Iron Man? This is so cool!"

The comic depiction of Iron Man usually appeared quite crude, so even comic book fans would be stunned by these realistic drawings.

Eric joined Madonna at the board, observing the sketches too. He nodded, saying, "Yeah, when the movie is produced, it's going to look even cooler."

"I can't wait to see these in the movie. Eric, will you be directing it personally?"

"No, but I'll take on the producing role."

Madonna eagerly flipped through the more than ten blueprints, asking various questions, before she and Eric finally reached the corner where the piano sat.

Eric sat on the chair, handing over the sheet music and lyrics. "Here, take a look."

Madonna didn't sit beside him but instead took the folder from Eric, leaning against the piano, practically tearing it open.

"When we're alive? The title has a bit of a rock vibe to it," she instantly remarked after glancing at the song's name.

[T/N: I didn't find the original song with the author provided details.]

This was originally an electronic rock piece. Eric had thought of it after hearing the demo of Madonna's own track, Ray of Light, which had a strong rock flavor. He made slight modifications and brought it out. Once it underwent post-production arrangement, the song would fit into Madonna's new album style perfectly; that was something Eric didn't need to worry about -- Madonna had a professional team that handled that stuff.

Nodding, Eric replied, "Right. When linked with your track, Ray of Light, it goes like..."

When we are alive, we shine brightly,

Chasing the stars, moving lightly.

Through the dark, we blaze, ignite,

A radiant flame, a guiding light.

[T/N: Lyrics are not provided by the author, generated with ChatGPT help.]

Madonna eagerly picked up the thread, her excitement palpable. "That's quite ambitious, but I like it."

However, after going through the whole song and humming through it a bit, Madonna straightforwardly looked up at Eric and said, "Eric, even though this song is great, it doesn't seem as stunning as some of your previous works, right?"

Eric didn't take offense at Madonna's directness. Shrugging, he explained, "Maggie, that's a limitation of your album's style. I can't expect to make round cookies from a square mold."

The album Madonna was working on was a total departure from her usual pop music style. It boasted strong electronic music elements along with a blend of classical, rock, and bass influences. To put it plainly, it was an experimental mix album. When Eric listened to the demo tracks Madonna sent, he didn't feel a strong connection, making it hard to recall similarly stunning works from his memory.

Honestly, Eric thought the entire album felt pretty mediocre.

Still, he distinctly remembered that the album Ray of Light had once been hailed as one of Madonna's best in his original timeline. Perhaps it was because it felt fresh and exciting.

For both actors and singers, suddenly changing styles after a long period of sameness often yielded positive reviews.

Due to her sudden departure from her usual style, Madonna harbored little expectation for this album, but she had reached a dead end with her previous path, forcing her to adapt.

Upon hearing Eric's comments, Madonna assumed he shared her skepticism regarding the album.

Nevertheless, with a flicker of hope, she asked, "Eric, what do you think of this album?"

Eric smiled, "Do you want the honest truth?"

Madonna shot him a look. "Forget it. Just say something nice to make me happy."

"Okay, no jokes," Eric replied earnestly. "Although this album isn't exactly to my taste, it has a strong potential for success. In fact, it could become another peak in your music career."

Madonna raised her brows excitedly. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," Eric nodded. "First, your popularity built up over the years is quite formidable. That's the biggest foundation for the album's success. Second, people are always fascinated by changes, and this album happens to align with that public preference. Lastly, with my song for you, I'm sure you won't pass up the promotional opportunities, right? So, I'd bet this album will sell at least 15 million copies. As for whether it can hit 20 million, that may just be a matter of luck."

Fifteen million, twenty million -- these sounded like distant figures for Madonna.

Her last album to cross the 10 million sales mark had been seven years ago, and her recent albums had only sold a few hundred thousand copies. While such numbers still appeared aspirational for lesser-known singers, they represented failure for her.

Had someone else made that claim, Madonna might have brushed it off as empty flattery. But coming from Eric, she instantly found it credible, leading to her excitement. As an ambitious woman, she had never been one to settle for silence.

In her excitement, Madonna's true self emerged as she leaned in closer, resting her hands on Eric's shoulders, starting to teasingly flirt: "So, Eric, since we're betting, what do you want to wager?"

Eric pushed back slightly in his chair to evade her attempt to straddle him, shaking his head. "Hold on, Maggie, I really don't want to bet on anything."

"I'll just concede then," Madonna said, leaning in closer with her hands slipping from Eric's shoulders to his chest, as if attempting to undo the buttons of his shirt.

Seeing he couldn't calm the temptress with words, Eric gripped her wrists, leaning back further. With her hands restrained, Madonna lost her balance and collapsed in front of Eric.

Releasing her hands, Eric restrained the struggling woman, pinching her well-maintained cheek and coldly muttered, "If that's the case, just use your mouth. I can reluctantly accept that."

Madonna looked up to meet Eric's elevated gaze, feeling the solid grip of his hand on her cheek. The humiliation carried in his words kindled no anger but instead made her feel weak all over, and she trembled while whispering, "Oh, Eric Williams, you're such a scoundrel."

...

After over a month of busyness, the Titanic model that was originally located in Rosarito, Mexico was fully transported and assembled in the Firefly studio.

Since Cameron had spared no expense reproducing much of the Titanic's interior furniture, carpets, curtains, and even tableware, the redecoration proceeded smoothly. At this point, the first-class dining hall of the Titanic model had been completely renovated. The celebration party for Titanic surpassing $1.8 billion in global box office revenue was held in the ship's grand dining hall.

Evening had settled in, and guests for the celebration were arriving one after another.

Eric stood alongside Cameron and Katzenberg on the lookout deck outside the ship's bridge, where the Titanic's captain once stood.

The ship was perfectly aligned in an east-west direction, facing the nearby Marinadel Bay, occupying a substantial area in the studio's northeastern corner. This was a result of Cameron's insistence; otherwise, the ship would have had to slant northeast, in line with the studio's rectangular layout.

However, it was this insistence that allowed for a breathtaking view during sunset, where the expanse of fiery clouds blanketed the sky. Looking out from the railing, the view was remarkably striking, with the studio's three-meter-high walls and the low buildings outside failing to obstruct the vision from the deck. One could easily spot the clustered yachts in Marinadel Bay and the glistening sea beyond.

"Eric, see? I told you that this position provides the best view," Cameron said, quite proudly, while leaning against the railing and surveying the guests on deck, imitating Jack and Rose's iconic pose for photos. He continued, "I also plan to create a boiler room exhibit inside, hopefully even replicating the massive drive shaft. It would only cost about $2 million. You know, we still have the original props. But Jeffery wants the ship's interior to be converted into storage. Can you imagine that? The Titanic turned into a warehouse."

Eric chuckled, glancing at a frustrated Katzenberg. "Jeffery wants the model to be as functional as possible. Jim, you have to understand, if it has no practicality, in a few years, we might have to dismantle it. It occupies a lot of space, after all."

Cameron saw Eric not siding with him this time and retorted, "A restaurant, a banquet hall, and a gift shop -- are those not enough?"

"Those are certainly enough, but the boiler room can be dropped. People won't be interested in that."

Cameron remained dissatisfied. "Before this movie was released, many thought people wouldn't be interested in seeing it either."

"..."

After some back-and-forth, Eric ultimately agreed to Cameron's suggestion of creating a small exhibit, but most of the bottom area would still be utilized as storage for the studio.

After all, a 270-meter-long ship occupied nearly the same area as four large studio soundstages; if it wasn't put to use, as Eric pointed out, it would likely have to be taken down in the future.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 858: Old Friends]

As time passed, darkness fell, and the giant Titanic model located at the northeast corner of Firefly Studios illuminated all its lights. Against the backdrop of twilight, it truly resembled a massive ship adrift at sea.

After the Vanity Fair party in March, the celebration for Titanic surpassing $1.8 billion at the global box office became the most talked-about event in Los Angeles, gathering over 700 Hollywood stars, singers, and socialites. Many people went to great lengths to secure an invitation for this star-studded affair. Eric even saw the girl receiving calls from connections trying to get an invite only last night.

At seven o'clock, the party officially kicked off.

Since everyone was keen to enjoy the evening without unnecessary delays, there were no lengthy speeches. Jeffrey Katzenberg and James Cameron shared a few brief words and formally announced to the invited press the upcoming Titanic-themed exhibition, and the festivities began.

While most areas of the Titanic model were still closed to guests, the grand scale of the model, combined with the 700 attendees and numerous servers scattered across the banquet hall, dining area, bow, and top deck, made it feel far from crowded.

Eric and Drew exchanged pleasantries with a few important guests before heading to the dining area, feeling quite hungry after a busy afternoon preparing for the party.

...

After grabbing two plates of food from the buffet, Eric and the girl found an empty table just as Elisabeth and Julia walked in.

The two women paid no mind to the curious glances from others in the dining area. They collected their food and headed straight over.

"Good evening, Eric," Elisabeth said, swiftly taking a seat on Eric's left side, nodding at him before turning to the girl. "Hello to you too, little bitch."

Seeing the girl pick up her fork, clearly ready to throw a dart, Eric quickly interjected, "Alright, no teasing tonight. Liz, apologize to Drew and do not talk like that again."

Elisabeth pouted, clearly reluctant, and replied, "Sorry, little... Drew."

"Hmph," the girl sulked, shaking her utensils defiantly. "If it weren't so crowded here, I'd have Natasha beat you up."

Elisabeth was unfazed, tilting her chin up. "If you're so brave, do it yourself."

"I'm afraid I'll ruin your face. After all, you're not that pretty, and if something goes wrong, that would be too tragic."

Eric felt helpless watching these two women bicker. He issued a warning, "If you both continue, I'm taking Julia and leaving for another area."

Before Elisabeth and Drew could respond, Julia glanced at Eric with eager eyes, nodding repeatedly like a little chick pecking for seeds. "Uh-huh, uh-huh!"

Elisabeth was dissatisfied with Julia's reaction. "What are you 'uh-huh'ing about? You've got no standing!"

"Liz, if you keep being mean to me, I won't help Fox with their films anymore."

The girl jumped at the opportunity. "Yeah! Julia, come over to MGM, and I'll give you $20 million!"

Elisabeth teased, "Twenty million? If you're so capable, bring the contract now, and I'll sign for Julia."

Eric intervened just in time to break up the playful fight, steering the conversation toward a more serious topic. "Speaking of which, how much are you paying Julia for this film?"

With the two women half joking and half genuinely involved in a spat, over the past few years, Julia had mostly been working on films with Fox.

Following last year's Shakespeare in Love, Julia quickly collaborated with Fox on a romantic movie. Eric had a minor involvement in it, easily opting for Julia's well-received earlier work, My Best Friend's Wedding. However, after bringing Claudia Schiffer into the mix, Eric had moved on without much fuss. Recently, he noticed that My Best Friend's Wedding was set for mid-July, alongside Ice Age, featuring prominently on Fox's summer release slate.

"Julia got $15 million, and Claudia received $5 million," Elisabeth replied candidly. "The total budget was just $40 million. Together, they accounted for half of it. Actors' pay is skyrocketing. I feel it will be tough for mid-low budget films to cast A-list stars moving forward, especially after Titanic. Everyone will definitely be focusing on a few blockbuster hits per year. Top actors will surely lean toward those films, or only those films can afford A-list stars."

"Ha! I heard Germany already started discussing revising tax laws to prevent capital flow overseas."

Since Jim Carrey first snagged a $20 million paycheck from Sony Pictures, most A-list stars raised their price tags significantly. However, Eric knew this trend chiefly arose from a tidal wave of tax evasion funds flowing to Hollywood from around the world; particularly, over $3 billion annually from Germany, accounting for nearly a quarter of Hollywood's production budgets.

But the good days for Hollywood stars might only last a few more years.

Once the tech bubble broke, and crucial film capital-exporting countries tightened investments in the coming years, A-list stars' salaries would return to more reasonable figures. Even those marked at $20 million might find very few actually earning that amount.

While Eric was casually chatting with the three women, Cameron hurriedly approached from the entrance of the dining area, nodding at the three women before turning to Eric. "Eric, come with me. I want you to meet someone."

Eric stood up, curious. "Who is it?"

Cameron smiled mysteriously. "Peter Parker."

Eric immediately understood; Cameron had recently begun searching for a lead actor for Spider-Man. He had no particular feelings toward the previous Spider-Man portrayals and felt no need to get involved, letting Cameron handle it himself.

He just gestured to the three women before confidently following Cameron. In fact, without him around, Elisabeth and Drew would likely get along even better. Both women were smart and wouldn't intend to cause a scene that would provide others with fodder for their amusement.

...

Cameron remained mysterious throughout the journey. Eric was too lazy to pry into it further. They reached the top deck, and following Cameron's guidance, Eric quickly spotted a family of four standing together.

A couple, a boy around sixteen or seventeen, and a five or six-year-old girl.

Just one glance and Eric recognized them. He stepped forward, lightly patting the boy's shoulder, who still had hints of youthful awkwardness, and pulled him into a casual embrace, nostalgia filling the air as he said, "Hey, Stu, long time no see!"

The family presented before him was unmistakably the Ronkel, Eric's old neighbors from North Hollywood.

The boy he embraced was Stuart Ronkel, the former star of Home Alone.

After filming Home Alone 3, age caught up with Stuart, making it inappropriate to continue as a child star. Over the years, he faded from the spotlight, and Eric only vaguely heard they had moved to New York without meeting again.

In fact, Eric felt relieved that Stuart didn't end up replicating the path of Macaulay Culkin in the original timeline.

"Eric, it's great to see you again!" Stuart Ronkel clearly had some excitement. After the hug, he turned to pull forward the little girl. "Eric, this is my sister, Linda."

"Hello there, little one," Eric extended his hand.

The girl was evidently well-coached, obediently shaking Eric's hand with a childlike tone. "Hello, Mr. Williams! I really love your movies!"

Eric chuckled. "Did you see your brother in any of those movies?"

The girl nodded eagerly. "Yes! He was amazing then, and I want to be just like him!"

"Oh, your parents might have a headache then," Eric joked before greeting the Ronkels.

Though previous collaborations had their moments of tension, those were long past, and Eric certainly wouldn't hold grudges now.

The Ronkel parents were much more humble and sophisticated than their children, carefully dropping compliments and reminiscing about past events.

After chatting for a few minutes, Eric didn't rush to ask Cameron what was going on, as everything was already clear to him.

In the original plan, Eric had envisioned the new Spider-Man starting during Peter Parker's high school years. Although teenagers in most Hollywood films were usually played by actors over twenty years old, that was a necessary compromise to maintain a level of performance. After all, teen actors of the right age often lacked the required acting skills.

If there were suitable actors who matched the age and talent needed, studios would not shy away from casting them.

At that moment, in preparing for the forthcoming Spider-Man movie, the now sixteen-year-old Stuart Ronkel, having skyrocketed to fame from Home Alone, fit the role perfectly.

Eric had not expected Cameron to bring Stuart over without mentioning it to him first.

Cameron introduced Eric to this family and was promptly whisked away by other guests. After a brief chat, Eric took Stuart to a nearby railing.

...

Leaning casually against the railing, Eric looked at the boy, who appeared a bit stiff in front of him, and chuckled, "How have you been these years?"

"Pretty good, mainly focusing on school, and I occasionally get a movie or two," Stuart leaned back against the railing as well. "Actually, my parents feel let down; it's not as glamorous as it used to be. I think this is fine, though. When Cameron called, I hesitated about whether or not to return to that life."

Perhaps having faced the world too early, Stuart's tone carried a maturity beyond that of a typical teenager.

Eric nodded slightly. "Did you finally decide to give it a try?"

"Yeah, you know my parents," Stuart replied. "But, Eric, if I can get through the audition, I hope to sign the contract in a couple of months."

Eric furrowed his brow. "Why wait a few months?"

Stuart candidly said, "I'll be turning sixteen in July."

Eric quickly understood. According to federal law, teenagers over sixteen could handle their financial affairs independently. Stuart clearly didn't want any complications that could arise from his parents wielding their guardianship rights again.

"No problem, just a couple of months. I'll make sure to help you delay things a bit."

Stuart laughed. "Eric, I haven't even auditioned yet!"

"Ha, I'm quite confident in you," Eric chuckled. He added, "But truthfully, this role isn't as glamorous as outsiders might assume. Jim must have gone over some of the role's requirements with you?"

"Not really," Stuart replied.

"It's like this," since Cameron hadn't had the chance yet, Eric elaborated. "We're planning to develop a vast comic franchise, so once you're cast, you'll be looking at a contract for a minimum of six films."

Stuart seemed to have retained his sharp wit from years back. Even though Firefly hadn't publicly announced its Marvel Cinematic Universe plans, he could guess at the concept. "Like MGM's agent cinema universe?"

Eric nodded, "Exactly. So, if you commit, you might find yourself tied to this role for at least the next decade."

The apprehension flickered across Stuart's expression. Ambitious actors may not necessarily wish to be tethered to a single character for too long.

Eric wasn't about to force anything. To ensure the smooth implementation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, securing a package deal in advance was essential. This wouldn't change for anyone because Eric didn't want to engage in drawn-out negotiations for every film in the future.

After a brief pause, Stuart asked, "Eric, isn't six films a bit much? Hardly anyone in Hollywood makes a six-part series anymore."

"Our rough plan is three solo films and three crossover films, similar to MGM's agent films. So, even extending beyond that, six could end up being snug."

Eric briefly explained this; such details usually surfaced during contract negotiations, so it wasn't particularly confidential. After a moment, he added with a smile, "One more thing: our pay structure is pretty attractive. It features a variable mechanism tied to box office performance. On top of a guaranteed salary, the higher the box office, the more the lead actor could earn. Plus, to ensure fairness, if the contract can't be fulfilled due to Firefly's end, actors will receive some compensatory payment."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 859: This is Different]

In the original timeline, Marvel was frequently criticized for its actors' compensation, mainly due to the stingy CEO Isaac Perlmutter. There were even jokes circulating in the industry that the furniture in the Marvel Entertainment offices was second-hand.

Before Ron Perlman took over Marvel, Isaac Perlmutter was part of the Marvel board. When Firefly Group fully acquired Marvel, the original board was naturally disbanded, and Eric did not extend an olive branch to Isaac Perlmutter. As a boss, Eric certainly wanted the upper management to save costs as much as possible to generate more profits for the company, but he also believed it was unnecessary to be so harsh; that would only backfire.

Rather than focusing on the minutiae, Eric was more concerned with the overall cost control during the production of Marvel films, which was fundamental for the stability and continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Therefore, during those two weeks in New York, discussions on the compensation plans for Marvel's leading actors took up most of everyone's time. The core of the final plan was essentially two points: contract duration and tying compensation to box office performance.

The preliminary plan required core actors participating in Marvel superhero films to sign contracts for at least six movies. As long as the box office was stellar, Marvel could guarantee them A-list salaries, but it would not pay exorbitant sums like $50 million for a single film.

While chatting casually about these matters with Stuart Ronkel, they inevitably reminisced about some past events, feeling a bit nostalgic. The expectant glances from nearby guests made Stuart realize that Eric didn't appear as free-spirited as he seemed. After about ten minutes of discussion, where Stuart stated he would seriously consider whether to take part in Spider-Man, the young man took his leave and walked toward his parents and sister, who were waiting nearby.

...

Eric remained leaning against the railing, signaling to a passing waiter. He took a glass of champagne from the waiter's tray just as a couple approached him. The man had gray hair, dressed sharply in a suit, and wore glasses, giving off quite the university professor vibe. However, anyone familiar with his work would not have held such a notion; this man was Hollywood horror master William Friedkin, and the middle-aged woman on his arm was his wife, the current CEO of Paramount, Sherry Lansing.

Eric also noticed that there was a hint of reproach in Sherry Lansing's expression. Clearly, her presence at tonight's party was not as innocent as it seemed. By convention, even if they didn't refuse, Firefly could never openly invite the heads of competitors like Paramount to such events, indicating Mrs. Lansing was uninvited.

Pretending not to notice Sherry's look, Eric straightened up and greeted William Friedkin warmly, "Hi, William, good evening."

"Good evening, Eric. This is truly a moment worth celebrating," William Friedkin responded, seemingly unconcerned by his wife's mood, or more likely masking it. He continued, "A worldwide box office of $1.8 billion is indeed miraculous. But, Eric, I'm curious why you chose this figure to celebrate; wouldn't $2 billion be better?"

Eric casually offered an excuse, "Sometimes you do things on impulse. Being bound by habitual thought isn't good."

William Friedkin chuckled in agreement.

But Sherry Lansing interjected, continuing Eric's line, "However, Eric, don't you think Firefly has been a bit excessive in some areas?"

William Friedkin seemed caught off-guard by his wife's directness and coughed awkwardly.

From Sherry's aggressive comments, Eric was almost 100% certain of her intent. Given Firefly and Fox's joint strategy to squash The Lion King 2, Paramount must have felt cornered.

Summer Redstone had made bold claims in the media that The Lion King 2 would crush Finding Nemo and Ice Age. However, since the promotional phase for summer movies began at the end of March, The Lion King 2 had virtually disappeared from Firefly and News Corp's media network. Yahoo, along with other media related to Firefly Group and News Corp, rarely mentioned The Lion King 2 in any story.

Due to factors like audience targeting, animated movie marketing relied much more on TV advertising compared to live-action films. The Lion King 2 lost more than half of its TV advertising platforms in North America and faced joint suppression in ad placements on NBC and CBS by Firefly and Fox. Nearly all marketing efforts over the past month had fallen flat.

In contrast, the promotions for Finding Nemo and Ice Age were thriving. With a powerful combination of TV, newspapers, online, and traditional posters, the influence of these animated films spread rapidly among the public like a virus.

Knowing the intent behind Sherry Lansing's words, Eric decided to drop his act and shrugged, "Sherry, I don't think Firefly has done anything overly excessive. If I remember correctly, MTV also refused the trailer for Titanic last year."

"That's different, Eric," Sherry Lansing countered, "Firefly is out to destroy us, and that's no good for either side. Don't forget, Firefly still retains the merchandise rights for The Lion King. If The Lion King 2 flops, neither of us will stand to benefit."

Eric threw up his hands, "Sherry, these points are meaningless. While the big six studios are never short of collaboration, we invariably choose what benefits us most."

"But the television networks should be a public service sector, Eric. What you're doing could even be deemed illegal, that's unfair competition."

"You're mistaken, Sherry. The four major networks have always been private entities. ABC is mine, Fox belongs to Murdoch, CBS to Larry Tisch, and NBC to General Electric. Just last week, I saw Jack Welch's live speech on NBC that seemed to last almost an hour. Do you think if NBC didn't belong to General Electric, Jack Welch would get a whole hour of airtime for a personal show? So, let's all just listen to the brass words. If people take them seriously, that would be foolish."

Sherry Lansing gripped her wine glass tightly, momentarily at a loss for words in rebuttal.

Seeing his usually eloquent wife rendered speechless by this young man, William Friedkin intervened to ease the tension, "Eric, Sherry, there's no need to let it get so tense, is there? How about we find a place to sit and chat? There's always a solution to every problem."

"William, that won't be necessary. I'm glad you could make it tonight and enjoy yourselves," Eric lifted his glass to William Friedkin, then turned and walked away.

Had Hollywood managed to maintain the stable coexistence of the Big Six as it had in the past, Eric would have been more inclined to foster a state of competitive cooperation.

Now, with Firefly's rise, that coexistence was shattered. Eric didn't see any reason for reconciliation, knowing that reconciliation meant compromise, and he truly couldn't think of any reason Firefly should compromise at this point.

With the rapid development and growth of Firefly, the non-Firefly movie companies and media groups would certainly face strong impacts, even survival threats. In that event, competition could escalate to a life-and-death struggle.

In such intense commercial competition, seeking reconciliation or sympathy from rivals was utterly unrealistic, and giving competitors opportunities was also unwise.

...

Perhaps in light of the impasse, after the Titanic celebration party, as May rolled in, Paramount took the initiative to raise the topic of The Lion King 2's suppression by Firefly and Fox in the newspapers.

Summer Redstone personally appeared on NBC's morning news talk show, fuming as he accused Firefly and Fox of their unfair competitive practices, even vowing to file a lawsuit with the U.S. Justice Department.

Perhaps sensing a media war was about to erupt, numerous newspapers across the nation quickly jumped on the story, reporting it extensively and eagerly anticipating Firefly and Fox's response.

Yet, despite all of Viacom's provocations and Redstone's furious outbursts, the upper management of Firefly and Fox remained silent on the matter. Their media outlets produced no stories regarding the alleged suppression of The Lion King 2, as if the issue didn't exist in the minds of Firefly and Fox.

Eventually, after being hounded by eager media reporters for over a week, Katzenberg finally "could not hold back" and made a statement, but it was merely one sentence: "You can't force McDonald's to advertise for KFC."

That statement was incredibly powerful.

Anyone could see that as two world-class fast-food chains, McDonald's and KFC were undeniably rivals.

Similarly, Firefly Group and Viacom were also unquestionable competitors.

Refusing to advertise for a rival on one's own media platforms was a perfectly reasonable stance, wasn't it?

Initially, many aggrieved media outlets had aimed to seek "justice" for Paramount, but Katzenberg's comment brought a calm to that fervor. While some newspapers felt Firefly had been overly harsh, it's true that The Lion King ultimately belonged to Disney under Firefly's banner. However, as Firefly essentially ignored the catcalls from its rival, the original uproar surrounding the issue quickly fizzled out. Even if Viacom remained reluctantly inciting discord, it was hard to spark the media's interest again.

Of course, the whole debacle did give The Lion King 2 some limited exposure in the public eye, but as the film's primary audience consisted of children aged 6 to 12, it was unlikely that anyone felt this would affect them.

As for teens or adult viewers, there were so many other films to anticipate that summer: Godzilla, Batman Robin, Casino Royale, Scream 2, and Rush Hour 2, among others. Even in animated features, despite differences in promotional intensity, audiences were likely to prefer Finding Nemo and Ice Age after being exposed to Pixar's 3D animation, rather than the traditional 2D animation of The Lion King 2.

...

After the celebration party, from April 25 to May 15, Titanic went on to earn an additional $163 million at the global box office.

On May 16, Firefly officially announced that Titanic's worldwide box office had surpassed $2 billion, totaling $2.015 billion.

This time, Firefly did not hold a centralized celebration but organized interactions with fans in the main ticket markets worldwide. While these events could not boost Titanic's box office potential, they did drive significant sales of Titanic-themed merchandise.

Since its release, Titanic's accompanying merchandise had already racked up sales exceeding an astounding $600 million, and with more merchandise hitting the overseas market, that number was set to grow rapidly.

Firefly's merchandise operation department estimated that just from Titanic's themed products alone, the movie could generate no less than $1.5 billion in sales over the next several years -- an amount nearly half of the total revenue from Firefly's merchandise sales last year. In 1996, Firefly's total revenue from merchandise was just $3.3 billion.

This series of monumental success figures spurred nearly all movie companies in Hollywood to begin feverishly searching for projects that could rival Titanic. Even within Firefly itself, during the few weeks Eric returned to Los Angeles, he had received four or five "blockbuster" scripts.

Clearly, Titanic's success had created a false impression throughout Hollywood, leading many to believe that now that the first film had crossed the $2 billion mark, there would soon be a second, third, or even more films following suit.

Eric certainly wouldn't let such success cloud his judgment; he continued to direct most of his energy toward the establishment of Marvel Studios and the preliminary preparations for Spider-Man, Iron Man, and other projects.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 860: The Iron Man Candidate]

Since everything was just starting out, Marvel Entertainment, located in New York, did not make any adjustments. Marvel Studios only planned to set up a simple office at Firefly Studios to handle the logistics and administrative tasks for two upcoming Marvel adaptations: Spider-Man and Iron Man.

Although both films would not begin shooting until at least the following year, the early development work on special effects had already started. The main goal of CG effects could be summed up as three types: people, scenes, and objects.

In past years, most of the focus in the development of digital technology had been primarily on the latter two categories, often leaning heavily toward the "objects" section. Special effects shots of dinosaurs, monsters, aliens, and spaceships fit within this category, while images of hurricanes, floods, and digitized architecture fell into the "scenes" column.

However, for both Spider-Man and Iron Man, as well as future films like The Hulk and Thor, there would be a significant amount of special effects related to "people." This would certainly involve motion capture technology, which was becoming increasingly common. A lot of the scenes featuring Tony Stark in the Iron Man suit would actually be shot using motion capture suits.

Motion capture technology had emerged in the 1970s, but it wasn't until the tremendous success of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings that this technology gained serious attention and began to be used on a large scale in the film effects industry. MGM planned to start the Lord of the Rings series later that year, which would also utilize motion capture technology. Eric made a point of prioritizing this technology as a focus for development and personally monitored its progress.

If they were able to accumulate sufficient technology and experience with motion capture beforehand, there would be no doubt that Digital Domain would maintain a strong-leading position in the industry for years to come, even if other effects companies caught up in traditional CG.

In addition to motion capture, completely digitized large-scale city scenes and mecha transformation effects were also on Digital Domain's research and development agenda.

Once these two special effects technologies were perfected, they could be applied not only to Marvel films like Spider-Man and Iron Man but also potentially kickstart production on Transformers ahead of schedule.

...

After their chance encounter at the Titanic wrap party, Cameron had arranged several detailed auditions for Stuart Ronkel, all of which yielded highly satisfactory results. Stuart had considerable talent and, with his years of experience, was more than capable of portraying a slightly chatty Peter Parker.

However, the contract negotiation process was bound to be complicated. Stuart's agency was still with CAA, which directly rejected Firefly's offer of a six-film deal, stating they would only agree to three films and that each one would require renegotiation of compensation. This was clearly something Firefly could not accept, leading to a temporary deadlock.

During the party, Eric had explained the signing strategy for Marvel superhero films to Stuart. He knew that if Stuart were unwilling, he wouldn't participate in Cameron's audition. The current situation perhaps mirrored what he had said then -- hoping to get through his sixteenth birthday before discussing anything further.

Given Cameron's nature, shooting for Spider-Man might be delayed until after Iron Man, thus Eric did not hurry to intervene personally, allowing Marvel Studios' representatives to continue negotiations with Stuart's agents at their own pace.

...

On the other side, Eric had also started to build the framework for the creative team of Iron Man. Jon Favreau, who was set to direct the original Iron Man, was still only making guest appearances in various indie films. Although this caused some regrets, Eric couldn't just jump the gun and assign someone completely inexperienced to direct Iron Man. However, a suitable replacement was easily identified -- Joss Whedon.

In the original timeline, Joss Whedon directed The Avengers. Although the film benefited from the allure of a gathering of Marvel superheroes, its quality was also quite remarkable. Over the years, Joss had continued his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as producer, director, and writer, and had directed two low-budget indie films as well. Plus, Joss was a huge comic book fan, making him sufficiently capable of handling Iron Man.

Beyond the director, the most important role was undoubtedly the leading man. Robert Downey Jr. was an impossible obstacle to overlook, given that his performance in the original Iron Man had been immensely successful, perfectly embodying the character of Tony Stark.

Although the age of the new Iron Man lead had been adjusted, Downey still fit that criteria. But when Eric had his assistant reach out, he learned that Downey had recently been incarcerated for the second time this year and was slated for six weeks of rehab after serving his sentence. The assistant gathered that Downey had significantly gained weight due to long-term substance abuse, showing none of the disheveled charm that characterized his portrayal in Iron Man.

Though it was somewhat disheartening, Eric could not wait for Downey to reach any sort of epiphany. Instead, he directed his team to scout new candidates for the role. After all, Hollywood had a vast number of talented actors desperately in need of opportunities.

...

It happened to be the weekend, specifically May 17th. Chris's wedding was just three days away, and Eric originally intended to fly to Maryland that day. However, upon receiving a call from Avi Arad, the CEO of Marvel Entertainment, expressing a desire to visit, he postponed his trip by a day.

The purpose of Avi Arad's visit was also related to casting for the lead in Iron Man. To Eric's surprise, he was accompanied by Paula Wagner, producer for Tom Cruise, which was evidently one of the main reasons for Avi's serious visit from New York.

At the Liberty City Shell villa, in the reception area beside the glass curtain wall, Avi Arad and Paula Wagner looked on as two girls in tennis outfits served them coffee. They couldn't help but glance a few extra times at the petite Christina but were tactful enough not to voice any opinions. Only after Miranda Kerr poured coffee for herself did they politely thank her.

Compared to Miranda, who stood at nearly 5'7", Christina -- just over 5'1" and clearly no longer sprouting -- could easily be mistaken for a minor. But little did they know, Christina was actually three years older than Miranda.

With a cherubic face accented by a hint of youthful allure, Christina did leave Eric feeling a bit exasperated. "They're growing up so fast!" he thought, feeling a lack of satisfaction in raising a "loli."

As he watched Miranda playfully pour a cup of coffee for herself, Eric promptly said, "Go play tennis; you don't need to help us here."

Christina, setting down the coffee pitcher, asked, "Eric, will the guests stay for lunch?"

"Of course! Please have the chef prepare something special," Eric replied, then turned to Avi Arad and Paula Wagner. "Avi, Paula, do you have any preferences?"

Paula shook her head, saying, "Anything is fine."

Avi echoed, "Me too."

"In that case, let's leave it at that," Eric waved them off. "You two can go have fun."

Once the girls left, Eric first turned to Avi Arad. "You must have chatted with Joss Whedon. What do you think?"

"A talented young man," Avi nodded, "Though he lacks experience, I believe with your guidance, there won't be any mistakes."

Eric smiled, then focused on Paula Wagner. "So, Paula, how have you been? I heard Tom is filming a new movie in New York?"

Avi Arad had arrived in Los Angeles the previous afternoon and had already discussed Paula's purpose for coming in on the phone.

Although Firefly had yet to officially announce its plans for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it had not remained a secret in Hollywood, especially with Firefly's various movements. Some media outlets even ventured small-scale reports on the project.

Perhaps inspired by Warner Bros.'s recent three Batman films, which had performed relatively well at the box office, Tom Cruise had developed an interest in Iron Man.

In Eric's recollection, Iron Man actually once was in Cruise's pocket, but Marvel's constant delays and hesitation, coupled with a script he found unsatisfactory, led to a parting of ways.

It must be said that for an actor, opportunity proves to be incredibly important.

Take Tom Cruise and Kevin Costner, for example. Historically, after the box office flop of Waterworld, Costner gradually slipped from being a leading star. Conversely, due to the protection of the Mission: Impossible series, though Tom had faced setbacks, he managed to bounce back with each sequel.

However, now the Mission: Impossible series belonged to Kevin Costner, saving his career after also enduring setbacks with Waterworld.

On the other hand, Tom Cruise had not been as fortunate. Although he remained a top-tier star, his recent attempts at big-budget projects produced only mediocre results. Gradually, even Paramount, which had worked closely with Cruise, preferred to cast him in mid to lower-budget films, as he had consistently failed to gain Oscar recognition. Still, his dramatic indie films were guaranteed to pull in decent box office returns.

The new film that Tom Cruise was shooting in New York, which Eric had just mentioned, was also an indie drama with a budget of around forty million dollars.

But Tom clearly didn't want to continue down this path; after all, big-budget commercial films in Hollywood could often reach global box office numbers in the seven hundred million or even a billion range. In contrast, indie films, even if performing well, usually only scraped around three hundred million globally. The financial stakes could not compare.

Paula Wagner took a small sip of her coffee and nodded. "Right, this is a biopic. Tom is hoping to make another Oscar push."

Eric chuckled lightly but held back from commenting further. "So, why are you interested in Iron Man this time?"

"Eric, don't you think Tom is the perfect fit for this role?" Paula said, producing several photos from her purse, which she handed over.

Eric looked at them and was surprised to see renderings of Tom Cruise in the Iron Man suit. Clearly, these were produced with Marvel's assistance, as only Marvel executives had access to the armor design drafts at that point.

If disregarding height, Tom Cruise bore a striking resemblance to Tony Stark from the comics.

After reviewing the photos, Eric raised his eyes to Paula. "Paula, since you've obtained these design drafts, then you must have heard about my vision for Iron Man."

"Of course," Paula nodded. "Eric, while it's a bit of a departure from the image, you're aware Tom has the power to command this role. You both collaborated on Running Out of Time, didn't you?"

Eric nodded in agreement, acknowledging Paula's point. Apart from Tom Cruise's somewhat criticized controlling nature, Eric held relatively few biases against him. Even though Cruise remained an A-list Hollywood star, there was now a noticeable difference in their weight classes. He wouldn't hold past details against him.

Truth be told, before meeting with Paula Wagner, Eric was not inclined to cast Tom Cruise as Tony Stark. He needed a rogue, not a flawless hero.

But Cruise's on-screen persona was characterized by that very idealism of a perfect American hero. Such ingrained perceptions might cause Eric to wonder if audiences would accept a sudden change.

Naturally, Cruise's salary posed a significant dilemma as well. Although Eric had stated he would not shy away from collaborating with A-list stars, Cruise represented one of the more difficult contracts to negotiate. His longstanding entanglements with Paramount over the Mission: Impossible franchise were a clear indicator of that.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 861: Right Now]

Eric didn't know exactly how Tom Cruise felt about the situation, but Paula Wagner clearly hoped to facilitate this collaboration. To that end, Paula mentioned that Tom Cruise could sign a deal for three Iron Man films with Firefly, provided he retained the negotiation rights for the sequel's pay.

Relative to Tom Cruise's standing in Hollywood, this proposal was still quite sincere. With the explosive growth of the film market in recent years, the value of Hollywood stars had skyrocketed, and it had become quite rare for major stars to sign multiple movie contracts at once.

However, this clearly fell short of Eric's requirements.

"Paula, the Marvel Cinematic Universe plan is a very important strategy for Firefly," Eric explained. "To ensure its implementation, our bottom line for selecting core superhero roles is to sign at least six movies. This condition cannot be waived for anyone, so three films just won't work."

Paula Wagner responded, "Eric, since you value the Marvel Cinematic Universe plan so highly, Firefly should obviously be more cautious in selecting actors. I'm sure you understand that no Hollywood A-list star would agree to a six-film deal at once."

Eric gently shook his head. "I think you might have misunderstood something, Paula. Firefly wants to sign a long-term deal, but that doesn't mean we're unwilling to pay actors a more considerable salary. We have developed a detailed floating salary scheme. Take Cruise, for instance; if he agrees to sign, we could implement a floating salary mechanism starting with the first film."

Paula discreetly glanced at Avi Arad, who sat nearby. Since her involvement with Marvel, Avi had been very eager for Cruise to take part in Iron Man. They had rushed to Los Angeles for this discussion, so she hadn't yet heard the specifics about the floating salary plan from him.

From this subtle detail, Paula inferred that Avi might not be entirely on board with Eric's proposal. However, it wasn't surprising; Eric's idea of bundling a six-film contract would likely deter over ninety percent of Hollywood's A-list stars. In Hollywood's traditional mindset, a major production couldn't succeed without a big star involved.

Even so, Paula didn't show any signs of discomfort and continued to press, "Eric, can you elaborate a bit more?"

"Of course," Eric nodded patiently and explained, "For Cruise, Firefly could offer a guaranteed salary -- let's say $10 million. If the global box office is below $300 million, that salary remains unchanged. Between $300 million and $500 million, the salary doesn't increase significantly, but for every additional $100 million, we'd add $1 million, as that would still be within the movie's breakeven range. If the global box office reaches or exceeds $500 million, we multiply the highest box office figure by 3. For instance, with a global box office of $500 million, Cruise could earn $15 million; with $800 million, he would earn $24 million, and so on."

Paula understood that Eric was merely providing an example. Those figures wouldn't be the final proposal, and the detailed terms related to the salary agreement would likely fill dozens of pages. However, Paula also realized that this salary proposal wasn't particularly generous.

In recent years, nearly 20 films each year had surpassed $100 million at the domestic box office, nearly double the number from the early 1990s. However, despite the overall prosperity of Hollywood films in the global market, the number of films achieving over $500 million at the global box office remained quite limited.

Last year, besides the anomaly of Titanic, only The Matrix, The Mummy 2, and Mission: Impossible 2 crossed the $500 million mark. Although Sony's Men in Black 2 and MGM's Charlie's Angels 2 provided substantial profits to their respective studios, both only grossed over $400 million globally.

Since the production costs of mainstream Hollywood films were typically kept under $100 million, with very few exceeding $70 million, a movie that grossed $300 million could already yield significant profits for a studio, with $300 million marking the current success benchmark for Hollywood commercial films.

Thus, Paula viewed Eric's proposed salary conditions as seemingly generous but more akin to an empty promise. Based on this salary structure, an actor would need a global box office of $700 million to earn a $20 million salary. By last year's standards, only Titanic and The Matrix qualified, with The Mummy 2 and Mission: Impossible 2 grossing just over $600 million.

Paula doubted that Firefly's attempt at 'mass-producing' the Marvel Cinematic Universe could easily achieve global box office figures of $700 million. Although Cruise had recently entered a low point in his career, he served as both a co-investor and producer on most of his films, making it relatively easy for him to earn $20 million from each project, even if the films did not perform exceptionally well.

After a moment's thought, Paula said, "Eric, if I'm not mistaken, last year, fewer than five films in Hollywood achieved $500 million at the global box office, right? Given that, do you think a lead actor getting $15 million for a $500 million box office is reasonable?"

Eric smiled knowingly as he looked at Paula. "Paula, you should understand that if the Marvel Cinematic Universe plan succeeds, Cruise would receive much more than just a salary. For at least the next decade, he could maintain his status as a top star thanks to the popularity generated by this film. I believe that is the main reason you are here today, isn't it?"

Having missed out on the Mission: Impossible franchise, Cruise's popularity had been declining in recent years. If he experienced one or two more financial failures, it would be just a matter of time before he lost his A-list status. Many stars who once enjoyed peak success, like John Travolta and Richard Gere, faded from the top tier for similar reasons, while others like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis found themselves on the verge of this predicament.

To maintain his star power, Schwarzenegger had recently taken on the role of Mr. Freeze in Batman Robin, aiming to carve a new path by portraying a villain. Even Mel Gibson, who had achieved substantial success as a director, sought to revive the Lethal Weapon series. Therefore, Tom Cruise's interest in starring in Iron Man was even more about maintaining his A-list status long-term.

Paula Wagner didn't seem embarrassed by Eric's insight; instead, she kept her composed smile and said, "Eric, I think this is a win-win situation. As long as you can loosen the contract restrictions a bit, everyone can gain significantly. Moreover, if the Iron Man series becomes successful, even if the three-film contract ends, Tom would surely be more than willing to renew."

Eric thought to himself that with Cruise's usual price tag, Firefly would be very unwilling then.

Shaking his head lightly, Eric responded, "Paula, I think we may have difficulty reaching an agreement. However, aside from Iron Man, we would welcome any other collaborations with Cruise."

Disappointment washed over Paula; with partnerships with Paramount and Sony, Cruise would still secure the most extensive production and marketing resources, but with Firefly holding many quality projects, they wouldn't offer him the same benefits. Consequently, Eric's proposal didn't hold much appeal for her. As she recalled Firefly's recent dispute with Paramount, she speculated if Eric was trying to diminish Paramount's position, given that the Cruise/Wagner Production Company was essentially affiliated with them.

Knowing Cruise would likely reject Eric's salary proposal, there was little interest on Eric's part to concede, leading both sides to halt discussions.

...

After lunch, Paula Wagner quickly left, as she needed to fly back to New York later that afternoon to handle matters regarding Cruise's ongoing film.

Avi Arad didn't rush to return; he planned to stay in Los Angeles for a few days. However, after Paula left, Avi appeared rather disheartened. He wasn't very familiar with Hollywood and had grown accustomed to the strategy of big productions, big directors, and big stars, much like peripheral investors.

Eric recalled that Marvel's initial concept for their superhero "dream team" included Tom Cruise as Iron Man, Brad Pitt as Thor, and Edward Norton as the Hulk. Ultimately, everyone knew the outcome: the rise of Marvel's superheroes proved the correctness of employing prominent directors and introducing emerging talent.

If Marvel had successfully realized that initial "dream team," the results would have been unpredictable. Just like Warner Bros.' Batman series in recent years, strong visionaries often had to tussle with producers over pay, scripts, and other factors. Over four Batman films, three main characters and multiple directors came and went, and this volatility within the creative team ultimately led to a progressively declining series.

Eric didn't explain too much further to Avi. They chatted a bit about the details of establishing Marvel Studios, and then Eric saw Avi off from the estate.

...

Christina felt somewhat gloomy today. She had been excited to be invited to the estate by Eric for the weekend after receiving his call yesterday. However, early this morning, a girl named Miranda Kerr had shown up uninvited, intruding on their "couple time." And closer to noon, two more guests arrived. With Eric leaving Los Angeles the next day, it felt like this weekend had turned out pretty poorly.

It wasn't until after 2 PM that the two guests finally departed, allowing Eric some free time.

However, seeing Miranda, who clung to Eric like a needy kitten, only made Christina feel worse. She had always been cautious around Eric and never dared to be as brazen as the girl in front of her.

Christina even wondered whether this "kitten," sitting on Eric's lap, truly didn't recognize that this was a lion reigning in Hollywood, or if she was simply too confident that he wouldn't devour her.

Miranda, on the other hand, paid no mind to Christina's mixed feelings and affectionately nestled against Eric, wrapping her arms around his neck and said, "Eric, I read in the paper that the world premiere of Casino Royale will be held in London. You're definitely going, right?"

Eric kept his hands on Miranda's waist, preventing her from getting too close, and smiled, saying, "Yeah, but I definitely can't take you along, so don't even think about it."

"That's just mean! I hadn't even brought it up yet," Miranda tugged gently at Eric's shirt collar, expressing her annoyance. "You promised me you'd celebrate my birthday last year. Last month, I didn't even see your shadow. So, how are you going to make it up to me?"

Eric knew Gisele wouldn't share their worldwide travel plans with Miranda, so he merely smiled and asked, "Oh, what kind of compensation are you hoping for?"

Miranda straightened her posture, swaying her hips lightly, and said, "The Disney Channel TV show I'm working on is just so boring. Eric, what if I could audition for Gwen, you know, Gwen Stacy from Spider-Man?"

"Ah, that won't work. How about I let you play one of the female classmates next to Gwen instead?"

"That's so ungracious! I don't want these minor roles," Miranda shook her head in disapproval, her eyes glinting as she suggested, "Well, Christina and I just saw a bunch of cars in your garage. There are so many nice cars; it's such a waste! You hardly ever drive them, right?"

Eric chuckled and playfully pushed the girl away, keeping a grip on her waist to prevent any more fidgeting. "If you want them, you'll have to wait until you're sixteen. It just won't work now."

Miranda glanced at Christina beside her, her eyes darting left and right, saying, "But don't I look like I'm sixteen right now? Eric, I know you can help me get a driver's license, right?"

"Sure, but that's why I can't help you," Eric laughed and playfully squeezed her cheek. "Don't be so restless. You're nowhere near the right age to drive. If something happens, I wouldn't know how to explain it to your parents."

After pleading for a while to no avail, Miranda switched tactics, saying, "Alright then! How about you drive us? Just now, Christina and I could use some fresh air."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 862: The Fast and the Furious]

When Eric heard Miranda's request, he didn't outright refuse. Instead, he asked, "So, where are we going now?"

Miranda replied excitedly, "We could drive up Highway 1! It would be awesome to reach San Francisco. I've never been there before."

"Do you think we can really drive fast on that road? By the time we get to San Francisco, it might already be midnight," Eric joked, shaking his head with a smile.

The road Miranda was talking about was California's Pacific Coast Highway, which hugged the coastline all the way through California. The name sounded grand, but it was actually just a narrow two-lane asphalt road and not in great condition. Forget sports cars; even regular cars had to keep a modest pace, so there was no real joy in cruising.

"Well," Miranda tilted her head thoughtfully, her eyes suddenly lighting up. She wrapped her arms around Eric's neck tighter and said, "Why don't we just go to Las Vegas? I heard from classmates that it only takes just over three hours to drive from Los Angeles to Vegas."

Sensing the faint fragrance from her, Eric began weighing his options. Since returning from New York, he had been working nonstop for over half a month. He was heading to Maryland next for Chris's wedding, where all the executives from Firefly would gather, so it wouldn't be an easy time either. Therefore, taking this chance to relax sounded like a good choice. Besides, there was the thrill of driving. He recalled how he had turned down the chance to drive Cindy's Maserati in New York, realizing he had become somewhat disconnected from normal life. Eric definitely didn't want to be that guy who built a huge empire but became trapped within it.

Making a swift decision, Eric gave Miranda a playful slap on her backside and said, "Alright, let's go to Las Vegas!"

"Wow, Eric, I love you!" Miranda exclaimed, nearly jumping up with excitement and leaning in to plant several kisses on Eric's cheek.

Eric pushed the excited girl away gently, saying, "Okay, settle down. Let me make a couple of phone calls to arrange things."

Since they spontaneously decided to go to Las Vegas, he needed to inform his assistant who was in charge of his schedule. Though they would only stay for one night, arrangements for accommodations and security would also need to be addressed.

...

After making several calls, Eric couldn't help but laugh at himself. He stood up and told Miranda and Christina, "Alright, let's go!"

Miranda immediately clung to Eric's arm, and Christina followed closely, unable to contain her excitement.

The three of them arrived at the underground parking garage, where Eric's team of bodyguards was already preparing for the drive. Miranda's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the lineup of luxury cars. She darted toward a sleek black Lamborghini and fumbled to try to open the door but couldn't manage it. Undeterred, she turned and said, "Eric, how about we take this car?"

Eric shook his head, "That's a two-seater. We have three people."

Not willing to leave Christina behind, Miranda glanced at the other cars, noting that the spacious garage held at least thirty various luxury vehicles. Yet the sports cars in the furthest row were mostly two-seaters. She looked around and tentatively pointed at the bodyguards, saying, "Maybe Christina can ride in their car?"

Christina couldn't hold back anymore. "Just because I'm short doesn't mean I'm easy to push around!" she exclaimed. About to argue further, she suddenly paused, a smug smile appearing on her face. She pulled out her driver's license from her small purse and waved it at Miranda, saying, "Hey, Eric, I actually got my driver's license!"

Eric smiled and looked at Christina's license. "When did you learn to drive?"

"I secretly started learning a long time ago. I got my license shortly after my sixteenth birthday," Christina replied, adding, "Mom is finally okay with me driving our Chevrolet by myself now."

"Alright," Eric said with a chuckle, gesturing around him. "Pick a car you can drive."

Christina ignored Miranda's sulking expression and purposely walked past her toward a purple Lamborghini. She lightly tapped the hood and asked, "Can I drive this one, Eric?"

Eric looked at the purple Lamborghini, which had been given to him by Lamborghini after he finished filming Pretty Woman. He hadn't touched it in years, and aside from routine maintenance, it had rarely left the garage.

Most of the luxury cars in the garage were like that -- gorgeous vehicles just filling the space but rarely used.

Eric walked over and said, "Lamborghinis and Chevrolets are not the same. Pick another car."

"I can drive it," Christina insisted, hesitating only a moment. She stuck out her tongue and added, "I learned to drive two years ago. Drew let me drive."

Eric was momentarily speechless. He recalled that before meeting him, Christina had a remarkable story of running away from home at twelve while driving. Suddenly, that didn't seem so outlandish after all.

Ultimately agreeing, Eric said, "Alright, but don't drive faster than me."

Even so, Eric still felt a bit uneasy. After all, Christina had just turned sixteen, so he decided to have his bodyguard, Carter Moen, sit in the passenger seat beside her for supervision.

...

The group set off, seven of them in total, with two Lamborghinis and two Range Rovers. After leaving Malibu, they spent just over an hour until they reached Highway 15, which headed directly to Las Vegas.

Though they had taken some time passing through downtown Los Angeles, once on the freeway, it was still before four o'clock, leaving only three hundred kilometers to Las Vegas, which meant they could arrive by around seven.

Highway 15 was a very wide six-lane road with no ditches beside it, just endless desert. This ensured a good level of safety, and if there were fewer cars on the road, it would be a car enthusiast's paradise.

As they passed through downtown Los Angeles, Eric gradually regained his rhythm. Once on the freeway, he let loose a little more. In less busy areas, he even pushed the speed up to two hundred kilometers. The thrill of the adrenaline rush made him understand why so many people loved speeding.

To his surprise, Christina was able to keep pace with him in the purple Lamborghini no matter what. Occasionally she would go side by side and playfully stick her tongue out at Miranda, who was sulking in the passenger seat. Clearly, if Eric hadn't limited her, Christina would be driving much faster.

This made Eric realize that Christina's rebellious side was far beyond his expectations. The once-innocent girl had become a speedster.

Speeding along, just after six o'clock, the group reached a small town at the Nevada border.

They stopped to refuel and take a brief break. Eric remained inside the car, letting the bodyguards handle everything outside, while Miranda got out to stretch her legs. When she returned, she began pulling at Eric's arm, saying sweetly, "Eric, we're not far from Las Vegas! Can I drive for a bit when we go? I've been watching the whole time."

After hanging up a call, Eric chuckled and shook his head. "Not a chance. Don't even think about it."

"But Christina could drive two years ago, and she was my age back then," Miranda protested.

"If I had known that, she wouldn't have been allowed," Eric replied, shaking his head again while reassuringly adding, "Alright, no more arguing. I just got a call; David Copperfield is performing at Caesars Palace tonight. My assistant has already booked us a VIP box."

Before Miranda could respond, Christina leaned in from the window, her eyes wide with excitement. "Wait, David Copperfield? He's the guy who made the airplane disappear, right?"

"That's right," Eric said, unable to help himself from squeezing Christina's rosy cheeks, smiling. "And speaking of you, driving that Lamborghini so well might mean you've broken traffic laws a few times."

"Ha ha," Christina nudged her cheek against Eric's hand playfully. "Then maybe you should punish me tonight, Eric."

Eric laughed. "Of course, you can't run away from that."

"Hey, am I invisible here?" Miranda interrupted, casting an annoyed glance at Christina. "Maybe I should punish you too tonight."

Christina chose to ignore Miranda's comment, just like Miranda had ignored her earlier. She turned back to Eric and said, "Eric, I just thought: why don't you film a racing movie? That would be super cool."

Eric paused for a moment; the name of a movie immediately flashed in his mind: The Fast and the Furious. How had he forgotten about this classic series? Its enduring popularity proved that the series could bring in plenty of profit for the film studio.

He playfully pinched Christina's cheek and said, "Thanks for the reminder; I'll reward you tonight."

Christina had only mentioned it casually, but Eric's enthusiastic reaction made her happy. "So, Eric, can I have a role in it?"

"Sure," Eric replied, "if the right part comes up, I'll definitely let you audition. Maybe we could even create a link between your character in Casino Royale and this film."

The Fast and the Furious series also involved a lot of spy elements. Though Christina's character in Casino Royale wasn't a lead operative, making a connection between the two films would be quite easy.

Eric's mind started racing with ideas to combine The Fast and the Furious with the spy film universe. Plus, the racing series could enhance the fun elements of the spy genre. After all, interspersing exhilarating car chases within an action-packed spy film would certainly elevate the viewing experience, combating any aesthetic fatigue that pure spy movies might impose.

Noticing that Eric had gone deep into thought, Christina remained quiet, cleverly using her gaze to gloat at Miranda, who was in the passenger seat. Miranda, not to be outdone, shot a defiant glare back at her, their eyes sparking with rivalry.

Finally, when the bodyguards arrived to inform them everything was ready, the group hit the road again.

...

Around 7:20 PM, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, the four cars rolled into the underground parking lot of Caesars Palace in downtown Las Vegas.

As soon as Eric parked, a man in his forties hurried over, eager to open the door for him.

"Mr. Williams, we're thrilled to have you at Caesars Palace. I'm Richie Black, the manager here."

Eric extended his hand for a shake, smiling as he said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Black."

Richie Black patiently waited for everyone else to exit their vehicles. When he noticed Miranda and Christina flanking Eric, he gave no visible sign of surprise, gesturing for them to follow. "Please, come with me. Your room is ready."

Eric wasn't surprised by Richie Black's enthusiasm. His current status definitely warranted it, not to mention being the first guest at Caesars Palace would certainly earn him some extra attention. However, the typically boisterous Miranda looked a bit shy as she clung to Eric's arm, her usual boldness noticeably diminished, while Christina walked closely beside him, behaving sweetly.

Since they were at a hotel, there was no need for the bodyguards to tail them. Richie Black instructed his assistant to escort the bodyguards to their rooms while he led Eric and the two girls to an exclusive elevator. After pressing the button, he added, "Mr. Williams, David Copperfield's performance begins at 8 PM. Would you like to dine first?"

"Uh-huh," Eric nodded, then smiled at Miranda, who was still leaning against him. "Also, could you get them some outfits?"

Compared to Eric's rather formal outfit of a dress shirt and casual pants, the two girls were still in t-shirts and denim shorts. Even in the lavishly decorated elevator, they looked out of place, which explained why the girls seemed a bit shy.

"Of course, no problem," Richie Black replied, quickly sizing up Miranda and Christina before whispering some instructions to his assistant.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 863: No Big Deal]

Caesars Palace was actually a luxurious entertainment complex that housed hotels, casinos, theaters, nightclubs, and various other entertainment and accommodation facilities, covering an area of 30 hectares. It consisted of four hotel towers and numerous associated entertainment buildings. Including the newly opened Palace Tower, the hotel boasted over 2000 guest rooms.

With a focus on attracting tourists to the bustling Las Vegas, the suite prices at Caesars Palace naturally varied across multiple tiers, ranging from a few hundred dollars a night for standard rooms to extravagant suites costing tens of thousands.

Eric didn't need to specify anything; his assistant had naturally booked him the best suite. In fact, it wasn't just a suite anymore but should be classified as a villa-style apartment.

The entire apartment was located at the central top floor of the Palace Tower and was the largest among the only five premium apartments in the building. The apartment featured a private elevator and 24-hour butler service. Its lavish decor, resembling a Roman palace, along with many exquisite and expensive pieces of art, made it look even more luxurious.

Richie Black personally introduced the various facilities in the apartment to Eric and kindly inquired about the needs of Eric and the two girls before leaving him with a business card and respectfully taking his leave.

It was getting late, and Eric had no intention of heading to the restaurant. He instructed the apartment's personal butler to have dinner delivered, then sent the butler away.

...

Once all the outsiders left, the girl pretending to be a lady but unable to disguise her casual look in a cropped T-shirt and frayed denim shorts, Miranda, finally relaxed. She cheered as she dove onto the classically styled sofa. Feeling the vintage lamp on the low table sway slightly, she quickly jumped up, carefully steadied it with her hand, and then made a funny face at Eric.

Eric came over and sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, flipping through the hotel's entertainment activity brochure. Seeing Miranda snuggling up to him like a kitten, he patted her little waist and looked over at Christina. "You two should go take a shower. They'll be bringing the clothes in a bit. After dinner, we'll go see the magic show."

Miranda wrapped her arms around Eric's arm and shook it gently, whining, "But what about jewelry? I at least need a necklace!"

Eric, feeling lazy, replied, "Sweetheart, a girl looks so much prettier when she's fresh and clean. What do you need jewelry for?"

Miranda wanted to protest, but seeing Christina happily heading towards the bathroom, she jumped up, declaring, "I want that biggest one! I'm not sharing with you!"

Christina ignored her, striding into the largest bathroom in the apartment and closing the door behind her, countering with, "I don't want to share with you either."

Miranda huffed and shot a glare at the closed bathroom door for a moment. Then she dashed back to Eric sitting on the sofa. "Eric, look at her! She's so annoying!"

Eric didn't pay attention to the girls' bickering; without looking up from the brochure, he said, "The rule is you can't hit each other in the face. The rest doesn't concern me."

"Humph! You're a bad guy too," Miranda lightly slapped his shoulder. She then sidled up, teasing Eric about going to the shower together, but was naturally refused and ended up sulking off to another bathroom.

...

The shopping area adjacent to Caesars Palace included nearly all high-end luxury brands imaginable. Just as dinner was delivered, the apartment's personal butler arrived with a couple of waiters, pushing in a whole rack of clothes and shoes for the two girls to choose from, along with a few boxes of appropriate jewelry for young ladies.

Seeing Miranda carefully picking up a ruby necklace and measuring it against her neck with eager eyes looking at him, Eric realized she remembered what he just said. He was simply too lazy to argue; since they brought everything over so courteously, he didn't mind letting his little flower doll herself up a bit more beautifully. So he nodded and smiled, "Go ahead, pick quickly."

Miranda let out a small cheer and excitedly fastened the necklace around her neck.

...

Ultimately, they missed the beginning of the magic show. After dinner, Eric and the girls, now in their pretty dresses, arrived at the Magic Empire Theater in Caesars Palace just a little past eight. Fortunately, magic shows usually saved the best for last, so they didn't miss too much.

The Magic Empire Theater, situated next to the plaza tower within Caesars Palace, resembled a Roman amphitheater. Eric remembered that this place was where superstars like Celine Dion and Elton John performed regularly in Las Vegas, though that was supposed to be after 2000. Caesars Palace had actually renovated the original structures like the Magic Empire Theater to host Celine Dion's residency. While various stars performed in town year-round, a long-term residency format hadn't yet emerged.

As a contemporary master of magic who had risen to fame since the 1970s, David Copperfield had already performed miracles such as making a Boeing airplane vanish, concealing the Statue of Liberty, walking through the Great Wall, and escaping from prison. Eric had seen recordings of Copperfield's performances before, but this was his first time experiencing it live.

Christina had completely forgotten the juice in her hand as she watched Copperfield's head-vanishing trick, her mouth slightly agape. Finally, she exclaimed, "Eric, how does he do that?"

Eric gently held the girl's waist, chuckling, "Why are you so curious? Once you figure it out, it wouldn't be interesting at all."

Miranda cast a disdainful glance at Christina, scoffing, "If you can see how he does it, Copperfield wouldn't be performing on stage, would he?"

Christina sidelong glanced at Miranda and said with a smile, "I'm looking forward to Copperfield's trick of making someone disappear next. Eric, can we have Miranda go up as a guest?"

Eric just smiled and remained silent.

Miranda let out a small huff and responded, "You should go up; you're so tiny that if you disappeared, it would be hard to find you!"

"Having size without brains, don't you know a black dress pairs better with pearls? You only go for the expensive ones."

Miranda raised her chin, rebutting, "Who said a black dress has to match pearls? I saw black gowns paired with rubies in VOGUE last month."

Before Eric could let the two girls dive deeper into their 'expert' discussion, he quickly interrupted: "Stop fighting tonight. If you keep at it, I'll just throw you both out on the street."

Both girls immediately ceased their banter. Miranda snuggled close, "Eric, I don't have to return the necklace tomorrow, right?"

Eric pinched her cheek lightly, grinning, "That'll depend on my mood."

Miranda quickly understood that she didn't need to return the jewelry and playfully kissed Eric on the cheek. Although she still carried that black card, after that incident, Eric had limited her monthly spending to $5,000. For a girl her age, that was quite a hefty allowance. The daughter of a middle management family in the Firefly Group, who was the same age as her, only received $200 to $300 in pocket money each month. However, for Miranda, who had already tasted the allure of money, $5,000 a month barely sufficed, let alone buying those expensive clothes and jewelry.

...

After the magic show wrapped up and Eric was about to take the two girls away, a hotel server handed him an invitation card written in David Copperfield's own hand. It turned out to be for an after-party he was hosting.

Most entertainment activities in Vegas, including the casinos, were age-restricted; at least on the surface, Miranda and Christina were not allowed to participate. Although those rules were pretty much meaningless for a guest of Eric's caliber, he didn't want to disrupt the status quo too casually. However, since the party seemed like a decent option and both girls were interested, they headed over.

The party was held in the banquet hall of the plaza tower, filled with many familiar faces from the celebrity scene.

Eric exchanged a few pleasantries with David Copperfield, who had personally come to greet him, before Miranda and Christina eagerly pulled him into the dance floor.

After enjoying a lively dance for a while, as Eric had just left the dance floor with the girls, he heard a robust male voice say, "Hey, Eric! I just heard someone say you were in Las Vegas. I didn't expect it to be true, haha!"

Turning around, Eric saw Larry Ellison, who always looked a bit scruffy, approaching him with a tall blonde beside him. While Larry owned several properties in Malibu, they could only be considered barely acquainted since their last meeting was at the Fireflyer launch in early April, where they barely spoke.

However, since Larry approached him so familiar-like, Eric smiled and extended his hand for a shake. "Larry, what a coincidence!"

"Of course! But Eric, you seriously need to come to Las Vegas more often; this place is paradise," Larry said, casually introducing his companion, "This is Anouck."

The lady concealed her eagerness when glancing at Eric and couldn't help but reach out: "Hello, Mr. Williams, I'm Anouck Lepère."

"Hi," Eric replied gently, shaking her hand. Noting that Lepère sounded like a French surname, he didn't inquire further nor did he intend to introduce Miranda and Christina. He turned back to Larry, "So what's been going on with you?"

On hearing that question, Larry's expression brightened considerably as he exclaimed, "Eric, are you interested in Apple?"

"Uh," Eric paused, considering his reply. "Well, I'm not a big fan of eating them. Peeling is such a hassle."

The three girls beside them, though not entirely comprehending what was being discussed, clearly sensed the ridiculousness of Eric's serious tone and burst into laughter.

"Hey, you rascal," Larry waved dismissively, then instructed his companion, "Babe, can you get us a couple of drinks?"

Anouck knew Larry was trying to sideline her. Though reluctant, she nodded and walked away with understanding.

Eric then smiled at Miranda and Christina. "Okay, you girls go have fun. I need a little private chat with Larry."

The two girls giggled and walked off, leaving Eric and Larry at the banquet hall bar. After ordering two drinks, Eric joked, "So Larry, do you think I should be interested in apples now?"

Of course, they were talking about Apple Computer.

However, since Microsoft had released Windows 95, Apple's situation had declined significantly. In 1995, Apple was still enjoying a $300 million annual profit with a market cap exceeding $4 billion. But now, just in the first quarter of 1997, Apple had already reported a staggering $200 million loss, causing its market cap to plummet to the edge of $2 billion.

Larry replied, "Eric, I know Apple's situation is indeed quite poor right now, but it's still a well-established tech company with significant investment value."

Eric shrugged, unimpressed. "Larry, why don't you share your plans instead?"

"Alright, here's the deal," Larry said, "I'm currently raising funds to completely acquire Apple and hand it over to Steve to manage. Steve Jobs, I'm sure you remember him; he was one of the original founders of Apple. If Steve hadn't been ousted, this company wouldn't be in this situation now."

Eric knew that Larry had always been very close friends with Jobs. Interestingly, two people with almost no common traits could become friends; it was a fascinating notion.

"Of course, I remember," Eric nodded, showing little emotional response as he continued, "So how much have you raised so far?"

"Um, well," Larry cleared his throat. "Not much yet. But you know, Eric, if you were willing to invest a bit, I think more investors would be inclined to follow suit. Everyone is really impressed by your investment foresight in the tech industry these days."

In light of the explosion of tech stocks over recent years, Larry Ellison, holding a substantial amount of Oracle shares, saw his fortune rise to the level of $10 billion. However, most of his wealth was in stocks, and to maintain control over Oracle, he couldn't casually sell them off. Since Oracle's funds were also not freely used by him, he couldn't wield cash like Eric.

Given Apple's current state, all investors would naturally hesitate to step in, and even Larry would find it challenging to raise funds for merely gaining a stake in Apple, let alone fully acquire the company.

Eric's attitude toward Apple was indifferent.

Having lost the Pixar charm, Jobs was still barely managing his computer company now. Moreover, due to decreasing performance in recent years, Jobs had even abandoned hardware, relying solely on licensing software to keep the company afloat. Therefore, although Apple seemed on the brink of bankruptcy, it hadn't reached out to Jobs again.

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