I Am Hollywood

by Cui Shi yi

1 - 702

29. 871

I am Hollywood #Chapter 871: Chapter 872: The World is Too Small - Read I am Hollywood Chapter 871: Chapter 872: The World is Too Small Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

[Chapter 872: The World is Too Small]

Eric heard Drew shout "Kate" as she answered the phone, and he could guess who was on the other end. Kate Hudson, still one of Hollywood's second-generation stars, the daughter of the original American sweetheart, Goldie Hawn.

To be fair, Drew's outgoing and playful personality made her social circle ten times larger than Eric's. With MGM's revival in recent years, more people naturally wanted to befriend Drew, and her network was expanding. Coming from a family of entertainers and rising in Hollywood, Drew's closest friends included a group of second- and third-generation stars and daughters of wealthy elites around her age.

After chatting with Kate Hudson for a few minutes, it seemed that Drew had turned down some invitation from her before hanging up the phone.

Curiously, Eric looked over, but Drew thought he was interested in the person on the other end and explained, "That was Kate Hudson. Maybe you don't know her, but you definitely know her mom, Goldie Hawn."

Eric finally realized he was hearing the name Kate Hudson for the first time in this context. Nodding with a smile, Eric replied, "Goldie Hawn, huh? I remember she had a set of photos with body art all over, short blonde hair, wearing a bikini, looking quite beautiful. Just forgot where I saw them."

As Eric spoke, he opened the browser on his laptop and began searching. While there were already a good number of Goldie Hawn's photos online, the resources hadn't become as abundant as they would later, leaving him somewhat disappointed when he couldn't find the photo set he remembered.

Drew leaned next to Eric, glancing at the laptop screen with a smile, saying, "Eric, if you like, I can help you find it."

"Let's skip that; I don't collect those things," Eric chuckled, then asked, "What did she want from you just now?"

Drew mentally noted the details of the conversation and answered, "She asked if I was still going to yoga class today. I wanted to stay home to keep you company, so I said no."

Eric was curious. "When did you get interested in yoga?"

"I've been practicing for three months! They say it helps maintain your figure," Drew said, twisting her waist towards him playfully, "Don't you think my waist feels softer lately?"

Eric recalled the extra yoga mats in the villa's gym, although Drew seemed to have been slacking off in the last couple of days. He reached over to touch her waist, laughing, "Yeah, it's definitely softer. Since that's the case, you should stick with it; there's nothing else happening at home, so you can go to class."

Drew's eyes sparkled. "Then you should come with me."

Eric typed a couple of times on the laptop keyboard. "I've still got a bunch of unread emails; you should go alone. I'll probably finish them this morning."

But Drew became even more excited, closing Eric's laptop and insisted, "C'mon, let's go together! Work is never-ending; if you keep going like this, you'll turn into an old man too soon."

"Alright, enough about that; let me shut this down," Eric surrendered reluctantly, flipping open the laptop to shut it down.

Seeing Eric agreed, Drew quickly instructed the twins to get the car and props. Meanwhile, she dialed Amy Pascal to briefly discuss the acquisition of E! Entertainment and then called Kate Hudson to let her know she would still join the yoga class.

After Eric powered down the laptop and closed it, he asked Drew, "So, is yoga class an all-day event?"

Drew casually placed the cordless phone on the round table. "Not really; there are only two-hour classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and I just need to practice at home for 20 minutes every day."

"What's the plan after yoga then?" Eric asked.

"We had originally agreed to go to yoga together in the morning, have lunch, shop on Rodeo Drive in the afternoon, and then a party at Kate's place in the evening."

Eric sighed in envy. "You certainly have a sweet life."

"Of course weekends are for fun! I wouldn't let myself turn into a workaholic; what's the point of living then?"

Suddenly remembering something, Eric asked, "So, considering that, it sounds like all the guests today are girls. Is it okay for me to tag along?"

Drew chuckled, "Oh, I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun!"

Eric hesitated. Being a guy surrounded by a bunch of girls for yoga, shopping, and a party didn't sound quite right. Just then, the twins drove up in a black Range Rover, loading yoga mats and props into the trunk, glancing over at them.

Drew giggled, tugging Eric's arm. "C'mon, since you're here, we'll definitely adjust our schedule!"

Pulled along by her, Eric found himself wanting to grab his laptop; it would be nice to work on the outline for The Fast and The Furious in case things got too boring. But before he could act, he was ushered into the car.

...

The Range Rover left the Trausdale estate and headed south for about two kilometers, arriving at a bustling commercial area at the foot of Beverly Hills.

The car pulled into a yoga center's parking lot near Sunset Boulevard. As Drew got out from the other side, a group of seven or eight girls who had been chatting in the parking lot rushed over excitedly. Eric pushed open the door from the other side, casually glancing over and recognizing the two girls at the front -- Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson.

Noticing Eric, one girl curiously asked, "Oh, Drew, who else is with you?"

Drew laughed and said, "Guess!"

As Eric walked around the car, a crowd of girls turned their attention to him. The feeling was vastly different from the night at Gisele's place; perhaps due to it being daytime and outdoors.

After a brief silence, one girl let out a small scream, "Ah, it's Eric!"

Eric waved, "Hey, everyone!"

Seeing most of the other girls hesitating, Gwyneth Paltrow felt a bit superior, noticing that Drew had never introduced Eric to them before. Among this group, she was the only one who had actually met Eric.

Eagerly walking over, Gwyneth stretched out her hands toward Eric. "Hey, Eric! I didn't expect you to come today!"

"Yeah, me neither," Eric joked, giving her a hug. As Gwyneth leaned in for a kiss on the cheek, he wasn't quite used to such intimacy but still gently kissed her cheek before stepping back to check out the others, scanning the group.

To Eric's surprise, besides Gwyneth and Kate, there were two more familiar faces. Looking at the shy, youthful expressions of the two girls on the outskirts, Eric couldn't help but marvel at just how small the world was, considering Drew had just mentioned the E! Entertainment acquisition!

Noticing Eric looking at them, the taller blonde girl among the two raised her hand and boldly introduced herself. "Hi, Mr. Williams, I'm Paris Hilton."

Eric smiled, casually glancing at the dark-haired girl next to Paris, who seemed to have a hint of Latin in her features. He nodded, "Hello, Miss Hilton."

Drew came over, affectionately linking her arm through Eric's. "Alright, Eric, let's head inside. We might get mobbed out here."

...

The group of girls moved briskly into the yoga studio. The receptionist at the front desk smiled as they entered but was evidently startled when she saw Eric, nearly stumbling over her words.

Drew quickly exchanged a few words with the receptionist, and they all headed straight to the practice room on the second floor. The receptionist opened the door and respectfully stepped back.

Drew led Eric inside, explaining, "I've rented out this place. No outsiders will disturb us."

With Drew's current financial strength, she certainly could have hired a private instructor to teach her yoga at home. Choosing this place was clearly her personality showing. Eric looked at the spacious room of over a hundred square feet and felt even more uncomfortable. Surely he wouldn't be joining the girls in their yoga practice.

"There should be a lounge area, right? Maybe I could just wait there?"

She pointed at a little rest area in the corner with a long bench and bookshelves, her expression mischievous as she pointed, "That's it! We're going to change first; heh."

With that, Drew released Eric's arm and instructed the twins following her. The other girls followed suit, moving to the changing room.

Eric shook his head helplessly and walked over to the so-called lounge area to sit down. He casually pulled a magazine from the bookshelf, glancing at the cover, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

The cover showcased photos of Leo DiCaprio and Helena Christensen, framed by a lightning bolt-shaped crack, with black text announcing, "Leonardo's relationship with Victoria's Secret Angel girlfriend ends; rumors suggest she initiated the breakup."

Just as he was about to open the magazine and read the article, the practice room door swung open, and a few girls walked in chatting. Following them was a tall, graceful woman in a snug white sports tank and form-fitting leggings, likely the studio's instructor.

Noticing Eric seated in the lounge, the girls wore expressions of disbelief, clearly questioning whether he was really the Eric Williams everyone knew.

Eric pointed to the changing room, "C'mon, go on in. Drew and the others are already changing."

As the girls disappeared, the yoga instructor approached Eric.

The woman looked to be in her thirties; her skin was slightly darker, showcasing some South Asian heritage, giving her a soft, warm appearance with dark hair and light brown eyes. Perhaps due to years of practicing yoga, she radiated a charming tranquility.

"Hello, Mr. Williams, I'm Victoria Price, the owner of this studio."

Seeing her slightly bow and extend her hand, Eric politely stood to shake her smooth, pale hand.

Feeling her fingertips graze his palm lightly, Eric wasn't unfamiliar with this situation, so he maintained his smile, saying, "Hello, Miss Price."

Victoria's expression remained composed as she continued, "Mr. Williams, we do have men's yoga attire available. Would you like one?"

Eric laughed and shook his head, lifting the magazine he held. "No thanks, I'll read for a bit while I watch Drew and the others practice."

Victoria Price, not ready to give up easily, pulled out a card from her tank top. "Mr. Williams, here's my business card. You might need it someday."

Eric observed her gesture and raised an eyebrow. He took the card and brought it to his nose, catching a hint of subtle, feminine perfume from it.

Chuckling, Eric slipped the card into his shirt pocket. "Great, I'll call you if I need it."

Victoria's complexion flushed slightly, especially when she heard the changing room door open again, clearly startled. "Well, I'll go get ready then."

With that, the woman turned and walked away. Gwyneth and a few girls stepped out first, casting skeptical glances at the hurriedly departing Victoria Price. Then, they quickly brightened and swaggered over to sit down next to Eric. "Eric, long time no see! What have you been busy with lately?"

Eric glanced at Paris Hilton coming out behind Gwyneth, casually saying, "A lot of things. How about you?"

Gwyneth followed Eric's gaze, her expression shifting slightly, then directly asked Paris Hilton, "Paris, could you help me roll out the yoga mat? Just place it over there."

As she spoke, Gwyneth pointed to an area only three or four meters away.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 873: Reality Shows]

Paris Hilton always lived a life of privilege, and now, hearing Gwyneth Paltrow bossing her around like a servant instinctively made her resistant. However, she didn't dare to refuse. She had put a lot of effort into getting into this supposedly elite circle of Hollywood best friends, and being very close with Drew, Gwyneth undoubtedly stood as the queen of this small group.

Though Paris nodded obediently, she didn't yield to Gwyneth's authority. Instead, she turned and ordered her little follower, "Kim, spread out everyone's yoga mats." After saying this, Paris quickly flashed an appealing smile at Gwyneth, adding, "Just let Kim do it."

Gwyneth noticed that Paris wasn't listening to her and firmly decided to oust this ungrateful little girl. Ignoring her, she leaned closer to Eric, ready to continue their conversation. Eric, who watched the interaction between the queen bee and her follower with amusement, asked the girl spreading out the yoga mats, "What's your name?"

After Eric asked this, Gwyneth, Paris, and a few other girls who had just come out of the dressing room all turned their attention to the girl kneeling on the wooden floor spreading the yoga mats.

Aside from Paris, the other girls, including Gwyneth, had no idea what the girl's name was. They didn't even care much about Paris, despite her being from the famous Hilton family. After all, Hollywood belonged to them, the 'natives.' To break into this circle, just having money wouldn't do; they would mock anyone who thought wealth alone was enough to gain entry as a clueless nouveau riche.

Looking at the girl now, who was just Paris's sidekick, she appeared a bit inexperienced, shorter than average, and not even a purebred white girl. The only thing notable about her was her chest.

Why would Eric be interested in such a girl?

The girl had never considered she would become the center of attention today. She didn't even expect Eric Williams to notice her. During their brief interaction, she merely dared to sneak a few glances at this incredibly young Hollywood mogul. It wasn't until all the girls' eyes turned toward her that she realized Eric had been talking to her. She quickly straightened up, her voice stuttering, and responded, "Y-yes, Mr. Williams, I'm Kim Kardashian."

Eric scanned Kim Kardashian, who still had a fairly normal figure at that time, and smiled enigmatically before nodding and saying, "Interesting."

Other girls continued to emerge from the dressing room. Drew who had changed into a pink long-sleeve yoga outfit whispered to Kate Hudson as she walked out, and upon hearing Eric's comment, she noticed Kim Kardashian still kneeling on the floor and walked over with a grin, asking, "Eric, what's interesting?"

Eric shook his head, replying, "Nothing much."

Drew tilted her head in confusion. One of the girls beside her took the opportunity to sneak a wink at Kim Kardashian while she smiled back but chose to ignore it, turning instead to the group of girls, saying, "Alright, let's get ready. We're only practicing for an hour today."

The girls instantly sprang into action, grabbing their yoga mats to spread them out on the floor.

Drew sat next to Eric and observed Kim Kardashian, who obediently resumed her task of helping set up the yoga mats, glancing over with some reluctance. She smiled and remarked, "Eric, are you interested in her?"

Eric chuckled, pulling the girl closer to him. "Yeah, I find her quite interesting."

Seeing that Eric had no intention of elaborating, she didn't press him. "I talked with everyone, and we thought we'd go to Kate's house for a barbecue at noon, then to another Kate's place for a party tonight. Her house is right next to Coldwater Canyon, and since Goldie is filming out of town, we have the whole place to ourselves! We could party all night long! Sound good?"

"Sure, I'm down for whatever you plan," Eric nodded, thinking the first Kate must have referred to Gwyneth. However, after glancing at the group of girls swarming the practice room and the new arrivals, there were easily seventeen or eighteen of them. He paused and asked them, "It won't just be them, right?"

"It was supposed to be a girls' weekend," she answered. "But if you want, we can invite our boyfriends too."

"Eh, let's not do that," Eric responded after considering it. Although his body was young, he definitely had nothing in common with a bunch of teenage boys. But being surrounded by girls was nice enough, even if they had no conversation.

The girl smiled and, seeing that everyone had set up their mats, noticed the yoga instructor named Victoria Price entering the practice room again. She leaned in and gave Eric a quick kiss on the cheek, saying, "Let's start practicing! Just one hour, it'll go by fast."

Eric patted the girl's waist. "Go ahead, I'll just read a magazine for a bit."

...

The hour of yoga proceeded quickly, and after leaving the yoga studio, the girls drove five cars to pick up barbecue supplies for lunch before heading to Gwyneth Paltrow's mansion, which was also in Beverly Hills. Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Paltrow were home, but after greeting Eric, they were promptly urged by Gwyneth to leave.

The barbecue began at eleven in the morning and stretched until one in the afternoon. Afterward, the girls made their way to Rodeo Drive to shop, but since Eric was present, Drew didn't take the larger group for a shopping spree. Instead, they targeted a few specialty stores and then headed straight to Kate Hudson's house. Even so, they still spent three hours, leaving Eric marveling at the shopping prowess of girls.

In a mansion halfway up Coldwater Canyon, the view wasn't as expansive as Drew's estate in Trousdale, but this mansion was somewhat larger. It was a European-style two-story villa, complete with a large swimming pool in the yard.

Eric didn't bother checking out the girls as they unpacked their shopping finds. Instead, he lounged by the poolside, soaking up the warm afternoon sun and listening to the muffled chatter of the girls.

Drew soon emerged from the villa, leaned over next to him, handed him a glass of juice, and waved her hand beside Eric's head to create a little breeze. "Eric, aren't you bored?"

"Not at all; it's quite interesting."

"Oh, really?" The girl sensed that Eric wasn't just being polite and felt a little skeptical. She regretted pulling Eric out today.

Eric sipped his juice through a straw, set the glass aside, and nodded. "Of course, it feels like I'm watching a reality show. Quite entertaining."

Drew blinked. "A reality show?"

"Yeah," Eric nodded, then suddenly shifted his body. "I just realized, this would make a really good idea."

Even after spending a whole day with a group of girls averaging just over twenty, Eric didn't find it boring. Observing these girls 'adventuring' around the much-coveted Beverly Hills and listening to their chattering about fashion, movies, and Hollywood gossip made him feel like he was getting an up-close view of a real-life Hollywood girl reality show. Remembering Kim Kardashian, who he had met that morning, he instantly thought -- why not make this a reality show?

Drew also caught on. "Eric, you're not suggesting we turn our experience today into a reality show, are you?"

Just then, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson, along with other girls, approached. Gwyneth curiously asked, "What reality show?"

Eric propped himself up, looked around at the girls surrounding him, and smiled. "I'm saying, let's make a reality show out of your lives. Would anyone want to participate?"

The core girls around Gwyneth didn't react. With their families' connections in Hollywood, they all had promising futures ahead. Even if they never became superstars, they'd never have to resort to participating in a reality show to boost their name.

However, among the group, it was clear not everyone had opportunities like Gwyneth and her friends. A few girls on the periphery immediately perked up and nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds awesome, Eric! What should we do?"

"Well, I haven't thought that far yet," he replied.

One girl asked, "Is it going to be like Project Runway?"

Eric shook his head. "No, Project Runway and Survivor are competitive reality shows. What we want is a lifestyle reality show."

Reality shows had only recently started to pop up, mostly as competitive types, and the format hadn't yet diversified as it would in the new century. So, immediately, another girl inquired, "What's a lifestyle reality show?"

A different girl chimed in, "Duh, it's obviously a reality show about life, right?"

This girl clearly didn't understand much herself, prompting laughter from the group.

Eric explained, "Unlike competitive reality shows, a lifestyle reality show involves capturing your lives over a period and then editing it for broadcast on television."

Gwyneth said, "Eric, if we do that, won't we have zero privacy?"

Eric shrugged and grinned. "To get famous, privacy is definitely going to be sacrificed, so if you're serious about participating, you'll need to think carefully."

The surrounding area fell silent for a moment. Gwyneth and her core group initially showed some interest but had now decided against it, as they weren't keen on revealing their private lives to the public. Nevertheless, even though a large portion of the girls appeared hesitant, many were clearly eager.

Drew laid next to Eric, realizing this type of reality show would fit perfectly with E! Entertainment. The network focused on fashion and entertainment, aimed at those intrigued by Hollywood gossip. Turning the much-envied Hollywood lifestyle into a reality show would certainly capture the attention of viewers.

However, noticing the mixed reactions among her friends, she didn't rush to comment, since the prospect of acquiring E! Entertainment was still in the early stages of contact, and it was better not to reveal such news prematurely.

"Alright, Eric, today is about entertainment time, so let's not talk about this for now. Guess what we just found?"

Eric looked around, puzzled. "What?"

Kate Hudson, who was on the other side of Eric, checked her watch. "They should be delivering it soon."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Kate sprang up and headed to the door, returning a moment later with a photo book in hand.

The girl had just sat up, and now she stood and moved closer, taking the book from Kate's hands and exclaiming, "Let me see! Wow, this is really hot! Hehe."

The girls immediately crowded around, chattering enthusiastically.

"Wow, is this Kate's mom?"

"So cool!"

"That hairstyle is nice; maybe I can get one too; I've wanted short hair forever."

"Are those tattoos?"

"..."

A lively chorus of discussions filled the room. Eric casually listened, probably able to guess the book's content -- it should be Goldie Hawn's body art photo collection. He hadn't expected the girl to actually manage to find it after he'd casually mentioned it.

As he thought, the girl already brought the book over to Eric, showing him, "Eric, is this it?"

Eric took it and flipped through a few pages, nodding. The photos featuring Goldie Hawn looked about twenty-something; in comparison to Kate Hudson, who could only be considered average-looking, Goldie had appeared far more attractive in her youth, with a bit of a cheeky vibe.

Kate Hudson leaned in and curiously asked, "Eric, why are you looking for my mom's photo collection?"

"Nothing; just came to mind," Eric briefly explained, handing the book back to her. He certainly didn't have a hobby of collecting photo books of other people's mothers while surrounded by a group of girls -- that would be too creepy.

However, before Kate could reach for it, the girl snatched it from her hands, grinning and addressing the crowd, "Alright everyone, I just thought of tonight's party theme! What do you think?"

"Drew, are you saying we should..."

"Of course," the girl quickly affirmed.

The group of girls immediately turned to Eric, with Gwyneth Paltrow saying, "So, what about Eric?"

Eric waved his hands immediately, "No, don't count me in. If you all want to have fun, I can be the photographer, take some pictures as keepsakes. That's what I'm good at!"

But the girls began to hoot. "No way, Eric! We're going to do body art; how can you not join us?"

"Yeah, if you aren't participating, then we won't join!"

"At the very least, you can't wear what you have on now; a shirt and pants don't look like party attire at all."

"Wonder if Eric has abs," one girl teased, her hand reaching over with mischief.

The girl giggled seeing her friends egging each other on, then said, "Alright, let's get some paint. Actually, not only can Eric be a photographer, but he's also really good at painting. If you all want any body art, he can do it for you!"

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[Chapter 874: The Small Box]

Within half an hour, someone delivered a full set of colorful painting tools, which covered an entire long table in the yard. Nearby, on the lawn, they had set up a mini photo studio. This was clearly one of the countless conveniences that only rich people could enjoy.

Eric was urged by the girls to change out of his original outfit and was now wearing only a pair of board shorts. The girls had also changed into beautiful swimsuits, excitedly gathering around the long table filled with painting tools. As Eric skillfully mixed the dyes, Gwyneth Paltrow asked, "Eric, these things won't harm our skin, right?"

The privileged girls were clearly concerned, their eyes revealing their worries.

"Of course not. These are plant-based pigments. It's the acrylic and other chemical dyes that are toxic," Eric explained, mixing the last pigment with water before looking up. "Alright, let's get started. Once you mix the paint, we can begin to draw."

Kate Hudson chimed in, "Eric, we don't know what to do. What should we draw?"

"Doodles! Just draw whatever comes to mind. The more casual, the better. This is a great opportunity for brainstorming," Eric replied. Seeing the girls still looking confused, he added, "Alright, I'll demonstrate first. Who wants to be my model?"

Before the eager girls could respond, Drew cheerfully said, "Of course, it's me!"

With that, no one dared to compete with her. The girls who had been surrounding the long table gathered closer, forming a circle around Eric and Drew.

As Eric saw Drew standing in front of him, he pulled a stool over and took a good look at her delicate figure wrapped in a light blue bikini. He smiled and said, "Let's brainstorm together. If you can't think of anything, just grab a dictionary, flip to a random word, and let your imagination flow. However, if you can come up with a theme, that would definitely be even better."

Gwyneth Paltrow's eyes sparkled as she blurted out, "Eric Williams!"

Eric looked puzzled. "What?"

Gwyneth laughed, "You told us to brainstorm! That's what I just thought of -- Eric Williams."

"Right, right, Eric Williams," the girls responded in unison, starting a playful uproar. "Eric, how do we draw that?"

Drew looked at Eric with a joyful anticipation.

Eric chuckled and nodded. "Alright."

Saying this, Eric thought for a few seconds and instead of picking up a brush, he dipped his left fingertips into various pigments on the palette. He skillfully painted a layer on his right palm and then leaned closer to Drew. He reached out and printed a rainbow-like handprint on Drew's slim waist.

The girls looked over curiously, and while they all agreed it was beautiful, one of them questioned, "Eric, but how does this relate to 'Eric Williams'?"

"Of course," Eric nodded. "An image can transform into anything -- words, cartoons, related concepts, as long as there's a connection. If you all said 'Eric Williams,' and I just drew a little self-portrait on it, that would be quite boring, right? Now, let's keep going."

The girls clearly agreed with Eric's perspective, and no one protested further. As soon as he finished speaking, Kate Hudson jumped in with a series of numbers: "10880!"

All the girls knew the story behind '10880' and started laughing along.

"It seems like you're making me the theme," Eric chuckled. He picked up a brush and wrote the orange printed number '10880' on Drew's arm. "What's next?"

"Pandora aliens! Pandora aliens!"

"Hmm, that's a bit challenging."

Eric replied quickly and picked a fine brush, motioning for Drew to come closer. He dipped it into some sky blue dye and lightly drew two sky blue tentacles above her bikini top. Then he switched brushes and added a cartoonishly cute baby head beneath the tentacles, adding two little hands on the fabric of her top. Once finished, the doodle resembled a small Pandora alien peeking out with big blue eyes, looking around.

"Wow, that's so cute!"

"Ha, Eric, is that how you looked when you were a kid?"

"That must be a pretty colorful Pandora alien, haha."

As the comments bounced around, the atmosphere grew even livelier. The girls began shouting out words related to Eric -- Jurassic Park, the Shell Villa, Victoria's Secret Angels, Fireflies, and so on. After more than half an hour, Drew's body was covered in over twenty doodles.

After drawing a little dinosaur that seemed to want to climb up her calf, Eric put down the brush and said, "Alright, no more! This is just right; too many would look messy."

Drew raised her arm and twirled around, saying, "What does everyone think?"

"Way too cool."

"Eric draws amazingly!"

"Even prettier than Kate's doodle from mom!"

The girls looked at the doodles on Drew's body, showering her with praise. Eric had developed an interest in animation from a young age, honing his drawing skills through his school years and continuing through college, accumulating over a decade of practice. Because of his studies, his artistic foundation was nearly on par with that of a professional artist. While they were simple doodles, the aesthetic beauty he captured was far beyond what ordinary people could create casually.

Drew proudly showed off her painted body, then pulled Eric and said, "Eric, take my photo! I need to compile a thick photo book today."

Eric was pulled up by Drew and nodded at the other girls. "Alright then, you all can express yourselves now, and I'll help you take photos later."

As the girls eagerly rushed to the table to pick their paints, excitedly chatting away, it had already turned to evening. The light was a little dim, and beside the makeshift photography setup, Eric, with the help of the twins, finished adjusting the lights. He looked at them, who, despite wearing bikinis, seemed somewhat out of place among the other girls. "You guys should go and have some fun as well."

The twins merely shook their heads and quietly stepped away.

Eric didn't insist. In terms of looks and physique, the twins far surpassed the girls present and, thus, were hard to accept. After all, most girls would only choose peers whose appearance and physique were less than theirs as followers, just like Paris Hilton picking Kim Kardashian as her sidekick. Only Drew had the audacity to proudly bring the twins along, seemingly unafraid of being overshadowed.

Drew struck a pose in front of the photography backdrop. Hearing Eric's words to the twins, she said cheerfully, "Eric, you can draw some doodles on them too! I always brought Natasha along when I did my skincare routine; their skin might be even better than mine!"

As Eric adjusted the lights, he sensed the twins glance at him simultaneously, only to quickly look away again. He smiled and said, "Natasha's best without any drawings."

Drew wrinkled her nose and retorted, "Hmph, you compliment other women right in front of me. I'll get jealous, you know!"

Eric walked to the camera and checked the angle. "Alright, no teasing. Let's start shooting, and lift your chin a bit. Good, hold that pose."

With the constant sound of the shutter and several rolls of film quickly used up, just as Eric was about to change the film, two girls came running over from the long table playfully pushing each other.

Gwyneth Paltrow burst out laughing as she reached Eric, using him as a shield against Kate Hudson, who was chasing her with a soda bottle in her hand. "Gwyneth, stop right there! You painted this ugly, you must be doing it on purpose!"

Gwyneth shot back, "I did not! I drew it seriously!"

Eric propped himself against the camera tripod, glancing at Kate Hudson. Most of the doodles on her body were dark, clashing with her light pink bikini. Although it wasn't horrendous, it could hardly be considered attractive.

Watching the two girls chase each other around him with no sign of stopping, Eric interjected, "Alright, don't break the camera now."

Kate Hudson stopped, pointing at her body's doodles, looking offended. "Eric, look! Gwyneth did this all messy; it's so ugly!"

Gwyneth stood beside Eric, deliberately linking her arm with his. "That's just because your figure wasn't good to begin with."

Kate Hudson immediately raised the soda bottle again, "I'll hit you!"

Gwyneth glanced over at Drew, who was approaching, and then looked at her own 'work' on Kate Hudson. In comparison, her own doodles were truly appallingly bad.

She shook Eric's arm, feeling unsatisfied. "Eric, it looks so easy when you draw, but why does my drawing look so bad?"

"Uh, have you practiced any English lettering? Like cursive?"

Gwyneth and Kate shook their heads.

Eric explained, "It's simple. People who have specifically practiced letters have a fundamental skill, so even when they doodle, it looks great. But if you haven't practiced, no matter how carefully you write, it just lacks beauty. Drawing is much the same."

Hearing their side chatter, the other girls gathered around, listening as Eric spoke. They started comparing Drew's doodles to their own, realizing that whether individually or as a whole, Eric's doodles looked much more comfortable and visually appealing. Despite putting thought into their own drawings, something about them seemed to lack aesthetic charm.

This wasn't just due to drawing skill; it also involved a personal sense of aesthetics. As a director, Eric's pursuit of visual beauty was practically instinctual. For instance, Drew's tattoos were well-done because she wore a light blue bikini, and Eric mostly used warm colors, keeping the overall doodles cartoonish and neatly arranged. Even though other girls had studied drawing, they couldn't easily achieve that level.

"Ha," Kate Hudson said after listening to Eric's explanation. Realizing something, she glanced at Gwyneth and said, "Speaking of, you really are a little slow."

Gwyneth retorted, "If you're able to produce a result like Eric, then go ahead!"

Kate Hudson replied, "Of course! It's my turn to draw on you."

"No way! I won't let you touch me! It'll definitely look worse," Gwyneth protested, shaking her head. She then turned to Eric, "Eric, come help me draw!"

"I still need to help Drew with her photos. You girls...uh, go play."

"I see you've taken several rolls of film already; isn't that enough?" Gwyneth said, turning to Drew. "Drew, can Eric help me draw something, please?"

Drew, wishing to rest for a while, knew that if any of her friends got a chance to steal her man, they wouldn't hesitate. However, she had enough confidence in Eric. Besides, even if he did show interest in any girl, she honestly wouldn't mind much; who knows who would be the lucky one?

Smiling, Drew said, "Sure, go ahead, and I'll get something to eat."

Gwyneth immediately dragged Eric toward the long table. Kate Hudson followed suit, wrapping her other arm around Eric's, saying, "Eric, can you draw on me too?"

Eric nodded as he watched Drew head toward the buffet. "Okay, if time allows."

"Then I'll go take a shower!" Kate Hudson said excitedly, letting go of Eric and walking into the villa.

The other girls crowded around Eric, pleading for his attention.

Eric waved his hand dismissively. "Don't be silly; if I drew you all, we wouldn't finish by tomorrow morning."

The girls looked disappointed, yet some were still unwilling to yield, gathering around to watch Gwyneth Paltrow standing proudly before Eric.

Eric glanced at Gwyneth in her black bikini, opting not to ask for her approval. He picked a brown brush and began painting a small box-like pattern near her navel.

"Eric, what is this?" Gwyneth looked down and noticed the curious gazes of the other girls around her.

Eric smiled and said, "Take a guess! Of course, there's no prize for guessing right."

Even though he said that, the girls immediately began speculating.

"Pandora's Box!"

"Apple crate!"

"Pet house!"

"..."

Amidst the buzzing chatter, Eric simply smiled and shook his head.

Moments later, most of the girls furrowed their brows in disappointment. A hesitant voice floated from the outskirts of the crowd. "I, um, watched Se7en last week; this looks like the box that contained Tracy's head, same color and style."

The girls turned to look and discovered it was a girl named Kim Kardashian, who earlier seemed to catch Eric's eye but had quickly been overlooked by everyone else.

However, it wasn't like no one had seen Se7en. After Kim Kardashian's comment, when they looked back at the small box on Gwyneth's abdomen, it did resemble it somewhat.

A moment of silence ensued before some girls muttered, "A box for a severed head? No way, that's too creepy."

Although they recognized Kim Kardashian's deduction somewhat, they clearly didn't want to accept that a mere flunky had cracked the riddle.

Eric glanced at Kim Kardashian and nodded, smiling. "That's right; it's the box containing Tracy's head."

The girls erupted into a collective gasp.

Gwyneth also felt a shiver run down her spine and lifted her hand, tempted to wipe away the design, but glanced at Eric, curiously asking, "Eric, why draw this?"

"I was planning to sketch a horror-themed tattoo. If you're scared, just let someone else take your place," Eric replied, laughing earnestly without any hint of macabre pleasure.

"I will."

"Eric, I will!"

"Let me do it! I love horror films!"

Gwyneth initially felt uncomfortable; however, when several girls clamored to take her spot, she said, "Of course not! I love horror films too!"

"Alright then, for the next movie, everyone throw your ideas out."

"Scream! The ghost face!"

Eric laughed and nodded, picking a brush and standing up. "This would be better drawn on a shoulder."

Gwyneth Paltrow willingly turned sideways, and from time to time, she squeezed in a chat with Eric.

This time, the process was quicker. Within half an hour, Gwyneth was already decorated with various symbols from classic Hollywood horror movies.

After a show-off turn in the style of Drew, Gwyneth suddenly remembered something. "Eric, can I get an 'Eric Williams' handprint?"

Eric looked her over and chuckled, "There's no space left! Adding more would look bad."

Gwyneth slyly glanced back towards the villa, where Drew had just led the twins inside.

Every time she thought of Drew's obedient twins and the grand Throisdale Manor, as well as the substantial fortune that Drew had thanks to her position as a major shareholder at MGM, Gwyneth felt a pang of jealousy like being scratched by a wildcat.

Why could that little flunky enjoy what she couldn't?

Taking a deep breath discreetly, Gwyneth quickly made up her mind, her lips curling into a playful smile as she said, "How can there be none? There's still room!"

As she spoke, with the astonished gazes of the surrounding girls, Gwyneth reached back and unfastened her bikini strings, confidently lifting herself. "Eric, there's definitely room for two more prints!"

Eric raised an eyebrow at her while the surrounding girls laughed and teased. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, Eric! Are you afraid?"

"Alright," Eric laughed and nodded. "But I think printing on one side would look better. Asymmetrical doodles actually have more feel."

"Then you have to draw something on the other side."

"Sure!" Eric replied, selecting a dye and applying some paint to his palm. He casually printed it on Gwyneth's chest without hesitation.

Then he added a large white shark, its mouth open, on the other side. Seemingly 'unfulfilled,' Eric raised his hands and laughed, "So, who else wants it?"

"Ah!"

"Haha, Eric, you naughty!"

"You're not taking advantage of me!"

"Not a chance!"

As the girls played around, ultimately, each of them ended up with an 'Eric Williams' handprint somewhere on their bodies, though few were as bold as Gwyneth Paltrow.

They continued having fun until after 2 AM, not only exhausting all the pigments but also using up all the film for photos. They even called for a hundred more rolls in the middle of the night, which were quickly depleted as well.

The European-style villa had eight guest rooms, sufficient for everyone to stay the night. By the end of the night, no girl left; they all rested in the villa.

...

Eric, who woke before 7 AM, wasn't sure if it was due to sleeping in a strange bed. In his arms, Drew was sound asleep. He gently got up, dressed, and washed up before stepping out of the guest room.

Perhaps it was too early, but the twins who usually woke early were still asleep, leaving the villa in peaceful silence.

He made his way down the spiral staircase to the living room, where the girls had danced until the end of the party. The place still looked somewhat chaotic, with beverage bottles scattered everywhere, and the sound system in the corner still buzzing strangely.

Eric approached the speakers but couldn't quite figure out what the issue was, so he simply unplugged it, ending the noise.

Stepping outside, the sun had already risen, and the fresh, cool morning air invigorated him.

Not knowing if the Hudsons had subscribed to a newspaper, Eric walked to the front door and noted a thin film-wrapped newspaper stuffed into the mailbox. He retrieved it and returned to the yard, poured himself a cup of milk in the kitchen, and sat down at the long table where the pigments had been arranged the night before.

Like the living room, the yard was a bit of a mess; some dye had spilled on the ground, which would likely be quite a task to clean up. The photography area still stood proudly on the lawn, only the expensive Leica camera had been packed away.

Eric paid little attention to his surroundings and calmly sipped his milk while flipping through today's newspaper when a figure darted out from the villa -- it was Kim Kardashian.

"Morning!" Eric turned and casually greeted her. He didn't have much interest in this girl but felt the situation was rather coincidental.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 875: Strong Opening Weekend]

Kim Kardashian struggled to sleep all night, preoccupied with Eric's question about her name from the day before.

Instinctively, Kim felt that Eric must be interested in her. At first, she was excited about the prospect of being close to someone so significant; she imagined that if she could associate with a big shot like him, no one would ever ignore her again.

However, as the day unfolded, Eric's attitude toward her remained nonchalant, which left her feeling both anxious and disappointed. After the party ended, she tossed and turned for hours. As the first light of dawn crept through her window, she finally got out of bed, not expecting to see Eric already awake, sitting in the yard reading the newspaper.

When Eric greeted her, Kim quickly replied, "Good morning, Mr. Williams."

She stood there for a moment, waiting. When she noticed Eric had shifted his focus back to the paper, she hesitantly walked over to the opposite side of the long table and sat down. Leaning in, she tried to strike up a conversation, "Mr. Williams, are you reading the Los Angeles Times?"

"Yep." Eric replied casually, taking a sip of milk. He glanced at Kim Kardashian sitting across from him, leaning slightly toward him. Dressed only in a form-fitting white tank top, her chest seemed almost prominently displayed on the table, causing Eric to choke slightly, spraying milk out.

Kim noticed Eric's gaze and felt a bit proud until he coughed. She quickly got up and moved closer, asking, "Mr. Williams, are you okay?"

Eric waved her back, seeing her extend a box of tissues towards him. He took it and pointed to the table. "Stay there, sit opposite me."

Kim hesitated, feeling a bit rejected but still tried to maintain the previous posture. After Eric cleaned up the milk stains on his shirt, Kim found the courage to say, "Mr. Williams, I... I'm serious about this."

Eric unfolded the newspaper and casually remarked, "It looks fake."

"No, it's real," Kim shook her head, surveyed the empty surroundings, and boldly continued, "If you don't believe me, you can touch and see for yourself."

"Forget it. Even if I touch it, I won't give you a certificate." Eric laughed and shook his head. "Are you from New York?"

When Kim heard Eric ask her a question, she quickly responded, "Yeah, how did you know?"

Eric shrugged, "I just figured, the Hiltons must live in New York."

Kim didn't want Eric to think of her as just Paris Hilton's sidekick. She stammered in her explanation, "I... I'm just classmates with her. We came to Los Angeles for the summer together. And, um, I live with my dad. He's a businessman and used to run a record label; now he's in the juice business."

Something felt off to Eric, so he looked up and asked, "Is your dad named Robert Kardashian?"

Kim's eyes lit up, and she quickly nodded, "Yes! Mr. Williams, do you know him?"

That was right. Robert Kardashian, the renowned defense attorney from the Simpson murder trial. However, it felt odd because this was clearly information from Eric's past life. According to his memories, the Simpson case occurred in 1994, and due to deep-rooted racial issues and the backdrop of the recent Los Angeles riots, it had dominated people's attention across America. It was a sensational case in its time.

However, it was now 1997 in this timeline, and Eric hadn't heard anything about the Simpson case, indicating that some events had changed course.

"I think I heard someone mention it," Eric replied vaguely to Kim, but then another thought crossed his mind, "From what you said, your parents must be divorced?"

"Yeah, my stepdad is Bruce Jenner. He used to be an Olympic champion, but now he focuses on television."

"Oh, and what about your mom?"

"Her name is Kris," Kim said, then added, "My mom loves the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show; she often says that one day she wants to be part of a reality show."

Eric didn't expect Kim to bring that up suddenly, reminding him of the idea he had about a reality show focused on Hollywood girls. It was clear that a producer was needed. He and the girls couldn't do everything themselves. Bruce Jenner and Kris Jenner, who in the original timeline had created Keeping Up with the Kardashians, stood out as the perfect candidates. They might lack some production experience, but Hollywood, with its millions of industry professionals, was never short of talented creators. What they lacked was not technical skill, but rather the kind of bold ideas that could become successful and the execution to make those ideas come to life. The Jenner couple had experience in generating buzz.

Organizing his thoughts, Eric smiled and asked, "Is your mom really interested in reality shows?"

Kim looked a bit puzzled but nodded, "Yeah."

"How about this," Eric wandered his gaze around and pulled a piece of paper from the newspaper he had, grabbed a pen, and wrote down a phone number. He handed it to Kim and said, "This is my assistant's office number. Pass this on to your mom. Of course, you mentioned your stepdad is focused on television, so he can get involved as well."

Kim took the piece of paper with the number, momentarily bewildered. Although she was still in high school, her upbringing had given her ample life experience. She instinctively felt that her family's life might change dramatically because of this phone number. Gripping it tightly, she stammered, "Mr. Williams, what... then what?"

"Do you remember the reality show idea I mentioned yesterday about Hollywood girls? Tell them that within a week, I need to see a reality show proposal. If I'm satisfied with it, I can let your stepdad and mom be the producers."

"Ah," Kim found it hard to believe. Being a producer in Hollywood was one of the most powerful positions one could have. Also, TV producers often had even more authority than film producers. Looking again at the number, Kim hesitated and asked, "Mr. Williams, you can't be joking with me, right?"

Eric shook his head and joked, "With those assets you have, I doubt you'd get my humor."

Kim merely flushed at that comment and said, "But my stepdad and mom are in New York, and my mom takes care of my two younger sisters, Kendall and Kylie, who aren't even three years old yet."

Eric shrugged, "That's not my problem. If I don't see a proposal in a week, it's off the table."

Kim didn't dare negotiate with Eric and nodded obediently, "Okay."

...

Since it was a summer weekend, the girls didn't wake up until close to noon. After the twins woke up, Eric had them drive him back to the estate where the girls lived in Trousdale. He spent the morning handling some work emails and had planned to start outlining the Fast and Furious script in the afternoon. However, once all the girls gathered around him, they dragged him into another day of fun.

...

After three days of the weekend, The Lion King II debuted at the box office with a $38.9 million, while Con Air, the runner-up, only managed to bring in $24.1 million, a difference of over $14 million.

Comparing this to May's release of The Fifth Element, which Sony had mismanaged, resulting in just over $22 million during its opening weekend, the performance of Con Air wasn't too shabby. However, even without mentioning that Firefly Group's Titanic had just crossed the $600 million mark before finally leaving theaters, Con Air's numbers paled in comparison to The Lion King.

Simultaneously, due to several key international markets opening at the same time, their revenue also fell short of expectations. Added to that, Con Air's reviews only managed to scrape by at a passing grade, which led the projections firms and Firefly's distribution department to cut their original $300 million global box office expectations significantly.

Seeing that major blockbuster hits like Godzilla and Batman Robin were set to release in quick succession, The Hollywood Reporter even lowered Con Air's North American box office prediction to $80 million, while the global projection sat at $180 million. Firefly Group internally adjusted Con Air's global forecast down to $200 million. According to those estimates, it was unlikely that Con Air would bring in profit for Firefly. The company had to bank on the future home video and merchandise sales for revenue.

While anyone with knowledge of the industry knew that The Lion King II and Con Air weren't serious box office competitors, it was undoubtedly a fact that The Lion King II had vastly outperformed Con Air. The earlier promotional efforts had heavily suppressed Paramount Pictures, who now exaggerated The Lion King II's 'hard-fought' victory. After the opening weekend revealed the numbers, they were eager to announce a celebratory party.

...

Meanwhile, Paramount's consecutive animation hits, Pocahontas and The Lion King II, contrasted sharply with Firefly's failure to release even one animated film the prior year. This led to rising doubts about Eric's decision to sell Disney's animation studio, with a San Francisco newspaper calling it "Hollywood's dumbest business decision."

With these critiques surfacing, the soon-to-be-released Finding Nemo garnered more attention than ever.

The higher-ups at Firefly had already viewed the finished product of Finding Nemo. While they acknowledged its excellence, most lacked confidence that it could surpass The Lion King II. After all, the release date was squished between Godzilla and Batman Robin. Despite recognizing this, there was no way to adjust the schedule anymore. Everyone could only hope that Godzilla and Batman Robin wouldn't rake in too high of a box office to allow Finding Nemo more breathing room.

...

Although the core actors had yet to be confirmed, the creative teams for both Spider-Man and Iron Man had been assembled. Cameron and his longtime collaborator Jon Landau were handling Spider-Man, while Eric personally took on the role of producer for Iron Man. Marvel had also officially signed Joss Whedon to direct.

After the weekend, Eric began frequent meetings with Marvel's executives and the main creatives from both teams to discuss the scripts, casting, budgets, and other issues for Iron Man and Spider-Man.

Preliminary estimates suggested that special effects technology development and testing would require another six months.

Moreover, due to the large scale of production, if anything went awry during filming, it could cost the company over a million dollars a day. Thus, the preparatory work had to be meticulously reviewed, prolonging this period to exceed six months -- delays of a few years weren't uncommon either. In the previous timeline, Iron Man had been in development since the 1990s, with its official shoot not happening until 2007. Cameron's Avatar sequel ended up taking more than a decade to complete.

Eric certainly didn't want either project to drag on for that long.

The schedule for Iron Man had tentatively set the shooting to commence in March of the following year, with filming expected to last four months. The special effects production could take up to eight months. If everything went smoothly, the film was set to complete in March 1999, ready for a summer release that year.

As for Spider-Man, Cameron had practically scrapped the previous script and was in the process of crafting a brand-new storyline.

Additionally, Cameron recently had a bold idea: to enhance the realism of Peter Parker swinging between skyscrapers in New York, he wanted the digital team to develop an entire suite of special effects software for that purpose. These innovations would undoubtedly take additional time, so Eric just hoped this project could commence shooting by the end of next year. As long as it made it in time for the summer of 2000, they would be golden.

...

While overseeing these two projects at Marvel, Eric managed to draft an outline for Fast and Furious, which he handed over to the girl to find a screenwriter to flesh it out.

Historically, the series had a rocky development. The first installment was a success, seen as a fluke, followed by subsequent films that didn't perform well until the fourth entry finally entered Hollywood's mainstream big-budget territory.

This time, though Eric wouldn't have to navigate as many obstacles, he also knew it wouldn't happen overnight. The first script still closely followed the narrative of the original first film because, after all, the fourth installment's success could also be attributed to the gradual rise in popularity from its predecessors.

...

Workdays flew by, and on June 6, while The Lion King II and Con Air's opening weekend numbers were coming in, Sony's highly anticipated Godzilla was set to powerfully debut across over 3,300 screens in North America.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 876: Cold Water on the Head]

Since its birth in 1954, Godzilla had undoubtedly become one of the most famous monsters in the world.

As the first major film featuring Godzilla in Hollywood, equipped with the most popular CG effects in recent years, it was enough to draw moviegoers into theaters simply because of the monster's fame. Sony Pictures had high hopes for Godzilla, not only offering Roland Emmerich an unprecedented $20 million salary plus a 15% share of the North American box office, but also ambitiously planning a trilogy from the start. The production budget for the first film rose from an initial $120 million all the way to $150 million. Inspired by the unprecedented global box office success of Titanic, Sony decided to increase the movie's marketing budget to $70 million, aiming confidently for a $1 billion global box office gross.

With a barrage of television trailers and pervasive poster campaigns, Godzilla quickly became the most anticipated blockbuster of the summer. Viewer anticipation surpassed that of other summer hits like Batman Robin and Casino Royale.

Under Sony's extravagant marketing campaign, few in Hollywood doubted that Godzilla would be the season's most box office-dominating film. To avoid overshadowing Godzilla, the schedule for the week following its June 6 release was practically entirely blocked off by its presence. Even the smaller film companies, known for releasing indie films in the summer, hesitated to compete with it.

The film opened on over 3,300 screens, setting a record for the largest opening since The Mummy 2 the previous year. In the aftermath of Titanic's record-breaking box office, the entire film industry held its breath, uncertain if Hollywood would soon see another box office giant. As a result, besides Sony Pictures, most Hollywood studios watched Godzilla's box office data with bated breath. Even if Godzilla showed only half the box office potential of Titanic, it would still impact the performance of other films that followed.

Godzilla seemed to live up to expectations, raking in $6.25 million on its opening night. It's worth noting that a few years prior, Jurassic Park had also set a midnight screening record with only $4.59 million. However, as the saying goes, the higher you stand, the harder you fall.

Following the strong opening on midnight, North American newspapers wasted no time pouring cold water on the blockbuster fame of Godzilla.

...

"It's spectacular, truly spectacular, but it seems that not all effect-driven blockbusters can hit the mark," Elisabeth sighed after scanning the faxes from the Fox Distribution Department early that morning, with a hint of excitement tinged by a sour tone.

Despite its connections with Firefly and having stakes in the digital branch office in Australia, allowing them to use top-tier special effects resources, Fox had no CG effect films planned for that year. Aside from the nearly hands-off Phantom Menace, their other projects were still in the early planning stages.

Eric, starting breakfast, joked as he opened his laptop, glancing at Elisabeth, "What year is it? Using faxes like it's still the Stone Age? Let me introduce you to Yahoo's enterprise email system."

Elisabeth rolled her eyes at Eric, scoffing, "Oh, come on! It was so pricey; I nearly got it shot down by the board when I submitted the budget. I should have just used AOL," she grumbled, suddenly remembering that America Online was also part of the Firefly investment, then added defensively, "Maybe Microsoft's enterprise email could work too."

Julia brought breakfast back from the kitchen as she sat at the table, asking, "Liz, what were you saying about spectaculars -- was it the review for Godzilla?"

Elisabeth perked up, "Yes, listen to this part! This is just some of the reviews collated from the office this morning."

"Entertainment Weekly: Despite a few thrilling visuals, this $150 million sci-fi junk leaves more awkwardness than awe."

"Variety: Ignoring the dull grand scenes, this monster film gives an overall disjointed vibe; the director clearly missed the essence of the story."

"And Roger Ebert also weighed in on the Chicago Sun-Times: 'You'd have to be entirely brain-dead to enjoy a film like this, but my logic keeps insisting on showing up in its unwelcome places.' Haha, Roger's probably on PR duty, but while the review sounds mild, it's still quite embarrassing."

"This Arizona Daily Star didn't hold back at all: 'Unbearably drab and tedious. It's hard to imagine who would enjoy this turd of a film.' Tsk, tsk, I wonder if Sony offended that critic to get such a harsh review."

"..."

After Elisabeth rattled off more than ten newspaper reviews, Eric had only heard two that could loosely be considered positive. Most major film companies in Hollywood were concerned about Godzilla's box office, and Eric opened his email to find that Firefly had sent over some analysis and data about Godzilla.

According to Friday's reviews from dozens of mainstream American newspapers, Godzilla had already pulled an overall score of 3 -- a level that signaled it was utterly unwatchable.

Even though Godzilla's midnight earnings reached $6.25 million, Firefly's distribution department predicted that under the impact of such a poor reputation, Godzilla's first-week gross could barely exceed $80 million -- well below Sony's hopes for a $100 million opening.

Julia, incredulous, remarked after Elisabeth finished reading, "With a production cost of $150 million, it can't be that bad, right?"

"Waterworld cost $175 million and got slammed. But Godzilla seems to be faring worse; Waterworld had a score of 4," Elisabeth replied while flipping through the fax papers in her hand. "Godzilla's score is down to 3 already and will probably plummet to one or two soon. This is absurdly bad. Eric, are you messing with the numbers?"

Eric closed the Godzilla analysis file and opened an email with last week's box office statistics, laughing as he responded, "Did you forget your last name? Can't you still tell if I'm messing around?"

"Humph, who knows what tricks you have up your sleeve? But I'm kind of curious -- why don't we go see the movie tonight?"

"Not tonight, Robert Iger is in New York, and I'm meeting him and Jeffery for dinner. Let's do it tomorrow; I'll reserve a small theater in advance."

"It's rare for you to want to join us on a weekend." Elisabeth's eyes lit up with joy, quickly shifting the topic. "By the way, how did last week's box office do?"

"The Lion King 2 took first place with $55.7 million, and Con Air scored $34.2 million in second," Eric informed, just touching on those two films without elaborating further. He smiled, "Both of these films' box office numbers weren't that impressive. The total weekend gross was just $130 million, far below the usual $200 million for summer blocks. So, if you had listened to me and released Ice Age the week before The Lion King 2, they would have benefited immensely from each other's box office."

"I won't be your cannon fodder. Ice Age is Blue Sky Studios' first film; if it flops, that would really hit hard. Why didn't you just put Finding Nemo before The Lion King 2?"

"I was trying to give Paramount a fighting chance; we can't just bully everyone. Ice Age is different; it cost only $59 million, so the pressure is not too big for recovery, making it still suitable to coexist with big titles."

"Ah, please."

...

Due to its dismal ratings, although Godzilla managed an impressive midnight box office of $6.25 million, on the following Friday, it only earned $17.5 million, and on Saturday, its takings only slightly increased to $19.3 million. By Sunday, Godzilla's daily earnings plummeted to a mere $16.7 million.

Despite its total weekend earnings hitting $59.75 million comfortably securing it the summer weekend record, continuous bad reviews from the media caused Godzilla's appeal to seemingly evaporate by the weekdays, with daily earnings collapsing to just over $4.3 million. The trend persisted throughout the following workdays as Godzilla's daily grosses continued to dwindle.

Ultimately, Godzilla's first-week box office totaled just over $73.66 million. While this figure might seem strong compared to The Lion King 2's $55.7 million debut, given Sony's massive marketing blitz budgeting $70 million and the industry's general expectation of Godzilla crossing the $100 million mark in the first week, this number still couldn't be viewed as a success.

Moreover, the film's rock-bottom reviews assured that it would face a significant drop in box office in the following week. In contrast, The Lion King 2 had only seen a minor 24% drop after its $55.7 million opening, taking in $42.33 million the following week. Within two weeks, The Lion King 2 had amassed $98.03 million, just shy of the $100 million mark, which put additional pressure on the upcoming Finding Nemo.

However, due to Godzilla's less impressive market performance, Con Air also saw a significant drop of 32.3%, rebounding from its $34.2 million initial figure to bank $23.15 million in its second week. Its two-week earnings amounted to $57.35 million, highlighting its potential to cross the $100 million threshold.

...

Eric had taken Elisabeth and Julia to see Godzilla the Saturday it premiered.

Although he noted many differences from his memories, after watching the film, Eric couldn't help but agree that even without commenting on the weak, dinosaur-like portrayal of Godzilla, the overall quality of the film did not exceed what the media had criticized.

Anyone familiar with Roland Emmerich's work knew he had a penchant for multi-thread narrative structures that contributed significantly to the box office triumph of films like Independence Day and 2012.

However, this narrative technique had its limitations, and it clearly suited global disaster spectacles better, showcasing various societal reactions to catastrophic events.

Unfortunately, this kind of narrative style didn't fit well with monster films like Godzilla. A monster rampaging through Manhattan while the film juggled an unnecessary cast of characters effectively lost focus and made the entire storyline feel fragmented and chaotic. In such a scenario, viewers would lose patience waiting through a long and tedious film.

By the film's conclusion, Godzilla, who was supposed to be fearsome, was easily dispatched by human missiles, leaving an audience that had been tortured for two hours feeling no sense of release -- no wonder they were frustrated.

Outside North America, Japan -- Godzilla's most crucial overseas market -- reacted even more harshly with critical reviews. With the film vastly underperforming expectations, Japanese fans responded with a largely resistant attitude toward this film, hinging on the complete manipulation of Godzilla's image.

Sony had originally anticipated Godzilla's box office in Japan would match its North American performance. However, in the week that Godzilla premiered in Japan, it could only manage an equivalent of less than $8 million, a mere seventh of its North American earnings.

Toho, which held the copyright to Godzilla, stated post-release that they might consider reclaiming Sony's rights on Godzilla film production, possibly resorting to legal action if necessary.

A first-week figure of over $73 million seemed, on the surface, in no way disastrous.

Yet, everyone understood this sum resulted from preposterous marketing spending of $70 million amidst consistent abominable reviews. Under such overwhelmingly negative circumstances, Godzilla could break records when it came to box office drops. Its failure was now a foregone conclusion -- the already shaky Sony Pictures was thrown into further turmoil once again.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 877: A Tight Grip]

Morton's Restaurant, Beverly Hills.

Roland Emmerich sat across from Bill Mechanic, the CEO of Columbia Pictures, awkwardly picking at the steak on his plate. He tried to ignore the occasional glances from surrounding diners and regretted his decision to eat at this Hollywood hotspot today.

It was the second week since Godzilla hit theaters, and it had received a flurry of negative reviews throughout the week. With the morning box office numbers from the film's opening week released, Roland felt no relief whatsoever. He secretly drove to a few theaters in the San Fernando Valley that afternoon to check attendance. Compared to the crowded houses of the previous Friday, most auditoriums showing Godzilla now looked mostly empty. He couldn't even bear to think about how much the box office would drop this week -- by sixty percent, seventy percent, or possibly worse?

There was no doubt about it; Godzilla was shaping up to be a significant setback in his career.

After years of hard work, Roland had accumulated a fortune of tens of millions of dollars. Even with his $20 million salary for Godzilla and future box office shares, he could comfortably retire now and live a worry-free life.

However, in Hollywood, success was not solely defined by money. Most people put a greater emphasis on career achievements and their standing and influence in the industry. Everyone wanted to climb higher up the ladder.

While many popular stars in Hollywood had sufficient wealth to support lavish lifestyles, they still struggled with various mental and physical issues due to the pressures of their fluctuating careers. For most Hollywood A-listers, being suddenly abandoned by the industry and losing the spotlight created a sense of loss that was far more daunting than losing all their money.

Roland knew that just one failure wouldn't be a career-ending blow. Yet, it would certainly imply that in the coming years, unless he produced another film of the same caliber as Independence Day or Deep Impact, he could never expect to enjoy the kind of lavish treatment he had before Godzilla was released -- control over his projects and that top-tier $20 million directing salary, among others.

Previously, before Godzilla, he wouldn't have even had to personally discuss contracts with Bill Mechanic tonight; it would have just been a matter for his agent.

If only he could do it again.

This thought crossed his mind, and Roland self-deprecatingly shook his head.

Suddenly, he recalled that Firefly had recently announced the director for The Day After Tomorrow, a project he felt was rightfully his. Firefly might not have offered a $20 million directing fee, but given their previous collaborations on Deep Impact and Independence Day, they wouldn't be stingy. He believed that with a fixed salary and box office shares, securing a total income comparable to the $30 million from Independence Day should be easily achievable.

At the moment, the earnings from Godzilla based on its $20 million salary and North American 15% box office cut might still allow him to reach $30 million. However, given Godzilla's disastrous reviews and box office failure, he was certain he could never command such a fee for his next film. The damage to his popularity due to Godzilla was even more incalculable.

...

While Roland simmered in self-pity, Bill Mechanic felt increasingly restless.

The Godzilla project was one that Sony Pictures had pushed from the top down. Logically, if the project failed, it shouldn't fall on his shoulders.

However, in a Japanese conglomerate like Sony, such obvious rationalization rarely held up. If Godzilla had succeeded, there would be a group celebration; now that it had failed, Chairman Nobuyuki Idei had no blame to shoulder. Likewise, his direct superior, Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony Pictures, wouldn't step up to accept responsibility either, leaving Bill Mechanic as the most immediate film business head left holding the bag.

Fortunately, both at Sony and within the film industry, everyone understood the situation. Although he had to take the fall, there wouldn't be any substantial punishment, which was the only consolation in the matter.

However, there was still a pressing issue on his hands: the contract with Roland Emmerich. Originally, the company's higher-ups, brimming with confidence, had signed a three-picture deal with Roland.

With Godzilla's box office plummeting within the first week, the prospects for the next two sequels were dim, but the contract with Roland wasn't automatically voided.

During contract negotiations, the parties had discussed a contingency plan if the sequel could not be initiated. The conclusion was that if the Godzilla sequel couldn't move forward, Roland had the right to select two other projects from Sony to direct.

Toho had produced 22 films in its Godzilla series over 40 years, so no one anticipated that bringing Godzilla to Hollywood would result in just one film before everything went awry. Thus, no one paid much attention to that clause at the time.

Now, with a total investment of $220 million for Godzilla, it was likely the film would barely manage to recoup $150 million domestically, let alone the initial expectation of $300 million. The dismal box office performance in Japan suggested overseas markets would be just as grim, confirming this project would lead to substantial losses for Sony. As the producer and director directly responsible for its failure, Sony higher-ups were keen to terminate Roland's involvement and were unwilling to uphold that contingency clause.

Issuing a resolution to this contractual dilemma naturally fell to Bill Mechanic.

No director in Hollywood hadn't faced failure; even James Cameron, fresh off one hit after another, had suffered a blow with The Abyss that left Fox reeling. However, no one knew when a director might make a comeback; having been in the industry for decades, Bill Mechanic understood this all too well, so he didn't want to completely burn bridges with Roland.

...

As dinner wound down, Bill gathered his thoughts and broached the topic: "Roland, I remember Firefly's disaster film series has at least five titles, and your directorial works, Deep Impact and Independence Day, did exceptionally well. I'm sure Eric would love for you to continue collaborating with Firefly."

Upon hearing Bill's words, Roland still felt little comfort. Eric had indeed said he would welcome him back anytime. However, Roland held onto his pride; he had sacrificed a good working relationship with Firefly for the promise of a hefty paycheck. With his current project landing him in hot water, he couldn't just walk back to Firefly with his tail between his legs.

Roland understood why Bill had invited him to dinner today. Bill wasn't trying to force the issue with the contingency clause. If both parties weren't genuinely willing to collaborate, forcing Warner's carried projects into management would never yield favorable results. Doing so would only compromise the quality of the films. If the projects failed again, Sony would simply lose some money, but if he botched two movies in quick succession, he would undoubtedly find himself forced into early retirement.

Setting down his utensils, Roland wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, "Bill, thanks for dinner. So, let's hear what Sony has in mind."

Relieved, Bill Mechanic replied, "Well, Roland, we're currently developing a project about the American Revolutionary War called The Patriot, and we haven't yet finalized the director. If you're interested, we'd like you to direct this film."

"I've never tackled a war film before," Roland replied, before a thought struck him. He quickly asked, "Have you settled on the lead?"

Surprised by Rolands's quick reaction, Bill paused before admitting, "We're in talks with two suitable candidates: Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner."

The atmosphere grew quiet again.

Both Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner were not only A-list Hollywood stars, but they had also each earned an Oscar nomination or win for Best Director with their respective war films, Braveheart and Dances with Wolves. Should either serve as the lead in The Patriot, Roland's control over the project as director would be significantly diminished. Even if he weren't involved at all, the project would evidently proceed smoothly.

Roland sensed that Sony inserting him into a genre he wasn't well-versed in was effectively assigning him a 'figurehead' role, one that wouldn't substantially influence the overall film. This arrangement felt insulting given his standing in Hollywood.

Taking a sip of the red wine at the table to steady his emotions, Roland asked, "So, what if we just terminate the contract?"

"$1 million," Bill Mechanic replied clearly, having clearly thought of this scenario beforehand. However, as he mentioned this somewhat dismissive sum, he felt a little embarrassed and added, "That's the highest amount I can approve. If that's your choice, I can have a word with Howard; maybe we can raise it a bit."

But how much could it possibly go up?

Roland contemplated this, feeling conflicted. Sony's solution was very clear. He would direct The Patriot, which would likely be a success with lead stars like Mel Gibson or Kevin Costner attached, ensuring the film's quality and box office was somewhat secured. Completing this film would smoothly allow them to bypass that contingency clause. But accepting this directing role meant his paycheck would not be impressive; any talk of a $20 million salary or significant box office commissions was out of the question. Even maintaining his previous $8 million fixed salary from before Godzilla would be tough.

Yet, if he chose to terminate, he'd only receive a symbolic compensation.

Moreover, losing this contract at a time when Godzilla had already flopped meant for at least the next couple of years, other Hollywood companies would likely not approach him again. This wasn't simply due to his directing ability; the overwhelmingly negative reviews for Godzilla would severely impact the box office potential of his next film. Sony's first solution utilized the names of Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner to potentially mitigate the damage to his future marketability.

It was clear Sony hoped he might choose to void the contract on his own but wasn't willing to offer a substantial compensation package, hence the indecisive solution presented.

Sony knew he wouldn't resort to litigation; after falling short with such a massive production, turning around to sue would ensure no one would want to work with him again.

Ultimately, Roland Emmerich replied, "Bill, give me some time to think it over."

When Roland didn't mention the termination again, Bill Mechanic realized he had decided to accept the director position for The Patriot. It was just that Roland needed to save dignity and not agree on the spot. Bill felt no need to press him; as long as they could finalize the agreement without any major contention, he was satisfied.

The two men shared no further conversation, and Bill was preparing to signal the waiter for the bill when he noticed some commotion across the restaurant. A man and two women exited one of the booths nearby, drawing lively greetings from other patrons.

As Roland heard the stir, he turned to see Eric with the group.

...

With only two weeks until the release of Casino Royale, Eric could slack off a bit on the promotional work, but as the director, he knew he would need to take part in the film's marketing soon. Today, he had taken Drew and Amy Pascal out to discuss this very matter.

Politely responding to the well-wishers around him, Eric, arm-linked with the girl and Amy Pascal, planned to make their way outside. Just then, they locked eyes with Roland Emmerich and halted momentarily.

In recent days, Eric had certainly become one of the last people Roland wanted to encounter.

It was due to the collaboration on Firefly's Deep Impact and Independence Day that Roland had leapfrogged into the ranks of super-directors, prompting Sony to offer him an exorbitant contract to capture his talents.

By forsaking his successful collaboration with Firefly for the lucrative Sony deal, Roland had already felt a twinge of guilt. Now, with Godzilla's dismal reception at the box office, seeing Eric only amplified his discomfort.

"Good evening, Eric," Roland said, making an effort to be cordial despite his discomfort, hesitating slightly on whether to stand.

"Good evening, Roland, and Bill."

Eric sensed the awkwardness in Roland's demeanor, noticing numerous Hollywood acquaintances around them. If he stopped to engage, they would surely have a new story to tell by morning. Not wanting to aggravate Roland further, Eric offered them a subdued nod and continued past them.

Roland felt a mix of relief and frustration at Eric's response. After exchanging a glance with Bill Mechanic, they both realized they were not eager to settle the bill at that moment. Leaving right after, who knew what might happen in the parking lot, where conversations could become more complicated.

...

In the restaurant's parking lot, the girl still clung to Eric, grinning as she remarked to Amy, "Haha, Amy, did you just notice Roland's expression? That was hilarious."

Amy Pascal just chuckled, not joining in on her observation.

"Okay, no need to gloat," Eric said as he lightly tapped her on the forehead. He then turned to Amy Pascal, "Regarding the acquisition proposal for E! Entertainment, please expedite the talks; we'd ideally like results by the end of the month."

"Eric, it seems Warner Cable has noticed our renewed interest in this deal. They don't seem in a hurry to sell their shares anymore. They might have figured out your interest in E! Entertainment."

The twins brought the girl's Land Rover around, and Eric leaned against the car door, stating, "I've been reviewing some documents, and it appears that the Cablevision's Rainbow Media might also have intentions to sell. You should reach out to them as well; their Bravo network aligns closely with E! Entertainment."

"I noticed that too," Amy Pascal nodded. "However, Cablevision likely won't sell too many shares, and GE has also shown interest in Rainbow Media. They've been expanding their cable TV holdings."

"Cablevision knows which collaborations have potential. If possible, we don't need to aim for too many shares; acquiring operational rights would suffice. Plus, your main focus should still be on E! Entertainment as the primary objective, while Rainbow Media serves as a backup plan." After pausing, Eric added, "However, I suspect once Batman Robin hits theaters next week, Warner will be eager to offload their burdensome stake in E! Entertainment. If Time Warner's losses keep mounting, they may very well reconsider Terry Semel's role as CEO."

Amy Pascal immediately grasped the implication behind Eric's words and pressed further, "Eric, are you doubtful about Batman Robin?"

"I haven't seen a final cut of Batman Robin yet, so I can't be entirely certain. However, if you keep an eye on developments, Warner has kept such a tight lid on the movie that beyond the trailer, there has been scant information regarding its actual content. There haven't even been any official early reviews."

As Amy sifted through her mental notes, she found Eric's observation to be spot on.

Warner had meticulously guarded the film's details prior to its release, likely to maintain an air of intrigue, but another possibility existed: they lacked confidence in the film's quality and feared that advanced word-of-mouth could adversely affect its box office performance on opening weekend.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 878: What Bad Thing Happened]

Eric actually didn't care at all about Batman Robin. Ever since Warner Bros. had released the official trailer three months ago, he knew the film was bound to take the same old path.

The short one-and-a-half-minute trailer, featuring the new Batman George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, failed to impress Eric. Some of the dialogue felt completely out of sync with the scenes, and the movie's visuals made it seem like he was watching a poorly done, colorful stage play.

What Eric was really focused on was Finding Nemo. It was the film he cared about most for this summer season, and he anticipated it even more than his own directorial effort, Casino Royale.

Today marked the movie's release day. In the morning, various media outlets gave it rave reviews, saying it was on par with The Lion King 2. This reassured Eric that this version of Finding Nemo would surely perform well at the box office, though whether it could reach the once-glorious heights of nearly $1 billion in global box office receipts would depend on its upcoming detailed performance.

...

After saying goodbye to Amy Pascal, Eric returned to the Trousseau estate with Drew. As soon as they stepped inside, the girl dragged him to take a bath together. Snuggled up in the luxurious bathtub with her soft little body, things inevitably heated up. After their playful entanglement, it was already approaching ten o'clock at night.

Unlike two weeks ago, when the atmosphere was relaxed following the release of Con Air, Eric tonight still hoped to see the first-day box office numbers for Finding Nemo before he could sleep, so he wasn't rushing to rest.

After changing into a casual t-shirt and pants, he grabbed a document and took a seat on the balcony outside the second-floor living room. His gaze could sweep unobstructedly through the transparent tempered glass railing towards the distant view, with the lights of Los Angeles twinkling like stars spread beneath him, magnificent and beautiful.

In this atmosphere, it was hard to focus on the documents. Eric lazily leaned back in the lounge chair and squinted his eyes. After a while, the girl, freshly scented from her bath, floated over, dressed in a thin tank top and tiny shorts, playfully squeezing into Eric's arms.

With a light "thud," the blue folder he had casually placed on himself fell to the floor.

"What's this?"

Drew, her small frame slipping past Eric, curiously picked up the fallen folder. Just glancing at the cover, she recognized it was the proposal for a reality show about Hollywood girls. Although she didn't understand why Eric would seek an unrelated stranger to produce this reality show, the girl didn't doubt Eric's judgment, having flipped through it just the other day.

As she tossed the folder onto the nearby table, she was about to snuggle back into Eric's arms when she suddenly remembered, saying, "Oh right, Eric, that photo shoot we did is ready!" She stood up to call someone but then realized the twins had already been sent off to rest. So, she jumped up, her bare feet pattering across the balcony, and quickly returned with two thick photo books in her hands.

"Here, this one is mine, and this one is Kate's and the others; it's so cool! Kate told me the other day that she wants to get those photos published in a magazine."

Eric sat up slightly, flipped through her photo book, and asked, "You don't want to get yours published in a magazine too?"

"Not at all, I'm only showing it to you," she replied, then laughingly suggested, "Tomorrow's the weekend, so how about I invite them to come over and hang out?"

"You go enjoy yourself; I won't join you in that craziness," Eric shook his head and pointed to the folder recently tossed on the table. "This matter has been dragging for a week, and I just happen to have time to meet with them tomorrow."

"Oh, I'll join too! Let's invite them over tomorrow, after all, it's a MGM thing," she chirped.

Eric nodded, saying, "Sure."

"But we can also invite them for a party tomorrow night!"

Hearing her sweetly persuasive tone, Eric chuckled, "You just love piling them around me, huh?"

She rubbed against Eric, saying, "Well, you like it, don't you? I know what happened in New York!"

"That was purely coincidence; I don't have the energy to deal with a bunch of wild girls," Eric explained. However, saying that reminded him of another matter, and he fixed his gaze on her, asking, "I haven't asked you yet. At the premiere party for Con Air, Helena looked at you like a mouse saw a cat. What bad thing did you do?"

"Nothing! I was just being good," the girl replied sweetly. Seeing the disbelief on Eric's face, she opened up slightly, explaining, "I just happened to overhear a clueless young model bragging about you throwing a party in New York, and it almost made it onto the gossip magazines, so I sent her packing back to Puerto Rico."

Eric instinctively thought about what Puerto Rico might be -- some corner of the world -- and obviously found no answer. He pressed on, "That's it?"

The girl nuzzled against Eric and replied vaguely, "She was sentenced to four weeks for illegal possession of restricted items and then deported. But she was already involved with that stuff, so it's not too unfair."

Eric sighed and didn't push any further.

With a criminal record like that, it was clear the girl who got sent back to Puerto Rico wouldn't easily apply for a foreign passport, meaning her career was effectively over.

Eric pinched the girl's cheek lightly and softly said, "Don't go overboard next time. You know those pointless rumors don't really affect me."

"Okay," she nodded sweetly, her eyes bright and sincere. Eric could only helplessly pinch her cheek again.

Seeing Eric gloss over the issue, the girl relaxed, playfully exploring Eric's body with her little hands. "Eric, I rented a Boeing private jet! It's bigger than the Bombardier and Gulfstream. It can fly all the way to London from the West Coast. We can fly there for the premiere of Casino Royale."

A few days ago, Drew had taken a trip to London due to the release of Casino Royale. Since Firefly and MGM's private jets didn't have transatlantic flying capabilities, the girl had rarely 'saved' this time by taking a commercial flight. However, according to her, she felt miserable after the round trip. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she was out of sorts for several days.

"I just happened to hear Larry Ellison mention it, so I remembered," Eric thought for a moment and said, "Didn't you want to buy a Boeing 777? Let's contact Boeing and place an order soon."

Having initially suggested it out of excitement and got turned down, the girl hadn't brought it up again, but now hearing Eric mention it, she became excited and asked, "Can we buy one now?"

"Yes," Eric nodded, then suddenly laughed, "Not just a plane; you can buy anything you want. If you've earned so much money, why not spend it? What's the point of living otherwise?"

"Ha ha, then I'll get someone to contact Boeing right away!"

She said this and jumped up to grab Eric's laptop, opening his email to send a message to his assistant's office.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 879: One Day Equals a Week]

Erik's assistant office was almost responsible for every aspect of his work and life, resembling a butler team. The girl at that moment sent the email with a seemingly familiar demeanor, clearly not the first time she had done this.

Drew knew what Erik was waiting for. After sending the email, she patiently curled back into his arms and started talking softly.

By midnight, the laptop that had been on all along chimed with a new email notification. Erik got up, opened the email to take a quick glance, and smiled as he scooped the already drowsy girl into his arms, heading towards the bedroom. In a lively party, the girl could stay up all night, but in such a tranquil atmosphere, she had already started to show signs of fatigue.

Feeling Erik's gentle movements, she snuggled closer to him, curling up like a little cat, and mumbled, "Erik, um, how much is the Boeing?"

Erik chuckled, his tone indulgent as he replied, "Enough for you to buy a plane."

...

The next morning, the major newspapers in North America buzzed with excitement because this week's North American Friday box office chart was full of headlines, as almost every mainstream publication prominently featured the single-day box office rankings.

Finding Nemo: $20.21 million.

Contact: $6.86 million.

The Lion King II: $6.22 million.

Godzilla: $5.95 million.

Con Air: $3.08 million.

Even those who were completely indifferent to box office numbers could easily grasp what had happened just by glancing at the myriad of commentary headlines in the major newspapers.

"Finding Nemo outperformed The Lion King II on its opening day."

"Contact opened with $6.86 million, Paramount's targeting strategy failed."

"Godzilla plummeted 66% compared to last week."

"Amblin Entertainment is unhappy with Paramount's investment in the promotion of Contact, causing a rift in their partnership."

"Summer animated films shine bright, with all previously released live-action blockbusters struggling, Batman Robin and Casino Royale likely following suit."

...

In this string of news reports, the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter provided a more detailed analytical article.

"First, the author must mention Titanic once again. As of last week, this legendary mega-project with a total investment of $265 million had garnered a global box office of $2.133 billion, wrapping up in North America with a final box office of $600.298 million. The astonishing box office figures directly brought Firefly Group $860 million from global box office shares, leading to net profits nearing $600 million after deducting costs.

Furthermore, Titanic's merchandise sales also surpassed $850 million. The North American soundtrack album sold 5.6 million copies in just ten weeks. Interestingly, this number only accounts for physical sales. Reports indicate that the North American Recording Association refused to acknowledge the 1.25 million digital album sales from the Titanic soundtrack at Yahoo Music Store. The overseas sales of the soundtrack also easily exceeded 7 million copies, and industry analysts estimate that Titanic's global album sales could eventually reach 30 million copies. This alone could bring the Firefly Group an additional $900 million in revenue. Collectively, Titanic is expected to generate no less than $2 billion in net profits for the Firefly Group over the coming years. So far, only Firefly has been able to achieve net profits exceeding $2 billion annually among major media conglomerates in Hollywood.

Stimulated by the massive profits created by Titanic, I have heard more than once in the past six months about plans for new 'super blockbuster' films being developed by the seven major film companies in Hollywood. However, the box office performance of the recent live-action films will undoubtedly sober up the already overexcited Hollywood.

Perhaps the most reflective film for Hollywood is Godzilla, a CGI blockbuster like Titanic.

Sony Pictures' ambitious $220 million project had aimed for a $1 billion global box office before its release. However, after a disappointing start and a barrage of negative reviews, its second Friday box office dropped to fourth place on the chart, a staggering 66% decrease from the $17.5 million it made its opening day, bringing in only $5.95 million. Expectations for its second-weekend box office were reduced to between $22 million to $25 million, with the North American total barely reaching $130 million. Additionally, Godzilla's overseas performance was equally disappointing, receiving strong pushback from Godzilla fans in Japan, its most crucial market.

According to insiders, Sony's management has urgently suspended plans for a Godzilla sequel, and those responsible for the project may face job loss.

As the director and producer, Roland Emmerich faces a tarnished reputation post-Independence Day. Moreover, before Godzilla's release, Firefly suddenly announced that Michael Bay would take over directing Firefly's renowned disaster film series, The Day After Tomorrow, likely influenced by the subpar quality of Godzilla. It was well-known that Emmerich had once been considered as the director for The Day After Tomorrow, and Firefly was responsible for much of Godzilla's special effects production. Learning of Godzilla's quality before its release was hardly a challenge for Firefly.

Apart from Godzilla, since May, the Gaumont's $90 million The Fifth Element, Firefly's $75 million Con Air, and Amblin's $90 million Contact, all suffered from lackluster box office performance.

In its third week of release, The Fifth Element only managed a total of just over $47 million, making it unlikely to reach $70 million in North America. Con Air fared no better, raking in just $57.37 million over two weeks. Though its final gross might hit $100 million, it was still well below industry expectations. Similarly, Robert Zemeckis's sci-fi epic Contact, following Forest Gump, although produced at a cost similar to Finding Nemo, clearly did not resonate with audiences. Its first-day earnings were less than a third of Finding Nemo's opening performance and lower than Con Air's $7.7 million two weeks prior. Perhaps Amblin and Paramount could only hope that Contact could follow a box office curve similar to Forest Gump, but based on audience feedback, the chances of that seemed incredibly slim.

With four consecutive live-action blockbusters failing at the box office, concern grew for the much-anticipated Batman Robin and Casino Royale, set to be released in the next two weeks. Meanwhile, Hollywood perhaps should take a step back and refrain from overextending themselves in pursuit of massive investments in response to Titanic's success.

However, aside from live-action films, the two animated blockbusters released during the summer period surpassed expectations in both box office and critical acclaim.

Paramount's second 2D animated film since acquiring Disney's hand-drawn animation studio, The Lion King II, faced stiff competition but still achieved a first-week gross of $55.70 million with a mere 24% drop to $42.33 million in its second week, accumulating $98.03 million over two weeks. Despite a projected 37% drop in its third week due to the impact of Finding Nemo, its long-term potential suggested that North American total might approach $200 million, significantly exceeding other released live-action blockbusters.

Finally, we arrive at the focal point of today's discussion, Finding Nemo.

Prior to its release, many considered Erik Williams's decision to sell Disney's hand-drawn animation studio foolish, as The Lion King II achieved both box office and critical success. However, after Finding Nemo, many found themselves eating their words.

With production costs only one-fourth of The Lion King II and comparable audience reviews, with significantly smoother promotional channels for Finding Nemo, its first-day earnings surpassed The Lion King II's $7.41 million performance. One could only conclude that 3D animated films clearly appealed to audiences more than 2D animations.

The film opened with $20.21 million, and with buzz surrounding its success, Finding Nemo was projected to potentially hit $90 million in its first week. Given its strong long-term potential, it was undoubtedly a candidate for becoming the first animated film of the summer season to reach $300 million in North America. More boldly, if its box office success and acclaim translated internationally, Finding Nemo might chase the record set by The Lion King, becoming another animated blockbuster surpassing the $1 billion mark globally.

Furthermore, with animation films far exceeding live-action films in ancillary profitability, a series of new cartoon characters' success would bring continuous revenue to Firefly's related ventures, including merchandise stores and amusement parks.

At this point, I even looked forward to the upcoming release of Ice Age on July 4, produced by Blue Sky Studios with joint investment from Firefly and Fox. Though the production cost was only $59 million, judging by my impressions from the trailer, Ice Age was poised to deliver yet another surprise this summer. Perhaps other Hollywood studio executives should focus more on the animation sector rather than chase the unattainable heights set by Titanic."

...

This article from The Hollywood Reporter inevitably triggered some reflection among Hollywood executives and prompted Firefly's competitors to accelerate their animations' deployment. However, Erik was well aware that Titanic was more of an anomaly. He had never allowed himself to get overexcited about it.

Erik originally planned to discuss reality TV matters with Kris Jenner on his day off. Although the Kardashian family's relentless marketing strategies were off-putting, Erik, as the ruler of a colossal media empire, had a different perspective. At his level, he routinely interacted with sixty or more senior executives at Firefly, surpassing a thousand at the managerial level, not to mention the total employee count at Firefly exceeding 120,000. In an environment like Hollywood, if one was ever plagued by obsessive moral standards, life would be uncomfortable.

Following MGM's acquisition of E! Entertainment, harnessing the talents of someone like Kris Jenner, who excelled at stirring up discussions, was undoubtedly an effective strategy to quickly penetrate the television industry.

However, early on Saturday morning, Erik received a phone call from Chris, who was in New York. The two spoke for over half an hour, forcing Erik to cancel his weekend off and urgently convene senior executives from Firefly's distribution and finance departments alongside Clover Holdings' management for an emergency meeting.

...

The matter was simple. After three months of buildup, the international financial oligarchs were about to unleash an attack on the Southeast Asian currency system.

During their call, Chris informed Erik that he was flying from New York to Tokyo and would likely be personally overseeing things there for the next month.

Since the meeting at the end of April, Firefly started accelerating its extraction of the Southeast Asian box office shares from Titanic while also gradually selling off its upcoming summer slate and films destined for release later that year to Southeast Asian distributors.

Firefly was very transparent with the Southeast Asian distributors, expressing concerns that the economic prospects for the second half of the year would lead to severe currency losses, thus they hoped to cash out ahead of time.

The Thai baht had just endured an attack from international currency traders in March, and the Southeast Asian distributors understood Firefly's worries.

However, most Southeast Asian distributors did not grasp the severity of the situation. Logically, even if local currencies depreciated by 10% or even 20%, the impact wouldn't be significant for companies operating locally. Stimulated by Titanic's box office success, they welcomed Firefly's move to sell off distribution rights and eagerly offered prices to obtain those rights.

Starting in early May, through various financial maneuvers, Firefly routinely collected back the equivalent of $50 million in box office shares from Titanic in Southeast Asia, and settlements for Japan's box office shares began rolling in.

Moreover, following the sale of Firefly's rights for its summer slate, including Con Air, Finding Nemo, and Jurassic Park 3, Firefly collected another $75 million in cash.

Had the distributors not been so hesitant, Erik would have even considered selling the entire distribution rights for all films slated for next year, but of course, that was merely a thought.

While $75 million might not be a fortune for Firefly, for the Southeast Asian box office -- only half of Japan's -- it marked the highest profit they could quickly extract.

Even though the finance department's statistics suggested that this aggressive strategy could lead to losses of $10 to $20 million if Southeast Asia did not face an economic crisis, Erik knew that failing to act would result in far greater losses once such a crisis hit. Had currency values halved, what could have equated to $10 million in box office would drop to merely $5 million. The Southeast Asian economy would surely suffer crushing blows, similarly impacting the film industry. While some in the industry argued that entertainment often thrives during economic downturns, Erik did not believe the public would still have the inclination to watch films in the event of a full-blown economic collapse; otherwise, Hong Kong films wouldn't have entirely declined following the Southeast Asian economic crisis.

Throughout the weekend, Erik monitored the status of funds being reclaimed across Southeast Asian nations while preparing capital for Clover Holdings to absorb more technology stocks.

The North American stock market was an exceptionally open globalized financial hub; thus, the tumultuous economic shifts across Southeast Asia would inevitably impact the rising Nasdaq index. In the coming months, once the crisis hit, the previously soaring Nasdaq index would likely experience a brief dip, representing an ideal time for Clover Holdings to invest.

...

While Erik busied himself with these matters, on Saturday, the already notable box office performance of Finding Nemo surged an additional 38%, eventually hitting $28.01 million. Sunday saw a slight decline, but the single-day gross remained high at $22.03 million. Over its opening weekend, Finding Nemo amassed an astounding total of $70.25 million, leaving audiences and industry analysts alike in awe of its remarkable box office draw.

A critic from the Los Angeles Times even quipped that Finding Nemo was "earning what others would take a week to make in just one day."

Reality was indeed reflective of that statement, as two other films produced this summer with similar production budgets of $90 million -- The Fifth Element and Contact -- had seen dismal performance; the former only grossed around $47 million over three weeks, while the latter, despite premiering alongside Finding Nemo, managed merely $20.58 million over its opening weekend. Even if its first week earnings approached $30 million, applying a conservative estimate of a 30% weekly drop meant Contact would only recoup $65 million over three weeks -- still nowhere close to what Finding Nemo earned in just three days.

Moreover, Finding Nemo was significantly more popular than past Pixar productions like Toy Story and A Bug's Life in various overseas box office markets. In the UK alone, Finding Nemo's first weekend box office tallied $13.50 million, while Toy Story 2, Pixar's previous overseas success, had only grossed $6.10 million its first weekend there.

When these statistics were published, Hollywood and North American entertainment media realized they had completely misjudged who the real box office star of the summer was.

This summer's unrivaled box office sensation was not The Lion King II, nor Godzilla, and likely would not be the upcoming Batman Robin or Casino Royale either, but rather, the previously underwhelming and seemingly destined to be a 'sacrificial lamb' positioned between Godzilla and Batman Robin -- Finding Nemo.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 880: Nothing to Say]

On June 16, with the workweek just beginning, The Wall Street Journal reported unusual activity in the Southeast Asian foreign exchange market. Major financial centers in Asia, such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore, saw the exchange rates of currencies like the Thai baht and Indonesian rupiah experience notable fluctuations. Those in the know felt an undeniable sense of urgency as if a dark cloud loomed over them.

In recent months, international currency speculators had covertly been acquiring currencies from various Southeast Asian countries, leading to a brief surge in the value of currencies in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. For instance, the highest exchange rate for the baht against the dollar had reached 22:1, marking an appreciation of nearly 12%.

After two days of buildup, on Wednesday, international currency investors led by George Soros's Quantum Fund and Tiger Fund suddenly pounced on the Southeast Asian currency system. From the moment the major exchanges opened for trading that day, a flood of sell orders for the Thai baht started appearing, catching the Thai government completely off guard, unable to mount an effective defense in time.

The subsequent three days of relentless selling sent the temporarily inflated baht crashing back down, even falling below the average exchange rate of 25:1 over the past few years. By the close of trading on Friday, the exchange rate plummeted to 26.3:1, marking an astonishing decline of 19.5% in just three days.

In 1997, Thailand's total currency issuance was approximately 9.2 trillion baht. Based on the recent average exchange rate of 25:1, this amounted to around $370 billion. Yet, in a mere three days, as the rate dropped to 26.3:1, Thailand's total currency value fell to $350 billion, wiping out $20 billion in wealth. Many were aware this was merely the beginning.

...

While the Southeast Asian currency market was engulfed in turmoil, the competition for summer box office dollars in North America was equally fierce. After a record-breaking $70.25 million over its opening weekend, Finding Nemo continued to perform strongly during the workweek, generating $6 to $7 million daily.

Ultimately, Finding Nemo's first-week box office totaled $97.45 million, surpassing the $31.29 million of its closest competitor, Contact, by over $66 million, and almost matching the combined performances of its rival, The Lion King II, which had struggled.

The second-ranked Contact underperformed, with its opening week earning just $31.29 million. Following that, The Lion King II stumbled as well, suffering a 36% drop by its third week, earning only $27.09 million for a total of $125 million.

Of undeniable note was the abysmal performance of Godzilla, with reviews turning overwhelmingly negative and the formidable competition from Finding Nemo leading to a staggering drop of nearly 68% in its second week, grossing a meager $23.57 million. Its total box office after two weeks summed up to a disappointing $97.23 million, even less than Finding Nemo's opening week.

Godzilla's dreadful box office performance not only turned Sony's hope for a billion-dollar worldwide hit into a joke but also silenced media commentary on what would soon become a forgettable film. While Firefly's Con Air held the fifth position, its solid third-week drop of merely 34% saw it rake in $15.28 million, totaling $72.65 million. Although it remained uncertain whether the film would break the $100 million mark, its performance was still commendable compared to the other recent live-action releases.

...

With the box office numbers finally in, on June 20, Friday, Warner Bros. released Batman Robin in over 2,900 theaters across North America. The quality of the film failed to meet the low expectations set by many media outlets and critics, with one review seemingly capturing the sentiment of critics, "The characters played by George Clooney, Uma Thurman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger look almost the part of comic book icons, but I genuinely cannot comment on the plot, dialogue, or performances."

As a superhero franchise that had enjoyed decades of success in North America, Batman boasted a significant fan base. However, with the series frequently changing directors and its films increasingly becoming subpar, the patience of Batman fans seemed to have worn thin. Although it opened strongly with a $16.11 million debut day, on its second day, Batman Robin was promptly knocked off the top spot by Finding Nemo.

In fact, Batman Robin set the record for the first summer release to decline in box office on its opening Saturday. Typically, most films see Saturday earnings exceeding those from Friday, even a few weeks prior when Godzilla similarly faced negative reviews, it still managed to earn about $2 million more on Saturday than Friday. Yet, following its opening day of $16.11 million, Batman Robin slipped down to $15.09 million the next day.

After experiencing being momentarily surpassed by Batman Robin with a $14.3 million Friday, Finding Nemo rebounded on Saturday, pulling in $17.5 million. The industry anticipated that Finding Nemo would continue to earn over $60 million in the following week, outperforming many major releases in their opening weekends.

In comparison, Batman Robin's projected opening week earnings were just $55 million. Given the film's $125 million production budget, Warner Bros. needed to recoup at least $80 million in the first week alone to break even, but this prospect now seemed increasingly bleak.

...

The failure of Batman Robin led many to lose faith in summer blockbuster films, with MGM's upcoming release of Casino Royale feeling the brunt of the skepticism. Some tabloids even eagerly awaited Eric's first commercial flop as a director with a sense of schadenfreude.

However, Eric was too busy to pay attention to the media's reactions. The formal outset of the Southeast Asian economic crisis did not just affect Firefly Group's entertainment interests in the region. The entire Firefly system, along with Nokia, Qualcomm, and LTD, had substantial business operations in Southeast Asia. With Nokia and LTD's main manufacturing plants located in Thailand and the Philippines, and companies like Yahoo and Cisco investing heavily in the region, a complete collapse of Southeast Asian currencies would severely impact their operations.

Eric had always preferred to delegate responsibilities, and usually, Chris would help him manage obligations. But this time, Chris was in Tokyo overseeing things, leaving many tasks on Eric's plate. Drawing from his extensive knowledge of the Southeast Asian crisis, Eric was eager to intervene and use his past experiences to strategize improvements for the companies involved.

After a week of juggling documents and conference calls, Eric returned to Los Angeles from Qualcomm headquarters in San Diego on Saturday afternoon, finally finding a moment of respite and shifting his focus back to Hollywood.

...

In the past month and a half, Kris Jenner's emotions had seen quite a roller coaster. At the beginning of the month, her daughter, who had gone to Los Angeles for summer, suddenly called their New York home, claiming she had received the opportunity to produce a reality show through Eric Williams. Kris's initial reaction was disbelief, thinking her daughter was joking about associating their family with someone as prominent as Eric Williams.

After several detailed descriptions from her daughter about the day's events and providing Eric's contact number, Kris hesitantly called it. Though the confirmation came readily from Eric's assistant's office, Kris was dumbfounded for over thirty minutes, before joyfully realizing the gravity of the situation.

Kris had always dreamed of Hollywood's celebrity culture, and marrying Robert Kardashian first drew her in due to his music label, extensive reach in the entertainment and sports industries, and the connections he had. However, after Robert sold his record label to dive into juice business, Kris quickly separated from him and married television sports personality, Bruce Jenner, a month later.

Bruce had been a celebrated sports figure in the 70s, yet since retiring, his influence had greatly diminished, and he could only sporadically appear on TV shows or commentate on sports channels, thereby barely skimming the edge of the entertainment realm.

As a fan of Lifetime Television, Kris recognized that this sudden opportunity to become a reality show producer could propel her to newfound heights -- a realization solidified by witnessing the success of the producers and hosts of America's Next Top Model and Project Runway.

Without a moment to lose, the same day she confirmed the opportunity, Kris rushed her husband and children to Los Angeles, staying with her ex-husband, Robert Kardashian. After clarifying the details with her daughter, Kris bought an array of reality show tapes and reference books, studying them while drafting her proposal, consciously ignoring her daughter's hints about involving Bruce in the process.

A week later, Kris went to the Firefly Group's headquarters in Burbank to submit her completed proposal to one of Eric's assistants. Then began a long and torturous wait. To avoid any backlash from Eric's assistant, Kris only dared to call every three days to inquire about progress.

Initially hopeful that her daughter's connections within Drew Barrymore's circle could provide intel, she soon learned that her daughter's companion, a Hilton family girl, accidentally offended someone and both were subsequently expelled from their small circle.

As for her husband and ex, the two men who barely skimmed the surface of the Los Angeles elite realized how distant they truly were from Hollywood's core circles -- both possessed social circles that failed to reach any influential individuals. Despite their home in the prominent Malibu area, Kris lacked the courage to take the initiative and approach them, leading to more agonizing waiting until the second weekend, when she heard from Firefly that Eric might be available to meet. Before she could feel hope, that meeting was abruptly canceled, leading to another week of silence.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 881: That Works Too]

On Sunday morning, Eric called Chris in Tokyo to catch up on the situation in Southeast Asia. Later that morning, he headed to Century City to meet with Harvey Weinstein. After entrusting FFM to Weinstein for management, FFM's headquarters was conveniently established near the Fox Century City studios.

Last weekend, on June 15th, The Sopranos completed its first season after thirteen weeks of airing. Thanks to Harvey Weinstein's expert handling, the show's reputation spread like wildfire. Starting with a solid premiere that attracted 1.76 million viewers, the ratings soared, and by the time of the season finale, viewership had jumped to 3.25 million -- almost doubling its debut numbers.

The influence of The Sopranos further boosted FFM's visibility, leading to a significant increase in subscription numbers. By the time the first season wrapped up, FFM TV's subscriber count had approached 6 million. Before the show's launch, the network had only around 4.5 million subscribers. Given its low starting point and the strong backing from three major media giants, it was widely expected that FFM would rapidly grow like a seedling sprouting in fertile soil. However, in just a single quarter, the network added close to 1.5 million new subscribers, a growth rate that was still astonishing, especially compared to HBO, which added fewer than 500,000 subscribers in the same timeframe.

From the inception of FFM TV, Eric had intended to compete with HBO. Therefore, while providing substantial support for FFM, he remained keenly focused on the network's operations. Since the network launched last September, Eric had participated in two or three operational meetings a month.

After a brief adjustment period, Harvey Weinstein quickly showcased his exceptional capabilities in managing the television business. The recent quarter saw a surge in FFM's subscriber count; realistically speaking, The Sopranos could only be credited with about 30% of that growth, while the remaining 70% came from Weinstein's outstanding commercial acumen.

Just like his PR operations for Oscar-contending films, once The Sopranos had established itself as a hit, Weinstein utilized every available channel -- newspapers, television, and the internet -- to deepen the show's reach. Over the three-month airing period, each episode generated media buzz, and by the end of the first season, many viewers had firmly labeled The Sopranos as a "cult classic." Accordingly, FFM's brand had become more ingrained in the public's mind, leading to a significant influx of new subscribers.

Interestingly, Weinstein's operations with FFM bore a striking resemblance to the early days of Netflix. After 2013, the mere mention of Netflix led many to instantly think of House of Cards. While House of Cards undoubtedly stood out as a remarkable show, like The Sopranos, both series primarily acted as catalysts; the real success of Netflix hinged on the company's sharp business strategy. Naturally, just as some chemical reactions require a catalyst to proceed, Netflix wouldn't have experienced its surge from 26 million to 40 million subscribers within two years without House of Cards. Likewise, although The Sopranos didn't single-handedly initiate FFM's success, it certainly could not be overlooked.

However, behind the soaring subscriber count loomed rapidly increasing costs for FFM. Despite the backing of three media giants, FFM still functioned as a stand-alone company and had to cover its own expenses; neither Firefly nor Fox could provide free movie rights for FFM.

To compete with HBO, FFM not only bundled a package of content in its early days to fill airtime but, in addition to producing The Sopranos, sought to introduce a new film weekly. By the end of the year, FFM's spending on content was projected to exceed $300 million, with its advertising budget nearing $200 million. When factoring in other operational costs, FFM's total operating expenses would reach $700 million for the year.

To attract new subscribers, FFM also implemented numerous discount promotions, significantly lowering the average subscription cost. Although the subscriber base was growing rapidly, FFM projected its total revenue for the year would not surpass $500 million -- around one-third of HBO's annual revenue. This also implied that FFM would incur losses of at least $200 million for the 1997 fiscal year.

In fact, had Eric been less ambitious, in light of the overall boom in the cable TV industry, FFM could have focused on profitability by significantly slashing content and marketing budgets. Even just with the current subscriber base, the network could have turned a profit and thrived comfortably. However, doing so would have meant losing the chance to become a leading pay cable network. In the forthcoming streaming era, FFM could have risked becoming one of the first traditional cable platforms to get axed.

Eric was determined not to let that happen. It was either all-in or nothing; he would push for the best possible outcome -- even if the final result wasn't perfect, he wouldn't allow FFM to settle for mediocrity from the start.

Moreover, with the averaged annual loss of $200 million, when divided according to each partner's share, it would only amount to several tens of millions of dollars. In recent years, everyone had been doing quite well; spending a few tens of millions on a high-potential pay cable network wasn't unmanageable. Yet Eric also understood that once the internet bubble burst, cable operators who had benefited from the new tech boom would face tough times. At that point, even a loss of tens of millions of dollars each year would be much harder for them to swallow. Eric anticipated being able to buy back the 20% stake originally divvied up among those cable operators when the time came.

With FFM's current growth rate, by the end of 1997, the total subscriber count would surpass 8 million, and there was a strong possibility of breaking 10 million subscribers the following year. However, after exceeding that milestone, the rapid growth would likely slow down, and FFM would face stiffer competition from HBO.

...

In the FFM headquarters conference room, after listening to Harvey Weinstein's report, Eric said, "Harvey, doesn't your contract last for five years? If you can grow FFM's subscriber count to 20 million by the end of that term, I can promise to increase your option share by 50%."

Weinstein returned to his seat from the demonstration area, chuckling, "Eric, your offer is indeed tempting, but it's not an easy task. Neither Firefly, News Corp, nor MGM has a nationwide cable network like Time Warner; the operators in FFM are merely minority shareholders, so their support for the network won't be particularly vested. Time Warner's cable network would surely sideline FFM, while Tele-Communications is eager to build their pay cable network, Starz. Cablevision is very close to Viacom, and all these factors will limit FFM's further expansion. I believe if FFM reaches around 15 million subscribers, it will hit a bottleneck. To push past that, you three must acquire a substantial national cable operating system to support further development. Otherwise, I can only assure that I will develop FFM's subscriber base to 15 million during my tenure."

Weinstein's contract began last July and was set to expire in July 2001, spanning five years. This period coincided with the peak of the new tech wave, and while the internet bubble would likely have burst by the time Harvey's contract expired, Eric couldn't make hasty decisions. Naturally, Eric also couldn't purchase a cable company before the internet bubble burst -- that would simply be throwing money away. Given these circumstances, Eric couldn't meet Harvey's request.

Seeing Weinstein's hopeful expression, Eric shook his head, saying, "I don't have any plans for that in the next few years, but you can discuss it with Rupert."

Weinstein shrugged, having already approached Murdoch about the topic. News Corp had satellite television and cable networks, but they were smaller in scale. Furthermore, News Corp had been focusing more on developing its television stations in recent years, somewhat sidelining its basic cable operations.

Without further ado, the conversation shifted to other topics, and the meeting continued until nearly noon, when it finally wrapped up.

As Weinstein collected the files on his desk, he glanced at Eric's assistant, Peter Rich, who had been sitting next to Eric all along, and with a harmless smile, said, "Eric, how about we grab lunch together afterward?"

Eric smiled back, "Of course. Even if you hadn't brought it up, I would've made you buy me lunch."

Eric had come over not only to join the recent operational meetings but also to formally introduce his assistant, Peter Rich, to Harvey Weinstein. Earlier this year, Eric had mentioned this to Weinstein, so he was well-prepared. When FFM was first established, Eric hadn't heavily involved himself in personnel decisions, so bringing in an additional manager didn't feel significant at this stage.

...

At a nearby restaurant in Century City, most of FFM's management team had dispersed. In the private dining room, there were four people: Eric, Peter Rich, Weinstein, and Brad Grey, FFM's Vice President and head of the production department. As for Weinstein's brother Bob, he was still focused on Miramax and hadn't taken a position with FFM.

Eric initially disagreed with FFM's acquisition of Brad Grey's production company, who had previously been Weinstein's assistant. However, Weinstein eventually brought Grey onto the company as head of the programming department and bought the company for $5 million. This transaction wasn't substantial and was even less than the costs associated with acquiring the rights to a popular movie, so Eric didn't impede it too much.

After ordering lunch, the group discussed The Sopranos' plans for the upcoming Emmy Awards in September. Weinstein then brought up Peter Rich's placement: "Peter, I want you to start in marketing as Marc's assistant. Marc Levinson, as I mentioned this morning, is the marketing manager. Spend some time getting familiar with the role, and if you find another position that interests you more, I can make adjustments."

FFM was still relatively small, with fewer than 200 employees. As a pay-cable network, its core functions depended on film acquisitions, program production, and brand marketing. Once FFM's original content expanded, they might add a rights operation department, but other departments like finance and HR, while important, wouldn't critically impact FFM's growth. Recently, however, during FFM's rapid expansion, the brand marketing department had become increasingly vital. Joining that department provided a larger career scope.

Although Eric had previously discussed it broadly with him, hearing Weinstein formally present the opportunity made Peter Rich a bit excited. Being the assistant marketing manager was a stepping stone toward becoming FFM's Vice President. While Peter might have looked good at Eric's side, this opportunity truly hinged on a position with a broader scope for growth.

After a brief moment of excitement, Peter Rich nodded, "Thank you, Harvey. I will do my best to excel in this role."

Weinstein kept his smile, glanced at Eric, and asked, "So when do you plan to start? I'll make the arrangements."

Peter Rich turned to Eric for confirmation.

Eric set his silverware down, grinning, said, "Next month. I'm heading to England soon, and it's too short-notice to switch people. Of course, Peter, when you come back from the UK, you can request a month off. I remember you haven't taken a break since you started working for me, right?"

Peter Rich, a little urgent, shook his head and said, "That's not necessary. I can dive right into work."

Eric nodded with a smile, "Of course, it's your choice."

Weinstein laughed as well, "Actually, young people should be like that. Look at us, it's a Sunday, and we're all still working. I have to admire that Eric can manage it. If I had your kind of money, I'd definitely be hiding on some private island enjoying life."

Eric shrugged and chuckled, "Well, I guess my current vibe seems out of place to you all."

After their jovial exchange, they finished lunch, and then Weinstein asked, "Eric, the first three episodes of Prison Break have been completed. Do you want to come by this afternoon to have a look at them?"

"I have other commitments this afternoon; I've already delayed it for two weeks," Eric shook his head and replied, "How about you send a sample copy to Liberty City? I'll watch it when I find time."

"Sure thing," Weinstein nodded, then gave Eric a heads-up, "But Eric, I don't think this series is too outstanding; it's definitely not on par with The Sopranos."

"Of course. The quality of any production company's work can vary, and I never expected every series produced by FFM to be on the same level as The Sopranos," Eric remarked.

The overall strength of a television network has always depended on its consistent series quality, preferably sustained by one or two hit shows -- that's the ideal scenario. It's unrealistic to produce only top-tier series, and even if that were achieved, raising audience expectations could lead to an overall perception of mediocrity.

Eric's hope for Prison Break was simply that it exceeded the average standard.

...

After parting from Weinstein and Brad Grey, Eric drove to Trousseau Manor, dismissed his assistant and bodyguard, and walked into Drew's grand house.

In the living room, Drew was sprawled over a glass coffee table, poring over various airplane materials and blueprints. A selection of papers was strewn across the carpet and couch, with the twins kneeling on either side of the table, quietly advising her.

Noticing Eric walk in, Drew waved a piece of paper excitedly, her tone filled with more enthusiasm than distress as she exclaimed, "Eric, it's so messy! I didn't realize buying a plane could be so complicated!"

Eric walked over, casually sitting on the carpet beside her. As he took the paper from her and began to look through it, he told Natasha nearby, "Could you tidy up a bit before the guests arrive?"

"Sure thing, master," the two girls replied and quietly started to clean up.

Focusing on the blueprints, Drew leaned closer and said, "Eric, I suddenly don't want to buy the 777 anymore."

"Oh really?" he replied.

"The Boeing 777 has two engines, you know. I heard that 747's four engines are safer, which is why the presidential jet is a 747."

Eric chuckled, "If you're worried about that, then flying isn't an option."

"Hehe, I'm just afraid of dying," Drew giggled.

"Then let's go with the 747," Eric smiled, following her train of thought. Recently, he had also reviewed plenty of aircraft materials, and the 747's four-engine design was primarily due to the inadequate power of aviation engines at the time.

Since the Boeing 757, due to advancements in aircraft materials and engine design, Boeing had started to favor a twin-engine configuration. The notion that four engines were safer than two does hold some truth. However, in reality, should all engines fail during a flight, an aircraft wouldn't simply drop out of the sky; it would continue gliding, and with proper handling, could land safely. Moreover, simultaneous engine failure on both sides was far less likely than an aircraft being struck by lightning, which was still a fairly common occurrence during flights. Even if one engine were to fail, it wouldn't significantly affect flight performance; in some cases, pilots might even intentionally shut down one engine.

"But the 777 is bigger! I still want to create a party plane!" Drew implored.

"Then let's go with the 777," Eric smiled.

"Wow, your tone is so dismissive! Be careful, I might just end up buying both!" Drew teased.

Eric nodded again, "That works too."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 882: It Was Worth It]

Eric knew the girl had her eyes on Boeing's latest model, the Boeing 777-300, which was the company's largest passenger aircraft to date. As he casually wrapped his arm around the girl, who had pounced on him, he picked up the documents in front of him and flipped through them, saying, "How about this? Let's just buy two 747-400s instead. They might be smaller than the 777-300, but with a capacity of 400 passengers and some modifications, it should definitely be enough for a few hundred people to throw an airborne party. Plus, the 747-400 is one of Boeing's most developed aircraft, and as you said, it's pretty safe."

Drew had never had any objections to Eric's decisions, but she was a bit surprised. "Are we really buying two?"

Eric nodded. "Of course! You can't just think about yourself. Kevin and Elia are growing up; they can't always stay in New York. Buying two will make it easier for everyone to use."

The girl pouted and asked, "But Eric, what about you?"

Eric squeezed her waist gently and replied, "You're all mine, too."

"Hehe," the girl giggled, "Even so, you need to have your own plane! Let's buy three; yes, we definitely need three."

"Three is really unnecessary; no one can fly every day. Two will be plenty for everyone. Maybe we can add two smaller private jets for local short flights as well."

Once Eric had decided to purchase private jets, he planned to indulge himself fully this time. In the coming years, whether through profits from Firefly Group or capitalizing on the internet bubble, he expected to bring in a significant amount of cash. Even without those options, selling off some of his stocks from various companies would easily cover the expenses for a few private jets.

Given the growth speed of all the companies within the Firefly system over the past six months, Eric's net worth had likely surpassed hundred billion dollars. With wealth at this level, he certainly didn't need to pinch pennies anymore. After all, spending a few hundred million hadn't made a significant impact on Firefly's further expansion.

However, as Eric spoke, he was reminded of another issue. If he purchased four private jets at once and continued using the method of airline management, the costs would escalate and it wouldn't be very convenient.

While discussing these matters with the girl, Eric instructed the twins to bring over a map.

...

On the other side of Beverly Hills, the Kardashian-Jenner family was in a bit of a frenzy as they prepared to meet Eric Williams at Troutdale Manor.

Robert Kardashian had his reservations about his ex-wife bringing her whole family into his house, but upon hearing that they were invited by Eric Williams, he held his tongue, feeling a bit envious of her unexpected good fortune.

His eldest daughter, Kourtney Kardashian, watched her mother styling her sister's hair and dressing her in the latest Chanel dress. She couldn't help but feel some jealousy, saying sourly, "Why not meet at the Liberty City Manor? Maybe when you get to Troutdale Manor, you'll realize this is all just a joke; Eric Williams wouldn't even look twice at someone like Kim."

Kris Jenner slapped her daughter's hand away as she attempted to meddle. "Shut up, I think I hear Kendall crying; go check on her."

Kourtney pointed to her sister Khloe Kardashian. "You go."

Khloe remained still, glancing back at her stepfather, Bruce Jenner, who smiled wryly and turned to leave the room.

Kourtney, still unwilling to relent, tugged at Kim. "Mom, can't I just go too?"

Kris sprayed some perfume on Kim, sniffed it, nodded in satisfaction, then told her, "No messing around; this is a big deal. However, I'll try to invite Williams. If he agrees, you'll see him soon."

Kourtney rolled her eyes, "Like he'd actually agree."

Kim got up and did a little spin in front of the mirror, catching her sister's eye and said, "Kourt, you can keep talking trash here, but if mom doesn't land the contract, we'll have to head back to New York. Do you want to go back?"

"I don't care; you're the one who wants to stay in L.A., right?"

"Of course, I'm so over those Upper East Hydee girls," Kim adjusted the straps of her long dress and confidently added, "But after this, they'll definitely have to see me differently."

"Hmph, if it weren't for Paris, you wouldn't even have a chance with Eric Williams."

"If it weren't for her being such a nuisance, I wouldn't have gotten kicked out so quickly."

"Alright, enough arguing." Kris glanced at her watch. It would take about twenty minutes to get from Robert Kardashian's house to Troutdale Manor. Although it was just 1:20 PM and their meeting was set for 2:00 PM, she decided to leave early, giving her other children a stern look. "You all stay at home and take care of Kendall and Kylie."

"Got it, Mom," Kourtney and the others replied begrudgingly, casting envious glances as Kris left with Kim and Bruce.

...

Despite leaving early, the three arrived precisely five minutes ahead of schedule at Drew's luxurious home.

After parking the car outside the mansion and giving Kim a final couple of reminders, Kris Jenner rang the doorbell.

Moments later, the door swung open. A Russian woman in a blouse and black trousers, exuding an office worker vibe, looked at Kris and her daughters. "Ms. Jenner, please follow me; master is expecting you."

Upon hearing the specific title in Natasha's address, the three were momentarily stunned. As the woman stepped aside, they quickly understood and rushed inside, following the twin into the villa. Kris couldn't help but glance back at her daughter as they walked behind Natasha, noting her tall figure and pretty face.

Once in the living room, Kris immediately spotted Eric and Drew at a long table in the corner, pointing at something on the surface. Eric noticed their arrival but simply gestured for them to sit on the couch.

The Jenners didn't dare hope for an overly warm welcome from Eric; they settled down on the couch as another identical Russian girl served them coffee. Kris couldn't help but glance at Kim, who felt somewhat inferior in front of Natasha and her sister. With her mom's constant comparisons, Kim felt resentful, thinking, Am I not your daughter too?

...

At the long table, Eric exchanged brief nods with them before turning his focus back to the map. He pointed to areas in Long Island, New York, and the San Fernando Valley in northern Los Angeles. "We can build airports in both these locations and establish a dedicated aviation management company. This way, not only will our planned four planes be able to arrive and depart smoothly on the East and West Coasts, but I'll also contact Chris and Katzenberg; I'm sure they'll be interested in buying private jets. With time, more people in the Firefly system will be able to afford them."

"Hey, if what you say is true, the private jets under Firefly might outnumber those of many airlines. Perhaps we should buy a bigger property now," the girl said excitedly. Eric had described to her the massive growth potential of Firefly's investments, like Yahoo, and she was completely convinced. She pulled her finger away from the U.S. map, pointing to Europe, shaking it near London. "How about we build a private airport in London too?"

Eric shook his head and smiled. "Building one airport on each coast will be enough for now. There's no need to open one in the UK just yet. Alright, let's wrap this up; we have guests waiting."

"Okay."

Drew instructed Natasha to put the map away and walked toward the couch with Eric.

...

The conversation between Eric and the girl hadn't been quiet, and the Jenner family listened attentively, amazed. Over the years, Bruce Jenner had accumulated a few million, but the thought of owning a private plane -- let alone renting one at tens of thousands of dollars per use -- was beyond their grasp. The idea of having private airports was unheard of for them.

However, Kris shifted her gaze back to her daughters, still convinced that the opportunities Eric was presenting were somehow linked to Kim. As she observed Eric walking towards them with Drew, she felt a surge of hope. Drew Barrymore's background was not much better than her daughter's, and if Kim could get involved with Eric Williams, those luxurious experiences with private jets and airports wouldn't be out of reach. If she could indulge in that lifestyle for once, even if it meant sacrificing all her daughters... it would certainly be worth it.

Thoughts swirled in her head until she noticed Eric approaching with a smile, extending his hand to greet her husband. Kris quickly straightened up.

...

"Hello, Mr. Jenner. It's great that you could make it," Eric said, exchanging pleasantries with Bruce.

Bruce was unaware of the invitation Eric had extended to join in the reality show planning, as Kris had advised her daughter not to mention it. Hence, Bruce felt like the supportive figure today, smiling politely as he shook Eric's hand. "Hello, Mr. Williams."

"Just call me Eric," Eric replied with a grin, also shaking Kris's hand and exchanging a few casual remarks before turning toward Kim. "Kim, good to see you again."

"Yeah, Eric," Kim replied, struggling to find the right words to seem more friendly.

After the brief exchange, everyone took their seats again. The twins approached, handing over Kris's reality show proposal to Eric.

As he flipped through the folder, Eric told Kris, "Kris, I've reviewed your proposal, and I agree with your idea to change the title from Hollywood Girls to Beverly Hills Girls."

Kris's reality show proposal hit the nails on the head, capturing the essence of lifestyle reality shows with 'conflict' and 'showiness' -- irresistible elements that grab the audience's attention. Not only that, but Kris also suggested expanding Eric's initial Hollywood-only concept to a Beverly Hills affluent girls' reality show. This would maintain a connection to Hollywood while potentially allowing for similar series in other parts of the U.S.

After reviewing the proposal, Eric was reminded of another famous reality show series he hadn't watched in his past life, including The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of New York City, and The Real Housewives of Miami. While he hadn't seen the series, its success in branching out indicated tremendous potential. The series aligned perfectly for both Lifetime Television and the soon-to-be-acquired E! Entertainment by MGM. If Kris Jenner can successfully make this reality show plan, Eric doesn't mind letting her continue to be in charge of the series.

As soon as Eric finished speaking, Kris eagerly jumped in, "So, Eric, does this mean I got the position?"

Eric nodded. "You could say that, but I still have a few questions."

Kris felt she had momentarily lost her composure and steadied herself. "Of course, please go ahead."

"It's like this," Eric continued. "I'm very satisfied with your production proposal, but you seem to have overlooked one important aspect -- promotional strategies."

In Eric's view, while Kris had grasped the essence of 'conflict' and 'showiness' in lifestyle reality shows, her greatest potential lay in the promotional aspect. In his past life, the Kardashian family could turn a simple stroll into tabloid headlines. This pervasive publicity was the core of Keeping Up with the Kardashians' success, and the mastermind behind all this was the Kardashian family's matriarch, Kris Jenner. Eric now wanted to tap into her promotional capabilities.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 883: The Curse]

Kris Jenner paused, confused. "Eric, shouldn't the TV station be responsible for the promotional stuff?"

Eric started to explain patiently, "If this were a TV drama, the network could certainly take full responsibility for promotion. But for a reality show, to achieve better ratings, the production team needs to actively create more buzz around the program. Just like Lifetime's America's Next Top Model, Cindy Crawford, who serves as the producer and host, also participates in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and continuously attends various fashion events, occasionally appearing in movies or TV dramas. The contestants on the reality show also utilize personal homepages on the Internet to showcase themselves as much as possible. These seemingly unrelated details can actually bring more attention to America's Next Top Model, keeping its ratings consistently strong."

"Eric, if I need to personally step in for promotion, I won't hesitate," Kris Jenner began to grasp some of the concepts. "But the girls we're inviting for this reality show definitely can't be any celebrities. In that case, there wouldn't be much to dig up in terms of topics, and neither would I be one."

As Kris Jenner spoke, she looked hopefully at Eric.

Eric understood Kris Jenner's thoughts well; she wanted him to help lift the reality show's profile. However, he wasn't inclined to do that. If he frequently appeared to promote Firefly's internal TV shows, it would soon lose its effectiveness.

"I definitely won't be appearing," he shook his head. "You'll have to do it yourself. Just like with Project Runway and America's Next Top Model; I also didn't make many appearances in the beginning, and Linda and Cindy still did great."

Kris Jenner felt a bit disappointed. "In that case, it seems promoting it won't be so easy after all."

"Of course it won't be easy; there's never an abundance of easy opportunities in this world."

Kris Jenner sensed that her words about lacking confidence displeased Eric, so she quickly salvaged the situation. "No, Eric, that's not what I meant."

Eric waved his hand, laughing. "Starting from scratch to build a reality show, especially with no recognizable main creators or actors, definitely isn't going to be easy. But this is a very important opportunity for you and those girls who will join the show. You need to understand that if it were easy, this opportunity wouldn't come your way."

"I get it, Eric," Kris Jenner nodded. "So, specifically, what kind of support can I get from Firefly Group?"

"Oh, I seem to have forgotten to mention that," Eric replied. "This reality show is produced by MGM, and Firefly won't be directly involved; the distribution platform is still undecided. But when the time comes, as long as it's needed, Firefly will provide ample resources."

Kris Jenner quickly organized the information Eric provided, considered for a moment, and probed further. "Eric, in the planning, one of the girls participating wants to develop her career in Hollywood. For the sake of the story progression, can Firefly or MGM offer some audition opportunities and allow the crew to film the process?"

"Of course, if she has the acting chops, not just auditions, providing performance opportunities would be easy."

Eric understood that Kris Jenner was testing his level of support for the reality show program, and without hesitation, he readily agreed. Firefly and MGM, along with Fox, produced and released over a hundred films each year, making such opportunities truly straightforward. The purpose of media group resource integration was to maximize synergistic effects, so this collaboration was naturally appropriate.

With Eric's assurance, Kris Jenner felt relieved, and they began to discuss the details of the reality show production in more depth.

The first matter was naturally the title. According to Kris Jenner's vision, it was named Beverly Girls. The production team would select five girls from Beverly Hills, each with different personalities, ages, careers, and family backgrounds, recording their lives with cameras. Of course, the production team would communicate with the girls in advance, planning out a general "storyline" for each girl, and aim to dig up as many appealing elements as possible for the audience.

On the other hand, while Eric had a lot of confidence in Kris Jenner, he also didn't want to be overly naive.

To mitigate risks, the first season of Beverly Girls would consist of only eight episodes, each lasting forty-five minutes, to test the waters.

The show was expected to begin production in the latter half of the year, with a spring release planned for the following year. Eric didn't intend to get involved in the detailed production process, so he kept his expectations for the reality show managed. Given that producing lifestyle reality shows was generally much cheaper than competitive reality shows, as long as the ratings reached renewal standards, MGM could continue producing. Moreover, at that time, such types of reality shows hadn't appeared on major networks yet, and audiences generally favored fresh content, making the chances of failure relatively low.

...

The discussions continued until evening when all the details were finalized, and Eric said, "For now, let's leave it at that. The MGM television production department head will reach out to you for further work. Of course, if any issues come up that you can't resolve, you can contact me or Drew."

It wasn't yet time for dinner, and Kris Jenner realized Eric wasn't planning to have them stay for dinner, so she gracefully stood up, "Well then, we'll take our leave. By the way, Eric, do you have time soon? Bruce and I are planning to throw a party."

Eric shook his head, saying, "No need for that; I'll be heading to the UK next week and might not have the time."

Seeing Eric's direct refusal, Kris Jenner didn't press any further but felt a pang of regret that he hadn't looked at her daughter once throughout the entire afternoon. Nevertheless, she was very content with securing the producer role for Beverly Girls. Eric's explanation of reality show marketing strategies during the afternoon had made her see a faintly opened door. At that moment, she didn't have much else on her mind. After all, since she had landed the job, more opportunities for contact would surely come her way, so there was no need to rush.

...

After a busy week, it was a new Monday, and Eric focused all his energy on the final promotional phase for Casino Royale.

Over in Southeast Asia, with the weekend over, international currency traders had mercilessly continued their assault on the Thai baht. After two days of preparations over the weekend, the Thai government began to strike back.

The term "currency war" might sound high-end, but in reality, the confrontation between the two sides resembled a brutal, cold weapon era bow fight -- crude and savage. On one side to undermine the baht's value, international currency traders heavily sold off their baht holdings; on the other, the Thai government utilized foreign reserves to absorb the baht being sold to stabilize its currency.

International currency traders typically bought high and sold low, or engaged in high-interest borrowings. With each sale of the baht, they would incur corresponding losses. Similarly, the Thai government's foreign reserves were finite. Coupled with the nation's staggering $90 billion international debt, borrowing dollars from abroad posed significant challenges. Once their foreign reserves ran dry, it would mean a failure in upholding the local currency's value. Ultimately, this battle hinged on who could endure the longest.

However, the outcome had been apparent since the start of this contest.

Thailand's total foreign reserves were only $36 billion, of which the government could utilize a maximum of $10 billion. Yet the international currency traders eyeing the baht controlled funds far exceeding that amount, with George Soros holding two large funds that surpassed the $10 billion threshold. Even if the Thai government exhausted the $10 billion, it could only inflict a $1-2 billion loss on the international currency traders, who could easily absorb that loss. But if the baht fell, a 50% depreciation would yield several times returns for the international traders holding several hundred billion dollars in short positions on the baht. If a financial crisis erupted, currencies across Southeast Asia would depreciate, leading to a greater feast for international currency traders.

...

The premiere of Casino Royale was scheduled for Thursday night, local time, in London, while Southeast Asia was engulfed in turmoil. Entering the workweek, Eric was also kept busy; as early as Monday morning, he spent half the day recording an episode for ABC's Late Night with David Letterman to promote Casino Royale.

At the same time, discussions between MGM and Time Warner regarding the sale of E! Entertainment shares reached a conclusion. Time Warner firmly stuck to their $670 million asking price for the 39.5% they held in E! Entertainment, showing no willingness to budge. Consequently, after communicating with Eric, Amy Pascal agreed to the deal.

Thanks to MGM's substantial profits from film business over the last two years, the initial $1 billion cash gained through stock issuance had been reduced to about $500 million due to consumption over these years. MGM could cover the $670 million deal without any financing.

However, matters didn't end there. Initially intended as a cover, MGM reached out to Cablevision to propose acquiring their Rainbow Media assets, only to receive a surprisingly positive response. Although the company stated they would only sell 20% of Rainbow Media, similar to the stances of Comcast and Tele-Communications regarding E! Entertainment, Cablevision also indicated that if the transaction was successful, they could hand over the operational rights of Bravo TV under Rainbow Media to MGM.

Having been in decline for twenty years, MGM was cautious. After regaining control of this company, Eric had rejected many development plans from MGM's high management, such as rebuilding studio facilities, and even after partnering with Fox on Blue Sky Studios, he hadn't extended MGM's animation film business. This was the reason why the initial $1 billion financing still had half remaining.

Now, facing Cablevision's proposition, Eric felt conflicted.

On one hand, the past few years represented MGM's last chance to develop a cable business. Once the media consolidation tide passed, the cost to enter this field would escalate significantly. Eric sincerely hoped to acquire a part of Rainbow Media alongside E! Entertainment.

On the other hand, acquiring two TV stations at once would substantially heighten operational risks. Additionally, Rainbow Media was much larger in scale than just E! Entertainment. The 20% equity price was approximately equivalent to MGM's acquisition value of E! Entertainment. If formal negotiations began, MGM would naturally seek a larger stake. At that point, in order to finalize the deal without affecting company operations, MGM would have to resort to issuing bonds for financing. But if the operation of Rainbow Media fared poorly post-acquisition, it would inevitably drag the entire MGM Group down. With rising debt ratios and declining profitability, falling into a vicious cycle could lead MGM back down the old path.

Nevertheless, before leaving Los Angeles, Eric had a detailed discussion with Amy Pascal and ultimately decided to initiate negotiations with Cablevision.

...

Fortunately, purchasing a private jet and establishing a private airport wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight. Eric only took the time to briefly communicate with Chris, Katzenberg, and other Firefly senior executives, instructing his assistant's office to draft a detailed plan, with specifics to be addressed later when this busy period subsided.

Additionally, after the past weekend, Firefly's Finding Nemo saw only a 33% drop in box office revenue the following weekend. Coupled with its impressive $70.25 million opening weekend, Finding Nemo grossed $46.58 million over its second weekend, firmly maintaining its top position in the box office charts, accumulating a total of $140 million. In just ten days of release, it had already surpassed Lion King 2's total of $137 million during its fourth week, temporarily becoming the box office champion of 1997 in North America.

In contrast, Batman Robin, which had opened the previous week, suffered an even worse reception than Godzilla, as its box office revenues dwindled over three consecutive days, starting with $16.11 million on the first day, $15.09 million the following day, and dropping again on Sunday to $11.66 million. Ultimately, Batman Robin only garnered $42.87 million over its opening weekend. Compared to Godzilla's decline curve, whether Batman Robin could surpass the $100 million mark would depend solely on whether Time Warner would be willing to buy its own tickets.

With the fourth blockbuster of the summer failing again, many media outlets began to echo doubts regarding the upcoming Casino Royale. It seemed that most people didn't have high expectations for whether Eric's new film could escape the "curse" of summer blockbusters which had been flopping this year.

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[Chapter 884: Too Excited]

"Perhaps Titanic absorbed too much of the movie market's buzz at once. This summer, it had been a disaster for live-action blockbusters. Movies like The Fifth Element, Con Air, Godzilla, Contact, and Batman Robin had average production costs hitting $100 million, but their box office performances had been steadily disappointing. With five high-budget films failing in succession, one couldn't help but feel concerned about Casino Royale.

It was well known that this was Eric Williams' first film after Jurassic Park set a global box office record of $1 billion. Over the past four years, Firefly Group had consistently produced blockbuster hits like The Lion King, Independence Day, Jurassic Park 2, Titanic, and the current Finding Nemo. Though the spy movie universe meticulously crafted by MGM under Eric's command was gradually taking shape, Eric had been away for four years. The ever-expanding scale of Firefly Group would surely consume much of his energy. Given these four years of being away from the directing chair while staying busy, it was hard to imagine if Casino Royale could still uphold his past film standards.

Moreover, in this summer overflowing with blockbusters but haunted by frequent failures, audiences might have completely lost their patience for continuous awful films. The Bond series had a remarkably stable box office allure, but this series had been around for over thirty years; its production model was rigid and outdated, making any kind of breakthrough a challenging task. If Casino Royale could not surprise us beyond the existing Bond series formula, one could foresee that this film -- the first James Bond movie with a production cost exceeding $100 million -- would meet the same dismal fate as those that preceded it."

...

Onboard a medium-sized Boeing 767, the girl peeked at Eric, who was engrossed in The Los Angeles Times, and voiced her discontent, "These people are truly ridiculous. Why can't they see that Titanic and Independence Day were all under your leadership?"

Eric set the newspaper aside, picked up another one, and smiled, "I think there's some truth to it. Besides, if the movie flops, they are just being thoughtful to provide me with an excuse in advance."

"Ha ha," the girl giggled and leaned closer, saying, "Eric, Casino Royale is fantastic! Everyone who has seen it agrees on this. You can't possibly fail."

"Just because I won't fail now doesn't mean I won't fail in the future. Everyone faces failure at some point."

"Well, that doesn't matter," she said, snuggling closer to him. "Eric, why don't we go to the front bedroom? It could be really thrilling to do it aboard the plane."

Eric gestured towards the bright light outside the window. "It's daytime, and if you're tired, you should take a nap. There's no reason to complain about discomfort this time, is there?"

They were aboard a Boeing 767-200ER, which happened to be the largest private jet owned by a famous airline leasing company in Los Angeles, ALC. Originally intended for group rentals, it had been modified but still accommodated around 50 passengers. The cabin featured a comfortable, luxurious presidential suite, which caught the girl's interest, and they specifically rented it for this transcontinental journey.

Eric's schedule was tight, with the London premiere happening tomorrow night. Most of the film crew had already made it to London, while Eric was just now setting out. Besides the crew, there were fewer than ten passengers onboard: Eric, the girl, twins, Eric's assistant, and four security guards.

Hearing Eric's playful banter, the girl comfortably stretched and teased, "Still a bit cramped, isn't it?"

Eric chuckled and replied, "Maybe I should just hang you outside the plane where there's more space."

The girl playfully slapped Eric's arm. Noticing that Eric had sidestepped the idea of heading to the bedroom to do something intimate, her eyes twinkled as she said, "Oh wait, Eric, just a minute!"

Before Eric could respond, she got up and headed towards the back of the airplane.

Eric felt a bit bewildered, shrugged it off, and leaned back, flipping through his newspaper.

...

After about ten minutes, two tall figures quietly walked in. Eric caught a glimpse of light blue out of the corner of his eye, thinking it was just a flight attendant, but when the two girls reached him, he was struck by their stunning appearance. Their long, slender legs were hard to ignore, and the flight attendant uniforms made them look even more alluring. Their fitted blue tops accentuated their curves perfectly, and they wore matching scarves around their necks, with slightly flushed faces.

Meeting Eric's gaze, the twins looked a bit shy. After spending so much time together, Eric knew the two girls had remarkable skills but were quite modest.

Before Eric could say anything, the girl on the left, Natasha, placed a tray in front of him and leaned over slightly, softly asking, "Master, would you like some coffee?"

The original visual stimulation was enough to make people excited. With their doll-like faces and petite long legs paired with flight attendant uniforms, Eric felt his breath quicken. Seeing Natasha bending down with her collar open, Eric immediately felt something was wrong. He sniffed, quickly raised his head, and panickedly covered his nose with his hands.

...

The plane took off from Los Angeles at 1 PM on Wednesday, and after an eleven-hour flight, the Boeing 767 landed at London Heathrow Airport around 6 AM local time on Thursday.

Meeting them at the airport were the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and her brother Michael Wilson. Drew seemed a bit odd, frequently bursting into laughter at whatever popped into her mind while being close to Eric, occasionally whispering something in his ear. Although Eric maintained a composed facade, hints of embarrassment occasionally crept onto his face.

After a brief greeting, the Broccoli siblings arranged for a black Mercedes to accommodate Eric and the girl, and they all left the airport.

The London paparazzi seemed to have been tipped off early. Because they used the VIP channel, they couldn't intercept Eric and the others in the terminal, but just as their cars were exiting the airport, a few motorcycles with eager photographers appeared behind them.

The girl paid no attention to the buzzing paparazzi. Once the car was on the road, she suppressed a few giggles and leaned against Eric. Slyly glancing at the twins driving, she brought her face close to Eric's ear and playfully bit him while expressing her annoyance. "It's so unfair, Eric, you've never gotten a nosebleed in front of me."

"Alright, considering how long it's been, I propose we forget about that, shall we?"

"Humph, that's not fair at all," the girl ignored the twins' now reddened faces, continuing, "What a pity, if only I had brought a camera! If I sold those photos to the guys outside, I could make some quick cash, you know?"

"Let's focus on tonight's premiere instead. How did you manage to get Prince Charles to attend?"

The girl decided to stop teasing Eric, saying, "I told them that if they didn't want to attend this premiere, then I'd invite Diana."

Eric knew she wouldn't actually do that, but he played along, saying, "Wow, that's pretty ruthless."

"Of course!" she proudly chuckled. Seeing a paparazzo on a motorcycle get a bit too close, she turned to Natasha in the front seat and demanded, "Drive faster and shake them off! They're so annoying!"

Eric glanced out of the window, taking stock of the following paparazzi. Suddenly, he recalled, "You mean the house you bought is right next to Kensington Palace?"

"Yep, Kensington Garden Road. You'll see it in a bit. It's a great house," she nodded enthusiastically, then she seemed to have a thought, adding, "Diana still lives at Kensington Palace, you know. Heh, Eric, if you're interested, you could always stop by."

Eric simply looked at the trailing paparazzi, his thoughts drifting back to Princess Diana's tragic accident, which had happened in August 1997, and now it was just about July. He couldn't help but wonder if that event was still in the future.

Though Eric wasn't a conspiracy theorist, he recognized that the upper echelons of society were riddled with their share of filth.

After a while of wandering thoughts, Eric decided to brush it aside. If nothing happened, then that was great. If something did occur, well, perhaps like Marilyn Monroe, a woman's sudden demise at the peak of her beauty could leave behind a legendary tale in people's memories.

...

After more than half an hour, the car navigated through Kensington High Street in London, turning onto a highly guarded street on the west side of Kensington Gardens. Naturally, the paparazzi were kept at bay; only Eric's party was allowed inside.

After a brief drive through the tree-lined street, the vehicle entered a grand mansion courtyard. Stepping out of the parking lot, the girl pulled Eric's arm, mischievously pointing to the southeast, "Look over there, Eric, just there!"

Eric knew she was referring to Princess Diana's home but paid little attention, focusing instead on the white, castle-like English-style building before them.

As the Broccoli siblings exited the vehicle, a few security guards began unloading Eric's and Drew's luggage from the company car. The girl dropped the previous topic, wrapping her arm around Eric's and asking, "Eric, how's the house? It's really spacious -- it has a total of 12 bedrooms. The living room can host 100 people for a party effortlessly! Plus, there's a basement that was originally for art collections, but the previous owner went bankrupt a few years back and sold everything. We could turn it into a screening room. Oh, and there used to be a staff team here, but since I know you don't like that, I disbanded them. While we're away, the house will still be cleaned and maintained regularly."

As the twins moved ahead to open the lavish villa's main doors, Eric turned to the Broccoli siblings. "Let's head inside and discuss --truth be told, it's my first time here."

The Broccoli siblings nodded with smiles and walked into the villa with Eric.

...

Drew instructed the guards to bring in several large boxes of luggage into the living room and, after a few words, sent them away, including Eric's assistant. Kensington Garden Road was home to super-rich individuals, and access was tightly controlled, making it one of the safest residences in London. Eric didn't feel the need for security guards on constant watch. If something unexpected did arise, the twins would be sufficient -- though they seemed harmless, Eric had sparred with them before and knew their strength. The girl had even arranged for them to undergo formal security training, ensuring they were much like actual bodyguards.

While the girl, along with the twins, began unpacking the luggage, Eric sat down with the Broccoli siblings in the living room to discuss the arrangements for tonight's Casino Royale premiere.

The premiere was scheduled to take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Ironically, the concert hall was just a stone's throw away from Kensington Gardens, only a few hundred meters apart. Aside from the filmmakers of Casino Royale, the crew had also invited some local British stars and significant guests like Prince Charles.

Considering Eric and Drew had just finished a ten-hour flight and would likely need some rest, the Broccoli siblings didn't linger long, quickly discussing some details about the premiere before taking their leave.

...

After seeing the Broccoli siblings off, Eric returned to the living room where the girl was batting her eyelashes at him, her face brimming with anticipation. "Eric, I'm not tired. How about we go out for a little while?"

Even though it was already deep night in Los Angeles, the girl felt energetic thanks to resting on the flight. Eric felt relatively refreshed too but still said, "We might be up late tonight, so why don't you lie down a bit? I still have some work to finish; Peter will be sending some things over shortly."

Drew's curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

Eric didn't keep her in the dark, replying, "Some manuscripts. Disney's live-action films have been stagnating lately. I plan to select some children's books for adaptation, but frankly, there hasn't been anything satisfactory that has been published yet. Before I came here, I had Liz touch base with the UK branch of HarperCollins; they will be sending some unpublished manuscripts over, and I want to see if I can unearth any interesting stories."

HarperCollins was among the largest English-language publishers worldwide and a wholly-owned subsidiary of News Corporation.

Eric's aim in doing this was to seek out the historically popular magical literature series, the Harry Potter series. In the original timeline, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone should have been released by now, but despite Eric's vigil, he still hadn't laid eyes on the book. Given J.K. Rowling's past with multiple rejections from publishers, Eric intended to start by exploring discarded manuscripts. If the book had been completely overlooked, he would just have to find someone to write it for him. No matter what, he was determined not to give up on what was evidently a perfect fit for Disney, especially considering that in the original timeline, the series' rights had ended up with Warner Bros -- a critical failure for Disney.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 886: I Can Fight Back Too]

[T/N: There is no chapter 885. I think the novel had wrong numbering and later continued like that.]

Before long, Peter Rich and the manager of HarperCollins' UK branch dropped off four large boxes of manuscripts.

Eric had a brief chat with the two of them before sending them on their way. The girl circled around the four boxes and pulled out a simply bound manuscript from one of the cartons. "Eric, this must be at least a hundred copies. Are you really planning to read them all?"

Eric shook the folder that the HarperCollins manager had left behind. "How could I possibly have that much time? This is just their compilation of story summaries. I'll check to see if anything interests me, and then I'll read the full manuscripts."

"Oh, I'll take a look too! Maybe there's something I'm interested in," the girl said, getting up and moving closer, completely forgetting to put the manuscript back.

Eric instructed the twins to carry the boxes upstairs to his study. As the girl came over to snatch the folder from his hands, he let it go but caught the manuscript she handed him. Casting a casual glance at its cover, he suddenly wore a look of surprise mixed with a hint of amusement.

The cover of the manuscript clearly displayed two words: Harry Potter. Although it differed slightly from the title of the first book in the series, the signature of J.K. Rowling at the bottom was unmistakable.

In that instant, Eric felt a surge of excitement and nearly pulled the girl's small hand to kiss it, thinking of dragging her into a game to open some chests.

He watched as the girl settled onto the couch with the folder, eagerly flipping through the contents. Eric also went to his seat, opening the manuscript in his hands to read intently. By noon, he had read through the manuscript but was still feeling the exhaustion of flying for ten hours. The girl was already asleep, her head resting on his lap.

Eric hadn't read the original Harry Potter series in his past life, but he had seen the movies.

From his perspective, the manuscript resembled a compilation of what had been the first two volumes, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Since movies could never fully capture a novel's storyline, Eric couldn't discern any differences in the narrative compared to his previous experience. Nevertheless, what he cared about most was obtaining the film adaptation rights. As long as the novel wasn't shelved, pushing it back onto its rightful track would be simple for him.

The twins brought lunch, and Eric handed one of the manuscripts to one of them for safekeeping. He gently patted the sleeping girl. Once she was asleep, she was very reluctant to wake up, groaning and wrapping her little arms around him. After a bit of fussing, he managed to carry her to the dining room, where she drowsily had a little something to eat before dragging Eric off to rest again.

Eric spent the entire morning reading the Harry Potter manuscript. After lunch, feeling somewhat weary, he decided he could delay the copyright matters for a few days since he would be staying in England. He told the twins a few things and took the girl to the bedroom.

...

At four o'clock, Eric and the girl woke up and started preparing for the evening's premiere. Barbara Broccoli came over in person to discuss some details about the event. Although their residence was quite close to the Royal Albert Hall, the crew had arranged for a stretch limousine.

The premiere red carpet ceremony was set to begin at six. According to the plans, Eric and the girl left their place on Garden Street at six-thirty. It took them less than five minutes to reach the crowded premiere site.

Since it was mid-summer, the sky was still not completely dark. The lengthy red carpet leading to the entrance of the music hall was packed with fans and reporters on either side. The limousine carrying Eric and Drew stopped at the end of the red carpet. As soon as they stepped out, the crowd erupted into wild screams.

Walking hand in hand with the girl, Eric could hear girls from the crowd yelling for the girl to move aside. He leaned closer to her and asked, "Are you feeling pressured?"

Drew shook her head with a smile and said, "Not at all! I am just loving the sound of their envy and jealousy."

Seeing the two of them whispering on the red carpet fueled the cheers and screams even more. The security personnel on guard had to be vigilant to prevent anyone from rushing onto the red carpet.

After walking for about ten meters, they had passed by most casual fans and now found more reporters on either side. A few die-hard fans held up various posters, calling out Eric's name as he and the girl approached, hoping to get autographs. Perhaps because the crowd was a bit thinner here, they weren't as frenzied as before.

The two posed for some photos together, letting the reporters capture the moment. Afterward, Drew gently nudged Eric and said, "Eric, I need to take more pictures. Why don't you go sign some autographs for them?"

Eric nodded, smiling as he noticed a few fans on the left frantically waving their posters. He walked over, took a pen from one of them, and signed quickly, even posing for a few pictures before moving along the edge of the red carpet, signing as he went. After moving about five or six meters, he had just finished signing for two girls who were blushing from excitement when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a rather peculiar woman amongst the crowd.

While other fans were all excitedly waving their posters, this woman stood off to the side empty-handed, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and white casual pants. With blonde hair and light makeup, her age was hard to gauge -- maybe in her thirties, or perhaps her forties. She had two bodyguards with her, who were trying to keep the surrounding fans away, making her presence all the more striking.

Noticing Eric looking over, the woman's gaze, which had been fixed on him in a sort of daze, suddenly showed signs of panic. Her eyes flickered as if she wanted to look away, yet there was a lingering reluctance.

After quickly signing a poster handed to him by another fan, Eric moved forward and was now standing right in front of the woman. He felt a strange familiarity but couldn't quite recall where he had seen her before. Their eyes met, and she instinctively raised her hand, resting it on the railing, only to quickly lower it again. There was a glint in her eyes as she forced a smile in Eric's direction.

For some unknown reason, when their eyes locked, a peculiar emotion stirred within Eric. He raised the pen in his hand with a smile and said, "Ma'am, would you like an autograph?"

The woman hesitated for a moment before nodding. Her hand went into her pocket, rummaging around until she produced a ten-pound note. Her voice was low, and Eric could only make out a rough idea from her lips as she said, "Then, sign here, please."

Eric chuckled lightly. Seeing how the woman cradled the bill in her palm, he reached out to grasp her hand gently and quickly signed her bill with a string of letters.

After signing, he continued on his path.

...

The woman stared at the ten-pound note in her hand for a moment before telling one of her bodyguards, "Mark, let's go."

"Of course, miss."

Mark nodded promptly and, along with another bodyguard, helped her push through the crowd. They shielded her as they made their way to the parking lot. Mark opened the car door for her before hopping into the driver's seat and starting the engine.

Through the rearview mirror, he studied the woman he hadn't seen in over twenty years. Twenty-five years, or was it twenty-six? Back then, he had been a naive young man, like many others, unable to resist developing a crush on her, though he was just like the rest, only daring to steal a few glances. Now, all these years later, his daughter was on the verge of marrying, and his hair was tinged with gray, while the lady appeared just as timeless, as if time had frozen for her.

With a tinge of nostalgia, Mark kept the car at a steady pace, steering onto the highway. After hesitating for a moment, he gathered his thoughts and said, "Miss, I heard Williams is quite fond of Miss Caroline. I met him once, a fine young man. But my lady said they might not be together. Williams seems... not very devoted."

The woman didn't respond, keeping her eyes fixed outside the window until she suddenly asked, "My brother should know I've returned, right?"

Mark's expression turned awkward at that, but he nodded. "I... I'm sorry, miss. I think I should notify the master."

"Then take me back."

Mark thought he misheard. "Huh?"

"I said, I want to go back and take a look."

"Oh, of course." Finally realizing he hadn't misheard, Mark nodded. "We'll head back now. The master and mistress will be pleased to see you."

"Hmm, let's hope he doesn't try to kick me out."

Mark quickly shook his head. "No, he definitely wouldn't! The master has always cared for you, even years later."

"You wouldn't understand," the woman replied, shaking her head. Then, she suddenly smiled and said, "But if he tries to hit me, I will fight back."

Mark was momentarily taken aback, recovering only to shake his head. "No, that won't happen. Not at all..."

...

Once past the red carpet area, the girl noticed Eric's unusual expression and asked, "Eric, what are you thinking about?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't know. I just feel like I met someone familiar back there."

Drew chimed in, "Was it that woman in the black shirt?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Hehe, it's rare to see a woman in a black shirt. Pretty striking, and I even noticed you touching her hand. Want me to inquire about her?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Eric shook his head and took the girl with him into the music hall. They signed the wall for autographs and posed for some pictures with reporters inside. As Michael Wilson personally escorted Prince Charles toward them, Eric brushed aside his earlier encounter and focused on welcoming the guests who had come for the event.

The main cast of Casino Royale, apart from the Charlie's Angels trio and one other male co-star who stayed behind in the U.S. for promotions, were all present in London. In addition to a host of British stars, even Sean Connery, the first actor to portray 007, made it to the premiere. The venue was illuminated with the glow of so many celebrities.

...

At seven o'clock, the five hundred invited guests settled into their seats in the hall. The lights dimmed, and the film officially began.

The opening started with an assassination scene, following the events of the previous film, GoldenEye. 006 had defected, and Bond was sent to hunt down the MI6 traitor. Briefly contemplating his long-time colleague's betrayal, Bond felt disheartened. Plus, with the Soviet Union's collapse, MI6's role in the British government was diminished, prompting Bond to apply for retirement.

M refused to let her top agent go and instead sent Bond on a holiday to the Bahamas.

...

In the hall, after the opening, when the iconic 007 title sequence appeared, Frank Lipton from The Times couldn't help but nod slightly.

Such a simple beginning allowed him to keenly sense that Eric had abandoned the independent style previously associated with the 007 series. Instead, he had started to connect the series stories together, which from MGM's rising popularity in the spy film universe, was undoubtedly a wise change. The continuity from past installments meant that the audience didn't have to accept a brand-new story each time, thus maintaining part of the box office allure of the earlier films.

However, Frank Lipton also knew that changes in mere plot details wouldn't be sufficient. Considering that MGM had claimed this was the first film in the spy universe that achieved complete narrative crossover, he couldn't help but worry that intertwining elements from multiple spy franchises might inevitably lead to scattered plotlines in the movie. Although the 007 series had faced such shortcomings in previous installments, if this occurred under Williams' direction, it would surely be a disappointment.

...

The introduction ended swiftly, showing a private jet landing at the Bahama Islands airport. A sharply dressed Bond stepped off the plane, driving along the Bahama coastal road, settling into a hotel. His habitual charm kicked in, as he not only smoothly won over Teri Hatcher's character, but he also won an Aston Martin sports car from her husband at the blackjack table.

The plot then branched off as Caterina's husband, Alex, turned out to be a middleman in a gray market transaction. While Bond was entangled with Caterina, Alex met the main antagonist, Chiffre, on a yacht. Chiffre, an asset manager in the Spectre, had just been entrusted with managing a hundred million dollars from an African warlord. While inquiring about the newly developed wide-body aircraft from Skyfleet, Chiffre hatched a plan to sabotage their test flight and short the company's stock with the money he just acquired.

Being paranoid by nature, after Alex introduced a bomb expert to sabotage the aircraft's testing, Chiffre, trusting no one, ordered his men to keep an eye on Alex. By coincidence, they spotted Bond's presence. Thanks to the Spectre's vast intelligence network, Bond's true identity quickly came to light in front of Chiffre. Fearing he had fallen into an MI6 trap, Chiffre gave the order for a cleanup, leading to Alex and Caterina being swiftly assassinated. The sudden tragic death of his temporary companion enraged Bond and set him on a path to investigate the unfolding events.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 887: Stunning Entrance]

As Ivanka walked past Bond with three other stunning girls, carrying her puppet backpack, knowing laughter burst forth in the screening room. Frank Lipton, who had wanted to jot down some thoughts during the build-up, couldn't help but put his pen down and smile softly. This must have been the fourth one. Although Eric Williams might have been playing it safe by including such a little Easter egg in every film he directed, there was no denying it was indeed entertaining.

...

Chiffre had poured all his resources into short-selling stocks of Skyfleet. Although he felt that his actions might have been exposed, the plan was already too far along to halt. He could only send someone to hunt down Bond at the same time.

The villain assigned to chase down Bond was swiftly dispatched by Bond himself. Using a string of phone numbers left by Alex, Bond leveraged MI6's intelligence network to track down the bomber, who was about to launch an attack at Miami International Airport.

...

At Miami International Airport, with quick cuts and tense musical scores, the audience's emotions elevated. Although they knew Bond would ultimately thwart the bomber, many felt a surge of anxiety as Bond leaped onto a fuel truck, chasing the bomber down the airport runway.

While regular viewers were tightly gripped by the high-tension scenes, many critics only felt excitement. From Bond stepping into Miami International Airport to jumping on a fuel truck to confront the bomber and the police being hurled through the screen, this brief sequence, in just a few minutes, delivered a textbook-level stunning effect regarding the scenes, camera cuts, and background music. One couldn't help but say that although Eric Williams had been away for four years, his directorial talent showed no signs of waning, and perhaps even hinted at a further evolution.

Frank Lipton from The Times felt his heartbeat accelerate with the unfolding drama. When the bomber detonated the mini-bomb strapped to himself, a startling bang echoed from the speakers. Frank even felt a rush of exhilaration, as if he had personally thwarted the bomber's plot, and began to clap, which encouraged the entire theater to join him in applause.

...

In the front row of the auditorium, Eric breathed a sigh of relief, encouraged by the crowd's reactions.

The film's producer, Barbara Broccoli, released a deep sigh as well. For Eric, Casino Royale might have been just another understated project in his directing career, but this series encompassed the entire legacy of the Broccoli family. Casino Royale was the first Bond film produced entirely by her and her brother after their father, Albert Broccoli, passed away. Due to the string of summer blockbuster flops in Hollywood that year, Barbara Broccoli had worried that this film might follow suit, which would mean letting down her father's legacy. Now, having only screened a third of the film and hearing the spontaneous applause from the audience, it was clear that it could hardly be a failure.

...

Following the attack on Skyfleet's plans, Chiffre faced a huge loss of a hundred million dollars. To recoup his losses, he planned an all-or-nothing gamble at the Royal Casino in Montenegro, attracting attention from various intelligence agencies as a terrorist with connections.

M introduced Bond to MI6's intel on the Spectre organization and planned to send him to Montenegro to win the gambling game, paving the way to capture Chiffre.

At this point, a crossover element from the spy movie universe finally appeared. The intel M provided Bond with was the same information Ethan Hunt, the hero of the Mission: Impossible series, had intercepted and shared with allied intelligence agencies in Mission: Impossible 2, this subplot had even appeared as an Easter egg in that very film.

After half a year of anticipation, seeing the previously hinted subplot unfold, MGM spy movie fans at the screening found themselves oddly satisfied, only to grow more eager for the new Easter eggs anticipated at the end of the film.

To facilitate the gambling game, MI6 requested special funding from the Treasury, which sent an officer to assist Bond throughout the mission, ensuring the funds' safety.

...

The scene shifted to an ordinary apartment in London's West End, where a nerdy little girl was intently welding a circuit board among various sophisticated electronic gadgets. A sudden knock at the door startled her, causing the circuit board to short-circuit and smoke.

Outside the door stood the capable Vesper Lynd, dragging a suitcase. Seeing her sister's face smeared with soot when she opened the door, she peered in helplessly, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped her sister's face with care, her expression a mix of exasperation and affection as she said, "I really need to have another chat with that so-called Charlie Townsend Foundation head. I've got a bad feeling about them. How could anyone offer a sixteen-year-old girl a scholarship of ten thousand pounds a year? And all that weird training!"

Angela Lynd, like every rebellious child against stern parents, retorted, "Hey, sis, that's because I'm a genius."

"Oh, okay, my little genius," Vesper Lynd smiled, pocketing the handkerchief and kissing her sister's cheek. "I'm heading out of town for work for about a week, so take care of yourself, alright?"

A flicker of joy crossed Angela's face, but she quickly composed herself, answering dutifully, "Of course, sis. I'll be just fine."

Vesper playfully pinched her sister's cheek and added, "Don't get too cocky, though -- I asked Aunt Carol to keep an eye on you."

Angela, suddenly imagining something dreadful, pleaded reluctantly, "Sis, I'm your little sister."

"Of course, that's why I have to prevent my little angel from actually taking off when I'm not around."

...

Within the auditorium, listening to the entertaining back-and-forth between the Lynd sisters, smiles sprouted on the audience's faces. The 007 series had long been devoid of humor. This moment could be considered a small breakthrough for the series. In the brief two-minute segment, Angela's quirky charm and Vesper's sharp wit left a strong impression on the audience, setting the stage for future developments.

While Christina Aguilera shone brightly in her limited scenes, critics focused even more on the stunning new Bond girl played by Cate Blanchett.

Since she was cast, this Australian newcomer had stirred intense controversy. Casual viewers felt she didn't measure up to the traditional standards of beauty for Bond girls, and many in the industry thought Eric Williams's decision to cast a relative newcomer with only a few TV credits under her belt felt hasty.

However, in her limited scenes, Vesper Lynd, donned in a sleek black business suit, held her own against the more clearly defined Angela Lynd.

Next, Vesper's electrifying dialogue with Bond on the train to Montenegro shocked critics. They felt that in this performance, Pierce Brosnan seemed utterly subdued, leaving the director to focus more on him for balance, which instead heightened anticipation for Cate Blanchett's contributions.

As for the average audience, after several scenes, they had forgotten their initial discontent over Cate Blanchett landing the role. Most began to feel that this Australian star portrayed Vesper Lynd with undeniable coolness.

...

In the casino scenes, Eric opted to cut some extraneous details from the original version, tightening the pacing while adding another crossover moment from the spy movie universe. An aide to Ethan Hunt from Mission: Impossible appeared at this gambling game and, at a crucial moment, lent Bond his funds, helping him to achieve victory. The film also introduced a subplot at the end where Chiffre sent someone to kidnap Angela as leverage against Vesper.

During the entire gambling sequence, from the initial hostility to the synchronized cooperation at pivotal moments, an emotional bond began to blossom between Bond and Vesper. After Vesper assisted Bond in eliminating a threat, their embrace in the bathroom signified an elevation in their previously ambiguous feelings.

Following the gambling game, a desperate Chiffre, having lost everything, captured Bond for torture, trying to reclaim the hundred million dollars in cash.

In a hazy vision, Bond lost consciousness, and upon waking, the figure became clearer: Vesper was by his side, informing him that Chiffre was dead, and the ordeal was over.

Instead of probing into what had transpired before he fainted, Bond and Vesper fell genuinely in love. To be with her, Bond began to prepare a resignation letter for M.

...

However, everything was far from over. When the Spectre organization discovered Chiffre's embezzlement, they sought retribution. But Vesper's sister fell into the Spectre's clutches. To save Bond and her sister, Vesper made a deal with the Spectre, assisting them in reclaiming the hundred million dollars from Bond.

Yet, after Vesper transferred the funds into the Spectre's account, she realized she had been deceived. Bond, who had been tailing her upon noticing her unusual behavior, believed he had uncovered everything.

Having betrayed her love while failing to save her sister, Vesper felt lost, choosing to end her life in an underwater cage. In her final moments, however, she clung to a sliver of hope, pressing a necklace containing a photo of herself and her sister into Bond's hand.

...

"Why do I need time? The job's done. And the bitch is dead," Bond coldly replied to M's concerned voice over the phone from a boat on the Venetian coast, a hurt wolf in a bleak state.

In that moment, although Bond discarded any hopes of returning to a normal life and again embodied that cold, ruthless super spy, everyone felt that this was the moment where he truly felt like an ordinary person -- a mortal.

On the screen, M explained the entire situation to Bond. Opening the heart-shaped locket, he found a radiant photo of Vesper and Angela together, embarking on a journey to rescue Angela.

...

The final showdown was about to begin. In the auditorium, Frank Lipton sensed the sobbing female fan behind him, who had just stifled her tears over Bond's farewell to Vesper, was slowly calming down. Yet his mind drifted, replaying every scene Cate Blanchett showcased in her one-hour appearance, hardly paying attention to the ultimate showdown between Bond and the trio of Angels.

Due to his attention to this film, Frank Lipton had previously gathered some background on Cate Blanchett. However, given that she was a newcomer to Hollywood, the information available was scarce.

Thus, after witnessing Cate Blanchett's performance, Frank's astonishment deepened. From the very start, in just a few brief moments, the actress perfectly embodied Vesper Lynd. Each subsequent entry left audiences with the impression of 'I am Vesper Lynd,' showcasing a level of performance skill that could rival Oscar winners. She displayed a talent surpassing many already-acclaimed actresses.

Suddenly, another name popped into Frank Lipton's mind: Meryl Streep. Perhaps this actress, who debuted via Hollywood blockbusters, would become the second Meryl Streep.

Realizing this, Frank felt a twinge of regret. He understood that according to Hollywood's rules, serving as a Bond girl in a blockbuster like the 007 series would attract considerable attention, potentially leading this immensely talented actress down a path resembling Nicole Kidman's, becoming yet another commercial star.

What a waste that would be.

Eric Williams had paved the way for numerous commercial actresses; there was no need to 'waste' another potential art-house star.

After pondering, Frank thought of a friend in the British film industry, Alison Owen, who was preparing a small-budget film that was undoubtedly centered around a strong female lead. Perhaps he could introduce her at the upcoming party. Although Cate Blanchett hailed from Australia, the London accent she presented in the film was impeccable, showcasing more than enough strength to dominate that role.

[T/N: Elizabeth.]

Recognizing the opportunity's rarity, Frank quietly slipped out of his seat and headed outside the theater to make a phone call.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 888: How Many Bond Girls Are There Really?]

"I'm Bond, James Bond."

Inside the concert hall, after Bond and the trio of angels destroyed Spectre's base and rescued Angela, the screen froze with the iconic line from 007 as the end credits began to roll.

Though it was a premiere, usually at this point, the audience would be restless, even if they didn't immediately get up to leave. But this time, as the credits rolled, there was complete silence in the auditorium. Despite being an absolute commercial action blockbuster, Casino Royale still managed to deliver countless details that viewers would savor over and over, aside from the thrilling major scenes. Of course, the imminent Easter egg was also one of the biggest reasons everyone patiently awaited.

...

"My dad once said that the more pretentious a boss is, the quicker they tend to meet their end. Look at that; he's right again. I wonder if Charlie will cover his face when the explosion happens. I haven't even seen what he looks like yet."

As the credits came to an end, Penelope's bubbly voice as Lucini carried through, but this time, her tone carried hints of panic and sadness.

The camera focused clearly on three tall figures clad in tactical gear, looking a bit disheveled as they searched through the ruins of a bombed-out cabin. Jill and Selena worked together to lift a collapsed wall panel while Lucini squatted down to clear a pile of debris. Soon, she found two walkie-talkies tied together.

"Okay, looks like we won't need to change bosses after all. God knows, we haven't even been paid this month."

Lucini sniffled, muttering a series of half-laughs and half-cries as Jill and Selena gathered around her. Suddenly, the walkie-talkies emitted a crackling sound.

As both the trio of angels on the screen and the audience in the hall anticipated a voice from the walkie-talkie, the screen abruptly went dark.

...

"Fuck!"

Many audience members, now left in suspense, couldn't help but let out an expletive. But when the lights came on around them, everyone erupted into warm applause. The premiere guests, media critics, and fans alike were thrilled with the entire film. Even those critics who had been tasked with finding faults couldn't help but give it an eight out of ten in their hearts.

Many seemed a bit unsatisfied, and as the straightforward press conference kicked off, the first journalist who had his hand raised directed his question at Eric. "Mr. Williams, I'm a reporter from The Guardian. Was the final Easter egg about the trio of angels and Bond's destruction of Spectre's base meant to suggest that detective agency owner Charlie Townsend faced retaliation from Spectre?"

"I actually shouldn't answer that question," Eric smiled on stage and replied, "But since you're clearly a fan of the spy movie universe, I'll give you a definitive answer -- yes."

Light laughter spread through the room. The young reporter, with a somewhat green face, felt a little embarrassed. He truly was a die-hard fan of MGM's spy movie universe; otherwise, he wouldn't have quickly linked those seemingly random shots, abandoning his prepared questions to seek validation from Eric regarding his speculation.

The opportunity to ask questions was, of course, limited to one. Reluctantly handing over the microphone, another journalist from The Daily Telegraph now had the floor. "Mr. Williams, how do you view the series of defeats faced by big-budget live-action films this summer? Do you think the box office of Casino Royale will be affected by these factors?"

"Viewers are hoping for good movies," Eric replied. "If film studios only have the ambition to chase Titanic's box office without putting in the same meticulous effort, they're doomed to fail. As for Casino Royale, I did everything I could, so I'm confident about its box office prospects."

"Do you think Casino Royale can catch up to Titanic at the box office?" another journalist pressed with a sharper question.

Eric didn't hesitate much, practicing some diplomatic fencing: "That really depends on whether moviegoers want to create another box office miracle."

Eric's responses had an air of officiality, and the reporters realized it would be difficult to extract sensitive info from him. They redirected their questions towards Kate Blanchett, the 'newcomer.'

Before the premiere, Kate's manager had repeatedly given her instructions on how to handle the journalists. However, in the face of their onslaught, Kate struggled a bit, inevitably falling into the traps of their inquiries. Eric and Barbara Broccoli even had to step in to shield Kate from some of the tougher questions.

...

"I'm so sorry, Eric, I didn't realize that question about Charlize was directed at you," Kate approached Eric at the Hyde Park Hotel party after the press conference, holding a drink to apologize.

Eric smiled and shook his head, saying, "Not a problem. You'll gain more experience at these events over time. By the way, everyone has been raving about your stunning performance. Have you planned your next movie?"

As a newcomer, when Kate landed the role of Vesper Lynd, she also signed a three-film option agreement with Firefly. Her next two films would have to come from Firefly's studios, but those details didn't require Eric's direct involvement.

Kate shook her head, saying, "Not yet. New Line has already recommended a couple of scripts to me, but Ron wants me to wait until after Casino Royale's release to decide."

Upon finishing her sentence, Kate suddenly realized this attitude of waiting for the best offer shouldn't be voiced in front of Eric, her face flushing red and feeling awkward enough to want to flee.

Eric simply smiled, not minding too much. In fact, he held a bit of fondness for Kate's straightforwardness and was about to steer the conversation away when a pair of middle-aged individuals approached. The man looked to be around fifty, tall with a beard, while the woman appeared to be in her thirties or early forties, dressed in professional attire instead of the glamorous gowns worn by other guests, giving off a shrewd, competent vibe.

"Mr. Williams, hello. I'm Frank Lipton, a film critic," though he had come for Kate, Frank extended his hand to Eric first.

Eric shook his hand, noticing that the woman next to Frank didn't disguise the fact that she was sizing up Kate. Realizing their intent, he gestured towards the woman and smiled at Frank Lipton, asking, "And this is...?"

The woman quickly pulled her gaze from Kate, politely extending her hand toward Eric to introduce herself. "Mr. Williams, I'm Alison Owen, a producer at Working Title Films."

Working Title Films... Eric recalled their past films. They had been associated with the Coen brothers' Fargo from the previous year, as well as Oscar favorites like Dead Man Walking and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Their name had appeared on a number of films, implying that institutionally, it held a status in the UK similar to Gaumont in France, though in Hollywood, it was probably just on the tier of a second-string studio.

With many other guests still to converse with, and recognizing their focus on Kate, Eric decided to excuse himself. If they wanted to invite Kate to star in a film, they would need to go through Firefly first, and Eric wasn't about to butt in at this stage.

...

Given that England was five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, Eric didn't get much rest after the party the following day. The first wave of reviews for Casino Royale began appearing in British newspapers. By noon, reviews from America started rolling in.

"The film's plot was tight and smooth, delivering a cohesive 145 minutes. Eric Williams has made a triumphant return after Jurassic Park." -- The Guardian

"After suffering through a slew of disappointing summer films, Casino Royale finally treated us to a thrilling visual feast." -- The Daily Telegraph

"Newcomer Kate Blanchett's performance was stunning; Vesper Lynd is set to become one of the most iconic Bond Girl figures. Christina Aguilera, the youngest Bond Girl in history, delivered a satisfying performance in her brief appearance. The trio of angels made a surprise entrance. Of course, we also had the long-awaited 'Muppet Girl.' Williams never lets down the fans. However, one, two, three, four, five, six... all right, I can only say, Casino Royale is undoubtedly the Bond film with the most Bond Girls." -- The World News

"Even without the intertwining of the spy movie universe, Eric Williams' directorial Casino Royale has effectively redefined the Bond series. In this film, James Bond is finally more than just a sharply dressed figure. He gets injured, becomes fatigued, falls in love, and pursues a life of an everyday person... Perhaps, this version of Bond is what everyone really wanted to see. Bond's underwater farewell with Vesper is heart-wrenching, especially the line, 'The job is done. And the bitch is dead' -- it evokes a deep sense of despair. Although Bond ultimately rises from the ashes to become the terrifying super spy once again, we can be sure that from now on, Bond will be a true mortal, no longer a detached screen symbol." -- The New York Times

"Without a doubt, MGM's spy movie universe plan has officially found its footing after Casino Royale. Eric Williams has adeptly managed the storylines across the three major franchises. The overall tone of the James Bond series remains unaffected by the other two series, yet the merger of the three series brings more cinematic enjoyment for fans." -- San Francisco Chronicle

...

In their villa on Kensington Gardens, Eric and his assistant had just finished lunch and were still sitting in the dining room, reviewing the various press reviews they had received from Peter Rich.

After patiently going over the press reviews, the assistant glanced up excitedly. "The overall score is a 9! Eric, how much do you think we can make at the box office?"

Eric had just compiled the North American box office data from the previous week.

In its second week of release, Finding Nemo earned another $65.63 million, bringing its total box office to $163 million over two weeks. With envious gazes from all around, it continued to dominate the summer market without a doubt, and all major box office tracking organizations no longer doubted the film's potential to reach $300 million in North America.

In contrast, Batman Robin's first-week box office was only $59.47 million. The media comprehensive score of this comic adaptation blockbuster, which cost 125 million US dollars, has not only dropped to the worthless level of 1 point, but the first week box office is also far less than the more than 70 million of Godzilla a few weeks ago. Time Warner publicly announced it would halt all DC adaptations under its banner.

The dismal performance of Batman Robin led many in the industry to express a negative outlook on Firefly's simultaneous projects, Spider-Man and Iron Man. Avi Arad even called to express that actors interested in appearing in both adaptations had suddenly cooled their enthusiasm, including the preordained Spider-Man actor Stuart Ronkel's representation at CAA ramping up their price demands and requesting the number of films in his contract be reduced from six to below three.

...

While pondering these matters, upon hearing the assistant's words, Eric set aside the box office chart and quickly glanced through the reviews for Casino Royale. "That's hard to say. While North America has traditionally been the biggest market for the Bond series, it has never been exceptionally popular here. I believe, considering the current word of mouth coupled with my own box office draw and the halo effect of the spy movie universe, Casino Royale should be capable of hitting $200 million in North America, perhaps even better overseas -- around $400 million, given that the impact of Jurassic Park is still felt."

"Eric, why don't you have more confidence? I just spoke with Amy; she thinks this film might even hit $300 million in North America!"

Eric laughed, "It's meaningless to make such predictions now. We should have a clearer picture once the first-day box office from North America is released tomorrow."

"Well, okay," the assistant momentarily dropped the topic, glancing at him mischievously. "What are we doing this afternoon?"

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 889: Breaking the Mold]

Los Angeles.

In the affluent area at the foothills of North Santa Monica, it was well past midnight, yet Amy Pascal was still poring over the negotiation materials with Cablevision regarding Rainbow Media.

As a woman, Amy had once bravely walked away from a lucrative position at Columbia Pictures to assist Drew in establishing Flower Films, which had eventually led her to an opportunity at MGM, one of the seven major film companies. But Amy Pascal had no intention of becoming complacent. Regardless of the field, it was always harder for women in high positions to gain recognition compared to men. Over the years, Amy had grown indifferent to the opinions of others, but she still wanted to prove to everyone that she was just as capable as any man.

On the other side of the study, her husband Bernard Weinraub was reviewing a freshly completed press release. He glanced at the digital clock on the desk; it was already a quarter past midnight. Usually, at this time, they should have been resting, but he knew his wife wouldn't sleep until she received the day-one box office data for Casino Royale. After hesitating for a moment, he didn't disturb his wife, who was seriously focused on her reading, and instead picked up a book from the table, quietly flipping through its pages.

Amy Pascal noticed her husband's actions and checked her watch. Turning to him, she said, "Bernie, why don't you head to bed? I might need to wait a little longer."

Bernard Weinraub shook his head with a smile. "No need. I'm actually curious to see how much Casino Royale can rake in on its opening day."

Amy Pascal offered him a gentle smile and didn't press him further. She got up to brew a pot of hot coffee and returned, pouring herself and her husband a cup each.

Bernard Weinraub lifted his coffee cup, looking at his wife as she sat back down. "From today's reviews, this should be the best-reviewed live-action film of the summer. How much do you think it might earn?"

Amy Pascal shook her head. When discussing this topic with others, she often acted confident, but with her husband, she felt no need to pretend. "That's really hard to say. Two years ago, GoldenEye received similar praise with ratings around 8, yet its global box office only totaled $350 million. That's mainly because the 007 series isn't as popular in the crucial North American market. This time, while Casino Royale received even better reviews and had many favorable factors, we can't be certain whether audiences will show up. Additionally, starting from May with The Fifth Element, a series of disappointing live-action films may have dampened audience interest in Casino Royale."

Bernard Weinraub, a playwright and film business reporter for The New York Times, listened to his wife's somewhat pessimistic tone. He thought for a moment and said, "I think the reality might be the opposite of what you think. The audience's demand for live-action films is definitely higher than for animated movies. A string of bad films could actually make the market more eager for high-quality commercial cinema."

Amy Pascal chuckled, "Let's hope you're right. But the production and marketing costs for Casino Royale totaled $160 million, which is double that of GoldenEye. The pressure on the company is significant. If Casino Royale doesn't perform well at the box office, even just moderately, it could complicate some of our upcoming production plans."

"Oh, are you talking about the Lord of the Rings trilogy you mentioned last time?"

Amy Pascal nodded, but didn't elaborate further. Despite being her husband, she felt it unnecessary to divulge too many details.

Bernard Weinraub didn't press for more information and casually changed the subject.

...

Before they knew it, another half hour had passed, and Amy Pascal's phone on the desk finally buzzed. She picked it up, answered, and after chatting for a bit, her eyebrows raised in surprise, repeatedly asking for some details to confirm.

Bernard Weinraub gathered some numbers from her conversation, his eyebrows raised in astonishment. He believed that, following a summer of disappointing films, Casino Royale would likely perform better than anticipated, but he never expected the day-one box office figure to be so high.

Once Amy Pascal hung up, Bernard Weinraub eagerly asked, "$30.5 million?"

Amy Pascal placed her phone back on the desk, exhaling with a visible sense of relief and excitement. "Yes, including the midnight showings' $5.3 million, the opening day brought in $30.5 million. Oh my God, $30.5 million! It's unbelievable! I was thinking if we could manage $20 million on day one, everyone would be extremely satisfied. Keep in mind, GoldenEye's opening day ticket sales were just a little over $9 million. Oh my God, $30.5 million -- it's incredible!"

Bernard Weinraub, hearing his wife's constant exclamations, felt no sense of her being unprofessional. As someone well-versed in Hollywood trends as a film business reporter, his own shock was just as strong as hers.

To put things in perspective, the highest opening day performance previously was Godzilla, which managed $23.75 million thanks to a massive promotional campaign. Even the surprising hit Finding Nemo had an opening day total of just $20.2 million.

With outstanding reviews, there was no way Casino Royale would follow the dismal box office trajectory of Godzilla or Batman Robin.

So with an opening day box office of $30.5 million, weekend numbers for Saturday and Sunday would surely not be much lower. Even if it averaged $30 million a day, Casino Royale's first weekend box office would reach a staggering $90 million, and crossing the $100 million mark in its opening week was certain. Even more impressively, Casino Royale was poised to set a series of box office records.

...

Given how surprising this box office number was, as Amy Pascal received the news, many executives and journalists in Hollywood were suddenly jolted awake in the middle of the night by phone calls. Reactions varied -- some were bewildered, some excited and unable to sleep, and others even suspected it was a hoax. Countless newspapers rushed to revise their reports overnight.

In a summer where live-action blockbusters were struggling, the staggering first-day box office for Casino Royale was undeniably eye-catching. The following day, several North American media outlets even speculated about the possibility of inflated figures for the opening day.

However, reality quickly silenced the critics.

After $30.5 million on the opening day, Saturday saw Casino Royale's daily box office not only hold steady but rise to a new high of $33.85 million. On Sunday, though there was a noticeable drop, the day's earnings still reached $26.7 million.

From June 27 to June 29, Casino Royale's first weekend box office amassed an unprecedented $91.05 million. Moreover, even Finding Nemo felt the pressure from Casino Royale, with its box office falling 40% to just $28.38 million in its third week. Batman Robin was even worse off, with a 63% drop from its first weekend, leaving it with just $15.73 million in its second weekend, leading to a total ten-day box office of $75.2 million -- less than Casino Royale's first weekend ticket sales.

Once the first weekend box office figures for Casino Royale were announced, even those previously skeptical about the film's prospects were compelled to reconsider their stance, beginning to analyze the reasons behind Casino Royale's record-breaking earnings.

...

"Perhaps from the very beginning, we had vastly underestimated the commercial potential of MGM's spy film universe.

In retrospect, when the new James Bond made his daring leap from the cliff in the first film's cameo of Charlie's Angels, Eric Williams had already laid the groundwork for this massive film initiative. Through the sequels to Mission: Impossible, Charlie's Angels, and 007, MGM had been using cameos to intertwine the three major spy film narratives, subtly blending their previously unrelated fanbases over time. By the time MGM officially announced their Spy Universe initiative, a significant potential moviegoing audience had formed around these three series.

At this point, we must reference another seemingly trivial event that occurred in July 1995 when MGM announced their Spy Universe plan. According to media reports of that period, MGM purchased all rights to Spectre from Kevin McClory for $2 million. The background to this event is tangled and reaches decades back, but I'm certain that in the future, Kevin McClory will definitely regret this business transaction.

Returning to the main topic, alongside securing the rights to Spectre, MGM, Flower Films, and DreamWorks Studios merged under Eric Williams' direction. The three major spy franchises officially launched their crossover initiative with Spectre as the ultimate antagonist starting from Mission: Impossible 2. Until the release of Casino Royale, the MGM Spy Universe had already established a solid foundation of popularity with five films: Charlie's Angels 1, Mission: Impossible 1, GoldenEye, Charlie's Angels 2, and Mission: Impossible 2. The explosive box office performance of Casino Royale was a direct result of the synergy built up over several years among these three established franchises, showcasing their powerful box office potential."

...

This article in The Hollywood Reporter provided a profound analysis of the underlying factors behind Casino Royale's soaring box office, reigniting Hollywood's excitement that hadn't cooled from the Titanic's success, and prompting many to search their film rights database for potential franchises to build their own cinematic universe.

Although Firefly's plans for creating a Marvel Cinematic Universe hadn't been officially announced, it was already common knowledge in the industry. Inspired, a producer at Warner Bros. quickly submitted a proposal to establish a DC Cinematic Universe to the upper management. Unfortunately, following the dismal performance of Batman Robin, Warner Bros. would not be starting any new DC adaptations for years; the producer's report was promptly tossed in the trash by higher-ups at Time Warner.

...

As The Hollywood Reporter analyzed the box office success of Casino Royale, another important Hollywood magazine, Variety, published its insights on Casino Royale's record-breaking box office on its official website at the end of the first week of its release.

"'The audience craves good films, and if movie studios merely aim to chase the success of Titanic without putting forth the meticulous effort that Titanic required, they are bound to fail.' Eric Williams' words at the London premiere of Casino Royale served as perhaps the most authentic commentary on the summer blockbuster's performance.

It's true that any studio investing tens of millions or even over a hundred million in a film wants to succeed. But it's been well acknowledged since the dawn of cinema that a film's budget does not directly correlate to its quality. The abilities of the screenwriters, actors, directors, producers, and other key people greatly influence a film's success. The two ambitious films that preceded Casino Royale, Godzilla and Batman Robin, both had budgets exceeding that of Casino Royale. However, only Casino Royale flawlessly achieved all the hallmarks of a blockbuster: seamless storytelling, explosive visuals, sharp dialogue, and well-rounded characters. Through Casino Royale, Eric Williams proved his extraordinary talent in directing and producing once again after a four-year hiatus. During those years, when many assumed that this young director, who had ascended to the heights of Hollywood through films like Home Alone, Ghost, Twister, and Jurassic Park, would retire to enjoy his wealth, he instead resurrected and redefined a three-decade-old spy franchise, demonstrating to us all what a true comeback looks like.

Although June saw both The Lion King 2 and Finding Nemo perform excellently, this didn't alter the position of live-action films as the mainstream demand in cinema. However, during what was supposed to be an optimal season for live-action films, a series of mediocre, poor, or obscure releases continued to shake the confidence of moviegoers. Statistics showed that from the start of the summer season on May 30 until the release of Casino Royale, North American ticket sales had declined by 18% compared to the previous year, even when excluding the massive animated hits in The Lion King 2 and Finding Nemo.

Nevertheless, despite the disappointments with summer live-action films, moviegoers' desire to watch films didn't vanish. The spectacular debut of Casino Royale precisely filled the vast market gap left by the earlier months of the summer. And so, amid widespread astonishment and skepticism, Casino Royale towered over all with an opening day of $30.5 million, a weekend total of $91.05 million, and a first-week gross of an incredible $117.51 million, shattering all box office records in Hollywood."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 890: No Room for Error]

After the premiere, Drew and Eric spent a weekend in London before her flying back to Los Angeles. MGM and Warner Bros were preparing for a signing ceremony regarding the share transaction of E! Entertainment Television, which required Drew's personal attendance.

The day after the premiere, Eric discreetly instructed the head of Firefly's UK branch to negotiate with J.K. Rowling for the film rights to the Harry Potter series. To ensure everything was foolproof, he didn't rush to leave. The box office success of Casino Royale exceeded expectations. Following a busy month back in Los Angeles, there was no pressing need for his in-person presence. Eric decided to take the opportunity to rest in London for a while.

While Casino Royale shattered multiple box office records in North America, Southeast Asian currencies entered a period of turmoil.

...

On July 2, after enduring two weeks of resistance against currency speculators, the Thai government found itself out of options and was forced to abandon the fixed exchange rate for the Thai baht, adopting a floating rate instead.

On the same day the announcement was made, the baht dropped 17% against the dollar. Affected by the baht's collapse, other Southeast Asian currencies like the Singapore dollar, Philippine peso, Indonesian rupiah, and Malaysian ringgit began to fluctuate dramatically, making Southeast Asia the hunting ground for international currency speculators in the months to come.

According to Chris's report from Tokyo, by the close of trading on July 4, Firefly's secretly established short positions in Thai baht yielded over $30 million in profit within just three days, and this was only the beginning.

...

In London, early Saturday morning, Eric had just gotten up when Peter Rich hurriedly arrived with good news -- Firefly's UK branch had successfully secured the film adaptation rights for the Harry Potter series.

"Eric, we've signed a rights agreement with Ms. Rowling. Moreover, the document includes her story outlines for the entire series. She will arrive in London at 2 PM today, and I will personally bring her to discuss with you in detail," Peter mentioned.

Handing several documents to Eric, Peter continued, "Also, from San Francisco, the first batch of products from the new Fireflyer player factory has been completed. Mr. Victor McNally wants to cancel the Amazon pre-sale event on July 10 to allow for open purchasing while simultaneously launching the product in Europe."

As Eric read through the Harry Potter rights agreement, he multitasked, "Opening purchasing in North America is fine. The combined monthly output of both factories is only 450,000 units, and the North American market is still undersupplied. Starting sales in Europe will lead to stock shortages in both places. Additionally, the online music store issue is significant. Let's have them wait until next year's second-generation product release to consider this matter. I'll personally call them today to discuss."

Peter nodded and briefly reported on a few other documents. Once Eric set aside the agreement, Peter pulled out an invitation and handed it to him. "This was passed on from Kensington Palace. Princess Diana is hosting a charity gala tonight to raise funds for Bosnian refugees, and they hope you can attend."

Eric took the invitation and glanced at it, a playful smile appearing on his face as he casually remarked, "I read in the newspaper a couple of days ago that she seems to be planning to get engaged?"

Peter was puzzled as to why Eric would suddenly bring this up. Unless Eric specifically requested to gather this kind of information, Peter usually didn't pay much attention to such gossip.

However, ever since Princess Diana officially divorced Prince Charles last year, many wealthy individuals have openly pursued her. For these men, winning over a former British royal must certainly satisfy some darker vanity.

Stealing a glance at Eric, Peter wondered if his boss, given his nature, might also consider pursuing the Princess.

Noticing Peter's silence, Eric looked up and caught the strange expression on his face, laughing, "You think I'm interested in Diana?"

"Uh, well," Peter quickly shook his head, feeling embarrassed and unsure how to respond.

Eric nonchalantly tossed the invitation onto the coffee table, saying, "I'm not interested in her at all. Just a pitiful woman who doesn't know how to leave room for others or herself."

Eric's seemingly random comment left Peter a bit confused. However, with the day's reports complete, the girl in the villa's dining room named Christina Aguilera was clearly waiting for Eric to have breakfast with her, so he excused himself to leave.

...

As he drove away from Kensington Gardens, Eric's words continued to echo in Peter's mind. After traveling a short distance along Kensington High Street, Peter finally turned off the car and couldn't suppress his curiosity. He stopped at a newsstand to buy several newspapers and returned to the car to search for the latest news about the Princess.

It turned out that recently, Diana was reportedly reaching marriage terms with Dodi Fayed, the son of the famous owner of the luxury Harrods department store in London. Some newspapers even speculated that Diana might be pregnant.

After reading the related news, Peter's mind began to race with Eric's previous comment, and a cold shiver ran down his spine.

Just from Dodi's name, it was easy to see what kind of background he came from. However, England had always been a devout Catholic country, and the other fifteen countries around the globe that still regarded the British monarch as their head also tended to be predominantly Catholic. While the glory of the Middle Ages was gone, the influence of religion on Western nations remained far beyond outside imagination.

As the mother of Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, Diana was seemingly courting a Muslim stepfather for the future monarch; that was quite clearly not leaving any room for anyone.

Reflecting on Eric's tone when he made that statement, Peter shuddered and rolled up the few newspapers in front of him, tossing them aside to clear his mind of the day's thoughts. Despite having a good impression of the Princess, meddling in such matters was definitely not something a minor player like him could involve himself in.

...

Kensington Gardens Villa.

After Peter left, Christina emerged from the dining room wearing a small apron, giving her an air of unexpected charm.

Before Drew returned to Los Angeles, she had brought Christina, who attended the Casino Royale premiere in London. Drew didn't hide her "personal motives" at all, claiming that rather than allowing Eric to go around chasing after every woman, it was better to have a familiar woman by his side.

Growing up in a somewhat troubled single-parent household made Christina much more mature than girls her age, enabling her to understand the intricacies of life better. This was evidenced by how she had earned Drew's approval. Despite appearing friendly and easygoing with anyone, her standards were even higher than Eric's, and few people could manage to get close to her.

Though she occasionally harbored her own thoughts, she always presented herself as a charming and lovable person in front of Eric, making others feel quite comfortable.

Seeing Eric still reading the documents, Christina approached and sat down beside him. "Eric, let's eat first; breakfast will get cold."

Eric nodded, planning to take the folders on the coffee table into the dining room to look over while eating when Christina eagerly leaned over and picked up the stack of documents. "Let me help."

"Sure," Eric smiled and stood up, heading toward the dining room.

As Christina was about to follow him, she noticed the invitation on the coffee table and curiously picked it up. While she always tactfully avoided listening in on Eric and Peter's conversations about business, she hadn't heard their recent dialogue. Upon seeing it was an invitation to Princess Diana's charity gala, Christina immediately felt a surge of interest; events involving the British royal family were appealing to her.

Upon reaching the dining room, she placed the folders beside Eric and pointed at the invitation that had been intentionally placed on top, eyes hopeful, "Eric, are we going to this gala tonight?"

Eric asked, "Do you want to go?"

Christina nodded eagerly, "Uh-huh."

"Then let's just go and enjoy the atmosphere tonight," Eric replied, believing it wasn't necessary to avoid such events, "But remember, attending these galas requires donations. If they ask for too much, I might have to donate you instead."

Christina cheerfully brought over breakfast, laughing, "Oh, you wouldn't do that!"

...

Joanne Rowling felt as if her recent circumstances were like a dream.

Since graduating from university ten years ago, her life had constantly been a struggle. Her only marriage left her deeply traumatized, leading her to fleeting thoughts of despair during episodes of depression. After the divorce, she settled in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her daughter Jessica and they lived on less than PS100 a month in welfare.

Despite her dire financial situation, Joanne, having barely stabilized her life, finally decided to devote herself to becoming a novelist. However, the first work she completed over a two-year span had been rejected six times in recent months. Just as she was beginning to lose hope, a week prior, representatives from HarperCollins and the UK branch of Firefly Group suddenly approached her, expressing interest in publishing her novel and acquiring the film adaptation rights.

Due to her financial difficulties, Joanne couldn't afford a professional agent. Faced with HarperCollins and Firefly's representatives, she relied solely on her limited bargaining power while remaining realistic and reasonably content with the prospect of publication. Moreover, the figures Firefly offered for her rights felt unreal: PS1 million per book. She had never imagined having such wealth, especially considering her intended five-book series.

Joanne recognized the urgency behind their bid for her book's rights, but she had never been an aggressive woman and didn't feel entitled to hold out for more; her only condition was that Firefly must pay her the full rights fee immediately upon signing -- Jessica would soon turn four, and she hoped for her daughter to receive a quality preschool education, which required money. Consequently, within a short week, all contracts were signed. She thought everything was settled until the Firefly representative insisted she visit London, claiming Eric Williams wanted to talk with her.

Eric Williams, indeed.

...

As the black Mercedes lingered at the entrance for a moment, the driver presented a pass. The gatekeeper seemed to have a brief conversation with someone before they were allowed in.

Gazing at the luxurious mansion-like villas lining the verdant streets, Joanne anxiously tightened her grip on her purse resting on her lap, her nerves heightened. The series of rejections from multiple publishers had severely undermined her confidence. Now, having received a PS1 million check from Firefly Group, her mental burden felt even heavier. If her novel didn't appeal post-publication, what would she do then?

The car didn't go far before it pulled into a villa's courtyard. Through the window, Joanne spotted a man and a woman waiting. Though they dressed casually, the man was evidently Eric Williams; she couldn't recognize the woman beside him, as she didn't seem to resemble Drew Barrymore, the one often rumored to be very close to Eric.

When the car came to a complete stop, Joanne reached for the door to exit herself. Upon seeing the driver step out and turn toward her, she instantly understood, awkwardly retracting her hand and patiently waiting for him to open the door. Only then did she carefully step out.

As soon as she steadied herself, she felt Eric reach out to her, "Ms. Rowling, it's a pleasure to have you here."

"Hello, Mr. Williams," Joanne quickly extended her hand for a brief handshake while carefully observing Eric's youthful and handsome face, her cheeks slightly flushing. She felt her behavior was inappropriate and forced herself to look up again.

"This is Christina; you can call her Chris or Tina," Eric introduced the girl beside him.

Christina sensed Joanne's tension and extended her hand, saying, "Ms. Rowling, I've read your novel; it's brilliant."

Joanne shook hands with Christina, replying, "Oh, thank you."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 891: Living with Conviction]

Eric could sense Joanne's nervousness and unease. Rather than take her to the villa's reception room, he led her to the backyard lawn.

In July, London's daytime temperature was only around 20 degrees Celsius. The yard, surrounded by lush trees, lay under a gray-blue sky. Although it lacked the sunny brightness of Los Angeles, it was free from the oppressive heat of mid-summer. The vibrant life around felt balanced and not at all anxious.

A set of lounge chairs sat on the lawn. Eric and Joanne Rowling settled down as Christina brought over a coffee pot for the two of them, then turned and returned to the villa.

Information regarding Joanne Rowling and Harry Potter was already neatly arranged on the table in front of them. Sensing her tension, Eric didn't rush into serious talk and casually remarked, "J.K. Rowling, I assume the 'J' is the first initial of your name? What about the 'K'?"

Joanne, who had just nervously picked up her coffee cup at Eric's gesture, immediately put it down upon hearing his question. "K stands for Kathleen," she explained. "I don't have a middle name; Kathleen was my grandmother's name."

Eric noticed that this poor woman seemed to have been overwhelmed by the recent series of events. After pondering for a moment, he said, "You know, Jo, Hollywood can be a place that easily throws a person off balance."

Upon realizing that Eric had seen through her anxious thoughts, Rowling felt a rush of embarrassment and wasn't sure what to say, so she just shyly nodded.

Not expecting a response, Eric continued, "In Hollywood, there are those who spend $250,000 to buy a script, producing a film with a $15 million budget, yet it makes $120 million worldwide in box office. The film is called Lethal Weapon. Conversely, there's someone who pays $1.75 million for a script, spends $85 million to produce it, only for it to flop and nearly bankrupt the production company; that film is Last Action Hero. Interestingly, both films were written by the same person."

Joanne listened attentively, feeling as if she started understanding something but then shook her head softly, saying, "Mr. Williams, I don't really understand."

"Call me Eric," he replied, taking a sip from his coffee. "I just wanted to explain that in Hollywood, or frankly anywhere, if a person wants to make life easier, they should live with conviction. Just like that screenwriter I mentioned earlier, Shane Black. Lethal Weapon made Warner Bros at least $100 million from worldwide earnings, and Shane only received a mere $250,000. People might think he must be heartbroken. Then when Carolco Studios bought his Last Action Hero script for $1.75 million, nearly driving them to the brink of bankruptcy, people would expect him to be distressed. But the reality is, Shane Black has always done well; he's still a top screenwriter in Hollywood and continues to collaborate with Warner Bros on Lethal Weapon 4."

Perhaps Eric's words began to resonate with her, as Joanne straightened her posture slightly. However, after a brief moment of eye contact with Eric, she quickly averted her gaze again, lacking confidence.

With a smile, Eric said, "Speaking of Harry Potter, I could have offered you a lower price, let's say, PS100,000, which is the average price for most scripts or novel rights. But I didn't do that because I believe in the story. I want to make it into a well-known fantasy brand under Disney, maybe even as iconic as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. So, I presented what I thought was a worthy offer. In the future, this franchise will not just be limited to books and movies; it will include music, toys, theme parks, and an entire industry chain. If successful, Firefly Group could earn billions, maybe even tens of billions of dollars from this brand."

Joanne, holding her coffee cup, felt her hand tremble lightly at Eric's description. She set the cup down again and looked at Eric in surprise.

Looking at her reaction, Eric chuckled, "Now you might be thinking, if Firefly really made $10 billion from this book and you only got PS1 million -- oh, maybe a few million for the entire series -- that would be quite a loss for you, right?"

Initially, Joanne dismissed Eric's depicted future as too unbelievable. However, after his remark, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. She instinctively wanted to deny it but ended up timidly nodding her head in response to Eric's bright gaze.

"See, many things happen this way. I mentioned earlier that if you want to lead an easier life, you should live with conviction. The most important point is not to blindly overestimate your significance in certain matters."

Hearing the implication in Eric's words, Joanne quickly shook her head, denying, "Eric, I don't think that."

"Look, Firefly wants to complete this project, and for that, we'll need you to keep writing the upcoming stories. So let me share my plan," Eric continued without acknowledging her denial. "First, HarperCollins will handle the global distribution for the Harry Potter series. To build enough hype for this series prior to the film's production, Firefly Group will also utilize its media resources to promote this novel as much as possible. Other similar novels might consider selling hundreds of thousands of copies a bestseller, but I aim for the Harry Potter series to reach the tens of millions, maybe even more. During that process, you'll earn your fair share. Sell ten million copies of the novel, and you'll become a millionaire. If the entire series sells one hundred million, then you'll be a billionaire. But from that point on, the profits for the Harry Potter movies, toys, and park attractions belong to Firefly."

Joanne wasn't naive; she understood what Eric was implying. Without Firefly utilizing its media resources to brand this novel, Harry Potter would sell at most only hundreds of thousands of copies, bringing her mere hundreds of thousands in royalties. While she might earn some by selling film rights, it would never match the brilliance Eric had described. Understanding that, the imbalance she initially felt started to dissipate, but she carefully asked, "But, Eric, what if it fails?"

Eric shrugged, "Firefly's annual budget for film production exceeds $1 billion, with at least 8% spent on acquiring script or novel rights. So, even if it fails, it's no big deal."

Joanne no longer worried about that point. For her, PS1 million might seem like a fortune, but for Firefly Group, it was nothing substantial.

Seeing Joanne relax, Eric smiled and opened the folder in front of him. "Now, let's talk about the novel's content. I've read your outline; you plan to write five books, but I believe seven seems more fitting. I've already come up with titles for all seven novels. As for the first manuscript you've completed, I'd like to split the next few thousand words as content for the second book. We could simply call the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone."

When Joanne heard Eric was making decisions regarding her novel without asking for her input, she opened her mouth, feeling the need to assert her stance as the original author.

However, upon seeing Eric glance her way and point with his pencil motioning for her to sit closer, the resistance she initially felt vanished, and she obediently moved her chair beside Eric. Although he spoke gently, the aura of power and wealth emanating from him was not something this small woman could resist.

Aside from his thoughts on revising the first book, Eric also discussed in detail the modifications needed in the outline based on plot points he recalled from the movie.

Time flew by unnoticed, and before they knew it, it was evening.

...

"Thus, you have a month to revise the first book's story. HarperCollins will manage the upcoming distribution, and Firefly will cooperate accordingly." Eric glanced at his watch and looked at Joanne beside him. "It's getting late. I'll have someone arrange a guest room for you. Princess Diana is hosting a charity gala tonight, and you can join us to see it."

Having sat next to Eric for an extended period, the presence of the man stirred some distractions within Joanne. Young, wealthy, handsome, assertive... every attribute of this man proved remarkably alluring. Plus, she had been single for quite some time. Although Eric acted oblivious, Joanne couldn't deceive herself; she imagined a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Listening to Eric suggest she stay at the villa for the night, she could no longer conceal her panic and hurriedly shook her head, saying, "N-No, Eric, I've already booked a flight back to Edinburgh for tonight. Jessica is still at a friend's house, and I'm concerned."

Eric observed her carefully and noticed how her body subconsciously shifted back against the chair. He chuckled, "Alright, looks like I scared you."

Even though Joanne understood Eric was joking, she quickly shook her head, insisting, "No, really."

"Then, I'll have someone take you to the airport," Eric replied, not insisting. Joanne was more of an elegant type, far from his interest. He tidied up the documents before him, handing them to her, and stood up to head outside.

Joanne hugged the documents to her chest and followed Eric, her gaze lowered. She began to regret rejecting his invitation so decisively.

...

As the driver took Joanne away from the villa, Christina watched the automatic doors close with a keen glance before turning her focus back to Eric.

Eric reached over to ruffle the girl's hair, asking, "What are you daydreaming about?"

"Haha, nothing," Christina said, wrapping her arms around Eric's. "It's getting late, Eric; I've picked out a suit for you."

"It's only six o'clock; what's the rush?" Eric chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's grab something to eat first. Going there on an empty stomach is sure to ruin the night. The North American box office data should've come in; I'll take a look."

Christina, obediently following his cue, headed to the kitchen to prepare food, while Eric returned to his study to check his emails.

Yesterday had been Friday, and the second week of Casino Royale's release was underway. The film had earned a staggering $117 million in its opening week, which caught Hollywood's attention. Even Eric had not anticipated such an astounding debut for Casino Royale.

However, complications arose quickly.

The two new films released this week, Bad Boys II and Ice Age, were both closely related to Firefly. The scheduling of these films was influenced by the past performance of the James Bond series, which had historically low box office figures in North America, aiming to avoid intense competition.

Now, however, many, including Eric, felt conflicted.

On one hand, everyone hoped Casino Royale would maintain a low drop-off in the second week. Thanks to the sustained positive buzz among media and audiences, it seemed likely that Casino Royale could remain stable. On the other hand, with an opening figure of $117 million, and surpassing the total gross of the previous film, GoldenEye, which was $106 million in North America, a significantly low drop in box office for Casino Royale would certainly impact Bad Boys II and Ice Age directly.

Shaking his head in a wry smile, Eric opened the box office statistics email received from Los Angeles.

On yesterday's Friday single-day box office chart, Casino Royale unsurprisingly topped the list with $18.61 million, experiencing only a 39% drop compared to its opening week.

The data came from Eric's assistant's office, complete with professional commentary.

The accompanying analysis indicated that as Casino Royale's topic grew alongside its earnings and critical acclaim, the ratio of weekday box office spikes significantly increased relative to other films. Based on the first day's figures, Casino Royale's overall drop for the week was projected to be around 35%. That means the second-week earnings could still reach as high as $76 million.

Early July typically marked a peak time for North American box office, with average weekly earnings of around $200 million. Even though Casino Royale was now in its second week, it was still on course to claim one-third of the total box office revenues. Without needing to look further, Eric could guess that the other films, particularly live-action ones, would not perform well.

With Box Office earnings of $117 million in the first week and a projected $76 million in the second week, the total box office for Casino Royale was set to exceed $190 million. Though live-action blockbusters could not sustain the same box office longevity as animated films, even accounting for an average 40% weekly drop, the final North American figures for Casino Royale were expected to land between $300 million and $350 million.

In the 1960s, the average ticket price in North America was around $0.80, whereas in 1997, it was $4.60 -- equating to about 5.7 times that of the 60s.

By this metric, the 1964 installment Goldfinger was once considered the highest-grossing Bond movie after adjusting for inflation with its North American box office of over $51 million, translating to about $290 million today. The expected figure of $300 to $350 million for Casino Royale's North American box office would certainly surpass Goldfinger.

As for the overseas earnings, the data from the previous week was delayed due to the complexities of gathering statistics, only now coming in.

Eric's last movie had been released four years ago, yet the groundbreaking $1 billion worldwide earnings of Jurassic Park still lingered in many people's memory. Following the pursuit of profit, distributors in various countries strived to synchronize the release of Casino Royale, which ultimately reached a record 36 overseas release locations.

Last week, with a record-breaking PS21.3 million (approximately $31.95 million) from the UK leading the charge, the total overseas gross from 36 synchronized releases crossed the $100 million mark, reaching $136.1 million. Though various factors impacted the overseas box office market making predictions tough, there was no doubt that Casino Royale would become Eric's second film, following Jurassic Park, with the potential to cross the $1 billion mark globally.

Unlike Jurassic Park before it, Eric had only predicted around $600 million in box office earnings for Casino Royale prior to its release. Now, the film's unexpected potential of soaring to $1 billion sparked excitement in him.

However, after glancing at the upcoming films' box office data, Eric couldn't help but think that the sentiments of the higher-ups within his own company might not be so pleasant. Just last week, after Casino Royale's opening weekend figures were published, Eric had a conversation with Frank Wells, who was in Los Angeles, about the upcoming Titanic exhibition, during which Wells had mentioned Casino Royale with a noticeably melancholic tone.

Regarding the two new releases this week, the industry had generally anticipated Bad Boys II having a leg up due to its predecessor's popularity. The first one had approached $200 million in global earnings under New Line's management, thus leading to the second installment's budget skyrocketing from $19 million to $60 million.

However, on opening day, the film that ranked second wasn't Bad Boys II but Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age.

This animated film had garnered positive buzz before its release and was dubbed as the 'animated version of Three Men and a Baby'. To put things in perspective, Three Men and a Baby had been crowned the North American box office champion in 1987, and Ice Age receiving such a comparison underscored its popularity during test screenings.

Indeed, the storyline of Ice Age borrowed heavily from that of Three Men and a Baby. This narrative model not only won applause from critics but also resonated well with audiences. On its opening day, Ice Age earned $13.46 million. Although this was nowhere near the opening day numbers of Finding Nemo surpassing $20 million, it did exceed $12.8 million earned by Lion King 2 just a month prior.

It was estimated that Ice Age's opening week box office would close in on $60 million, surpassing Lion King 2 during its release period as well.

To Eric's mind, Lion King 2 was actually a superior product compared to the more mature Ice Age. The fact that Ice Age had outperformed Lion King 2 on opening day merely came down to the promotional conflicts stemming from the collaborative efforts between Firefly and Fox within Lion King 2's marketing. Viacom had commenced public acquisition negotiations with CBS at the end of June, clearly signaling that Summer Redstone was determined to bridge Viacom's deficits in television channels.

Following Ice Age, Bad Boys II earned a mere $6.52 million on its opening day, rounding out in third place. It was noted as being a weak performance, considering that fourth place was held by Finding Nemo, which had already entered its fourth week yet still raked in an impressive $6.29 million on Friday. The two films were very closely intertwined, earning just under $20 million apart.

The first day's figure of $6.52 million hinted that Bad Boys II could expect an opening week box office around $25 million, a worrisome figure, as it fell short of New Line's original expectations by a striking $10 million.

This $10 million discrepancy was primarily due to the impact of Casino Royale's overwhelmingly favorable box office in its second week. Both films occupied the action genre, allowing for significant audience overlap; as Casino Royale received outpouring acclaim and box office success leading to increased discussion, Bad Boys II, being a film featuring a black lead, was less likely to hold the audience's attention.

In the absence of Casino Royale, even if its box office performance wasn't stellar, due to the audience goodwill carried over from the first movie, Bad Boys II should have had an easier pass at breaking $100 million in North America. However, now, based on the projected $25 million opening week, Bad Boys II's North American earnings would likely cap out at around $70 million. Given the weak overseas market for black lead films, even if it could maintain its predecessor's performance abroad, the possibility of recouping costs against its $60 million production budget and $20 million promotional cost would be slim. Turning a profit would solely depend on future revenues from video sales and television rights.

It was apparent that, although everyone understood MGM had effectively become an extension of the Firefly system, it would still be challenging for the upper management within Firefly to accept this reality. With that thought in mind, Eric felt compelled to shake his head again. While he didn't have a solid concept for his next film just yet, he knew he'd have to ease the group's concerns by indicating that his next movie would undoubtedly return to Firefly, thus assuaging their spirits.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 892: Where's the Spice Girls?]

Princess Diana's charity gala started at eight PM. After spending an hour sorting through work emails, Eric grabbed a bite with Christina. They changed into their formal attire and left five minutes early, heading over to Kensington Palace, right off Garden Street.

As night fell, the lights started to glow. The black car made a quick loop around the neighborhood, covering less than a mile before they reached their destination.

Girls often dream of fairy tales involving princes and princesses. Though Christina had matured early, she was no exception. So, she was quite thrilled at the chance to meet Diana in person, and to prepare for it, she'd carefully chosen a white Chanel dress.

As they stepped out of the car, Christina took Eric's arm, suddenly recalling that she had overlooked something important. In a hushed tone, she asked, "Eric, how should I address the Princess later? Is it 'Your Highness'?"

Diana had lost the title of 'Your Highness' when she divorced Prince Charles, but Christina clearly hadn't kept up with that news.

Eric noticed the seriousness on Christina's face and thought about teasing her just a little. However, deciding that this wasn't the right setting for it, he gently reminded her, "You can just call her 'Ma'am.'"

Christina nodded, still insisting, "Oh, but I think 'Your Highness' sounds more polite."

Eric chuckled. "Actually, saying that would be quite rude; it might even offend her."

Christina looked a bit puzzled but quickly stuck out her tongue playfully and gave an affirmative sound.

...

As they chatted, Diana approached them with a middle-aged man in a light gray suit.

"Good evening, Eric. It's great to see you," Diana said, flashing a charming smile and extending her hand.

Eric shook her hand, nodding slightly. "It's great to see you, Ma'am."

"Just call me Diana," she emphasized, then turned to Christina. "And who is this?"

Eric introduced her simply, "This is Christina Aguilera."

"Hello, Tina," Diana greeted Christina warmly before continuing, "Eric, this is Dodi Fayed."

Eric had already been assessing the middle-aged man, who was around forty. Though his Arab heritage wasn't overtly obvious, some typical features were recognizable. Given the recent media buzz surrounding Diana's new romance, Eric had learned a bit about Dodi from the newspapers. Interestingly, Dodi claimed to be a film producer and even had an executive producer credit on Spielberg's movie Hook a few years back.

As Eric reached out to shake Dodi's hand, smiling warmly, he sensed that Dodi's gaze towards him held a hint of wariness, and his demeanor wasn't particularly welcoming. After a brief moment of confusion, Eric couldn't help but chuckle to himself; it seemed Dodi had mistaken him for one of those wealthy billionaires who approached Diana with ulterior motives. Given Eric's wealth, influence, and even his looks, which Dodi couldn't compete with, it was only natural for him to feel a sense of unease.

Diana, however, seemed oblivious to Dodi's hostility towards Eric. Once they had exchanged pleasantries, she led Eric directly to a small donation box, her bright blue eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

Eric smiled, finding this straightforward princess quite charming. Not minding the attention, he pulled out his checkbook and wrote a check for $100,000, dropping it into the donation box.

After Eric deposited the check, Diana smiled at him. "Thank you for your generosity, Eric. There are so many people in need of help in this world."

"It's nothing. It's what I should do," Eric nodded, ignoring Dodi's disapproving glance as he watched him write the check. The invitation had suggested guests donate at least PS5,000. Eric had no intentions of trying to win favor with Diana through grand gestures; in fact, he knew $100,000 was likely the largest donation of the night. Charity events were numerous, and unless someone had a special purpose in mind, no millionaire would casually part with donations in excess of seven figures. Although Eric had the means to do so, he wasn't keen on stealing the spotlight.

"Now, come with me, Eric. I want to introduce you to some guests who are very eager to meet you," Diana said, gesturing for him to follow alongside her. She paused for a moment, then added, "By the way, Eric, I'm a huge fan of yours."

Eric had heard that Diana loved pop music, which seemed to irritate Prince Charles, who highly regarded high-society entertainment events. With a smile, he asked, "Which song is your favorite?"

Diana turned to him, smiling back. "Guess!"

"Hmm, Stronger?"

Diana shook her head. "Nope, guess again."

"New-Divide?"

"That's also a great song, but still not it," she replied before chuckling. "Alright, I'll just tell you -- it's Young and Beautiful. I love how that song expresses such a glamorous yet disillusioning feeling. It's bittersweet, yet enchanting."

Eric looked at the stunning woman beside him, slightly startled. "No, you shouldn't be a fan of that song."

"Ah, why not?" Diana asked, confused.

Eric opened his mouth to explain but then just shook his head. "It's nothing."

Diana hesitated a moment before saying, "By the way, Eric, this might be a bit sudden, but would you sing a song for us later?"

"If it's for you, I wouldn't mind at all," Eric replied, nodding with a compliment. However, if someone else had made such a request, he would've surely declined. He didn't want to turn down this woman's small wish. Seeing the slight blush of delight on Diana's face, he further suggested, "But, I've never had any vocal training, and singing live could turn out poorly. Let's have Christina sing instead; she can do that song you love, um, Young and Beautiful"

Diana hadn't held out much hope when she had made her request, but hearing Eric suggest Christina perform surprised her. She turned to the petite girl who looked so sweetly nestled by Eric's side, her eyes filled with astonishment and doubt. It was hard to believe Christina could deliver a song like Young and Beautiful, which was steeped in such a profound, emotional backdrop.

Eric noticed the surprise in Diana's gaze and explained, "Don't underestimate Christina; she's been performing since she was eight years old. Her singing skills are definitely a hundred times better than mine."

"Oh, okay then," Diana nodded, reassured by Eric's words. She turned to her aide, instructing them to prepare for the performance, then introduced Eric to a few important guests at the gala.

By eight PM, the banquet hall already had around two hundred guests. After introducing a few attendees to Eric, Diana made her way to the small stage in the hall to deliver a brief speech, officially kicking off the gala.

...

These charity events not only raised funds but also provided a social platform for guests to expand their network. Eric navigated the crowd, easily mingling with those who approached him. He initially thought he wouldn't find anything of interest that night, but unexpectedly, he discovered someone who piqued his curiosity: Simon Fuller, the owner of a music and entertainment company.

Some people may not have recognized Simon Fuller's name. However, almost no one had missed the Spice Girls' meteoric rise or the lasting impact of American Idol, both of which were crafted by Simon Fuller himself.

But as he chatted with Simon for a few moments, he recalled something and suddenly wondered -- where were the Spice Girls?

It was already 1997, a time when, according to history, the Spice Girls were reaching dazzling heights. Yet here and now, Eric hadn't seen any mention of them at all. In fact, it was only after the Spice Girls disbanded that Simon Fuller was inspired to create a music reality show format, which exploded in popularity, leading to various iterations of the pop idol model across over seventy countries, most notably American Idol.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 893: Ultimately Couldn't Hold Back]

Simon Fuller noticed Eric zoning out again, and he hesitated over whether to leave him alone, but felt a pang of regret. Meeting Eric at this party had been a delightful surprise for him. While the record division of Firefly Group was somewhat of a weak spot for this media conglomerate, Simon saw it as an opportunity. Years of experience taught him that Eric was clearly interested in him; otherwise, they wouldn't have talked for so long. Yet, the young mogul was distracted, as if suddenly recalling something important.

Considering that perhaps his talk about record production processes was not engaging Eric, Simon decided to steer the conversation toward Eric's recent work, Casino Royale. At that moment, Diana made her way through the crowd towards them, followed closely by her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed.

Seeing Simon beside Eric, Diana politely nodded at him before turning to Eric, who had returned to the moment. "Hey, Eric, it's almost showtime. Tina, are you ready?"

Christina shot a glance at Eric, then nodded to Diana. "Of course, ma'am. I'm ready whenever."

"Then," Diana instructed her entourage, "Paul, take Miss Aguilera to get ready."

As Simon watched his assistant lead Christina away, Diana turned to both Eric and Simon, smiling as she asked, "So, what were you two just talking about?"

Not knowing whether Eric had any intention of getting close to Diana, Simon wisely kept quiet.

Eric, noticing Simon's silence, chuckled. "We were discussing some production issues. Simon is a great music producer, and I just happened to be interested, so we were chatting."

Diana perked up with interest but then added, "You know, I've always dreamed of releasing my own album, but I never had the chance."

Eric replied, "If you want, I can help you make that happen."

"Really?" Diana looked at Eric, a smile creeping on her face. "Eric, I'm serious about this."

Eric nodded confidently, studying Diana's youthful face, which showed no signs of aging. "Absolutely, if you want to, we can start preparing something tomorrow."

Dodi already felt overlooked and sensed that Eric was starting to make a move on Diana. He quickly leaned into her, speaking gently, "Darling, Mr. Williams is a very busy man. If you're interested in making an album, I know some music producers as well."

Diana caught a hint of rivalry in Dodi's tone, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she shook her head. "Never mind, I'm actually pretty awful at singing."

...

As they chatted, the party's stage came alive with applause as the host introduced Christina's upcoming performance. The guests watched, many of whom had seen Casino Royale and noticed Christina on stage, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and skepticism about whether the character could embody the essence of "Beautiful."

Eric was unfazed. Although Christina had come from humble beginnings, few in the music industry could match her vocal talent. While she excelled in high notes, her lower register was impressive as well.

As expected, once the slow intro faded, Christina's raspy yet soulful voice filled the hall. The skeptics were quickly silenced, surprise etched on their faces. Some even looked toward Eric, knowing he was there with Christina.

"Oh, this is astonishing! It's simply beautiful, hard to believe!" Diana exclaimed in surprise and turned to glance at Eric, only to refocus on Christina once more.

Eric held a glass of red wine, soaking in Christina's song as thoughts about his earlier conversation with Simon resurfaced.

Despite Firefly Group reaching a saturation point, Eric remained uninterested in expanding into the record business. The industry was poised for decline; although stringent copyright laws ensured that it wouldn't completely vanish, significant investment would ultimately result in financial losses.

Plus, if portable music players like MP3s fully took over, their future value could rival that of the entire record industry. Every effort within the Firefly system related to music was aimed at enhancing the content and function services for MP3 players. The technology behind digital music players wasn't overly complex. Even if established electronic giants broke through Firefly's patent barriers, they could replicate similar products within two years. However, if Firefly developed a comprehensive hardware and software ecosystem around MP3 players, providing users with an experience superior to competitors, it would render any challenges to that dominance nothing but a naive dream.

Since his mind drifted to the Spice Girls and American Idol, Eric knew he couldn't pass on that opportunity.

Earlier in the day, he had spoken with two heads of Firefly Electronics about launching the Fireflyer player in the European market next spring. Creating the Spice Girls could significantly bolster Fireflyer's promotional efforts in Europe, especially if they achieved similar influence as in his original timeline.

As for American Idol, this reality show could bring high ratings for their TV channel. Furthermore, by creating a co-branded production model with Fireflyer, they could promote the player worldwide. However, Fireflyer's current production capacity was inadequate for global expansion, leading Eric to postpone the American Idol project. This hiatus would provide the time needed to develop the Spice Girls.

Of course, implementing these ideas required leadership, and Simon Fuller seemed like a perfect fit.

...

With that in mind, Eric turned to Simon and asked, "Simon, did you say you own a record company?"

Simon, who had been enjoying Christina's performance, perked up at Eric's remark. "Yes, Eric, my company is called 19 Entertainment."

Having a record company within Firefly was useful, and Eric knew Simon's company functioned similarly to the multitude of independent film companies in Hollywood. These smaller firms often partnered with major labels, sometimes selling shares to collaborate and promote various artists. If Eric intended to task Simon with developing the Spice Girls and American Idol, he needed to ensure he had control over Simon's record company. He continued, "Is the ownership still yours?"

"Absolutely," Simon nodded earnestly, explaining that he founded 19 Entertainment back in 1985. Despite struggling to stay afloat for years, he had failed to produce any breakout artists, meaning major labels had never expressed interest in buying out his small company.

Eric, hearing Simon's confirmation, pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to him. "Then, I'm looking to form a band and need someone to make it happen. Think about it. If you're interested, Firefly will acquire your company, and you can lead the project."

Simon respectfully accepted the card but felt a twinge of anxiety at the thought of going from boss to employee. Still, with hope, he asked, "Eric, could I retain some equity?"

"Equity is not an option, but I'll offer you enough options." Eric shook his head. Although he remembered Simon's vital roles in forming the Spice Girls and American Idol, he had let the Spice Girls move on, while Simon gradually faded from future productions. It was clear Simon had creativity, but lacked execution; since Eric didn't know him well, he was cautious about granting him equity from the start.

Simon internally resolved not to let this opportunity slip by; after all, it was Eric Williams! How many people had the chance to work directly with him? Who had collaborated with him and not found enormous success? Passing up this chance would be madness. Yet, since his request to retain equity was refused, he didn't want to seem too eager. "Okay, Eric, I'll think it over and get back to you tomorrow."

Eric nodded. "No problem, I'll be waiting for your good news."

...

The two continued their conversation, and when Christina eventually concluded her performance, the applause was far more enthusiastic than it had been in the beginning.

As the lights brightened again, Simon glanced at Christina, who was approaching him, and then at Diana still standing on Eric's other side. Not wishing to linger, Simon raised his glass to Eric and walked away.

For Christina, glowing with post-performance praise, walked up to Eric, her cheeks flushed with excitement. However, before she could hear Eric's compliments, Diana clasped her hand and pulled her aside. "Tina, I had no idea you were this amazing."

Eric watched as Diana cozied up to Christina, leaving him to himself. He didn't mind it and took a glass of wine from a passing waiter, ready to chat with other guests when Dodi Fayed approached.

Not bothering to hide his scrutiny of Christina's petite figure, Dodi said to Eric, "She's a great girl, isn't she?"

Eric raised an eyebrow and responded, "Absolutely."

"Then," Dodi lowered his voice slightly. "Eric, you shouldn't get too close to Diana anymore."

Eric glanced at the duo entwined together, then turned toward a quieter spot near the buffet table. Sensing Eric's disinterest, Dodi reluctantly followed him, mimicking Eric's actions as he grabbed a plate of food.

Eric snagged a small piece of cake for himself and, sensing Dodi was about to speak again, took the initiative. "So, is it serious with her?"

"Of course," Dodi replied without hesitation. "I'm planning to propose."

"Ha," Eric chuckled lightly. "So you grew up in the UK, right?"

Dodi looked skeptical, asking defensively, "Is there a problem with that?"

With London being home to many billionaires due to its open finance markets and unique tax laws, countless Middle Eastern and Russian wealthy families spent significant time there, often raising their children in the British culture. Many of these affluent kids grew up believing they were British. Eric guessed Dodi fell into this category based on his accent.

"Not at all," Eric shook his head, grinning. "But while you may consider yourself fully British, some people won't see it that way."

Dodi shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't care what others think."

Eric eyed him pityingly. "Well, you may not care, but if you're planning to marry Princess Diana, plenty of people will be very concerned."

Dodi paused, turning to shoot Eric a penetrating look. "Are you implying something?"

Eric brushed off Dodi's gaze and casually selected a fruit salad. He glanced at Dodi with a feigned look of surprise, muttering to himself, "Incredible. You figured out I was implying something."

With that, Eric turned and walked towards Christina, thinking he couldn't resist jumping into the fray. He wondered if Dodi would arrive at any realization.

...

Watching Eric walk away, Dodi's expression shifted as he processed the earlier implications. Eric had practically worn "you're so clueless you noticed my hint" on his face. Filled with indignation, he still wrestled with the underlying tension of Eric's words.

After deliberating for some time, Dodi ditched his plate and left the ballroom, stepping into the garden outside. He took a look around before pulling out his phone and dialing his father, Mohamed Al-Fayed. Eric's remarks fostered an inexplicable sense of urgency in him, and his random comments left him wanting clarity. Instinctively, he thought it best to inform his father.

...

Having said all that, Eric lost interest in sticking around the party. After saying goodbye to Diana, he took Christina and left early.

The next morning, Eric was sitting on the back lawn with Christina, enjoying breakfast when the doorbell rang insistently.

"Eric, I'll get it," Christina sprang up from her seat, eager to answer the door.

Assuming it was Peter Rich, he didn't pay it much mind.

However, moments later, Christina returned with Diana in tow, who appeared exhausted, her eyes red-rimmed and fierce. "Eric, did you say something to Dodi?"

Eric sensed something brewing but merely raised his hands innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Diana's anger surged at his denial. Her eyes widened with fury. "You bastard! You're all bastards!"

Eric thought if not for her long-standing upbringing, she might've clawed at him. Though she didn't act, he instinctively took a step back. "Diana, I genuinely don't know what you mean."

Diana's anger wasn't abating. "Dodi broke up with me last night. He's on a flight back to Egypt now. Are you satisfied?"

Eric felt an unexpected sense of relief; he hadn't anticipated Dodi would take such decisive action and perhaps underestimated him.

However, seeing Diana's fierce demeanor, Eric knew he had to address the immediate issue. He spoke firmly, "Ms. Spencer, I'm not interested in your relationship troubles. If there's nothing else, please leave."

"Ha! You hypocritical jerk," Diana scoffed, glaring at Eric. "You didn't push Dodi away just to get close to me? Now you want me to leave? How absurd! I'm not going anywhere, and I want you to know you'll never succeed. I hate you, you bastard."

Eric couldn't help but chuckle to himself at Diana's hysterical outburst. He hadn't realized she had such a volatile side. Staring at her with that frantic energy made him want to keep his composure. "As I said, Ms. Spencer, I have no understanding of what transpired. Your breakup with your boyfriend has nothing to do with me. Now, please leave, or I'll call security."

Diana seemed past caring. She raised her voice. "Go ahead! Make a scene. Let everyone see what you've done!"

Eric groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, realizing this woman was getting too far. Although he could never overtly admit it, he considered himself somewhat of a savior in this situation, yet here they were.

After locking eyes with Diana for a moment, Eric lost patience. He tossed his forgotten coffee cup onto the nearby table, stepped forward two paces, and before she could react, he hoisted her up and headed for the door.

"Ah! You bastard! What are you doing? Put me down! Help!" Diana shouted, feeling the world spin as she realized her predicament. She thrashed around violently while yelling for help and pounding on Eric's back.

But the petite woman couldn't possibly match Eric's strength, and in no time, they had crossed the villa and reached the front yard.

To the astonishment of Diana's driver, who rushed in upon hearing the commotion, Eric stepped outside and set Diana down on the grass while casually tossing her outside.

Ignoring the woman's crazed protests, he shoved the driver out too, shut the door, and turned to Christina who had followed him outside. "Call security and tell them not to let this woman in again."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 894: It's Probably Not That Easy]

Kensington Garden Street was undoubtedly one of the most private neighborhoods in London. Even though Elisabeth excitedly called from Los Angeles that night to gossip about the circumstances of how Eric threw Diana out the door, this incident would ultimately only circulate within a very small circle, creating little stir.

After calming down, Diana didn't do anything outrageous. Instead, she quietly flew to Eastern Europe to continue her efforts in her charity work. The media mainly reported on the sudden heartbreak of the Princess of Wales. Although some tabloids occasionally published suggestive articles, the major gossip newspapers were rather vague about the reasons behind Diana's heartbreak, meaning it didn't have much impact on Eric.

...

The next day, Simon Fuller called to agree to the Firefly Group's acquisition of the entertainment company he had founded, 19 Entertainment.

Although 19 Entertainment had been established for twelve years, it hadn't accumulated any valuable assets, and many of the signed artists faded into obscurity without success. Eric held no great expectations for the company; he was primarily interested in Simon Fuller's creativity and his experience in the recording industry.

After the Firefly UK office conducted a brief assessment of 19 Entertainment, Eric offered $3 million, with $1 million for the complete equity acquisition of 19 Entertainment and an additional $2 million intended as startup funds to create a girl group. Eric also included a provision in the contract for Simon Fuller to receive 10% of the company's equity options over five years.

Knowing he had no room to negotiate, Simon Fuller didn't fuss over the details, and he was very content with the 10% equity option.

While nominally connected to Firefly Group's subsidiary, Firefly Records, 19 Entertainment was essentially a European branch of Firefly Records due to the latter's limited operations in the UK and Europe. As long as the Firefly Group provided adequate support, 19 Entertainment would surely grow rapidly, and those 10% options would become a significant asset.

Considering the massive scale of the Firefly Group, the $3 million acquisition seemed trivial.

However, once the news of the deal surfaced, and it became known that Eric was the driving force behind it, the entire European recording industry turned its attention to what was once an obscure 19 Entertainment. No one could believe that Firefly's expansion into Europe would be minor, and mainstream media began to speculate on the intentions behind Firefly or Eric's move. Simon Fuller suddenly found himself a sought-after figure, as executives from old-school record companies, who had previously ignored him, started calling to gather intel and explore potential collaborations.

...

Truth be told, the plan to acquire 19 Entertainment and the creation of a girl group was merely a trivial side project for Eric during his downtime. However, most people didn't see it that way, especially given that Casino Royale was raking in box office worldwide. Even without mentioning Eric's immense wealth, consecutive blockbuster hits grossing over a billion dollars had already elevated his influence in the entertainment industry to an unprecedented height. Not only did Jeffrey Katzenberg call to inquire about Eric's detailed plans, but Firefly Records President Barry Weiss even wanted to fly to the UK in person, only to be stopped by Eric.

...

After spending two days preliminary discussing the girl group project with Simon Fuller, 19 Entertainment quickly announced an open call for girls aged 18 to 23 to form the group in The Times.

Unlike the Firefly's acquisition of 19 Entertainment, which remained largely within professional circles, the recruitment notice sparked excitement among countless aspiring girls eager for fame. Within just three days, 19 Entertainment received over 1,000 applications, and various record companies attempted to place their artists directly into the group, causing a frenzy throughout the British entertainment scene.

...

In San Francisco, at Firefly Electronics' Fireflyer player assembly plant in northern Oakland, Jeff Kleber, the vice president who had been brought over from Nokia three months prior to oversee the supply chain and production for Firefly Electronics, suddenly felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He jolted upright, realizing he had fallen asleep at his desk.

Today was July 10th, the planned launch date for Fireflyer.

To ensure everything went smoothly, Jeff Kleber had been virtually glued to the factory floor for the past few days. Just a week earlier, he had returned from Malaysia, where, in addition to two domestic assembly plants, Firefly Electronics was also initiating a larger-scale factory capable of producing 500,000 units monthly in Southeast Asia. However, that plant would take at least three more months to go into production, and ramping up output would be a gradual process.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Jeff finally recognized the two standing before him, Victor McNally and Bill Olson. Victor McNally was smiling and handed him a breakfast sandwich.

After spending months together, the three had become quite familiar. Jeff didn't hesitate, tearing open the packaging and taking a big bite of the sandwich, before glancing at his watch and noting, "It's already a quarter past eight."

"Yes," Victor McNally nodded as he and Bill Olson pulled up chairs. "We got here at seven and didn't want to wake you."

"Oh, so you two must have already been to the assembly line," Jeff chewed and added, "last night was terrible. A robot malfunctioned, and we didn't fix it until 4 AM. I'm going to have a serious talk with Epson's Hamada about this. If he doesn't give me a satisfactory answer, he can forget about the order for 100 robots for our Malaysia plant."

Victor McNally and Bill Olson watched as the thirty-something Jeff Kleber sprang back to life after a few bites of his breakfast, feeling somewhat envious.

Three months ago, when they first met Jeff, they were skeptical about whether this energetic yet somewhat flamboyant young man could manage the supply chain and production for Firefly Electronics competently. But now, they had completely abandoned their initial doubts. Under Jeff's management, Firefly Electronics's component supply chain and product production line had undergone a remarkable transformation in just three months.

Hearing Jeff complain, Bill Olson chuckled, "Remember, Jeff, we need to focus on other things today."

"Of course," Jeff nodded, "Amazon's pre-sale opens at 10 AM, so we have one hour and forty minutes left."

Although they decided to start sales today, it would still take time to distribute Fireflyer to retail channels.

In this situation, gauging the genuine market demand for Fireflyer after three months of hunger marketing would certainly be best done using the sales data from Amazon's online store. Thus, Amazon was set to open Fireflyer pre-sales today at 10 AM Pacific Time. Once users placed their orders online, Amazon would begin shipping within 7 to 15 days.

Noticing Jeff's calm demeanor, Victor McNally asked, "Aren't you nervous at all?"

"Why should I be nervous? Besides, you two don't seem too anxious either," Jeff joked. "Just in the first half of this year, PC sales in North America reached 14.3 million units. This year, the total PC sales could approach 30 million. All the consumers buying PCs are potential customers for Fireflyer. Based on that standard, Fireflyer's potential sales could reach at least 30 million, which equates to about 2.5 million units per month. Even if the factory in Malaysia is fully operational, our capacity will only reach 1 million units per month, which wouldn't even meet North America's demand, let alone the even larger overseas market."

Victor McNally watched as Jeff gulped down the rest of his breakfast before standing up. "Alright, if that's the case, let's step outside for a breather. The air is nice out there."

"Sure, I happen to want to check today's newspaper," Jeff said. "Speaking of which, today is Friday; last week's box office data should be out. What do you think our boss's movie earned this week?"

Bill Olson chuckled, "Unfortunately, I already saw it, no need to guess. It's..."

Jeff raised a finger, "Stop, don't tell me. I want to see for myself."

"Ha ha."

The three of them laughed as they left Jeff's office together and walked outside.

...

In Los Angeles, Santa Monica.

In a restaurant, Amy Pascal's husband, Bernard Weinraub, looked at the Hollywood Reporter in his hand, shaking his head in disbelief. "Incredible, just incredible. The drop was only 34%, which is almost lower than all the analysts predicted. At this rate, the North American box office could even exceed $350 million."

Amy Pascal sat across the table, with a similar newspaper spread out beside her.

In its second week of release, Casino Royale's box office drop was lower than many had anticipated, coming in at just 34%, securing $77.55 million in revenue and bringing its cumulative total to $195 million. The success of Casino Royale affected Ice Age, which initially forecasted a first-week box office of $60 million but only managed to collect $57.23 million.

Another new release, Bad Boys II, was even more impacted, with a first-week box office of just $23.15 million, falling short of New Line Cinema's original $35 million estimate, and it didn't even reach third place on the weekly box office chart; instead, it landed behind Finding Nemo, which was already in its fourth week.

As for Batman Robin, which had been released the week before Casino Royale, it had become a nightmare for Warner Bros.

Due to its atrocious reviews, Batman Robin's first-week box office was $59.47 million, but in its second week, it plummeted by 65% to only $20.81 million. To make matters worse, the industry initially thought that the film would begin to stabilize in its third week, but after the impact of Casino Royale, Batman Robin's third-week box office drop remained steep at 61%, leaving a mere $8.11 million.

After three weeks of release, while Batman Robin had a cumulative total of $88.39 million, at the current rate of drop, if next week's earnings were to be halved again, it would end up with under $4 million for the week, concluding at around $95 million. Ultimately, this meant that for Warner Bros. to break even, they would have to cough up the losses themselves.

Batman Robin had a total investment of $125 million, plus a similar promotional budget of $50 million to that of Casino Royale. Even if it made over $200 million globally, Warner Bros. would only recoup around $90 million in box office returns. The film's terrible reception meant that future earnings from video and television rights would also take a hit. Altogether, the direct losses for Warner Bros. on this project could amount to $80 million, but that wasn't the worst of it. The more severe consequence was that the Batman brand might be irreparably damaged, making it hard for Warner to relaunch this superhero series for at least a decade.

As she looked at the box office data in the newspaper, reflecting on these matters, Amy Pascal replied, "So, what did you say last week? A slew of bad films hitting the market would only increase the audience's thirst for high-rated commercial films. It really does seem you were right. Many people are feeling quite astonished."

Bernard Weinraub nodded, "So the next 007 should be initiated immediately, right?"

Hearing her husband bring that up, Amy Pascal paused as she spread jam over her bread, smiling wryly, "It won't be that easy."

"True," Bernard Weinraub chuckled. "Knowing Williams, he probably won't continue with the next 007 film. Finding a director able to take the reins of this series is going to be a lot of work. Williams laid such a great foundation; it would be a shame if the follow-up film fails due to a rookie director."

"Honestly, it's not just about the director," Amy Pascal shook her head. "The real issue revolves around Brosnan."

"About his pay?"

Amy Pascal nodded, "That's been a real headache. You should know about Mr. Mrs. Smith, right?"

"Of course."

Amy Pascal elaborated, "Before Mr. Mrs. Smith, Pierce was barely even considered a mid-tier actor. To star in the mainstream hit Mr. Mrs. Smith, he signed a three-film bundled deal with Columbia Pictures, stipulating that the salary for each film couldn't increase by more than 50%. In Mr. Mrs. Smith, Pierce earned $3 million. Then, under Eric's guidance, that option contract was transferred to MGM so that Pierce could star as Bond. Given the outstanding box office of Mr. Mrs. Smith, Pierce's salary bumped up slightly to $5 million for GoldenEye. Then came Casino Royale, where he earned $7 million."

As Bernard listened to his wife, he understood. According to Hollywood star salary standards, after Mr. Mrs. Smith, Pierce Brosnan's worth should have hit $10 million. But due to the contract limitations, he had taken low salaries for two movies. Now, with Casino Royale aiming for a worldwide box office of a billion, Brosnan found himself at the end of his three-movie contract, and while everyone knew that Eric had played a huge role in Casino Royale's success, that wouldn't stop Brosnan from demanding a hefty paycheck for the upcoming sequels.

Setting the newspaper down, Bernard couldn't help but ask with curiosity, "So, how much does he want this time?"

Amy Pascal replied, "$20 million plus 20% of the worldwide box office."

Hollywood stars' agreements with studios for profit-sharing structures often varied greatly, and Bernard was a bit confused. He pressed on, "What are the specific terms?"

"The $20 million is straightforward, but the 20% of the worldwide box office means he'd get 20% of the profits remaining after expenses for production and distribution are deducted from the global box office receipts. If we take Casino Royale's global $1 billion benchmark, our share of the box office is around $400 million. After deducting the total production costs of $165 million, that leaves a profit of $235 million, from which Pierce wants to take 20%."

Bernard calculated briefly and couldn't help but suck in a breath, "So if the next sequel hits the same level as Casino Royale, that's nearly $70 million, wow, he's really bold with that ask."

Amy Pascal chuckled ruefully, "Based on the company's planned spy universe storyline, the next 007 is still expected to be a high point for the series. Even if it doesn't reach the global billion mark, it won't be too far off."

Bernard Weinraub responded, "What are you planning to do about it?"

Amy Pascal shrugged, "Continue negotiating. That kind of salary is out of the question. Eric set the rule that anyone who wants a share can't have a fixed salary over $10 million. I heard even James Cameron's contract for Spider-Man with Firefly didn't exceed that limit, so MGM will definitely follow suit. It's up to Pierce whether he chooses to take the direct $20 million or the $10 million plus a share. After all, even with profit sharing, there's no way we could give him 20%. Besides, we have leverage."

"Oh, really?"

Amy Pascal replied, "Pierce initially signed that packaged contract with Columbia for three films, and similarly, his contract with MGM also stipulates three films. Although there's no limit on pay for this last one, he can't take on other films until completing this contract. If this drags out, it won't be good for anyone involved."

Bernard added, "But even so, what happens after this? The spy universe should have more to offer, right?"

"Yeah," Amy Pascal recalled Eric's memo from last month, "we've been discussing that lately. There's definitely a solution."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 895: Can't Sell Anymore]

Seattle.

In the large conference room at the Amazon headquarters, several executives were seated around the conference table, whispering quietly. On the wall-mounted screen at the front, a series of backend trading data of the Fireflyer players were displayed. With only five minutes left until ten o'clock, the most prominent sales number on the screen still read zero.

Jeff Bezos rushed into the conference room, having just finished a phone call with a vice president responsible for the logistics of the Fireflyer player in San Francisco. He took his seat, eagerly looking at the large screen on the wall. The other executives, who had previously been murmuring amongst themselves, quieted down as two administrative assistants stealthily distributed some materials.

Just like the pivotal day three months ago when they implemented their hunger marketing strategy, today was another significant day for Amazon.

From April until now, thanks to the hunger marketing for the Fireflyer player, Amazon not only captured attention but also saw a substantial increase in website visibility, registration numbers, and sales figures.

Before this, the company reported only $87 million in revenue for the first quarter, which was already impressive for an e-commerce website established less than three years prior. However, in the second quarter, propelled by the popularity generated from the Fireflyer marketing strategy, Amazon skyrocketed in revenues by 77%, reaching $154 million in just three months. Of this, the 150,000 Fireflyer players Amazon had underwritten contributed nearly $45 million in revenues.

Though Jeff Bezos had always been a rather cocky individual, he could not deny the genius of Eric's skills in the online marketing of the Fireflyer player.

Months prior, Amazon had begun negotiations with Morgan Stanley regarding their IPO, and the official listing date had been tentatively set for January of the following year.

In March, Firefly Investments had injected another $100 million into Amazon in exchange for a third 5% stake, valuing the company at only $2 billion at the time.

Now, with the NASDAQ continuing to rise, and more importantly, with Amazon's explosive growth in the second quarter, the company's valuation on Wall Street had doubled in just six months, reaching $4 billion.

Although the Southeast Asian economic crisis could potentially impact the NASDAQ index, Jeff Bezos remained quite optimistic. If Amazon could maintain its current growth rate, the IPO stock price might very well double from its current valuation. The hunger marketing strategy for the Fireflyer undeniably propelled the company forward. If possible, Jeff Bezos hoped the hunger marketing for the Fireflyer player could continue until the end of the year. However, he understood that too much of a good thing could backfire. While hunger marketing could significantly heighten the website's attention and buzz in the short term, if users were unable to purchase a product for an extended time, their initial excitement would inevitably turn to disappointment or even disdain -- something neither Firefly Electronics nor Amazon wished to see.

...

He pondered these thoughts until an administrative assistant gently tapped him on the shoulder, bringing Jeff Bezos back to the moment. The clock on the big screen read 9:59.

Everyone in the conference room set aside their thoughts and focused on the large screen in front of them.

There was no particular notification sound or dramatic visuals. As soon as the clock struck ten, the simplistic yet prominent number on the screen began to shift rapidly.

During the last pre-sale opportunity, all 5,000 Fireflyer players sold out in just 37 seconds.

However, this time, even as pre-sales opened, the screen showed sales of the Fireflyer players surpassing 5,000 units within a minute. It wasn't until seven minutes later that pre-sale numbers reached 20,000 units, at which point the rate of sales began to slow down -- but this slowdown was merely relative, as the sales figure continued to increase at a rate of over ten units per second.

After the first expansion of production capacity for the Fireflyer player was complete, Amazon retained a third of the sales share -- amounting to 150,000 units.

Based on sales data from previous months, although it was still anticipated that Fireflyers would remain in high demand for a considerable time into the future, Amazon initially predicted that a supply of 150,000 units would adequately meet online orders. After all, e-commerce was still in its infancy, with most consumers preferring to purchase electronics through brick-and-mortar stores. In the three months prior, physical store prices for the Fireflyer had generally exceeded Amazon's by about $30, yet it did not deter enthusiastic purchases from retail customers at all.

Therefore, as time passed, at 10:52, when the transaction volume on the big screen surpassed 50,000 units, Jeff Bezos's initial joy faded. He gradually realized that something was likely going wrong. Selling a month's worth of inventory in less than an hour seemed great on the surface, but if the stock prepared for an entire month vanished in a day or even a few hours, what would Amazon have left to fulfill customer supply?

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Jeff Bezos sprang to his feet, waving his arms and shouting to everyone in the conference room, "Stop! Get them to stop selling; we can't sell anymore!"

...

The buzz surrounding the Spice Girls' talent search was beyond imagination, yet Eric's time in London remained relatively unaffected. He certainly wouldn't waste energy participating in the initial selections; that task fell under the responsibility of Simon Fuller, and he would only get involved at the final stages to finalize the candidates.

Christina spent a week in London and returned to Los Angeles.

Barry Weiss, the president of Firefly Records, hoped to leverage the popularity ignited by Casino Royale to have Christina release another single in preparation for her debut album next year.

Though there weren't any concrete work plans at the moment, Eric stayed tuned in to happenings outside his bubble.

In addition to box office successes in North America's summer slate, Eric continued to monitor various affairs within the Firefly network, such as MGM's acquisition of E! Entertainment and Rainbow Media stakes, the salary negotiations between the 007 project team and Pierce Brosnan, Chris's foreign exchange maneuvers in Southeast Asia, and the next phase of sales for the Fireflyer player. He even made a trip north to Cambridge and to Nokia's headquarters in Finland to check on the ARM chip development progress and Nokia's operations. Despite being far from North America and the absence of women around him, life remained fulfilling.

...

Due to the time difference, it was still daytime in North America while night had already fallen in London.

Even though the 007 series had long been absorbed into Hollywood, the majority of British media still regarded it as a quintessential British film. Perhaps Casino Royale's immense success both in the North American and global box office stimulated a sense of pride among the British people; the film's second week in the U.K. experienced a smaller drop in box office receipts of just 33%, bringing in PS14.27 million, equivalent to roughly $21.4 million at an exchange rate of PS1 to $1.50.

In two weeks, the British box office for Casino Royale reached PS35.57 million ($53.36 million), and with the current trends, the final U.K. box office was projected to surpass PS60 million ($90 million). Though it could not compare to Titanic's PS79.93 million ($119 million), which had just wrapped its run the previous month, securing the second highest box office in British film history seemed inevitable.

In a private club in London's West End, a film industry party was taking place, hosted by the renowned Working Title film company.

At the after-party for the London premiere of Casino Royale, Eric had previously crossed paths with an Working Title producer named Alison Owen. After witnessing Cate Blanchett's performance in the film, Alison expressed her desire to invite her to star in a project the company was developing. However, since Cate had signed an option agreement with Firefly, this decision required Firefly's approval. Luckily, Eric was in London at the time, so the script made its way to him.

Coincidentally, the project turned out to be Elizabeth, a biopic about Queen Elizabeth I.

The original timeline's Elizabeth had earned Cate Blanchett her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Furthermore, Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love had premiered the same year and both were heavyweights for the Oscars. However, facing Shakespeare in Love, which was backed by Miramax, the results for Elizabeth were predictable.

Given that it had the potential to become an Oscar contender, Elizabeth was bound to be solid, and Cate Blanchett was excited about the role. Eric didn't oppose, and the final discussion concluded with Working Title and New Line co-investing in the film, with New Line overseeing global distribution outside the U.K.

During discussions around Elizabeth, Eric gradually grew more familiar with the Working Title leadership, leading to his attendance at today's party.

...

"Eric, I heard you're in the process of selecting a band. Care to share any surprises you have in store for us?" said Eric Fellner, the president of Working Title, as he stood chatting with Eric and a few others while holding a glass of red wine.

"Well, since it's a surprise, we can only reveal it at the last moment. But I can share a little early," Eric said with a smile, lowering his voice to heighten the suspense. "It's a girl group."

The other three paused briefly before bursting into laughter.

The 19 Entertainment recruitment ad clearly specified the age range of 18 to 23, so it was naturally unlikely to be anything else. Eric Fellner nodded with a smile, commenting, "So, Eric, Firefly is planning to expand its record business in Europe, huh?"

Eric shook his head, replying, "It's still just an idea. We intend to test the waters first, after all, Firefly doesn't have extensive experience in the music industry."

"Actually," Eric Fellner continued, "the record industry has a corporate structure very similar to that of Hollywood film studios, and for Firefly to expand in this field, it's rather straightforward."

Hearing this, Eric raised an eyebrow. Just moments ago, they were discussing the development of British cinema, and now Eric Fellner had suddenly shifted the topic to the Spice Girls selection, making Eric feel something was amiss.

As he contemplated this, a warm voice broke through, "Hey, Eric! Good evening."

Eric turned around to see Barbara Broccoli approaching in a black evening gown, a radiant smile on her face. He reciprocated the smile, carefully holding his wine glass as he embraced her. It wasn't surprising in the UK film circle to see Barbara Broccoli here, given her role as a producer for the 007 series.

After exchanging pleasantries with Eric, Barbara nodded to the others and asked, "So what are we all chatting about?"

Eric Fellner responded with a smile, "Of course about Casino Royale, Barbara. You did an amazing job this time."

"Hey, with Eric here, your compliment will embarrass me," she laughed.

"Ha ha."

Another round of laughter followed.

As they chatted casually, Barbara noticed Eric was alone and teasingly remarked, "Eric, I didn't expect you'd come here alone. Do you need me to accompany you for a dance?"

Without missing a beat, Eric extended his hand. "Of course, it would be my honor."

Barbara has only made a jest, but when she saw Eric reach for her hand, she didn't refuse. Handing her wine to a nearby server, she nodded her goodbye to the others and followed Eric to the dance floor.

...

As Eric wrapped his arm around her waist, Barbara placed her arm around him but leaned in to whisper, "Just to be clear, Eric, even if you can't find a girl tonight, don't think of me."

As they danced to the music, Eric replied, "Barbara, I'm terribly saddened by what you just said."

"Ha ha, I'm just giving you a friendly warning. You're just not my type."

"Oh, it seems I'm too handsome for you, and you prefer the rugged type?"

"No, you're too old. I like them younger."

"Well, my heart just shattered a little. But if I recall correctly, you're actually older than I am..."

Barbara interrupted, "Hey, Eric, don't be rude."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Eric quickly stopped, then asked, "By the way, Barbara, do you know Eric Fellner well?"

"Not too much, you know. The circle in the UK is just that small."

"Do you know which record company he's affiliated with?"

Barbara thought for a moment, shook her head, then seemed to realize something and laughed, "I don't know which record company Eric Fellner is connected to, but Working Title has a significant relationship with one, oh, a very big one."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 896: Not Worth It]

Eric had a rough idea of what was happening and continued to ask, "Which record company?"

"Polygram, you know, the one based in the Netherlands. I remember it was around 1992 when Polygram invested in Working Title, becoming the largest shareholder of the film company. One of the founders of Working Title, who I believe was named Tim Bevan, left the company out of dissatisfaction with the deal made by the other partners. Polygram then brought Eric Fellner on board as president, and he's been there ever since," Barbara Broccoli shared as she recounted what she knew. She then curiously asked, "Eric, why are you asking about this?"

Eric was somewhat surprised. While Firefly Electronics had launched the Fireflyer player and had been in talks with major record companies about online music sales, he hadn't been paying much attention to the movements of the major record labels. He originally thought Polygram might have been acquired by other big players; from what he remembered, after 2000, the name Polygram seemed to have faded away. Listening to Barbara, it was clear that this hadn't happened yet.

As he organized the scattered information in his mind, Eric said, "Just before you came over to say hello, I think Eric Fellner was hinting that Polygram might be up for sale."

"I hadn't heard that before," Barbara said, shaking her head. "But this should be a good opportunity. Drew gave me a Fireflyer player a while back, and I think it's pretty great; I just wish there were more songs available at the music store. It's a hassle to have to buy CDs to rip songs. If you had Polygram, the song selection in your online music store would surely increase significantly."

Eric nodded with a smile, but internally, he grasped the situation better.

If Barbara could see the shortcomings of Yahoo Music Store in terms of content, it was certain that Polygram would notice this as well. While he wasn't entirely sure about Polygram's current status, it was clearly connected to what Eric Fellner had just mentioned.

Eric had always hoped that by promoting the MP3 player on a large scale, it would push the major record companies to actively seek out partnerships with online music stores.

However, the lack of content at Yahoo Music Store was indeed a headache. After all, even if he didn't care much for the fate of the entire record industry, if users couldn't purchase legitimate music online and were forced to turn to piracy, the MP3 players would face increasing pressure from public opinion.

Resolute, he decided to gather some information on Polygram. Eric and Barbara casually chatted about other topics.

...

Before the dance track ended, Eric noticed his assistant, Peter Rich, signaling to him with a mobile phone in hand.

Eric nodded towards Peter, saying, "Sorry, Barbara, but Peter might have something urgent for me."

"Of course, no problem."

Barbara smiled and shook her head, releasing Eric, and together they left the dance floor.

As Eric approached Peter, he took the phone and said, "Mr. Williams, there's a call from San Francisco. It's Mr. McNally, and he insists you answer it personally."

Eric nodded and smiled at Barbara one last time as he put the phone to his ear and walked toward the banquet hall's entrance.

Although the call came from Victor McNally, the CEO of Firefly Electronics, it was related to Amazon.

By now, it was close to ten o'clock in London, while it was still early afternoon on the West Coast.

The situation stemmed from the morning's announcement that Amazon had opened pre-orders for the Fireflyer player. At ten o'clock that morning, Amazon officially launched pre-sales to users.

Unexpectedly, within just 52 minutes, sales skyrocketed beyond 50,000 units, a figure that far exceeded Amazon's expectations. Sensing something was amiss, Jeff Bezos quickly paused the pre-sale.

Upon investigation, they discovered that, due to retail stores selling the Fireflyer player for an average of 30 dollars more than Amazon's price, many customers, likely physical retailers, were viewing Amazon as a wholesale platform for the Fireflyer player. Some users even crazily ordered 1,000 units at once, while orders of 50 or 100 units were countless.

Ultimately, of the 50,000 pre-sale units, only about 7,000 came from regular customers; the rest were large orders.

In truth, before opening pre-orders, Amazon had contemplated this issue. During the previous rush phase, Amazon had set a purchase limit of two units per customer.

However, Amazon's management felt that, with a significant increase in Fireflyer production capability, the market demand might not remain so urgent, and they assumed retail prices would gradually align with online prices. Thus, they neglected to impose any purchasing limits.

This decision led to the chaotic situation of rampant "bulk buying" after pre-orders opened. Clearly, physical retailers had tasted enough profits from selling the Fireflyer player in its initial months and were now looking for alternative avenues since they couldn't obtain enough stock from Firefly Electronics.

It was predictable that during the buying frenzy Amazon had conducted earlier, many of these same buyers were involved; otherwise, it wouldn't have been possible for 5,000 units to sell out in less than a minute. After all, securing a Fireflyer player could yield at least a $30 profit, which was a very lucrative "business."

With the error made, Amazon now needed to find a solution.

Canceling those large orders wasn't an option. While the motives of these buyers were questionable, since Amazon hadn't set limits beforehand, they couldn't be considered to be breaking any rules. Placing the company's mistake on the users could lead to lawsuits, and it would be impossible to win; moreover, it would damage the company's credibility.

After pausing pre-sales for an hour, Amazon implemented a two-unit purchase limit for each customer, and the transaction page finally reopened.

However, the immediate effect of selling those 50,000 units would certainly impact Amazon's ongoing supply. Moreover, even with the new restrictions in place, bypassing them would be simple enough if someone had enough patience -- they could just register multiple accounts.

The key to solving this issue ultimately lay with Firefly Electronics. Consequently, Jeff Bezos urgently flew from Seattle to San Francisco to meet with Victor McNally, explaining his predicament and requesting that Firefly Electronics increase their monthly supply to Amazon by at least 50,000 units.

All retailers across the U.S. were in line waiting for supply from Firefly Electronics. Giving Amazon an additional 50,000 units would undoubtedly lead to resentment from retail outlets. Naturally, Victor McNally was reluctant to agree to Jeff Bezos's demands. Bill Olson, who was somewhat impatient, even got into an argument with Bezos. Finally, Bezos proposed calling Eric to make the final decision. Seeing Bezos's determination to stay in San Francisco, Victor McNally had no choice but to call Eric in London.

...

After initially understanding the situation over the phone, Eric returned to his residence on Kensington Garden Street, joining Victor McNally and Jeff Bezos for a video conference late into the night. With Eric mediating, the two sides finally reached a compromise: Amazon's supply would increase by 25,000 units, and that was as far as they could go in resolving the issue.

In truth, Eric felt helpless.

The technology of the Fireflyer player wasn't particularly advanced, but it was still a new electronic product. Unlike CD players or mobile phones, which had been around for years, Fireflyer was not something that could simply ramp up production within months just by contacting the right manufacturers. Because it was a new product, the supply of components was limited, and the assembly plants and production lines needed to be built from the ground up -- not to mention staff training and various other issues. Achieving a rapid increase in production would take several times longer than traditional electronic products.

...

While the video conference had temporarily resolved the issues between Firefly Electronics and Amazon, Eric found that he had lost the desire to remain in London and decided to return to the U.S. There were simply too many pressing matters back home that needed his personal attention.

The selection for the Spice Girls wouldn't be completed in just two or three months; he figured he could swing by again when it was time.

So, the next day, Eric boarded the Boeing 767 rented by Drew from Los Angeles's ALC company.

Pleased with his London trip, Eric's group signed a long-term lease agreement with ALC for the Boeing 767, planning to use it until the delivery of their own Boeing 747. Although the monthly rental fee was a staggering $650,000, not including fuel and other flying costs, Eric didn't object. Sure, $650,000 a month might be hard for an ordinary millionaire to swallow, but for him, it was manageable. After all, once the several planes they planned to purchase were delivered, and two private airports were established on the East and West Coasts, the annual maintenance and upkeep expenses would run into the tens of millions.

The night before, when he left the party, Eric instructed Peter Rich to gather some information on Polygram. Although time was tight, Peter managed to prepare several documents on Polygram before Eric's flight.

The Boeing 767 took off from Heathrow Airport, and after a brief adjustment period, the plane cruised smoothly across the Atlantic. Eric settled into a luxurious suite by the window and began reviewing the materials on Polygram.

Just as he hadn't anticipated that the company behind Working Title would be Polygram, Eric was equally surprised to find out that Philips from the Netherlands was actually Polygram's majority shareholder. His impression of Philips was mostly limited to their shavers and maybe DVD players.

However, after reading through the reports, Eric found that, at the time, Philips was indeed a substantial company in the Netherlands, involved in a wide array of businesses including medical equipment, lighting, consumer appliances, and media entertainment. It was essentially a mini General Electric. In 1996, Philips' annual revenue reached 108.5 billion Dutch guilders, which was nearly $37 billion.

Philips' foray into the record industry was similar to Japan's Sony, aiming to promote its own music player products. In the early '80s, Polygram was co-owned by Philips and Germany's Siemens, and later, Philips fully acquired Siemens's shares in the company by the end of the '80s and listed it on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. At that point, Philips still held 75% of Polygram's shares, with the other 15% coming from publicly traded stock.

With recent stock prices considered, Polygram's market value reached $9.7 billion.

Just seeing that figure made Eric abandon any thoughts of acquiring Polygram -- not because he couldn't afford it, but because it simply wasn't worth it.

With a market value of $9.7 billion, the final transaction amount would certainly be no lower than $10 billion.

Though Firefly could easily acquire the record company using a combination of cash and stock, if the goal was only for the song copyrights held by Polygram, this would be akin to Sony in the original timeline buying MGM to promote their Blu-ray format. Sony purchased MGM, but within a few years, the streaming era arrived. Neither Sony's Blu-ray nor Toshiba's HD format gained traction, turning out to be pointless in the long run. Now, with the rise of the internet, there was no need to wait years; the digital music era was already upon them.

Moreover, based on Polygram's 1996 annual financial report, the record giant's operating income for that year was $3.6 billion, but the net profit was only $337.8 million. Even if the record industry didn't decline, spending $10 billion to buy this company would take thirty years to recoup the investment.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 897: Three Consecutive Parts]

Back in Hollywood, Eric had a pressing issue to resolve -- MGM's contract negotiations with Pierce Brosnan regarding his salary.

The monumental success of Casino Royale not only raked in significant profits for MGM but also pushed its market value past the $12 billion mark. Additionally, it prompted Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed James Bond, to demand what could very well be the first-ever Hollywood salary contract with a base pay of $20 million plus 20% of the profits, and he was willing to sign for only one film at a time. Considering the box office for Casino Royale, this contract's value approached $70 million, and in recent years, A-list stars in Hollywood averaged salaries of less than $20 million. Such a demand was utterly outrageous, and MGM could hardly agree.

Before Eric's emergence, the highest recorded salary for an actor in Hollywood remained Jack Nicholson's $50 million for Batman, which had been a mere fluke.

Stars like Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson, who starred in and produced their films, often received paychecks in the $20 to $30 million range per project. Although Casino Royale's global box office soared towards $1 billion, everyone understood that Eric's involvement, along with the popularity of MGM's spy movie universe, was the key to the film's success. Brosnan's significance was not as substantial as it seemed.

With the release of Casino Royale, MGM concluded the first half of the first phase of its spy movie universe, successfully establishing the entire world for the franchise.

The plan included another six films in the second half of the first phase of the spy movie universe.

As of now, Charlie's Angels 3 had entered production and was expected to be released during the summer blockbuster season next year. Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible 3 was in an intense pre-production phase, tentatively scheduled for release at the end of next year. The leading roles had already been confirmed for these films, and for the time being, there wouldn't be any salary disputes. However, if Brosnan's salary issues weren't resolved promptly, the other four planned films, Bond 19, Charlie's Angels 4, Mission: Impossible 4, and Bond 20, were likely to face significant delays due to MGM's protracted salary negotiations with the leads.

Amy Pascal and Brosnan's agent had been negotiating for about half a month. Perhaps believing they were in control of MGM, the other party reluctantly agreed to reduce the profit-sharing clause to 15%, but they showed no willingness to budge on the $20 million base salary. Eric didn't want a contract negotiation to drag on for months or even a year, so he decided to intervene personally.

...

At the Brentwood Country Club golf course in Santa Monica, not far from Playa Vista, Amy, who had a membership card for the club, suggested arranging the meeting with Brosnan there.

Since he was back in Los Angeles on a Monday, Eric had a routine breakfast with Katzenberg. They hadn't finished discussing some matters when Eric brought him along.

On the course, Eric swung and missed again, ignoring the giggles from the nearby Drew. Bending down to adjust his golf ball on the ground, he turned to Katzenberg and said, "So, do you understand why I signed Stuart and the others to long-term contracts? If we hadn't, the situation we faced in the future would be worse than what MGM is dealing with now. Those are a group of superstars capable of destroying the planet, all of them demanding astronomical salaries -- then Firefly would just be working for them."

Katzenberg glanced at Drew and Amy, who were chatting nearby. He asked, "I'm just curious, how do you plan to resolve this?"

Eric steadied his ball, swung again, and watched it soar through the air, walking toward the point where it landed with Katzenberg. He didn't directly respond to the question but remarked, "Everyone should understand who the real power in Hollywood is."

Katzenberg shook his head, feeling helpless. "But, Eric, this will lead even more A-list stars to refuse to work with us."

"You still don't get it, Jeffrey," Eric replied. "At least here at Firefly, the era of the superstar has already ended prematurely. The next twenty years, or even longer, will be the era of technology and special effects. The Marvel Cinematic Universe we are brewing at Firefly, the Lord of the Rings series MGM is about to kick off, and many other projects are built on the selling points of visual effects and the story itself. While having A-list stars onboard can enhance the project, they're not essential."

Katzenberg didn't entirely agree with Eric but nodded nonetheless. Turning to see Drew and Amy hitting balls not far away, he asked, "So, Eric, do you have plans for your next movie? You know everyone is asking me to find out."

In the past few days, while the box office pressure from Casino Royale had diminished significantly in its third week, Firefly Group's third film, Tarzan, had still struggled to perform adequately at the box office. Although critics were favorable, the film had only earned a bit over $16 million in its opening weekend, which was half of what MGM's Scream 2 had earned during the same period. With Rachel Weisz's character as the opening kill, Scream 2 grossed $32.92 million during its first three days. Given Scream 2's budget of just $24 million, MGM could recover its costs within the first week.

In comparison, Firefly's Tarzan had a production budget of $55 million. Considering the under-performing Bad Boys 2, and the similarly mediocre Con Air, Firefly's ventures in live-action films this year could almost be described as a complete disaster. The only remaining release was New Line's Final Destination 2, but that couldn't be counted as mainstream.

So even with Finding Nemo, a potential global blockbuster poised to dominate the summer box office, Firefly's executives found it hard to be optimistic, especially since Eric had directed Casino Royale, which achieved such remarkable success.

"For my next film," Eric said thoughtfully, "after the British girl group gets assembled, I'd like to direct a music video -- a really interesting one."

Katzenberg couldn't help but grimace, wanting to shout, "Eric, can we do something serious?" In fact, had Eric been his subordinate rather than his boss, Katzenberg, with his temper, probably would have yelled it out.

Seeing Katzenberg's uncomfortable expression, Eric chuckled and reassured him, "Alright, Jeffrey, there's no need to rush. Look at it this way: Casino Royale is certainly going to reach the $1 billion mark globally. Since I've already managed to direct two films with a global clearance of $1 billion, if my next film can maintain this box office level, wouldn't that be even better?"

Katzenberg involuntarily imagined the scenario Eric described, feeling his facial muscles twitching. "You mean, three in a row, hitting a billion each?"

Eric nodded. "Yeah, you know, I still really want to surpass the box office record Jim set, but ultimately, I can't achieve his level of detail and passion. I will settle for quantity over quality. If I can pull off three consecutive films, each grossing $1 billion worldwide, that would certainly count as a milestone."

"Alright," Katzenberg said, though he felt Erik's plan was a bit far-fetched, he didn't doubt Eric's ability to pull off such a miracle. Just as he nodded, he quickly added, "But Eric, you must ensure that the next film belongs to Firefly."

"Of course, that's a given," Eric replied with a smile, waving over to Natasha, who was serving as a caddy some distance away, changing clubs, and continued, "And I won't make everyone wait too long."

...

As they chatted while playing, Drew and Amy walked over, leading a middle-aged man around forty years old.

As they approached, Amy started to speak when the man extended his hand for an introduction. "Mr. Williams, hello. I'm Pierce's agent, Rick Kozman."

Eric politely shook the man's hand. "I remember mentioning that I wanted Pierce to come along himself."

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Williams," Rick Kozman said, showing genuine difficulty without a hint of awkwardness on his face. "Pierce has an urgent matter and can't make it. He specifically instructed me to express his apologies to you."

To avoid making negotiations too tense, stars typically don't show up in person; that way, if something goes wrong, both sides can maintain some leeway.

Eric understood the rules well and wasn't upset. After Rick Kozman greeted Katzenberg, he said, "Seeing it this way, let's be forthright. MGM wants to sign Pierce for four films at once -- two main entries and two crossover films."

At this point, Rick Kozman interrupted. "Mr. Williams, that isn't possible; we only intend to sign one film contract with MGM at a time."

Eric shot Rick Kozman a glance, waiting for him to recognize the situation and keep quiet before continuing. "For the four-film deal, I have two compensation proposals. First, for each of the two main entries, $20 million, for the crossover films $15 million each, totaling $70 million. If Pierce chooses this option, MGM can pay the entire amount upfront. Second, the base salary for all four films would be $10 million, with Pierce earning 10% of the box office profits from the main entries and 5% from the crossover profits."

Rick Kozman couldn't help but open his mouth several times but held back each time. After Eric finished, he could no longer contain himself and quickly shook his head. "Mr. Williams, this offer is utterly insincere. We will not agree to it. You must realize, Casino Royale can yield $1 billion for MGM."

"Indeed," Eric replied thoughtfully, looking at Rick Kozman with a subtle smile. "It seems you understand this well -- that Casino Royale brought MGM $1 billion in ticket sales, not Pierce Brosnan."

Rick Kozman hadn't anticipated trapping himself with his own words, but accustomed to such situations, he kept a steady expression and insisted, "However, in terms of profits brought by Pierce's starring roles in 007, I believe we deserve sufficient compensation."

Eric gently held a golf club, appearing to agree as he nodded. "In that case, I recommend you opt for the second compensation plan. I believe that way, Pierce will surely end up with more; it's entirely possible he would earn $100 million by the end."

Upon hearing the $100 million figure, Rick Kozman's heart skipped a beat. If that were the case, he could earn $10 million in commission as an agent. No agent had ever earned $10 million from a single client in Hollywood, not even the former Michael Ovitz.

However, after a brief moment of hesitation, Rick quickly regained his composure and realized another point; Eric would likely be confident about the box office for the upcoming films. If so, MGM would be even less likely to let Brosnan go.

Feeling pleased to have found another bargaining chip, Rick smiled. "Mr. Williams, I previously mentioned that Pierce would only sign one contract at a time with MGM, and your compensation is certainly not acceptable."

"I think you've misunderstood something, Rick," Eric countered. "I'm not negotiating with you right now; I'm informing you of my decision."

Rick Kozman was taken aback, looking at Drew and Amy beside him, before smiling and shaking his head. "Mr. Williams, it seems we aren't reaching any agreement today."

Eric ignored Rick's glance towards the girl and Amy, continuing, "Of course, I also don't have time to drag this matter out for too long. Go back and have a chat with Pierce; you have one day to consider. Tomorrow at this time, if MGM doesn't receive a firm response, we will issue an announcement starting the selection process for a new Bond. Oh, and let's forget about that remaining contract with Pierce based on intent. Everyone can part ways amicably."

Rick Kozman stared at Eric in silence for a few seconds before decisively nodding. "Alright, then I will convey this to Pierce."

...

Saying this, Rick Kozman made no further delay, nodding to the others before turning and walking away from the golf course. He was confident that MGM wouldn't easily replace Bond, believing Eric's words were merely a tactic to force their hand regarding the contract, so he didn't feel it necessary to drag it out. He was certain that even if they didn't provide a response tomorrow, MGM wouldn't make the news of a Bond replacement public, especially since MGM's market value had recently shot up to $12 billion due to Casino Royale's success. If MGM dared to let Pierce go at this moment, the stock price could very well drop. This would be particularly harmful considering MGM was soon seeking to finance acquisitions of various cable stations.

...

After Rick Kozman walked away, Katzenberg, who had been quietly listening, looked at Amy Pascal, who appeared worried. He cautiously asked Eric, "Eric, isn't this bet a bit too big?"

Eric lightly swung his club, sending the small ball rolling toward the distant hole. "I'm not betting on anything. If Brosnan doesn't accept the contract, then so be it. If we choose to back down this time, Kevin Costner and Kate and others will all demand similar fee structures. At that point, actor salaries could surpass production costs, and with profits extensively divided, we wouldn't have a reason to continue the entire plan. Instead of that, it's better to be firm now, so others won't try to extort. Moreover, compared to the other two franchises, replacing the actor for Bond is actually the least risky, as this series has already switched Bonds several times before. Now, Amy, please don't look so worried. If it comes to it, I'll continue serving as the producer for Bond 19. So, how is your negotiation with Cablevision regarding Rainbow Media going?"

...

Meanwhile, Rick Kozman distanced himself from Eric and company, suppressing an urge to glance back. His strides were steady, but he felt an odd surge of anger, or perhaps confusion about his emotions. By the time he exited the golf course, he even felt a slight tremor within himself.

$70 million fixed salary, $40 million base plus royalties -- well, yes, that was indeed a vast sum of money, but this was for four films. Perhaps, alright, but they absolutely couldn't afford to lose Pierce. No way.

With such a firm belief, Rick Kozman arrived at the parking lot, sliding into his gray Chevrolet, where Pierce Brosnan looked over at him with anticipation from the passenger side. "Rick, what's the update?"

Shaking his head, Rick Kozman suddenly decided not to share Eric's conditions with Brosnan. After all, MGM surely wouldn't dare make any announcement tomorrow, and mentioning it might undermine his client's confidence. So he said, "Still no results, Pierce. Let's head back to Century City for now."

Noting a strange expression from his agent, Brosnan pressed further, "What did Eric say?"

Rick Kozman calmly started the car, replying, "Same old story, hoping you'll lower your salary. He even threw in some emotional appeals. Don't worry, I'll continue reaching out to Amy Pascal; she should be our point of breakthrough."

Seeing his agent had started the car, Brosnan had no choice but to stop his questioning. Initially, he had intended to accompany Rick to meet Eric but had been persuaded by his agent to remain in the car. Since entering Hollywood, Rick had always been Brosnan's agent, and their working relationship had flourished over the years, leaving Brosnan with no suspicion that Rick would hide anything from him.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 898: A Turning Point]

The next morning at the Firefly headquarters in Burbank.

As the magical film project that Disney would focus on for the next decade, Eric had already sent the manuscript of the first Harry Potter book from the UK to Los Angeles. He distributed it among several key executives at Firefly, hoping they could familiarize themselves with the novel's content in advance.

At the same time, Eric had personally discussed the project several times with Murdoch. HarperCollins, under News Corp, was set to release the series' first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, in early September across English-speaking countries like the UK, the US, and Australia. Once it gained enough traction, Firefly Group planned to invest ample media resources into promoting the book abroad.

Although the film project wouldn't officially kick off until the Harry Potter novel proved to be influential, executives like Katzenberg and Frank Wells, who had read the novel, were optimistic about the story. They decided to hold a special meeting to discuss and create a detailed film and theme park development plan.

"Unlike traditional fairy tales like Snow White or Cinderella, the Harry Potter series has a significant advantage by evoking empathy. The novel is set in modern-day London, creating an illusion for readers that the story unfolds right around them, which maximally attracts their interest. Simultaneously, it narrates exciting adventures in a magical world. Unlike the bizarre Alice in Wonderland, this story feels more relatable because, throughout our lives, we've heard countless tales about wizards and magic," Eric explained as he briefly outlined his enthusiasm for the story.

Suddenly, there were a few knocks at the conference room door, interrupting his thoughts. Eric looked displeased as he noticed his assistant, Kelly Haynes, apologetically pushing the door open, signaling him urgently. With Peter Rich already on assignment at FFM TV and waiting for a new assistant to be selected, Kelly was temporarily fulfilling that role.

...

Eric gestured for everyone to wait and stepped outside the conference room. "Kelly, what's going on?" he asked.

Kelly handed him her phone, explaining, "It's Amy on the line."

Eric brought the phone to his ear, greeting, "Hello." Amy Pascal urgently began speaking on the other end.

Listening quietly as Amy spoke, Eric frowned slightly but hesitated little before responding, "In that case, let's proceed as I mentioned yesterday. Call Yahoo and have them release a statement... There's nothing to discuss; I'll explain things to Barbara. The board? Ha, Amy, this is Hollywood; we're in charge here. After you release the statement, contact Kepler to start looking for a new Bond actor. Kevin Costner seems to be with CAA too. This means the script for Mission: Impossible 3 still needs adjustments to include more roles that might replace Ethan Hunt. Alright, I'm hanging up now."

Listening to Eric's conversation with Amy, Kelly inferred something was amiss. As she took the phone back from Eric, she noticed him deep in thought and cautiously said, "Eric, are you really going to replace Brosnan?"

Gathering his thoughts, Eric nodded. "Yeah, you heard correctly."

Kelly visibly showed her concern, "But won't that have a big impact?"

"Of course, it will have an impact, but it isn't as dire as you think. The spy film universe is already established. The audience's interest in the series isn't significantly lower than in its leads," Eric explained. Seeing that Kelly's worries didn't seem to ease, he added with a smile, "Look, I've agreed to Brosnan's pay conditions. If we want to continue merging several major series, the other casts' salaries will skyrocket too. In fact, the production costs for upcoming films might approach $200 million. Furthermore, the profit shares the leads demand would likely total no less than 30% of each movie's earnings. Even if the next six installments grossed a billion worldwide, there wouldn't be much profit left for us, not to mention the unrealistic expectations. Should any one of them underperform at the box office, the entire series could collapse. Replacing Brosnan now minimizes risk while showcasing MGM's determination, making the other leads less confident as they demand higher pay."

...

In reality, Eric's decision had a deeper motivation. He had suddenly realized this could become a turning point. Within Firefly's structure, the traditional profit distribution rules in Hollywood were no longer applicable.

Beyond Firefly's system, major movie companies were either publicly traded or controlled by conglomerates that held little actual power over Hollywood. This meant that when launching a film, the executives and creative teams hardly considered the interests of shareholders and investors.

Take Warner Bros. production of Lethal Weapon 4, for instance. Joel Silver's production company was behind it, with a whopping $140 million budget primarily funded by the speculative money that had poured into Hollywood in recent years.

Thus, this film, with anticipated global earnings of only around $300 million, saw Mel Gibson as the lead taking home a staggering $30 million. Producer Joel Silver also enjoyed an $8 million salary plus a share of the box office. Other key artists, including directors, screenwriters, and supporting characters, received generous payouts as well. In the end, Warner Bros. would not see a penny of profit from the film and could only hope to recoup some losses through DVD sales and television rights. Moreover, under Hollywood's unique financial setup, it was uncertain whether external investors would even see their $140 million back. The returns for film funds orchestrated on Wall Street, which guided European and Asian money to Hollywood, averaged less than 10% annually, and losses were common.

Ultimately, within the entire project, Mel Gibson gained immensely, Joel Silver profited well, and other key players made money too. The executives at Time Warner responsible for this project would surely collect their fair share of salaries and bonuses, and the film's box office success would help beautify Time Warner's revenue report, leaving everyone satisfied. The only ones who benefitted not at all were Time Warner shareholders and the investors who provided the production budget, as they didn't belong to Hollywood and couldn't claim their piece of the "cake."

Due to this closed financial operation system, Firefly inadvertently played the roles of both shareholders and investors, the latter two being sidelined within Hollywood's profit chain.

In the original timeline, even years later, countless gullible investors flocked to Hollywood with their cash, but because they could never gain enough power to alter the rules, most returned home after losing substantial amounts, while Sony Pictures limped along largely as a cash cow for Hollywood stars like Will Smith and Adam Sandler, who often ranked high on the worst value-for-money lists.

Now, having a firm grip on two major film companies in Hollywood and maintaining strong influence over another, Fox, as well as possessing ample power to change the rules, Eric could not allow this situation to persist.

The first priority for change was the increasingly unreasonable skyrocketing salaries of Hollywood stars. Perhaps the process of changing the rules might lead to some setbacks, but if nothing were changed and the situation continued to develop unchecked, Firefly would not only lose an increasing share of profits that should belong to the film company, but it would also lack the fundamental ability to gain control over Hollywood.

As for the stars, many may have forgotten that all of Hollywood's top actors were created through the investments made by major studios in films. Moreover, Firefly, focusing on effects and animated films, had a lower dependency on stars than many other companies.

...

On that same morning, at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Beverly Hills,

Pierce Brosnan was attending a new product launch for Omega watches, having recently secured a deal as the brand's spokesperson.

After following the customary product showcase, he entered the media QA segment, where the discussion naturally turned to Casino Royale and the next Bond film.

"As for the plot of Bond 19, I haven't seen the script yet, and even if I had, I couldn't discuss it freely, ha ha. Let's stick to some other questions," Brosnan responded, exuding charm and skillfully handling reporters' inquiries.

Though his contract for the sequel was still under negotiation, he never thought about giving up the role. After all, since he first appeared on the big screen in the 1980s, it had taken him over a decade to reach today's peak in his career. How could he simply let it go? Besides, he was nearly 45 years old. Although Hollywood male actors typically enjoyed longer careers than female counterparts, at his age, there were very few mainstream blockbuster roles suitable for him outside of Bond.

After answering a question, just as the host was about to select the next one, at least ten cell phones abruptly erupted into ringing, the somewhat monotonous and jarring sounds echoing throughout the room.

Brosnan was startled, and the host looked visibly embarrassed as he clutched the microphone and awkwardly joked, "Alright, perhaps we're under attack by Martians, but let's finish this press conference before Earth is destroyed?"

Amidst shared laughter, the journalists with ringing phones promptly silenced them. However, other staff members instinctively ducked out of the way to answer their calls.

Just as the host had identified the next questioner and handed over the mic, Brosnan's public relations manager, Sarah Lindert, hurried to the stage with a panic-stricken expression. Ignoring the shock from those present, she leaned in to whisper urgently in Brosnan's ear. Almost immediately, Brosnan shot to his feet.

Realizing he had acted out of turn, Brosnan mumbled an apology and hastily exited the stage.

At that moment, the journalists in the audience understood that the earlier phone calls must be related to Brosnan and that something significant had occurred. They scrambled to call back their sources.

...

In the hallway outside the conference room, Brosnan hurried toward the elevator, followed closely by Paul Derrick, president of Omega's North America division, who had also received a call. "Pierce, what's going on? If you don't plan to continue playing Bond, you shouldn't have signed with us. That's simply fraud, and we have the right to terminate the contract and seek damages," Derrick pressed, his voice quick and sharp.

Brosnan, flanked by his publicist, entered the elevator frantically pressing buttons, his expression equally troubled. "I'm sorry, Paul, but I have no idea what's happening. Can you give me some time?"

Derrick wanted to press for more information but noticed Brosnan's bewildered look and finally conceded, "Okay, but you need to get back to me quickly."

Brosnan nodded, pressed buttons again, and suddenly remembered something. Before the elevator doors closed, he yanked his publicist back out. "Sarah, call Rick, now."

"Okay, okay," Sarah responded, quickly rummaging through her handbag for her phone. She also passed him his phone, which she had been holding onto to avoid disrupting the earlier presentation.

However, as soon as she retrieved it, both phones rang almost simultaneously.

As if the situation weren't chaotic enough, before either of them could take a call, the pursuing journalists from the Omega event had dashed out after them.

"Mr. Brosnan, is it true that Yahoo just released a statement?"

"Pierce, did you really turn down a $100 million package deal from MGM?"

"Pierce, it seems you just received that news. Is there any hidden story here?"

"..."

"Excuse me, excuse me."

"Sorry, we can't comment on this right now."

"Could everyone please clear a path? We'll provide a response to the media as soon as possible."

Amid the uproar, it took Brosnan and his publicist a half-hour finally to arrive at CAA's headquarters in Century City. By then, MGM's announcement via Yahoo, "Brosnan Exits 007 Role; Bond 19 Will Be Recast," had already spread throughout Hollywood.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 899: The Crisis at CAA]

Century City, CAA Headquarters.

CAA President Richard Lovett completely lost his usual composure. Ignoring the astonished looks of other employees, he almost sprinted into the office building with two assistants in tow, still on the phone, saying, "Pierce, you need to stay calm. It's not as bad as you think. I'm downstairs, yes, I'll be there soon."

Saying this, he rushed to the elevator entrance. Remembering there was no cellphone signal in the elevator, Richard immediately headed for the stairwell. He took a phone from one of the assistants, who had answered it just in time. "This is Richard Lovett. Hi, Kevin... I know, something's definitely gone wrong. There's bound to be some misunderstanding... Don't worry, I'm personally handling you. You trust me, don't you? ...Okay, okay, we'll talk later over dinner."

As he received a string of phone calls along the way, Richard realized he had unconsciously run to his own office floor. Cursing under his breath, he glared at his two assistants, who had forgotten to remind him, before turning and rushing back downstairs.

This morning, Richard had been negotiating a packaged film project at Warner's Burbank headquarters when he suddenly caught wind that MGM was dropping Pierce Brosnan and would be recasting 007. He initially thought it was a joke. Considering that Casino Royale was on track for nearly $1 billion at the box office, any salary negotiations between MGM and Brosnan would surely face some turbulence, but the whole of Hollywood wouldn't believe the two sides would split.

It wasn't until his assistant brought him a printout of a Yahoo article that Richard accepted it as real. Then, another piece of news broke, causing him to leap out of his chair and head for the exit.

As it turned out, Pierce Brosnan himself was unaware that MGM had decided to drop him. The decision was made entirely by Brosnan's agent, Rick Kozman, who had unilaterally rejected MGM's lucrative contract -- potentially worth $100 million -- without even informing Brosnan.

"God, $100 million!"

CAA usually negotiated around $1 billion for all of its thousands of clients in total earnings each year. Rick Kozman had effectively jeopardized nearly 10% of CAA's annual income by sabotaging this deal.

Even if they lost that contract, while it would be a huge disappointment, the situation wouldn't be dire. The worst part was that Kozman had made the decision to turn down that monumental contract without consulting his own client.

If this news got out, it would severely tarnish CAA's reputation amongst clients. In the agency business, if a firm lost a client's trust and suffered a mass exodus, closing up shop wouldn't be far behind.

As it happened, rumors were already spreading through Hollywood. On his way back to the headquarters from Burbank, Richard had received seven or eight calls from important clients inquiring about the situation. If the crisis wasn't handled well, CAA's competitors would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to poach clients. Three years earlier, when Michael Ovitz left, CAA experienced a rough patch -- it had only just begun to recover, and it couldn't withstand any more turmoil.

...

After exhausting himself running up and down twelve floors, Richard wiped the sweat from his forehead as he finally arrived at the ninth floor, where Rick Kozman's office was. As he crossed the open office area, Richard spotted Rick heading toward him with a tissue pressed to his eye, but there was no sign of Brosnan.

Upon seeing Richard, Rick quickened his pace, looking apologetic, "Richard, I'm truly sorry, I didn't think--"

Before he could finish his sentence, Richard seized Rick by the neck and dragged him over to the glass wall.

Rick was taller than Richard, but he knew he had caused a huge mess. Faced with his boss's aggression, he didn't dare protest, like a defeated little chick being led away. The other CAA employees held their breath and quickly turned their eyes away to avoid witnessing the scene.

"Rick, I don't want to hear your apologies right now." Arriving at the glass wall, Richard pushed Rick's head down, leaning into his ear and speaking rapidly in a menacing tone. "Listen, I know about your little stunt during the Coca-Cola ad contract negotiations. I also know you pocketed $100,000 when you recommended a spokesperson for Johnson Johnson, plus that mansion you just bought in Beverly Hills with a $3 million mortgage to pay off. So, what I need you to do now is find some place to hide for the next month. If I hear any whisper of you, or if you reach out to the media, believe me, I'll ruin you and send you straight to prison. Your wife, who used to model for Sports Illustrated, and your daughter who's about to go to Stanford? Without your financial support, they'll be nothing. I'll make sure they end up in the dirtiest strip club in Los Angeles. Got it?... Good, now get out of my sight."

Richard's face twisted in rage. He shoved Rick away but suddenly remembered something and grabbed him again. "Oh, and by the way, Kozman, you're fired."

He instructed his assistant to call security to drag away the despondent Rick Kozman. As Richard walked away, he rubbed at his stiffening face, letting out a breath, and, donning a friendly expression, glanced at the glass wall nearby. He pushed open the door to Rick's office and stepped inside.

...

Although tidied up a bit, the office still seemed chaotic. The receiver of the phone was missing, a piece of artwork was devoid of its frame, shards of glass littered the floor, and a big chunk of the blinds blocking the outer office area had been torn down. It was clear what had just transpired in that office.

Another key partner in the company, David O'Connor, was sitting beside Pierce Brosnan at the desk, trying to soothe him. Brosnan's publicist, Sarah Lindert, stood by the window, talking on the phone.

When Richard walked in, Brosnan immediately stood up, completely lacking his usual gentlemanly demeanor, and exclaimed, "Richard, you need to explain this to me. I've been let go from the Bond team, and the absurd part is that I knew nothing about it!"

"I know, Pierce. I'm really sorry, truly sorry," Richard said as he put an arm around Brosnan's shoulder. "I've already called Amy Pascal at MGM. It's just a misunderstanding. They're merely trying to lowball your salary. Film studios love to play these dirty tricks. Trust me, I'll get you that Bond contract back. Now, would you come to my office so we can discuss what comes next?"

Brosnan impatiently shrugged off Richard's arm. "I don't want to hear your platitudes. If you can't resolve this quickly, I'm going to contact another agency."

"Of course, I swear, from now on, I'll handle everything for you personally." Richard, unfazed by Brosnan's annoyance, continued smiling and moved closer. "Let's head to my office, shall we? I have some things to show you that will illustrate how MGM would never let you go easily."

"Fine," Brosnan reluctantly nodded, adding, "And from now on, I have to be present for all negotiations. You can't make any decisions without me."

"I promise, I won't keep anything from you. Even if you want to know the color of my wife's underwear, I can tell you -- white, and I've sneaked a few wears!" Seeing Brosnan's mood lighten, Richard felt relieved. He continued to crack jokes to lighten the atmosphere, pulled open the office door, and graciously gestured for Brosnan to exit.

After Brosnan left the office, Richard pointed at Sarah Lindert and quickly shot David O'Connor a knowing glance before following.

...

The two had already spoken on the phone and David understood Richard's intentions. He was eager to create an opportunity to connect with Sarah now that Brosnan was out of the way.

Sarah, a shrewd woman, didn't rush out immediately. Instead, she hung up the phone and smiled at David, who was approaching.

Though Brosnan was undoubtedly frustrated and likely wouldn't notice his publicist lingering behind, David didn't waste any time. He went straight to the point, "Sarah, we need your help this time."

Sarah shook her head. "David, what you guys did is way out of line. I don't think I can help. Pierce will fire me as well."

"Two clients of equal stature as Pierce," David dismissively carried on. "You just need to ensure that the information about Pierce being unaware of MGM's salary offer doesn't leak. You won't need to do anything else."

The crux of the scandal hinged on Rick Kozman concealing MGM's salary offer from Brosnan. Sarah understood that if word of this got out, it would deeply damage CAA's reputation. She remained silent, simply raising four fingers in a gesture.

David didn't hesitate, "Deal."

But Sarah wasn't done. "How can I be sure you'll keep your word afterward?"

"You know we're good for it," David replied through gritted teeth. Realizing the situation was urgent and wouldn't wait for trivial matters, he added hastily, "You can record it if you want, I'll repeat everything I just said."

"Let's settle on that," Sarah smiled and nodded, not bothering to find a recording device; she merely waved her state-of-the-art Motorola phone that she had held the entire time, clearly having recorded the conversation.

David cursed under his breath, but kept his smile intact, "Alright, let's head up."

Not minding what David might think about her, Sarah smiled and walked out of the office with him. "You'll make sure Rick Kozman stays quiet, right? But what about Pierce?"

"Richard will handle him."

...

In the CAA President's office, Richard Lovett was showing Pierce Brosnan a stock chart displayed on the computer monitor. "Pierce, look, today MGM's opening price was $28.37, but since they claimed they wanted to change the Bond actor, it took a nosedive. It's now down to $27.49, a 3.1% drop, which means MGM's market value has plummeted from $12.43 billion to $11.96 billion. In just one hour, MGM lost $400 million in market value, entirely due to that announcement about replacing you. And I can guarantee you that if MGM doesn't take some corrective action, the stock will drop another 3% this afternoon, leading to a total loss of $800 million that day. MGM shareholders absolutely won't stand for it. The only way to stop the decline is to reinstate you."

As Richard finished speaking, Brosnan's previously tense demeanor eased a bit. "So what do we do? Just sit here and wait for news?"

"Of course not! I'll continue to keep in touch with Amy Pascal at MGM. Any updates will come straight to you," Richard replied, his tone more sincere as his eyes flickered. "But Pierce, I need you to stay quiet for now; about MGM, the media, and everyone else. That way, I can secure the best deal for you. Especially concerning that situation where Rick hid things from you -- this bastard, I've already fired him. I guarantee he'll never work as an agent again. However, this needs to stay under wraps because any leaks could put us all in a bind. Do you understand?"

Pierce initially thought that if it came to it, revealing he knew nothing about MGM's salary offer could allow him to salvage the Bond deal. But following Richard's lead, though he sensed something was off, he figured it might be best not to share the information that would put him at a disadvantage. So, he nodded in agreement.

"Great," Richard sighed in relief, his demeanor softening. "Now, enjoy your coffee while I make the call to Amy Pascal."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 900: We Are in Trouble]

Richard Lovett rushed about attending to the potential trust crisis at CAA. Just a few kilometers away, the MGM headquarters in Century City was not at peace either.

It had barely been an hour since the news broke that the 007 series would be recasting its lead role, and already a crowd of movie fans had gathered outside MGM's headquarters, protesting the studio's decision to replace Pierce Brosnan. A group of reporters from various media outlets also camped outside the MGM entrance, eager to gather further news. To prevent any incidents, Amy Pascal had to send most of the company's security personnel outside to maintain order.

MGM's stock, which had been soaring following the box office success of Casino Royale, suddenly began to fall in response to the announcement. With the continuous acquisition of E! Entertainment, investments in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the upcoming potential equity deal with Rainbow Media, MGM was already in a tight financial situation. Now, as the stock price took a hit, it was certainly bad news for the company.

In the hour following the news, the mobile phones of several senior MGM executives were bombarded with calls from all sides. One board member had even flown in from New York to Los Angeles and demanded an emergency board meeting to reconsider the decision to replace Brosnan.

Since MGM completed its last round of stock issuance, Drew's shareholding had decreased to 33.5%, while the shareholding of LTD had slid down to 8.4%. The French media giant Vivendi, which had participated in the MGM acquisition, held 16.8%, and several European film funds held another 15.1%. The remaining 26% of shares were all floating stock. Given their European origins, Vivendi and the other film funds had naturally banded together. Although they were unlikely to gain control over MGM, the studio's management could not entirely ignore their influence.

The board member who had rushed to Los Angeles, Pierre Truc, was the spokesperson for Vivendi and the other film funds on MGM's board. The MGM board comprised seven members in total, four of whom were independent directors appointed as per SEC regulations, while the other three included Drew, Amy Pascal, and Pierre Truc, who was also the CEO of Havas, a subsidiary of Vivendi.

...

At the end of a corridor at MGM's headquarters, Amy Pascal hung up the phone with Richard Lovett. Her expression showed relief as she handed her mobile to an assistant, instructing her to take calls that might come through. She then pushed open the door to the conference room.

Inside the conference room, Drew, Frank Marcasso, and John Calley were discussing casting plans for the Lord of the Rings trilogy with Peter Jackson. Over the past two years, Peter had directed a low-budget thriller mainly to hone his skills, but most of his energy was still devoted to preparing the Lord of the Rings series. He had not only completed all the location scouting for the film but also interned for three months in the Australian digital effects division earlier that year, gaining a detailed understanding of the CG effects production process. Now, the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy was firmly planted in his mind. Once he secured the budget to begin production, he felt 100% confident in his ability to bring Tolkien's legendary epic to the big screen.

When Peter noticed Amy Pascal entering, he paused, fully aware of the day's events at MGM. Both Frank Marcasso and John Calley turned to look at her, realizing that despite having completed the acquisition of MGM and considering the studio's potential resurgence under Firefly Group's support, they had chosen to stay. Now, their initial decision seemed justified. Yet, the day's events had taken them aback, making it hard for them to believe that Eric was truly willing to let go of Brosnan. Although they had turned off their phones, the echo of incessant ringing still resonated in their minds.

Drew looked up but showed no signs of concern, as long as it was Eric's decision. She didn't mind if MGM went under. Noticing the puzzled expressions on the others, she asked, "Amy, who was that now?"

"Richard Lovett," Amy replied, taking a seat beside her. "Richard just hinted to me that this seems to be Rick Kozman, Brosnan's agent, acting on his own. Richard has already fired Kozman. Drew, they want to renegotiate."

Though she had heard some whispers, no one in Hollywood had full details on Rick Kozman's unilateral refusal of the 007 contract, thanks to Richard Lovett's efforts to keep things under wraps. Drew took Amy's mention of Richard's 'hint' as a pretext, perhaps something Richard hoped for.

However, Drew clearly didn't care much about that, saying, "If they want to refuse, they refuse. If they want to renegotiate, then they renegotiate. Is this some kind of joke?"

"Drew, I think there might be a misunderstanding. Logically, Brosnan wouldn't just outright refuse Eric's offer," Amy continued, trying to reason. "And letting go of Brosnan doesn't benefit us in any way. We're about to proceed with debt financing, and Morgan Stanley has called, expressing concern that replacing Brosnan could negatively affect market interest in MGM bonds."

Drew blinked twice and shrugged, saying, "Why don't you discuss this with Eric? I'm just a puppet here."

...

"Right now, there's a rumor that Brosnan seems completely unaware of the compensation terms you proposed. While you were in a meeting this morning, Amy called again to say that CAA hopes to renegotiate." At Firefly's Burbank headquarters cafeteria, Kelly sat with Eric over lunch while relaying the morning's events.

Eric took a bite of his pasta and looked up. "Do you believe Brosnan really doesn't know?"

Kelly thought for a moment. "I think even if that's true, CAA would turn this into fake news. After all, if they conceal something this crucial from their client, CAA would be in big trouble. No star would want a meddling agent managing their affairs. However, the agents at CAA are likely not foolish enough to hide that from Brosnan, especially when it's a $70 million contract."

"So?"

"Therefore, this might be a fabricated message from CAA, aimed at finding an excuse to salvage the situation."

Eric chuckled but didn't respond. He changed the subject, asking, "So, have you picked out a candidate for my new personal assistant?"

Kelly wanted to ask Eric about his true intentions but instead replied, "There's someone quite suitable. But I also think she shouldn't be sent to a guy like you."

"Oh, so you'd rather handle that yourself," Eric teased, noticing her face turn red, he added, "You mean Caroline, right?"

Kelly nodded, "I've talked to Caroline, and she's quite interested. But, Eric, Caroline is a really nice girl; you better not hurt her."

Eric thought for a moment and admitted he couldn't promise that, responding, "How about we find someone else?"

Kelly shot him an exasperated look but replied softly, "Eric, I can see that Caroline is really looking forward to being by your side. So if you aren't up for that, you better talk to her yourself, and preferably, transfer her to another position. You know what I mean."

Eric hesitated but serious nodded, "Alright, I'll find some time these next couple of days."

Just as they spoke, Eric's phone rang. After answering, he exchanged greetings, and with a faint smirk, he said, "Amy, do you think it's still ten years ago when agents could just stroll into the executives' offices at movie studios?... Alright, if they genuinely have sincerity, forget about the split contract; it's still yesterday's four-film deal at $60 million. We can sign tomorrow morning. I don't care if Brosnan is truly unaware; if he is, that's his own mistake. This is his last chance... Pierre Truc? I don't know him, and I'm not interested. Just get rid of him; I'll be heading to San Francisco this afternoon. That's it; no more calls."

Kelly watched Eric hang up, casually tossing the phone aside, and couldn't help but remind, "Eric, Pierre Truc is the spokesperson for MGM's European shareholders."

"I know," Eric responded.

Kelly paused, surprised, "Then why are you...?"

"Let's just pretend I don't know," Eric shrugged, looking at her astonished face. He sighed, "Perhaps everyone thinks I'm being a bit obstinate now, don't they?"

Kelly noticed the subtle loneliness in Eric's demeanor and instinctively shook her head, only to gently nod moments later.

Eric merely shook his head again, stating, "From everything that has happened today, you, Amy, and so many others around are all caught up in Hollywood's existing rules. Everyone seems to believe that with the box office success of Casino Royale, Brosnan deserves a $100 million payday for being the lead, but I never saw it that way. I never believed Brosnan was worth that price. Hollywood has no shortage of actors. Even if I offered a hefty weekly salary to recruit a new 007, people would line up from Malibu all the way to Burbank for the job. So, starting from today -- no, since yesterday -- I will slowly show everyone that nothing is as it seems. If you want something to be assumed, you might as well go back to the Golden Age of Hollywood when everyone thought it was normal for actors to get a standard weekly salary."

Kelly silently observed Eric's increasingly resolute tone, finally grasping some of his intentions. She softly replied, "But that's going to be very difficult."

"Look," Eric said, setting his utensils down and gesturing in the air. "I now own half of Hollywood; I'll definitely own all of Hollywood in the future. So this isn't going to be that hard."

...

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" At the CAA headquarters, Richard Lovett fumed, nearly jumping up as he repeatedly cursed, smashing his mobile phone on the floor. The shattered pieces flew in all directions. Taking a deep breath, he roared, "Peter, bring me a new phone!"

An assistant cautiously opened the door and handed him a new phone.

Richard took the phone, pressed a few buttons, and then threw it to the ground. He yelled at the door, "Peter, you can leave! Eric, oh no, I never want to hear that name again. Whoever is next, you can go too. Is there anyone alive left to bring me a phone with a contact list?"

Just seconds later, as Richard couldn't help but prepare to kick down the office door, it finally opened again. A terrified young woman pushed the door open, holding a phone, "Mr. Lovett, here, here you go."

Richard snatched the phone, opened the contact list, quickly found a number, and dialed it. His tone dropped several degrees as he greeted warmly, "Hey, Terry, it's me... Haha, yes, I'm definitely in a bit of a pickle today. This is quite urgent; you've got to help me. I remember you know Pierre Truc, that MGM board member... Of course, about Brosnan and MGM's contract... I know this was a decision made by Williams himself, but I have to try. I heard Pierre just arrived in Los Angeles. Can you help me set up a meeting with him right after he lands?... Thanks a lot. Oh, Lina wants to go to the opening party for the Titanic exhibition. No problem, I can send a few tickets to your house this afternoon. That's settled. And yes, I owe you one. I will never forget it, in this life. Alright, alright, I'll make it up to you one day, haha."

After a hearty laugh, Richard hung up and dialed his business partner David O'Connor's number. In a low voice, he said, "Buddy, we're in trouble now. There's no time to explain everything; what I need you to do is arrange for people to contact the newspapers immediately. There has to be an article in tonight's evening edition claiming Brosnan is deliberately pretending to be unaware of MGM's salary conditions to salvage his contract, the more articles, the better, got it?... That's it. I need to rush to the airport. And keep feeding him, pampering him, and stalling for time as much as possible."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 901: If You Want to Listen]

Eric finished his call with Amy Pascal around noon and flew to San Francisco that afternoon. Besides visiting the assembly plant for Fireflyer, Eric was most concerned about the development progress of several products in the Firefly Electronics program.

For any high-tech company, product marketing is certainly important, but the accumulation of technology and patents is fundamental for the survival of a high-tech enterprise. Therefore, Eric specifically asked Victor McNally to provide an overview of Firefly Electronics' research and development achievements from the last few months. Although the first-generation Fireflyer player was quite popular, there were many areas needing improvement, such as battery life, storage capacity, and audio decoding. The reason Eric kept Victor McNally, who primarily handled technical research and development, as the CEO of Firefly Electronics was subtly to express his fundamental stance on the management strategy of Firefly Electronics.

...

Returning to Los Angeles, it was already seven in the evening.

Eric got off the plane with Kelly, and just after they left Santa Monica Airport, intending to drop Kelly off at her place before heading back to the Liberty City Manor, his phone in his pocket rang.

Kelly, sitting beside Eric, listened to him chat for a moment before he hung up the call. She asked, "Eric, was that MGM again?"

Eric tucked his phone away and nodded. "Pierre Truc wouldn't leave; he's still waiting at Century City, insisting that he needs to see me today."

"Shouldn't we go see him?"

"I can handle it myself; I'll drop you off first."

After dropping Kelly back at her place in the northern part of Santa Monica, Eric instructed the driver to turn around and head toward the MGM headquarters in Century City.

...

The MGM headquarters was a large building covered in tempered glass, located on a rather narrow street not far from the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard in Century City. After circling around Santa Monica, Eric's car made its way to Century City, and by this time, night had fallen, and the shops lining the streets began to glow with colorful lights.

As the car turned onto the street where the MGM headquarters was situated, Eric heard the faint sound of commotion. Looking out through the windshield, he saw a crowd in front of the MGM building holding various signs, shouting something, nearly blocking the entire street.

The driver slowed down automatically and glanced back at Eric for instruction.

Eric stared at the crowd for a few seconds, a smirk appearing on his lips.

True fans usually only came to express their opinions during working hours; it was clearly already after work. According to common sense, most employees at MGM had likely gone home by this time. Who were they protesting for now? Did they think that he would do what he did for The Matrix and sell off the spy movie universe just because of fans' discontent?

He withdrew his gaze and instructed, "Ignore them; just drive into the underground parking lot."

In front of the building, the crowd noticed a black car turning onto the street and instinctively parted the way. However, the media reporters stationed there noticed the recognizable Rolls Royce emblem on the car's hood, quickly surrounding it. Some even boldly stood in front of the vehicle, raising their cameras in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the occupants, but they were quickly pulled away by security rushing out of the building, allowing the Rolls Royce to enter the side alley and into the underground parking lot.

...

After taking the elevator to the top floor of the office building, Eric exchanged a brief hug with Drew who greeted him, nodded to Amy Pascal, and then walked straight into a conference room without saying anything.

Inside the empty conference room stood a middle-aged man, around fifty years old, wearing a black suit and frameless glasses, appearing refined and polite -- surely, he was Pierre Truc.

"Have a seat, Mr. Truc," Eric said, not bothering to greet him or to sit at the head of the conference table. He casually pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at the man. "So, you wanted to see me?"

Although Pierre Truc held a high position at Vivendi, he still felt a subtle sense of pressure facing Eric. Ignorance may be bliss, but after years in the workplace, Pierre Truc understood the extent of power this young man held.

However, recalling the directions given by Vivendi's higher-ups and the promises made by Richard Lovett, Pierre Truc still maintained his composure and sat down evenly, saying, "Yes, Mr. Williams, I think we need to talk."

Eric looked at him and replied calmly, "What about?"

Pierre Truc glanced at Drew and Amy, who sat beside Eric. Straightening his posture discreetly, he spoke earnestly. "Mr. Williams, we appreciate the changes you've brought to MGM, but we also hope you will refrain from intervening in MGM's management. After all, you are just an outsider to MGM. As the second-largest shareholder of MGM, we demand that the management immediately retract the decision to replace Pierce Brosnan. Such actions would only ruin the entire spy movie universe. While you undeniably created the spy movie universe, we can't allow you to destroy it."

Eric tapped his fingers on the smooth conference table twice, nodded slightly, and continued, "Go on. Since you've come here, does Vivendi have any more opinions on MGM's operations?"

Pierre Truc felt that Eric was putting on a show, but he didn't back down and continued. "Of course, Vivendi does not agree with MGM's recent decisions to consecutively acquire E! Entertainment Television, to make a one-time investment of $300 million to launch The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and to acquire Rainbow Media stock among many other aggressive commercial moves. This company has only recently begun to recover; issuing corporate bonds in large amounts for these plans may very well drag MGM back into a debt quagmire. We hope the management can implement these plans in a more prudent manner."

Eric waited for a moment to confirm that Pierre Truc had finished speaking; he nodded again and said, "Alright, since that's the case, Mr. Truc, let me tell you how this will be resolved. First of all, as the second-largest shareholder of MGM, Vivendi only has 16% of the voting rights; even if all the other European shareholders sided with Vivendi, your voting rights would still only amount to 31%, which is insufficient to decide anything. Therefore, you have three choices: first, find a way to become the controlling shareholder of MGM, then you can replace the board of directors and management to implement whatever decisions you want. Second, remain as a good second-largest shareholder, accepting all decisions made by MGM's existing board and management. Third, if you can't stand being overlooked, you may choose to sell your shares in MGM. I can arrange to take over your shares at any time. So, is there any problem?"

Halfway through Eric's statement, Pierre Truc was filled with an impulse to flip the table; he felt Eric was mocking him outright. Forced to wait until Eric finished speaking, Pierre Truc slowly said, "Mr. Williams, are you toying with me?"

"Oh," Eric suddenly appeared to remember something, tapping his forehead in realization and saying, "I almost forgot; I'm just an outsider. So, if you wish to hear it, I can have Drew or Amy repeat what I just said. They should count as insiders, right?"

Pierre Truc turned to Drew and Amy. "Ms. Barrymore, Ms. Pascal, are you truly willing to let Mr. Williams ruin all of this?"

Amy's expression was a bit uncertain; she turned to the two beside her and noticed Eric was smiling at her. Feeling a jolt in her heart, she turned her gaze away but her resolve solidified. Facing Pierre Truc, she said, "Mr. Truc, Eric's decision is the management's decision. If you think it's necessary, we can convene a board meeting to vote."

Four of the seven directors at MGM were selected under Eric's instructions. Pierre Truc didn't need to think to know which side those individuals would stand on.

Realizing that today would ultimately be fruitless, Pierre Truc's hand resting on the conference table clenched into a fist, and he was at a loss for words.

However, Eric didn't want to continue dragging things out with Pierre Truc. He patted the girl beside him. "Let's go. Dinner hasn't been served yet, right?"

"Yeah," the girl moved closer like a little kitten, linking her arm with Eric's as they stood up together.

"Amy, please entertain Mr. Truc," Eric instructed Amy Pascal before turning his gaze back to Pierre Truc. His smile remained unchanged, but his expression turned serious, and his eyes slightly cooled. "By the way, Mr. Truc, some of your earlier comments were quite reasonable; MGM definitely should move forward more cautiously. Therefore, Firefly will take over the investment for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and MGM only needs to be responsible for the distribution."

Pierre Truc looked momentarily stunned, while Amy gazed at Eric in surprise.

In fact, Amy also thought it was too risky to invest $300 million in The Lord of the Rings trilogy all at once and had hoped that Firefly could co-invest. However, she never expected Eric would suddenly take the whole project, leaving MGM just the distribution rights. But after she noticed that Eric's gaze swept over her again after he finished speaking, Amy promptly realized that Eric's decision may also carry a warning for her.

Perhaps her performance today had indeed been too cautious, coming off as overly indecisive.

Even without any shares in MGM, the entirety of Hollywood recognized that this major film company was still under Eric's control. As one of the seven major female leaders, Amy was well aware that her autonomy received from Eric far exceeded that of Sherry Lansing at Paramount, which was a mark of Eric's trust in her. However, if she continued to fretting over losing Brosnan for the 007 series, she would soon risk losing Eric's trust as well.

...

Having silently reflected on this, Amy no longer hesitated. She stood to see Eric and Drew out before turning back to Pierre Truc, who was still seated across the conference table. "Mr. Truc, it's getting a bit late. Do you need me to arrange a car to take you to your hotel?"

Coming back to his senses, Pierre found Eric and Drew had already left and felt a glimmer of hope. He turned to Amy, saying, "Ms. Pascal, how about we all go have dinner together and chat a bit?"

Amy politely shook her head without finding an explanation, simply refusing, "Sorry, Mr. Truc, if you don't need a car, I can walk you downstairs."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 902: Keep an Eye on MGM for Me]

Arriving at the parking lot, Eric sent his driver and bodyguard away. He and Drew got into her Range Rover and headed out of the MGM headquarters.

After discussing where to eat next, the girl cozied up to him. "Eric, how about I transfer my shares in MGM back to you?"

Eric chuckled lightly. "The shares you have are probably worth about $4 billion. I can't afford that."

"I've already consulted a lawyer. There's a way to do it without spending a dime."

Before she could say more, Eric reached out and pulled her closer. The girl playfully sat on his lap, her eyes sparkling as she gazed back at him.

Gently holding her cherubic face, Eric said earnestly, "Drew, can I trust you?"

"Mm-hmm," she nodded vigorously.

"Honestly, finding someone in life that you can fully trust is very rare -- most people go through life never meeting that person." Eric leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, adding, "I'm lucky to have met someone like you. So, keep an eye on MGM for me. Don't worry about what others think, and don't always make me decide. If anyone dares to cause trouble, just grab a bottle and smack them over the head like before."

"Mm-hmm," she agreed, nodding and playfully huffing. She seemed to melt into him even more, her little hands restlessly exploring Eric as she whispered, "Eric, I suddenly want to do something in the car."

"Uh," Eric wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling like he was holding a suddenly affectionate kitten. "We seem to be discussing serious business here. Plus, I kind of like this car -- don't mess it up. You know I've been developing quite the obsession with cleanliness lately."

The girl giggled, ignoring his concerns and tugging on his shirt while instructing the driver to take the car towards the nearby 405 freeway.

...

Century City, CAA Headquarters.

Richard Lovett was anxiously waiting for news from Pierre Truc, which might just be the last opportunity to persuade Eric to change his mind.

Aside from managing stars, CAA had expanded its advertising business since the '80s under Michael Ovitz, taking on advertising functions for large corporations, similar to packaged film contracts. These advertising projects provided comprehensive services like finding spokespersons, contacting ad agencies, and producing ads.

The Havas Group, led by Pierre Truc, happened to be one of the largest global advertising media companies. Richard intercepted Pierre at Los Angeles International Airport and promised a collaboration, hoping Pierre could persuade MGM to reconsider. Naturally, their mutual interest quickly aligned, with Pierre originally set on stopping MGM from replacing Brosnan.

Richard couldn't help glancing at his watch; it was already 8 o'clock. He contemplated whether he should call and check in when his phone rang.

Without hesitation, he answered, recognizing the voice on the other end. Rarely did he skip the small talk, getting straight to the point. "Pierre, what was the outcome?"

"..."

Whether he forced himself to listen until the end or not, the last shred of hope faded away. Richard instinctively started to mimic a grenade throw, yet he ultimately decided against tossing his brand-new phone. Slowly retracting his arm, Richard held the phone in his palm, pressed his hands together behind his desk, and assumed a prayer-like posture, rapidly devising how to deal with Pierce Brosnan next.

There were two knocks at the office door, and David O'Connor walked in, pausing at the sight of Richard's posture. He then said, "Richard, it's probably unavoidable. Pierre said if he doesn't hear back soon, he plans to head home today. How's everything on your end?"

Richard slowly exhaled and shook his head. "I'll speak to Pierre in person later."

David immediately understood the outcome and said nothing more, nodding as he exited.

...

After spending a day at CAA, Pierce Brosnan gradually reached some realizations while gazing at the night outside. Once David left, he turned to his ever-watchful public relations manager, Sarah Lindert, and asked, "Sarah, should I call Pascal or Williams myself?"

Sarah looked at him with a hint of pity, aware that Brosnan was still totally in the dark.

If he were to make that call, this morning would have been the best time. Now, Richard had obviously arranged everything, and even if the call went out, it would be too late.

Though she was right by Brosnan's side, she had been maintaining contact with the outside world all day. Based on current circumstances, things seemed worse than expected; perhaps she'd lose this client too. Thankfully, David had promised to introduce her to four other clients at Brosnan's level. Even if she lost Brosnan, it wouldn't be so tragic, especially with that recording ensuring David would think twice about backing out.

Just as she was about to offer some comforting words to Brosnan, Richard walked in with a grave expression. He patted Brosnan's shoulder, urging him to sit down while pulling up a chair to sit across from him. "Pierce, I've done everything I could. MGM has agreed to re-sign with you."

Brosnan barely registered joy before realizing Richard meant they'd be resigning based on the terms from yesterday and not reopening negotiations: "Richard, are you saying it's the same terms as yesterday?"

Even so, Brosnan suddenly realized he still had no idea what Eric had offered him for his salary yesterday. Rick Kozman hadn't shared any details with him. Earlier that morning, when he learned he was abruptly fired from the Bond set, his first reaction had been to punch Rick in the face; they certainly didn't exchange pleasantries then. Although he'd seen the announcement on Yahoo about MGM, such statements wouldn't cover the details of his salary. They only conveyed a vague concept of a 'hundred million-dollar package'.

Richard shook his head and patiently explained, "No, Pierce. MGM's current offer consists of two main Bond films at $20 million each, and two crossover spy films at $10 million each, totaling $60 million for four films."

Brosnan's expression shifted as he processed this. Not long ago, Rick had assured him, given the box office success of Casino Royale, he could expect at least $40 million per film for the next installment. Now, with the offer for four films at $60 million, that averaged only $15 million apiece, less than half of what he had anticipated.

What he had imagined as a $160 million contract had dwindled to a mere $60 million, causing Brosnan to instinctively place blame on Rick and CAA. He also realized he'd completely lost any bargaining power.

Suppressing the fresh surge of anger bubbling up again, Brosnan asked, "The Yahoo announcement said it would be a hundred million. Why so much less?"

Richard shook his head and calmly clarified, "There was never a hundred million offer. MGM exaggerated. Yesterday, Williams' offer was for four films at $70 million, plus a similar profit-sharing plan. You know how Williams can be -- headstrong and inflexible; we turned him down once, and now that we're trying to re-sign, he's holding your salary lower. So the profit-sharing plan got scrapped; he just..."

"No, that's not right." Before Richard could finish, Brosnan couldn't contain himself anymore. He jumped up, pointing at Richard. "It's not 'we'; it's 'you'. You guys rejected the MGM deal without consulting me, and now we're in this mess. It's all on you, and you've screwed everything up!"

Richard, standing up as well, maintained his calm demeanor. "Pierce, you need to calm down."

"Calm down? Why the hell should I be calm?" Brosnan glared at Richard and picked up a chair, hurling it towards a nearby window. The tempered glass didn't shatter, but some decorations fell from the sill with a loud crash. "This is all your fault! You have to give me an explanation, or I swear I'll leak everything you've done to the media."

Despite Brosnan showing signs of losing control, Richard still attempted to keep the peace. "Pierce, don't do this. I admit we might have flaws in our approach, but getting rowdy won't help. MGM only gave us one night; if you refuse this offer tomorrow morning, you'll lose the role entirely. Just think about it -- how many Hollywood stars ever see a $60 million payday?"

"It should've been a hundred. You lost me forty million."

"There was never a hundred. Seventy million. Williams claimed years ago his goal was to suppress Hollywood salaries, and that's what he's doing now. I had to pull every connection at CAA today just to keep him from replacing you, and we only lost an additional 10 million."

"Regardless, I'm not signing this contract, and I'll be making sure the world knows what CAA did. You'll all be discredited."

After taking a verbal beating, Richard found himself growing angrier, saying loudly, "Get realistic, Pierce. If you walk away from Bond, do you think anyone would pay you $20 million? No, that's absolutely impossible. Your image has been established. It's hard for audiences to accept you in roles outside Bond. Plus, you know about Lion King 2, right? That animated film originally had box office potential like Finding Nemo, but thanks to some sabotage from Firefly and Fox, it only grossed a little over half of what Nemo did. So, even more challenging, knowing the pressure from Firefly, most studios won't even risk inviting you to audition. Your Hollywood career would be dead."

"Even if I'm done for, I'll drag CAA down with me. I'm suing you."

"Hah, suing us? Do you know what the headlines are saying right now? 'Pierce Brosnan allegedly claims ignorance of MGM's salary conditions to win back the Bond contract.' Everyone thinks you're just pretending to be oblivious. If you sue, people will laugh at you as a desperate fool."

Brosnan paused, suddenly rushing forward and grabbing Richard by the collar, forcefully pinning him against the wall. "Did you do this? This has to be your doing, isn't it?"

"Let go, you lunatic." Even with Richard pinned against the wall, he maintained his composure, waving his arms and shouting, "I've been working all day to help you regain your contract. Do you really think I have time for silly games? This is just MGM flexing their muscles at you."

With frustration evident on Richard's face, Brosnan stared at him for a few seconds. As his fist lowered reluctantly, he hesitated but didn't want to release him just yet. They maintained their standoff for a moment until Sarah Lindert, cautiously lurking nearby, tentatively suggested, "Richard, how about this -- MGM only lowballed the offer by 10 million, right? Perhaps CAA could forego the 10% commission from this contract as compensation for Pierce's loss."

Richard, still gripping his collar, took a deep breath, casting a glance at Brosnan that reflected his unwillingness to accept this situation. After a long pause, he finally uttered, "Alright, I agree."

Upon hearing Richard's concession, Brosnan finally let go of his collar, but still angry, coldly remarked, "You shouldn't have taken a dime anyway. Sarah, let's go."

With that, Brosnan left the office without looking back. Sarah Lindert triumphantly raised a finger to Richard as she quickly followed.

"Pleasure."

Watching Sarah leave, Richard cursed under his breath. He slid down the wall to the floor, loosened his collar, and threw the crooked tie aside, letting out a sigh of relief.

Moments later, David O'Connor walked in, glanced at Richard sitting against the wall, then squatted down in front of him. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, offering it to Richard before lighting it for him, asking, "Did you sort it out?"

Richard took a long drag from the cigarette, nodding, and glanced at the mess by the window. He muttered under his breath, "Damn Hollywood."

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 903: Roller Coaster]

As Richard Lovett had anticipated, MGM's stock price plummeted by 6.8% throughout the day on Tuesday, following the news of Pierce Brosnan's replacement. With no remedial measures taken by MGM, its market capitalization had dropped from a peak of $12.3 billion to $11.5 billion by the day's close.

Early Wednesday morning, as major North American newspapers speculated whether MGM's stock would plummet again, a reporter stationed at MGM's Century City headquarters suddenly broke major news. Around 9:20 AM local time, Pierce Brosnan, the actor who portrayed James Bond, made a surprise appearance at Century City, flanked by a crowd of aides and security, quickly entering the MGM headquarters building. Corresponding photos almost immediately appeared on Yahoo's homepage.

In this situation, even a fool could guess that there had been a significant turnaround regarding Brosnan's replacement.

While MGM still had not released any public announcements, shares of MGM, which had started to dip again on the East Coast at the New York Stock Exchange, suddenly skyrocketed. Within just half an hour, MGM's market capitalization soared back to $12 billion.

Then, at 10 AM, MGM finally issued another announcement through Yahoo, but the content was unrelated to the highly anticipated spy movie universe. The statement declared that to alleviate tight cash flow and minimize investment risks, MGM had decided to transfer the production rights to The Lord of the Rings trilogy to Firefly Group, retaining only the global theatrical distribution rights for the trilogy.

As soon as the news broke, MGM's sharply rising stock price suddenly stalled and briefly dipped.

Rumors had persisted over the past two years that MGM was set to produce The Lord of the Rings trilogy in one go. Recently, there had been increasing indications within the industry that the project had entered a substantial stage of preparation. Terms like "rookie director,"three hundred million budget,"unknown cast," and "huge risks" often appeared in media analyses concerning the entire project.

Many media outlets also speculated that if Eric Williams, who controlled MGM behind the scenes, truly believed in this project, he would make sure that Firefly Group became involved in the investment. However, if Firefly did not participate at all, then this project was likely a gamble that even Eric wouldn't fully endorse.

Thus, the unexpected announcement caught everyone off guard.

Firefly chose not to co-produce The Lord of the Rings trilogy but instead took nearly the entire project. The so-called global theatrical distribution rights that MGM retained ultimately equated to a mere 15% share of the global box office for The Lord of the Rings franchise. The later profits from home video/DVD releases, television broadcast rights, and merchandise revenues would clearly no longer involve MGM in any significant manner.

Until the final resolution, even the most well-informed media could not untangle the various power struggles occurring within MGM in recent days. However, that did not stop them from speculating about the implications of this announcement.

Soon, the boldest and most serious speculation surfaced, quickly trending on Yahoo's hot topics: MGM had parted ways with Williams!

After MGM announced Brosnan's replacement yesterday, insider information leaked quickly, revealing that it was Eric Williams himself who made that decision. Subsequently, MGM's stock price fell 6.8% for the day, prompting MGM's European shareholders' spokesperson, Pierre Truc, to rush from New York to Los Angeles to meet with MGM management.

Following this line of thought, MGM's European shareholders could hardly tolerate the negative impact Brosnan's replacement had on MGM's stock. While outsiders speculated that Drew Barrymore, who held the largest share percentage in MGM, was just a puppet for Eric Williams, there was ultimately no substantial evidence to support this. Eric Williams's stake in MGM was only indirectly controlled through LTD Group, which held 8.4% of MGM's shares.

If Drew Barrymore and the higher management at MGM were dissatisfied with Eric Williams's decision, supported by Pierre Truc representing the European shareholders, it was not beyond possibility for the major shareholders to unite against Williams and completely free themselves from his control.

Then, this morning, when Brosnan re-entered MGM's headquarters, the company dropped the risky venture of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, signaling a potential divergence from Eric Williams's intentions.

As this speculation unfolded, it seemed entirely reasonable that MGM and Eric Williams had indeed severed ties.

Due to the speculation surrounding MGM's transfer of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the stock price fluctuated wildly and remained highly unstable for the next hour.

As the core of the spy movie universe, Pierce Brosnan was undoubtedly important, which was evident from MGM's significant stock plunge yesterday.

However, if MGM's investors had to choose between Eric Williams and Pierce Brosnan, most would likely not hesitate much.

Everyone knew that the recent revival of MGM had been entirely due to the efforts of Eric Williams alone. The projects that had brought MGM substantial profits in recent years -- including the spy movie universe series, the Night at the Museum series, and the Resident Evil series -- were all primarily orchestrated by Eric.

While these projects might have reached stable profitability, even slightly rational investors would not consider Eric Williams to be unimportant.

After all, despite its recent revival, MGM remained the weakest among the seven major studios. Its revenue-generating points were still confined to traditional film operations, far less rooted than the other major companies that had formed large media conglomerates. If MGM completely lost support from Firefly Group -- and worse, faced a crackdown from Firefly after the relationship soured -- MGM would suffer a far more severe impact than simply losing Pierce Brosnan.

As news of the complete break between MGM and Eric spread and was accepted by more and more people, the situation suddenly shifted.

At around 11 AM PST, with just an hour and a half left until closing on the East Coast, MGM's stock price trajectory resembled a lead weight under the influence of gravity. By the time the closing bell rang, MGM's stock settled at $22.82 -- completely negating any uplifting effects from Pierce Brosnan's return to MGM Headquarters. Compared to the opening price of $26.45, the day's decline reached a staggering 13.7%, causing MGM's overall market capitalization to plummet back to the ten billion zone, resting at $9.92 billion.

...

After tossing and turning all night, while occasionally thinking that at worst he could sever ties with MGM, as dawn broke, from the view of his newly acquired Beverly Hills mansion overlooking morning Los Angeles, Pierce Brosnan ultimately decided to accept the salary conditions offered by MGM. Richard Lovett was right; losing the role of 007 meant that everything he had fought for in Hollywood for over a decade -- fame, glory, money -- could disappear, and the complete rift might even lead to a coalition blacklist from Firefly, MGM, and even Fox, effectively ousting him from Hollywood altogether.

However, although he decided to compromise on salary, specific terms such as personal treatment on set, whether to cooperate with MGM on product placements, and the extent of dangerous stunts during filming, were issues on which both Brosnan and Richard Lovett, who had come personally to handle negotiations, displayed a highly meticulous attitude. On the MGM side, there was no engagement on issues of set treatment details, but they were adamant about terms that could directly affect the film's quality. The two sides went back and forth in the MGM conference room all day, and as night fell, they finally settled the contract.

During this time, the news of MGM's stock price declining again was obviously impossible to hide from anyone present, bringing some turmoil within the company.

Having learned the detailed background of the situation, Drew, who had participated in the negotiations at the conference table, appeared indifferent to the stock price drop, even attempting to deter Amy from releasing any clarifying messages. This was not only because she understood better than anyone that the external rumors were entirely false, and that proper clarification would surely boost MGM's stock price again, but because she seemed to welcome the situation.

Merely a rumor of Eric possibly breaking with MGM had triggered a significant plummet in stock price, highlighting Eric's influence and importance to MGM for anyone who had doubts. After a heartfelt discussion last night, she decided to go all out to help Eric secure control of MGM, but she intended for no one to think that Eric's influence on MGM would diminish.

However, she also understood the importance of moderation. Allowing MGM's stock price to experience the kind of rollercoaster fluctuations it had throughout the day provided ample stimulation for some. That evening, MGM began to take action to restore its stock price.

After officially signing the contract with Brosnan, MGM announced the news that night on Yahoo.

...

Four films for a total of $60 million; upon hearing this news, it clearly startled many. This sum was obviously too low, rather than being too high at an average of $15 million per film.

For most Hollywood stars, an average salary of $15 million per film might be unattainable. However, given the anticipated box office revenue for Casino Royale and the immense profits it would bring MGM as part of the spy movie universe, Brosnan's $60 million package for four films was essentially a bargain. Before this, numerous media had speculated that Brosnan's next contract with MGM wouldn't dip below $60 million per film.

After the shock subsided, some people began to realize that if this contract was genuine, MGM had clearly triumphed in the salary dispute with Pierce Brosnan, achieving a madly overwhelming victory.

So, considering that Eric Williams had aggressively suppressed Brosnan's salary and even risked replacing him, would he really part ways with MGM as most media speculated? After all, without Eric's strong insistence, MGM would find it hard to secure a four-film contract with Brosnan, not even reaching $160 million.

Moreover, this victory positively impacted the overall advancement of MGM's spy movie universe's next phase. Whether it was the Charlie's Angels trio or Kevin Costner from Mission: Impossible, they wouldn't approach salary negotiations with MGM feeling overly confident.

...

Amid the chaos of comments and conjectures, the following day, MGM offered the media and the public an indirect answer through another means.

MGM was set to launch a brand-new racing movie series, Fast and Furious, with Eric personally serving as the screenwriter and credited producer. Furthermore, if the movie received favorable market reactions, MGM intended to integrate this series into the spy movie universe in the future.

On the Eastern time morning at 9 AM, MGM announced this news via Yahoo. As the market mulled over the implications of this announcement, at precisely 9:30 AM EST, just before the New York Stock Exchange opened, Pierre Truc, CEO of Havas Group's U.S. division, announced his resignation from MGM's board due to work-related reasons, with successors to be jointly nominated by MGM management and the major shareholders.

At this point, even the slowest reactors began to realize that Eric had never lost control over MGM. He not only aggressively dominated the salary negotiations with Brosnan but also unceremoniously ousted Pierre Truc, the European shareholders' spokesperson attempting to intercede in MGM's management, from the board.

While it still wasn't entirely clear why Eric would transfer the risky Lord of the Rings trilogy entirely to Firefly Group, it did nothing to prevent capital markets from rekindling confidence in MGM. After all, investors were always primarily concerned with profits, and Eric's recent strong moves, although causing turmoil at MGM, were undoubtedly favorable for MGM's development.

Consequently, on Thursday, MGM's stock price rebounded strongly to $27, with a market capitalization of $11.74 billion.

...

As Friday approached, due to a week's worth of news about the possibility of Pierce Brosnan's replacement, Casino Royale's buzz surged once again. A large number of fans flocked to the theaters to 'honor' the soon-to-depart Brosnan.

Ultimately, three weeks into its release, Casino Royale's box office decline narrowed again to just 32%, grossing an additional $52.73 million, bringing its cumulative total to $247 million. While it hadn't yet surpassed Finding Nemo's $263 million in its fifth week, Casino Royale's third-week earnings outpaced its competition by a striking $8 million.

Calculating these numbers, it was evident that Casino Royale's North American box office would ultimately exceed that of Finding Nemo, with some analysts even raising Casino Royale's expected North American earnings to $370 million, while forecasts for Finding Nemo typically hovered around $330 million.

After the box office numbers were announced, further good news coupled with a variety of positive impacts from yesterday allowed MGM's stock to breach $30, closing at an impressive $30.37. Based on a total of 435 million shares, MGM's market value at the week's close reached $13.2 billion.

https//Sayonara816.

[Chapter 904: The Future Scenario]

Early on Saturday morning, Michael Eisner drove to Universal Studios in Burbank. After over three months of preparations, the Titanic exhibition at Firefly Studios officially opened today.

Though the senior management at Firefly Group downplayed the event in various interviews, suggesting it was simply a trial run for a theme park project or even just a public relations move, Universal Studios wasn't about to take it lightly.

The theme park run by Universal Pictures and the now-Firefly-owned Disneyland didn't originally compete strongly with each other; one catered primarily to adult visitors while the other was a dreamland for children. However, the opening of the Titanic exhibition marked the official start of Firefly Group's expansion into a theme park aimed at visitors over eighteen.

Universal Studios boasted a rich history of over thirty years, but Firefly Group was clearly quite capable in the theme park operation realm, rivaling Universal's experience. Furthermore, the numerous blockbuster films that Firefly had developed in recent years would provide a wealth of themes to draw upon for further expansion, an advantage Universal couldn't match.

Rumors hinted that even a week prior to the opening, the limited two thousand tickets for the event had already sold out, along with most of the tickets for the following week. Clearly, this project was showing signs of a hot start even before it opened.

While the global box office for Titanic would gradually cool over the following months, it would likely be decent if Firefly Studios managed to attract two to three thousand visitors daily solely based on the exhibition. However, it was certain that the senior management at Firefly would capitalize on the success of the Titanic exhibition by expanding other film-themed projects to maintain visitor interest, making Firefly Studios a formidable competitor to Universal Studios.

Michael Eisner and the vice president in charge of theme park operations took a general stroll around the park and checked ticket booking statuses before the official opening at 8:30. Watching the throngs of visitors entering the studio, he relaxed a bit. Nevertheless, he quickly gathered the theme park management for an impromptu meeting to discuss developing new projects to respond to the competition from Firefly Studios.

...

This meeting ran until noon when Edgar Bronfman, the CEO of their parent company Seagram, called to arrange a lunch meeting at the studio restaurant.

Half an hour later, Edgar arrived, greeting Michael warmly with a hug as they walked into the restaurant together. After discussing the Titanic exhibit's opening, Edgar turned the conversation to movies. "So, how did Air Force One do on its opening day? I've been tied up with other matters this morning, and I haven't seen the box office report yet."

Air Force One was Universal's marquee summer film this year, starring Harrison Ford. Originally a Sony project, Universal seized the opportunity when Sony focused all their resources on Godzilla.

Michael felt a mix of excitement and anxiety about the film. Initially, he almost scheduled it against Bad Boys 2 and Ice Age on Independence Day, which could have resulted in Air Force One being overshadowed by Casino Royale, which had only been in theaters for a week.

"The opening day box office was nearly $12 million, and it should surpass $55 million in the first week," Michael said with a smile, adding, "There won't be any major releases in the coming weeks. Based on the buzz for Air Force One, it should have a long run -- hitting $150 million in North America should be a piece of cake."

Edgar nodded, satisfied with the news. With a production cost of $85 million, reaching $150 million at the box office in North America would cover its costs and lead to profitability.

However, remembering that Casino Royale's weekend box office was still over $52 million in its third week, Edgar's initial satisfaction waned. Despite arriving from Canada just yesterday, he was well aware of MGM's recent developments.

The thought of Eric Williams, who wielded tremendous influence behind the scenes without even stepping into the spotlight, filled Edgar with envy, and it was part of the reason he decided to come to Los Angeles.

Noticing the change in Edgar's expression, Michael immediately recognized his thoughts and felt his own mood drop.

This situation wasn't exactly something to be pleased about.

Compared to Sony and Warner's circumstances this year, Universal was indeed in a better position. But Michael was never one to compare himself to those in worse situations.

As a quintessential American blockbuster, even if Air Force One succeeded in North America, its overseas box office would likely not fare well. Even if it grossed $300 million worldwide, it would still fall short of Casino Royale's North American earnings -- not to mention comparing global numbers.

Reflecting on Casino Royale, which had generated an impressive $247 million in North America after only three weeks, he saw the overseas tickets were performing even better. Launched in 36 countries simultaneously during its first week, Casino Royale achieved $136 million internationally. Its second week showed a minimal dip of only 27%, collecting an additional $99.28 million, with last week's overseas box office totaling $68.5 million.

In just three weeks, Casino Royale had raked in $303 million overseas. With more widespread release coming in September, it was expected to effortlessly reach over $450 million internationally, likely establishing it as Eric Williams' second consecutive film to surpass $1 billion at the global box office.

$1 billion.

In contrast, Air Force One seemed quite insignificant.

Taking a sip of the soda brought by the waiter, Michael set aside those disheartening thoughts and turned to Edgar. "Ed, do you remember we're working on The Scorpion King, the special effects movie stemming from The Mummy series?"

"Of course," Edgar nodded. "What's the issue?"

"No issue," Michael replied, shaking his head. "I've been pondering for several weeks. Since MGM could create a spy movie universe, perhaps we could develop a Mummy universe centered around Egyptian mythology?"

Edgar paused before nodding vigorously. "That's a great idea; why not? By the way, do you have a detailed plan yet?"

"Not entirely sorted out, but it's coming together," Michael replied somewhat vaguely.

In truth, he had a relatively solid plan in mind; implementing it, however, was another story.

The primary issue remained the cast. After the success of the two Mummy films, all the leads demanded significant pay raises. The two principal actors had even come together to request $20 million each, plus profit sharing -- a price Universal found difficult to swallow -- leaving negotiations for the third film at a standstill.

The Mummy series had been one of the few projects yielding steady and substantial profits for Universal in recent years. Michael felt he certainly lacked the boldness Eric had, as evidenced by his split with Pierce Brosnan. Hence, the matter remained unresolved.

Edgar, unaware of Michael's obstacles, grew more determined that the plan could work. "I'll be in Los Angeles for a while. Let's find some time to discuss it."

Michael nodded, curious, "Are you up to something important while you're in LA?"

"Yes, I just met with Doug Morris this morning. Speaking of which, maybe you could share your thoughts on this."

Doug Morris was the CEO of Universal Records, and Michael engaged with him regularly. "About the record company?"

"Exactly..."

Just then, the waiter brought their lunch. Edgar paused briefly until the waiter left before continuing, "I intend to increase Seagram's media business weight. Recently, I heard that Philips intends to sell Polygram Records, and I believe this might be an excellent opportunity for further expanding Seagram's record business."

Michael, who had been ready to dig in, raised an eyebrow slightly at Edgar's remark, setting down his utensils. "Ed, I don't think this is a good idea. Surely, you've heard of Firefly Electronics' Fireflyer player by now? Everyone's discussing how digital music might impact physical record sales. If this trend holds, purchasing Polygram now would mean overpaying for a major liability."

"I don't see it that way," Edgar replied, shaking his head with a smile. "Michael, I probably know more about this than you do. Over the decades -- from vinyl records to cassette players to CDs -- there have always been claims that each new format would threaten record sales, but that has never occurred. The music industry overall remains robust. The recent rumors stem from Japanese electronics manufacturers concerned that the Fireflyer would affect their position in the traditional portable player market; that's why we're hearing such alarmist talk."

Michael, not particularly knowledgeable about the record industry, listened as Edgar spoke confidently. Realizing Edgar had made up his mind, Michael considered whether to press further but finally mentioned, "If Polygram is looking for a buyer, Firefly Group might be a better fit. They must promote the Fireflyer player, and without sufficient music rights, they won't get far. So, Edgar, maybe you can wait a bit. If Firefly Group shows no interest, then Seagram should proceed cautiously."

"Speaking of which," Edgar leaned in, glancing around as if to ensure no one was listening, whispering conspiratorially, "I caught wind of some news: Williams met with Polygram during his last trip to the UK. While there hasn't been any coverage, you know if the media picks up on it, Firefly is likely already nearing an agreement with Philips, and we'd miss our opportunity."

Michael paused, his voice serious as he asked, "Ed, where did you hear that? Don't you fear this was a deliberate leak from Polygram?"

"Relax, I worked hard to dig this up; it certainly wasn't from Polygram. What I need to do now is reach an agreement with Philips before Firefly acts." Edgar couldn't help but smile smugly after he finished speaking.

Michael chuckled, going along with the moment. "So, how much do you estimate the purchase of Polygram will cost?"

"About $10 billion," Edgar replied. "I plan to divest our remaining beverage business -- oh, and you need to assist on your end. We'll issue about $5 billion in bonds, and that should cover it."

Seagram's total valuation was roughly $30 billion. Recent years of expansion meant media ventures, including Universal Pictures and Universal Records, made up over 70% of Seagram's total market value. Acquiring Polygram would almost entirely transform Seagram into a media conglomerate.

Yet, Michael was acutely aware that after acquiring Polygram, half of Seagram's holdings would be in the record business. Rolling out $5 billion in bonds would further inflate Seagram's debt ratio. If the record industry genuinely faced a decline due to the rise of digital music, the future would be indeed grim for Seagram.

https//Sayonara816.