The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1895 Top Players
Buzz. Buzzing.

The entire Hollywood was silent. One or two people opened their mouths slightly, doubting their eyes, their first thought being that it was an April Fool's Day prank.

My second and third reactions were still that it was April Fool's Day.

In Hollywood, acquisitions and mergers are often accompanied by a constant stream of rumors. From the leak of inside information to the actual start of negotiations and the final signing, the timeline is not only long, but each step is also filled with gossip, speculation, competition, tug-of-war, and gamesmanship.

Until it's written down in black and white, anything is possible.

However, this time was different; it was not only secretive but also smooth, catching everyone completely off guard.

Of course, objectively speaking, given the size of Forest Pictures and Marvel Entertainment, this is a small move, and even if it causes a stir, it will likely be very limited.

However, although!

Everyone was caught off guard and stood there dumbfounded, unable to keep up with the pace of events for a while.

In fact, upon closer examination, everything was foreshadowed. Forest Pictures did not completely hide its activities. It first contacted Marvel Entertainment last August, and the entire process lasted for more than six months. Lucas's presence was spread to different corners of North America, making everything visible to the public.

The problem is, nobody cares, nobody is concerned.

That's it.

Even now, Forest Pictures has not only demonstrated its ambition but also its boldness, making a seemingly casual yet impactful statement.

Fake news?

No, aside from TMZ, The Hollywood Reporter and The New York Times were almost simultaneous, while The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times were only a step behind.

Somewhat surprisingly, the most accurate source of this information was the Wall Street Journal.

According to reports, the deal for Forest Pictures to acquire Marvel Entertainment is divided into three parts.

The first part involves acquiring the entire Marvel Entertainment for $700 million, which would not only give control of all Marvel Comics character adaptation rights and ongoing film projects, but also encompass all industries including comic book publishing and toys.

The second part involves a $500 million film investment, officially establishing five projects to be filmed according to the timeline. Regardless of box office and revenue, Forest Pictures must complete the filming of the five projects, develop the copyrights, and pave the way for the future development possibilities of Marvel Entertainment.

The first project that is 100% confirmed is "Iron Man," with Kevin Feige serving as executive producer.

The third part is an $800 million installment payment, payable over three years at a 5% annual interest rate.

In other words, the acquisition of Forest Pictures was completed in three parts: present, future, and installments, and overall it should be a contract worth two billion US dollars.

Courage.

Not only are they ambitious and courageous, but they also have strong execution and persuasive abilities. Forest Pictures has made a stunning announcement of its strong presence.

Amidst the shock and disbelief, the entire Hollywood community took Lucas Wood seriously for the first time.

Previously, no one paid attention to Lucas.

In people's eyes, the Wood brothers were just spoiled brats who swung the family trust's checks and enjoyed life to the fullest. They were essentially a group of pampered, carefree fools who had no talent, ability, or ability and couldn't endure hardship. They were typical fraternity bastards.

Lucas's decision to establish Forest Films and venture into Hollywood was less about building a career and more about taking advantage of Anson's success to enter the film industry and freeload off the people. Every move and every step taken by Forest Films was inseparable from Anson's powerful influence.

But now? Clearly, Lucas isn't going to prove himself to anyone. He doesn't need to. He is who he is, always following his own path and earning his place in the world.

In less than two years, Forest Pictures managed to come up with $700 million in cash and acquire Marvel Entertainment right under the noses of Hollywood.

incredible!

Of course, sarcastic remarks, ridicule, mockery, and disdain were heard everywhere.

"Marvel Entertainment? They've got too much money to burn."

"This isn't a smart decision; it's just a case of someone being foolish and having too much money. Who would acquire Marvel Entertainment?"

"Marvel Entertainment is now just an empty shell. They turned a billion-dollar business into a two-billion-dollar deal. No wonder they're Brotherhood idiots."

"It was probably Anson who instigated it. Seeing how much money 'Spider-Man' was making, he eagerly acquired Marvel, dreaming of sitting back and counting his money on the copyright."

"I don't understand. Nobody in Hollywood is willing to take on Marvel's mess. How much straw did the Wood brothers have in their heads to turn a blind eye?"

"Haha, from Hollywood to Wall Street, all the professionals are idiots, only the Wood brothers are smart, that's what they must be thinking."

They were sarcastic and dismissive.

From an operational standpoint, Lucas may have made a stunning debut, drawing the attention of the entire Wall Street community; however, from an analytical and judgmental perspective, it was a disastrous move.

Forest Films has spent money to buy trouble, a bottomless pit, and a pile of garbage. The Wood brothers' ambitions have all been thrown into a cesspool.

So, what about Lucas?
Unmoved, calm and serene.

Lucas never questioned Anson's judgment for a single second, and firmly believed in Anson's assessment. Even when faced with ridicule and attacks from professionals, he remained remarkably calm.

"In Hollywood, when everyone starts attacking you, it's either because you've done something big or you've done something stupid; there's no middle ground."

"From the current perspective, regardless of which one it is, it at least shows that we broke with convention and triggered an earthquake. I think that's a good thing."

Whether Forest Pictures' move is clever or foolish remains to be seen. Lucas and the experts don't have the final say; in the end, we need to see if Marvel Entertainment can shine and fulfill the Wood brothers' ambitions.

However, putting the future aside for the moment, Forest Pictures is undoubtedly at the forefront of the storm, sweeping away all the buzz.

As an actor, Anson turned lead into gold, single-handedly creating the brilliance of "Spider-Man"; and now, Anson is about to create "Iron Man," what will the future hold?

In fact, Forest Pictures emphasized that Kevin Feige was the producer of "Iron Man," and made no mention of Anson's name whatsoever, in any form. However, the news media continued to speculate, conjecture, and even conclude that Anson was the producer, and might even be a direct actor—

After all, Sony Columbia has confirmed that "Spider-Man 3" is the final chapter of the series.

Immediately, various rumors circulated in Hollywood, with each claiming that Anson's acquisition of Marvel Entertainment was to compete with Sony Columbia. Although Michael Linton lost in the internal power struggle, the relationship between Anson and the top management of Sony Columbia had broken down beyond repair, so Anson was preparing to launch a counterattack.

Those words and those eyes made it seem as if one could see Anson gritting his teeth, preparing to fight against Sony Columbia.

Moreover, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Forest Pictures has not yet begun its strategic planning; it has only completed the acquisition, instantly becoming a top player in Hollywood.

(End of this chapter)