America: My Time

Chapter 471 A Minor Accident

Chapter 471 A Minor Accident
There are many people who have designs on NBC, but whether they can succeed is hard to say. It's normal for Morgan to have such ideas now, as this is something they've always wanted to do. For Morgan, their biggest wish is for all of John's profitable companies to go public, so they can get more benefits from John.

They might think about it, but when it came to actually taking action, they would still be cautious. Now was not a good time to act, and John, that little fox, was no longer in the United States, but was hiding far away in Tokyo, Japan, avoiding the many storms in the US. Trade issues with Japan were a major focus for many; the semiconductor agreement between the US and Japan was just the beginning, and even more outrageous things were yet to come. John's departure from the US at this time deprived many of the opportunity to make things difficult for him, and also allowed the little fox to escape this crisis.

It's not that no one has considered going to Japan to find John and get their opinions, but you can think about it, but you can't do it. Whoever does it will have to bear the responsibility and face John's wrath. John's decision at this time is already telling everyone that he doesn't want to be involved in this matter, but you're forcing him to participate. You're just courting death. Even the White House wouldn't do such a thing, and no one else dares to bear such serious consequences.

After John left the United States, all the schemes against him gradually disappeared. This change surprised many people, far exceeding their expectations. Even Morgan found it unbelievable. Why would those old guys like Rockefeller back down at this time? Could there be some secret or hidden story?
It wasn't a secret, but fear and unease. Many feared it was a dangerous trap, that John, that little fox, had already laid a net, waiting for them to walk right into it. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened, and John's current change made them even more uneasy, forcing them to abandon their targeted actions.

Whether there was scheming or a trap, that's not important; what matters is the attitude. Choosing to strike at this moment means exposing oneself first, putting oneself at the forefront of the battle. How could those old foxes accept such an outcome? How could they allow themselves to be exposed to John, this little fox, giving the opponent a reason to retaliate?

Although many people have noticed the development and even expansion direction of Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Group, everything is still in the preparation stage, making it very difficult for them to stop them. The other party's preparations are too thorough, so thorough that they are frightening. Every link is almost foolproof, and even a stubborn guy like Warner does not dare to make a move.

It was in this atmosphere that Top Gun was released. As the first blockbuster of the summer season, its impact on the entire market was astonishing. It quickly swept the market with an absolute advantage, shocking all the film companies in Hollywood and exciting its partners. Although Top Gun was indeed a blockbuster, Paramount's own investment was not as large as imagined, because all the planes came from the support of the Navy.

It was a success. Top Gun achieved great success at the beginning of the summer season, putting pressure on other Hollywood studios and making many people wary of Paramount. This could be another Universal Pictures, and the landscape of Hollywood has changed dramatically.

The success of Top Gun led to a surge in sales of related merchandise. Even the protagonist's clothing, which the Forever Group didn't have high hopes for, became an instant hit and a bestseller in the clothing market. This situation left many people dumbfounded, especially since it was summer vacation.

What does it mean to make money? Paramount showed its Hollywood counterparts a great deal. The huge success of its merchandise brought Paramount enormous benefits, silencing many who were skeptical. Many believed that Paramount's move under Phoenix Media would lead to its decline, especially given their current focus on Paramount Television. However, the results were a major disappointment. Many didn't believe Universal's success could be replicated, but reality proved them right. Paramount copied Universal's success and entered the era of blockbuster films.

The success of Top Gun brought Sophie Marceau fame in Hollywood, drawing attention to this French beauty and making it clear that her success stemmed from the support of Hollywood mogul John. The fact that a French actress, relatively unknown in Hollywood, could land the lead role in a blockbuster like Top Gun naturally brought John into the picture, making other Hollywood beauties eager to follow suit.

In the past, even if someone wanted to do this, they wouldn't have the opportunity. John, a Hollywood mogul, would never attend Hollywood parties or various events. But now, after graduating, John no longer has this problem. Before, many people were just observing, but now, with Sophie Marceau's success, many people have started to consider it.

Unfortunately, when these guys wanted to take action, they discovered that John, the Hollywood mogul, had already left the United States, leaving them powerless. The success of Top Gun accelerated Paramount's development and Phoenix Media's growth in the US. Previously, they worried about funding, but Top Gun's success gradually alleviated those concerns. Moreover, Paramount Television was now on track; although not as large as the other three major networks, it no longer needed the group's support and was self-sufficient. This rapid achievement led many to be optimistic about its future. Many felt that John's abilities in entertainment were no less than, and perhaps even greater than, his in the semiconductor industry. The market capitalization of Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media was comparable to Nvidia and Dreamworld, and this was without them being publicly listed. One could imagine the astonishing transformation such a group would undergo if it went public.

Top Gun not only made French beauty Sophie Marceau a star, but also made Tom Cruise a huge hit. However, after becoming famous, he and his agent believed that there were problems with Paramount's contract. They both deeply resented the contract and wanted to change it. In their view, Paramount was just leeching off them.

Actually, Tom Cruise wasn't the only one with this idea. After Universal Pictures launched its blockbuster plan, many Hollywood stars resisted Universal's domineering behavior, but they were powerless to challenge Universal. At this time, Cruise and his agency wanted to fight Paramount, believing that Paramount was only just beginning its blockbuster plan and they had the ability to compete. Unfortunately, their actions yielded no results. Paramount completely ignored them.

What are celebrities anyway? After Universal Pictures' success, it has already changed the Hollywood market. Now, how could Paramount possibly care about Tom Cruise and his agency's demands? They completely ignored their unreasonable requests: either fulfill the contract or compensate Paramount for its losses. The breach of contract penalty alone is something Tom Cruise can't afford right now.

"Damn Paramount, how dare they be so arrogant and domineering, ignoring our normal and reasonable demands!" Tom Cruise was furious; Paramount's reaction made him feel like he had been slapped in the face.

"Tom, it seems we were all wrong. We underestimated Paramount's tough stance. Stop going against Paramount; it won't do you any good. If you really anger Paramount Pictures, you'll have no place in Hollywood. Paramount is backed by Phoenix Media, and doing this will not only anger Paramount but also lead to Universal Pictures and Legendary Entertainment blacklisting you. No matter how angry or unwilling you are, you have to cooperate with Paramount Pictures' promotional efforts for Top Gun. You can't be above Hollywood; you're just an ant in front of a giant like Paramount Pictures!"

Instead of directly targeting Tom Cruise, Paramount Pictures has turned its attention to his agency, effectively blacklisting all of its actors. This is no ordinary blacklist; it's a complete ban, with Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media working together to deny them any opportunity to appear in public or collaborate.

Although all of this was done in secret, the whole of Hollywood soon knew about this blacklist, which shocked Hollywood stars. The reaction was too intense. Although Universal Pictures had blacklisted many stars before, there was a huge difference compared to this. This time, they directly targeted an agency.

It was precisely because the company suffered such a ban that the agent had to persuade Tom Cruise to cooperate with Paramount Pictures' publicity efforts. However, this time Tom Cruise gained a bad reputation in Hollywood, and everyone will be worried about getting cooperation from Hollywood giants in the future.

Having achieved fame at a young age, Tom Cruise made a wrong decision. Of course, this was largely due to the interference and encouragement of his agency. However, he has to bear the infamy and consequences himself. After his collaboration with Paramount ends, it is likely that he will never be able to work with Paramount or Universal Pictures again. He is already on the blacklist of these two Hollywood giants, and being on this blacklist will have unimaginable consequences for him in the future.

Tom Cruise is unaware of the magnitude of his mistake, nor is he aware that his agency is also shifting the blame onto him. Faced with the powerful Paramount Pictures, the agency has no choice but to back down, abandoning Cruise and placing all the responsibility on him. The agency is unwilling and unable to bear this responsibility.

(End of this chapter)