I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and couldn't help but say, "President Gray, Lionsgate's scale is indeed completely different from A24's."

Gray smiled faintly: "A24 values ​​awards, seniority, and industry rules. They are conservative and rigid in their approach. But Lionsgate values ​​the market, strength, and win-win cooperation. We don't care if the director is a newcomer or a veteran. We only care if the work is a hit, if it can be a win-win situation, and if it can make money for our company."

Cheng Sheng nodded slightly, his attitude calm: "I can give you time to hold a meeting, but my bottom line remains unchanged. I will lead the creation of the entire project and will not accept any capital interference in the creation process. The first dollar of revenue sharing is my hard condition, and there is no compromise."

He spoke calmly, yet with an unshakeable confidence: "I am confident that this film, 'Juno,' will not only win an Oscar but also rave about the global box office, achieving both critical and commercial success. If Lionsgate is willing to break the rules and pursue both sides, I will prioritize exclusive cooperation with Lionsgate for all my subsequent Hollywood projects."

This promise instantly made Gray's eyes light up.

Cheng Sheng's creative ability and ability to create hit products have already been proven by countless works.

If Lionsgate can secure long-term resources from this top Chinese director, it would be a sure-fire strategic move.

Gray immediately made a decision: "Okay! I'll call an emergency high-level meeting right now and give you a final answer within an hour."

Without delay or shirking responsibility, Gray immediately dialed an internal conference call and initiated a high-level discussion on the spot.

Cheng Sheng and Scarlett sat quietly in the reception area, waiting.

Scarlett turned her head to look at the composed man beside her, her eyes filled with admiration and pride.

In all of Hollywood, no foreign director has ever dared to challenge the rights of top companies as soon as they entered Hollywood, and no foreign director has ever made a mid-sized giant like Lionsgate lower its stance and make an exception to discuss the rules.

Only Cheng Sheng.

He didn't rely on seniority or connections, but solely on his absolute strength and confidence, carving out a path of equality and mutual benefit for himself within Hollywood's rules and regulations.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Gray hung up the conference call and strode over, a bright smile on his face: "Congratulations, Director Cheng. The board unanimously approved your first dollar share!"

"Furthermore, the company promises that it will not interfere with the film's creation, will not tamper with the script, and will not force the addition or alteration of scenes. The crew setup, shooting schedule, and post-production will all be based on your creative will. We will only be responsible for the initial investment, the setup of the professional team, and global publicity and theatrical distribution."

This result represents the highest level of treatment ever given to a foreign director entering Hollywood.

Cheng Sheng remained calm, showing no sign of elation, as if everything was under his control: "It's a pleasure to cooperate, President Gray."

“It’s a pleasure to work with you!” Gray extended his hand and shook hands solemnly. “I can’t wait to witness the birth of this legendary new work.”

After finalizing the core cooperation terms, Gray immediately arranged for the legal team to draft a formal cooperation contract, expediting the process to ensure the project could be implemented as quickly as possible.

While the legal department was drafting the contracts, Cheng Sheng took the opportunity to decline the remaining four company negotiation appointments. Legendary Pictures, MGM, and Blumhouse successively received replies from agent Lucy, informing them that Cheng Sheng had reached a deep cooperation agreement with Lionsgate. Although they were disappointed, no one objected.

After all, the conditions offered by Lionsgate were already the ceiling for foreign directors in Hollywood, and were impeccable.

In contrast, A24's Fanny, after receiving the rumor that Lionsgate had officially announced the partnership, immediately convened an emergency shareholders' meeting and discussed Cheng Sheng's profit-sharing terms overnight. In the end, the entire team compromised and agreed to make an exception and open up the first dollar's share of the profits, and even promised to increase Oscar public relations resources.

Fanny personally called Scarlett, her tone filled with obvious regret and a desire to make amends, hoping to salvage the collaboration.

Scarlett simply replied, "President Fanny, cooperation requires mutual sincerity. When Cheng took the initiative to come and negotiate, you insisted on your seniority and made excuses. Now that Lionsgate has already secured the cooperation, we will not change partners midway. Please understand."

One sentence completely ended any possibility of remediation for A24.

At 3 p.m., Lionsgate's official contract was finalized, with clear terms and responsibilities, fully honoring all previous verbal promises.

The contract clearly states in black and white: First, the copyright of the complete script of "Juno" belongs to Cheng Sheng, and Lionsgate only has the right to distribute and use it in this project cooperation; Second, Cheng Sheng has 100% creative control over the film, including the final decision-making power over casting, shooting, editing, and music, with zero interference from the company; Third, Cheng Sheng enjoys the first dollar share of global theatrical releases, streaming media, and peripheral copyrights, with the proportion calculated according to the standards of top directors; Fourth, both parties jointly invest, share risks and share profits, and Lionsgate is fully responsible for the development of distribution channels in North America and around the world.

Cheng Sheng reviewed the entire contract word by word and found no hidden clauses, binding constraints, or traps. The terms were fair and just, and fully respected his creative ideas and rights.

“There’s no problem with the contract.” Cheng Sheng looked up and signed his name.

Gray followed suit, signing and stamping the document, officially launching this collaborative project spanning the Chinese and American film and television markets.

The moment the signature was completed, Gray smiled and said, "Director Cheng, starting today, the 'Juno' project is officially launched. We will set up the core crew within three days, equipping them with top Hollywood cinematography, lighting, art direction, and post-production teams to fully coordinate with your shooting schedule."

"I will provide a complete storyboard, shooting schedule and casting list within three days," Cheng Sheng responded calmly. "Besides Scarlett Johansson being cast as the female lead, I will prioritize casting low-key, established Hollywood actors for the supporting roles, reducing salaries and putting all the budget into production."

“A very wise choice.” Gray agreed wholeheartedly. “The core of this film is the story and the acting. Adding star power would dilute the artistic quality and be detrimental to its chances of winning awards.”

"By the way, where's Bruce from your company? He's a good friend of mine, why haven't I seen him?" Cheng Sheng said.

“That’s really unfortunate. Bruce has been sent to Europe; he has business there,” Gray said with a smile.

"I hope to see him next time I come to Lionsgate."

With everything settled, Cheng Sheng and Scarlett bid farewell to the Lionsgate team and drove back home.

Outside the car window, the skyscrapers and film studios of Hollywood slowly receded, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling warmly on the car window.

Scarlett turned her head to look at the man beside her, her eyes filled with emotion and admiration: "Cheng, you are truly amazing. All the foreign directors in Hollywood bow their heads, compromise, and accept the rules of capital. Only you, upon arriving, broke industry norms and received the treatment that only top directors receive." (End of this chapter)