Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 479-477: The Hunt

In May, the Los Angeles sun grows increasingly intense, foreshadowing the approaching summer blockbuster season.

However, for Wang Sheng, May was spent in a fast-paced yet relatively "calm" rhythm.

He sat in Burbank's temporary office, like a captain on a long voyage, firmly holding the helm, steering several giant ships of different styles, sailing side by side through the deep sea of ​​Hollywood.

Exciting news has come from Disney.

Post-production on "The Pursuit of Happyness" is now complete.

Under Wang Sheng's strict supervision, the final film presents a restrained yet powerful force of realism.

Jamie Foxx and young actor Tyler James Williams' performances, under Wang Sheng's precise "God's-eye view" guidance, touched the depths of the soul and were far more moving than the original.

The internal screening at Disney was met with an extremely enthusiastic response, with many senior producers and executives having tears in their eyes after watching the film.

Based on their strong confidence in the film's artistic quality and their clear goal of targeting the Oscars season next year, Disney, together with Wang Sheng and Shanghai Film Group, decisively decided to set the film's release date for September 26, 2003.

This release date cleverly avoids the fiercely competitive summer season, falling in the early part of the fall season. It allows for the building of positive word-of-mouth and provides a sufficiently long window for Academy judges to observe and discuss, paving the way for a run at major Oscars.

Robert Geller confidently stated over the phone, "Wang, we have a feeling this is not just a successful film, but a film that will win accolades. 'The Pursuit of Happyness' will make a mark at next year's Oscars."

For New Line Cinema, both fronts are progressing smoothly.

The editing of "Spy Kids" (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) was progressing with astonishing efficiency, under the remote control and several personal guidance sessions of Wang Sheng.

The editors have become accustomed to Wang Sheng's precise instructions, as if the entire film already exists in his mind. The film's pacing has been polished to be more compact, and the balance between action, comedy, and emotion has been perfectly achieved.

After watching some of the edited footage, Matt Damon and Kate Beckinsale both expressed their high praise through their agents, believing that Wang Sheng's approach gave this commercial film a quality and charm that surpassed similar works.

Meanwhile, development of the Twilight project has also begun.

As the concept proposer and key controller, Wang Sheng held several in-depth script discussion meetings with the senior screenwriting team assigned by New Line.

He clearly outlined the core of the dangerous yet captivating love between Bella and Edward, as well as the gloomy and damp atmosphere of Forks, and reiterated the strategic significance of bringing in substantial Chinese actors in the roles.

Having witnessed Wang Sheng's ability to turn lead into gold, the new team had some reservations, but mostly cooperated and experimented. The screenwriters are working hard to naturally integrate Wang Sheng's ideas into the script framework.

After handling the routine matters of these established projects, Wang Sheng did not allow himself to have any free time.

His gaze fell upon that barren land, still considered "second-rate" by Hollywood mainstream in 2003—the Marvel Comics character copyright library.

Successfully acquiring the rights to "Iron Man" is just the first step in his grand strategy.

He knew perfectly well that the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which would one day sweep the globe, was currently scattered among various film companies, either forgotten in a corner or undergoing failed development attempts.

And for some of these key characters, which seem "outdated" or "difficult to adapt," now is the perfect time to buy them at a low price.

He once again employed his "hunting hound"—Robert White, a well-connected and astute middleman in Hollywood. "Robert, I need you to keep an eye out for and contact the following copyrights," Wang Sheng said calmly over the phone, listing his new targets as if shopping for everyday necessities. "First is 'Captain America.' I heard the rights seem to have returned to Marvel a few years ago, or maybe they're still with some small company? Find out the ownership, and if there's an opportunity, buy it."

“Captain America?” White’s voice carried a hint of surprise. “That WWII veteran holding a shield? Wong, isn’t his character setting… too retro, too mainstream? Now is not a good time to promote war heroes.”

In 2003, not long after the events of that time, American society was in a state of flux, and the market acceptance of traditional hero figures was uncertain.

"Retro can be reinterpreted; its core lies in its symbolic spiritual significance."

Wang Sheng said without any room for doubt, "Keep listening: 'Thor,' the god in Norse mythology, who wields a hammer. The copyright should still be with Marvel, or it's not widely available. Find it."

"God... a god in armor who can fly? That would be very expensive for special effects, and it's a mythological adaptation..." White felt his professional knowledge was being challenged.

"And there's 'Black Widow'."

Wang Sheng continued, "She's usually closely associated with Iron Man, so let's see if her independent copyright is clear and if we can acquire it as well. And 'Hawkeye,' the one who uses a bow and arrow. These two characters could be potential complementary or supplementary characters in the future."

He paused, searching his memory for names that would shine brightly in the future but were currently overlooked: "There's 'Ant-Man,' the scientist who can grow and shrink; 'Doctor Strange,' a surgeon with magic; even... 'Black Panther,' the king of Wakanda, the Guardians of the Galaxy... Go check the copyrights for these characters, assess the feasibility and price of acquiring them."

White was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, seemingly processing this bizarre list.

"My king, I must remind you that, apart from Spider-Man and the X-Men, the other Marvel characters are considered to have limited value by Hollywood."

Are you sure you want to invest your time and money in these... well... 'niche' assets? This looks like a huge gamble."

“Robert, I remember you had similar concerns in ‘Shaolin Soccer’,” Wang Sheng said with a hint of sarcasm. “Execute my orders. This isn’t a gamble; it’s an investment. Acquire as many as possible at the lowest possible cost. I believe in your abilities.”

Robert White: "Okay, okay, you're the one who pays, so you're the boss."

……

In 2003, the rights to Captain America had changed hands multiple times and suffered from failed development (such as the failed film released directly on VHS in 1990), and its value was at a low point.

Marvel sold its rights to Universal Pictures in the 90s, but the project failed to proceed. The rights may have been complicated and partially returned to Marvel in the early 21st century, which was a period of chaos.

Thor, due to its mythological background and high special effects costs, has always been considered a daunting project by major film studios. The copyright is likely to remain firmly in the hands of Marvel, which is eager to monetize its films, and the price will not be too high.

As initial members of the Avengers, Black Widow and Hawkeye were primarily seen as supporting characters at this time, and their value as standalone films was not recognized, making them relatively easy and inexpensive to acquire.

Characters like Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther were practically unheard of in Hollywood in 2003, belonging to the category of "leftovers" that were almost ignored.

This was Wang Sheng's best hunting opportunity.

Using a small portion of the enormous profits from "Saw" and "Night at the Museum" to secure a ticket to a future cinematic universe worth hundreds of billions of dollars is, in his view, a more worthwhile deal than any other Hollywood transaction.

In the following weeks, Robert White used his entire network of connections, like a patient archaeologist, to carefully navigate and negotiate in Hollywood's complex copyright labyrinth.

(End of this chapter)